1Lombard said slowly: "So we've been wrong wrong all along! Built up a nightmare of superstition and fantasy all because of the coincidence of two deaths!"

2Armstrong said gravely: "And yet, you know, the argument holds. Hang it all, I'm a doctor, I know something about suicides. Anthony Marston wasn't a suicidal type."

3Lombard said doubtfully: "It couldn't, I suppose, have been an accident?"

4Blore snorted, unconvinced. "Damned queer sort of accident," he grunted.

5There was a pause, then Blore said: "About the woman " and stopped. "Mrs. Rogers?" "Yes. It's possible, isn't it, that that might have been an accident?"

6Philip Lombard said: "An accident? In what way?"

7Blore looked slightly embarrassed. His redbrick face grew a little deeper in hue.

8He said, almost blurting out the words: "Look here, doctor, you did give her some dope, you know."

9Armstrong stared at him. "Dope? What do you mean?" "Last night. You said yourself you'd give her something to make her sleep." "Oh, that, yes. A harmless sedative." "What was it exactly?" "I gave her a mild dose of trional. A perfectly harmless preparation."

10Blore grew redder still. He said: "Look here not to mince matters you didn't give her an overdose, did you?"

11Dr. Armstrong said angrily: "I don't know what you mean."

12Blore said: "It's possible, isn't it, that you may have made a mistake? These things do happen once in awhile."

13Armstrong said sharply: "I did nothing of the sort. The suggestion is ridiculous," He stopped and added in a cold biting tone: "Or do you suggest that I gave her an overdose on purpose?"

14Philip Lombard said quickly: "Look here, you two, got to keep our heads. Don't let's start slinging accusations about."

15Blore said sullenly: "I only suggested the doctor had made a mistake."

16Dr. Armstrong smiled with an effort. He said, showing his teeth in a somewhat mirthless smile: "Doctors can't afford to make mistakes of that kind, my friend."

17Blore said deliberately: "It wouldn't be the first you've made if that gramophone record is to be believed!"

18Armstrong went white. Philip Lombard said quickly and angrily to Blore: "What's the sense of making yourself offensive? We're all in the same boat.

19We've got to pull together. What about your own pretty little spot of perjury?

20Blore took a step forward, his hands clenched. He said in a thick voice: "Perjury be damned! That's a foul lie! You may try and shut me up, Mr.

21Lombard, but there's things I want to know and one of them is about you!"

22Lombard's eyebrows rose. "About me?" "Yes. I want to know why you brought a revolver down here on a pleasant social visit?"

23Lombard said: "You do, do you?" "Yes, I do, Mr. Lombard."

24Lombard said unexpectedly: "You know, Blore, you're not nearly such a fool as you look." "That's as may be. What about that revolver?"

25Lombard smiled. "I brought it because I expected to run into a spot of trouble."

26Blore said suspiciously: "You didn't tell us that last night."

27Lombard shook his head. "You were holding out on us?" Blore persisted. "In a way, yes," said Lombard. "Well, come on, out with it."

28Lombard said slowly: "I allowed you all to think that I was asked here in the same way as most of the others, That's not quite true. As a matter of fact I was approached by a little

29Jewboy Morris his name was. He offered me a hundred guineas to come down here and keep my eyes open said I'd got a reputation for being a good man in a tight place.

30Lombard said with a grin: "That's all."

31Dr. Armstrong said: "But surely he told you more than that?" "Oh, no, he didn't. Just shut up like a clam. I could take it or leave it those were his words. I was hard up. I took it." Blore looked unconvinced. He said: "Why didn't you tell us all this last night?" "My dear man " Lombard shrugged eloquent shoulders. "How was I to know that last night wasn't exactly the eventuality I was here to cope with? I lay low and told a noncommittal story."

32Dr. Armstrong said shrewdly: "But now you think differently?"

33Lombard's face changed. It darkened and hardened. He said: "Yes, I believe now that I'm in the same boat as the rest of you. That hundred guineas was just Mr. Owen's little bit of cheese to get me into the trap along with the rest of you."

34He said slowly: "For we are in a trap I'll take my oath on that! Mrs. Rogers' death! Tony

35Marston's! The disappearing Indian boys on the dinnertable! Oh, yes, Mr.

