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"But now a fresh dilemma arises: he dare not keep that piece of paper on hi the room--he may be searched If the paper is found on him, it is certain doom Probably, at this minute, too, he hears the sounds below of Mr Wells and John leaving the boudoir He must act quickly Where can he hide this terrible slip of paper? The contents of the waste-paper-basket are kept and in any case, are sure to be exa it; and he dare not keep it He looks round, and he sees--what do you think, mon ami?"
I shookthin strips, and rolling thest the other spills in the vase on the mantle-piece"
I uttered an excla there," Poirot continued "And he will be able, at his leisure, to coainst him"
"Then, all the tilethorp's bedroom, under our very noses?" I cried
Poirot nodded
"Yes, my friend That is where I discovered my 'last link,' and I owe that very fortunate discovery to you"
"Tothe ornaments on the mantel-piece?"
"Yes, but I don't see----"
"No, but I saw Do you know, , e had been there together, I had straightened all the objects on the htened, there would be no need to straighten theain, unless, in the meantime, some one else had touched them"
"Dear me," I murmured, "so that is the explanation of your extraordinary behaviour You rushed down to Styles, and found it still there?"
"Yes, and it was a race for tilethorp was such a fool as to leave it there when he had plenty of opportunity to destroy it"
"Ah, but he had no opportunity I saw to that"
"You?"
"Yes Do you re the household into my confidence on the subject?"
"Yes"
"Well, my friend, I saw there was just one chance I was not sure then if Inglethorp was the criminal or not, but if he was I reasoned that he would not have the paper on hi the sympathy of the household I could effectually prevent his destroying it He was already under suspicion, and bythe matter public I secured the services of about ten aly, and being himself aware of their watchfulness he would not dare seek further to destroy the document He was therefore forced to depart fro it in the spill vase"