25-07-01 Twenty-nine Once more I was in Wilbraham Crescent, proceeding in a westerly direc-tion. I stopped before the gate of No. 19. No one came screaming out of thehouse this time. It was neat and peaceful. I went up to the front door and rang the bell. Mi...

25-07-01 II Hardcastle had arrived. We had had the introduction and the greetings. We were now settled down in a companionable fashion, with Dick occa-sionally glancing surreptitiously at Poirot with the air of a man at the Zoostudying a new and surprising a...

25-07-01 Twenty-eight COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE II arrived at Crowdean at eleven oclock at night, five days later. I went tothe Clarendon Hotel, got a room, and went to bed. Id been tired the nightbefore and I overslept. I woke up at a quarter to ten. I sent for...

25-07-01 II I rang Hardcastle. Yes, he said in answer to my questions. Its just as they say. His voice sounded hard and bitter. I went to see her night before last. I told her her story about the scarjust wouldnt jell. That the scar tissue was comparatively...

25-06-30 Twenty-seven COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE IYou dont seem to have got much out of that Ramsay woman? com-plained Colonel Beck. There wasnt much to get. Sure of that? Yes. Shes not an active party? No. Beck gave me a searching glance. Satisfied? he asked. No...

25-06-30 Twenty-six Mrs. Rival pushed open the door of the Peacocks Arms and made aslightly unsteady progress towards the bar. She was murmuring underher breath. She was no stranger to this particular hostelry and wasgreeted quite affectionately by the barma...

25-06-30 Twenty-five COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE I had to wait just a minute or two, then the door opened. A big blonde Nordic girl with a flushed face and wearing gaycolouredclothing looked at me inquiringly. Her hands had been hastily wiped butthere were traces...

25-06-30 III Going out of the gate I almost cannoned into Mrs. McNaughton. She wascarrying a shopping bag and seemed very wobbly on her feet. Let me, I said and took it from her. She was inclined to clutch it fromme at first, then she leaned her head forward...

25-06-30 II It was a quarter past twelve when I rang the bell at 62, Wilbraham Cres-cent. Mrs. Ramsay opened the door. She hardly raised her eyes to look atme. What is it? she said. Can I speak to you for a moment? I was here about ten days ago. Youmay not r...

25-06-30 Twenty-four COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE IWhen Sheila had gone, I went across to the Clarendon, packed my bag andleft it ready with the porter. It was the kind of hotel where they are partic-ular about your checking out before noon. Then I set out. My rout...