36Owen's hand is plainly to be seen but where the devil is Mr. Owen himself?

37Downstairs the gong pealed a solemn call to lunch.

38II

39Rogers was standing by the diningroom door. As the three men descended the stairs he moved a step or two forward. He said in a low anxious voice: "I hope lunch will be satisfactory. There is cold ham and cold tongue, and I've boiled some potatoes. And there's cheese and biscuits and some tinned fruits."

40Lombard said: "Sounds all right. Stores are holding out, then?" "There is plenty of food, sir of a tinned variety. The larder is very well stocked.

41A necessity, that, I should say, sir, on an island where one may be cut off from the mainland for a considerable period. "

42Lombard nodded.

43Rogers murmured as he followed the three men into the diningroom: "It wormes me that Fred Narracott hasn't been over today. It's peculiarly unfortunate, as you might say," "Yes," said Lombard, "peculiarly unfortunate describes it very well."

44Miss Brent came into the room. She had just dropped a ball of wool and was carefully rewinding the end of it.

45As she took her seat at table she remarked: "The weather is changing. The wind is quite strong and there are white horses on the sea."

46Mr. Justice Wargrave came in. He walked with a slow measured tread. He darted quick looks from under his bushy eyebrows at the other occupants of the diningroom. He said: "You have had an active morning."

47There was a faint malicious pleasure in his voice.

48Vera Claythorne hurried in. She was a little out of breath.

49She said quickly: "I hope you didn't wait for me. Am I late?"

50Emily Brent said: "You're not the last. The General isn't here yet."

51They sat round the table.

52Rogers addressed Miss Brent: "Will you begin, Madam, or will you wait?"

53Vera said: "General Macarthur is sitting right down by the sea. I don't expect he would hear the gong there and anyway" she hesitated "he's a little vague today, I think."

54Rogers said quickly: "I will go down and inform him luncheon is ready."

55Dr. Armstrong jumped up. "I'll go," he said. "You others start lunch."

56He left the room. Behind him he heard Rogers' voice. "Will you take cold tongue or cold ham, Madam?"

57Ill

58The five people sitting round the table seemed to find conversation difficult.

59Outside sudden gusts of wind came up and died away.

60Vera shivered a little and said: "There is a storm coming."

61Blore made a contribution to the discourse. He said conversationally: "There was an old fellow in the train from Plymouth yesterday. He kept saying a storm was coming. Wonderful how they know weather, these old salts."

62Rogers went round the table collecting the meat plates.

63Suddenly, with the plates held in his hands, he stopped. He said in an odd scared voice: "There's somebody running..."

64They could all hear it running feet along the terrace.

65In that minute, they knew knew without being told...

66As by common accord, they all rose to their feet. They stood looking towards the door.

67Dr. Armstrong appeared, his breath coming fast.

68He said: "General Macarthur " "Dead!" The voice burst from Vera explosively.

69Armstrong said: "Yes, he's dead..."

70There was a pause a long pause.

71Seven people looked at each other and could find no words to say.

72IV

73The storm broke just as the old man's body was borne in through the door.

74The others were standing in the hall.

75There was a sudden hiss and roar as the rain came down.

76As Blore and Armstrong passed up the stairs with their burden, Vera Claythorne turned suddenly and went into the deserted diningroom.

77It was as they had left it. The sweet course stood ready on the sideboard untasted,

78Vera went up to the table. She was there a minute or two later when Rogers came softly into the room.

79He started when he saw her. Then his eyes asked a question.

80He said: "Oh, Miss, 11 just came to see..."

81In a loud harsh voice that surprised herself Vera said: "You're quite right, Rogers. Look for yourself. There are only seven..."

82V

83General Macarthur had been laid on his bed.

84After making a last examination Armstrong left the room and came downstairs.

85He found the others assembled in the drawingroom.

86Miss Brent was knitting. Vera Claythorne was standing by the window looking out at the hissing rain, Blore was sitting squarely in a chair, his hands on his knees. Lombard was walking restlessly up and down. At the far end of the room

87Mr. Justice Wargrave was sitting in a grandfather chair. His eyes were half closed.

88They opened as the doctor came into the room. He said in a clear penetrating voice: "Well, doctor?"

