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er when you look at them； and the most ridiculous shoes that ever I set eyes on'。〃
Katherine smiled a little to herself； it had apparently been worth while to conform to Miss Viner's prejudices。 The old lady went on with increasing gusto。
〃It has been a great relief to me that you have not had your head turned。 Only the other day I was looking for my cuttings。 I have several about Lady Tamplin and her War Hospital and what not； but I cannot lay my hand upon them。 I wish you would look； my dear； your eyesight is better than mine。 They are all in a box in the bureau drawer。〃
Katherine glanced down at the letter in her hand and was about to speak； but checked herself； and going over to the bureau found the box of cuttings and began to look over them。 Since her return to St Mary Mead her heart had gone out to Miss Viner in admiration of the old woman's stoicism and pluck。 She felt that there was little she could do for her old friend； but she knew from experience how much those seemingly small trifles meant to old people。
〃Here is one；〃 she said presently。 〃'Viscountess Tamplin； who is running her villa at Nice as an Officers' Hospital； has just been the victim of a sensational robbery； her jewels having been stolen。 Amongst them were some very famous emeralds； heirlooms of the Tamplin family。'〃
〃Probably paste；〃 said Miss Viner； 〃a lot of these Society women's jewels are。〃
〃Here is another；〃 said Katherine。 〃A picture of her； 'A charming camera study of Viscountess Tamplin with her little daughter Lenox。'〃
〃Let me look；〃 said Miss Viner。 〃You can't see much of the child's face； can you？ But I dare say that is just as well。 Things go by contraries in this world and beautiful mothers have hideous children。 I dare say the photographer realized that to take the back of the child's head was the best thing he could do for her。〃
Katherine laughed。
〃'One of the smartest hostesses on the Riviera this season is Viscountess Tamplin； who has a villa at Cap Martin。 Her cousin； Miss Grey； who recently inherited a vast fortune in a most romantic manner； is staying with her there。'〃
〃That is the one I wanted；〃 said Miss Viner。 〃I expect there has been a picture of you in one of the papers that I have missed； you know the kind of thing。 Mrs Somebody or other Jones…Williams； at the something or other point…to…point； usually carrying a shooting…stick and having one foot lifted up in the air。 It must be a trial to some of them to see what they look like。〃
Katherine did not answer。 She was smoothing out the cutting with her finger； and her face had a puzzled； worried look。 Then she drew the second letter out of its envelope and mastered its contents once more。 She turned to her friend。
〃Miss Viner？ I wonder … there is a friend of mine； someone I met on the Riviera； who wants very much to e down and see me here？〃
〃A man；〃 said Miss Viner。
〃Yes。〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃He is secretary to Mr Van Aldin； the American millionaire。〃
〃What is his name？〃
〃Knighton； Major Knighton。〃
〃Hm … secretary to a millionaire。 And wants to e down here。 Now； Katherine； I am going to say something to you for your own good。 You are a nice girl and a sensible girl； and though you have your head screwed on the right way about most things； every woman makes a fool of herself once in her life。 Ten to one what this man is after is your money。〃
With a gesture she arrested Katherine's reply。 〃I have been waiting for something of this kind。 What is a secretary to a millionaire？ Nine times out of ten it is a young man who likes living soft。 A young man with nice manners and a taste for luxury and no brains and no enterprise； and if there is anything that is a softer job than being a secretary to a millionaire it is marrying a rich woman for her money。 I am not saying that you might not be some man's fancy。 But you are not young； and though you have a very good plexion you are not a beauty； and what I say to you is； don't make a fool of yourself； but if you are determined to do so； do see that your money is properly tied up on yourself。 There； now I have finished。 What have you got to say？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Katherine； 〃but would you mind if he did e down to see me？〃
〃I wash my hands of it；〃 said Miss Viner。 〃I have done my duty； and whatever happens now is on your own head。 Would you like him to lunch or to dinner？ I dare say Ellen could manage dinner … that is； if she didn't lose her head。〃
〃Lunch would be very nice；〃 said Katherine。 〃It is awfully kind of you； Miss Viner。 He asked me to ring him up； so I will do so and say that we shall be pleased if he will lunch with us。 He will motor down from town。〃
〃Ellen does a steak with grilled tomatoes pretty fairly；〃 said Miss Viner。 〃She doesn't do it well； but she does it better than anything else。 It is no good having a tart because she is heavy handed with pastry； but her little castle puddings are not bad； and I dare say you could find a nice piece of Stilton at Abbot's。 I have always heard that gentlemen like a nice piece of Stilton； and there is a good deal of father's wine left； a bottle of sparkling Moselle； perhaps。〃
〃Oh no； Miss Viner； that is really not necessary。〃
〃Nonsense； my child。 No gentleman is happy unless he drinks something with his meal。 There is some good pre…war whisky if you think he would prefer that。 Now do as I say and don't argue。 The key of the wine…cellar is in the third drawer down in the dressing…table； in the second pair of stockings on the left…hand side。〃
Katherine went obediently to the spot indicated。
〃The second pair； now mind；〃 said Miss Viner。 〃The first pair has my diamond earrings and my filigree brooch in it。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Katherine； rather taken aback； 〃wouldn't you like them put in your jewel…case？〃
Miss Viner gave vent to a terrific and prolonged snort。
