Poirot. You see it's all some time ago. I should have to think it out. Actually, after I had talked with my sister and knew I was coming to see you, I made a list, and I should say that I put it down in the order of the things as I remembered them. I mean, the evening shoe because it was so peculiar, and then the bracelet and the powder compact and the cigarette lighter and the diamond ring because comthey were all rather important things and looked as though we had a genuine thief at work, and then I remembered the other more unimportant things later and added them. I niean the boracic and the electric light bulbs and the rucksack. They weren't really important and I only really thought of them as a kind of afterthought." "I see," said Poirot. "Yes, I see .

. . Now what I would ask of you, Madame, is to sit down now, when you have the leisure, that is . .

." "I daresay when I've got Mrs.

Nicoletis to bed with a sedative and calmed down Geronimo and Maria, I shall have a little time. What is it you want me to do?" "Sit down and try to put down, as nearly as you can, the chronological order in which the various incidents occurred." "Certainly, Mr. Poirot. The rucksack, I believe, was the first and the electric light bulbs-wh I really didn't think had any connection with the other things comand then the bracelet and the compact, no-the evening shoe. But there, you don't want to hear me speculate about it. I'll put them down as best I can." "Thank you, Madame. I shall be much obliged to you." Poirot hung up the phone.

"I am vexed with myself," he said to Miss Lemon. "I have departed from the principles of order and method. I should have made quite sure from the start, the exact order in which these thefts occurred." "Dear, dear," said Miss Lemon, mechanically. "Are you going to finish these letters now, Mr. Poirot?" But once again Poirot waved her impatiently away.

On arrival back at Hickory Road with a search warrant on Saturday morning, Inspector Sharpe had demanded an interview with Mrs.

Nicoletis who always came on Saturday to do accounts with Mrs.

Hubbard. He had explained what he was about to do.

Mrs. Nicoletis prggytested with vigour.

"But it is an insult, that!- My students they will leave-they will all leave. I shall be ruined . . ." "No, no, Madam. I'm sure they wt be sensible. After all, this is a case of murder." "It is not murder-it is suicide." "And I'm sure once I've explained, no one will object . . ." Mrs. Hubbard put in a soothing word.

"I'm sure," she said, "everyone will be sensible except," she added thoughtfully, "perhaps Mr. Ahmed Ali and Mr. Chandra Lal." "Pah!" said Mrs. Nicoletis. "Who cares about them?" "Thank you, Madam," said the Inspector.