Evening star., 1940-05-19

Sile naQ gay klnQ OF way OF tripping along.
L well, fell for her right away sir I'm
not pretending anything else
Poirot nodded.
The young man went on: She said as how
her lady would be coming down again in
fortnight and we fixed up to meet again then. ~
He paused But she never came waited for
her at the spot she'd said. but not sign of
her and at last made bold to go up to the
house and ask for her.
The Russian lady was there all right and
her maid too. Sent for her, they did, but
when she came it wasn't Nita at all! Just
dark. catty-looking girl "a bold lot if there
ever was one Marie, they called her. You
want to see me?' she says. simpering all over.
She must have seen | was took aback. | said
was she the Russian lady's maid, and some
thing about her not being the one Id seen
before. and then she laughed and said that
the last maid had been sent away sudden.
Sent away said What for?' She sort: of
shrugged her shoulders and stretched out her
hands. How should know she said.
WELL. sir, it took me aback. At the mo-
ment couldn't think of anything to say. But
afterwards plucked up courage and got to
see this Marie again and asked her to get me
Nita's address, l didn't let on to her that
didn't even know Nita S last name. promised
her present if she did what asked - she
was the kind as wouldn do anything for you
for nothing Well she got it all right for me -
an address in North London it was and
wrote to Nita there - but the letter came
back after a bit - sent back through the
post office with No longer at this address
scrawled on it
Ted Williamson stopped. His eyes, those
deep blue eyes, looked across at Poirot. He
said: You see how it is, sir? It's not case
for the police But want to find her. And |
don't know how to set about it. If - if you
could find her for me-" His color deepened.
I've - I've bit put by could manage five
pounds - or even ten.
Porot said gently I'VE need not discuss
the fnancial side for the moment. First reflect
on this point - this girl, this Nita - she
knew your name:'
oh, yes, sir.
She could have communicated with you if
she had wanted to-
Yes sir.
Then do you not think - perhaps -"
Ted Williamson interrupted him. What
you're meaning, sir, is that fell for her but
she didn't fall for me? Maybe that's true in a
way But she liked me - she did like me - it
wasn't Just a bit of fun to her - And I've
been thinking, sir as there might be reason
for all this You see, sir, it was funny crowd
she was mixed up in. She might be in bit Of
trouble, if you know what mean"
You mean you -
Not me, sir. There wasn't nothing wrong
between us"
Poirot looked at him thoughtfully He muir
INJURED: And even if what you suggest is true
- you still want to find her."
The color surged up in Ted Williamson's
face He said: Yes, | do and that's fiat. |
want to marry her, if she'll have me. And
that s no matter what kind of jam she's in.
If you'll only try and find her for me, sir -
Poirot smiled He said. murmuring to him
self: Hair like wings of gold. Yes, l think
this is the fourth Labor of Hercules - If
remember rightly it happened in Already -
Poirot looked thoughtfully at the sheet of
paper on which Ted Williamson had laborl-
ously inscribed name and address: Miss
Valetta, II Upper Renfrew Lane, N. 10.
He wondered if he would learn anything at
L. e. o.oI r