Part 14 (1/2)

”No, both wills were intact.” ”Then supposing she destroyed a dummy will--under the impression that she was destroying the genuine doc.u.ment. She was very ill, remember; it would be easy to deceive her.” ”You would have to bring evidence to that effect,” said the lawyer sharply.

”Oh! undoubtedly--undoubtedly....” ”Is there--may I ask--is there any reason to believe something of the kind happened?

Poirot drew back a little.

”I should not like to commit myself at this stage--” ”Naturally, naturally,” said Mr. Purvis, agreeing with a phrase that was familiar to him.

”But I may say, strictly in confidence, that there are some curious features about this business!”

”Really? You don't say so?” Mr. Pur vis rubbed his hands together with a kind of pleasurable antic.i.p.ation.

”What I wanted from you and what I have got,” continued Poirot, ”is your opinion that Miss Arundell would, sooner or later, have changed her mind and relented towards her family.” ”That is only my personal opinion, of course,” the lawyer pointed out.

”My dear sir, I quite understand. You do not, I believe, act for Miss Lawson?” ”I advised Miss Lawson to consult an independent solicitor,” said Mr. Pur vis.

His tone was wooden.

Poirot shook hands with him, thanking him for his kindness and the information he had given us.XX Second Visit to Littlegreen House on our way from Harchester to Market Basing, a matter of some ten miles, we discussed the situation.

”Have you any grounds at all, Poirot, for that suggestion you threw out?” ”You mean that Miss Arundell may have believed that that particular will was destroyed?

No, mon ami--frankly, no. But it was inc.u.mbent upon me--you must perceive that--to make some sort of suggestion! Mr. Pur vis is a shrewd man. Unless I threw out some hint of the kind I did, he would ask himself what I could be doing in this affair.” ”Do you know what you remind me of, Poirot?” I said.

”No, mon ami.” ”Of a juggler juggling with a lot of dif- ferent-coloured b.a.l.l.s! They are all in the air at once.” ”The different-coloured b.a.l.l.s are the different lies I tell--eh?” ”That's about the size of it.” ”And some day, you think, there will come the grand crash?” ”You can't keep it up for ever,” I pointed out.

”That is true. There will come the grand moment when I catch the b.a.l.l.s one by one, make my bow, and walk off the stage.” ”To the sound of thunderous applause from the audience.” Poirot looked at me rather suspiciously.

”That well may be, yes.” ”We didn't learn very much from Mr.

Pur vis,” I remarked, edging away from the danger-point.

”No, except that it confirmed our general ideas.” ”And it confirmed Miss Lawson's statement that she knew nothing about the will until after the old lady's death.” ”Me, I do not see that it confirmed anything of the sort.” ”Pur vis advised Miss Arundell not to tell her, and Miss Arundell replied that she had no intention of doing so.” ”Yes, that is all very nice and clear. But there are keyholes, my friend, and keys that unlock locked drawers.” ”Do you really think that Miss Lawson would eavesdrop and poke and pry around?” I asked, rather shocked.

Poirot smiled.

”Miss Lawson-she is not an old school tie, mon cher. We know that she overheard one conversation which she was not supposed to have heard-I refer to the one in which Charles and his aunt discussed the question of b.u.mping off miserly relatives.” I admitted the truth of that.

”So you see, Hastings, she may easily have overheard some of the conversation between Mr. Pur vis and Miss Arundell. He has a good, resonant voice.” ”As for poking and prying,” went on Poirot, ”more people do it than you would suppose. Timid and easily frightened people such as Miss Lawson often acquire a number of mildly dishonourable habits which are a great solace and recreation to them.” ”Really, Poiroti” I protested.

He nodded his head a good many times.

”But yes, it is so, it is so.” We arrived at The George and took a cou- pie of rooms. Then we strolled off in the direction of Littlegreen House.When we rang the bell. Bob immediately answered the challenge. Das.h.i.+ng across the hall, barking furiously, he flung himself against the front door.

”I'll have your liver and your lights!” he snarled. ”I'll tear you limb from limb! I'll teach you to try and get into this house! Just wait until I get my teeth into you.” A soothing murmur added itself to the clamour.

