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He nodded rather gloomily. `
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`
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"Yes, it's a fine property. It'll be mine some day--should be `
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mine now by rights, if my father had only made a decent will. `
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And then I shouldn't be so damned hard up as I am now." `
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`
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"Hard up, are you?" `
`
`
`
"My dear Hastings, I don't mind telling you that I'm at my wit's `
`
end for money." `
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`
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"Couldn't your brother help you?" `
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`
`
"Lawrence? He's gone through every penny he ever had, publishing `
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rotten verses in fancy bindings. No, we're an impecunious lot. `
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My mother's always been awfully good to us, I must say. That is, `
`
up to now. Since her marriage, of course----" he broke off, `
`
frowning. `
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`
`
For the first time I felt that, with Evelyn Howard, something `
`
indefinable had gone from the atmosphere. Her presence had spelt `
`
security. Now that security was removed--and the air seemed rife `
`
with suspicion. The sinister face of Dr. Bauerstein recurred to `
`
me unpleasantly. A vague suspicion of every one and everything `
`
filled my mind. Just for a moment I had a premonition of `
`
approaching evil. `
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`
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`
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`
`
CHAPTER II. `
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`
`
THE 16TH AND 17TH OF JULY `
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`
`
`
`
I had arrived at Styles on the 5th of July. I come now to the `
`
events of the 16th and 17th of that month. For the convenience `
`
of the reader I will recapitulate the incidents of those days in `
`
as exact a manner as possible. They were elicited subsequently `
`
at the trial by a process of long and tedious cross-examinations. `
`
`
`
I received a letter from Evelyn Howard a couple of days after her `
`
departure, telling me she was working as a nurse at the big `
`
hospital in Middlingham, a manufacturing town some fifteen miles `
`
away, and begging me to let her know if Mrs. Inglethorp should `
`
show any wish to be reconciled. `
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`
`
The only fly in the ointment of my peaceful days was Mrs. `
`
Cavendish's extraordinary, and, for my part, unaccountable `
`
preference for the society of Dr. Bauerstein. What she saw in `
`
the man I cannot imagine, but she was always asking him up to the `
`
house, and often went off for long expeditions with him. I must `
`
confess that I was quite unable to see his attraction. `
`
`
`
The 16th of July fell on a Monday. It was a day of turmoil. The `
`
famous bazaar had taken place on Saturday, and an entertainment, `
`
in connection with the same charity, at which Mrs. Inglethorp was `
`
to recite a War poem, was to be held that night. We were all `
`
busy during the morning arranging and decorating the Hall in the `
`
village where it was to take place. We had a late luncheon and `
`
spent the afternoon resting in the garden. I noticed that John's `
`
manner was somewhat unusual. He seemed very excited and `
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restless. `
`
`
`
After tea, Mrs. Inglethorp went to lie down to rest before her `
`
efforts in the evening and I challenged Mary Cavendish to a `
`
single at tennis. `
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`
`
About a quarter to seven, Mrs. Inglethorp called us that we `
`
should be late as supper was early that night. We had rather a `
`
scramble to get ready in time; and before the meal was over the `
`
motor was waiting at the door. `
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`
`
The entertainment was a great success, Mrs. Inglethorp's `
`
recitation receiving tremendous applause. There were also some `
`
tableaux in which Cynthia took part. She did not return with us, `
`
having been asked to a supper party, and to remain the night with `
`
some friends who had been acting with her in the tableaux. `
`
`
`
The following morning, Mrs. Inglethorp stayed in bed to `
`
breakfast, as she was rather overtired; but she appeared in her `
`
briskest mood about 12.30, and swept Lawrence and myself off to a `
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luncheon party. `
`
`
`
"Such a charming invitation from Mrs. Rolleston. Lady `
`
Tadminster's sister, you know. The Rollestons came over with the `
`
Conqueror--one of our oldest families." `
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`
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Mary had excused herself on the plea of an engagement with Dr. `
`
Bauerstein. `
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`
`
We had a pleasant luncheon, and as we drove away Lawrence `
`
suggested that we should return by Tadminster, which was barely a `
`
mile out of our way, and pay a visit to Cynthia in her `
`
dispensary. Mrs. Inglethorp replied that this was an excellent `
`
idea, but as she had several letters to write she would drop us `