〃No； indeed！ I have much too much sense for that sort of thing； thank you。 Dear； dear； I well remember how my poor father had a safe built in downstairs。 Pleased as Punch he was with it； and he said to my mother； 'Now； Mary； you bring me your jewels in their case every night and I will lock them away for you。' My mother was a very tactful woman； and she knew that gentlemen like having their own way； and she brought him the jewel…case locked up just as he said。
〃And one night burglars broke in； and of course … naturally … the first thing they went for was the safe！ It would be； with my father talking up and down the village and bragging about it until you might have thought he kept all King Solomon's diamonds there。 They made a clean sweep； got the tankards； the silver cups； and the presentation gold plate that my father had had presented to him； and the jewel…case。〃
She sighed reminiscently。 〃My father was in a great state over my mother's jewels。 There was the Veian set and some very fine cameos； and some pale pink corals； and two diamond rings with quite large stones in them。 And then； of course； she had to tell him that； being a sensible woman； she had kept her jewellery rolled up in a pair of corsets； and there it was still as safe as anything。〃
〃And the jepty？〃
〃Oh no； dear；〃 said Miss Viner； 〃it would have been too light a weight then。 My mother was a very intelligent woman； she saw to that。 She kept her buttons in the jewel…case； and a very handy place it was。 Boot buttons in the top tray； trouser buttons in the second tray； and assorted buttons below。 Curiously enough； my father was quite annoyed with her。 He said he didn't like deceit。 But I mustn't go chattering on； you want to go and ring up your friend； and mind you choose a nice piece of steak； and tell Ellen she is not to have holes in her stockings when she waits at lunch。〃
〃Is her name Ellen or Helen； Miss Viner？ I thought …〃
Miss Viner closed her eyes。
〃I can sound my h's； dear； as well as anyone； but Helen is not a suitable name for a servant。 I don't know what the mothers in the lower classes are ing to nowadays。〃
The rain had cleared away when Knighton arrived at the cottage。 The pale fitful sunshine shone down on it and burnished Katherine's head as she stood in the doorway to wele him。 He came up to her quickly； almost boyishly。
〃I say； I hope you don't mind。 I simply had to see you again soon。 I hope the friend you are staying with does not mind。〃
〃e in and make friends with her；〃 said Katherine。 〃She can be most alarming； but you will soon find that she has the softest heart in the world。〃
Miss Viner was enthroned majestically in the drawing…room； wearing a plete set of the cameos which had been so providentially preserved in the family。 She greeted Knighton with dignity and an austere politeness which would have damped many men。 Knighton； however； had a charm of manner which was not easily set aside； and after about ten minutes Miss Viner thawed perceptibly。 Luncheon was a merry meal； and Ellen； or Helen； in a new pair of silk stockings devoid of ladders performed prodigies of waiting。 Afterwards； Katherine and Knighton went for a walk and they came back to have tea tête…а…tête； since Miss Viner had gone to lie down。
When the car had finally driven off Katherine went slowly upstairs。 A voice called her and she went in to Miss Viner's bedroom。
〃Friend gone？〃
〃Yes。 Thank you so much for letting me ask him down。〃
〃No need to thank me。 Do you think I am the sort of old curmudgeon who will never do anything for anybody？〃
〃I think you are a dear；〃 said Katherine affectionately。
〃Humph；〃 said Miss Viner mollified。
As Katherine was leaving the room she called her back。
〃Katherine？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I was wrong about that young man of yours。 A man when he is making up to anybody can be cordial and gallant and full of little attentions and altogether charming。 But when a man is really in love he can't help looking like a sheep。 Now； whenever that young man looked at you he looked like a sheep。 I take back all I said this morning。 It is genuine。〃
Chapter 31
MR AARONS LUNCHES
〃Ah！〃 said Mr Joseph Aarons appreciatively。
He took a long draught from his tankard； set it down with a sigh； wiped the froth from his lips； and beamed across the table at his host； Monsieur Hercule Poirot。
〃Give me；〃 said Mr Aarons； 〃a good Porterhouse steak and a tankard of something worth drinking； and anyone can have your French fallals and whatnots； your ordoovres and your omelettes and your little bits of quail。 Give me；〃 he reiterated； 〃a Porterhouse steak。〃
Poirot； who had just plied pathetically。
〃Not that there is much wrong with a steak and kidney pudding；〃 continued Mr Aarons。 〃Apple tart？ Yes； I will take apple tart； thank you； Miss； and a jug of cream。〃
The meal proceeded。 Finally； with a long sigh； Mr Aarons laid down his spoon and fork preparatory to toying with some cheese before turning his mind to other matters。
〃There was a little matter of business I think you said； Monsieur Poirot；〃 he remarked。 〃Anything I can do to help you I am sure I shall be most happy。〃
〃That is very kind of you；〃 said Poirot。 〃I said to myself； 'If you want to know anything about the dramatic profession there is one person who knows all that is to be known and that is my old friend； Mr Joseph Aarons。'〃
〃And you don't say far wrong；〃 said Mr Aarons placently； 〃whether it is past； present； or future； Joe Aarons is the man to e to。〃
〃Précisément。 Now I want to ask you； Monsieur Aarons； what you know about a young woman called Kidd。〃
〃Kidd？ Kitty Kidd？〃
〃Kitty Kidd。〃
〃Pretty smart； she was。 Male impersonator； song and a dance … That one？〃
〃That is the one。〃
〃Very smart； she was。 Made a good ine。 Never out of an engagement。 Male impersonation mostly； but； as a matter of fact； you could not touch her as a character actress。〃
〃So I have heard；〃 said Poirot； 〃but she has not been appearing lately； has she？〃
〃No。 Dropped right out of things。 Went over to France and took up with some swell nobleman there。 She quitted the stage then for good and all； I guess。〃
〃How long ago was that？〃
〃Let me see。 Three years ago。 And she has been a loss … let me tell you that。〃
〃She was clever？〃
〃Clever as a cartload of monkeys。〃
〃You don't know the name of the man she became fri