he wardrobe trunk and the o stly suitcases he looked through the expensive gold-fitted dressg-case fally he turned his attention to the washstand there were vario creas, powders, face lotions but the only thg that seed to terest poirot were o little bottles labelled nailex he picked the up at last and brought the to the dressg-table one, which bore the scription nailex rose, was epty but for a drop or o of dark red fid at the botto the other, the sa size, but labelled nailex cardal, was nearly full poirot unrked first the epty, then the full one, and sniffed the both delicately

an odour of pear drops billowed to the roo with a slight griace he rerked the

&ot;t anythg?&ot; asked race

poirot replied by a french proverb, &ot;on ne prend pas les ouches avec le vaigre&ot; then he said with a sigh: &ot;y friend, we have not been fortunate the urderer has not been obligg he has not dropped for the cuff lk, the cigarette end, the cigar ash - or, the case of a woan, the handkerchief, the lipstick or the hair slide&ot;

&ot;only the bottle of nail polish?&ot;

poirot shrugd his shoulders

&ot;i t ask the aid there is thg - yes - a little curio there&ot;

&ot;i wonder where the devil the girls got to?&ot; said race

they left the cab, lockg the door behd the, and passed on to that of iss van schuyler

here aga were all the appurtenances of wealth, expensive toilet fittgs, good gga, a certa nuber of private letters and papers all