Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-27
By AGATHA CHRISTIE.
Copyright by Dodd. Mead 4 Co.

himself at A wave of invitation from
Poirot. I've got confession to
make"
En- veriteo" said Poirot, with an
air Of polite interest,
"Oh, it's of no consequence. really
But, as matter OF fact, my con
science has heen prickins me ever
since yesterday afternoon. You &C
eused us all of keeping. hack some
thing. NJ. Poirot. | plead guilty.
I've had something up my sleeve"
And what is that NJ. Raymond
LAS I say. it's nothing OF conse-
quence-iust this. | was in debt
badly. and that legacy came in the
nick of time. Five hundred pounds
puts me on my feet again with a
little to spare
gaging frankness that made him such
a likable youngster.
You know how 1t is. Suspicious
looking pelicemen--dan't like to ad-
nit you were hard up for money
think 1t will look bad to them. But I
was a fool really. because Blunt and
I were in the billiard room from a
quarter to ten EDWARDS, so I've Il
watertight alibi and nothing 10 fear.
Still. when you Numbered out that
stuff about eeneealing things, I felt
81 nasty piiCh III GouStlGHCP, ana
thought I'd like to get it off my
mind"
He got up again and stood smiling
at us.
You are a very wise yeuns man."
said Poiret. nedding at him with ap-
prevail See you, when I know that
any one is hiding things from me.
suspect that the thing hidden may be
something very bad indeed Yeu
have done we'll
I'm glad I'm cleared from sus-
plcion. laughed Raymond '1Il he
off now"
So that is that" remarked, as
the door closed behind the young
secretary.
Yes" agreed Peirot "a mere
bagatelle-but If he had not been In
the billiard room-who knows? After
all. many crimes have been com
mitted for the sake of less than Ave
hundred pounds. 1t all depends on
what sum is sufficient to break a man
a question Of the relatively. is it not
| So! Have yau ever reflected, nv,
friend that many people in that
| mouse stood to benefit by Mr.. Aek
royds death? Mrs. Ackroyd, Miss
slora, young Raymond, the house
keeper, Miss Russell Only one. In
1act, does not, Mai. Blunt
Ills tone in uttering that name was
60 peculiar that 1 locked up, pug
= don't quite understand you" !
Two of the people accused have
You think Maj. Blunt has some.
thing to conceal aIsoo"
| AS for that" remarked poiro+
nonchalantly, there is a SAYING, is
there not, that Englishmen conceal
ohly enc thing-their love? Ana
Msd, siunt, I should say, is not
good at eencealments.
Semetimes." said. II wonder II
Te haven't rather jumped to conclu.
What is that?"
| we've assumed that the black.
mailer Of Mrs. Ferrars is necessary
the murderer of Mr.. AekrovG
Mightnt we be mistaken" -
polret nodded enerseticallv
very good. Very good indeed. 7
| wondered II that idea would come ia
YOU. VI course it is possible. But
| ~, We must remember one point. The
s sa', disappeared. Still. that, as YOU
Say may not necessarily mean thai
the murderer took il. Wbsn ne.
nrst found the body, Parker ,. 49,
by yeu;" 4hhe'icea
Parker"
les; Parker I always come h.cL
" Farker-not as the murderer~na
| ne olo not commit the murder. hn,
W. mno IS more suitable than he as the
ME- Ny SERIOUS scoundrel who terrorized
info. eIrars! He may have got his
daath rsn'. ABOUT Mr.. ~Ferrars'
servan from one of~the Kings paddock
hAely TO have come UPON n than
stance oh'' Iof IN
..r narker might have taken thu Let.
TER, ! admitted. 1T wasnt iii ,..N-
that noticed 1t was gone,
% How much later? After Blunt and
f orsnn We're in the room, or he.
81 y ts cant remember" I said SLOWLY.
wards. Yes, I'm almost suro - ,.er
afterwards" sure II was
said mat Widens the field to three !"
1 Par, Foirot theushtfulIy. "Rnt
rarker is the most likely, II o. D -.
NY nina to try q little exper;ro.n.
s m..n Parker. How saw Won en-.
Fe srnr, VIII You accompany me to
M. aeaui.seed. and we set ont ),
royd ana asaou 70 see Miss Ack-
..r Maaemoiselle Flora" said p 30 Us
saor nave to cenfde in Won a I ,+t,s
inneo ! am not yet satisfied NJ "t ne
rnnocenee of Parker. nroaos. me
a MAKE a little experiment VIII ose 10
eesIstanes. want to recon.t souT
p IU,1e or his actions on that ,, luct
tam W.. we must think of sometb,nss NJ y.
satisfv 81, | have it. | wish ~
the i;tt,Ss seiI as to whether voices IN
heard az, sonoy could have been
gong e.mg y Tor Parker. il You will h Now w.
anne a, "a 50. and presently the b,,,.u
"PRewvared' suave as ever outier
| lou lou rang, sir?''
les my good Parker
! .tti!o little experiment h., lave IN
st,,G, olunt on the terrace oI,tsi5 p.acso
on window. l want ia sec az tne
os Mere nefe could have heard the yo any
lohhv - Aekroyd and yourself In TIC
! littls sns. hIsht. want to enact The,
would fs.e, over again. Perhaps vo,,
was you We're carrying" 'eVer II
rarker vanished, and We
% p tne lobby outside the studv psired
esently we heard a c,inL ooor'
outer nan, and Parker appeared ~ IN. me
NORWAY carrying a tray with q SHINE tne
! on II. wv" glasses
one mement," cried Poirot. RAISING
ms hand and seemingly very exci,ad
we must have everything in order
JUST as II occurred. 1t is a little
| method Of mine" 'ie
foreign custom, sir" said
Parker. Reconstruction OF the crime
they call it. do they not?"
he was quite imperturbable as he
stooo there politely waiting on Poirot's
orders. .
MAh, he knnu.s s<.,a>4li-