— that it is fundamentals that count! Aha!

what is fundamental is pockets. Pockets in

which she can carry drugs and take away

jewels — a little exchange easily made

whilst she is dancing with her accomplice

whom she pretends to regard as a

psychological case. Ah, but what a cover!

No one suspects the earnest, the scientific

psychologist with a medical degree and

spectacles. She can smuggle in drugs,

463

and induce her rich patients to form the

habit, and put up the money for a night

club and arrange that it shall be run by

someone with--shall we say, a little

weakness in her past! But she despises

Hercule Poirot, she thinks she can deceive

him with her talk of nursery governesses

and vests! Eh bien, I am ready for her.

The lights go off. Quickly I rise from my

table and go to stand by Cerberus. In the

darkness I hear her come. She opens his

mouth and forces in the package, and I - delicately, unfelt by her, I snip with a tiny pair of scissors a little piece from her

sleeve."

Dramatically he produced a sliver of

material.

"You observe --the identical checked

tweed --and I will give it to Japp to fit it

back where it belongs--and make the

arrest --and say how clever once more

has been Scotland Yard."

The Countess Rossakoff stared at him in

stupefaction. Suddenly she let out a wail

like a foghorn.

"But my Niki --my Niki. This will be

terrible for him --" She paused. "Or do

you think not ?"

464

"There are a lot of other girls in

America," said Hercule Poirot.

"And but for you his mother would be

in prison --in prison --with her hair cut

off--sitting in a cell--and smelling of

disinfectant! Ah, but you are wonderful --wonderful." Surging forward she clasped Poirot in

her arms and embraced him with Slavonic

fervour. Mr. Higgs looked on appreciatively.

The dog Cerberus beat his tail

upon the floor.

Into the midst of this scene of rejoicing

came the trill of a bell.

"Japp!" exclaimed Poirot, disengaging

himself from the Countess's arms.

"It would be better, perhaps, if I went

into the other room," said the Countess.

She slipped through the connecting

door. Poirot started towards the door to

the hall.

"Guv'nor," wheezed Mr. Higgs

anxiously, "better look at yourself in the

glass, 'adn't you ?"

Poirot did so and recoiled. Lipstick and

mascara ornamented his face in a fantastic

medley.

"If that's Mr. Japp from Scotland Yard,

465

'e'd think the worst --sure to," said Mr.

Higgs.

He added, as the bell pealed again, and

Poirot strove feverishly to remove crimson

grease from the points of his moustache:

"What do yer want me to do--'ook it

too ? What about this 'ere 'Ell 'Ound ?"

"If I remember rightly,33 said Hercule

Poirot, "Cerberus returned to Hell.33

"Just as you like," said Mr. Higgs. "As a matter of fact I've taken a kind of fancy to 'im.... Still, 'e's not the kind I'd like to