"
5
A.'
r
il.af.
h
l
"
PAGE
FOUR
"Him
DAILY
KTVTS
s
95?
EVEN
a.
r
Dials
Mystery
By
Agatha
Christie
Copyright
by
Public
Ledger
Till:
STOUY
TlltS
FAR
Oerry
Wade
is
found
dead
ia
bed
at
Chimneys,
scene
of
a
boose
party.
Seven
out
-of
kght
alarm
clock
placed
in
bla
rocis
to
awaken
him
are
lined
up
n
a
manttL
The
guests
are
told
Lb..'
death
resulted
from
aa
tfverdoae
cT
Bteplng
powder.
Jimmy
Theslger
and
Bonny
Devereux
motor
to
Oerxr's
home
to
tell
a
slater.
Loralne.
of
Wade'i
death.
iAdj
Eiltta
Brent,
known
aa
"Burv
die."
nads
a
letter
Wade
Had
written
to
hta
JHter
maklnc
reference
to
the
Seven
Diada.
Bundle
feels
certaim
thai
Oerry
was
murdered.
En
route
M
Lon
don
a
man,
nysterioualr
.skat,
staggers
Into
the
road
In
front
of
Eileen's
ear.
It
proves
to
be
Dcvereux,
who
dy
ing,
wmspen:
seven
ixaia
tea
.
Jimmy
Theslger."
.
At
Jimmy's
quarter
-Bundle-
finds
Loral
ne
The
three
of
them
set
njt
to
tra
the
murdeer.
Mw
roxiiM
E
Tin:
torv
INSTALMENT
X.
How
It
Happened
"It
didn't
happen
that
way.
We
were
discussing
what
we
could
do
to
get
Gerry
up,
and
Pongo
said
an
alarm
clock,
and
somebody
said
one
would
be
no
good,
and
.
i
mil
.
.
.
I
EumeDoay
eise
am
niversieijn,
1
think
said
why
not
get
a
dotes.
And
we
all
said
good
egg
and
hoofed
off
to
set
them.
We
cot
one
each
and
an
extra
one
for
Pongo
and
one
lor
Lady
Cooie
1
Just
out
of
the
generosity
of
our
hearts.
There
was
nothing
premeditated
about'
It
It
Just
happened."
Bundle
was
silenced,
but'
not!
convinced.
,
Jimmy
proceeded
to
sum
tip
',
.
...
rn$hpdlcally.
'
n
'L.
think
we
can
say
we're
sure
r
K1
,,,0
perjtaln
facts.
There's
a
secret'
m
society,
with
points
of
resemblance
to
the
Mafia,
in
existence.
Gerry
Wade
came
to
know
about
It
At
first
he
treated
it
as
rather
a
Joke
as
an
absurdity,
shall
we
say.
He
couldn't
believe
in
its
being
really
dangerous.
But
later
something
happened
to
convince
him,
and
Jjhjhe
got
the
wind
up
In
ear-nesl!il
rather
fancy
he
must
have
said
something
to
Ronny
Dever-eux
about
tt.
Anyway,'
when
he
was
put
out
of
the
way,
Ronny
suspected,
and
he
must
-havi
known
enough
to
get
on
the
sanv
track
himself.
The
unfortunate
thing
is
that
we've
got
to
start
quite
from
the
outer
darkness.
We
haven't
got
the
knowledge
the'
other
two
had."
1
,
"Perhaps
that's
an
advantage,
said
Loralne
coolly.
"They
worft
suspect
us
and
therefore
they
won't
be
trying
to
put
us
out'
of
the
way."
;
1
"I
wish
I
felt
sure
about
that,'"
said
Jimmy
In
a
worried
voice,
"You
know,
Loralne,
old
Oerrj
himself
wanted
you
to
keep.'oit
of
it.
Don't
you
think
you
could
t
"No,
I
couldn't,"
said
Loral'ni.
"Don't'
let's
start
discussing
uthat
again.
It's
only
a
waste'
pf
'WT;
At
the
mention
.of
.the'wbrii
time.
Jimmy's
eve's
'rose'
"'
toA'the
ojock
and
he
uttered
aihexcrOfe
Uob
of
astonishment.
He
rose
ana
opened
the
door.
"SUvens."
"Yes,
sir?"
"What
about
a
spot
of
lunch
Stevens?
Gould
it
be
managed!''
Lunch
For
Three
,
4
"I
anticipated
that
it
would
be
required,
sir.
