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My jaw dropped involuntarily, and he said at once: "No, mon ami, I am not in my second childhood! I steady my nerves, that is all This eers With precision of the fingers goes precision of the brain And never have I needed that reat thump on the table, Poirot demolished his carefully built up edifice

"It is this, h, but I cannot"--thump--"find"--thump--"that last link of which I spoke to you"

I could not quite tell what to say, so I held ain, speaking in jerks as he did so

"It is done--so! By placing--one card--on another--withunder his hands, story by story He never hesitated or faltered It was really alot," I remarked "I believe I've only seen your hand shake once"

"On an occasion when I was enraged, without doubt," observed Poirot, with great placidity

"Yes indeed! You were in a towering rage Do you remember? It hen you discovered that the lock of the despatch-case in Mrs Inglethorp's bedroo the things on it in your usual fashion, and your hand shook like a leaf! Ia hoarse and inarticulate cry, again annihilated hishis hands over his eyes swayed backwards and forwards, apparently suffering the keenest agony

"Good heavens, Poirot!" I cried "What is the asped "It is--it is--that I have an idea!"

"Oh!" I exclaimed, much relieved "One of your 'little ideas'?"

"Ah, ma foi, no!" replied Poirot frankly "This tiantic! Stupendous! And you--you,me in his arms, he kissed me warmly on both cheeks, and before I had recovered fro from the room

Mary Cavendish entered at that moment

"What is theout: 'A garage! For the love of Heaven, direct e, madame!' And, before I could answer, he had dashed out into the street"