15. A Photograph

           Thedoctor’swordsweresosurprisingthatwewereallmomentarilytakenaback.Herewasamanstabbedwithadaggerwhichweknewtohavebeenstolenonlytwenty-fourhourspreviously,andyetDr.Durandassertedpositivelythathehadbeendeadatleastforty-eighthours!Thewholethingwasfantastictothelastextreme.

           Wewerestillrecoveringfromthesurpriseofthedoctor’sannouncement,whenatelegramwasbroughttome.IthadbeensentupfromthehoteltotheVilla.Itoreitopen.ItwasfromPoirot,andannouncedhisreturnbythetrainarrivingatMerlinvilleat12:28.

           IlookedatmywatchandsawthatIhadjusttimetogetcomfortablytothestationandmeethimthere.Ifeltthatitwasoftheutmostimportancethatheshouldknowatonceofthenewandstartlingdevelopmentsinthecase.

           Evidently,Ireflected,PoirothadhadnodifficultyinfindingwhathewantedinParis.Thequicknessofhisreturnprovedthat.Veryfewhourshadsufficed.IwonderedhowhewouldtaketheexcitingnewsIhadtoimpart.

           Thetrainwassomeminuteslate,andIstrolledaimlesslyupanddowntheplatform,untilitoccurredtomethatImightpassthetimebyaskingafewquestionsastowhohadleftMerlinvillebythelasttrainontheeveningofthetragedy.

           Iapproachedthechiefporter,anintelligentlookingman,andhadlittledifficultyinpersuadinghimtoenteruponthesubject.ItwasadisgracetothePolice,hehotlyaffirmed,thatsuchbrigandsofassassinsshouldbeallowedtogoaboutunpunished.