replica for the real stone. The coincidence of the date of the appearance of

‘the Western Star’ struck me at once. All goes well. Lord Yardly prepares to

range himself—to settle down. And then comes the menace of the possible sale of

the diamond. The substitution will be discovered. Without doubt she writes off

frantically to Gregory Rolf who has just arrived in England. He soothes her by

promising to arrange all—and prepares for a double robbery. In this way he will

quiet the lady, who might conceivably tell all to her husband, an affair which

would not suit our blackmailer at all, he will have £50,000 insurance money

(aha, you had forgotten that!), and he will still have the diamond! At this

point I put my finger in the pie.

 

The arrival of a diamond expert is announced. Lady Yardly, as I felt sure she

would, immediately arranges a robbery—and does it very well too! But Hercule

Poirot, he sees nothing but facts. What happens in actuality? The lady switches

off the light, bangs the door, throws the necklace down the passage, and

screams. She has already wrenched out the diamond with pliers upstairs——”

 

“But we saw the necklace round her neck!” I objected.

 

“I demand pardon, my friend. Her hand concealed the part of it where the gap

would have shown. To place a piece of silk in the door beforehand is child’s

play! Of course, as soon as Rolf read of the robbery, he arranged his own little

comedy. And very well he played it!”

 

“What did you say to him?” I asked with lively curiosity.