The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories

ped her hands into her lap in a enjoyed typing, paying bills, tering up engagements. To be rself in hypothetical situations Lch, but she accepted it as a duty. began Poirot.

i:ss Lemon, looking intensely

\and friendless in this country, for not wisBing to return tO fioyed as a kind of drudge, d companior to an old lady, mcomplaining." ss Lemon olediently, but en/ herself beint meek to any of

,,kes a fancy to you. She decide kY to you. she tells you so.'

l "Yes" a lr.

old out something'

that

of money

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? 71 you have not been honest with her. Or it might be more grave still--a medicine that tasted different, some food that disagreed. Anyway, she begins to suspect you of something and she writes to a very famous detective--enfin, to the most famous. detective--me! I am to call upon her shortly. And

then, as you say, the dripping will be in the fire. The great thing is to act quickly. And so--before the great detective arrives--the old lady is dead.

And the money comes to you Tell me, does

that seemto you reasonable?" "Quite reasonable," aid Miss Lemon. "Quite reasonable for a Russian, that is. Personally, I should never take a post as a companion. I like my duties clearly defined. And of course I should not dream of murdering anyone."

Poirot sighed. "How I miss my friend Hastings. He had such an imagination. Such a romantic

mind! It is true that he always imagined wrong--but that in itself was a guide."

Miss Lemon was silent. She had heard about Captain Hastings before, and Was not interested. She looked longingly at the typewritten sheet in front of her.

"So it seems to you reasonable," mused Poirot. "Doesn't it to you?"

"I am almost afraid it does," sighed Poirot. The telephone rang and Miss Lemon went out of the room to answer it. She came back to say, "It's Inspector Sims again."

Poirot hurried to the instrument." 'Allo, 'allo. What is that you say?"

Sims repeated his statement. "We've fotmd a packet of strychnine in the girl's bedroom-

,/ 72 Agatha ©6rill

s. The sergeant's tucked underneath the rattr about clinches it,

just come in with the news, TiP I think."

that clinches it." "Yes," said Poirot, "I thiOtwith sudden con-His voice had changed. It rar fidence. down at his writ-When he had rung off, he s/t tjects on it in a

ing table and arranged the ured to himself,

mechanical manner. He mufti felt it--no, not

"There was something W.on$,.g I saw. En avant,

felt. It must have been SOethi/flect. Was every the little gray cells. Poncler-!i girl--her anxiety

thing logical and in order? TP[ontaine; her hus about

the money; Mme. Delns--imbecile, but

band--his suggestion of usS{ garden--ah! Yes,

he is an imbecile; the rooh; tp the garden."

/ light shone in his He sat up very stiff. Th gr¢finto the adjoining eyes. He sprang up and ven room.

de the kindness to "Miss Lemon, will yo h/ake an investiga-leave what you are doing and tion for me?" t? I'm afraid I'm

"An investigation, M. Poif

not very good" said one day that Poirot interrupted her. "yo

you know all about tradesner, Lemon with con

"Certainly I do," said MiS fidence. You are to go to "Then the matter is Sitnpl,fo discover a fish-Charman's

Green and yau a monger." iss Lemon, sur "A fishmonger?" ased

prised.

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? 73

"Precisely. The fishmonger who supplied Rose-bank with fish. When you have found him you will ask him a certain question."

He handed her a slip of paper. Miss Lemon took it, noted its contents without interest, then nodded and slipped the lid on her typewriter.

"We will go to Charman's Green together," said Poirot. "You to the fishmonger and I to the police station. It will take us but half an hour from Baker Street."

On arrival at his destination, he was greeted by

the surprised Inspector Sims. "Well, this is quick

work, M. Poirot. I was talking to you on the phone only an hour ago."

"I have a request to make to you; that you allow me to see this girl Katrina--what is her

"Katrina Rieger. Well, I don't suppose there's any objection to that."

The girl Katrina looked even more sallow and sullen than ever.

Poirot spoke to her very gently. "Mademoi-selle, I want you to believe that I am not your enemy. I want you to tell me the truth."

Her eyes snapped defiantly. "I have told the truth.' To everyone I have told the truth! If the old lady was poisoned, it was not I who poisoned her. It is all a mistake. You wish to prevent me having the money." Her voice was rasping. She looked, he thought, like a miserable little cornered rat.

"Tell me about this cachet, mademoiselle," M. Poirot went on. "Did no one handle it but you?"

"I have said so, have I not? They were made up at the chemist's that afternoon. I brought them

74 Agatha Christie

back with me in my bag--that was just before supper. I opened the box and gave Miss Barrowby one with a glass of water."

"No one touched them but you?"

"No." A cornered rat--with courage!

"And Miss Barrowby had for supper only what we have been told. The soup, the fish pie, the tart?"