"And the next step?" I asked eagerly.
"Affairs are already in train. Every day cautiously worded advertisements will appear. Friends and relatives of one or the other will be asked to communicate with my solicitor at his office. Even to-day we might—Aha, the telephone! Probably it is, as usual, the wrong number, and they will regret to have troubled us, but it may be—yes, it may be—that something has arisen."
I crossed the room and picked up the receiver.
"Yes, yes. M. Poirot's rooms. Yes, Captain Hastings speaking. Oh, it's you, Mr. McNeil! (McNeil and Hodgson were Poirot's solicitors.) I'll tell him. Yes, we'll come round at once."
I replaced the receiver and turned to Poirot, my eyes dancing with excitement.
"I say, Poirot, there's a woman there. Friend of Claud Darrell's. Miss Flo
