"Precisely," said Poirot. "Either of those two alternatives might apply. I favor the second one myself, especially as I would be prepared to bet that the woman who visited Giselle the night before the aeroplane journey was Lady Horbury."

"Ah, you think that, do you?"

"Yes, and I fancy you think the same. There is a touch of chivalry, I think, in our concierge's disposition. His persistence in remembering nothing at all about the visitor seems rather significant. Lady Horbury is an extremely pretty woman. Moreover, I observed his start - oh, a very slight one - when I handed him a reproduction of her in bathing costume from the Sketch. Yes, it was Lady Horbury who went to Giselle's that night."

"She followed her to Paris from Le Pinet," said Fournier slowly. "It looks as though she were pretty desperate."

"Yes, yes, I fancy that may be true."

Fournier looked at him curiously.

"But it does not square with your private ideas, eh?"

"My friend, as I tell you, I have what I am convinced is the right clue pointing to the wrong person. i am very much in the dark. My clue cannot be wrong, and yet -"

"You wouldn't like to tell me what it is?" suggested Fournier.

"No, because I may, you see, be wrong. Totally and utterly wrong. And in that case I might lead you, too, astray. No, let us each work according to our own ideas. To continue with our selected items from the little book." "'RT 362. Doctor. Harley Street,'" read out Fournier.

"A possible clue to Doctor Bryant. There is nothing much to go on, but we must not neglect that line of investigation."

"That, of course, will be the task of Inspector Japp."

"And mine," said Poirot. "I, too, have my finger in this pie."

"'MR 24. Forged Antiquities,'" read Fournier. "Farfetched, perhaps, but it is just possible that that might apply to the Duponts. I can hardly credit it. M. Dupont is an archaeologist of world-wide reputation. He bears the highest character."

"Which would facilitate matters very much for him," said Poirot.

"Consider, my dear Fournier, how high has been the character, how lofty the sentiments, and how worthy of admiration the life of most swindlers of note - before they are found out!"

"True - only too true," agreed the Frenchman with a sigh.

"A high reputation," said Poirot, "is the first necessity of a swindler's stock in trade. An interesting thought. But let us return to our list."

"'XVB 724' is very ambiguous. 'English. Embezzlement.'"

"Not very helpful," agreed Poirot. "Who embezzles? A solicitor? A bank clerk? Anyone in a position of trust in a commercial firm. Hardly an author, a dentist or a doctor. Mr James Ryder is the only representative of commerce. He may have embezzled money, he may have borrowed from Giselle to enable his theft to remain undetected. As to the last entry. 'GF 45. Attempted Murder. English.' That gives us a very wide field. Author, dentist, doctor, business man, steward, hairdresser's assistant, lady of birth and breeding - any one of those might be GF 45. In fact, only the Duponts are exempt by reason of their nationality."