Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-12-19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
nd he is cXtravagant? ,"

on your Inheritance? That is under
standable." He went on: "You have
heard, perhaps, the result of the au-
topsy on your aunt's body. She died
of morphine poisoning"
Elinor Carlisle said coldly: II did
not kill her"
Did you help her to kill herself?"
Did I help? Oh, see. No, did
not"
did you know that your aunt had
made a wll?"
mo, | had no idea Of that Her
voice was flat now-dull. The answer
was mechanical, uninterested.
Poirot said "And you yourself,
have you made q will?"
yes"
Did you make it the day DR.. Lord
spoke to you about it,"
Yes" Again that swift wave Of
color.
Poirot said; "How have you left
your fortune, Miss Carlisle?"
Elinor said quietly: Il have left
everything to Roddy - to Roderck
Welman."
Poirot said: Does he know that?"
She said quickly: Certainly not"
You didn't discuss it with him?"
"Of course not. He would have been
horribly embarrassed and would
have disliked what 1 was doing very
much"
Who else knows the contents of
your will?"
"Only Mr. Seddon-and his clerks,
suppose"
Did Mr. Seldom draw up the will
for you?"
Yes. | wrote to him that same
evening" mean the evening of the
day DR.. Lord spoke to me about it.
Did you post your letter your
self?"
No 1t went in the box from the
house with the other letters"
You wrote it, put it in an envel
ope, sealed it, stamped it and put it
in the box-cOmme ca? You did not
pause to reflect? To read it over?"
Elinor said, staring at him: II read
it over-yes. l had gone to look for
some stamps. When came back with
them, | just re-read the letter to be
sure had put it clearly"
WAS any one in the room with
you?"
Only Roddy."
Did he know what you were do
ing?"
II told you--no."
Gould any one have read that let
ter when you were out of the room?"
Il don't know One of the SER
wants, you mean? suppose they
could have if they had CHANGED to
come in while was out of the room."
and before Mr.. Roderick Welman
entered it?"
"Yes."
Poirot said: "And he could have
read it, too?"
Elnor's voice was clear and scorn-
full. She said: 81 can assure you, M.
Poirot, that my cousin as you call
him, does not read other peoples let
ters."
Poirot said: "That is the accepted
idea, know. You would be surprised
how many people do the things that
are not DONE"
Elinor shrugged her shoulders.
Poirot said in a casual voice: "Was
it on that day that the idea of killing
Mary Gerard first came to you?"
For the third time color swept over
Elinor Carlisle's face. This time it
was a burning tide. She said; did
Peter Lord tell you that?"
Poirot said gently: at was then,
wasn't it? When you looked through
the window and saw her making her
will. It was then, was it not. that it
struck you how funny it would be
and how conven;ent-if Mary Ger
rard should happen to die.
Elinor said in low suffocated
voice: "He knew-he looked at me
and he knew
Poirot said: "Dr. Lord knows a
good deal He is no fool, that young
man with the freckled face and the
red hair
Elinor said in low voice: rs 1t
true that he sent you to-help me!"
at is true, Mademoiselle."
She sighed and said: II don't un-
derstand. No, 1 don't understand"
Poirot said "Listen, Miss Carlisle.
It is necessary that you tell me just
what happened that day when Mary
Gerard died; where you went, what
you did; more than that, I want to
know even what you thought.
cLo e+arad at him Then SLOWLY a