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"Will she be able to do so?"

"The Lord only knows There's one thing, Inglethorp hiot the keys still, haven't you, Poirot?" I asked, as we reached the door of the locked roo the keys from Poirot, John unlocked it, and we all passed in The laent straight to the desk, and John followed him

"My mother kept most of her important papers in this despatch-case, I believe," he said

Poirot drew out the small bunch of keys

"Per"

"But it's not locked now"

"Impossible!"

"See" And John lifted the lid as he spoke

"Milles tonnerres!" cried Poirot, dumfounded "And I--who have both the keys inhimself upon the case Suddenly he stiffened "En voila une affaire! This lock has been forced"

"What?"

Poirot laid down the case again

"But who forced it? Why should they? When? But the door was locked?" These exclamations burst froorically--almost mechanically

"Who? That is the question Why? Ah, if I only knew When? Since I was here an hour ago As to the door being locked, it is a very ordinary lock Probably any other of the doorkeys in this passage would fit it"

We stared at one another blankly Poirot had walked over to the mantel-piece He was outwardly cal force of habit werethe spill vases on theviolently

"See here, it was like this," he said at last "There was soht in itself perhaps, but still enough of a clue to connect the murderer with the crime It was vital to him that it should be destroyed before it was discovered and its significance appreciated Therefore, he took the risk, the great risk, of coed to force it, thus betraying his presence For hireat importance"

"But as it?"

"Ah!" cried Poirot, with a gesture of anger "That, I do not know! A document of some kind, without doubt, possibly the scrap of paper Dorcas saw in her hand yesterday afternoon And I--" his anger burst forth freely--"! I have behaved like an imbecile! I should never have left that case here I should have carried it aith one It is destroyed--but is it destroyed? Is there not yet a chance--we must leave no stone unturned--"