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Show Tine Secret Adversary !By AGATHA CHRISTIE j (Copyright Dodd, Mead &. Company) A MR. HERSHEIMMER STNOrSTS-Ronllzins that she hns a possible chance of IhMmk saved, as the iAitjltniiia la slnkiim, a stranicor Klvea a youiiK Anerlcuti girl a lcknisO whlcli he a ska hor to delier to the American ainhas-Bftdor ainhas-Bftdor In KrmMaml. Sh Is saved. In Loinloii, former I,tout. "Tommy" "Tom-my" liore.sford and M Isa Prudence Cowley "Tuppence" dlscharyod army nurse, form an organization. "Tlie You ni Adventurers, Ltd." They are both broke and conne-quently conne-quently ready for unorthodox methods. They write out an advertisement. ad-vertisement. Tuppence makes a business appointment with a man. Kdward W hitting ton. who offers her easy em ploy men t, hut on k1 v- Itiff her name as "Jane Kinn." j which she had heard on the street, "U'hUttniiton elmws apUntlon and j Tuppence Is toll to return next I day. In the morning the nirl finds YVhltt!nKt'n's otllce deserted. In j answer to an advertisement signed j "J;tne Finn" the two receive notes ! from "Mr. Carter" and "Julius P. i Hershei miner." ("ari,r Is really a i hxh cowrnni.'iit ntliclal. He spi aks of a mysterious "Mr. Hhmvii" us i head of the I'olshevlkl In Krm'-hind. Krm'-hind. and Piica.'es Die pair to attempt at-tempt to tlnd June Finn, whom he Is seeking for Important reasons of state. I CHAPTER III Mr. Julius P. Hersheimmer. Tommy lniiu!;.'"M in a churklp. "My word! I don't wonder Yh!t-tlnirton Yh!t-tlnirton Kot the wind up when Tuppence Tup-pence plumped out that nntne ! I ff tumid have mysel f. Hut look here, air, we're taking tip nn awful ht of jour time. Have you nny tlji-4 to ylve us hefore we clear out?" "I think not. I have Information that the Mjr roup was planned for early In the new year. Hut t ! i kv- 1 frmment Is r-t.nremplarlni; Uvd slatlvp a.-th-n whh-h will deal e;1Vetual!y with the srrlke mennre. They'll L--t wind of It soon, If they haven't already, and lt poi.VMe that that may hrlm: th!r.k' . to a head. I h..-lL. It will, r:iyelf." Tuppence ro-ie. "I think we oi;c!,t to he hn!m-s-i like. What -:i tly r:n we murit Upon you f..r. Mr. arter?" i Mr. Cnrrer'? 1 ; j - tu!'!od irliMy, , hut he n ulled 'i' i in. t!y : ! "Funds w hin n'.iv.n, fh-t n!'-d In-! In-! f'-nuii ! !n on any pnli'.t. nn I no . rial re-nn!t!-'t). I t!;at If j..r ; fc-i-t y..ur-el -( Into tr-tiMf with the : I "!!', I mn't ''.:: .illy ..-Ip .Mi (lUt i of It. You're ..ri y.-t;r -wri." Tupp.-n-e r.oddi-d vu ;:... 'Tin -ire j I d n't want to he rude nf.Miir the uv-j uv-j 4-n:tiiT.t If you've wt un;. to d j with It. hut ..u kn-.v r.-..lly Ium , the dovll of n t:n,e ir-'f l;tu' n n . t !. 1 nn ' f:t of It ; And If v ha', e to (hi up a hlite form and v.-nd It In, and tl.-n, I ar'ter thtev nior.rh. t!..-y ..:t 1 h n green .n nnd ho on wdl, TJ .it won't he Tntl'-h t:et will It ?' ( Mr. Chi-nt laughed oun-I.t. "Ion't worry, M:-.i Tupp.ti.-e. Vou , will M-nd a pTionnl fh-tnnnd to me i her, and tl.p money. In n"t,t. hall j he sent hy return of post. , p, s;ii. "If u Grt Yourself in Trouble Willi tin Police, I Can't Orficially Help You Out of It." dry, shall He "v al the rule of tlin-e hiuelieil n Vial? And an eipial siim for Mr. liiT.' lord, of i'mimhp. C, I by. iiiel i I In. k to . 1 1 1 both." II" MhiioU 1 1 : 1 1 -i lib ti,, .in. iiirl In ihioMmt iiillnil. tiny w.