Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-14
extrta. agant, but he's a dear boy. and
has u, incest manners"


her and we started at once. getting
| away before my sister was able to fire
| off any more announcements begin
ming with her favorite words. "Of
| course"
An old woman with an immense
Breton cap opened the door of The
Larches to us. NJ. Poirot was at
| home, 1t seemed.
We We're ushered into little sit
| ting-room arranged with formal pre-
| cision, and there, after the lapse Of
minute or so, my friend Of yesterday
| came to us.
Monsieur lie docteur," he said.
smiling. "Mademoiselle."
| He bowed to Flora.
| Perhaps I began, you have
heard of the tragedy which occurred
last night"
| His face grew grave.
| But certainly I have heard. 1t is
horrible. l offer mademoiselle all my
sympathy. In what way can / serve
your"
Miss Ackroyd." said, wants you
| toto"
ITO find the murderer" said Flora
| in a clear voice.
| II see." said the little man. "But the
police will do that, will they not?'
| "They might make a mistake" said
| Flora. '"They are on their wav to
mistake now, 1 think. Please, M.
Poirot, won't you help us? Tiff it is
a question Of money"
| Poirot held up his hand.
mot that. I beg Of you. mademoi-
selle. Not that / do not care for
money" His eyes showed g. momen-
tary twinkle. Money, 1t means much
to me and always has done. No. II
| go into this, you must understand one
thing clearly. / shall go through with
1t to the end. The good dog. he does
not leave the scent. remember! You
| may wish that. after all, you had
left it to the local police"
II want the TRUTH said Flora,
looking him straight in the eyes.
| "All the truth?"
"All the TRUTH
man quietly. "And I hope will not
regret those words. Now. tell me all
the circumstances"
''Dr. Sheppard had better tell you"
said Flora He knows more than 1
Thus enjoined. I plunged into a
careful narrative. embodying all the
facts I have previously set down.
Poirot listened carefully, inserting a
| question here and there, but for the
| most part sitting in silence. his eyes
| on the ceiling.
/ brought my story to a close with
the departure of the inspector and my
self from Fernly Park the previous
night.
| And now" said Flora. as finished,
tell him all about Ralph"
/ hesitated, but her imperious glance
drove me on.
| you went to this inn--this Three
Boars-last night on your way homer"
/ --I n@l,~ Ia L. -
a close. Now exactly why was that?"
I paused a moment to choose my
words carefully.
II thought some one ought to in-
form the young man of his uncle's
death. 1t occurred to me after had
left Fernly that possibly no one but
myself and Mr.. Ackroyd were aware
that he was staying in the village"
Poirot nodded.
quite so. That was your only
| motive in going there, eh?"
That was my only motive" I said
stiffiy
reassure yourself about ce jsune
| homme?''
"Reassure myself?"
"I think, NJ. lie docteur. that you
know very we'll what I mean, though
you pretend not to do so. 1 suggest
that it would have been a relief to
you If you had found that Capt. Patton
had been at home all the evening"
Not at ALL" said sharply.
The little detective shook his head
at me gravely.
"You have not the trust in me of
Miss Flora" he said. But no matter.
What we have to look at is this
Capt. Patton is missing under circum-
stances which call for an explanation.
/ will not hide from you that the mat
ter looks grave. Still. it may admit of
a perfectly simple explanation"
That's just what l keep saying"
cried Flora eagerly.
Poirot touched no more upon that
theme. Instead he suggested an i'm.
mediate visit to the local police. He
thought it better for Flora to return
home. and for me to be the one to
accompany him there and introduce
him to the officer in charge of the case
We carried out this plan forth
with. We found Inspector Davis
outside the police station looking
very glum indeed. With him was
Co. Melrose. the chief constable. and
another man whom. from Flora's de-
scr' ion of "weaselly," had no diff
f1cuity in recog; iZing as Inspector
Raglan from Cranchester.
know Melrose fairly well, and in.
troduced Poirot to him and explained
the situation. The chief constable was
clearly vexed, and Inspector Raglan
looked as black as thunder. Davis,
however, seemed slightly exhilarated
by the sight Of his superior officers
annoyance.
1.-THE case is going to be plain as a
pikestaff," said Raglan. mot the
1oac Yoapd for IN h,V%
ting in. You'd think any fool would
have seen the way things We're last
night, and then we shouldn't have lost
II hours"
He directed "A vengeful glance at
poor Davis. who received it with per-
feet stolidity.
MIR. Ackroyd's family must, of
course. do what they see fit" said Col.
Melrose. But we cannot have the
official investigation hampered in any
way. / know NJ. PoirOt's great repu-
tation. Of course" he added cour.
teously.
1.-THE police can't advertise them
selves. worse luck" said Raglan.
1t was Poirot who saved the situa-
ton.
1T il true that have retired from
the world" he said. II never intend
ed to take UP n case again. Above all
things. | have a horror of publicity.
I must beg, that In the case Of my be- |
ing able to contribute something to
the solution of tho mystery, my name |
may not he mentioned
Inspector Raglan's face lightened a
little.
i've heard of some very remark
able successes of yours" observed the |
colonel, thawing.
II have had much experience" said |
~
cesses have been obtained by the aid |
Of the police. I admire enormously