〃One　more　question；　M。　Kettering；〃　he　said。　〃Will　you　give　me　the　date　when　you　last　saw　your　wife？〃

〃Let　me　see；〃　Kettering　reflected。　〃It　must　have　been　–　yes；　over　three　weeks　ago。　I　am　afraid　I　can't　give　you　the　date　exactly。〃

〃No　matter；〃　said　Poirot　drily；　〃that　is　all　I　wanted　to　know。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Derek　Kettering　impatiently；　〃anything　further？〃

He　looked　towards　M。　Carrege。　The　latter　sought　inspiration　from　Poirot；　and　received　it　in　a　very　faint　shake　of　the　head。

〃No；　M。　Kettering；〃　he　said　politely；　〃no；　I　do　not　think　we　need　trouble　you　any　further。　I　wish　you　good　morning。〃

〃Good　morning；〃　said　Kettering。　He　went　out；　banging　the　door　behind　him。

Poirot　leaned　forward　and　spoke　sharply；　as　soon　as　the　young　man　was　out　of　the　room。　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said　peremptorily；　〃when　did　you　speak　of　these　rubies　to　M。　Kettering？〃

〃I　have　not　spoken　of　them；〃　said　M。　Carrege。　〃It　was　only　yesterday　afternoon　that　we　learnt　about　them　from　M。　Van　Aldin。〃

〃Yes；　but　there　was　a　mention　of　them　in　the　te's　letter。〃

M。　Carrege　looked　pained。

〃Naturally　I　did　not　speak　of　that　letter　to　M。　Kettering；〃　he　said　in　a　shocked　voice。　〃It　would　have　been　most　indiscreet　at　the　present　juncture　of　affairs。〃

Poirot　leaned　forward　and　tapped　the　table。

〃Then　how　did　he　know　about　them？〃　he　demanded　softly。　〃Madame　could　not　have　told　him；　for　he　has　not　seen　her　for　three　weeks。　It　seems　unlikely　that　either　M。　Van　Aldin　or　his　secretary　would　have　mentioned　them；　their　interviews　with　him　have　been　on　entirely　different　lines；　and　there　has　not　been　any　hint　or　reference　to　them　in　the　newspapers。〃

He　got　up　and　took　his　hat　and　stick。

〃And　yet；〃　he　murmured　to　himself；