Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-23
Continued from Yesterdays starr

NCpiiLhluco HUM Icsiciudy STAR
| dagger handle
But why?"
Poirot shrugged his shoulders
again.
"To make a confusing case even
| more confusing"
Well" said the inspector. I'll look
into it. What gave you the idea In
the first place."
when you were so kind as to show
me the dagger and draw attention &c
the fingerprints. / know very little
| of loops and whorls-see. I confess my
ignorance frankly. But 1t did occur
to me that the position of the prints
was somewhat awkward. Not SC
would / have held a dagger in order
to strike. Naturally, with the right
hand brought up over the shoulder
backward, it would have been diff
cult to put 1t in exactly the right
position"
Inspector Raglan stared at the little
mani. Poirot. with an air of great un
concern, fiecked speck of dust from
his coat sleeve.
We'll" said the inspector tits an
idea. I'll look into 1t all right. but
don't you be disappointed if nothing
comes of it,
He endeavored to make his tone
kindly and patronizing. Poirot watch
ed him go off. Then he turned to me
| with twinkling eyes.
Another time" he observed 81
must be more careful of his amou,
propre. And now that we are left &c
| our own devices, what do you think
my good friend. of q little reunion OF
the family?"
The little reunion" as Poirot called
it, took place about half an hour later
We sat round the table in the dining
room at Fernly--Poirots at the head OF
the table, like the chairman of some
CHASTITY board meeting The servants
all-Mrs. Ackroyd, Flora. Mai
Blunt, young Raymond, Poirot and
myself.
When every one was assembled
POirot rose and bowed
"Messieurs, mesdames. | have call
ed you together for Il certain pur.
pose" He paused. "To begin with,
/ want to make a very special plea to
mademoiselle.'
ITO me?" said Flora.
"Mademoiselle. you are engaged to
Capt. Ralph Patton. If any one IL
in his confidence, you are. I beg you,
most earnestly. If you know of his
whereabouts, to persuade him to come
forward. One little minute''-as
Flora raised her head to speak-"say
nothing till you have well reflected.
Mademoiselle, his position grows daily
more dangerous. If he had come for.
ward at once, no matter how damning
the facts, he might have had chance
of explaining them away. But this
silence-this fiight-what can it mean?
Surely only one thing, knowledge of
guilt. Mademoiselle, If you really be.
lieve in his innocence, persuade him
to come forward before it is too late"
Flora's face had gone very white.
TOO later she reported, very low.
Poiret leaned forward, looking at
her.
See now, mademoiselle." he said,
very gently, ''it is Papa Poirot who
ask you this-the old Papa Poiret
who has much knowledge and much
experience. I would not seek to en-
trap you, mademoiselle. VIII you not
trust me-and tell me where Ralph
Patton is hiding?"
The girl rose, and stood facing him.
M. Poirot," she said in clear
voice, II swear to you-swear solemn
ty-that / have no idea where Ralph
Is, and that i have neither seen him
nor heard from him either on the lay
of-of the murder, or SINCE
She sat down again. Poirot gazed at
her in silence for a minute or two,
then he brought his hand down on
the table with a sharp rap.
"Bien. That is that" he said. His
face hardened. Now I appeal to
these others who sit around this table
Mrs. Ackroyd, Maj. Blunt, DIR. Shep-
pard, Mr.. Raymond. You. are all
friends and intimates Of the missing
man. If you know where Ralph Patton
is hiding, speak OUT
There was a long silence. Poirot
looked to each in turn.
Il beg of YOU" he said in a low
voice, ''speak out