2. Ten Questions

           Onthepaperwaswritten:

           Thingsneedingexplanation.

           ThehandkerchiefmarkedwiththeinitialH.Whoseisit?

           Thepipecleaner.WasitdroppedbyColonelArbuthnot?Orbysomeoneelse?

           Whoworethescarletkimono?

           WhowasthemanorwomanmasqueradinginWagonLituniform?

           Whydothehandsofthewatchpointto1:15?

           Wasthemurdercommittedatthattime?

           Wasitearlier?

           Wasitlater?

           CanwebesurethatRatchettwasstabbedbymorethanoneperson?

           Whatotherexplanationofhiswoundscantherebe?

           “Well,letusseewhatwecando,”saidM.Bouc,brighteningalittleatthischallengetohiswits.“Thehandkerchieftobeginwith.Letusbyallmeansbeorderlyandmethodical.”

           “Assuredly,”saidPoirot,noddinghisheadinasatisfiedfashion.

           M.Bouccontinuedsomewhatdidactically.

           “TheinitialHisconnectedwiththreepeople—Mrs.Hubbard,MissDebenham,whosesecondnameisHermione,andthemaidHildegardeSchmidt.”

           “Ah!Andofthosethree?”

           “Itisdifficulttosay.ButIthinkIshouldvoteforMissDebenham.Foralloneknows,shemaybecalledbyhersecondnameandnotherfirst.Alsothereisalreadysomesuspicionattachingtoher.Thatconversationyouoverheard,moncher,wascertainlyalittlecurious,andsoisherrefusaltoexplainit.”

           “Asforme,IplumpfortheAmerican,”saidDr.Constantine.“Itisaveryexpensivehandkerchiefthat,andAmericans,asalltheworldknows,donotcarewhattheypay.”

           “Soyoubotheliminatethemaid?”askedPoirot.

           “Yes.Assheherselfsaid,itisthehandkerchiefofamemberoftheupperclasses.