89Armstrong was very pale. He said: "No question of heart failure or anything like that. Macarthur was hit with a life preserver or some such thing on the back of the head."

90A little murmur went round, but the clear voice of the judge was raised once more. "Did you find the actual weapon used?" "No." "Nevertheless you are sure of your facts?" "Iam quite sure."

91Mr. Justice Wargrave said quietly: "We know now exactly where we are."

92There was no doubt now who was in charge of the situation. This morning

93Wargrave had sat huddled in his chair on the terrace refraining from any overt activity. Now he assumed command with the ease born of a long habit of authority. He definitely presided over the court.

94Clearing his throat, he once more spoke. "This morning, gentlemen, whilst I was sitting on the terrace. I was an observer of your activities. There could be little doubt of your purpose. You were searching the island for an unknown murderer?" "Quite right, sir," said Philip Lombard.

95The judge went on. "You had come, doubtless, to the same conclusion that I had namely that the deaths of Anthony Marston and Mrs. Rogers were neither accidental nor were they suicides. No doubt you also reached a certain conclusion as to the purpose of Mr. Owen in enticing us to this island?"

96Blore said hoarsely: "He's a madman! A loony."

97The judge coughed. "That almost certainly. But it hardly affects the issue. Our main preoccupation is this to save our lives."

98Armstrong said in a trembling voice: "There's no one on the island, I tell you. No one!"

99The judge stroked his jaw.

100He said gently: "In the sense you mean, no. I came to that conclusion early this morning. I could have told you that your search would be fruitless. Nevertheless I am strongly of the opinion that 'Mr. Owen' (to give him the name he himself has adopted) is on the island. Very much so. Given the scheme in question which is neither more nor less than the execution of justice upon certain individuals for offences which the law cannot touch, there is only one way in which that scheme could be accomplished. Mr. Owen could only come to the island in one way. "It is perfectly clear. Mr. Owen is one of us..."

101VI "Oh, no, no, no..."

102It was Vera who burst out almost in a moan. The judge turned a keen eye on her.

103He said: "My dear young lady, this is no time for refusing to look facts in the face. We are all in grave danger. One of us is U.N. Owen. And we do not know which of us.

104Of the ten people who came to this island three are definitely cleared. Anthony

105Marston, Mrs. Rogers, and General Macarthur have gone beyond suspicion.

106There are seven of us left. Of those seven, one is, if I may so express myself, a bogus little Indian boy. "

107He paused and looked round. "Do I take it that you all agree?"

108Armstrong said: "It's fantastic but I suppose you're right."

109Blore said: "Not a doubt of it. And if you ask me, I've a very good idea "

110A quick gesture of Mr. Justice Wargrave's hand stopped him. The judge said quietly: "We will come to that presently. At the moment all I wish to establish is that we are in agreement on the facts."

111Emily Brent, still knitting, said: "Your argument seems logical. I agree that one of us is possessed by a devil."

112Vera murmured: "I can't believe it... I can't..."

113Wargrave said: "Lombard?" "I agree, sir, absolutely."

114The judge nodded his head in a satisfied manner. He said: "Now let us examine the evidence. To begin with, is there any reason for suspecting one particular person? Mr. Blore, you have, I think, something to say."

115Blore was breathing hard. He said: "Lombard's got a revolver. He didn't tell the truth last night. He admits it."

116Philip Lombard smiled scornfully.

117He said: "I suppose I'd better explain again."

118He did so, telling the story briefly and succinctly.

119Blore said sharply: "What's to prove it? There's nothing to corroborate your story."

120The judge coughed. "Unfortunately," he said, "we are all in that position. There is only our own word to go upon."

121He leaned forward. "You have none of you yet grasped what a very peculiar situation this is. To my mind there is only one course of procedure to adopt. Is there any one whom we can definitely eliminate from suspicion on the evidence which is in our possession?"

122Dr. Armstrong said quickly: "I am a wellknown professional man. The mere idea that I can be suspected of "

123Again a gesture of the judge's hand arrested a speaker before he finished his speech. Mr. Justice Wargrave said in his small clear voice: "I, too, am a wellknown person! But, my dear sir, that proves less than nothing!

124Doctors have gone mad before now. Judges have gone mad. So," he added, looking at Blore, "have policemen!"

125Lombard said: "At any rate, I suppose you'll leave the women out of it."

