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on to destroy her will arose as a direct consequence of the quarrel she had that afternoon； and that therefore the quarrel took place after； and not before the making of the will。
‘‘Here； as we know； I was wrong； and I was forced to abandon that idea。 I faced the problem from a new standpoint。 Now； at 4 o'clock； Dorcas overheard her mistress saying angrily： ‘You need not think that any fear of publicity； or scandal between husband and wife will deter me。'' I conjectured； and conjectured rightly； that these words were addressed； not to her husband； but to Mr。 John Cavendish。 At 5 o'clock； an hour later； she uses almost the same words； but the standpoint is different。 She admits to Dorcas； ‘I don't know what to do； scandal between husband and wife is a dreadful thing。' At 4 o'clock she has been angry； but pletely mistress of herself。 At 5 o'clock she is in violent distress； and speaks of having had a great shock。
‘‘Looking at the matter psychologically； I drew one deduction which I was convinced was correct。 The second ‘scandal' she spoke of was not the same as the first and it concerned herself！
‘‘Let us reconstruct。 At 4 o'clock； Mrs。 Inglethorp quarrels with her son； and threatens to denounce him to his wife who； by the way； overheard the greater part of the conversation。 At 4。30； Mrs。 Inglethorp； in consequence of a conversation on the validity of wills； makes a will in favour of her husband； which the two gardeners witness。 At 5 o'clock； Dorcas finds her mistress in a state of considerable agitation； with a slip of paper ‘a letter；' Dorcas thinks in her hand； and it is then that she orders the fire in her room to be lighted。 Presumably； then； between 4。30 and 5 o'clock； something has occurred to occasion a plete revolution of feeling； since she is now as anxious to destroy the will； as she was before to make it。 What was that something？
‘‘As far as we know； she was quite alone during that half…hour。 Nobody entered or left that boudoir。 What then occasioned this sudden change of sentiment？
‘‘One can only guess； but I believe my guess to be correct。 Mrs。 Inglethorp had no stamps in her desk。 We know this； because later she asked Dorcas to bring her some。 Now in the opposite corner of the room stood her husband's desk locked。 She was anxious to find some stamps； and； according to my theory； she tried her own keys in the desk。 That one of them fitted I know。 She therefore opened the desk； and in searching for the stamps she came across something else that slip of paper which Dorcas saw in her hand； and which assuredly was never meant for Mrs。 Inglethorp's eyes。 On the other hand； Mrs。 Cavendish believed that the slip of paper to which her mother…in…law clung so tenaciously was a written proof of her own husband's infidelity。 She demanded it from Mrs。 Inglethorp who assured her； quite truly； that it had nothing to do with that matter。 Mrs。 Cavendish did not believe her。 She thought that Mrs。 Inglethorp was shielding her stepson。 Now Mrs。 Cavendish is a very resolute woman； and； behind her mask of reserve； she was madly jealous of her husband。 She determined to get hold of that paper at all costs； and in this resolution chance came to her aid。 She happened to pick up the key of Mrs。 Inglethorp's despatch…case； which had been lost that morning。 She knew that her mother…in…law invariably kept all important papers in this particular case。
‘‘Mrs。 Cavendish； therefore； made her plans as only a woman driven desperate through jealousy could have done。 Some time in the evening she unbolted the door leading into Mademoiselle Cynthia's room。 Possibly she applied oil to the hinges； for I found that it opened quite noiselessly when I tried it。 She put off her project until the early hours of the morning as being safer； since the servants were accustomed to hearing her move about her room at that time。 She dressed pletely in her land kit； and made her way quietly through Mademoiselle Cynthia's room into that of Mrs。 Inglethorp。''
He paused a moment； and Cynthia interrupted：
‘‘But I should have woken up if anyone had e through my room？''
‘‘Not if you were drugged； mademoiselle。''
‘‘Drugged？''
‘‘Mais； oui！''
‘‘You remember'' he addressed us collectively again ‘‘that through all the tumult and noise next door Mademoiselle Cynthia slept。 That admitted of two possibilities。 Either her sleep was feigned which I did not believe or her unconsciousness was indeed by artificial means。
‘‘With this latter idea in my mind； I examined all the coffee…cups most carefully； remembering that it was Mrs。 Cavendish who had brought Mademoiselle Cynthia her coffee the night before。 I took a sample from each cup； and had them analysed with no result。 I had counted the cups carefully； in the event of one having been removed。 Six persons had taken coffee； and six cups were duly found。 I had to confess myself mistaken。
‘‘Then I discovered that I had been guilty of a very grave oversight。 Coffee had been brought in for seven persons； not six； for Dr。 Bauerstein had been there that evening。 This changed the face of the whole affair； for there was now one cup missing。 The servants noticed nothing； since Annie； the housemaid； who took in the coffee； brought in seven cups； not knowing that Mr。 Inglethorp never drank it； whereas Dorcas； who cleared them away the following morning； found six as usual or strictly speaking she found five； the sixth being the one found broken in Mrs。 Inglethorp's room。
