ace。 That was just when I was looking for a new situation。 His Majesty； so it said； had been most gracious and friendly and thought very highly of your abilities。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Poirot； 〃one always likes to know the reason for things。〃
He remained in thought for a few moments and then said：
〃You rang up Mademoiselle Papopolous？〃
〃Yes； sir； she and her father will be pleased to dine with you tonight。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Poirot thoughtfully。 He drank off his chocolate； set the cup and saucer neatly in the middle of the tray； and spoke gently； more to himself than to the valet。
〃The squirrel； my good Georges； collects nuts。 He stores them up in the autumn so that they may be of advantage to him later。 To make a success of humanity； Georges； we must profit by the lessons of those below us in the animal kingdom。 I have always done so。 I have been the cat； watching at the mouse hole。 I have been the good dog following up the scent； and not taking my nose from the trail。 And also； my good Georges； I have been the squirrel。 I have stored away the little fact here； the little fact there。 I go now to my store and I take out one particular nut； a nut that I stored away … let me see； seventeen years ago。 You follow me； Georges？〃
〃I should hardly have thought； sir；〃 said George； 〃that nuts would have kept so long as that； though I know one can do wonders with preserving bottles。〃
Poirot looked at him and smiled。
Chapter 28
POIROT PLAYS THE SQUIRREL
Poirot started to keep his dinner appointment with a margin of three quarters of an hour to spare。 He had an object in this。 The car took him； not straight to Monte Carlo； but to Lady Tamplin's house at Cap Martin； where he asked for Miss Grey。 The ladies were dressing and Poirot was shown into a small salon to wait； and here； after a lapse of three or four minutes； Lenox Tamplin came to him。
〃Katherine is not quite ready yet；〃 she said。 〃Can I give her a message； or would you rather wait until she es down？〃
Poirot looked at her thoughtfully。 He was a minute or two in replying； as though something of great weight hung upon his decision。 Apparently the ansattered。
〃No；〃 he said at last； 〃no； I do not think it is necessary that I should wait to see Mademoiselle Katherine。 I think； perhaps； that it is better that I should not。 These things are sometimes difficult。〃
Lenox waited politely； her eyebrows slightly raised。
〃I have a piece of news；〃 continued Poirot。 〃You will； perhaps； tell your friend。 M。 Kettering was arrested tonight for the murder of his wife。〃
〃You want me to tell Katherine that？〃 asked Lenox。 She breathed rather hard； as though she had been running； her face； Poirot thought； looked white and strained … rather noticeably so。
〃If you please； Mademoiselle。〃
〃Why？〃 said Lenox。 〃Do you think Katherine will be upset？ Do you think she cares？〃
〃I don't know； Mademoiselle；〃 said Poirot。 〃See； I admit it frankly。 As a rule I know everything； but in this case； I … well； I do not。 You； perhaps； know better than I do。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lenox； 〃I know … but I am not going to tell you all the same。〃
She paused for a minute or two； her dark brows drawn together in a frown。
〃You believe he did it？〃 she said abruptly。 Poirot shrugged his shoulders。
〃The police say so。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Lenox； 〃hedging； are you？ So there is something to hedge about。〃
Again she was silent； frowning。 Poirot said gently：
〃You have known Derek Kettering a long time； have you not？〃
〃Off and on ever since I was a kid；〃 said Lenox gruffly。
Poirot nodded his head several times without speaking。
ents Lenox drew forward a chair and sat down on it； her elbows on the table and her face supported by her hands。 Sitting thus； she looked directly across the table at Poirot。
〃What have they got to go on？〃 she demanded。 〃Motive； I suppose。 Probably came into money at her death。〃
〃He came into two million。〃
〃And if she had not died he would have been ruined？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But there must have been more than that；〃 persisted Lenox。 〃He travelled by the same train； I know； but … that would not be enough to go on by itself。〃
〃A cigarette case with the letter 'K' on it which did not belong to Mrs Kettering was found in her carriage； and he was seen by two people entering and leaving the partment just before the train got into Lyons。〃
〃What two people？〃
〃Your friend Miss Grey was one of them。 The other was Mademoiselle Mirelle； the dancer。〃
〃And he； Derek； what has he got to say about it？〃 demanded Lenox sharply。
〃He denies having entered his wife's partment at all；〃 said Poirot。
〃Fool！〃 said Lenox crisply； frowning。 〃Just before Lyons； you say？ Does nobody know when … when she died？〃
〃The doctors' evidence necessarily cannot be very definite；〃 said Poirot； 〃they are inclined to think that death was unlikely to have occurred after leaving Lyons。 And we know this much； that a few moments after leaving Lyons Mrs Kettering was dead。〃
〃How do you know that？〃
Poirot was smiling rather oddly to himself。
