"An exquisite set," he murmured absentmindedly.

Still not a question as to what refreshments there had

been, or what people had been present.

I cleared my throat significantly.

"Don't you think, Poirot, that--"

He interrupted me peremptorily.

"Do not think, my friend. Leave all to me. Mademoiselle, is it quite impossible that I should see your

uncle?"

A faint smile showed itself on her face.

"He will see you, yes. You understand, it is my part to interview all strangers first."

She disappeared. I heard a murmur of voices in the

next room, and a minute later she came back and motioned us to pass into the adjoining room.

The man who lay there on a couch was an imposing

figure. Tall, gaunt, with huge bushy eyebrows and white

beard, and a face haggard as the result of starvation and hardships. Dr. Savaronoff was a distinct personality. I

noted the peculiar formation of his head, its unusual

height. A great chess player must have a great brain, I

knew. I could easily understand Dr. Savaronoff being

the second greatest player in the world.

Poirot bowed.

"M. Ie Docteur, may I speak to you alone?"

Savaronoff turned to his niece.

"Leave us, Sonia."

She disappeared obediently.

"Now, sir, what is it?"

"Dr. Savaronoff, you have recently come into an

enormous fortune. If you should--die unexpectedly,

who inherits it?"

"I have made a will leaving everything to my niece, Sonia Daviloff. You do not suggest--"

"I suggest nothing, but you have not seen your niece since she was a child. It would have been easy for any

one to impersonate her."

Savaronoff seemed thunderstruck by the suggestion.

Poirot went on easily.

"Enough as to that. I give you the word of warning, that is all. What I want you to do now is to describe to me the game of chess the other evening."

"How do you mean--describe it?"

"Well, I do not play the chess myself, but I understand that there are various regular ways of beginning--the

gambit, do they not call it?"

Dr. Savaronoff smiled a little.

"Ah! I comprehend you now. Wilson opened Ruy

Lopez--one of the soundest openings there is, and one

frequently adopted in tournaments and matches."

"And how long had you been playing when the

tragedy happened?"

"It must have been about the third or fourth move

when Wilson suddenly fell toward over the table, stone

dead."

Poirot rose to depart. He flung out his last question

as though it was of absolutely no importance, but I

knew better.

"Had he had anything to eat or drink?"

' 'A whisky and soda, I think.''

"Thank you, Dr. Savaronoff. I will disturb you no

longer."

Ivan was in the hall to show us out. Poirot lingered on

the threshold.

"The flat below this, do you know who lives there?"

"Sir Charles Kingwell, a member of Parliament, sir. It has been let furnished lately, though."

"Thank you."

We went out into the bright winter sunlight.

"Well, really, Poirot," I burst out. "I don't think you've distinguished yourself this time. Surely your