then some woman comes forward and says you attempted to—’
‘Carolyn, do be quiet,’ begged Hambledon, smiling at her. ‘What do you think, Alleyn?’
‘You are quite sure that you were deliberately kicked?’ asked Alleyn. ‘It wasn’t someone staggering along the train who lost his balance and then his head, when he thought he’d sent you overboard?’
‘I tell you I was kicked. I bet you anything you like I’ve got a black and blue behind.’
‘Darling! We must put you in a cage and take you on tour.’
‘What ought I to do, Alleyn?’
‘My dear Mr Meyer, I – really I don’t quite know. I suppose I ought to tell you to inform the guard, and telegraph the police from the next station. There are some very tight footballers farther along the train. I wonder—’
‘Of course,’ said Carolyn with enthusiasm. ‘How brilliant of you, Mr Alleyn. It was a drunken footballer. I mean, it all fits in so splendidly, doesn’t it? He would know how to kick. Think of the All Blacks.’
Mr Meyer listened solemnly to this. Hambledon suddenly began to laugh. Alleyn hurriedly lit a cigarette.
‘It’s all very well for you to laugh,’ said Mr Meyer. He felt his stern carefully, staring at Alleyn. ‘I don’t know about the police,’ he said. ‘That’d mean the Press, and we’ve never gone in for that sort of publicity. What do you think, Hailey? “Attempted Murder of Well-known Theatrical Manager.” It’s not too good. It isn’t as if it had been Carolyn.’
‘I should think not indeed,’ agreed Hambledon with difficulty.
‘So should I think not indeed,’ said Carolyn.
‘Mr Meyer,’ said Alleyn, ‘have you any enemies in your company?’
‘Good God, no. We’re a happy little family. I treat my people well and they respect me. There’s never been a word.’
‘You say that several people went past you while you were on the platform,’ said Alleyn. ‘Did you notice any of them in particular?’
‘No. I stood with my back to the gangway.’
‘Do you remember,’ asked Alleyn after a pause, ‘if there was anyone standing on the opposite platform, the one at this end of our carriage that was linked to yours by the iron bridge?’
‘I don’t think so. Not when I went out. Someone might have come out later. You know how it is – all dark and noisy and windy. I had my hat pulled down and my scarf up to my eyes. I simply stood with my back half turned to that platform looking out at the side.’
‘How long was it before we got to the last station – Okahune?’
‘I should think about half an hour.’
‘What time was it,’ Alleyn asked Hambledon, ‘when I woke up and we began to talk? I looked at my watch, do you remember?’
‘It was ten past two. Why?’
‘Oh, nothing. We got to Okahune at two-forty-five.’
Hambledon glanced sharply at Alleyn. Carolyn yawned extensively and began to look pathetic.
‘I’m sure you are longing for your beds,’ said Alleyn. ‘Come on, Hambledon.’
He got up and was about to say good night when there was a bang at the door.
‘Mercy!’ said Carolyn. ‘What now? Surely they can’t want to punch more holes in our tickets. Come in!’ Valerie Gaynes burst into the little sleeper. She was dressed in a shiny trousered garment, covered with a brilliant robe, and looked like an advertisement for negligées in an expensive magazine. She made a little rush at Carolyn, waving her hands.
‘I heard you talking and I simply had to come in. Please forgive me, darling Miss Dacres, but something rather awful has happened.’
‘I know,’ said Carolyn promptly, ‘you have been kicked by a drunken footballer.’
Miss Gaynes stared at her.
‘But why—? No. It’s something rather awkward. I’ve – I’ve been robbed.’
‘Robbed? Pooh darling, this is a most extraordinary train. Do you hear what she says?’
‘Isn’t it too frightful? You see, after I had gone to bed—’
‘Valerie,’ interrupted Carolyn. ‘You do know Mr Alleyn, don’t you? It appears he is a famous detective, so he will be able to recover your jewels when he has caught Pooh’s murderer. Really, it is very lucky you decided to come to New Zealand, Mr Alleyn.’
‘I am glad you think so,’ said Alleyn tonelessly. ‘I’d be extremely grateful,’ he added, ‘if you kept my occupation a secret. Life’s not worth living if one’s travelling companions know one is a CID man.’
‘Of course we will. It will be so much easier for you to discover Valerie’s jewels if you’re incog., won’t it?’
‘It’s not jewels, it’s money,’ began Miss Gaynes. ‘It’s quite a lot of money. You see, Daddy gave me some English notes to change when I got to New Zealand because of the exchange, and I kept some of them out for the ship, and gave some of them to the purser, and the night before we landed I got them from the purser and – and – they were all right, and I – I –’
‘Have some brandy?’ invited Carolyn suddenly.
‘Thank you. Daddy will be simply livid about it. You see, I can’t remember when I last noticed I still had them. It’s all terribly confusing. I put them in a leather folder thing in my suitcase when I got them from the purser.’
‘That was a damn’ silly thing to do,’ said Mr Meyer gloomily.
‘I suppose it was, but I’m awful about money. Such a fool. And, you see, this morning, before I shut the suitcase, I felt the folder and it rustled, so I thought, well, that’s all right. And then, just now, I couldn’t sleep in this frightful train, so I thought I’d write a letter, and I got out the folder and it was full of paper.’
‘What sort of paper?’ asked Carolyn, sleepily.
‘Well, that’s what makes me wonder if it’s just a low joke someone’s played on me.’
‘Why?’ asked Alleyn.
‘Oh!’ said Miss Gaynes impatiently, ‘you must be too pure and clean-minded at Scotland Yard.’
Hambledon murmured something to Alleyn who said: ‘Oh, I see.’
‘It was the brand they had in the ship. I noticed that. I call that pretty good, don’t you? I mean, to notice that. Do you think I’d make a sleuthess, Mr Alleyn? No, but really, isn’t it a bore? What ought I to do? Of course I’ve got a letter of credit for Middleton, but after all one doesn’t like being burgled.’
‘Did
