Miss Marple and Mystery Read Free Page B

niece hidden in here. There’s a regular gang of these foreigners trying this sort of thing on. It ought to be stopped. Take him away, will you? Here’s my card if you want it.’
    The guard looked from one to the other. His mind was soon made up. His training led him to despise foreigners, and to respect and admire well-dressed gentlemen who travelled first class.
    He laid his hand on the shoulder of the intruder.
    ‘Here,’ he said, ‘you come out of this.’
    At this crisis the stranger’s English failed him, and he plunged into passionate profanity in his native tongue.
    ‘That’s enough of that,’ said the guard. ‘Stand away, will you? She’s due out.’
    Flags were waved and whistles were blown. With an unwilling jerk the train drew out of the station.
    George remained at his observation post until they were clear of the platform. Then he drew in his head, and picking up the suit-case tossed it into the rack.
    ‘It’s quite all right. You can come out,’ he said reassuringly.
    The girl crawled out.
    ‘Oh!’ she gasped. ‘How can I thank you?’
    ‘That’s quite all right. It’s been a pleasure, I assure you,’ returned George nonchalantly.
    He smiled at her reassuringly. There was a slightly puzzled look in her eyes. She seemed to be missing something to which she was accustomed. At that moment, she caught sight of herself in the narrow glass opposite, and gave a heartfelt gasp.
    Whether the carriage cleaners do, or do not, sweep under the seats every day is doubtful. Appearances were against their doing so, but it may be that every particle of dirt and smoke finds its way there like a homing bird. George had hardly had time to take in the girl’s appearance, so sudden had been her arrival, and so brief the space of time before she crawled into hiding, but it was certainly a trim and well-dressed young woman who had disappeared under the seat. Now her little red hat was crushed and dented, and her face was disfigured with long streaks of dirt.
    ‘Oh!’ said the girl.
    She fumbled for her bag. George, with the tact of a true gentleman, looked fixedly out of the window and admired the streets of London south of the Thames.
    ‘How can I thank you?’ said the girl again.
    Taking this as a hint that conversation might now be resumed, George withdrew his gaze, and made another polite disclaimer, but this time with a good deal of added warmth in his manner.
    The girl was absolutely lovely! Never before, George told himself, had he seen such a lovely girl. The empressement of his manner became even more marked.
    ‘I think it was simply splendid of you,’ said the girl with enthusiasm.
    ‘Not at all. Easiest thing in the world. Only too pleased been of use,’ mumbled George.
    ‘Splendid,’ she reiterated emphatically.
    It is undoubtedly pleasant to have the loveliest girl you have even seen gazing into your eyes and telling you how splendid you are. George enjoyed it as much as anyone could.
    Then there came a rather difficult silence. It seemed to dawn upon the girl that further explanation might be expected. She flushed a little.
    ‘The awkward part of it is,’ she said nervously, ‘that I’m afraid I can’t explain.’
    She looked at him with a piteous air of uncertainty.
    ‘You can’t explain?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘How perfectly splendid!’ said Mr Rowland with enthusiasm.
    ‘I beg your pardon?’
    ‘I said, How perfectly splendid. Just like one of those books that keep you up all night. The heroine always says “I can’t explain” in the first chapter. She explains in the last, of course, and there’s never any real reason why she shouldn’t have done so in the beginning – except that it would spoil the story. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to be mixed up in a real mystery – I didn’t know there were such things. I hope it’s got something to do with secret documents of immense importance, and the Balkan express. I dote upon the Balkan express.’
    The girl stared at him