The lawyer took off his pince-nez and polished them with his handkerchief.

 

“No,” he replied, “I can hardly say that I am surprised. I have suspected

something of the kind for some time.”

 

“That brings us,” said Poirot, “to the information for which I am asking. If any

one can give us an idea of the actual sums paid, you are the man, monsieur.”

 

“I see no object in withholding the information,” said Hammond, after a moment

or two. “During the past year, Mrs. Ferrars has sold out certain securities, and

the money for them was paid into her account and not reinvested. As her income

was a large one, and she lived very quietly after her husband’s death, it seems

certain that these sums of money were paid away for some special purpose. I once

sounded her on the subject, and she said that she was obliged to support several

of her husband’s poor relations. I let the matter drop, of course. Until now, I

have always imagined that the money was paid to some woman who had had a claim

on Ashley Ferrars. I never dreamed that Mrs. Ferrars herself was involved.”

 

“And the amount?” asked Poirot.

 

“In all, I should say the various sums totaled at least twenty thousand pounds.”

 

“Twenty thousand pounds!” I exclaimed. “In one year!”