Poirot paused, looking across at the house, whilst the boy spoke to him eagerly and pointed. It was the time for me to act. I went out in the hall. At a sign from the tall c******n, one of the servants unlatched the door.
“Remember the price of failure," said my enemy in a low voice.
I was outside on the steps. I beckoned to Poirot. He hastened across.
“Aha! so all is well with you, my friend. I was beginning to be anxious. You managed to get inside Is the house empty, then?”
"Yes," I said, in a voice I strove to make natural. “There must be a secret way out of it somewhere. Come in and let us look for it." I stepped back across the threshold. In all innocence Poirot prepared to follow me.
And then something seemed to snap in my head. I saw only too clearly the part I was playing the
