“We’ll go at once,” said Colonel Melrose. “You and M. Poirot will accompany us,

will you not?”

 

We assented, and all drove up in the colonel’s car. The inspector was anxious to

get at once to the footmarks, and asked to be put down at the lodge. About

half-way up the drive, on the right, a path branched off which led round to the

terrace and the window of Ackroyd’s study.

 

“Would you like to go with the inspector, M. Poirot?” asked the chief constable,

“or would you prefer to examine the study?”

 

Poirot chose the latter alternative. Parker opened the door to us. His manner

was smug and deferential, and he seemed to have recovered from his panic of the

night before.

 

Colonel Melrose took a key from his pocket, and unlocking the door which led

into the lobby, he ushered us through into the study.

 

“Except for the removal of the body, M. Poirot, this room is exactly as it was

last night.”

 

“And the body was found—where?”

 

As precisely as possible, I described Ackroyd’s position. The arm-chair still

stood in front of the fire.