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〃They amuse me；〃 Katherine admitted。
The little man nodded with the air of plete understanding。
〃They have a good sale always； so I am told。 Now why is that； eh； Mademoiselle？ I ask it of you as a student of human nature … why should that be？〃
Katherine felt more and more amused。
〃Perhaps they give one the illusion of living an exciting life；〃 she suggested。
He nodded gravely。
〃Yes； there is something in that。〃
〃Of course； one knows that such things don't really happen；〃 Katherine was continuing； but he interrupted her sharply。
〃Sometimes； Mademoiselle！ Sometimes！ I who speak to you … they have happened to me。〃
She threw him a quick； interested glance。
〃Some day； who knows； you might be in the thick of things；〃 he went on。 〃It is all chance。〃
〃I don't think it is likely；〃 said Katherine； 〃Nothing of that kind ever happens to me。〃
He leaned forward。
〃Would you like it to？〃
The question startled her； and she drew in her breath sharply。
〃It is my fancy； perhaps；〃 said the little man； as he dexterously polished one of the forks； 〃but I think that you have a yearning in you for interesting happenings。 Eh bien； Mademoiselle； all through my life I have observed one thing … 'All one wants one gets！' Who knows？〃 His face screwed itself up ically。 〃You may get more than you bargain for。〃
〃Is that a prophecy？〃 asked Katherine； smiling as she rose from the table。
The little man shook his head。
〃I never prophesy；〃 he declared pompously。 〃It is true that I have the habit of being always right … but I do not boast of it。 Good…night； Mademoiselle； and may you sleep well。〃
Katherine went back along the train amused and entertained by her little neighbour。
She passed the open door of her friend's partment and saw the conductor making up the bed。 The lady in the mink coat was standing looking out of the window。 The second partment； as Katherine saw trough the municating door； was empty； with rugs and bags heaped up on the mat。 The maid was not there。
Katherine found her own bed prepared and since she was tired； she went to bed and switched off her light about half…past nine。
She woke with a sudden start； how much time had passed she did not know。 Glancing at her watch； she found that it had stopped。
A feeling of intense uneasiness pervaded her and grew stronger moment by moment。 At last she got up； threw her dressing…gown round her shoulders； and stepped out into the corridor。 The whole train seemed wrapped in slumber。 Katherine let down the window and sat by it for some minutes； drinking in the cool night air and trying vainly to calm her uneasy fears。 She presently decided that she would go along to the end and ask the conductor for the right time so that she could set her watch。 She found； however； that his little chair was vacant。
She hesitated for a moment and then walked through into the next coach。 She looked down the long； dim line of the corridor and saw； to her surprise； that a man was standing with his hand on the door of the partment occupied by the lady in the mink coat。 That is to say； she thought it was the partment。 Probably； however； she was mistaken。 He stood there for a moment or two with his back to her； seeming uncertain and hesitating in his attitude。 Then he slowly turned； and with an odd feeling of fatality； Katherine recognized him as the same man whom she had noticed twice before … once in the corridor of the Savoy Hotel and once in Cook's offices。 Then he opened the door of the partment and passed in； drawing it to behind him。
An idea flashed across Katherine's mind。 Could this be the man of whom the other woman had spoken … the man she was journeying to meet。
Then Katherine told herself that she was romancing。 In all probability she had mistaken the partment。
She went back to her own carriage。 Five minutes later the train slackened speed。
There was the long plaintive hiss of the Westinghouse brake； and a few minutes later the train came to a stop at Lyons。
Chapter 11
MURDER
Katherine wakened the next morning to brilliant sunshine。 She went along to breakfast early； but met none of her acquaintances of the day before。 When she returned to her partment it had just been restored to its daytime appearance by the conductor； a dark man with a drooping moustache and melancholy face。
〃Madame is fortunate；〃 he said； 〃the sun shines。 It is always a great disappointment to passengers when they arrive on a grey morning。〃
〃I should have been disappointed； certainly；〃 said Katherine。
The man prepared to depart。
〃We are rather late； Madame；〃 he said。 〃I will let you know just before we get to Nice。〃
Katherine nodded。 She sat by the window； entranced by the sunlit panorama。 The palid trees； the deep blue of the sea； the bright yellow mimosa came with all the charm of novelty to the woman who for fourteen years had known only the drab winters of England。
When they arrived at Cannes； Katherine got out and walked up and down the platform。 She was curious about the lady in the mink coat； and looked up at the windows of her partment。 The blinds were still drawn down … the only ones to be so on the whole train。 Katherine wondered a little； and when she re…entered the train she passed along the corridor and noticed that these two partments were still shuttered and closed。 The lady of the mink coat was clearly no early riser。
Presently the conductor came to her and told her that in a few minutes the train would arrive at Nice。 Katherine handed him a tip； the man thanked her； but still lingered。
There was something odd about him。 Katherine； who had at first wondered whether the tip had not been big enough； was now convinced that something far more serious was amiss。 His face was of a sickly pallor； he was shaking all over； and looked as if he had been frightened out of his life。 He was eyeing her in a curious manner。 Presently he said abruptly： 〃Madame will excuse me； but is she expecting friends to meet her at Nice？〃
〃Probably；〃 said Katherine。 〃Why？〃
