1Blore was easily roped in. He expressed immediate agreement with their arguments. "What you've said about those china figures, sir, makes all the difference. That's crazy, that is! There's only one thing. You don't think this Owen's idea might be to do the job by proxy, as it were?" "Explain yourself, man." "Well, I mean like this. After the racket last night this young Mr. Marston gets the wind up and poisons himself. And Rogers, he gets the wind up too and bumps off his wife! All according to U.N.O.'s plan."

2Armstrong shook his head. He stressed the point about the Cyanide. Blore agreed. "Yes, I'd forgotten that. Not a natural thing to be carrying about with you. But how did it get into his drink, sir?"

3Lombard said: "I've been thinking about that. Marston had several drinks that night. Between the time he had his last one and the time he finished the one before it, there was quite a gap. During that time his glass was lying about on some table or other. I think though I can't be sure, it was on the little table near the window. The window was open. Somebody could have slipped a dose of the Cyanide into the glass."

4Blore said unbelievingly: "Without our all seeing him, sir?"

5Lombard said drily: "We were all rather concerned elsewhere."

6Armstrong said slowly: "That's true. We'd all been attacked. We were walking about, moving about the room. Arguing, indignant, intent on our own business. I think it could have been done..."

7Blore shrugged his shoulders. "Fact is, it must have been done! Now then, gentlemen, let's make a start.

8Nobody's got a revolver, by any chance? I suppose that's too much to hope for. "

9Lombard said: "I've got one." He patted his pocket.

10Blore's eyes opened very wide. He said in an overcasual tone: "Always carry that about with you, sir?"

11Lombard said: "Usually. I've been in some tight places, you know." "Oh," said Blore and added: "Well, you've probably never been in a tighter place than you are today! If there's a lunatic hiding on this island, he's probably got a young arsenal on him to say nothing of a knife or dagger or two."

12Armstrong coughed. "You may be wrong there, Blore. Many homicidal lunatics are very quiet, unassuming people. Delightful fellows."

13Blore said: "I don't feel this one is going to be of that kind, Dr. Armstrong."

14II

15The three men started on their tour of the island. It proved unexpectedly simple.

16On the northwest side, towards the coast, the cliffs fell sheer to the sea below, their surface unbroken.

17On the rest of the island there were no trees and very little cover. The three men worked carefully and methodically, beating up and down from the highest point to the water's edge, narrowly scanning the least irregularity in the rock which might point to the entrance to a cave. But there were no caves.

18They came at last, skirting the water's edge, to where General Macarthur sat looking out to sea. It was very peaceful here with the lap of the waves breaking over the rocks. The old man sat very upright, his eyes fixed on the horizon.

19He paid no attention to the approach of the searchers. His oblivion of them made one at least faintly uncomfortable.

20Blore thought to himself: "'Tisn't natural looks as though he'd gone into a trance or something."

21He cleared his throat and said in a wouldbe conversational tone: "Nice peaceful spot you've found for yourself, sir."

22The General frowned. He cast a quick look over his shoulder. He said: "There is so little time so little time. I really must insist that no one disturbs me."

23Blore said genially: "We won't disturb you. We're just making a tour of the island, so to speak. Just wondered, you know, if some one might be hiding on it."

24The General frowned and said: "You don't understand you don't understand at all. Please go away."

25Blore retreated. He said, as he joined the other two: "He's crazy... It's no good talking to him."

26Lombard asked with some curiosity: "What did he say?"

27Blore shrugged his shoulders. "Something about there being no time and that he didn't want to be disturbed."

28Dr. Armstrong frowned.

29He murmured: "I wonder now..."

30Ill

31The search of the island was practically completed. The three men stood on the highest point looking over towards the mainland. There were no boats out. The wind was freshening.

32Lombard said: "No fishing boats out. There's a storm coming. Damned nuisance you can't see the village from here. We could signal or do something."

33Blore said: "We might light a bonfire tonight."

34Lombard said, frowning: "The devil of it is that that's all probably been provided for." "In what way, sir?" "How do I know? Practical joke, perhaps. We're to be marooned here, no attention is to be paid to signals, etc. Possibly the village has been told there's a wager on.

35Some damn fool story anyway. "

36Blore said dubiously: "Think they'd swallow that?"

37Lombard said drily: "It's easier of belief than the truth! If the village were told that the island was to be isolated until Mr. Unknown Owen had quietly murdered all his guests do you think they'd believe that?"

38Dr. Armstrong said: "There are moments when I can't believe it myself. And yet "

39Philip Lombard, his lips curling back from his teeth, said: "And yet that's just it! You've said it, doctor!"

40Blore was gazing down into the water.

41He said: "Nobody could have clambered down here, I suppose?"

42Armstrong shook his head. "I doubt it. It's pretty sheer. And where could he hide?"

43Blore said: "There might be a hole in the cliff. If we had a boat now, we could row round the island."

44Lombard said: "If we had a boat, we'd all be halfway to the mainland by now!" "True enough, sir."

