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Poirot's abrupt departure had intrigued us all greatly Sundaywore away, and still he did not reappear But about three o'clock a ferocious and prolonged hooting outside drove us to the , to see Poirot alighting from a car, accompanied by Japp and Summerhaye The little man was transforerated respect to Mary Cavendish

"Madame, I have your permission to hold a little reunion in the salon? It is necessary for every one to attend"

Mary smiled sadly

"You know, Monsieur Poirot, that you have carte blanche in every way"

"You are too a, Poirotforward chairs as he did so

"Miss Howard--here Madeood Dorcas And Annie Bien! We lethorp arrives I have sent him a note"

Miss Howard rose immediately from her seat

"If that man comes into the house, I leave it!"

"No, no!" Poirot went up to her and pleaded in a low voice

Finally Miss Howard consented to return to her chair A few lethorp entered the room

The company once assembled, Poirot rose from his seat with the air of a popular lecturer, and bowed politely to his audience

"Messieurs, mesdames, as you all knoas called in by Monsieur John Cavendish to investigate this case I at once examined the bedroom of the deceased which, by the advice of the doctors, had been kept locked, and was consequently exactly as it had been when the tragedy occurred I found: first, a fragreen material; second, a stain on the carpet near the , still damp; thirdly, an ereen ht in the bolt of the co one occupied by Madement over to the police who did not consider it of nize it for what it was--a piece torn froreen land armlet"

There was a little stir of excitement

"Now there was only one person at Styles orked on the land--Mrs Cavendish Therefore it must have been Mrs Cavendish who entered the deceased's roo with Mademoiselle Cynthia's room"

"But that door was bolted on the inside!" I cried

"When I examined the room, yes But in the first place we have only her word for it, since it was she who tried that particular door and reported it fastened In the ensuing confusion she would have had ample opportunity to shoot the bolt across I took an early opportunity of verifying ment corresponds exactly with a tear in Mrs Cavendish's armlet Also, at the inquest, Mrs Cavendish declared that she had heard, from her own room, the fall of the table by the bed I took an early opportunity of testing that states in the left wing of the building, just outside Mrs Cavendish's door I myself, in company with the police, went to the deceased's room, and whilst there I, apparently accidentally, knocked over the table in question, but found that, as I had expected, Monsieur Hastings had heard no sound at all This confir the truth when she declared that she had been dressing in her rooedy In fact, I was convinced that, far fro been in her own room, Mrs Cavendish was actually in the deceased's rooiven"