126The judge's eyebrows rose. He said in the famous "acid" tone that Counsel knew so well: "Do I understand you to assert that women are not subject to homicidal mania?"

127Lombard said irritably: "Of course not. But all the same, it hardly seems possible "

128He stopped. Mr. Justice Wargrave still in the same thin sour voice addressed

129Armstrong. "I take it, Dr. Armstrong, that a woman would have been physically capable of striking the blow that killed poor Macarthur?"

130The doctor said calmly: "Perfectly capable given a suitable instrument, such as a rubber truncheon or cosh." "It would require no undue exertion of force?" "Not at all."

131Mr. Justice Wargrave wriggled his tortoiselike neck. He said: "The other two deaths have resulted from the administration of drugs. That, no one will dispute, is easily compassed by a person of the smallest physical strength."

132Vera cried angrily: "I think you're mad!"

133His eyes turned slowly till they rested on her. It was the dispassionate stare of a man well used to weighing humanity in the balance. She thought: "He's just seeing me as a as a specimen. And" the thought came to her with real surprise "he doesn't like me much!"

134In measured tones the judge was saying: "My dear young lady, do try and restrain your feelings. I am not accusing you."

135He bowed to Miss Brent. "I hope, Miss Brent, that you are not offended by my insistence that all of us are equally under suspicion?"

136Emily Brent was knitting. She did not look up. In a cold voice she said: "The idea that I should be accused of taking a fellow creature's life not to speak of the lives of three fellow creatures is, of course, quite absurd to any one who knows anything of my character. But I quite appreciate the fact that we are all strangers to one another and that in those circumstances, nobody can be exonerated without the fullest proof. There is, as I have said, a devil amongst us."

137The judge said: "Then we are agreed. There can be no elimination on the ground of character or position alone."

138Lombard said: "What about Rogers?"

139The judge looked at him unthinkingly. "What about him?"

140Lombard said: "Well, to my mind, Rogers seems pretty well ruled out."

141Mr. Justice Wargrave said: "Indeed, and on what grounds?"

142Lombard said: "He hasn't got the brains for one thing. And for another his wife was one of the victims."

143The judge's heavy eyebrows rose once more. He said: "In my time, young man, several people have come before me accused of the murders of their wives and have been found guilty." "Oh! I agree. Wife murder is perfectly possible almost natural, let's say! But not this particular kind! I can believe in Rogers killing his wife because he was scared of her breaking down and giving him away, or because he'd taken a dislike to her, or because he wanted to link up with some nice little bit rather less long in the tooth. But I can't see him as the lunatic Mr. Owen dealing out crazy justice and starting on his own wife for a crime they both committed."

144Mr. Justice Wargrave said: "You are assuming hearsay to be evidence. We do not know that Rogers and his wife conspired to murder their employer. That may have been a false statement, made so that Rogers should appear to be in the same position as ourselves. Mrs.

145Rogers' terror last night may have been due to the fact that she realized her husband was mentally unhinged. "

146Lombard said: "Well, have it your own way, U.N. Owen is one of us. No exceptions allowed.

147We all qualify. "

148Mr. Justice Wargrave said: "My point is that there can be no exceptions allowed on the score of character, position, or probability. What we must now examine is the possibility of eliminating one or more persons on the facts. To put it simply, is there among us one or more persons who could not possibly have administered either Cyanide to

149Anthony Marston, or an overdose of sleeping draught to Mrs. Rogers, and who had no opportunity of striking the blow that killed General Macarthur?

150Blore's rather heavy face lit up. He leant forward. "Now you're talking, sir!" he said. "That's the stuff! Let's go into it. As regards young Marston I don't think there's anything to be done. It's already been suggested that some one from outside slipped something into the dregs of his glass before he refilled it for the last time. A person actually in the room could have done that even more easily. I can't remember if Rogers was in the room, but any of the rest of us could certainly have done it."

151He paused, then went on. "Now take the woman Rogers. The people who stand out there are her husband and the doctor. Either of them could have done it as easy as winking "

152Armstrong sprang to his feet. He was trembling. "I protest This is absolutely uncalled for! I swear that the dose I gave the woman was perfectly " "Dr. Armstrong."

