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With a nod that was barely civil, Miss Howard assented to Poirot's request for a few -room, and Poirot closed the door

"Well, Monsieur Poirot," said Miss Howard impatiently, "what is it? Out with it I'm busy"

"Do you remember, mademoiselle, that I once asked you to help me?"

"Yes, I do" The lady nodded "And I told you I'd help you with pleasure--to hang Alfred Inglethorp"

"Ah!" Poirot studied her seriously "Miss Howard, I will ask you one question I beg of you to reply to it truthfully"

"Never tell lies," replied Miss Howard

"It is this Do you still believe that Mrs Inglethorp was poisoned by her husband?"

"What do you mean?" she asked sharply "You needn't think your pretty explanations influence ht strychnine at the chemist's shop What of that? I dare say he soaked fly paper, as I told you at the beginning"

"That is arsenic--not strychnine," said Poirot mildly

"What does that matter? Arsenic would put poor Emily out of the way just as well as strychnine If I'm convinced he did it, it doesn't matter a jot to me how he did it"

"Exactly If you are convinced he did it," said Poirot quietly "I will put my question in another forlethorp was poisoned by her husband?"

"Good heavens!" cried Miss Howard "Haven't I always told you the man is a villain? Haven't I always told you he would murder her in her bed? Haven't I always hated him like poison?"

"Exactly," said Poirot "That bears out my little idea entirely"

"What little idea?"

"Miss Howard, do you remember a conversation that took place on the day of my friend's arrival here? He repeated it to me, and there is a sentence of yours that has i that if a crime had been committed, and anyone you loved had been murdered, you felt certain that you would know by instinct who the criminal was, even if you were quite unable to prove it?"

"Yes, I re that I believe it too I suppose you think it nonsense?"

"Not at all"

"And yet you will pay no attention to lethorp"