”Now then, boy. Now then, there's a good doggie. Come in here.” Bob, dragged by the collar, was immured in the morning-room much against his will.

”Always spoiling a fellow's sport,” he grumbled. ”First chance I've had of giving any one a really good fright for ever so long.

Just aching to get my teeth into a trouser leg. You be careful of yourself without me to protect you.” The door of the morning-room was shut on him, and Ellen drew back bolts and bars and opened the front door.

”Oh, it's you, sir,” she exclaimed.

She drew the door right back. A look of highly pleasurable excitement spread over her face.

”Come in, sir, if you please, sir.” We entered the hall. From beneath the door on the left, loud snuffling sounds proceeded, interspersed with growls. Bob was endeavouring to ”place” us correctly.

”You can let him out,” I suggested.

”I will, sir. He's quite all right, really, but he makes such a noise and rushes at people so it frightens them. He's a splendid watchdog though.” She opened the morning-room door, and Bob shot through like a suddenly projected cannonball.

”Who is it? Where are they? Oh, there you are. Dear me, don't I seem to remember--”

Sniff--sniff--sniff--prolonged snort. ”Of course! We have metl” ”Hullo, old man,” I said. ”How goes it?” Bob wagged his tail perfunctorily.

”Nicely, thank you. Let me just see--” He resumed his researches. ”Been talking to a spaniel lately, I smell. Foolish dogs, I think. What's this? A cat? That is interesting.

Wish we had her here. We'd have a rare sport. H'm--not a bad bullterrier.” Having correctly diagnosed a visit I had lately paid to some doggy friends, he trans- ff-rrf-d his attentions to Poirot, inhaled a noseful of benzine and walked away reproachfully.

”Bob,” I called.

He threw me a look over his shoulder.

”It's all right. I know what I'm doing. I'll be back in a jiffy.” ”The house is all shut up. I hope you'll excuse--” Ellen hurried into the morningroom and began to unfasten the shutters.

”Excellent, this is excellent,” said Poirot, following her in and sitting down. As I was about to join him. Bob reappeared from some mysterious region, ball in mouth. He dashed up the stairs andsprawled himself on the top step, his ball between his paws.

His tail wagged slowly.

”Come on,” he said. ”Come on. Let's have a game.” My interest in detection momentarily eclipsed, we played for some minutes, then with a feeling of guilt I hurried into the morning-room.

Poirot and Ellen seemed to be well away on the subject of illness and medicines.

”Some little white pills, sir, that's all she used to take. Two or three after every meal.

That was Dr. Grainger's orders. Oh, yes, she was very good about it. Tiny little things they were.

And then there was some stuff Miss Lawson swore by. Capsules, they were, Dr. Loughbarrow's Liver Capsules. You can see advertis.e.m.e.nts of them on all the h.o.a.rdings.” ”She took those too?”

”Yes. Miss Lawson got her them to begin with, and she thought they did her good.” ”Did Dr.

Grainger know?” ”Oh, sir, he didn't mind. 'You take 'em if you think they do you good,5 he'd say to her. And she said, 'Well, you may laugh, but they do do me good. A lot better than any of your physic.” And Dr. Grainger, he laughed, and said faith was worth all the drugs ever invented.”

”She didn't take anything else?” ”No. Miss Bella's husband, the foreign doctor, he went out and got her a bottle of something, but although she thanked him very politely she poured it away and that I know for a fact! And I think she was right.

You don't know where you are with these foreign things.” ”Mrs. Tanios saw her pouring it away, didn't she?” ”Yes, and I'm afraid she was rather hurt about it, poor lady. I'm sorry, too, for no doubt it was kindly meant on the doctor's Ttart ” ”No doubt. No doubt. I suppose any medicines that were left in the house were thrown away when Miss Arundell died?” Ellen looked a little surprised at the question.

”Oh, yes, sir. The nurse threw away some and Miss Lawson got rid of all the old lot in the medicine-cupboard in the bathroom.” ”Is that where the--er--Dr. Loughbarrow's Liver Capsules were kept?” ”No, they were kept in the corner-cupboard in the dining-room so as to be handy for taking after meals as directed.” ”What nurse attended Miss Arundell?

Can you give me her name and address?” Ellen could supply that at once and did.