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〃Ah； really。〃
〃I suppose；〃 went on Miss Marple； 〃that death was to be expected under those circumstances。〃
〃Not necessarily；〃 said Dr。 Graham。 〃There are methods of controlling blood pressure nowadays。〃
〃His death seemed very suddenbut I suppose you weren't surprised。〃
〃Well I wasn't particularly surprised in a man of that age。 But I certainly didn't expect it。 Frankly； he always seemed to me in very good form； but I hadn't ever attended him professionally。 I'd never taken his blood pressure or anything like that。〃
〃Does one knowI mean； does a doctor knowwhen a man has high blood pressure just by looking at him？〃 Miss Marple inquired with a kind of dewy innocence。
〃Not just by looking；〃 said the doctor； smiling。 〃One has to do a bit of testing。〃
〃Oh I see。 That dreadful thing when you put a rubber band round somebody's arm and blow it upI dislike it so much。 But my doctor said that my blood pressure was really very good for my age。〃
〃Well that's good hearing；〃 said Dr。 Graham。
〃Of course； the Major was rather fond of Planters Punch；〃 said Miss Marple thoughtfully。
〃Yes。 Not the best thing with blood pressurealcohol。〃
〃One takes tablets； doesn't one； or so I have heard？〃
〃Yes。 There are several on the market。 There was a bottle of one of them in his roomSerenite。〃
〃How wonderful science is nowadays；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃Doctors can do so much； can't they？〃
〃We all have one great petitor；〃 said Dr。 Graham。 〃Nature； you know。 And some of the good oldfashioned home remedies e back from time to time。〃
〃Like putting cobwebs on a cut？〃 said Miss Marple。 〃We always used to do that when I was a child。〃
〃Very sensible；〃 said Dr。 Graham。
〃And a linseed poultice on the chest and rubbing in camphorated oil for a bad cough。〃
〃I see you know it all！〃 said Dr。 Graham laughing。 He got up。 〃How's the knee？ Not been too troublesome？〃
〃No； it seems much； much better。〃
〃Well； we won't say whether that's Nature or my pills；〃 said Dr。 Graham。 〃Sorry I couldn't have been of more help to you。〃
〃But you have been most kindI am really ashamed of taking up your time。 Did you say that there were no photographs in the Major's wallet？〃
〃Oh yesa very old one of the Major himself as quite a young man on a polo ponyand one of a dead tiger。 He was standing with his foot on it。 Snaps of that sort。 Memories of his younger days。 But I looked very carefully； I assure you； and the one you describe of your nephew was definitely not there〃
〃Oh I'm sure you looked carefullyI didn't mean thatI was just interested。 We all tend to keep such very odd things〃
〃Treasures from the past；〃 said the doctor smiling。 He said goodbye and departed。 Miss Marple remained looking thoughtfully at the palm trees and the sea。 She did not pick up her knitting again for some minutes。 She had a fact now。 She had to think about that fact and what it meant。 The snapshot that the Major had brought out of his wallet and replaced so hurriedly was not there after he died。 It was not the sort of thing the Major would throw away。 He had replaced it in his wallet and it ought to have been in his wallet after his death。 Money might have been stolen； but no one would want to steal a snapshot。 Unless； that is； they had a special reason for so doing。。。
Miss Marple's face was grave。 She had to take a decision。 Was she； or was she not； going to allow Major Palgrave to remain quietly in his grave？ Might it not be better to do just that？ She quoted under her breath。 〃Duncan is dead。 After Life's fitful fever he sleeps well！〃 Nothing could hurt Major Palgrave now。 He had gone where danger could not touch him。 Was it just a coincidence that he should have died on that particular night？ Or was it just possibly not a coincidence？ Doctors accepted the deaths of elderly men so easily。 Especially since in his room there had been a bottle of the tablets that people with high blood pressure had to take every day of their lives。 But if someone had taken the snapshot from the Mayor's wallet； that same person could have put that bottle of tablets in the Major's room。 She herself never remembered seeing the Major take tablets； he had never spoken about his blood pressure to her。 The only thing he had ever said about his health was the admission： 〃Not as young as I was〃。 He had been occasionally a little short of breath； a trifle asthmatic； nothing else。
But someone had mentioned that Major Palgrave had high blood pressureMolly？ Miss Prescott？ She couldn't remember。 Miss Marple sighed； then admonished herself in words； though she did not speak those words aloud。
〃Now； Jane； what are you suggesting or thinking？ Are you； perhaps； just making the whole thing up？ Have you really got anything to build on？〃
She went over； step by step； as nearly as she could； the conversation between herself and the Major on the subject of murder and murderers。
〃Oh dear；〃 said Miss Marple。 〃Even ifreally； I don't see how I can do anything about it〃
But she knew that she meant to try。
Chapter 6
IN THE SMALL HOURS
Miss Marple woke early。 Like many old people she slept lightly and had periods of wakefulness； which she used for the planning of some action or actions to be carried out on the next or following days。 Usually； of course； these were of a wholly private or domestic nature； of little interest to anybody but herself。 But this morning Miss Marple lay thinking soberly and constructively of murder； and what； if her suspicions were correct； she could do about it。 It wasn't going to be easy。 She had one weapon and one weapon only； and that was conversation。 She could find out； possibly； a little more about Major Palgrave； but would that really help her？ She doubted if it would。 If Major Palgrave had been killed it was not because of secrets in his life or to inherit his money or for revenge upon him。 In fact； although he was the victim； it was one of those rare cases where a greater knowledge of the victim does not help you or lead you in any way to his murderer。 The point； it seemed to her； and the sole point； was that Major Palgrave talked too much！
She had learnt one rather interesting fact from Dr。 Graham。 He had had in his wallet various photographs； one of himself in pany with a polo pony； one of a dead tiger； also one or two other shots of the same nature。 Now why did Major Palgrave carry these about with him？ Obviously； thought Miss Marple； with long experience of old Admirals； Brigadier Generals and mere Majors behind her； because he had certain stories which he enjoyed telling to people。 Starting off with 〃Curious thing happened once when I was out tiger shooting in India。。。〃 Or a reminiscence of himself and a polo pony。 Therefore this story about a suspected murderer would in due course be illustrated by the production of the snapshot from his wallet。 He had been following that pattern in his conversation with her。 The subject of murder having e up； and to focus interest on his story； he had done what he no doubt usually did； produced his snapshot and said something in the nature of 〃Wouldn't think this chap was a murderer； would you？〃
The point was that it had been a habit of his。 This murderer story was one of his regular r