hin strips, and rolling
them up into spills he thrusts them hurriedly in amongst the other
spills in the vase on the mantle-piece."

I uttered an exclamation.

"No one would think of looking there," Poirot continued. "And he will
be able, at his leisure, to come back and destroy this solitary piece of
evidence against him."

"Then, all the time, it was in the spill vase in Mrs. Inglethorp'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."

"To me?"

"Yes. Do you remember telling me that my hand shook as I was
straightening the ornaments on the mantel-piece?"

"Yes, but I don't see----"

"No, but I saw. Do you know, my friend, I remembered that earlier in
the morning, when we had been there together, I had straightened all
the objects on the mantel-piece. And, if they were already straightened,
there would be no need to straighten them again, 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 time."

"But I still can't understand why Inglethorp 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 remember reproving me for taking 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 him, but would have hidden it somewhere, and
by enlisting the sympathy of the household I could effectually prevent
his destroying it. He was already under suspicion, and by making the
matter public I secured the services of about ten amateur detectives,
who would be watching him unceasingly, and being himself aware of their
watchfulness he would not dare seek further to destroy the document. He
was therefore forced to depart from the house, leaving it in the spill
vase."

"But surely Miss Howard had ample opportunities of aiding him."

"Yes, but Miss Howard did not know of the paper's existence. In
accordance with their prearranged plan, she never spoke to Alfred
Inglethorp. They were supposed to be deadly enemies, and until John
Cavendish was safely co