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ease； and dusted a forgotten corner of the bookcase。
The clumping of hobnailed boots on the gravel outside proclaimed the
approach of Manning。 John looked questioningly at Poirot。 The latter
nodded。
〃Come inside； Manning；〃 said John； 〃I want to speak to you。〃
Manning came slowly and hesitatingly through the French window；
and stood as near it as he could。 He held his cap in his hands； twisting it
very carefully round and round。 His back was much bent； though he was
probably not as old as he looked； but his eyes were sharp and intelligent；
and belied his slow and rather cautious speech。
〃Manning；〃 said John； 〃this gentleman will put some questions to you
which I want you to answer。〃
〃Yessir；〃 mumbled Manning。
Poirot stepped forward briskly。 Manning's eye swept over him with a
faint contempt。
〃You were planting a bed of begonias round by the south side of the
house yesterday afternoon； were you not； Manning？〃
〃Yes； sir； me and Willum。〃
〃And Mrs。 Inglethorp came to the window and called you； did she
not？〃
〃Yes； sir； she did。〃
〃Tell me in your own words exactly what happened after that。〃
〃Well； sir； nothing much。 She just told Willum to go on his bicycle
down to the village； and bring back a form of will； or such…likeI don't
know what exactlyshe wrote it down for him。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； he did； sir。〃
〃And what happened next？〃
〃We went on with the begonias； sir。〃
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〃Did not Mrs。 Inglethorp call you again？〃
〃Yes； sir； both me and Willum； she called。〃
〃And then？〃
〃She made us come right in； and sign our names at the bottom of a
long paperunder where she'd signed。〃
〃Did you see anything of what was written above her signature？〃
asked Poirot sharply。
〃No； sir； there was a bit of blotting paper over that part。〃
〃And you signed where she told you？〃
〃Yes； sir； first me and then Willum。〃
〃What did she do with it afterwards？〃
〃Well； sir； she slipped it into a long envelope； and put it inside a sort of
purple box that was standing on the desk。〃
〃What time was it when she first called you？〃
〃About four； I should say； sir。〃
〃Not earlier？ Couldn't it have been about half…past three？〃
〃No； I shouldn't say so； sir。 It would be more likely to be a bit after
fournot before it。〃
〃Thank you； Manning； that will do；〃 said Poirot pleasantly。
The gardener glanced at his master； who nodded； whereupon Manning
lifted a finger to his forehead with a low mumble； and backed cautiously
out of the window。
We all looked at each other。
〃Good heavens！〃 murmured John。 〃What an extraordinary
coincidence。〃
〃Howa coincidence？〃
〃That my mother should have made a will on the very day of her
death！〃
Mr。 Wells cleared his throat and remarked drily：
〃Are you so sure it is a coincidence； Cavendish？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Your mother； you tell me； had a violent quarrel with some one
yesterday afternoon〃
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〃What do you mean？〃 cried John again。 There was a tremor in his
voice； and he had gone very pale。
〃In consequence of that quarrel； your mother very suddenly and
hurriedly makes a new will。 The contents of that will we shall never
know。 She told no one of its provisions。 This morning； no doubt； she
would have consulted me on the subjectbut she had no chance。 The
will disappears； and she takes its secret with her to her grave。 Cavendish；
I much fear there is no coincidence there。 Monsieur Poirot； I am sure
you agree with me that the facts are very suggestive。〃
〃Suggestive； or not；〃 interrupted John； 〃we are most grateful to
Monsieur Poirot for elucidating the matter。 But for him； we should never
have known of this will。 I suppose； I may not ask you； monsieur； what
first led you to suspect the fact？〃
Poirot smiled and answered：
〃A scribbled over old envelope； and a freshly planted bed of
begonias。〃
John； I think； would have pressed his questions further； but at that
moment the loud purr of a motor was audible； and we all turned to the
window as it swept past。
〃Evie！〃 cried John。 〃Excuse me； Wells。〃 He went hurriedly out into
the hall。
Poirot looked inquiringly at me。
〃Miss Howard；〃 I explained。
〃Ah； I am glad she has come。 There is a woman with a head and a
heart too； Hastings。 Though the good God gave her no beauty！〃
I followed John's example； and went out into the hall； where Miss
Howard was endeavouring to extricate herself from the voluminous mass
of veils that enveloped her head。 As her eyes fell on me； a sudden pang
of guilt shot through me。 This was the woman who had warned me so
earnestly； and to whose warning I had； alas； paid no heed！ How soon； and
how contemptuously； I had dismissed it from my mind。 Now that she
had been proved justified in so tragic a manner； I felt ashamed。 She had
known Alfred Inglethorp only too well。 I wondered whether； if she had
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remained at Styles； the tragedy would have taken place； or would the man
have feared her watchful eyes？
I was relieved when she shook me by the hand； with her well
remembered painful grip。 The eyes that met mine were sad； but not
reproachful； that she had been crying bitterly； I could tell by the redness of
her eyelids； but her manner was unchanged from its old gruffness。
〃Started the moment I got the wire。 Just come off night duty。 Hired
car。 Quickest way to get here。〃
〃Have you had anything to eat this morning； Evie？〃 asked John。
〃No。〃
〃I thought not。 Come along； breakfast's not cleared away yet； and
they'll make you some fresh tea。〃 He turned to me。 〃Look after her；
Hastings； will you？ Wells is waiting for me。 Oh； here's Monsieur Poirot。
He's helping us； you know； Evie。〃
Miss Howard shook hands with Poirot； but glanced suspiciously over
her shoulder at John。
〃What do you meanhelping us？〃
〃Helping us to investigate。〃
〃Nothing to investigate。 Have they taken him to prison yet？〃
〃Taken who to prison？〃
〃Who？ Alfred Inglethorp； of course！〃
〃My dear Evie； do be careful。 Lawrence is of the opinion that my
mother died from heart seizure。〃
〃More fool； Lawrence！〃 retorted Miss Howard。 〃Of course Alfred
Inglethorp murdered poor Emilyas I always told you he would。〃
〃My dear Evie； don't shout so。 Whatever we may think or suspect； it
is better to say as little as possible for the present。 The inquest isn't until
Friday。〃
〃Not until fiddlesticks！〃 The snort Miss Howard gave was truly
magnificent。 〃Yo