45Lombard said suddenly: "We can make sure of this cliff. There's only one place where there could be a recess just a little to the right below here. If you fellows can get hold of a rope, you can let me down to make sure."

46Blore said: "Might as well be sure. Though it seems absurd on the face of it! I'll see if I can get hold of something."

47He started off briskly down to the house.

48Lombard stared up at the sky. The clouds were beginning to mass themselves together. The wind was increasing.

49He shot a sideways look at Armstrong. He said: "You're very silent, doctor. What are you thinking?"

50Armstrong said slowly: "I was wondering exactly how mad old Macarthur was..."

51IV

52Vera had been restless all the morning. She had avoided Emily Brent with a kind of shuddering aversion.

53Miss Brent herself had taken a chair just round the corner of the house so as to be out of the wind. She sat there knitting.

54Every time Vera thought of her she seemed to see a pale drowned face with seaweed entangled in the hair... A face that had once been pretty impudently pretty perhaps and which was now beyond the reach of pity or terror.

55And Emily Brent, placid and righteous, sat knitting.

56On the main terrace, Mr. Justice Wargrave sat huddled in a porter's chair. His head was poked down well into his neck.

57When Vera looked at him, she saw a man standing in the dock a young man with fair hair and blue eyes and a bewildered, frightened face. Edward Seton.

58And in imagination she saw the judge's old hands put the black cap on his head and begin to pronounce sentence...

59After a while Vera strolled slowly down to the sea. She walked along towards the extreme end of the island where an old man sat staring out to the horizon.

60General Macarthur stirred at her approach. His head turned there was a queer mixture of questioning and apprehension in his look. It startled her. He stared intently at her for a minute or two.

61She thought to herself: "How queer. It's almost as though he knew..."

62He said: "Ah! it's you! You've come..."

63Vera sat down beside him. She said: "Do you like sitting here looking out to sea?"

64He nodded his head gently. "Yes," he said. "It's pleasant. It's a good place, I think, to wait." "To wait?" said Vera sharply. "What are you waiting for?"

65He said gently: "The end. But I think you know that, don't you? It's true, isn't it? We're all waiting for the end."

66She said unsteadily: "What do you mean?"

67General Macarthur said gravely: "None of us are going to leave the island. That's the plan. You know it, of course, perfectly. What, perhaps, you can't understand is the relief!"

68Vera said wonderingly: "The relief?"

69He said: "Yes. Of course, you're very young... you haven't got to that yet. But it does come!

70The blessed relief when you know that you've done with it all that you haven't got to carry the burden any longer. You'll feel that too some day..."

71Vera said hoarsely: "I don't understand you."

72Her fingers worked spasmodically. She felt suddenly afraid of this quiet old soldier.

73He said musingly: "You see, I loved Leslie. I loved her very much..."

74Vera said questioningly: "Was Leslie your wife?" "Yes, my wife... I loved her and I was very proud of her. She was so pretty and so gay."

75He was silent for a minute or two, then he said: "Yes, I loved Leslie. That's why I did it."

76Vera said: "You mean " and paused.

77General Macarthur nodded his head gently. "It's not much good denying it now not when we're all going to die. I sent

78Richmond to his death. I suppose, in a way, it was murder. Curious. Murder and I've always been such a lawabiding man! But it didn't seem like that at the time. I had no regrets. 'Serves him damned well right!' that's what I thought.

79But afterwards "

80In a hard voice, Vera said: "Well, afterwards?"

81He shook his head vaguely. He looked puzzled and a little distressed. "I don't know. I don't know. It was all different, you see. I don't know if Leslie ever guessed... I don't think so. But you see, I didn't know about her any more.

82She'd gone far away where I couldn't reach her. And then she died and I was alone..."

83Vera said: "Alone alone " and the echo of her voice came back to her from the rocks.

84General Macarthur said: "You'll be glad, too, when the end comes."

85Vera got up. She said sharply: "I don't know what you mean!"

86He said: "I know, my child, I know..." "You don't. You don't understand at all..."

87General Macarthur looked out to sea again. He seemed unconscious of her presence behind him.

88He said very gently and softly: "Leslie...?"

89V

90When Blore returned from the house with a rope coiled over his arm, he found

91Armstrong where he had left him staring down into the depths.

92Blore said breathlessly: "Where's Mr. Lombard?"

93Armstrong said carelessly: "Gone to test some theory or other. He'll be back in a minute. Look here, Blore,

94I'm worried. " "I should say we were all worried. "

95The doctor waved an impatient hand. "Of course of course. I don't mean it that way. I'm thinking of old Macarthur." "What about him, sir?"

96Dr. Armstrong said grimly: "What we're looking for is a madman. What price Macarthur?"

97Blore said incredulously: "You mean he's homicidal?"

98Armstrong said doubtfully: "I shouldn't have said so. Not for a minute. But of course I'm not a specialist in mental diseases. I haven't really had any conversation with him I haven't studied him from that point of view."

99Blore said doubtfully: "Ga ga, yes! But I wouldn't have said "

100Armstrong cut in with a slight effort as of a man who pulls himself together. "You're probably right! Damn it all, there must be some one hiding on the island!

