he momentary gleam of her tawny eyes as she raised them.
I felt certain that at that moment she would willingly have torn the
little lawyer, with his insinuations, into pieces, but she replied
quietly enough:

"No. I was very comfortable where I was. I fixed my mind on my book."

"And that is all you can tell us?"

"That is all."

The examination was over, though I doubted if the Coroner was entirely
satisfied with it. I think he suspected that Mary Cavendish could tell
more if she chose.

Amy Hill, shop assistant, was next called, and deposed to having sold a
will form on the afternoon of the 17th to William Earl, under-gardener
at Styles.

William Earl and Manning succeeded her, and testified to witnessing
a document. Manning fixed the time at about 4.30, William was of the
opinion that it was rather earlier.

Cynthia Murdoch came next. She had, however, little to tell. She had
known nothing of the tragedy, until awakened by Mrs. Cavendish.

"You did not hear the table fall?"

"No. I was fast asleep."

The Coroner smiled.

"A good conscience makes a sound sleeper," he observed. "Thank you, Miss
Murdoch, that is all."

"Miss Howard."

Miss Howard produced the letter written to her by Mrs. Inglethorp on
the evening of the 17th. Poirot and I had, of course already seen it.
It added nothing to our knowledge of the tragedy. The following is a
facsimile:

STYLES COURT
ESSEX hand written note: July 17th My
dear Evelyn

Can we not bury the hachet? I have found it hard to forgive the
things you said

against my dear husband but I am an old woman & very fond of you

Yours affectionately,

Emily Inglethorpe

It was handed to the jury who scrutinized it attentively.

"I fear it does not help us much," said the Coroner, with a sigh. "There
is no mention of any of the events of that afternoon."

"Plain as a pikestaff to me," said Miss Howard shortly. "It shows
clearly enough that my poor old friend had just found out she'd been
made a fool of!"

"It says nothing of the kind in the letter," the Coroner pointed out.

"No, because Emily never could bear to put herself in the wrong. But I
know her. She wanted me back. But she wasn't going to own that I'd
been right. She went round about. Most people do. Don't believe in it
myself."

Mr. Wells smiled faintly. So, I noticed, did several of th