-i.- il.-s.'.-iel : it tin. M.-.s of 'JV I 'al .Jialloll . ii ,i. . lib tlo-lr b. a.N In n Whirl. "Tommy J ' ell me III om e, who Is 'Mr. 1'iHlor'?" Tommy in. irniiii .'. n name In her ea r. "' h !" sal. I Tlipii tii e, Impn 1. "And I run tell you, old I, can, he's IT!" "olif' sal.l Tuppence ni:nlu. Then h. lidded relic, lively : "I lll(o bllll. (loll'l .Vou? II" loolis so ll fully III... Iind borcil, nnd yet you fed thai on diitniiih he's Just lllie ntenl, nil keen end Mashing. Oh!" Mho hum' n lui. "I'ln.li tin. Tommy, do pln.h me. I en'l believe ll'e real I" Mr. lieresfenl obllneil. 'Owl That's enough! Yes, we're not (lrpntnliiB. We've K"t a job!" "Anil what n Job! The Joint venture ven-ture lias feally begun. Let's have lunch oh!" The same thought sprung to the minds of each. Tommy voiced It first. "Julius 1'. Ilerslielnuner!" "We never told Sir. Carter about hearlni,' from him." "Well, there wasn't much to tell not till we've seen him. Come on." On Inquiring for Mr. Ilersbelmmer, they were nt once taken up to his suite. An Impatient volee cried "Come in" In answer to the pa'i'-boy's knock, nnd the lad stood nslilo to let then) pass In. Mr. Julius P. Ilershelmnier was n Rood deal younu'er than either Tommy or Tuppence had pictured him. The trlrl put him down as thirty live, lie was of middle height, and squarely built to match bis Jaw. Ills fan was pucr.aclous but pleasant. No one could have miMakcn him f.r unythln' but an American, thoiiL'h he spoke ilh very little accent. "Ot my note? Sit down nnd tell me riht iiuny nil you know tibotit my cousin." " Wur cousin ?" "Sure (hint;. Jane Finn." "Is she your cousin?" "My father and her mother wore brother nnd sister." explained Mr. II orotic! in mor meticulously. "Oh!" cried Tuppence. "Then you know v, here she Is?" "No!" Mr. Ilerslielnuner hroitu-bt down his (1st with a ban on the table. "I'm darned If I do! poti't you?" "We advertised to receive Information, Informa-tion, n.'t to fc-lve It," said Tuppence severely. Hut Mr. Herslielnimer pctned to grow suddenly suspicious. "See here." lie .!.-. lared. 'This Isn't Sicily ! No deuianditi ransom or threat. n'.m to rr.-p her ears If I re-fu-e. T!i.-.. are ti e I'.ritlsh lb-s. so .pi!t the funny business, or I'll Just Sin.' out for that beautiful t.'ir I'.ritlsh ..Ilceman I s. e out there In I'lc a-d!!!y." a-d!!!y." T'.fitiiy hiis'en.-d to explain. "We ln.:t't ki !l::ipel M.ur cusin. n the c..r:tr.try. we're tr!n- to find her We're e , , ; . ! . . ed (., ,1,, S. , " Mr. Her .heii ,:aer le'ip.t bn. k In hh rh: !r. "l'ut tne w !-.'." lie Si! tU'.-:n..v T"ti;t!iy f. !1 In with this .! ,.j In so f ir as be kMv him n cuarl. ! v. r-s' r-s' .n of t! e .ps ,; p.- .r-.n.-v ..f J.,ne l inn, nn I ..f the p..s;i,!PTv ,.f l.er 1im!.U' I ecu mixed up t:ni-.v:ires In "s. ..l.tVal s!,,.-,v." II,. lp;.!... to Ti:p; - !:ce :it; I t.!::.se'f iis "pr;;le In I quiry neii's" .i:cl!..Re. t.. t'n l j l.er. and iidd.-d licit thev m .,,:! I IV, for.' be i.!ad of ni.v .!! ii!s Mr. Iters-I. Iters-I. . i I : i li i r o ill I cive l!,e:n. Tint L'.-n'l. n n.'dde.) nj.pr.. il. "I ice- s Hint's nil rl.ht. I was J i-t n tnl'e Iii-m-. .1 i -1 tr.q out jour quesil.diH and 1 11 answer." I'..r Hie nieiaent this pur i1;. -ed the V.. MM,' Adi i-nliir.'ri but Till p. i . e. re C.MTir.k' tier-elf, dlHU-ed I . . . ! . 1 1 x- ,,t the breach wph a r. minis cure culled fiom de'e.Cye '.tl... "When did .ui last see the ,!,.,-,. your Ci 1 1 ! 