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"That was very ingenious," I could not help ad "I must confess that the conclusions I drew from those few scribbled words were quite erroneous"

He sination is a good servant, and a bad master The simplest explanation is always the most likely"

"Another point--how did you know that the key of the despatch-case had been lost?"

"I did not know it It was a guess that turned out to be correct You observed that it had a piece of twisted wire through the handle That suggested to me at once that it had possibly been wrenched off a flilethorp would at once have replaced it on her bunch; but on her bunch I found as obviously the duplicate key, very new and bright, which led inal key in the lock of the despatch-case"

"Yes," I said, "Alfred Inglethorp, without doubt"

Poirot looked at uilt?"

"Well, naturally Every fresh circumstance seems to establish it more clearly"

"On the contrary," said Poirot quietly, "there are several points in his favour"

"Oh, come now!"

"Yes"

"I see only one"

"And that?"

"That he was not in the house last night"

" 'Bad shot!' as you English say! You have chosen the one point that to ainst hilethorp knew that his ould be poisoned last night, he would certainly have arranged to be away from the house His excuse was an obviously trumped up one That leaves us two possibilities: either he kneas going to happen or he had a reason of his own for his absence"

"And that reason?" I asked sceptically

Poirot shrugged his shoulders

"How should I know? Discreditable, without doubt This Mr Inglethorp, I should say, is somewhat of a scoundrel--but that does not of necessity make hiree, eh?" said Poirot "Well, let us leave it Tiht Now let us turn to other aspects of the case What do you make of the fact that all the doors of the bedroom were bolted on the inside?"