that he can have escaped."

"You have passed some one, I think," said Poirot, in his gentle voice. "One of the hotel staff, perhaps?"

"Only a waiter carrying a tray, monsieur."

"Ah!" said Poirot, in a tone that spoke infinities.

"So that was why he wore his overcoat buttoned up

to his chin," mused Poirot, when we had finally got rid of the excited hotel officials.

"I'm awfully sorry, Poirot," I murmured, rather crestfallen. "I thought I'd downed him all right."

"Yes, that was a Japanese trick, I fancy. Do not distress yourself, mon ami. All went according to plan-his plan. That is what I wanted."

"What's this?" I cried, pouncing on a brown object that lay on the floor.

It was a slim pocket-book of brown leather, and had

evidently fallen from our visitor's pocket during his

struggle with me. It contained two receipted bills in the name of M. Felix Laon, and a folded-up piece of paper

which made my heart beat faster. It was a half sheet of

note-paper on which a few words were scrawled in pencil

but they were words of supreme importance.

"The next meeting of the council will be on Friday at 34 Rue des Echelles at 11 a.m."

It was signed with a big figure 4.

And to-day was Friday, and the clock on the mantelpiece

showed the hour to be 10.30.

64 Agatha Christie

"My God, what a chance!" I cried. "Fate is playing into our hands. We must start at once--though. What

stupendous luck."

"So that was why he came," murmured Poirot. "I see it all now."

"See what? Come on, Poirot, don't stay daydreaming

there."

Poirot looked at me, and slowly shook his head, smiling

as he did so.

" 'Will you walk into my parlour, said the spider to the fly?' That is your little English nursery rhyme, is it not? No, no--they are subtle--but not so subtle as Hercule Poirot."

"What on earth are you driving at, Poirot?"

"My friend, I have been asking myself the reason of this morning's visit. Did our visitor really hope to succeed in bribing me? Or, alternatively, in frightening me

into abandoning my task? It seemed hardly credible.

Why, then, did he come? And now I see the whole plan

--very neat--very pretty--the ostensible reason to bribe or frighten me--the necessary struggle which he took no

pains to avoid, and which should make the dropped

pocket-book natural and reasonable--and finally--the

pitfall! Rue des Eschelles, 11 a.m.? I think not, mon

ami\ One does not catch Hercule Poirot as easily as

that."

"Good heavens," I gasped.

Poirot was frowning to himself.

"There is still one thing I do not understand."

"What is that?"

"The time, Hastings--the time. If they wanted to decoy me away, surely night time would be better? Why

this early hour? Is it possible that something is about to happen this morning? Something which they are anxious

Hercule Poirot should not know about?"

THE BIG FOUR 65

He shook his head.