`
there, and we could come back with Cynthia in the pony-trap. `
`
`
`
We were detained under suspicion by the hospital porter, until `
`
Cynthia appeared to vouch for us, looking very cool and sweet in `
`
her long white overall. She took us up to her sanctum, and `
`
introduced us to her fellow dispenser, a rather awe-inspiring `
`
individual, whom Cynthia cheerily addressed as "Nibs." `
`
`
`
"What a lot of bottles!" I exclaimed, as my eye travelled round `
`
the small room. "Do you really know what's in them all?" `
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`
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"Say something original," groaned Cynthia. "Every single person `
`
who comes up here says that. We are really thinking of bestowing `
`
a prize on the first individual who does _not_ say: 'What a lot of `
`
bottles!' And I know the next thing you're going to say is: 'How `
`
many people have you poisoned?' " `
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`
`
I pleaded guilty with a laugh. `
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`
`
"If you people only knew how fatally easy it is to poison some `
`
one by mistake, you wouldn't joke about it. Come on, let's have `
`
tea. We've got all sorts of secret stories in that cupboard. `
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No, Lawrence--that's the poison cupboard. The big `
`
cupboard--that's right." `
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`
`
We had a very cheery tea, and assisted Cynthia to wash up `
`
afterwards. We had just put away the last tea-spoon when a knock `
`
came at the door. The countenances of Cynthia and Nibs were `
`
suddenly petrified into a stern and forbidding expression. `
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`
`
"Come in," said Cynthia, in a sharp professional tone. `
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`
`
A young and rather scared looking nurse appeared with a bottle `
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which she proffered to Nibs, who waved her towards Cynthia with `
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the somewhat enigmatical remark: `
`
`
`
"_I_'m not really here to-day." `
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`
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Cynthia took the bottle and examined it with the severity of a `
`
judge. `
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`
`
"This should have been sent up this morning." `
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`
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"Sister is very sorry. She forgot." `
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`
`
"Sister should read the rules outside the door." `
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`
`
I gathered from the little nurse's expression that there was not `
`
the least likelihood of her having the hardihood to retail this `
`
message to the dreaded "Sister". `
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`
`
"So now it can't be done until to-morrow," finished Cynthia. `
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`
`
"Don't you think you could possibly let us have it to-night?" `
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`
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"Well," said Cynthia graciously, "we are very busy, but if we `
`
have time it shall be done." `
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`
`
The little nurse withdrew, and Cynthia promptly took a jar from `
`
the shelf, refilled the bottle, and placed it on the table `
`
outside the door. `
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`
`
I laughed. `
`
`
`
"Discipline must be maintained?" `
`
`
`
"Exactly. Come out on our little balcony. You can see all the `
`
outside wards there." `
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`
`
I followed Cynthia and her friend and they pointed out the `
`
different wards to me. Lawrence remained behind, but after a few `
`
moments Cynthia called to him over her shoulder to come and join `
`
us. Then she looked at her watch. `
`
`
`
"Nothing more to do, Nibs?" `
`
`
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"No." `
`
`
`
"All right. Then we can lock up and go." `
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`
`
I had seen Lawrence in quite a different light that afternoon. `
`
Compared to John, he was an astoundingly difficult person to get `
`
to know. He was the opposite of his brother in almost every `
`
respect, being unusually shy and reserved. Yet he had a certain `
`
charm of manner, and I fancied that, if one really knew him well, `
`
one could have a deep affection for him. I had always fancied `
`
that his manner to Cynthia was rather constrained, and that she `
`
on her side was inclined to be shy of him. But they were both `
`
gay enough this afternoon, and chatted together like a couple of `
`
children. `
`
`
`
As we drove through the village, I remembered that I wanted some `
`
stamps, so accordingly we pulled up at the post office. `
`
`
`
As I came out again, I cannoned into a little man who was just `
`
entering. I drew aside and apologised, when suddenly, with a `
`
loud exclamation, he clasped me in his arms and kissed me warmly. `
`
`
`
"Mon ami Hastings!" he cried. "It is indeed mon ami Hastings!" `
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`
`
"Poirot!" I exclaimed. `
`
`
`
I turned to the pony-trap. `
`
`
`
"This is a very pleasant meeting for me, Miss Cynthia. This is `
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