Reading Help Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie. Ch.I-XIII
"What depot?" `
` `
` "Waterloo. Your London and South Western road." `
` `
` "Waterloo?" frowned Tuppence. `
` `
` "Why, yes. Didn't he tell you?" `
` `
` "I haven't seen him either," replied Tuppence impatiently. "Go on `
` about Waterloo. What were you doing there?" `
` `
` "He gave me a call. Over the phone. Told me to get a move on, `
` and hustle. Said he was trailing two crooks." `
` `
` "Oh!" said Tuppence, her eyes opening. "I see. Go on." `
` `
` "I hurried along right away. Beresford was there. He pointed `
` out the crooks. The big one was mine, the guy you bluffed. Tommy `
` shoved a ticket into my hand and told me to get aboard the cars. `
` He was going to sleuth the other crook." Julius paused. "I `
` thought for sure you'd know all this." `
` `
` "Julius," said Tuppence firmly, "stop walking up and down. It `
` makes me giddy. Sit down in that armchair, and tell me the whole `
` story with as few fancy turns of speech as possible." `
` `
` Mr. Hersheimmer obeyed. `
` `
` "Sure," he said. "Where shall I begin?" `
` `
` "Where you left off. At Waterloo." `
` `
` "Well," began Julius, "I got into one of your dear old-fashioned `
` first-class British compartments. The train was just off. First `
` thing I knew a guard came along and informed me mighty politely `
` that I wasn't in a smoking-carriage. I handed him out half a `
` dollar, and that settled that. I did a bit of prospecting along `
` the corridor to the next coach. Whittington was there right `
` enough. When I saw the skunk, with his big sleek fat face, and `
` thought of poor little Jane in his clutches, I felt real mad that `
` I hadn't got a gun with me. I'd have tickled him up some. `
` `
` "We got to Bournemouth all right. Whittington took a cab and `
` gave the name of an hotel. I did likewise, and we drove up `
` within three minutes of each other. He hired a room, and I hired `
` one too. So far it was all plain sailing. He hadn't the remotest `
` notion that anyone was on to him. Well, he just sat around in `
` the hotel lounge, reading the papers and so on, till it was time `
` for dinner. He didn't hurry any over that either. `
` `
` "I began to think that there was nothing doing, that he'd just `
` come on the trip for his health, but I remembered that he hadn't `
` changed for dinner, though it was by way of being a slap-up `
` hotel, so it seemed likely enough that he'd be going out on his `
` real business afterwards. `
` `
` "Sure enough, about nine o'clock, so he did. Took a car across `
` the town--mighty pretty place by the way, I guess I'll take Jane `
` there for a spell when I find her--and then paid it off and `
` struck out along those pine-woods on the top of the cliff. I was `
` there too, you understand. We walked, maybe, for half an hour. `
` There's a lot of villas all the way along, but by degrees they `
` seemed to get more and more thinned out, and in the end we got to `
` one that seemed the last of the bunch. Big house it was, with a `
` lot of piny grounds around it. `
` `
` "It was a pretty black night, and the carriage drive up to the `
` house was dark as pitch. I could hear him ahead, though I `
` couldn't see him. I had to walk carefully in case he might get on `
` to it that he was being followed. I turned a curve and I was `
` just in time to see him ring the bell and get admitted to the `
` house. I just stopped where I was. It was beginning to rain, and `
` I was soon pretty near soaked through. Also, it was almighty `
` cold. `
` `
` "Whittington didn't come out again, and by and by I got kind of `
` restive, and began to mouch around. All the ground floor windows `
` were shuttered tight, but upstairs, on the first floor (it was a `
` two-storied house) I noticed a window with a light burning and `
` the curtains not drawn. `
` `
` "Now, just opposite to that window, there was a tree growing. It `
` was about thirty foot away from the house, maybe, and I sort of `
` got it into my head that, if I climbed up that tree, I'd very `
` likely be able to see into that room. Of course, I knew there `
