nephews, younger brothers or younger sons. The next day, Poirot and Hastings learn that Vincent died, after he jumped from the moving train on the way home. His death is put down to a mental breakdown, from the bad news and shell shock. Over the next few years all of the inheritors of the estate die, under causes as varied as gun accident and insect sting, leaving Hugo, youngest of five brothers, to inherit the family estate. Poirot receives a visit from Hugo's young wife. She is an American who does not believe in the curse. She worries about the elder of her two young sons, Ronald, who is eight. He has had three narrow escapes from death in the past few months. One was a fall when the boy was climbing down the ivy on the wall of their home. She saw for herself that the stem had been cut. In the house are the family, the children's governess, Hugo's secretary, John Gardiner, and frequent visitor, cousin Major Roger Lemesurier, a favorite with the boys. Poirot and Hastings travel to the home in Northumberland and renew their acquaintance with Hugo. He believes his first-born son is doomed by the curse, while his second son will inherit. Hugo will die soon as he has an incurable disease, news he shares with Poirot and Hastings. Young Ronald is stung by a bee, by his father's report, and Poirot is immediately concerned. He and Hastings keep vigil all night in Ronald's room. A figure creeps into the darkened bedroom and is about to poison the young boy by injection when Poirot and Hastings overpower him. It is Hugo, the boy's father. He is responsible for the deaths until he gained the estate, and is now a madman. Hugo is placed in an asylum, where he dies. Mrs Lemesurier later marries John Gardiner, and the curse, if it existed, is broken. "The Lost Mine" Poirot informs Hastings that he has no risky investments except for fourteen thousand shares in Burma Mines Ltd, which were given to him for services rendered. He relates the story to Hastings. The lead-silver mines were originally worked only for the silver by the Chinese in the fifteenth century. The lead remained, of value now. The mine's location was lost; the only clue to its location is in old papers in the hands of a Chinese family. Wu Ling