1 1 , I mean?" "N. i.t se. n l.er." r." p..i,,p .1 Mr. llershelmm.r. "What?" denial:. led T.unmy, n-don- Isbed. "No. sir. As I s,!d before, my father fa-ther and her mother were brother nnd sister. Just as y.,ii m'clit be"- Tommy did n.d c.irct this l.-w of their re-lallol.shlp re-lallol.shlp "but thev didn't nlwnys e.t on together. And when my aunt made up her 111 1 ii .1 to marry Amos r'lun. v li'i was n per schoolteacher out west, my father was Just mad! Said If be Hindi' his pile, us he seemed In n fair way to do. she'jl never see n cent of It. Well, lb,, upshot win that Aunt Jane went out west and we never hoard from her iik'aln. "The old man did pile It up. lie went Into oil, and be went Into steel, nn.l be pluve.l n bit with r. i Ih on. Is, nnd I . an t. II you he nuide Wall street sit lip!" II" paused. "Then he died - hist fall nnd I i-ot the dollars. Well, would yon believe t, mv coll-sdelici. coll-sdelici. L',,t busy I Kept kllocMlli: me up and savin:;: What about voiir Aunt .line, way out west? ( u lied me Some. You see. 1 l;;uied It out that Amos I'lnn w .Mild n.-v or m ile I I. II" w a at Hint s,,i n, j, v n -i. I Idled a li.ii 1 1 lo hunt her oon It. -iilll. 'he was ib-ad. and Amos I'mii vv ii-- .!."id, but Ihev 'd lel'l a d ul l ,.,- .lane who'd be. n torped I In tbe I. ie ilaiil.i on her vv ii y lo I'.ii I ; she vim ".'ivcd nil I 1 1 . 1 . bill II, ey ,,', s.'.'lll able to hear of her ov er Ibis ' Id.'. I cue : ie. thev weren't ll.lsllill:: II II V. :o I I liolli-bl I'd collie II lone ,o iiii.I spi'is, thlnes up. 1 pbo I bind Yard and the Admli ally Hi d thllli:. The A . I n 1 1 in 1 1 y lalher ,li..,ed Hi.' i iff. but Scotland Y n rd were very civil said they would tiuil.e Inqulile'i. H' en .lent a in ii ri round this mm nine to i:.. her photoei npli. -m ,,y In l'a-.i loiiioiiow, Jii'il In see what the pre feiture Is ilolliK I iruess If I K.i p. and fro hu'dllmr them, tbey omdit to tfof busy !" The enerKV of Mr. I let dlell, imer wnm 1 1 I'lliendottS Thev bowed ho for,. It. "But say, now," lie ended, "you're not after her for anything Contempt of court, or something ISi'IUsh? A proud-spirited youn' American Klrl illicit find your rules nnd regulations in war time rather irksome, and K''t up nK-ulnst It. If that's the case, and there's such a thiiiK' as k'raft In this country, I'll buy her oft'." Tuppence reassured him. "That's cood. Then we can work together. What nbout some lunch?" Oysters had Just Klven place to Sole Colbert when n curd was brought to Ilershelnimer. "Inspector Jupp. C. I. D. Scotland Yard uitnln. Another luan this time. What docs he expect I can tell him that I didn't tell the P.rst chap? 1 hope they haven't lost that photograph. photo-graph. That western photographer's place was burned down and all bis negatives destroved this Is the only copy In existence. I got It from the principal of the College there." An unformulated dread swept over Tuppence. "You you d.