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〃Yes。 Of course； he didn't want to come init was just after dinner
but Mr。 Inglethorp insisted。〃
〃What？〃 Poirot caught me violently by the shoulders。 〃Was Dr。
Bauerstein here on Tuesday evening？ Here？ And you never told me？ Why
did you not tell me？ Why？ Why？〃
He appeared to be in an absolute frenzy。
〃My dear Poirot；〃 I expostulated； 〃I never thought it would interest
you。 I didn't know it was of any importance。〃
〃Importance？ It is of the first importance！ So Dr。 Bauerstein was here
on Tuesday nightthe night of the murder。 Hastings； do you not see？
That alters everythingeverything！〃
I had never seen him so upset。 Loosening his hold of me； he
mechanically straightened a pair of candlesticks； still murmuring to
himself： 〃Yes； that alters everythingeverything。〃
Suddenly he seemed to come to a decision。
〃Allons！〃 he said。 〃We must act at once。 Where is Mr。 Cavendish？〃
John was in the smoking…room。 Poirot went straight to him。
〃Mr。 Cavendish； I have some important business in Tadminster。 A
new clue。 May I take your motor？〃
〃Why； of course。 Do you mean at once？〃
〃If you please。〃
John rang the bell； and ordered round the car。 In another ten minutes；
we were racing down the park and along the high road to Tadminster。
〃Now； Poirot；〃 I remarked resignedly； 〃perhaps you will tell me what
all this is about？〃
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〃Well； mon ami； a good deal you can guess for yourself。 Of course
you realize that； now Mr。 Inglethorp is out of it； the whole position is
greatly changed。 We are face to face with an entirely new problem。 We
know now that there is one person who did not buy the poison。 We have
cleared away the manufactured clues。 Now for the real ones。 I have
ascertained that anyone in the household； with the exception of Mrs。
Cavendish； who was playing tennis with you； could have personated Mr。
Inglethorp on Monday evening。 In the same way； we have his statement
that he put the coffee down in the hall。 No one took much notice of that
at the inquestbut now it has a very different significance。 We must find
out who did take that coffee to Mrs。 Inglethorp eventually； or who passed
through the hall whilst it was standing there。 From your account； there
are only two people whom we can positively say did not go near the
coffeeMrs。 Cavendish； and Mademoiselle Cynthia。〃
〃Yes； that is so。〃 I felt an inexpressible lightening of the heart。 Mary
Cavendish could certainly not rest under suspicion。
〃In clearing Alfred Inglethorp；〃 continued Poirot； 〃I have been obliged
to show my hand sooner than I intended。 As long as I might be thought
to be pursuing him； the criminal would be off his guard。 Now； he will be
doubly careful。 Yesdoubly careful。〃 He turned to me abruptly。 〃Tell
me； Hastings； you yourselfhave you no suspicions of anybody？〃
I hesitated。 To tell the truth； an idea； wild and extravagant in itself；
had once or twice that morning flashed through my brain。 I had rejected
it as absurd； nevertheless it persisted。
〃You couldn't call it a suspicion；〃 I murmured。 〃It's so utterly
foolish。〃
〃Come now；〃 urged Poirot encouragingly。 〃Do not fear。 Speak your
mind。 You should always pay attention to your instincts。〃
〃Well then；〃 I blurted out； 〃it's absurdbut I suspect Miss Howard of
not telling all she knows！〃
〃Miss Howard？〃
〃Yesyou'll laugh at me〃
〃Not at all。 Why should I？〃
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〃I can't help feeling；〃 I continued blunderingly； 〃that we've rather left
her out of the possible suspects； simply on the strength of her having been
away from the place。 But； after all； she was only fifteen miles away。 A
car would do it in half an hour。 Can we say positively that she was away
from Styles on the night of the murder？〃
〃Yes； my friend；〃 said Poirot unexpectedly； 〃we can。 One of my first
actions was to ring up the hospital where she was working。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； I learnt that Miss Howard had been on afternoon duty on
Tuesday； and thata convoy coming in unexpectedly she had kindly
offered to remain on night duty； which offer was gratefully accepted。
That disposes of that。〃
〃Oh！〃 I said； rather nonplussed。 〃Really；〃 I continued； 〃it's her
extraordinary vehemence against Inglethorp that started me off suspecting
her。 I can't help feeling she'd do anything against him。 And I had an
idea she might know something about the destroying of the will。 She
might have burnt the new one； mistaking it for the earlier one in his favour。
She is so terribly bitter against him。〃
〃You consider her vehemence unnatural？〃
〃Yes。 She is so very violent。 I wondered really whether she is
quite sane on that point。〃
Poirot shook his head energetically。
〃No； no； you are on a wrong tack there。 There is nothing weak…
minded or degenerate about Miss Howard。 She is an excellent specimen
of well…balanced English beef and brawn。 She is sanity itself。〃
〃Yet her hatred of Inglethorp seems almost a mania。 My idea wasa
very ridiculous one； no doubtthat she had intended to poison himand
that； in some way； Mrs。 Inglethorp got hold of it by mistake。 But I don't
at all see how it could have been done。 The whole thing is absurd and
ridiculous to the last degree。〃
〃Still you are right in one thing。 It is always wise to suspect
everybody until you can prove logically； and to your own satisfaction； that
they are innocent。 Now； what reasons are there against Miss Howard's
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having deliberately poisoned Mrs。 Inglethorp？〃
〃Why； she was devoted to her！〃 I exclaimed。
〃Tcha！ Tcha！〃 cried Poirot irritably。 〃You argue like a child。 If Miss
Howard were capable of poisoning the old lady； she would be quite
equally capable of simulating devotion。 No； we must look elsewhere。
You are perfectly correct in your assumption that her vehemence against
Alfred Inglethorp is too violent to be natural； but you are quite wrong in
the deduction you draw from it。 I have drawn my own deductions； which
I believe to be correct； but I will not speak of them at present。〃 He paused
a minute； then went on。 〃Now； to my way of thinking； there is one
insuperable objection to Miss Howard's being the murderess。〃
〃And that is？〃
〃That in no possible way could Mrs。 Inglethorp's death benefit Miss
Howard。 Now there is no murder without a motive。〃
I reflected。
〃Could not Mrs。 Inglethorp have made a will in her favour？〃 Poirot
shook his head。
〃But you yourself suggeste