eyewitness

suddenly poirot laughed. he could not help it. his head went back, and his high gallic laugh filled the room. "pardon, madame," he said, wiping his eyes. "i could not help it. here we argue and we reason! we ask questions! we invoke the psychology--and all the time there was an eye-witness of the crime. tell me, i pray of you." "it was fairly late in the evening. anne meredith was dummy. she got up anq looked over her partner's hand, and then she moved about the room. the hand wasn't very interesting--the conclusion was inevitable. i didn't need to concen-trate on the cards. just as we got to the last three tricks i looked over towards the fireplace. anne meredith was bent over mr. shaitana. as i watched, she straightened herself her hand had been actually on his breast--a gesture which awakened my surprise. she straightened herself, and i saw her face and her quick look over towards us. guilt and fear--that is what i saw on her face. of course, i didn't know what had happened then. i only wondered what on earth the girl could have been doing. later--i knew."

poirot nodded.

"but she did not know that you knew. she did not know that you had seen her?"

"poor child," said mrs. lorrimer. "young, frightened--her way to make in the world. do you wonder that i--well, held my tongue?"

"no, no, i do not wonder."

"especially knowing that i--that i myself "she finished the sentence with a shrug. "it was certainly not my place to stand accuser. it was up to the police." "quite so--but to-day you have gone further than that." mrs. lorrimer said grimly:

"i've never been a very soft-hearted or compassionate woman, but i suppose these qualities grow upon one in one's old age. i assure you, i'm not often actuated by pity."

"it is not always a very safe guide, madame. mademoiselle anne is young, she is fragile, she looks timid and frightened--oh, yes, she seems a very worthy subject for compassion. but i, i do not agree. shall i tell you, madame, why miss anne meredith killed mr. shaitana? it was because he knew that she had previously killed an elderly lady to whom she was companion because that lady had found her out in a petty theft."

mrs. lorrimer looked a little startled.

"is that true, m. poirot?"

"i have no doubt of it, whatsoever. she is so so-so gentlc one would say. pah! she is dangerous, madame, that little mademoiselle anne! where her own safety, her own comfort, is concerned, she will strike wildly--treacherously. with mademoiselle anne those two crimes will not be the end. she will gain confidence from them .... "

mrs. lorrimer said sharply:

"what you say is horrible, m. poirot. horrible!"

poirot rose.

"madame, i will now take my leave. reflect on what i have said."

mrs. lorrimer was looking a little uncertain of herself. she said with an attempt at her old manner:

"if it suits me, m. poirot, i shall deny this whole conversation. you have no witnesses, remember. what i have just told you that i saw on that fatal evening is--well, private between ourselves."

poirot said gravely.

"nothing shall be done without your consent, madame. and be at peace; i have my own methods. now that i know what i am driving at "

he took her hand and raised it to his lips.

"permit me to tell you, madame, that you are a most remarkable woman. all my homage and respects. yes, indeed, a woman in a thousand. why, you have not even done what nine hundred and ninety-nine women out of a thousand could not have resisted doing."

"what is that?"

"told me just why you killed your husband and how entirely justified such a proceeding really was."

mrs. lorrimer drew herself up.

"really, m. poirot," she said stiffly. "my reasons were entirely my own business."

"magnifique!" said poirot, and, once more raising her hand to his lips, he left the room.

it was cold outside the house, and he looked up and down for a taxi, but there was none in sight.

he began to walk in the direction of king's road.

as he walked he was thinking hard. occasionally he nodded his head; once he shook it.

he looked back over his shoulder. some one was going up the steps of mrs. lorrimer's house. in figure it looked very like anne meredith. he hesitated for a minute, wondering whether to turn back or not, but in the end he went on.

on arrival at home, he found that battle had gone without leaving any message.

he proceeded to ring the superintendent up.

"hallo." battle's voice can through. "got anything?"

"je crois bien. mon ami, we must get after the meredith girl---and quickly." "i'm getting after her but why quickly?" "because, my friend, she may be dangerous." battle was silent for a minute or two. then he said:

"i know what you mean. but there's no one .... oh, well, we mustn't take chances. as a matter of fact, i've written her. official note, saying i'm calling to see her to-morrow. i thought it might be a good thing to get her rattled." "it is a possibility, at least. i may accompany you?" ' "naturally. honoured to have your company, m. poirot." poirot hung up the receiver with a thoughtful face.

his mind was not quite at rest. he sat for a long time in front of his fire,

frowning to himself. at last, putting his fears and doubts aside, he went to bed. "we will see in the morning," he murmured.

but of what the morning would bring he had no idea.