was the real reason for your party tonight. The
safest place to commit a murder is in the middle of
a crowd."
"What the--why the hell should I want to kill
Pauline?"
"It might be, perhaps, a question of money.
Your wife left you guardian to her sister. You
mentioned that fact tonight. Pauline is twenty. At
twenty-one or on her marriage you would have to
render an account of your stewardship. I suggest
that you could not do that. You have specu-lated
with it. I do not know, Mr. Barton Russell,
whether you killed your wife in the same way, or
whether her suicide suggested the idea of this
crime to you, but I do know that tonight you have
been guilty of attempted murder. It rests with Miss
Pauline whether you are prosecuted for that."
"No," said Pauline. "He can get out of my
sight and out of this country: I don't want a
scandal."
"You had better go quickly, Mr. Barton
Russell, and I advise you to be careful in future."
Barton Russell got up, his face working.
YELLOW IRIS
123
"To hell with you, you interfering little Belgian
jackanapes."
He strode out angrily.
Pauline sighed.
"M. Poirot, you've been wonderful .... "