employ us are so very rude and unpleasant.

Lady Hoggin, for instance, doesn't mind what she says to me. She said her tonic tasted unpleasant the other day and practically

accused me of tampering with it.

All that sort of thing." Miss Carnaby

flushed. "It's really very unpleasant. And

not being able to say anything or answer

back makes it rankle more, if you know

what I mean."

47

"I know what you mean,33 said Hercule

Poirot.

"And then seeing money frittered away

so wastefully--that is upsetting. And

Sir Joseph, occasionally he used to describe

a coup he had made in the City --sometimes

something that seemed to me (of

course, I know I've only got a woman's

brain and don't understand finance) downright

dishonest. Well, you know, M. Poirot,

it all --it all unsettled me, and I felt that

to take a little money away from these

people who really wouldn't miss it and

hadn't been too scrupulous in acquiring it

--well, really it hardly seemed wrong at

all.3'

Poirot murmured:

"A modern Robin Hood! Tell me. Miss

Camaby, did you ever have to carry out

the threats you used in your letters ?"

"Threats ?"

"Were you ever compelled to mutilate

the animals in the way you specified ?"

Miss Camaby regarded him in horror.

"Of course, I would never have dreamed

of doing such a thing! That was just-just an artistic touch.35

"Very artistic. It worked.35

48

"Well, of course I knew it would. I know

how I should have felt about Augustus,

and of course I had to make sure these

women never told their husbands until

afterwards. The plan worked beautifully

every time. In nine cases out of ten the

companion was given the letter with the

money to post. We usually steamed it open,

took out the notes, and replaced them with

paper. Once or twice the woman posted

it herself. Then, of course, the companion

had to go to the hotel and take the letter

out of the rack. But that was quite easy, too."

"And the nursemaid touch? Was it

always a nursemaid ?"

"Well, you see, M. Poirot, old maids are

known to be foolishly sentimental about

babies. So it seemed quite natural that they

should be absorbed over a baby and not

notice anything."

Hercule Poirot sighed. He said:

"Your psychology is excellent, your

organisation is first class, and you are also

a very fine actress. Your performance the

other day when I interviewed Lady Hoggin

was irreproachable. Never think of yourself

disparagingly. Miss Carnaby. You

49

may be what is termed an untrained woman

but there is nothing wrong with your brains

or with your courage."

Miss Carnaby said with a faint smile:

"And yet I have been found out, M.

Poirot."

"Only by Me. That was inevitable!

When I had interviewed Mrs. Samuelson

I realised that the kidnapping of Shan Tung

was one of a series. I had already learned

that you had once been left a Pekinese dog