Page:The Big Four (Christie).pdf/286

 She stared at him as though fascinated.

“You do not believe me. I will prove my words. Get my pocket-book which they took from me.”

She went out of the room, and returned with it in her hand. Throughout all she retained her grip on the revolver. I felt that Achille Poirot's chances of bluffing her were very slight. The Countess Vera Rossakoff was no fool.

“Open it, madame. The flap on the left-hand side. That is right. Now take out that photograph and look at it.”

Wonderingly, she took out what seemed to be a small snapshot. No sooner had she looked at it than she uttered a cry and swayed as though about to fall. Then she almost flew at my companion.

“Where? Where? You shall tell me. Where?”

“Remember your bargain, madame.”

“Yes, yes, I will trust you. Quick, before they come back.”

Catching him by the hand, she drew him quickly and silently out of the room. I followed. From the outer room she led us into the tunnel by which we had first entered, but a short way along this forked, and she turned off to the right.