第26部分(第5/7 頁)

know　you　can't　care　for　me　so　soon　…　that　is　impossible。　I　dare　say　it　is　presumption　anyway　on　my　part。　I　have　private　means；　but　not　very　much　…　no；　please　don't　answer　now。　I　know　what　your　answer　would　be。　But　in　case　I　went　away　suddenly　I　just　wanted　you　to　know　…　that　I　care。〃

She　was　shaken　…　touched。　His　manner　was　so　gentle　and　appealing。

〃There's　one　thing　more。　I　just　wanted　to　say　that　if　…　if　you　are　ever　in　trouble；　anything　that　I　can　do　…〃

He　took　her　hand　in　his；　held　it　tightly　for　a　minute；　then　dropped　it　and　walked　rapidly　away　towards　the　Casino　without　looking　back。

Katherine　sat　perfectly　still；　looking　after　him。　Derek　Kettering　…　Richard　Knighton　…　two　men　so　different　…　so　very　different。　There　was　something　kind　about　Knighton；　kind　and　trustworthy。　As　to　Derek　…　Then　suddenly　Katherine　had　a　very　curious　sensation。　She　felt　that　she　was　no　longer　sitting　alone　on　the　seat　in　the　Casino　gardens；　but　that　someone　was　standing　beside　her；　and　that　that　someone　was　the　dead　woman；　Ruth　Kettering。　She　had　a　further　impression　that　Ruth　wanted　…　badly　…　to　tell　her　something。　The　impression　was　so　curious；　so　vivid；　that　it　could　not　be　driven　away。　She　felt　absolutely　certain　that　the　spirit　of　Ruth　Kettering　was　trying　to　convey　something　of　vital　importance　to　her。　The　impression　faded。　Katherine　got　up；　trembling　a　little。　What　was　it　that　Ruth　Kettering　had　wanted　so　badly　to　say？

Chapter　27

INTERVIEW　WITH　MIRELLE

When　Knighton　left　Katherine　he　went　in　search　of　Hercule　Poirot；　whom　he　found　in　the　Rooms；　jauntily　placing　the　minimum　stake　on　the　even　numbers。　As　Knighton　joined　him；　the　number　thirty…three　turned　up；　and　Poirot's　stake　was　swept　away。

〃Bad　luck！〃　said　Knighton；　〃are　y