Poirot murmured cautiously:

"You did not --er --consult him before

dispatching the money ?"

"Certainly not," said Mrs. Samuelson

with decision.

Poirot looked a question. The lady

explained.

"I wouldn't have risked it for a moment.

Men are so extraordinary when it's a

question of money. Jacob would have

37

insisted on going to the police. I couldn't

risk that. My poor darling Nanki Poo. Anything might have happened to him! Of course, I had to tell my husband afterwards, because I had to explain why I was overdrawn at the Bank."

Poirot murmured:

"Quite so --quite so."

"And I have really never seen him so

angry. Men," said Mrs. Samuelson, rearranging

her handsome diamond bracelet

and turning her rings on her fingers,

"think of nothing but money."

V

Hercule Poirot went up in the lift to Sir

Joseph Hoggin's office. He sent in his card

and was told that Sir Joseph was

engaged at the moment but would see him

presently. A haughty blonde sailed out of

Sir Joseph's room at last with her hands full

of papers. She gave the quaint little man a

disdainful glance in passing.

Sir Joseph was seated behind his immense

mahogany desk. There was a trace

of lipstick on his chin.

"Well, Mr. Poirot? Sit down. Got any

news for me ?"

38

Hercule Poirot said:

"The whole affair is of a pleasing

simplicity. In each case the money was

sent to one of those boarding houses or

private hotels where there is no porter or

hall attendant and where a large number of

guests are always coming and going,

including a fairly large preponderance of

ex-Service men. Nothing would be easier

than for any one to walk in, abstract a

letter from the rack, either take it away or

else remove the money and replace it with

blank paper. Therefore, in every case, the

trail ends abruptly in a blank wall.53

"You mean you've no idea who the

fellow is ?"

"I have certain ideas, yes. It will take a

few days to follow them up."

Sir Joseph looked at him curiously.

"Good work. Then, when you have got

anything to report — "

"I will report to you at your house."

Sir Joseph said:

"If you get to the bottom of this business,

it will be a pretty good piece of work."

Hercule Poirot said:

"There is no question of failure. Hercule

Poirot does not fail."

LOH4 39

Sir Joseph Hoggin looked at the little

man and grinned.

"Sure of yourself, aren't you?" he

demanded.

"Entirely with reason.33

"Oh well.3' Sir Joseph Hoggin leaned

back in his chair. "Pride goes before a fall, you know.5'

VI

Hercule Poirot, sitting in front of his

electric radiator (and feeling a quiet satisfaction

in its neat geometrical pattern) was

giving instructions to his valet and general

factotum.

"You understand, Georges ?"

"Perfectly, sir."

"More probably a flat or maisonette.

And it will definitely be within certain

limits. South of the Park, east of Kensington