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thereiteersofthefalyonly”
lydiasaid:”brotherinlaberofyearsityhusbandshouldhavethingstotalkover””ahiseeithat”
sheshothiquickglance,thentuedhereyesawayjohnsonsaid:”s”
”ireallyidontknoefroifferentdireafraidididntnoticeiedthatterriblecry”loneljohnsonpassedquicklytoanothersubject”thankyou,leenoevaluablediandsinhispossession”alfredlookedrathersurprised
”yes,”hesaid”thatisso”
””
”inthesafeinhisroo”
”atall”
”theyondsthatis,uncutstones”
”there”
”itofhistheyfroouthafricaheneverhadtheuthejustlikedkeepingthenhispossessionasisay,itofhis””isee,”saidthechiefnstablefroistoneituchvalue””fatherestitedtheirvalueatabouttenthousandpounds””infact,theyones”
”yes”
”itseeasafe”
lydiainterposed
”fatherinlaeanhisideaspleasuretohandlethosestones””theyre,”saidpoirot
shegavehiquickappreciativelook
”yes,”shesaid”ithinktheydid”
”heyinsured”askedthechiefnstable
”ithinknot”
johnsonleanedforrlee,thatthosestoneshadbeenstolen””
”yourfathersaidnothingtoyouoftheirdisappearance””notaword”
”youdidnotkno”
”ihadntthefaintestideaofsuchathing”
thechiefnstabletransferredhisgaze
”rslee”
lydiashookherhead
”iheardnothingaboutit”
”asfarasyouknehestonesillinthesafe”
”yes”
shehesitatedandthenasked:”isthathesakeofthosestones”loneljohnsonsaid:”thatisofindout”
herslee,heft”
sheshookherhead
”no,indeediauretheservantsareallhonestinanyyfatherinlahenevercadoairs”””
”horburyhedethebedanddustedthesendhouseidoing,otherhing”poirotsaid:”sohorburyhepersonhthebestopportunity””yes”
”doyouthinkthatitonds,then”
”itispossibleisupposehehadthebestopportunityohidontknotothink”loneljohnsonsaid:”yourhusbandhasgivenushisarsleeseeyourfatherinlaw””hisafteoonbeforeteathateisa”
”youdidnotseehiatertobidhioodnight”
”no”
poirotsaid:”doyouusuallygoandsaygoodnighttohilydiasaidsharply:”no”
thechiefnstableetookplace”
”inthedra”
”youheardthenoiseofthestruggle”
”ithinkiheardsothingheavyfallofursefatherinlaisoverthediningroonotthedra,soishouldnthearsoch””butyouheardthecry”
lydiashuddered
”yes,iheardthatitethingdreadfulhadhappenedihurriedoutandfolloyhusbandandharryupthestairs””e”
lydiafrowned
”reallyi,playingndelssohnithinkhildahadgoojoinhi””andtheothertwoladies”
lydiasaidsloeerebackootidontknoherepilarwas”poirotsaidgently:”infaayhavebeenquitealoneinthedra””yesyesasatteroffact,ibelieveiwas”
loneljohnsonsaid:”aboutthesediandsakequitesureaboutthedoyouknobinationofyourfatherssafe,leeiseeitisofasooldfashionedpatte””youallnotebookhecarriedinthepocketofhisdressinggown””goodbersofthehousepartyfirsttheladiesytogettobed”lydiastoodup
”e,alfred”shetuedtothe”shallisendthentoyou””onebyone,ifyouind,slee”
”certainly”
shevedtohedooralfredfollowedher
suddenly,atthelastnt,heswunground
”ofurse,”hesaidhecaquicklybacktopoirot”youareherculepoirotidontknoyshavebeenishouldhaverealisedatonce”hespokequickly,inaloedvoice
”itsanabsolutegodsendyourbeinghereyoustfindoutthetruth,poirotsparenoexpenseieonekilledostbrutalityyoustfindout,poirotfatherhasgottobeavenged”poirotanspreparedtodoutsttoassistloneljohnsonandsuperintendentsugden”alfredleesaid:”iefatherhasgottobeavenged”hebegantotreleviolentlylydiahadebacksheanddrethroughhers”e,alfred,”shesaid”ustgettheothers”
hereyestpoirotstheyhatkepttheirostheydidnotwaverpoirotsaidsoftly:”whoan”
sheinterruptedhi”stopdontsaythat”
poirotrred:”yousaidit,da”
shebreathedsoftly:”iknoeeritwassohorrible”thenshe,herhusbandbesideher
ix
georgeleenandrrect
”aterriblebusiness,”hesaid,shakinghishead”aterrible,terriblebusinessiusterh
