Lady Horbury was dismissed. She was succeeded by the Honorable Venetia Kerr.

Miss Kerr's evidence was much the same as that of her friend. She gave her name as Venetia Anne Kerr, and her address as Little Paddocks, Horbury, Sussex. She herself was returning from the south of France. As far as she was aware, she had never seen the deceased before. She had noticed nothing suspicious during the journey. Yes, she had seen some of the passengers farther down the car striking at a wasp. One of them, she thought, had killed it. That was after luncheon had been served.

Exit Miss Kerr.

"You seem very much interested in that wasp, M. Poirot."

"The wasp is not so much interesting as suggestive, eh?"

"If you ask me," said Japp, changing the subject, "those two Frenchmen are the ones in this! They were just across the gangway from the Morisot woman, they're a seedy-looking couple, and that battered old suitcase of theirs is fairly plastered with outlandish foreign labels. Shouldn't be surprised if they'd been to Borneo or South America or whatever it is. Of course we can't get a line on the motive, but I dare say we can get that from Paris. We'll have to get the Sыreté

to collaborate over this. It's their job more than ours. But if you ask me, those two toughs are our meat."

Poirot's eyes twinkled a little.

"What you say is possible, certainly; but as regards some of your points, you are in error, my friend. Those two men are not toughs or cutthroats, as you suggest. They are, on the contrary, two very distinguished and learned archaeologists."

"Go on! You're pulling my leg!"

"Not at all. I know them by sight perfectly. They are M. Armand Dupont and his son, M. Jean Dupont. They have returned not long ago from conducting some very interesting excavations in Persia at a site not far from Susa."

"Go on!"

Japp made a grab at a passport.

"You're right, M. Poirot," he said, "but you must admit they don't look up to much, do they?"

"The world's famous men seldom do! I myself - moi, qui vous parle - I have before now been taken for a hairdresser!"

"You don't say so," said Japp with a grin. "Well, let's have a look at your distinguished archaeologists."

M. Dupont père declared that the deceased was quite unknown to him. He had noticed nothing of what had happened on the journey over, as he had been discussing a very interesting point with his son. He had not left his seat at all. Yes, he had noticed a wasp towards the end of lunch. His son had killed it.

M. Jean Dupont confirmed this evidence. He had noticed nothing of what went on round about him. The wasp had annoyed him and he had killed it. What had been the subject of the discussion? The prehistoric pottery of the Near East.

Mr Clancy, who came next, came in for rather a bad time. Mr Clancy, so felt Inspector Japp, knew altogether too much about blowpipes and poisoned darts.