‘‘I was confident that the missing cup was that of Mademoiselle Cynthia。 I had an additional reason for that belief in the fact that all the cups found contained sugar； which Mademoiselle Cynthia never took in her coffee。 My attention was attracted by the story of Annie about some ‘salt' on the tray of coco which she took every night to Mrs。 Inglethorp's room。 I accordingly secured a sample of that coco； and sent it to be analysed。''
‘‘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 administered a safe； but effectual； narcotic to both Mrs。 Inglethorp and Mademoiselle Cynthia。 And it is possible that she had a mauvais quart d'heure in consequence！ Imagine her feelings 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 moment she must have feared that Mrs。 Inglethorp'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 Mademoiselle Cynthia into a large 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 mentioned； and she discovers that after all the tragedy is not her doing。
‘‘We are now able to account for the symptoms of strychnine poisoning being so long in making their appearance。 A narcotic taken with strychnine will delay the action of the poison for some hours。''
Poirot paused。 Mary looked up at him； the colour slowly rising in her face。
‘‘All you have said is quite true； Monsieur Poirot。 It was the most awful hour of my life。 I shall never forget 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 e to a little difficulty here； since Mrs。 Inglethorp never drank it。''
‘‘What？'' The cry of surprise was universal。
‘‘No。 You will remember my speaking of a stain on the carpet in Mrs。 Inglethorp's room？ There were some peculiar points about that stain。 It was still damp； it exhaled a strong 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 window； and the table； tilting up； had deposited it upon the floor on precisely the identical spot。 In exactly the same way； Mrs。 Inglethorp had laid down her cup of coffee on reaching her room the night before； and the treacherous table had played her the same trick。
‘‘What happened next is mere guess work on my part； but I should say that Mrs。 Inglethorp picked up the broken cup and placed it on the table by the bed。 Feeling in need of a stimulant of some kind； she heated up her coco； and drank it off then and there。 Now we are faced with a new problem。 We know the coco contained no strychnine。 The coffee was never drunk。 Yet the strychnine must have been administered between seven and nine o'clock that evening。 What third medium was there a medium so suitable for disguising the taste of strychnine that it is extraordinary no one has thought of it？'' Poirot looked round the room； and then answered himself impressively。 ‘‘Her medicine！''
‘‘Do you mean that the murderer introduced the strychnine into her tonic？'' I cried。
‘‘There was no need to introduce it。 It was already there in the mixture。 The strychnine that killed Mrs。 Inglethorp was the identical strychnine prescribed by Dr。 Wilkins。 To make that clear to you； I will read you an extract from a book on dispensing which I found in the Dispensary of the Red Cross Hospital at Tadminster：
‘‘ ‘The following prescription has bee famous in text books：
Strychninae Sulph
。 。 。 。 。 。 gr。I
Potass Bromide
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 3vi
Aqua ad
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 3viii
Fiat Mistura
This solution deposits in a few hours the greater part of the strychnine salt as an insoluble bromide in transparent crystals。 A lady in England lost her life by taking a similar mixture： the precipitated strychnine collected at the bottom； and in taking the last dose she swallowed nearly all of it！''
‘‘Now there was； of course； no bromide in Dr。 Wilkins' prescription； but you will remember that I mentioned an empty box of bromide powders。 One or two of those powders introduced into the full bottle of medicine would effectually precipitate the strychnine； as the book describes； and cause it to be taken in the last dose。 You will learn later that the person who usually poured out Mrs。 Inglethorp's medicine was always extremely careful not to shake the bottle； but to leave the sediment at the bottom of it undisturbed。
‘‘Throughout the case； there have been evidences that the tragedy was intended to take place on Monday evening。 On that day； Mrs。 Inglethorp's bell wire was neatly cut； and on Monday evening Mademoiselle Cynthia was spending the night with friends； so that Mrs。 Inglethorp would have been quite alone in the right wing； pletely shut off from help of any kind； and would have died； in all probability； before medical aid could have been summoned。 But in her hurry to be in time for the village entertainment Mrs。 Inglethorp forgot to take her medicine； and the next day she lunched away from home； so that the last and fatal dose was actually taken twenty…four hours later than had been anticipated by the murderer； and it is owing to that delay that the final proof the last link of the chain is now in my hands。''
Amid breathless excitement； he held out three thin strips of paper。
‘‘A letter in the murderer's own hand…writing； mes amis！ Had it been a little clearer in its terms； it is possible that Mrs。 Inglethorp； warned in time； would have escaped。 As it was； she realized her danger； but not the manner of it。''
In the deathly silence； Poirot pieced together the slips of paper and； clearing his throat； read：
‘‘ ‘Dearest Evelyn：
‘You will be anxious at hearing nothing。 It is all right only it will be to…night instead of last night。 You understand。 There's a good time ing once the old woman is dead and out of the way。 No one can possibly bring home the crime to me。 Th