24-01-29 Eighteen TEA INTERLUDE Mrs. Lorrimer came out of a certain door in Harley Street. She stood for a minute at the top of the steps, and then she descended them slowly. There was a curious expression on her facea mingling of grim determination and of s...

24-01-29 Seventeen THE EVIDENCE OF RHODA DAWES Rhoda Dawes came out of Debenhams and stood meditatively upon the pavement. Indecisionwas written all over her face. It was an expressive face; each fleeting emotion showed itself in aquickly varying expression....

24-01-29 Sixteen THE EVIDENCE OF ELSIE BATT Sergeant OConnor was unkindly nicknamed by his colleagues at the Yard: The MaidservantsPrayer. There was no doubt that he was an extremely handsome man. Tall, erect, broad-shouldered, itwas less the regularity of h...

24-01-29 Fifteen MAJOR DESPARD Major Despard came out of the Albany, turned sharply into Regent Street and jumped on a bus. It was the quiet time of daythe top of the bus had very few seats occupied. Despard made hisway forward and sat down on the front seat...

24-01-29 Fourteen THIRD VISITOR Superintendent Battle arrived at Wallingford about six oclock. It was his intention to learn asmuch as he could from innocent local gossip before interviewing Miss Anne Meredith. It was not difficult to glean such information...

24-01-29 Thirteen SECOND VISITOR At the sight of Mrs. Oliver, Major Despard looked slightly taken aback. Under his tan his faceflushed a rich brick red. Embarrassment made him jerky. He made for Anne. I apologize, Miss Meredith, he said. Been ringing your be...

24-01-29 Twelve ANNE MEREDITH Mrs. Oliver extricated herself from the driving seat of her little two-seater with some difficulty. Tobegin with, the makers of modern motorcars assume that only a pair of sylphlike knees will everbe under the steering wheel. It...

24-01-29 Eleven MRS. LORRIMER 111 Cheyne Lane was a small house of very neat and trim appearance standing in a quiet street. The door was painted black and the steps were particularly well whitened, the brass of the knockerand handle gleamed in the afternoon...

24-01-29 Ten DR. ROBERTS (CONTINUED) Superintendent Battle was lunching with M. Hercule Poirot. The former looked downcast, the latter sympathetic. Your morning, then, has not been entirely successful, said Poirot thoughtfully. Battle shook his head. Its goi...

24-01-29 Nine DR. ROBERTS Good morning, Superintendent Battle. Dr. Roberts rose from his chair and offered a large pink hand smelling of a mixture of goodsoap and faint carbolic. How are things going? he went on. Superintendent Battle glanced round the comfo...