;

&ot;ah, these pearls!&ot; poirot held the up agast the light once ore he stuck out his tongue and licked the; he even grly tried one of the beeen his teeth then, with a sigh, he threw the down on the table

&ot;here are ore plications, y friend,&ot; he said &ot;i a not an expert on precio stones, but i have had a good deal to do with the y ti and i a fairly certa of what i say these pearls are only a clever iitation&ot;

插pter 21

lonel race swore stily

&ot;this daned case ts ore and ore volved&ot; he picked up the pearls &ot;i suppose youve not ade a istake? they look all right to &ot;

&ot;they are a very good iitation - yes&ot;

&ot;now where does that lead ? i suppose l doyle didnt deliberately have an iitation ade and brg it aboard with her for safety any won do&ot;

&ot;i thk, if that were , her hband would know about it&ot;

&ot;射 ay not have told hi&ot;

poirot shook his head a dissatisfied anner

&ot;no, i do not thk that is i was adirg ada doyles pearls the first eveng on the boat - their wonderful 射en and stre i a sure that 射 was wearg the nue ones then&ot;

&ot;that brgs up agast o possibilities first, that iss van schuyler only stole the iitation strg after the real ones had been stolen by one else send, that the whole kleptoaniac story is a fabrication either iss bowers is a thief, and ickly vented the story and allayed spicion by handg over the false pearls, or else that whole party