Mrs.
Stevens
has
made
preparations
accordingly.'
"That's
a
wonderful
man,"
said
Jimmy,
at
-he
returned;
.heaving
a
sigh
of
relief.
"Brain,
you
know.
Sheer
brain.
He
takes
correspon
dence
courses.
I
sometimes
wonder
if
they'd
do
me
any
good."
"Don't
be
silly,"
said
Loralne.
Stevens
opened
the
door
and
proceeded
to
bring
In
a
most
re
cherche
meal.
An
omelette
was
followed,
by
quails
and
the
very
liKBtatrthlnes
In
souffles.
-
"WmWaie
mtn
vsohappy
.when
the
r'gle?
6ildV'
Lofatne
tragically.
"Why
are
they
so
much
better
looked
after
by
Other
peo
pie
than
by
us?"
"Oh!
but
that's
rot,
you
.know,"
said
Jimmy.
"I
mean,
they're
not
How
could
they
be.
I
often
think
He
stammered
and
stopped.
Lo
mine
blushed
again.
Suddenly
Bundle
let
out
a
whoop
ana
wwi
wic
vwicr.
j-rwrvru
vio
lently,
.
;
,
Idiot.
said'
Bundle.
"Imbecile
Me,'
I
mean.
I
knew
there
was
something
IM
forgotten."
"What?"
"You
know
Codders
George
Lo-J
'
mix,
I
mean?"
"I've
heard
ol
him
a
good
deal,"
!
told
Jimmy.
"From
Bill
and
Rdn-
j
uy.yoa
know."
,
"Wen,"
Dodders
Is
giving
some
!
sort
of
a
dry
party
next
week,'
and
he's
had
a
warning
letter1
from
Seven
Dials."
i
"What?"
cried
Jimmy
excitedly,
leaning
forward.
"You
can't
mean
itt"
"Yes,
I
do.
He
told
father
about
It.
Now
"what
do
you
think
that
points
to?"
Jimmy
leaned
back
In
his
chair,
He
thought
rapidly
and
carefully.
At
-last
he
spoke.
His
speech
was
brief
and
to
the
point.
"Something's
going
to
happen
at.
that
party,"
he
said.
j
"That's
what
I
think,"
said
Bundle.
"It
all
fits
In,"
said
Jimmy
al
most
dreamily.
He
tamed
to
.Loralne.
"How
old
were
you
when
the
war
was
mT
he
asked
unexpectedly.
"Nine
no,
eight."
''And
Gerry,
I
suppose,
was
about
SO,
Mast
lads
of
20
fought
In
the
war.
Gerry
didn't."
"No,"
said
Loralne,
after
think
ing
'ft
minute
or
two.
"No,
Gerry
wasn't
a
soldier.
I
don't
know
why."
THE
REAL
THING
"I
can
tell
you
why,"
said
Jim
my.
"Or
at
least
I
can
make
a
very
shrewd
guess.
He
was
out
of
Eng
land
from
1915
to
1918.
I've
taken
the
trouble
to
find
that
out.
And
nobody
seems
to
Know
exactly
where
he
was.
I
think
he
was
In
Germany."
The
color
rose
in
Loralne's
cheeks.
She
looked
at
Jimmy
-with
admiration.
1
"How
clever
of
you."
'
"He
spoke
German
well,
didn't1
'
her.
.
"Oh!
yes,
like
a
native."
(
I'm
sure
I'm
right.
Listen,
you
two.
Oerry
Wade
was
at
the
For-1
thought
"Why
are
men
o
happy
when
they're
single?"
said
Loralne
traglcal-Jy.
"Why
are
they
So
much
better
looked
after
by
others
than
by
us?"
thing.
Our
secret
service
Is
sup-
die.
You'll
have
to
.prime
Bill
and
posed
to
be
the
best
In
the
world.
makehlm
say
the
right
things.
I
think
Gerry
Wade
was
pretty
He's
incapable
of
thinking
of
them
high
up
In
that
service.
And
that
for
himself.
"
explains
everything!
1
remember
I
"What
do
you
suggest?"
asked
saying
Idly
that
last
evening
at
Jimmy
humbly.
Chimneys
that
Oerry
couldnt
be
j
-oh!
it's
Quite
easv.
Bill
de-
qulte
such
an
ass
as
he
made
him
self
out
to
be.'
"And
If
you're
right?"
said
Bun
dle,
practical
as
ever.
"Then
the
thing's
bigger
than
we
thought.
