Let's go over all the people.
The stewards?"
"No," said Jane.
"I agree.
The women across the aisle from us?"
"I don't suppose anyone like Lady Horbury would go killing people.
And the other one - Miss Kerr - well, she's far too county. She wouldn't kill an old Frenchwoman, I'm sure." "Only an unpopular M.F.H.
I expect you're not far wrong, Jane.
Then there's mustachios, but he seems, according to the coroner's jury, to be the most likely person; so that washes him out. The doctor?
That doesn't seem very likely either."
"If he'd wanted to kill her, he could have used something quite untraceable and nobody would ever have known."
"Ye-es," said Norman doubtfully. "These untraceable, tasteless, odorless poisons are very convenient, but I'm a bit doubtful if they really exist.
What about the little man who owned up to having a blowpipe?"
"That's rather suspicious.
But he seemed a very nice little man, and he needn't have said he had a blowpipe; so that looks as though he were all right."
"Then there's Jameson - no, what's his name? - Ryder."
"Yes, it might be him."
"And the two Frenchmen?"
"That's the most likely of all.
They've been to queer places.
And of course they may have had some reason we know nothing about.
I thought the younger one looked very unhappy and worried."
"You probably would be worried if you'd commited a murder," said Norman Gale grimly.
"He looked nice, though," said Jane. "And the old father was rather a dear.
I hope it isn't them."
"We don't seem to be getting on very fast," said Norman Gale.
"I don't see how we can get on without knowing a lot of things about the old woman who was murdered.
Enemies, and who inherits her money and all that."
Norman Gale said thoughtfully: "You think this is mere idle speculation?"
Jane said coolly, "Isn't it?"
"Not quite."
Gale hesitated, then went on slowly,
"I have a feeling it may be useful."
Jane looked at him inquiringly.
"Murder," said Norman Gale, "doesn't concern the victim and the guilty only.
It affects the innocent too.
You and I are innocent, but the shadow of murder has touched us.
We don't know how that shadow is going to affect our lives."
Jane was a person of cool common sense, but she shivered suddenly.
"Don't," she said. "You make me feel afraid."
"I'm a little afraid myself," said Gale.
Chapter 6
Hercule Poirot rejoined his friend, Inspector Japp. The latter had a grin on his face.
"Hullo, old boy," he said. "You've had a pretty near squeak of being locked up in a police cell."
"I fear," said Poirot gravely, "that such an occurrence might have damaged me professionally."
"Well," said Japp with a grin, "detectives do turn out to be criminals sometimes - in storybooks."
A tall thin man with an intelligent melancholy face joined them, and Japp introduced him.
"This is Monsieur Fournier, of the Sыrete. He has come over to collaborate with us about this business."
"I think I have had the pleasure of meeting you once some years ago, M. Poirot," said Fournier, bowing and shaking hands. "I have also heard of you from M. Giraud."
A very faint smile seemed to hover on his lips.