-n't know the name of the man who came this niofnlro;?" "Yes, I do. No, I don't. Half n second. It was on his card, oil, I know! Inspector I'.ri.vvn. Quiet, unassuming un-assuming Rort of chap." A veil might with profit be drawn over the events of the next bnlf-hour. Sullh-e It to say that no such person as "Inspector r.r.e.vn" was known to Scotland Yard. The photograph of Jane Finn, which would have been of the utmost value to the police In tnicltiK her, was lost beyond recovery. Once again "Mr. Hrovvn" had triumphed. tri-umphed. The Immediate result of this net-back net-back was to effect a rapprochement between Julius Ilershelmnier ami the Young Adventurers. All barriers went down with a crash, and Tommy and Tuppence felt they had known the young Americnn all their lives. They abandoned the ilin T.vt reticence of "private Inquiry agents." end re-f.iied re-f.iied to I. in, il,,. :.,ie history of the Joint venture, wheivat the joung man declared hlii.seif "th ';,..! to death." He turn.sl to Tuppence at the c! c of the narrali' n. 'TH' always h.i 1 a kind of py-i that I " ! 1 s i giris were Jus- tt t:,:te !::... grown. ( i, 1 fiishe !,. 1 an I s v, . t. kn.ov , hut s. ar. d to ,. ,r:, 1 !!h..i:t a f :!. an ..r n n.ai !. n irtr.t. I guess I'm n 1 It l ehir. 1 the tin es Il e uj -hot ,,f ,. !. r.-;:'.l re lations was H at '1 omu.v ntid T:r ; en.-.. t.."k up th.ir a"-!.- forthwith, - the ; Kit.-.. In ord. r, as Tupp.-n.-e put It. to I ke. p In (..:, h w ith Jane Fit n' .c.lv I living r.'ia'iou. "At-.d 1 ut Use fhnt." I she .! .. I ,-..!.;. '. nt hilly to T..:t::i.v. "II ''"! . I ! ,..-g:,. at the , ; . se N"'-" !' w i.b h was tie -: , ., th!t'.,-. "And now." S'ld the y ".:ug hi !y on the m.. rnli. g after tl.e'r It-:. il'.iti. n. "to work! We !,..: ,-;1p a ;!.,.; of r ,:-," "He ir. I e ,r!" "Well, let's do It. T" begin with, what hi! v e w e to go upon ? ' "Abseiuii-iy n.. thing." s.ibl Touray che.illv. "Wrong '" Tup pence wagged no energetic llto-er. "We have two dis timt clues." "What tire their' "First clue, we know one of the gang." " hlitington?" "Yes. I'd re. ognlre him nnv where. " "Hum," said Tommy doublfullv, " don't call that much of n cine. You don't know w here to h-.k for him. and It's about n thousand to one aga',is your running against him ,v ,-,(. dent." "I'm not so sure about that." replied re-plied Tup p.n.e thoughtfully. There are places In London where simply I'vervone Is hound to turn up so,.n,y-or so,.n,y-or later. Ficadllly (dr.us. f,,r stance, due of my bb as was to Inko up my stand Iher. every day." "Honesilv. I dit think mi,,-!, ,,f the l-lea. hlltlni toti mavn't be In London at nil." "That's Hue. Anvvvay. I think clue No. Is jiioro promising" "Lei's hear It." "It's n. .thine much. iinly n ChrU Han niinie Ult'l. W h 1 1 1 1 n,; t , , tm.,, Hone. I It that .1 iv ." "Ale vou pr in,; a Hilid a. Ivor llsciiienl : :inl."l. r.'inn'e ci. ,,,!,, ,, sv' . ' I ill : to t:,e li or. r ,,r I; ,, v- "I em n-t. I pt "1" e lo i ,. ,s,,n a I." I. nl 1. 1 :i 1 1 n .-I-. Tl.nl hi ;i n. I ., ,., s "as '.b.ld.o'.d ..II Ibe way over. .,.,' he? And il's n oie Ir.eh ,,, ,,.,, , n ii vv nn Hiun a iiiiiii "I .l.'U t see that al all." "I em ah ..lui.-'y , ,a mln I,,. , would l.e a vv oim-n ,,.) ( i,,,,, ,)( . one." replied I'll 1 . 1 .'11 . , rahnlv . ",,, ol.v loll-.lv . I bis vv on, nn, v, ( VH. was. was s'i ed." "1 low do v on luat.e that out ?" "If she wasn't. ,, would tbev have known Jane Finn had ,, pa pel s ?" "I ' t " "Now. there's Jii' t n , hnn, e. admit v ch'in.e. Hint this ,., mn v tin v e 'h'i'ii ' ; i a ' " "And II jo?" "If we've not to hunt tlir.Micli He survivor, of toe l.iisin:N nil . . Iind her.'' "Then the first thing lj to gt-t a list of the survivors." "I've got It. I wrote a long list of things I wuiited to know, and Bent It to Mr. Carter. I got Ms reply this morning, and among other things it incloses the olllcial slateuient of those saved from the I.usltanl.