This
Seven
Dials
business
Isn't
merely
criminal
It's
interna
tional.
One
thing's
certain,
somebody
has
got
to
be
at
this
house-party
of
Lomax's."
Bundle
make
a
slight
grimace.
"I
know
George
well
but
he
doesn't
like
me.
He'd
never
think
of
asking
me
to
a
serious
gath
ering.
All
the
same,
I
might
"
She
remained
a
moment
lost
In
eign
Office.
He
appeared
to
be
the
"Do
you
think
I
could
work
it!
same
sort
of
amiable
Idiot
excuse
through
Bill?"
asked
Jimmy.
4He
the
term,
but
you
know
what
I
is
bound
to
be
there
as
Codder's
mean
as
Bill
Everslelgh
and
right-hand
man.
He
might
bring
Ronny
Devcrcux.
A
purely
orna-
me
along
somehow
or
other."
mental
excrescence.
But
in
reality
he
was
something
quite
different.!
Interested
in
Politics
I
think
Oerry
Wade
was
the
real'
"lTdont
see
why
not,"
said
Bun-
BRINGING
UP
FATHER
scribes
you
as
a
rich
young
man
interested
hi
politics,
anxious
to
stand
for
Parliament.
George
will
fall
at
once.
You
know
what
these
political
parties
are
always
looking
for
new,
rich,
young
men.
The
richer
Bill
says
you
are,
the
easier
It
will
be
to
manage."
"
"Short
of
being
described
as
Rothschild.
I
dent
mind,"
said
Jimmy.
"Then
I
think
that's
practically
(
settled.
I'm
dining
with
BH1
to-'
morrow
night,
and
111
get
a
list
of
who
is
to
be
there.
That
wftl
be
useful."
'
"Via
lorry
you
can't
be
there,"
said
Jimmy.
"But
on
the
whole,
I
think
It's
all
for
ttie
best."
"I'm
Jiot
so
sure
I
shan't
be
there,"
said
Bundle.
"Dodders
hates
me
like
poison
but
there
are
other
ways."
She
became
meditative.
'And
what
about
me?"
asked
Loralne'
In
a
small,
meek
voice,
"You're
not
on
In
-this
act,"
said
Jimmy
Instantly.
"See?
After
all,
we've
got
to
have
some
one
out
side
ter
er
"
"To
what?"
said
Loralne.
Jimmy
decided
not
to
pursue
this
tack.
He
appealed
to
Bundle.
"Look
here,"
he
said.
"Loralne
must
keep
out
of
this,
mustn't
she?"
"I
certainly
think
she'd
better."
"Next
time,"
said
Jimmy
kindly.
"And
suppose
there
Isn't
a
next
time,"
said
Loralne.
"Oh!
there
probably
will
be.
Not
a
doubt
of
It."
"I
see.
I'm
Just
to
go
home
and
wait."
"That's
it,"
said
Jimmy,
with,
every
appearance
of
relief.
"I
thought
you'd
understand."
"You
see."
explained
Bundle.
Bundle
looked
at
her
in
sudden
suspicion.
The
tameness
with
which
Loralne
was
taking
It
seemed
hirdly
natural
Loralne
looked
at
her.
Her
eyes
were
blue
and
guileless.
They
met
Bundle's
without
a
quiver
even
of
the
lashes.
Bundle
was
only
partly
satisfied.
She
found
the
meekness
of
Loralne
Wade
highly
suspi
cious.
Scotland
Yard
Now
it
may
be
said
at
once
in
the
foregoing
conversation
each
one
of
the
three
participants
had.
as
it
were,
held
tomethirig
in
reserve.
That
"Nobody
tells
everything"
is
a
very
true
motto.
It
may
be
questioned,
for
Instance,
if
Loraine
Wade
was
perfectly
sincere
in
her
account
ol
the
motives
whleh
had
led
her
tc
seek
out
Jimmy
Theslger.
In
the
same
way,
Jimmy
Theslger
himself
had
various
Ideas
and
plans
connected
wtth
the
forthcoming
party
at
George
Lomax'
which
he
had
no
intention
of
revealing
to
say,
Bundle.
And
Bundle
herself
had
a
fully
Hedged'
plan
wrrich-'she
proposec
to
put
Into
Immediate
execution
and
which
she'
had
said
nothing
whatever
about.
On
leaving
Jimmy
Theslger's
rooms
she
drove
to
Scotland
Yard,
where
she
asked
to
see
Superintendent
Battle.