But the man merely shook his head and murmured something that Katherine could not catch and moved away； not reappearing until the train came to rest at the station； when he started handing her belongings down from the window。
Katherine stood for a moment or two on the platform rather at a loss； but a fair young man with an ingenuous face came up to her and said rather hesitatingly：
〃Miss Grey； is it not？〃
Katherine said that it was； and the young man beamed upon her seraphically and murmured：
〃I am Chubby； you know … Lady Tamplin's husband。 I expect she mentioned me； but perhaps she forgot。 Have you got your billet de bagages？ I lost mine when I came out this year； and you would not believe the fuss they made about it。 Regular French red tape！〃
Katherine produced it； and was just about to move off beside him when a very gentle and insidious voice murmured in her ear：
〃A little moment； Madame； if you please。〃
Katherine turned to behold an individual who made up for insignificance of stature by a large quantity of gold lace and uniform。
The individual explained。 〃There were certain formalities。 Madame would perhaps be so kind as to acpany him。 The regulations of the police …〃 He threw up his arms。 〃Absurd； doubtless； but there it was。〃
Mr Chubby Evans listened with a very imperfect prehension； his French being of a limited order。
〃So like the French；〃 murmured Mr Evans。 He was one of those staunch patriotic Britons who； having made a portion of a foreign country their own； strongly resent the original inhabitants of it。 〃Always up to some silly dodge or other。 They've never tackled people on the station before； though。 This is something quite new。 I suppose you'll have to go。〃
Katherine departed with her guide。 Somewhat to her surprise； he led her towards a siding where a coach of the departed train had been shunted。 He invited her to mount into this； and； preceding her down the corridor； held aside the door of one of the partments。
In it was a pompous…looking official personage； and with him a nondescript being who appeared to be a clerk。 The pompous…looking personage rose politely； bowed to Katherine； and said：
〃You will excuse me； Madame； but there are certain formalities to be plied with。 Madame speaks French； I trust？〃
〃Sufficiently； I think； Monsieur；〃 replied Katherine in that language。
〃That is good。 Pray be seated； Madame。 I am M。 Caux； the missary of Police。〃
He blew out his chest importantly； and Katherine tried to look sufficiently impressed。
〃You wish to see my passport？〃 she inquired。 〃Here it is。〃
The missary eyed her keenly and gave a little grunt。
〃Thank you； Madame；〃 he said； taking the passport from her。 He cleared his throat。
〃But what I really desire is a little information。〃
〃Information？〃
The missary nodded his head slowly。
〃About a lady who has been a fellow…passenger of yours。 You lunched with her yesterday。〃
〃I am afraid I can't tell you anything about her。 We fell into conversation over our meal； but she is a plete stranger to me。 I have never seen her before。〃
〃And yet；〃 said the missary sharply； 〃you returned to her partment with her after lunch and sat talking for some time？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Katherine； 〃that is true。〃
The missary seemed to expect her to say something more。 He looked at her encouragingly。
〃Yes； Madame？〃
〃Well； Monsieur？〃 said Katherine。
〃You can； perhaps； give me some kind of idea of that conversation？〃
〃I could；〃 said Katherine； 〃but at the moment I see no reason to do so。〃
In somewhat British fashion she felt annoyed。
This foreign official seemed to her impertinent。
〃No reason？〃 cried the missary。 〃Oh yes； Madame； I can assure you that there is a reason。〃
〃Then perhaps you will give it to me。〃
The missary rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a minute or two without speaking。
〃Madame；〃 he said at last； 〃the reason is very simple。 The lady in question was found dead in her partment this morning。〃
〃Dead！〃 gasped Katherine。 〃What was it … heart failure？〃
〃No；〃 said the missary in a reflective voice。 〃No … she was murdered。〃
〃Murdered！〃 cried Katherine。
〃So you see； Madame； why we are anxious for any information we can possibly get。〃
〃But surely her maid …〃
〃The maid has disappeared。〃
〃Oh！〃 Katherine paused to assemble her thoughts。
〃Since the conductor had seen you talking with her in her partment； he quite naturally reported the fact to the police； and that is why； Madame； we have detained you； in the hope of gaining some information。〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 said Katherine； 〃I don't even know her name。〃
〃Her name is Kettering。 That we know from her passport and from the labels on her luggage。 If we …〃
There was a knock on the partment door。 M。 Caux frowned。 He opened it about six inches。
〃What is the matter？〃 he said peremptorily。 〃I cannot be disturbed。〃
The egg…shaped head of Katherine's dinner acquaintance showed itself in the aperture。 On his face was a beaming smile。
〃My name；〃 he said； 〃is Hercule Poirot。〃
〃Not；〃 the missary stammered； 〃not the Hercule Poirot？〃
〃The same；〃 said Mr Poirot。 〃I remember meeting you once； M。 Caux； at the S？reté in Paris； though doubtless you have forgotten me？〃
〃Not at all； Monsieur； not at all；〃 declared the missary heartily。 〃But enter； I pray of you。 You know of this …〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 said Hercule Poirot。 〃I came to see if I might be of any assistance？〃
〃We should be flattered；〃 replied the missary promptly。 〃Let me present you； Mr Poirot； to …〃 he consulted the passport he still held in his hand … 〃to Madame … er … Mademoiselle Grey。〃
Poirot smiled across at Katherine。
〃It is strange； is it not；〃 he murmured； 〃that my words should have e true so quickly？〃
〃Mademoiselle； alas！ can tell us very little；〃 said the missary。
〃I have been explaining；〃 said Katherine； 〃that this poor lady was a plete stranger to me。〃
Poirot nodded。
〃But she talked to you； did she not？〃 he said gently。 〃You formed an impression … is it not so？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Katherine thoughtfully。 〃I suppose I did。 And that impression was …〃
〃Yes； Mademoiselle …〃 the missary jer