101Ah! here comes Lombard. "

102They fastened the rope carefully.

103Lombard said: "I'll help myself all I can. Keep a lookout for a sudden strain on the rope,"

104After a minute or two, while they stood together watching Lombard's progress,

105Blore said: "Climbs like a cat, doesn't he?"

106There was something odd in his voice.

107Dr. Armstrong said: "I should think he must have done some mountaineering in his time." "Maybe."

108There was a silence and the exinspector said: "Funny sort of cove altogether. D'you know what I think?" "What?" "He's a wrong ’un!"

109Armstrong said doubtfully: "In what way?"

110Blore grunted. Then he said: "I don't know exactly. But I wouldn't trust him a yard."

111Dr. Armstrong said; "I suppose he's led an adventurous life."

112Blore said: "I bet some of his adventures have had to be kept pretty dark." He paused and then went on: "Did you happen to bring a revolver along with you, doctor?"

113Armstrong stared. "Me? Good Lord, no. Why should I?"

114Blore said: "Why did Mr. Lombard?"

115Armstrong said doubtfully: "I suppose habit."

116Blore snorted.

117A sudden pull came on the rope. For some moments they had their hands full.

118Presently, when the strain relaxed, Blore said: "There are habits and habits! Mr. Lombard takes a revolver to outoftheway places, right enough, and a primus and a sleeping bag and a supply of bug powder, no doubt! But habit wouldn't make him bring the whole outfit down here! It's only in books people carry revolvers around as a matter of course,"

119Dr. Armstrong shook his head perplexedly.

120They leaned over and watched Lombard's progress. His search was thorough and they could see at once that it was futile. Presently he came up over the edge of the cliff. He wiped the perspiration from his forehead. "Well," he said. "We're up against it. It's the house or nowhere."

121VI

122The house was easily searched. They went through the few outbuildings first and then turned their attention to the building itself. Mrs. Rogers' yard measure discovered in the kitchen dresser assisted them. But there were no hidden spaces left unaccounted for. Everything was plain and straightforward, a modern structure devoid of concealments. They went through the ground floor first. As they mounted to the bedroom floor, they saw through the landing window

123Rogers carrying out a tray of cocktails to the terrace.

124Philip Lombard said lightly: "Wonderful animal, the good servant. Carries on with an impassive countenance."

125Armstrong said appreciatively: "Rogers is a firstclass butler, I'll say that for him!"

126Blore said: "His wife was a pretty good cook, too. That dinner last night "

127They turned in to the first bedroom.

128Five minutes later they faced each other on the landing. No one hiding no possible hidingplace.

129Blore said: "There's a little stair here."

130Dr. Armstrong said: "It leads up to the servants' room."

131Blore said: "There must be a place under the roof for cisterns, water tank, etc. It's the best chance and the only one!"

132And it was then, as they stood there, that they heard the sound from above. A soft furtive footfall overhead.

133They all heard it. Armstrong grasped Blore's arm. Lombard held up an admonitory finger. "Quiet listen."

134It came again some one moving softly, furtively, overhead.

135Armstrong whispered: "He's actually in the bedroom itself. The room where Mrs. Rogers' body is."

136Blore whispered back: "Of course! Best hidingplace he could have chosen! Nobody likely to go there.

137Now then quiet as you can. "

138They crept stealthily upstairs.

139On the little landing outside the door of the bedroom they paused again. Yes, some one was in the room. There was a faint creak from within.

140Blore whispered: "Now."

141He flung open the door and rushed in, the other two close behind him.

142Then all three stopped dead.

143Rogers was in the room, his hands full of garments.

144VII

145Blore recovered himself first. He said: "Sorry er Rogers. Heard some one moving about in here, and thought well "

146He stopped.

147Rogers said: "I'm sorry, gentlemen. I was just moving my things. I take it there will be no objection if I take one of the vacant guest chambers on the floor below? The smallest room."

148It was to Armstrong that he spoke, and Armstrong replied: "Of course. Of course. Get on with it."

149He avoided looking at the sheeted figure lying on the bed.

150Rogers said: "Thank you, sir."

151He went out of the room with his arm full of belongings and went down the stairs to the floor below.

152Armstrong moved over to the bed and, lifting the sheet, looked down on the peaceful face of the dead woman. There was no fear there now. Just emptiness.

153Armstrong said: "Wish I'd got my stuff here. I'd like to know what drug it was."

154Then he turned to the other two. "Let's get finished. I feel it in my bones we're not going to find anything."

155Blore was wrestling with the bolts of a low manhole.

156He said: "That chap moves damned quietly. A minute or two ago we saw him in the garden. None of us heard him come upstairs."

157Lombard said: "I suppose that's why we assumed it must be a stranger moving about up here."

158Blore disappeared into a cavernous darkness. Lombard pulled a torch from his pocket and followed.

159Five minutes later three men stood on an upper landing and looked at each other. They were dirty and festooned with cobwebs and their faces were grim.

160There was no one on the island but their eight selves.