any objection to that."
The girl Katrina looked even more sallow and
sullen than ever.
Poirot spoke to her very gently. "Mademoi-selle,
I want you to believe that I am not your
enemy. I want you to tell me the truth."
Her eyes snapped defiantly. "I have told the
truth.' To everyone I have told the truth! If the old
lady was poisoned, it was not I who poisoned her.
It is all a mistake. You wish to prevent me having
the money." Her voice was rasping. She looked,
he thought, like a miserable little cornered rat.
"Tell me about this cachet, mademoiselle," M.
Poirot went on. "Did no one handle it but you?"
"I have said so, have I not? They were made up
at the chemist's that afternoon. I brought them
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Agatha Christie
back with me in my bag--that was just before
supper. I opened the box and gave Miss Barrowby
one with a glass of water."
"No one touched them but you?"
"No." A cornered rat--with courage!
"And Miss Barrowby had for supper only what
we have been told. The soup, the fish pie, the
tart?"
"Yes." A hopeless "yes"--dark, smoldering
eyes that saw no light anywhere.
> Poirot patted her shoulder. "Be of good cour-age,
mademoiselle. There may yet be freedom--yes,