-i." "lint the great point is, is there a Ttita' on the list?" "That'8 Just what I don't know," confessed Tuppence "You see, very few Christian names nre t(Ken. They're nearly all Mrs. or Miss." Tommy nodded. "That complicates matters," he murmured thoughtfully. "Well, we've Just got to get down t It. that's all. We'll start with the London Lon-don area. Just note down the ud-dresses ud-dresses of any of the females who live In London or roundabout, while I put on my hat." Five minutes later the youag couple emerged Into I'lccndlllv, and a few seconds later a tail was bearing them to The Laurels, Glondower p. ad, N.7, the residence of Mrs. Kdgar Keith, whose name figured first In a list of seven reposing In Tummy's pocketbook. The Laurels was a dilnpldated house, standing- hack from the roti5 with a few grimy Hushes to support tbe (Icth.n of n front garden. Tommj "Huw Would They Hive Knows Jare Finn Had the Pape-nT" pn!d of the taxi, an-! a.-.-o:: ; -.r.'.-l i Ti:pp.-t.. to the fr. r.t t' ".. ne I re" .-.! thw tovh T'w; i .-r..-e ::!. !rvvr to a sulta' r; ot. A sh.'.r.r: !y ! ir.g e-x?.r.t. nn I'Xtr.-u.iy d'rty f:i.-e r. r. I a ; .".it of .. tint ! r.-t :.s-.ere. the ! or. j "; I lit- r. ';-- " he -.;.J t - s'.:t nr. ! r! .'. r f :iiy. "Fr eu He ! ' ' ; s', s ,t r. ugh r..-::, :' " r.. r V -tirg lb g s-.-r V.ri !' 'g.-r K. ith !.vc here. .1 s s s e r. t " " Y .i .' s." : ! tic o n "'! r'stic.n r. -. . "' ,-1 T.c.-.r T, h!s j.-..-!! ;.. ,. - -M'ss-.s'? F'.-.-cr .T..re-' .T..re-' F'.-'H r." s, . :: T r. " -t 'v. "r .'. ,vg'.t, rs . vrr t.-t x-.TeT "N,,.'.v." "T! : rV )..- T. y ,.s. r."'.-' ' w'.'.'i a !:.s's r. ; . ! ten !;: " "' ''''' v. ;.-': it ' at 1 we c n r. ; . ,! !t :. ! lib v: . ti c r. xt .!: iw r' "Mrs . " cv ,-r. ; i ..:-. p. i lev i::.,r.s:. - M s ' -CI i: g' .n re A. L iters, v' ,-', a hi lv's n .r.!. ns far i s l r , ' ,.r. IT. ' :,' iv w . n't te H ere, n;-. i, r.r.v -.v.-T. s' i-'s n- t ! '... iv " " I hell H e M.iv'.i'r l i ly Is cle-r'r Indicated ns t'-e ft p. rt .f South A,:.1', y n: - v. s' . :-. - wr, n:i p., P"s!ng lo.-ping !,:,-v of t'nt-lh.ik t'nt-lh.ik lane. No il was .n tie v.v.'s,' floor. Tommy had r H,'s tio e t' e gl'S. toss born of pr..-H, He m'i'cl of the fernuhi t-. the cl'eriy w ,.., looking m,.re l.ko a housekeeper thsn a servant, who opened the d.or to him. "I'hr stlan name?" "Margaret," Tommv spelt It. but the ether Inter-rupt.-d him. "No. g u e." "Oh. Marguerite: Freii, h n.iy, see" He paused. t!,n piling.-, 1 h,d,Vv "We hud her down n- 1; , , v;ini, v Iliever. but I suppose t, Ilt', In -on,v t " "She's mosHy cillel H,.,,, ,.;r M ii ' iiei ite's 1 ,-r name " "Ihink you. Thi-t's nil. ( tnoi nlpg." H.u.llv able to .-ontnlu h's ex-i.. menl. Too 1, IV l.l, t,.., ,)., , v( 'I'oi'l'cn.e was vv,i;:'ng at H. ang'e of the turn "You he, , 's O, ' ,,. ... "'""' " i" t'll In T, ,', T1"'' 1 ' ""' ''.'I H:e ,', ,..,,. e them. n,', v, S :' 'h' -" c ,"ce s..r ''"''' 1 "Pi-en. ,1, ,. .,., ,,,, ,, (, ''"'" si.... ,.f ,' ,, , ""' '' "low vv:,- .!,.,.. "W b 'l H e " "1 I II- I, '" n '' t.,.,. I"'n'"'s '''"-cd ti,.' I,.,. ,, ,.,;, iu :ti mi, ,"',''" '- r"''"" i , ,u I",'11",, '"" '"i v x of the two vv, lVHq,Mn "Who koevs.f (M, h4t met Mr. tlrrwn l,.x,v" iro Ii W IMNUN, ,. , I |