Round the Table

           AjointinquestwasheldonMonday.

           Idonotproposetogivetheproceedingsindetail.Todosowouldonlybetogooverthesamegroundagainandagain.Byarrangementwiththepolice,verylittlewasallowedtocomeout.IgaveevidenceastothecauseofAckroyd’sdeathandtheprobabletime.TheabsenceofRalphPatonwascommentedonbythecoroner,butnotundulystressed.

           Afterwards,PoirotandIhadafewwordswithInspectorRaglan.Theinspectorwasverygrave.

           "Itlooksbad,M.Poirot,"hesaid."I’mtryingtojudgethethingfairandsquare.I’malocalman,andI’veseenCaptainPatonmanytimesinCranchester.I’mnotwantinghimtobetheguiltyone–butit’sbadwhicheverwayyoulookatit.

           Ifhe’sinnocent,whydoesn’thecomeforward?We’vegotevidenceagainsthim,butit’sjustpossiblethattheevidencecouldbeexplainedaway.Thenwhydoesn’thegiveanexplanation?"Alotmorelaybehindtheinspector’swordsthanIknewatthetime.Ralph’sdescriptionhadbeenwiredtoeveryportandrailwaystationinEngland.Thepoliceeverywherewereonthealert.Hisroomsintownwerewatched,andanyhouseshehadbeenknowntobeinthehabitoffrequenting.

           WithsuchacordonitseemedimpossiblethatRalphshouldbeabletoevadedetection.Hehadnoluggage,and,asfarasanyoneknew,nomoney.

           "Ican’tfindanyonewhosawhimatthestationthatright,"continuedtheinspector.