` was no reason why Whittington should be in that room rather than `
` in any other--less reason, in fact, for the betting would be on `
` his being in one of the reception-rooms downstairs. But I guess `
` I'd got the hump from standing so long in the rain, and anything `
` seemed better than going on doing nothing. So I started up. `
` `
` "It wasn't so easy, by a long chalk! The rain had made the `
` boughs mighty slippery, and it was all I could do to keep a `
` foothold, but bit by bit I managed it, until at last there I was `
` level with the window. `
` `
` "But then I was disappointed. I was too far to the left. I could `
` only see sideways into the room. A bit of curtain, and a yard of `
` wallpaper was all I could command. Well, that wasn't any manner `
` of good to me, but just as I was going to give it up, and climb `
` down ignominiously, some one inside moved and threw his shadow on `
` my little bit of wall--and, by gum, it was Whittington! `
` `
` "After that, my blood was up. I'd just got to get a look into `
` that room. It was up to me to figure out how. I noticed that `
` there was a long branch running out from the tree in the right `
` direction. If I could only swarm about half-way along it, the `
` proposition would be solved. But it was mighty uncertain whether `
` it would bear my weight. I decided I'd just got to risk that, and `
` I started. Very cautiously, inch by inch, I crawled along. The `
` bough creaked and swayed in a nasty fashion, and it didn't do to `
` think of the drop below, but at last I got safely to where I `
` wanted to be. `
` `
` "The room was medium-sized, furnished in a kind of bare hygienic `
` way. There was a table with a lamp on it in the middle of the `
` room, and sitting at that table, facing towards me, was `
` Whittington right enough. He was talking to a woman dressed as a `
` hospital nurse. She was sitting with her back to me, so I `
` couldn't see her face. Although the blinds were up, the window `
` itself was shut, so I couldn't catch a word of what they said. `
` Whittington seemed to be doing all the talking, and the nurse `
` just listened. Now and then she nodded, and sometimes she'd shake `
` her head, as though she were answering questions. He seemed very `
` emphatic--once or twice he beat with his fist on the table. The `
` rain had stopped now, and the sky was clearing in that sudden way `
` it does. `
` `
` "Presently, he seemed to get to the end of what he was saying. `
` He got up, and so did she. He looked towards the window and `
` asked something--I guess it was whether it was raining. Anyway, `
` she came right across and looked out. Just then the moon came out `
` from behind the clouds. I was scared the woman would catch sight `
` of me, for I was full in the moonlight. I tried to move back a `
` bit. The jerk I gave was too much for that rotten old branch. `
` With an almighty crash, down it came, and Julius P. Hersheimmer `
` with it!" `
` `
` "Oh, Julius," breathed Tuppence, "how exciting! Go on." `
` `
` "Well, luckily for me, I pitched down into a good soft bed of `
` earth--but it put me out of action for the time, sure enough. The `
` next thing I knew, I was lying in bed with a hospital nurse (not `
` Whittington's one) on one side of me, and a little black-bearded `
` man with gold glasses, and medical man written all over him, on `
` the other. He rubbed his hands together, and raised his eyebrows `
` as I stared at him. 'Ah!' he said. 'So our young friend is `
` coming round again. Capital. Capital.' `
` `
` "I did the usual stunt. Said: 'What's happened?' And 'Where am `
` I?' But I knew the answer to the last well enough. There's no `
` moss growing on my brain. 'I think that'll do for the present, `
` sister,' said the little man, and the nurse left the room in a `
` sort of brisk well-trained way. But I caught her handing me out a `
` look of deep curiosity as she passed through the door. `
` `
` "That look of hers gave me an idea. 'Now then, doc,' I said, and `
` tried to sit up in bed, but my right foot gave me a nasty twinge `
` as I did so. 'A slight sprain,' explained the doctor. 'Nothing `
