‘Well done!’ I cried, carried out of myself.
‘Gently, Hastingsl Do not raise your voice too much. Come, let us be off, before the daylight is upon us.’ Slipping the box into his pocket, he leaped lightly out of the coal-bunker, brushed himself down as well as he could, and leaving the house by the same way as we had come, we walked rapidly in the direction of London.
‘But what an extraordinary place!’ I expostulated. ‘Anyone might have used the log.’ ‘In July, Hastings? And it was at the bottom of the pile – a very ingenious hiding-place. Ah, here is a taxil Now for home, a wash, and a refreshing sleep.’
After the excitement of the night, I slept late. When I finally strolled into our sitting-room just before one o’clock, I was surprised to see Poirot, leaning back in an armchair, the Chinese box open beside him, calmly reading the letter he had taken from it.
He smiled at me affectionately, and tapped the sheet he held.
‘She was right, the Lady Millicent; never would the Duke have pardoned this letter{ It contains some of the most extravagant terms of affection I have ever come across.’ ‘Really, Poirot,’ I said, rather disgustedly, ‘I don’t think you should really have read the letter. That’s the sort of thing that isn’t done.’ ‘It is done by Hercule Poirot,’ replied my friend imperturbably.
‘And another thing,’ I said. ‘I don’t think using Japp’s official card yesterday was quite playing the game.’ ‘But I was not playing a game, Hastings. I was conducting a case.’ I shrugged my shoulders. One can’t argue with a point of view.
‘A step on the stairs,’ said Poirot. ‘That will be Lady Millicent.’ Our fair client came in with an anxious expression on her face
which changed to one of delight on seeing the letter and go: which Poirot held up.
‘Oh, M. Poirot. How wonderful of you! How did you do it?’ ‘By rather reprehensible methods, milady. But Mr Lavingto will not prosecute. This is your letter, is it not?’ She glanced through it.
‘Yes. Oh, how can I ever thank youl You are a wonderfu wonderful man. Where was it hidden?’ Poirot told her.
‘How very clever of you? She took up the smll box from th table. ‘I shall keep this as a souvenir.’ ‘I had hoped, milady, that you would permit fne to keep it. also as a souvenir.’ ‘I hope to send you a better souvenir than that – on my wedding day. You shall not find me ungrateful, M. Poirot.’ ‘The pleasure of doing you a service will be more to me than cheque – so you permit that I retain the box.’ ‘Oh no, M. Poirot, I simply must have that,’ she cried !aug} ingly.
She stretched out her hand, but Poirot was before her./lis hah closed over it.
‘I think not.’ His voice had changed.
‘What do you mean?’ Her voice seemed to have grown sharpe ‘At any rate, permit me to abstract its further contents. Yo observe that the original cavity has been reduced by hall In th top half, the compromising letter; in the bottom — ‘ He made a nimble gesture, then held out his haod. On the pair were four large glittering stones, and two big milky white pearl: ‘The jewels stolen in Bond Street the other day, I rather fancy murmured Poirot. ‘Japp will tell us.’ To my utter amazement, Japp himself stepped out from Poirot bedroom.
‘An old friend of yours, I believe,’ said Poirot politely to La Milllcent.
‘Nabbed, by the Lord!’ said Lady Millicent, with a comple change of manner. ‘You nippy old devill’ She looked at Poirot wit almost affectionate awe.
‘Well, Gertie, my dear,’ said Japp, ‘the game’s up this time, I fancy. Fancy seeing you again so sooni We’ve got your pal, too, the gentleman who called here the other day calling himself Lavington. As for Lavington himself, alias Croker, alias Reed, I wonder which of the gang it was who stuck a knife into him the other day in Holland? Thought he’d got the goods with him, didn’t you? And he hadn’t. He double-crossed you properly – hid ’em in his own house. You had two fellows looking for them, and then you tackled M. Poirot here, and by a piece of amazing luck he found them.’