opportunity to purloin that dagger from the silver table. You might argue that

any one in the house might have done so, but I will recall to you that Miss

Ackroyd was very positive that the dagger was not there when she examined the

silver table.”

 

He paused again.

 

“Let us recapitulate—now that all is clear. A person who was at the Three Boars

earlier that day, a person who knew Ackroyd well enough to know that he had

purchased a dictaphone, a person who was of a mechanical turn of mind, who had

the opportunity to take the dagger from the silver table before Miss Flora

arrived, who had with him a receptacle suitable for hiding the dictaphone—such

as a black bag, and who had the study to himself for a few minutes after the

crime was discovered while Parker was telephoning for the police. In fact—_Dr.

 

Sheppard!_”

 

CHAPTER XXVI

 

AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

 

There was a dead silence for a minute and a half.

 

Then I laughed.