` serious. You'll be about again in a couple of days.' " `
` `
` "I noticed you walked lame," interpolated Tuppence. `
` `
` Julius nodded, and continued: `
` `
` " 'How did it happen?' I asked again. He replied dryly. 'You `
` fell, with a considerable portion of one of my trees, into one of `
` my newly planted flower-beds.' `
` `
` "I liked the man. He seemed to have a sense of humour. I felt `
` sure that he, at least, was plumb straight. 'Sure, doc,' I said, `
` 'I'm sorry about the tree, and I guess the new bulbs will be on `
` me. But perhaps you'd like to know what I was doing in your `
` garden?' 'I think the facts do call for an explanation,' he `
` replied. 'Well, to begin with, I wasn't after the spoons.' `
` `
` "He smiled. 'My first theory. But I soon altered my mind. By `
` the way, you are an American, are you not?' I told him my name. `
` 'And you?' 'I am Dr. Hall, and this, as you doubtless know, is `
` my private nursing home.' `
` `
` "I didn't know, but I wasn't going to put him wise. I was just `
` thankful for the information. I liked the man, and I felt he was `
` straight, but I wasn't going to give him the whole story. For one `
` thing he probably wouldn't have believed it. `
` `
` "I made up my mind in a flash. 'Why, doctor,' I said, 'I guess I `
` feel an almighty fool, but I owe it to you to let you know that `
` it wasn't the Bill Sikes business I was up to.' Then I went on `
` and mumbled out something about a girl. I trotted out the stern `
` guardian business, and a nervous breakdown, and finally explained `
` that I had fancied I recognized her among the patients at the `
` home, hence my nocturnal adventures. I guess it was just the `
` kind of story he was expecting. 'Quite a romance,' he said `
` genially, when I'd finished. 'Now, doc,' I went on, 'will you be `
` frank with me? Have you here now, or have you had here at any `
` time, a young girl called Jane Finn?' He repeated the name `
` thoughtfully. 'Jane Finn?' he said. 'No.' `
` `
` "I was chagrined, and I guess I showed it. 'You are sure?' `
` 'Quite sure, Mr. Hersheimmer. It is an uncommon name, and I `
`
` `
` "Waterloo. Your London and South Western road." `
` `
` "Waterloo?" frowned Tuppence. `
` `
` "Why, yes. Didn't he tell you?" `
` `
` "I haven't seen him either," replied Tuppence impatiently. "Go on `
` about Waterloo. What were you doing there?" `
` `
` "He gave me a call. Over the phone. Told me to get a move on, `
` and hustle. Said he was trailing two crooks." `
` `
` "Oh!" said Tuppence, her eyes opening. "I see. Go on." `
` `
` "I hurried along right away. Beresford was there. He pointed `
` out the crooks. The big one was mine, the guy you bluffed. Tommy `
` shoved a ticket into my hand and told me to get aboard the cars. `
` He was going to sleuth the other crook." Julius paused. "I `
` thought for sure you'd know all this." `
` `
` "Julius," said Tuppence firmly, "stop walking up and down. It `
` makes me giddy. Sit down in that armchair, and tell me the whole `
` story with as few fancy turns of speech as possible." `
` `
` Mr. Hersheimmer obeyed. `
` `
` "Sure," he said. "Where shall I begin?" `
` `
` "Where you left off. At Waterloo." `
` `
` "Well," began Julius, "I got into one of your dear old-fashioned `
` first-class British compartments. The train was just off. First `
` thing I knew a guard came along and informed me mighty politely `
` that I wasn't in a smoking-carriage. I handed him out half a `
` dollar, and that settled that. I did a bit of prospecting along `
` the corridor to the next coach. Whittington was there right `
` enough. When I saw the skunk, with his big sleek fat face, and `
` thought of poor little Jane in his clutches, I felt real mad that `
` I hadn't got a gun with me. I'd have tickled him up some. `
` `
` "We got to Bournemouth all right. Whittington took a cab and `
` gave the name of an hotel. I did likewise, and we drove up `
` within three minutes of each other. He hired a room, and I hired `
` one too. So far it was all plain sailing. He hadn't the remotest `
` notion that anyone was on to him. Well, he just sat around in `
