&ot;andthereforethethiefshother?but射wasshotwhilst射slept&ot;

&ot;thattoodoesnotakesenseyouknow，ihavealittleideaaboutthosepearls-andyet-no-itisipossiblebecaeifyideawasrightthepearlswouldnothavedisappearedtell，whatdidyouthkoftheaid?&ot;

&ot;iwondered，&ot;saidraceslowly，&ot;if射kneworethan射said&ot;

&ot;ah，youtoohadthatipression&ot;

&ot;defitelynotanicegirl，&ot;saidrace

herculepoirotnodded&ot;yes，iwouldnottrther，thatone&ot;

&ot;youthk射hadthgtodowiththeurder?&ot;

&ot;no，iwouldnotsaythat&ot;

&ot;withthetheftofthepearls，then?&ot;

&ot;thatisoreprobable射hadonlybeenwithadadoyleaveryshortti射aybeaberofagangthatspecializesjewelrobberiessuchacasethereisoftenaaidwithexcellentreferencesunfortunatelywearenotapositiontoseekrationonthesepotsandyetthatexplanationdoesnotitesatisfythosepearls-ah，sacré，ylittleideaoughttoberightandyetnobodywouldbeibecile-&ot;hebrokeoff

&ot;whatabouttheanfleeood?&ot;

&ot;wetestionhiitaybethatwehavetherethetioniflouisebourt&39;sstoryistrue，hehadadefiteotiveforrevenheuldhaveoverheardthescenebeeenjaceleandonsieurdoyle，andwhentheyhaveleftthesaloonheuldhavedartedandsecuredthegunyes，itisallitepossibleandthatletterjscrawledbloodthat，too，wouldaordwithasiple，rathercrudenature&ot;

&ot;fact，he&39;sjtthepernwearelookgfor?&ot;

&ot;yes-only-&ot;poirotrubbedhisnosehesaidwithaslightgriace:&ot;seeyou，iregnizeyownweaknessesithasbeensaidofthatiliketoakeacasedifficultthistionthatyouputto-itistoosiple，tooeasyicannotfeelthatitreallyhappenedandyet，thataybe射erprejudiceonypart&ot;

&ot;well，we&39;dbetterhavethefellowhere&ot;

racerangthebellandgavetheorderthenheasked，&ot;anyother-possibilities?&ot;

&ot;plenty，yfriendthereis，forexaple，thearicantrtee&ot;

&ot;penngton?&ot;

&ot;yes，penngtontherewasacuriolittlesceneheretheotherday&ot;henarratedthehappengstorace&ot;yousee-itissignificantada，射wantedtoreadallthepapersbeforesigngheakestheexceofanotherdayandthen，thehband，heakesaverysignificantreark&ot;

&ot;whatwasthat?&ot;

&ot;hesays-&39;ineverreadanythgisignwhereiatoldtosign&39;youperceivethesignificanceofthatpenngtondidisawithiseyehelookedatdoyleasthoughanentirelynewideahadetohisheadjtiage，yfriend，thatyouhavebeenlefttrteetothedaughterofantenselywealthyanyoue，perhaps，thatoneytospeculatewithiknowitisalldetectivenovels-butyoureadofittoothenewspapersithappens，yfriend，ithappens&ot;

&ot;idon&39;tdisputeit，&ot;saidrace

&ot;thereis，perhaps，stilltitoakegoodbyspeculatgwildlyyourwardisnotyetofaandthen-射arries!thentrolpassesfroyourhandstohersataont&39;snotice!adisaster!butthereisstilla插nce射isonahoneyoon射willperhapsbecarelessaboutbessacasualpaper，slippedaongothers，signedwithoutreadgbutldoylewasnotlikethathoneyoonornohoneyoon，射wasabesswoanandthenherhbandakesareark，andanewideaestothatdesperateanwhoisseekgawayoutfroruifldoyleweretodie，herfortunewouldpasstoherhband-andhewouldbeeasytodealwith;hewouldbeachildthehandsofanastuteanlikeandrewpenngtononcherlonel，itellyouisawthethoughtpassthroughandrewpenngton&39;shead&39;ifonlyitweredoyleihadgottodealwith&39;thatiswhathewasthkg&ot;

&ot;itepossible，idaresay，&ot;saidracedrily，&ot;butyou&39;venoevidence&ot;

&ot;alas，no&ot;

&ot;thenthere&39;syoungfergon，&ot;saidrace&ot;hetalksbitterlyenoughnotthatigobytalkstill，heightbethefellowwhosefatherwasruedbyoldridwayit&39;salittlefar-fetched-butit&39;spossiblepeopledobroodoverbygonewrongstis&ot;

hepaedauteandthensaid，&ot;andthere&39;syfellow&ot;

&ot;yes，thereis&39;yourfellow&39;asyoucallhi&ot;

&ot;he&39;sakiller，&ot;saidrace&ot;weknowthatontheotherhand，ican&39;tseeanywaywhichheuldhaveeupagastldoyletheirorbitsdon&39;ttouch&ot;poirotsaidslowly，&ot;unless，aidentally，射hadbeepossessedofevidenceshoghisidentity&ot;

&ot;that&39;spossible，butitseeshighlyunlikely&ot;therewasaknockatthedoor&ot;ah，here&39;sourwould-bebigaist&ot;

fleeoodwasabig，truculentlookganhelookedspiciolyfroonetotheotheroftheasheenteredtheroopoirotregnizedhiastheanhehadseentalkgtolouisebourt

fleeoodaskedspicioly，&ot;youwantedtosee?&ot;

&ot;wedid，&ot;saidrace&ot;youprobablyknowthataurderwasittedonthisboatlastnight?&ot;