Evening star., 1936-01-12
Magazine Section

here a minute" She sat down in a regal
fashion in the chair opposite him. From the
distance she had looked possible twenty
eight. Now, in spite of her exquisitely made
up face, her delicately plucked eyebrows, she
looked not her actual forty-nine years. but
possible fifty-five Her eyes were hard pale
blue with tiny pupils.
II was sorry not to have seen you at dinner
last night" she said. 1T was just shade
choppy, of course
"Prscissmemt," said Poirot with feeling.
Luckily, I am an excellent sailor" said
Mrs. Capperton. II say luckily, because,
with my weak heart, seasiclness would
probably be the death of me-"
"You have the weak heart, Madame?"
Eyes, l have to be most careful. must not
overtire myself! AH the specialists say so!'
Mrs. Clapperton had embarked on the
her - ever fascinating topic of her health.
John, poor darling, wears himself out trying
to prevent me from doing too much. live
so intensely, if you know what l mean,
M Poirot?"
"Yes. yes"
He always says to me: Try to be more of
a vegetable, Adeline.' But can't. Life was
meant to be lived, feel. As matter of fact I
wore myself out as girl in the war. My hos
pital you've heard of my hospital? Of
course had nurses and matrons and all that
but actually ran it" She sighed.
your vitality is marvellous. dear lady,"
said Poirot, With the slightly mechanical air
of one responding to his cue.
Mrs. Clapperton gave girlish laugh.
Everyone tells me how young am! It's
absurd. never try to pretend I'm day less
than forty three, " she continued with slightly
mendacious candoW, but lot of people find
it hard to believe. You're so alive. Adeline,'
they say to me. But really, M. Poirot, what
would one be if one wasn't alive?"
Dead" said Poirot.
Mrs. Clapperton frowed. The reply was
trying to be funny. She got up and said
coldly: II must find john"
As she stepped through the door she
dropped her handbag. 1t opened and the
contents flew far and wide. Poirot rushed
calamity to the rescue. 1t was some few min
utes before the ipsticks, vanity boxes, ciga-
rette case and lighter and other odds and
ends were collected Mrs. Clapperton thanked
him politely then she swept down the deck
and said John \"
Colonel Clapperton was still deep in con-
versation with Miss Henderson. He swung
round and came quickly to meet his wife He
bent over her protectively. Her deck chair -
was it in the right placer Wouldn't it be
better - His manner was courteous full
of gentle consideration. Clearly an adored
wife spoilt by an adoring husband.
Miss Ellie Henderson looked out at the
horizon as though something about it rather
disglsted her.
Standing in the smoking room door, Poirot
looked on.
A hoarse quavering voice behind him said:
I'D take hatchet to that woman if
we're her husband. The old gentleman known
disTespectfully among the Younger Set on
board as the Grandfather of All the Tea
Planters, had just shuffled in. boy" he
called. Get me whisky peg"
Poirot stopped to retrieve torn scrap OF
notepaper, an overlooked item from the con-
tents of Mrs Ciapperton's bag. Part of
prescription, he noted, containing digitalin.
He put it in his pocket, meaning to restore it
to Mrs. CappeIton later.
"Yes," went on the aged passenger. poi
sonous woman. remember woman like
that in Poona. In 81 that was"