"But I am not a policeman. I am acting

in this case solely in your interests. I could,

I think, recover your money intact, if no

proceedings were taken."

"Eh?" said Sir Joseph. "That needs a

bit of thinking about."

"It is entirely for you to decide. Strictly

speaking, I suppose you ought to prosecute

in the public interest. Most people would

say so."

"I dare say they would," said Sir Joseph

sharply. "It wouldn't be their money that

had gone west. If there's one thing I hate

it's to be swindled. Nobody's ever swindled

me and got away with it."

"Well then, what do you decide ?"

Sir Joseph hit the table with his fist.

"I'll have the brass! Nobody's going to

say they got away with two hundred pounds

of my money."

Hercule Poirot rose, crossed to the

writing-table, wrote out a cheque for two

hundred pounds and handed it to the other

man.

53

Sir Joseph said in a weak voice:

"Well, I'm damned! Who the devil is this fellow ?" Poirot shook his head.

"If you accept the money, there must

be no questions asked."

Sir Joseph folded up the cheque and put

it in his pocket.

"That's a pity. But the money's the

thing. And what do I owe you, Mr.

Poirot ?'5

"My fees will not be high. This was, as

I said, a very unimportant matter.5' He

paused--and added, "Nowadays nearly

all my cases are murder cases. ..."

Sir Joseph started slightly.

"Must be interesting ?" he said.

"Sometimes. Curiously enough, you recall

to me one of my early cases in Belgium, many years ago--the chief protagonist was very like you in appearance. He was a

wealthy soap manufacturer. He poisoned

his wife in order to be free to marry his

secretary. . . . Yes --the resemblance is

very remarkable. ..."

A faint sound came from Sir Joseph's

lips --they had gone a queer blue colour.

All the ruddy hue had faded from his

54

cheeks. His eyes, starting out of his head, stared at Poirot. He slipped down a little in his chair.

"Then, with a shaking hand, he fumbled

in his pocket. He drew out the cheque and

tore it into pieces.

"That's washed out --see ? Consider it

as your fee."

"Oh but. Sir Joseph, my fee would not

have been as large as that." "That's all right. You keep it." "I shall send it to a deserving charity."

"Send it anywhere you damn well like."

Poirot leaned forward. He said:

"I think I need hardly point out. Sir

Joseph, that in your position, you would

do well to be exceedingly careful."

Sir Joseph said, his voice almost inaudible:

"You needn't worry. I shall be careful

all right."

Hercule Poirot left the house. As he

went down the steps he said to himself:

"So --/ was right."

IX

Lady Hoggin said to her husband:

"Funny, this tonic tastes quite different.

LOH5

55

It hasn't got that bitter taste any more. I