hesaid”urderonchristseve,too”
poirotseyebrowsrose
”itisthatdefinitelyrder,ian”
”ehoh,noothersolutionpossibleperfectlyclearcaserderandabrutalrderatthat”
””
”oldsionleeoneoftherionds,ibelievehesunkaniensefortuneinnufainingillionaireteover”
poirotsaid:”hewaswellliked,yes”
johnsonsaidsloqueersortofeyearsnouselfbutofurseheisoneofthebigfiguresoftheunty”
”sothiscase,itakeabigstir”
”yesistgetovertolongdaleasfastasican”
hehesitated,lookingathisguest
poirotanspanyyou”
johnsonsaidasashatoaskyoubut,an,nonebetter,painstaking,careful,thoroughlysoundbutaginativechapinanyuch,asyouarehere,benefitofyouradvice”
hehaltedalittleovertheendpartofhisspeech,kingitsotelegraphicinstylepoirotrespondedquickly
”ishallbedelightedyouetoassistyouinanyustnothurtthefeelingsofthegoodsuperintendentitineianlytheunofficialnsultant”
loneljohnsonsaidly:”youreagoodfello”
endation,thetenstartedout
vi
itandsalutedbehindhisuperintendentsugdenadvanceddohehallandsaid:
”gladyouvegothere,sirshalleintothisrooereontheleftleesstudyidliketorunovertheinoutlinesthebusiness”
heusheredthentoasllroontheleftofthehallthereelephohereandabigdeskveredhpapersthehbookcases
theayhaveheardofhijusthappenedtobestayingesuperintendentsugden”
poirotdealittleboanoverhesaanilitarybearingoustaedtofascinatehi
thesuperintendentsaid:”ofurseihaveheardofyou,poirotyoueyearsago,ifireerrightlydeathofsirbartholoydistrict,butofurseiheardallaboutit”
loneljohnsonsaidiatiently:”nohen,sugden,letshavethefactsaclearcase,yousaid”
”yes,sir,itsrderrightenoughnotadoubtofthatleesthroatthedoethingveryoddabouttheatter”
”youan”
”idlikeyoutohearstoryfirst,sirthesearetheateightoadeaspeereover,heinstructedtosaytothebutlerthatiepolicecharity”
thechiefnstablelookedupsharply
”eplausiblepretexttogetyouintothehouse”
”thatsright,sirportantperson,andiayselfasseekingsubsrleeethereuponheshoeuptoleesroodiatelyoverthediningroo”
superintendentsugdenpaused,dreeannerhhisreport
”leeandrleeaskedtositnearhihethensaidratherhesitatinglythatheepartiondsunhissafe”
”diands,eh”saidthechiefnstable
”yes,siriaskedhiariousroutinequestions,buthisnnereustunderstandsuperintendent,thatiybestakeninthistterisaid,idonotquiteunderstand,sireitherthediandsaressingortheyarenotssingoneortheother”
hereplied,”thediandsareaybesilyaratherfoolishkindofprae,butisaidnothingheetoexplainindetail,butountstoisthis:sofarasi,thentheyhavedefinitelybeenstolenisaid,orethanthatsayninefifteenatthattiishallbeabletotellyoudefinitelyystified,butiagreedandaway”
loneljohnsonnted:”curiousverycuriousdoyousay,poirot”
herayiask,superintendent,nclusionsyouyourselfdrew”
thesuperintendentstrokedhisjae,butontheondshadbeenstolenallrightbuttheoldgentlenyopinionthatheighthavebeenoneofteerofthefaly”
poirotnoddedappreciatively
”tsbienyes,thatexplainshisattitudeverywell”
”heneanttohaveaninterviethat
