were no fingerprints on it, the doctor understood,
It had been either wiped or held in a handkerchief.
As regards time, any time between seven and hint
seemed indicated.
"He could not, for instance, have been kille
after midnight?" asked Poirot.
"No. That I can say. Ten o'clock at the outsid
--but seven-thirty to eight seems clearly indi,
cated."
"There is a second hypothesis possible," Poirol
said when we were back home. "I wonder if y0
46
Agatha Christie
see it, Hastings. To me it is very plain, and I only
need one point to clear up the matter for good and
all. ' '
"It's no good," I said. "I'm not there."
"But make an effort, Hastings. Make an ef-fort.''
"Very well," I said. "At seven-forty Clayton is
alive and well. The last person to see him alive is
Rich--"
"So we assume."
"Well, isn't it so?"
"You forget, rnon ami, that Major Rich denies
that. He states explicitly that Clayton had gone
when he came in"
"But the valet says that he would have heard
Clayton leave because of the bang of the door.
And also, if Clayton had left, when did he return?
He couldn't have returned after midnight because