Death of Mrs. Rogers

The next morning, Rogers cannot wake his wife. Dr. Armstrong finds Ethel Rogers dead in her bed, apparently from an overdose of a sedative. The doctor had given her a mild sleeping draught the night before, but she received a fatal dose. The guests suspect Rogers may have killed her to silence her about their past crime, or that she died of fear and guilt. The death corresponds to the second line of the rhyme: 'One overslept himself and then there were eight.' The china figures on the dining table have decreased from ten to eight, confirming the pattern. Fear and suspicion begin to spread among the remaining guests.