` the hotel lounge, reading the papers and so on, till it was time `
` for dinner. He didn't hurry any over that either. `
` `
` "I began to think that there was nothing doing, that he'd just `
` come on the trip for his health, but I remembered that he hadn't `
` changed for dinner, though it was by way of being a slap-up `
` hotel, so it seemed likely enough that he'd be going out on his `
` real business afterwards. `
` `
` "Sure enough, about nine o'clock, so he did. Took a car across `
` the town--mighty pretty place by the way, I guess I'll take Jane `
` there for a spell when I find her--and then paid it off and `
` struck out along those pine-woods on the top of the cliff. I was `
` there too, you understand. We walked, maybe, for half an hour. `
` There's a lot of villas all the way along, but by degrees they `
` seemed to get more and more thinned out, and in the end we got to `
` one that seemed the last of the bunch. Big house it was, with a `
` lot of piny grounds around it. `
` `
` "It was a pretty black night, and the carriage drive up to the `
` house was dark as pitch. I could hear him ahead, though I `
` couldn't see him. I had to walk carefully in case he might get on `
` to it that he was being followed. I turned a curve and I was `
` just in time to see him ring the bell and get admitted to the `
` house. I just stopped where I was. It was beginning to rain, and `
` I was soon pretty near soaked through. Also, it was almighty `
` cold. `
` `
` "Whittington didn't come out again, and by and by I got kind of `
` restive, and began to mouch around. All the ground floor windows `
` were shuttered tight, but upstairs, on the first floor (it was a `
` two-storied house) I noticed a window with a light burning and `
` the curtains not drawn. `
` `
` "Now, just opposite to that window, there was a tree growing. It `
` was about thirty foot away from the house, maybe, and I sort of `
` got it into my head that, if I climbed up that tree, I'd very `
` likely be able to see into that room. Of course, I knew there `
` was no reason why Whittington should be in that room rather than `
` in any other--less reason, in fact, for the betting would be on `
` his being in one of the reception-rooms downstairs. But I guess `
` I'd got the hump from standing so long in the rain, and anything `
` seemed better than going on doing nothing. So I started up. `
` `
` "It wasn't so easy, by a long chalk! The rain had made the `
` boughs mighty slippery, and it was all I could do to keep a `
` foothold, but bit by bit I managed it, until at last there I was `
` level with the window. `
` `
` "But then I was disappointed. I was too far to the left. I could `
` only see sideways into the room. A bit of curtain, and a yard of `
` wallpaper was all I could command. Well, that wasn't any manner `
` of good to me, but just as I was going to give it up, and climb `
` down ignominiously, some one inside moved and threw his shadow on `
` my little bit of wall--and, by gum, it was Whittington! `
` `
` "After that, my blood was up. I'd just got to get a look into `
` that room. It was up to me to figure out how. I noticed that `
` there was a long branch running out from the tree in the right `
` direction. If I could only swarm about half-way along it, the `
` proposition would be solved. But it was mighty uncertain whether `
` it would bear my weight. I decided I'd just got to risk that, and `
` I started. Very cautiously, inch by inch, I crawled along. The `
` bough creaked and swayed in a nasty fashion, and it didn't do to `
` think of the drop below, but at last I got safely to where I `
` wanted to be. `
` `
` "The room was medium-sized, furnished in a kind of bare hygienic `
` way. There was a table with a lamp on it in the middle of the `
` room, and sitting at that table, facing towards me, was `
` Whittington right enough. He was talking to a woman dressed as a `
` hospital nurse. She was sitting with her back to me, so I `
` couldn't see her face. Although the blinds were up, the window `
` itself was shut, so I couldn't catch a word of what they said. `
` Whittington seemed to be doing all the talking, and the nurse `
