“Exactly the question,” said Poirot. “You will remember that Mrs.

 

Ackroyd and her daughter came over from Canada to live here?”

 

“Is that what you meant to-day when you accused them of hiding the truth?”

 

“Perhaps. Now another point. What did you think of the parlormaid’s story?”

 

“What story?”

 

“The story of her dismissal. Does it take half an hour to dismiss a servant? Was

the story of those important papers a likely one? And remember, though she says

she was in her bedroom from nine-thirty until ten o’clock, there is no one to

confirm her statement.”

 

“You bewilder me,” I said.

 

“To me it grows clearer. But tell me now your own ideas and theories.”

 

I drew a piece of paper from my pocket.

 

“I just scribbled down a few suggestions,” I said apologetically.

 

“But excellent—you have method. Let us hear them.”