〃Someone else went into her partment and found her dead。〃
〃And they did not rouse the train？〃
〃No。〃
〃Why was that？〃
〃Doubtless they had their reasons。〃
Lenox looked at him sharply。
〃Do you know the reason？〃
〃I think so … yes。〃
Lenox sat still turning things over in her mind。 Poirot watched her in silence。 At last he looked up。 A soft colour had e into her cheeks and her eyes were shining。
〃You think someone on the train must have killed her； but that need not be so at all。 What is to stop anyone swinging themselves on to the train when it stopped at Lyons？ They could go straight to her partment； strangle her； and take the rubies and drop off the train again without anyone being the wiser。 She may have been actually killed while the train was in Lyons station。 Then she would have been alive when Derek went in； and dead when the other person found her。〃
Poirot leant back in his chair。 He drew a deep breath。 He looked across at the girl and nodded his head three times； then he heaved a sigh。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said； 〃what you have said there is very just … very true。 I was struggling in darkness； and you have shown me a light。 There was a point that puzzled me and you have made it plain。〃
He got up。
〃And Derek？〃 said Lenox。
〃Who knows？〃 said Poirot； with a shrug of his shoulders。 〃But I will tell you this； Mademoiselle。 I am not satisfied； no； I； Hercule Poirot； am not yet satisfied。 It may be that this very night I shall learn something more。 At least； I go to try。〃
〃You are meeting someone？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Someone who knows something？〃
〃Someone who might know something。 In these matters one must leave no stone unturned。 Au revoir； Mademoiselle。〃
Lenox acpanied him to the door。
〃Have I … helped？〃 she asked。
Poirot's face softened as he looked up at her standing on the doorstep above him。
〃Yes； Mademoiselle； you have helped。 If things are very dark； always remember that。〃
When the car had driven off he relapsed into a frowning absorption； but in his eyes was that faint green light which was always the precursor of the triumph to be。 He was a few minutes late at the rendezvous； and found that M。 Papopolous and his daughter had arrived before him。 His apologies were abject； and he outdid himself in politeness and small attentions。 The Greek was looking particularly benign and noble this evening； a sorrowful patriarch of blameless life； Zia was looking handsome and good…humoured。 The dinner was a pleasant one。 Poirot was his best and most sparkling self。 He told anecdotes； he made jokes； he paid graceful pliments to Zia Papopolous； and he told many interesting incidents of his career。 The menu was a carefully selected one； and the wine was excellent。
At the close of dinner M。 Papopolous inquired politely： 〃And the tip I gave you？ You have had your little flutter on the horse？〃
〃I am in munication with … er … my bookmaker；〃 replied Poirot。
The eyes of the two men met。
〃A well…known horse； eh？〃
〃No；〃 said Poirot； 〃it is what our friends； the English； call a dark horse。〃
〃Ah！〃 said M。 Papopolous thoughtfully。
〃Now we must step across to the Casino and have our little flutter at the roulette table；〃 cried Poirot gaily。
At the Casino the party separated； Poirot devoting himself solely to Zia； whilst Papopolous himself drifted away。
Poirot was not fortunate； but Zia had a run of good luck； and had soon won a few thousand francs。
〃It would be as well；〃 she observed drily to Poirot； 〃if I stopped now。〃
Poirot's eyes twinkled。
〃Superb！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You are the daughter of your father； Mademoiselle Zia。 To know when to stop。 Ah！ that is the art。〃
He looked round the rooms。
〃I cannot see your father anywhere about；〃 he remarked carelessly。 〃I will fetch your cloak for you； Mademoiselle； and we will go out in the gardens。〃
He did not； however； go straight to the cloak…room。 His sharp eyes had seen but a little while before the departure of M。 Papopolous。
He was anxious to know what had bee of the wily Greek。 He ran him to earth unexpectedly in the big entrance hall。
He was standing by one of the pillars； talking to a lady who had just arrived。 The lady was Mirelle。
Poirot sidled unostentatiously round the room。 He arrived at the other side of the pillar； and unnoticed by the two who were talking together in an animated fashion … or rather； that is to say； the dancer was talking； Papopolous contributing an occasional monosyllable and a good many expressive gestures。
〃I tell you I must have time；〃 the dancer was saying； 〃If you give me time I will get the money。〃
〃To wait …〃 the Greek shrugged his shoulders … 〃it is awkward。〃
〃Only a very little while；〃 pleaded the other。 〃Ah！ but you must！ A week … ten days … that is all I ask。 You can be sure of your affair。 The money will be forthing。〃
Papopolous shifted a little and looked round him uneasily … to find Poirot almost at his elbow with a beaming innocent face。
〃Ah！ vous voilà； M。 Papopolous。 I have been looking for you。 It is permitted that I take Mademoiselle Zia for a little turn in the gardens？ Good evening； Mademoiselle。〃