` just listened. Now and then she nodded, and sometimes she'd shake `
` her head, as though she were answering questions. He seemed very `
` emphatic--once or twice he beat with his fist on the table. The `
` rain had stopped now, and the sky was clearing in that sudden way `
` it does. `
` `
` "Presently, he seemed to get to the end of what he was saying. `
` He got up, and so did she. He looked towards the window and `
` asked something--I guess it was whether it was raining. Anyway, `
` she came right across and looked out. Just then the moon came out `
` from behind the clouds. I was scared the woman would catch sight `
` of me, for I was full in the moonlight. I tried to move back a `
` bit. The jerk I gave was too much for that rotten old branch. `
` With an almighty crash, down it came, and Julius P. Hersheimmer `
` with it!" `
` `
` "Oh, Julius," breathed Tuppence, "how exciting! Go on." `
` `
` "Well, luckily for me, I pitched down into a good soft bed of `
` earth--but it put me out of action for the time, sure enough. The `
` next thing I knew, I was lying in bed with a hospital nurse (not `
` Whittington's one) on one side of me, and a little black-bearded `
` man with gold glasses, and medical man written all over him, on `
` the other. He rubbed his hands together, and raised his eyebrows `
` as I stared at him. 'Ah!' he said. 'So our young friend is `
` coming round again. Capital. Capital.' `
` `
` "I did the usual stunt. Said: 'What's happened?' And 'Where am `
` I?' But I knew the answer to the last well enough. There's no `
` moss growing on my brain. 'I think that'll do for the present, `
` sister,' said the little man, and the nurse left the room in a `
` sort of brisk well-trained way. But I caught her handing me out a `
` look of deep curiosity as she passed through the door. `
` `
` "That look of hers gave me an idea. 'Now then, doc,' I said, and `
` tried to sit up in bed, but my right foot gave me a nasty twinge `
` as I did so. 'A slight sprain,' explained the doctor. 'Nothing `
` serious. You'll be about again in a couple of days.' " `
` `
` "I noticed you walked lame," interpolated Tuppence. `
` `
` Julius nodded, and continued: `
` `
` " 'How did it happen?' I asked again. He replied dryly. 'You `
` fell, with a considerable portion of one of my trees, into one of `
` my newly planted flower-beds.' `
` `
` "I liked the man. He seemed to have a sense of humour. I felt `
` sure that he, at least, was plumb straight. 'Sure, doc,' I said, `
` 'I'm sorry about the tree, and I guess the new bulbs will be on `
` me. But perhaps you'd like to know what I was doing in your `
` garden?' 'I think the facts do call for an explanation,' he `
` replied. 'Well, to begin with, I wasn't after the spoons.' `
` `
` "He smiled. 'My first theory. But I soon altered my mind. By `
` the way, you are an American, are you not?' I told him my name. `
` 'And you?' 'I am Dr. Hall, and this, as you doubtless know, is `
` my private nursing home.' `
` `
` "I didn't know, but I wasn't going to put him wise. I was just `
` thankful for the information. I liked the man, and I felt he was `
` straight, but I wasn't going to give him the whole story. For one `
` thing he probably wouldn't have believed it. `
` `
` "I made up my mind in a flash. 'Why, doctor,' I said, 'I guess I `
` feel an almighty fool, but I owe it to you to let you know that `
` it wasn't the Bill Sikes business I was up to.' Then I went on `
` and mumbled out something about a girl. I trotted out the stern `
` guardian business, and a nervous breakdown, and finally explained `
` that I had fancied I recognized her among the patients at the `
` home, hence my nocturnal adventures. I guess it was just the `
` kind of story he was expecting. 'Quite a romance,' he said `
` genially, when I'd finished. 'Now, doc,' I went on, 'will you be `
` frank with me? Have you here now, or have you had here at any `
` time, a young girl called Jane Finn?' He repeated the name `
` thoughtfully. 'Jane Finn?' he said. 'No.' `
` `
` "I was chagrined, and I guess I showed it. 'You are sure?' `
` 'Quite sure, Mr. Hersheimmer. It is an uncommon name, and I `
`