I read out in a somewhat embarrassed voice.

 

“To begin with, one must look at the thing logically——”

 

“Just what my poor Hastings used to say,” interrupted Poirot, “but alas! he

never did so.”

 

“_Point No. 1._—Mr. Ackroyd was heard talking to some one at half-past nine.

 

“_Point No. 2._—At some time during the evening Ralph Paton must have come in

through the window, as evidenced by the prints of his shoes.

 

“_Point No. 3._—Mr. Ackroyd was nervous that evening, and would only have

admitted some one he knew.

 

“_Point No. 4._—The person with Mr. Ackroyd at nine-thirty was asking for money.

We know Ralph Paton was in a scrape.

 

“_These four points go to show that the person with Mr. Ackroyd at nine-thirty

was Ralph Paton. But we know that Mr. Ackroyd was alive at a quarter to ten,

therefore it was not Ralph who killed him. Ralph left the window open.

Afterwards the murderer came in that way._”

 

“And who was the murderer?” inquired Poirot.