Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-07
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Continued from Yesterdays Starr
By AGATHA CHRISTIE.
Copyright by Dodd. Mead & Co.

OOnIlnued from feSterudy y Gtdr.l
go on" said Poirot. "You went
out to meet him at 10 minutes past
9. What did you say to each other?'
"It's difficult. You SEE
"Mademoiselle." said Poiret. inter
rupting her, lin this matter / must
have the whole truth. What you tell
us need never go beyond these four
walls. DIR. Sheppard will be discreet,
and so shall /. See, l will help you.
This Charles Kent, he is your son, is
he not?'
She nodded. The color had famed
into her cheeks.
mo one has ever known. 1t was
long ago--long ago-down in Kent.
! was not married. -
80 you took the name of the
county as a surname for him.
understand"
Il got work. managed to pay for
his board and lodging. / never told
him that was his mother. But he
turned out badly, he drank, then took
to drugs. / managed to pay his pas.
sage out to Canada. didn't hear of
him for year or two, Then, some
how or other, he found out that /
was his mother. He wrote asking me
for money. Finally, heard from him
back in this country again. He was
coming to see me at Fernly. he said.
dared not let him come to the house.
have always been considered So
so very respectable. IL any one got
an inkling--it would have been all up
with my post as housekeeper. So l
wrote to him in the way ! have just
told you
And in the morning you came to
see DIR. Sheppard?"
Yes. / wondered IL something
could be done. He was not bad boy
before he took to drugs"
II see," said Poirot. Now let us
go on with the story. He came that
night to the Summer house?"
Yes, he was waiting for me when
got there. He was very rough and
abusive. I had brought with me all
the money I had, and / gave it to
him. We talked little. and then he
went away
What time was that"
ut must have been between 20 and
Is minutes past 8. 1t was not yet
half-past when / got back to the
house."
(Which way did he go?"
Straight out the same way he
came, by the path that Joined the
drive just inside the lodge gates"
Poirot nodded.
And you, what did you do?"
II went back to the house. Maj.
terrace smoking, so / made a detour
to get round to the side door. 1t was
then just on half-past 9, as tell you"
Poirot nodded again. He made a
note or two In a microscopic pocket
book.
II think that is ALL" he said thought
fully.
Ought T. she hesitated Ought
to tell all this to Inspector. Raglan?"
ut may come to that. But let us
not be in hurry. Let us proceed
slowly, with due order and method.
Charles Kent is not yet formally
charged with murder. Circumstances
may arise which will render your
story unnecessary"
Miss Russell rose.
THANK you very much, M. Poirot,"
she said. "You have been very kind
very kind indeed. You-you do be-
deve me, don't you? That Charles
had nothing to do with this wicked
MURDER
There seems no doubt that the man
who. was talking to Mr.. Ackroyd in
the library at $40 could not possibly
nave been your son. Be of good
courage. mademoiselle. All will yet
be WELL
Miss Russell departed. Poirot and
l were left together.
$50 that's that" I said. Every
time we come back to Ralph Patton.
How did you manage to spot Miss
Russell as the person Charles Kent
came to meet? Did you notice the
resemblance"
II had connected her with the un.
known man long before we actually
came face to face with him--as soon
as we found that quill. The quill
suggested dope, and remembered
your account of Miss Russelrs visit to
you. Then l found the article on
cocaine In that mornings paper. 1t
all seemed very clear. She had heard
from some one that morning-some
one addicted to drugs; she read the
article I'm the paper, and she came to
| you to ask few tentative questions.
She mentioned cocaine, since the
article In question was on cocaine.
Then. when you seemed too interested.