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table； engaged his attention for some time。 He took out the key from the
lock； and passed it to me to inspect。 I saw nothing peculiar； however。 It
was an ordinary key of the Yale type； with a bit of twisted wire through the
handle。
Next； he examined the framework of the door we had broken in；
assuring himself that the bolt had really been shot。 Then he went to the
door opposite leading into Cynthia's room。 That door was also bolted； as
I had stated。 However； he went to the length of unbolting it； and opening
and shutting it several times； this he did with the utmost precaution against
making any noise。 Suddenly something in the bolt itself seemed to rivet
his attention。 He examined it carefully； and then； nimbly whipping out a
pair of small forceps from his case； he drew out some minute particle
which he carefully sealed up in a tiny envelope。
On the chest of drawers there was a tray with a spirit lamp and a small
saucepan on it。 A small quantity of a dark fluid remained in the saucepan；
and an empty cup and saucer that had been drunk out of stood near it。
I wondered how I could have been so unobservant as to overlook this。
Here was a clue worth having。 Poirot delicately dipped his finger into
liquid； and tasted it gingerly。 He made a grimace。
〃CocowithI thinkrum in it。〃
He passed on to the debris on the floor； where the table by the bed had
been overturned。 A reading…lamp； some books； matches； a bunch of keys；
and the crushed fragments of a coffee…cup lay scattered about。
〃Ah； this is curious；〃 said Poirot。
〃I must confess that I see nothing particularly curious about it。〃
〃You do not？ Observe the lampthe chimney is broken in two places；
they lie there as they fell。 But see； the coffee…cup is absolutely smashed
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to powder。〃
〃Well；〃 I said wearily； 〃I suppose some one must have stepped on it。〃
〃Exactly；〃 said Poirot； in an odd voice。 〃Some one stepped on it。〃
He rose from his knees； and walked slowly across to the mantelpiece；
where he stood abstractedly fingering the ornaments； and straightening
thema trick of his when he was agitated。
〃Mon ami；〃 he said； turning to me； 〃somebody stepped on that cup；
grinding it to powder； and the reason they did so was either because it
contained strychnine orwhich is far more seriousbecause it did not
contain strychnine！〃
I made no reply。 I was bewildered； but I knew that it was no good
asking him to explain。 In a moment or two he roused himself； and went
on with his investigations。 He picked up the bunch of keys from the
floor； and twirling them round in his fingers finally selected one； very
bright and shining； which he tried in the lock of the purple despatch…case。
It fitted； and he opened the box； but after a moment's hesitation； closed
and relocked it； and slipped the bunch of keys； as well as the key that had
originally stood in the lock； into his own pocket。
〃I have no authority to go through these papers。 But it should be
doneat once！〃
He then made a very careful examination of the drawers of the wash…
stand。 Crossing the room to the left…hand window； a round stain； hardly
visible on the dark brown carpet； seemed to interest him particularly。 He
went down on his knees； examining it minutelyeven going so far as to
smell it。
Finally； he poured a few drops of the coco into a test tube； sealing it up
carefully。 His next proceeding was to take out a little notebook。
〃We have found in this room；〃 he said； writing busily； 〃six points of
interest。 Shall I enumerate them； or will you？〃
〃Oh； you；〃 I replied hastily。
〃Very well； then。 One； a coffee…cup that has been ground into powder；
two； a despatch…case with a key in the lock； three； a stain on the floor。〃
〃That may have been done some time ago；〃 I interrupted。
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〃No； for it is still perceptibly damp and smells of coffee。 Four； a
fragment of some dark green fabriconly a thread or two； but
recognizable。〃
〃Ah！〃 I cried。 〃That was what you sealed up in the envelope。〃
〃Yes。 It may turn out to be a piece of one of Mrs。 Inglethorp's own
dresses； and quite unimportant。 We shall see。 Five； *THIS！〃 With a
dramatic gesture； he pointed to a large splash of candle grease on the floor
by the writing…table。 〃It must have been done since yesterday； otherwise
a good housemaid would have at once removed it with blotting…paper and
a hot iron。 One of my best hats oncebut that is not to the point。〃
〃It was very likely done last night。 We were very agitated。 Or
perhaps Mrs。 Inglethorp herself dropped her candle。〃
〃You brought only one candle into the room？〃
〃Yes。 Lawrence Cavendish was carrying it。 But he was very upset。
He seemed to see something over here〃I indicated the mantelpiece〃that
absolutely paralysed him。〃
〃That is interesting；〃 said Poirot quickly。 〃Yes； it is suggestive〃his
eye sweeping the whole length of the wall 〃but it was not his candle that
made this great patch； for you perceive that this is white grease； whereas
Monsieur Lawrence's candle； which is still on the dressing…table； is pink。
On the other hand； Mrs。 Inglethorp had no candlestick in the room； only a
reading…lamp。〃
〃Then；〃 I said； 〃what do you deduce？〃
To which my friend only made a rather irritating reply； urging me to
use my own natural faculties。
〃And the sixth point？〃 I asked。 〃I suppose it is the sample of coco。〃
〃No；〃 said Poirot thoughtfully。 〃I might have included that in the six；
but I did not。 No； the sixth point I will keep to myself for the present。〃
He looked quickly round the room。 〃There is nothing more to be
done here； I think； unless〃he stared earnestly and long at the dead ashes
in the grate。 〃The fire burnsand it destroys。 But by chancethere
might belet us see！〃
Deftly； on hands and knees； he began to sort the ashes from the grate
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into