Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-28
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
By AGATHA CHRISTIE.
Copyright by Dodd. Mad q Co.

Nonsense said Caroline. 1T al
ways said Chow.
In the Shanghai Club" said Col
Carter. they say Chow
Miss Ganett retired. crushed.
What were you saying about Flora.
Ackroyd?" asked Caroline. after a
moment or two devoted TO the game.
WAS she with any one?"
Very much So" said Miss Ganett.
The eyes Of the two ladies' met. and
sseenld 10 exchange information.
Really" said Caroline interestediy.
rs that 1T Well, it doesn't surprise
| me in the least"
We're waiting for you to discard,
Miss Caroline" said the colonel. He
sometimes affects the pose OF the
bluff male, intent on the game and
! indifferent to gossip. But nobody is
| deceived.
IF you ask me-" said Miss Ganett
tWas that a Bamboo you discarded,
dear? Oh, no, l see now-it was a
CircleJ As / was saying. If you ask
me, Flora 5 been exceedingly lucky.
Exceedingly lucky she's been"
"How's that, Miss Ganett?" asked
the colonel. I'm Pung that Green
Dragon. How do you make out that
Miss Flora's been lucky? Very
Charming girl and all that. know.
Il mayn't know very much abdAt
crime" said Miss Ganett. with the air
| of one who knows everything there
| is to know. but l can tell you one
| thing. The first question that's a.
| ways asked is, Who last saw the
| deceased alive?' And the person who
did is regarded with suspicion. Now.
| alive. 1t might have looked very
nasty for her-Avsry nasty indeed. It's
| my opinion-and l give 1t for what
il 5 worth-that Ralph Patton is stay
| ing away on her account. to draw
suspicion away from her."
Come. now I protested mildly,
| 'you surely can't suggest that a
| young girl like Flora Ackroyd Is
capable of stabbing her uncle in cold
| blood?"
We'll, I don't know" said Miss
! Ganett I've just been reading "a.
book from the library about the
underworld Of P1ks' and it SAYS that that
angels"
That's in France" said Caroline
instantly.
Just So" said the colonel. Nov.
III tell you a very curious thing--a
story that was going around the
| Bazaars ia India. :"
| The colonels story was one of in
terminable length. and of Curiously
little interest. A thing that happened
in India many years ago cannot COM
pare for a moment with an event that
took place in Kings Abbott the Gay
before yesterday.
1t was Caroline who brought the
colonel's story to a close by fortu-
| nately going Nah Joug. After the
slight unpleasantness always &C.
casioned by my corrections OF Caro-
lines somewhat faulty arithmetic. we
started a new hand.
East Wind passes" said Caroline.
i've got an idea OF my own about
Ralph Patton. Three Characters.
But I'm keeping it to myself for the
present"
Are you. dear?" said Miss Ganett.
Chow mean Pung."
Yes" said Caroline firmly.
WAS it all right about the boots
asked Miss Ganstt. Their being
black, 1 mean?"
What was the point, do you
Think" asked Miss Ganett.
Caroline pursed up her lips. and
shook her head with an air OF know
ing all about it.
"Pung," said Miss Ganett, No
Unpung. I suppose that nov the
doctors in with NJ. Poirot he knows
all the secrets"
Far from it," I said.
James is so modest" said Caroline.
"Ah a concealed Kong"
The colonel gave vent to a whistle
For the moment gossip was forgotten.
Your own wind. too," he said:
And you've got two Pungs or
Dragons. We must be careful. Miss
Caroline's out for a big hand"
We played for some minutes with
no irrelevant conversation.
This NJ. Poirot now" said Col.
Carter, as he really such a great
detective?"
The greatest the world has ever
known" said Caroline solemnly. He
had to come here incosnito to AVOID
Chow" said Miss Ganett. Quite
wonderful for our little village, I'm
sure. BY the way, Clara--lny maid
you KNOWS great friends with ELSIE,
the housenaid at Fernly, and what
do YOU think Elsie told her? That
there's been a lot Of money stolen,
and it's her opinion-Elsie's-lm mean,
that the parlor maid had something
70 do with il. She's leaving at the
month, and she's crying GOOD oea!
at night. If you ask me, the girl Is
very likely in league with a gang.
She's always been a queer girl-she 5
mot friends with any OF the girls round
here, She goes off by herself on her
DAYS out-Very unnatural, I call It,
and most suspicious. ] asked her
once to come TO our Girls Friendly
evenings, but she refused, and then /
asked her a few questions about ner
home and her fan1ily-all that sort OF
thing. and I'm bound to say l con-
sidered her manner most impairment.
Outwardly very respectful--out she
shut me up in the most baretaceo
way"
Miss Ganett stopped for breath. and
the colonel, who was totally uninter-
ested in the servant question, re-
marked that in the Shanghai Club
brisk play was the invariable rule.
We had a round of brisk play.
THAT Miss Russell" said Caroline.
She came here pretending to consult
James on Friday morning. It's my
opinion she wanted to see where the
poisons were kept. Five Characters.
Chow" said Miss Ganett. v'What
an extraordinary idea? I wonder If
you can be right"
Talking Of poisons." said the
colonel. "Eh-what: Haven't I dis
carded? Oh. Eight Bainboos."
Nah jong" said Miss Ganett.
Caroline was very much annoyed.
"One Red Dragon" she said regret
fully, and should have had a hand
of three doubles"
| 1--WE had two Red Dragons all the
| time" mentioned
| so exactly like you, James" said
Caroline reproachfully. You've no
conr aptiof, nf the spirft Of the 9aYnA -