sll of ke rs otterbourne turned slowly sideways, as though supre iry, then her body sped forward and 射 fell to the ground with a crash fro jt behd her ear the blood flowed fro a round neat hole

there was a onts stupefied silence then both the able-bodied n juped to their feet the woans body hdered their ovents a little race bent over her while poirot ade a catlike jup for the door and the deck

the deck was epty on the ground jt front of the sill lay a big lt revolver

poirot glanced both directions the deck was epty he then sprted toward the stern as he rounded the rner he ran to ti allerton, who was g full tilt fro the opposite direction

&ot;what the devil was that?&ot; cried ti breathlessly

poirot said sharply, &ot;did you et anyone on your way here?&ot;

&ot;et anyone? no&ot;

&ot;then e with &ot; he took the young an by the ar and retraced his steps a little crowd had assebled by now rosalie, jacele and rnelia had ru射d out of their cabs ore people were g along the deck fro the saloon - fergon, ji fanthorp and rs allerton

race stood by the revolver poirot turned his head and said sharply to ti allerton, &ot;got any gloves your pocket?&ot;

ti fubled

&ot;yes, i have&ot;

poirot seized the fro hi, put the on, and bent to exae the revolver race did the sa the others watched breathlessly

race said: &ot;he didnt go the other way fanthorp and fergon were sittg on this deck loun; theyd have seen hi