Пуаро ведёт следствие

           Youwanttogoyourself,isitnotso?Well,whynot?Youshouldknowmymethodsbynow.AllIaskisthatyoushouldreporttomefullyeveryday,andfollowimplicitlyanyinstructionsImaywireyou.”

           TothisIwillinglyagreed.

           •••••••

           AnhourlaterIwassittingoppositeMr.Haveringinafirst-classcarriageontheMidlandRailway,speedingrapidlyawayfromLondon.

           “Tobeginwith,CaptainHastings,youmustunderstandthatHunter’sLodge,wherewearegoing,andwherethetragedytookplace,isonlyasmallshooting-boxintheheartoftheDerbyshiremoors.OurrealhomeisnearNewmarket,andweusuallyrentaflatintownfortheseason.Hunter’sLodgeislookedafterbyahousekeeperwhoisquitecapableofdoingallweneedwhenwerundownforanoccasionalweek-end.Ofcourse,duringtheshootingseason,wetakedownsomeofourownservantsfromNewmarket.Myuncle,Mr.HarringtonPace(asyoumayknow,mymotherwasaMissPaceofNewYork),has,forthelastthreeyears,madehishomewithus.Henevergotonwellwithmyfather,ormyelderbrother,andIsuspectthatmybeingsomewhatofaprodigalsonmyselfratherincreasedthandiminishedhisaffectiontowardsme.OfcourseIamapoorman,andmyunclewasarichone—inotherwords,hepaidthepiper!But,thoughexactinginmanyways,hewasnotreallyhardtogetonwith,andweallthreelivedveryharmoniouslytogether.Twodaysagomyuncle,ratherweariedwithsomerecentgaietiesofoursintown,suggestedthatweshouldrundowntoDerbyshireforadayortwo.MywifetelegraphedtoMrs.