153The small sour voice was compelling. The doctor stopped with a jerk in the middle of his sentence. The small cold voice went on. "Your indignation is very natural. Nevertheless you must admit that the facts have got to be faced. Either you or Rogers could have administered a fatal dose with the greatest ease. Let us now consider the position of the other people present. What chance had I, had Inspector Blore, had Miss Brent, had Miss

154Claythorne, had Mr. Lombard of administering poison? "

155Vera said angrily: "I was nowhere near the woman! All of you can swear to that."

156Mr. Justice Wargrave waited a minute, then he said: "As far as my memory serves me the facts were these will any one please correct me if I make a misstatement? Mrs. Rogers was lifted onto the sofa by Anthony

157Marston and Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong went to her. He sent Rogers for brandy. There was then a question raised as to where the voice we had just heard had come from. We all went into the next room with the exception of Miss Brent who remained in this room alone with the unconscious woman. "

158A spot of colour came into Emily Brent's cheeks. She stopped knitting. She said: "This is outrageous!"

159The remorseless small voice went on. "When we returned to this room, you, Miss Brent, were bending over the woman on the sofa."

160Emily Brent said: "Is common humanity a criminal offence?"

161Mr. Justice Wargrave said: "I am only establishing facts. Rogers then entered the room with the brandy which, of course, he could quite well have doctored before entering the room.

162The brandy was administered to the woman and shortly afterwards her husband and

163Dr. Armstrong assisted her up to bed where Dr. Armstrong gave her a sedative. "

164Blore said: "That's what happened. Absolutely. And that lets out the judge, Mr. Lombard, myself and Miss Claythorne."

165His voice was loud and jubilant. Mr. Justice Wargrave, bringing a cold eye to bear upon him, murmured: "Ah, but does it? We must take into account every possible eventuality."

166Blore stared. He said: "I don't get you."

167Mr. Justice Wargrave said: "Upstairs in her room, Mrs. Rogers is lying in bed. The sedative that the doctor has given her begins to take effect. She is vaguely sleepy and acquiescent.

168Supposing that at that moment there is a tap on the door and some one enters bringing her, shall we say, a tablet, or a draught, with the message that 'the doctor says you're to take this.' Do you imagine for one minute that she would not have swallowed it obediently without thinking twice about it?

169There was a silence. Blore shifted his feet and frowned. Philip Lombard said: "I don't believe in that story for a minute. Besides none of us left this room for hours afterwards. There was Marston's death and all the rest of it."

170The judge said: "Some one could have left his or her bedroom later."

171Lombard objected: "But then Rogers would have been up there."

172Dr. Armstrong stirred. "No," he said. "Rogers went downstairs to clear up in the diningroom and pantry.

173Any one could have gone up to the woman's bedroom then without being seen. "

174Emily Brent said: "Surely, doctor, the woman would have been fast asleep by then under the influence of the drug you had administered?" "In all likelihood, yes. But it is not a certainty. Until you have prescribed for a patient more than once you cannot tell their reaction to different drugs. There is, sometimes, a considerable period before a sedative takes effect. It depends on the personal idiosyncrasy of the patient towards that particular drug."

175Lombard said: "Of course you would say that, doctor. Suits your book eh?"

176Again Armstrong's face darkened with anger.

177But again that passionless cold little voice stopped the words on his lips. "No good result can come from recrimination. Facts are what we have to deal with. It is established, I think, that there is a possibility of such a thing as I have outlined occurring. I agree that its probability value is not high; though there again, it depends on who that person might have been. The appearance of Miss

178Brent or of Miss Claythorne on such an errand would have occasioned no surprise in the patient's mind. I agree that the appearance of myself, or of Mr.

179Blore, or of Mr. Lombard could have been, to say the least of it, unusual, but I still think the visit would have been received without the awakening of any real suspicion. "

180Blore said: "And that gets us where?"

181VII

182Mr. Justice Wargrave, stroking his lip and looking quite passionless and inhuman, said: "We have now dealt with the second killing, and have established the fact that no one of us can be completely exonerated from suspicion."

183He paused and went on. "We come now to the death of General Macarthur. That took place this morning.

