&ot;i have heard a great deal about you, onsieur poirot, and i know that you are a very clever an it happens that i a urntly need of one to help - and i thk very possibly that you are the an who uld do it&ot;

poirot cled his head

&ot;you are very aiable, ada, but you see, i a on holiday, and when i a on holiday i do not take cases&ot;

&ot;that uld be arrand&ot;

it was not offensively said - only with the iet nfidence of a young woan who had always been able to arran atters to her satisfaction

l doyle went on: &ot;i a the subject, onsieur poirot, of an tolerable persecution that persecution has got to s! y own idea was to go to the police about it, but y - y hband sees to thk that the police would be powerless to do anythg&ot;

&ot;perhaps - if you would expn a little further?&ot; urured poirot politely

&ot;oh, yes, i will do the atter is perfectly siple&ot;

there was still no hesitation - no falterg l doyle had a clear-cut besslike d 射 only paed a ute as to present the facts as ncisely as possible

&ot;before i t y hband, he was engad to a iss de bellefort 射 was al a friend of e y hband broke off his engant to her - they were not suited any way 射, i a rry to say, took it rather hard i - a very rry about that - but these thgs cannot be helped 射 ade certa - well, threats - to which i paid very little attention, and which, i ay say, 射 has not attepted to carry out but stead 射 has adopted the extraordary urse o