The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (Hercule Poirot 21)

with a connecting door. Mr. Rhodes, who is

writing a book on prehistoric flints, settled down

to work in the adjoining from. At eleven o'clock

he tidied up his papers and prepared to go to bed.

Before doing so, he just glanced into his wife's

room to make sure that there was nothing she

wanted. He discovered the electric light on and his

wife lying in bed stabbed through the heart. She

had been dead at least an hour--probably longer.

The following were the POints made. There was

another door in Mrs. Rholes' room leading into

the corridor. This door was locked and bolted

on the inside. The only wirdow in the room was

closed and latched. According to Mr. Rhodes no

134

Agatha Christie

body had passed through the room in which he

was sitting except a chambermaid bringing hot

water bottles. The weapon found in the wound

was a stiletto dagger which had been lying on Mrs.

Rhodes' dressing-table. She was in the habit of using

it as a paper knife. There were no fingerprints

on it.

The situation boiled down to this--no one but

Mr. Rhodes and the chambermaid had entered the

victim's room.

I inquired about the chambermaid.

"That was our first line of inquiry," said Mr.

Petherick. "Mary Hill is a local woman. She has

been chambermaid at the Crown for ten years;