SuperJn,,enclenV
Battle
was
rather
a
big
man.
He
worked
almost
entirely
on
cases
of
a
delicate
political
nature.
On
such
a
ease
he
had
come
to
Chimneys
four
years
ago,
and
Bundle
was
frankly
trading
on
his
remembering
this
fact.
Superintendent
Battle
After
a
short
delay
she
was
taken
along
several
corridors
and
Into
the
.
superintendent's
private
room.
Battle
was
a
stolid-looking
man
with
a
wooden
face.
He
looked
supremely
unintelligent
and
more
like
a
commissionaire
than
a
de-
"three
of
us
forcing
our
way
In
tective.
might
look
suspicious.
And
you
1
He
was
standing
by
the
window
would
be
particularly
difficult
You
do
see
that,
don't
you?"
"Oh!
yes,"
said
Loralne.
'Then
It's
settled
you
do
noth
ing,"
said
Jimmy.
"I
do
nothing,"
said
Loralne
meekly.
when
she
entered,
gazing
in
an
ex
pressionless
manner
at
some
sparrows.
"Good
afternoon'
Lady
Eileen,"
he
said.
"Sit
down,
wont
you?"
"Thank
you."
said
Bundle.
"I
was
afraid
you
mightn't
remember
me."
"Always
remember
people,"
said
Battle.
He
added:
"Got
to
in
mj
'
'
Job."
,
"Oh!
said
Bundle,
rather
damp
ed.
"And
wht
can
I
do
for
you?
Inquired
the
superintendent.
Bundle
came
straight
to
the
point.
"I've
always
heard
that
you
jeople
at
Scotland
Yard
have
lists
of
all
secret
societies
and
things
Ike
that
that
are
formed
In
Lon-,
don."
"We
try
to
keep
up
to
date,"
said
Superintendent
Battle
cau-l
tlously.
j
"I
suppose
a
great
many
of
theraj
aren't
really
dangerous."
'
'
"We've
got
a
very
good
rule
toi
go
c-y,"
said
Battle.
"The
more
they
talk,
the
less
they'll
da
You'd
be
surprised
how
wen
that
works
out."
"And
I've
heard
that
very
often'
you
let
them
go
on?"
Battle
nodded.
all
himself
-a
Brother
of
Liberty
,
tnd
meet
twice
a
week
m
a
cellar!
and
talk
about
rivers
of
blood
It'
I
I
j
thOMUVTHIIOGI
I
I
.
1
LI
r5.
(welu-if
MOThehT
I
I
II
LI50J
111!
rslfl
I
III
!i
T
IJXPECTAJJT
JLr
MOTHERS
TAKE
COr.
I
laasa
a.
w
i-ivlk
OIL
The
Pleasant
WW
as
m
wm
lUNtf
won't
hurt
either
him
or
J
know
where
to
lay
our
hanJ
"But
sometimes.
I
suppo.l
Bundle
slowly,
"a
society
n.1
more
dangerous
than
M.
Imagines?"
"Very
unlikely,"
said
Batt,
"But
It
might
happen
ted
Bundle.
"Oh
it
might!"
admitted
tj
pennienaent.
There
was
a
mom'
:
silence.
Then
Bundle
saw
1
Secret
Societies
"Superintendent
Baj
,.r
cletles
that
have
their
netij
iers
in
seven
Dials?'
ii
was
superintend"
rr
BJj
boast
that
he
had
never
lien
j
to
display
emotion.
But
eJ
could
have
sworn
tha
moment
his
eyelids
f.
I
ne
looxed
taken
aback
Oni;k
moment,
however.
Ht
usual
wooden
self
as
h
"Strictly
speaking.
Ltrty
nj
there's
no
such
place
u.,
Dials
nowadays."
"Nor
"No.
Most
of
It
Is
p-.uled
6
and
rebuilt
It
was
ru:erj.i
quarter
once,
but
it's
vvr
re?
table
and
high
dass
Not
at
all
a
romantic
fpc
tc
about
in
tor
mysterio-i-
sec
-oteMes."
"OhJ"
said
Bundle,
t
c
s
plussed.
"But
alth
ae
I
much
like
to
know
ivru'.
;
'
:
neighborhood
tnw
Tour
"That's
so.
Why
shouldn't
a
manLady
EUeefii1
"Have
I
got
to
ten
y
(To
Be
Continued
Tombrnl
ii!'.
By
George
McMhus
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