Agatha Christie - Parker Pyne Investigates

With a bound Elsie and Mr Parker Pyne were in the corridor. An agitated woman with a Slav countenance was pointing a dramatic finger. Out of one of the front compartments smoke was pouring in a cloud. Mr Parker Pyne and Elsie ran along the corridor. Others joined them. The compartment in question was full of smoke. The first-comers drew back, coughing. The conductor appeared.

"The compartment is empty!" he cried. "Do not alarm yourselves, messieurs et dames. Le feu, it will controlled."

A dozen excited questions and answers broke out. The train was running over the bridge that joins Venice to the mainland.

Suddenly Mr Parker Pyne turned, forced his way through the little pack of people behind him and hurried down the corridor to Elsie's compartment. The lady with the Slav face was seated in it, drawing deep breaths from the open window.

"Excuse me, Madame," said Parker Pyne. "But this is not your compartment."

"I know. I know," said the Slav lady. "Pardon. It is the shock, the emotion - my heart.' She sank back on the seat and indicated the open window. She drew her breath in great gasps.

Mr Parker Pyne stood in the doorway. His voice was fatherly and reassuring. "You must not be afraid," he said. "I do not think for a moment that the fire is serious."

"Not? Ah, what a mercy! I feel restored." She half rose. "I will return to my own compartment."

"Not just yet." Mr Parker Pyne's hand pressed her gently back. "I will ask of you to wait a moment, Madame."

"Monsieur, this is an outrage!"

"Madame, you will remain."

His voice rang out coldly. The woman sat still looking at him. Elsie joined them.

"It seems it was a smoke bomb," she said breathlessly. "Some ridiculous practical joke. The conductor is furious. He is asking everybody -" She broke off, staring at the second occupant of the carriage.

"Mrs Jeffries," said Mr Parker Pyne, "what do you carry in your little scarlet case?"

"My jewelry."

"Perhaps you would be so kind as to look and see that everything is there."

There was immediately a torrent of words from the Slav lady. She broke into French, the better to do justice to her feelings.

In the meantime Elsie had picked up the jewel case.

"Oh!" she cried. "It's unlocked."

"... et je porterai plainte а la Compagnie des Wagons-Lits," finished the Slav lady.

"They're gone!" cried Elsie. "Everything! My diamond bracelet. And the necklace Pop gave me. And the emerald and ruby rings. And some lovely diamond brooches. Thank goodness I was wearing my pearls. Oh, Mr Pyne, what shall we do?"

"If you will fetch the conductor," said Mr Parker Pyne, "I will see that this woman does not leave this compartment till he comes."

"Scйlйrat! Monstre!" shrieked the Slav lady. She went on to further insults. The train drew in to Venice.

The events of the next half hour may be briefly summarized. Mr Parker Pyne dealt with several different officials in several different languages - and suffered defeat. The suspected lady consented to be searched - and emerged without a stain on her character. The jewels were not on her.

Between Venice and Trieste Mr Parker Pyne and Elsie discussed the case.

"When was the last time you actually saw your jewels?"

"This morning. I put away some sapphire earrings I was wearing yesterday and took out a pair of plain pearl ones."

"And all the jewelry was there intact?"

"Well, I didn't go through it all, naturally. But it looked the same as usual. A ring or something like that might have been missing, but not more."

Mr Parker Pyne nodded. "Now, when the conductor made up the compartment this morning?"

"I had the case with me - in the restaurant car. I always take it with me. I've never left it except when I ran out just now."

"Therefore," said Mr Parker Pyne, "that injured innocent, Madame Subayska, or whatever she calls herself, must have been the thief. But what the devil did she do with the things? She was only in here a minute and a half - just time to open the case with a duplicate key and take out the stuff - yes, but what next?"

"Could she have handed them to anyone else?"

"Hardly. I had turned back and was forcing my way along the corridor. If anyone had come out of this compartment I should have seen them."

"Perhaps she threw them out of the window to someone."

"An excellent suggestion; only, as it happens, we were passing over the sea at that moment. We were on the bridge."

"Then she must have hidden them actually in the carriage."

"Let's hunt for them."

With true transatlantic energy Elsie began to look about. Mr Parker Pyne participated in the search in a somewhat absent fashion. Reproached for not trying, he excused himself.

"I'm thinking that I must send a rather important telegram at Trieste," he explained.

Elsie received the explanation coldly. Mr Parker Pyne had fallen heavily in her estimation.

"I'm afraid you're annoyed with me, Mrs Jeffries," he said meekly.

"Well, you've not been very successful," she retorted.

"But my dear lady, you must remember I am not a detective. Theft and Crime are not in my line at all. The human heart is my province."

"Well, I was a bit unhappy when I got on this train," said Elsie, "but nothing to what I am now! I could just cry buckets. My lovely, lovely bracelet - and the emerald ring Edward gave me when we were engaged."

"But surely you are insured against theft?" Mr Parker Pyne interpolated.

"Am I? I don't know. Yes, I suppose I am. But it's the sentiment of the thing, Mr Pyne."

The train slackened speed. Mr Parker Pyne peered out of the window. "Trieste," he said. "I must send my telegram."

"Edward!" Elsie's face lighted up as she saw her husband hurrying to meet her on the platform at Stamboul.

For the moment even the loss of her jewelry faded from her mind. She forgot the curious words she had found on the blotter. She forgot everything except that it was a fortnight since she had seen her husband last, and that in spite of being sober and strait-laced he was really a most attractive person.

They were just leaving the station when Elsie got a friendly tap on the shoulder and turned to find Mr Parker Pyne. His bland face was beaming good-naturedly.

"Mrs Jeffries," he said, "will you come to see me at the Hotel Tokatlian in half an hour? I think I may have good news for you."

Elsie looked uncertainly at Edward. Then she made the introduction. "This - er - is my husband - Mr Parker Pyne."

"As I believe your wife wired you, her jewels have been stolen," said Mr Parker Pyne. "I have been doing what I can to help her recover them. I think I may have news for her in about half an hour."

Elsie looked inquiringly at Edward. He replied promptly:

"You'd better go, dear. The Tokatlian, you said, Mr Pyne? Right; I'll see she makes it."

It was just half an hour later that Elsie was shown into Mr Parker Pyne's private sitting room. He rose to receive her.

"You've been disappointed in me, Mrs Jeffries," he said. "Now, don't deny it. Well, I don't pretend to be a magician, but I do what I can. Take a look inside here."

He passed along the table a small stout cardboard box. Elsie opened it. Rings, brooches, bracelet, necklace - they were all there.

"Mr Pyne, how marvelous! How - how too wonderful!"

Mr Parker Pyne smiled modestly. "I am glad not to have failed you, my dear young lady."

"Oh, Mr Pyne, you make me feel just mean! Ever since Trieste I've been horrid to you. And now - this. But how did you get hold of them? When? Where?"

Mr Parker Pyne shook his head thoughtfully. "It's a long story," he said. "You may hear it one day. In fact, you may hear it quite soon."

"Why can't I hear it now?"

"There are reasons," said Mr Parker Pyne.