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THE SECRET `
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ADVERSARY `
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AGATHA CHRISTIE `
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TO ALL THOSE WHO LEAD `
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MONOTONOUS LIVES `
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IN THE HOPE THAT THEY MAY EXPERIENCE `
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AT SECOND HAND `
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THE DELIGHTS AND DANGERS OF `
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ADVENTURE `
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CONTENTS `
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Prologue `
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I The Young Adventurers, Ltd. `
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II Mr. Whittington's Offer `
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III A Set Back `
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IV Who Is Jane Finn? `
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V Mr. Julius P. Hersheimmer `
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VI A Plan of Campaign `
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VII The House in Soho `
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VIII The Adventures of Tommy `
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IX Tuppence Enters Domestic Service `
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X Enter Sir James Peel Edgerton `
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XI Julius Tells a Story `
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XII A Friend in Need `
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XIII The Vigil `
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XIV A Consultation `
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XV Tuppence Receives a Proposal `
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XVI Further Adventures of Tommy `
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XVII Annette `
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XVIII The Telegram `
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XIX Jane Finn `
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XX Too Late `
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XXI Tommy Makes a Discovery `
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XXII In Downing Street `
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XXIII A Race Against Time `
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XXIV Julius Takes a Hand `
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XXV Jane's Story `
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XXVI Mr. Brown `
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XXVII A Supper Party at the Savoy `
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XXVIII And After `
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PROLOGUE `
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IT was 2 p.m. on the afternoon of May 7, 1915. The Lusitania had `
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been struck by two torpedoes in succession and was sinking `
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rapidly, while the boats were being launched with all possible `
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speed. The women and children were being lined up awaiting their `
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turn. Some still clung desperately to husbands and fathers; `
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others clutched their children closely to their breasts. One girl `
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stood alone, slightly apart from the rest. She was quite young, `
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not more than eighteen. She did not seem afraid, and her grave, `
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steadfast eyes looked straight ahead. `
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"I beg your pardon." `
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A man's voice beside her made her start and turn. She had `
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noticed the speaker more than once amongst the first-class `
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passengers. There had been a hint of mystery about him which had `
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appealed to her imagination. He spoke to no one. If anyone spoke `
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to him he was quick to rebuff the overture. Also he had a nervous `
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way of looking over his shoulder with a swift, suspicious glance. `
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She noticed now that he was greatly agitated. There were beads `
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of perspiration on his brow. He was evidently in a state of `
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overmastering fear. And yet he did not strike her as the kind of `
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man who would be afraid to meet death! `
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"Yes?" Her grave eyes met his inquiringly. `
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He stood looking at her with a kind of desperate irresolution. `
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"It must be!" he muttered to himself. "Yes--it is the only way." `
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Then aloud he said abruptly: "You are an American?" `
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"Yes." `
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"A patriotic one?" `
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The girl flushed. `
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"I guess you've no right to ask such a thing! Of course I am!" `
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"Don't be offended. You wouldn't be if you knew how much there `
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was at stake. But I've got to trust some one--and it must be a `
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woman." `
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"Why?" `
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"Because of 'women and children first.' " He looked round and `
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lowered his voice. "I'm carrying papers--vitally important `
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papers. They may make all the difference to the Allies in the `
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war. You understand? These papers have GOT to be saved! They've `
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more chance with you than with me. Will you take them?" `
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The girl held out her hand. `
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"Wait--I must warn you. There may be a risk--if I've been `
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followed. I don't think I have, but one never knows. If so, `
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there will be danger. Have you the nerve to go through with it?" `
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The girl smiled. `
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"I'll go through with it all right. And I'm real proud to be `
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chosen! What am I to do with them afterwards?" `
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"Watch the newspapers! I'll advertise in the personal column of `
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the Times, beginning 'Shipmate.' At the end of three days if `
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there's nothing--well, you'll know I'm down and out. Then take `
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the packet to the American Embassy, and deliver it into the `
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Ambassador's own hands. Is that clear?" `
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"Quite clear." `
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"Then be ready--I'm going to say good-bye." He took her hand in `
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his. "Good-bye. Good luck to you," he said in a louder tone. `
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Her hand closed on the oilskin packet that had lain in his palm. `
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The Lusitania settled with a more decided list to starboard. In `
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answer to a quick command, the girl went forward to take her `
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place in the boat. `
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CHAPTER I `
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THE YOUNG ADVENTURERS, LTD. `
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"TOMMY, old thing!" `
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"Tuppence, old bean!" `
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The two young people greeted each other affectionately, and `
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momentarily blocked the Dover Street Tube exit in doing so. The `
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adjective "old" was misleading. Their united ages would `
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certainly not have totalled forty-five. `
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"Not seen you for simply centuries," continued the young man. `
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"Where are you off to? Come and chew a bun with me. We're `
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getting a bit unpopular here--blocking the gangway as it were. `
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Let's get out of it." `
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The girl assenting, they started walking down Dover Street `
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towards Piccadilly. `
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"Now then," said Tommy, "where shall we go?" `
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The very faint anxiety which underlay his tone did not escape the `
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astute ears of Miss Prudence Cowley, known to her intimate `
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friends for some mysterious reason as "Tuppence." She pounced at `
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once. `
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"Tommy, you're stony!" `
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"Not a bit of it," declared Tommy unconvincingly. "Rolling in `
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cash." `
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"You always were a shocking liar," said Tuppence severely, `
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"though you did once persuade Sister Greenbank that the doctor `
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had ordered you beer as a tonic, but forgotten to write it on the `
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chart. Do you remember?" `
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Tommy chuckled. `
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"I should think I did! Wasn't the old cat in a rage when she `
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found out? Not that she was a bad sort really, old Mother `
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Greenbank! Good old hospital--demobbed like everything else, I `
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suppose?" `
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Tuppence sighed. `
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"Yes. You too?" `
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Tommy nodded. `
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"Two months ago." `
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"Gratuity?" hinted Tuppence. `
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"Spent." `
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"Oh, Tommy!" `
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"No, old thing, not in riotous dissipation. No such luck! The `
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cost of living--ordinary plain, or garden living nowadays is, I `
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assure you, if you do not know----" `
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"My dear child," interrupted Tuppence, "there is nothing I do NOT `
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know about the cost of living. Here we are at Lyons', and we `
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will each of us pay for our own. That's it!" And Tuppence led `
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the way upstairs. `
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