184I will ask any one who considers that he or she has an alibi to state it in so many words. I myself will state at once that I have no valid alibi. I spent the morning sitting on the terrace and meditating on the singular position in which we all find ourselves. "I sat on that chair on the terrace for the whole morning until the gong went, but there were, I should imagine, several periods during the morning when I was quite unobserved and during which it would have been possible for me to walk down to the sea, kill the General, and return to my chair. There is only my word for the fact that I never left the terrace. In the circumstances that is not enough.

185There must be proof. "

186Blore said: "I was with Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong all the morning. They'll bear me out."

187Dr. Armstrong said: "You went to the house for a rope."

188Blore said: "Of course, I did. Went straight there and straight back. You know I did."

189Armstrong said: "You were a long time..."

190Blore turned crimson.

191He said: "What the hell do you mean by that, Dr. Armstrong?"

192Armstrong repeated: "I only said you were a long time." "Had to find it, didn't I? Can't lay your hands on a coil of rope all in a minute."

193Mr. Justice Wargrave said: "During Inspector Blore's absence, were you two gentlemen together?"

194Armstrong said hotly: "Certainly. That is, Lombard went off for a few minutes. I remained where I was."

195Lombard said with a smile: "I wanted to test the possibilities of heliographing to the mainland. Wanted to find the best spot. I was only absent a minute or two."

196Armstrong nodded. He said: "That's right. Not long enough to do a murder, I assure you."

197The judge said: "Did either of you two glance at your watches?" "Well, no."

198Philip Lombard said: "I wasn't wearing one."

199The judge said evenly: "A minute or two is a vague expression."

200He turned his head to the upright figure with the knitting lying on her lap. "Miss Brent?"

201Emily Brent said: "I took a walk with Miss Claythorne up to the top of the island. Afterwards I sat on the terrace in the sun."

202The judge said: "I don't think I noticed you there." "No, I was round the corner of the house to the east. It was out of the wind there." "And you sat there till lunch time?" "Yes." "Miss Claythorne?"

203Vera answered readily and clearly. "I was with Miss Brent early this morning. After that I wandered about a bit.

204Then I went down and talked to General Macarthur. "

205Mr. Justice Wargrave interrupted. He said: "What time was that?"

206Vera for the first time was vague. She said; "I don't know. About an hour before lunch, I think or it might have been less."

207Blore asked: "Was it after we'd spoken to him or before?"

208Vera said: "I don't know. He he was very queer."

209She shivered. "In what way was he queer?" the judge wanted to know.

210Vera said in a low voice: "He said we were all going to die he said he was waiting for the end. He he frightened me..."

211The judge nodded. He said: "What did you do next?" "I went back to the house. Then, just before lunch, I went out again and up behind the house. I've been terribly restless all day."

212Mr. Justice Wargrave stroked his chin. He said: "There remains Rogers. Though I doubt if his evidence will add anything to our sum of knowledge."

213Rogers, summoned before the court, had very little to tell. He had been busy all the morning about household duties and with the preparation of lunch. He had taken cocktails onto the terrace before lunch and had then gone up to remove his things from the attic to another room. He had not looked out of the window during the morning and had seen nothing that could have any bearing upon the death of General Macarthur. He would swear definitely that there had been eight china figures upon the diningtable when he laid the table for lunch.

214At the conclusion of Rogers' evidence there was a pause. Mr. Justice Wargrave cleared his throat.

215Lombard murmured to Vera Claythorne: "The summing up will now take place!"

216The judge said: "We have inquired into the circumstances of these three deaths to the best of our ability. Whilst probability in some cases is against certain people being implicated, yet we cannot say definitely that any one person can be considered as cleared of all complicity. I reiterate my positive belief that of the seven persons assembled in this room one is a dangerous and probably insane criminal. There is no evidence before us as to who that person is. All we can do at the present juncture is to consider what measures we can take for communicating with the mainland for help, and in the event of help being delayed (as is only too possible given the state of the weather) what measures we must adopt to ensure our safety. "I would ask you all to consider this carefully and to give me any suggestions that may occur to you. In the meantime I warn everybody to be upon his or her guard.

217So far the murderer has had an easy task, since his victims have been unsuspicious. From now on, it is our task to suspect each and every one amongst us. Forewarned is forearmed. Take no risks and be alert to danger. That is all. "

218Philip Lombard murmured beneath his breath: "The court will now adjourn..."