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"But that had already been done by Dr Bauerstein," said Lawrence quickly

"Not exactly The analyst was asked by him to report whether strychnine was, or was not, present He did not have it tested, as I did, for a narcotic"

"For a narcotic?"

"Yes Here is the analyst's report Mrs Cavendish adlethorp and Mademoiselle Cynthia And it is possible that she had a s when her mother-in-law is suddenly taken ill and dies, and immediately after she hears the word 'Poison'! She has believed that the sleeping draught she administered was perfectly harmless, but there is no doubt that for one terrible lethorp's death lay at her door She is seized with panic, and under its influence she hurries downstairs, and quickly drops the coffee-cup and saucer used by Madee brass vase, where it is discovered later by Monsieur Lawrence The remains of the coco she dare not touch Too many eyes are upon her Guess at her relief when strychnine is edy is not her doing

"We are now able to account for the sy their appearance A narcotic taken with strychnine will delay the action of the poison for some hours"

Poirot paused Mary looked up at hi in her face

"All you have said is quite true, Monsieur Poirot It was the et it But you are wonderful I understand now----"

"What I meant when I told you that you could safely confess to Papa Poirot, eh? But you would not trust me"

"I see everything now," said Lawrence "The drugged coco, taken on top of the poisoned coffee, amply accounts for the delay"

"Exactly But was the coffee poisoned, or was it not? We colethorp never drank it"

"What?" The cry of surprise was universal

"No You will relethorp's room? There were some peculiar points about that stain It was still da odour of coffee, and imbedded in the nap of the carpet I found some little splinters of china What had happened was plain to me, for not two minutes before I had placed my little case on the table near the , and the table, tilting up, had deposited it upon the floor on precisely the identical spot In exactly the salethorp had laid down her cup of coffee on reaching her rooht before, and the treacherous table had played her the same trick