latter she had seen before, she remembered.
'Miss Meredith at home?' asked the big man.
Mrs. Astwell shook her head.
'Just gone out.'
'Really? Which way? We didn't meet her.'
Mrs. Astwell, secretly studying the amazing mustache of the other gentleman and deciding that they looked an unlikely pair to be friends, volunteered further information.
'Gone out on the river,' she explained.
The other gentleman broke in.
'And the other lady? Miss Dawes?'
'They've both gone.'
'Ah, thank you,' said Battle. 'Let me see, which way does one get to the river?'
'First turning to the left, down the lane,' Mrs. Astwell replied promptly. 'When you get to the towpath, go right. I heard them say that's the way they were going,' she added helpfully. 'Not above a quarter of an hour ago. You'll soon catch 'em up.'
'And I wonder,' she added to herself as she unwillingly closed the front door, having stared inquisitively at their retreating backs, 'who you two may be. Can't place you, somehow.' Mrs. Astwell returned to the kitchen sink and Battle and Poirot duly took the first turning to the left – a straggling lane which soon ended abruptly at the towpath.
Poirot was hurrying along and Battle eyed him curiously. 'Anything the matter, Monsieur Poirot? You seem in a mighty hurry.'
'It is true. I am uneasy, my friend.'
'Anything particular?'
Poirot shook his head.
'No. But there are possibilities. You never know.'
'You've something in your head,' said Battle. 'You were urgent that we should come down here this morning without losing a moment – and, my word, you made Constable Turner step on the gas! What are you afraid of? The girl's shot her bolt.'
Poirot was silent.
'What are you afraid of?' Battle repeated.
'What is one always afraid of in these cases?'
Battle nodded. 'You're quite right. I wonder -'
'You wonder what, my friend?'
Battle said slowly, 'I'm wondering if Miss Meredith knows that her friend told Mrs. Oliver a certain fact.'
Poirot nodded his head in vigorous appreciation.
'Hurry, my friend,' he said.
They hastened along the riverbank. There was no craft visible on the water's surface but presently they rounded a bend and Poirot suddenly stopped dead. Battle 's quick eyes saw also. 'Major Despard,' he said.
Despard was about two hundred yards ahead of them, striding along the riverbank. A little further on the two girls were in view in a punt on the water, Rhoda punting, Anne lying and laughing up at her. Neither of them was looking toward the bank.
And then – it happened! Anne's hand outstretched, Rhoda's stagger, her plunge overboard – her desperate grasp at Anne's sleeve – the rocking boat – then an overturned punt and two girls struggling in the water.
'See it?' cried Battle as he started to run. 'Little Meredith caught her round the ankle and tipped her in. My God, that's her fourth murder!'
They were both running hard, but someone was ahead of them. It was clear that neither girl could swim, but Despard had run quickly along the path to the nearest point and now he plunged in and swam toward them.
'Mon Dieu, this is interesting,' cried Poirot. He caught at Battle 's arm. 'Which of them will he go for first?'
The two girls were not together. About twelve yards separated them.
Despard swam powerfully toward them; there was no check in his stroke. He was making straight for Rhoda.
Battle in his turn reached the nearest bank and went in. Despard had just brought Rhoda successfully to shore. He hauled her up. Hung her down, and plunged in again, swimming toward the spot where Anne had just gone under.
'Be careful,' called Battle. 'Weeds.'
He and Battle got to the spot at the same time, but Anne had gone under before they reached her. They got her at last and between them towed her to shore.
Rhoda was being ministered to by Poirot. She was sitting up now, her breath coming unevenly.
Despard and Battle laid Anne Meredith down.
'Artificial respiration,' said Battle. 'Only thing to do. But I'm afraid she's gone.'
He set to work methodically. Poirot stood by ready to relieve him. Despard dropped down by Rhoda.
'Are you all right?' he asked hoarsely.
She said slowly, 'You saved me. You saved me -' She held out her hands to him and as he took them she burst suddenly into tears.
He said, 'Rhoda -' Their hands clung together.
He had a sudden vision – of African scrub, and Rhoda, laughing and adventurous by his side.
Chapter 30
MURDER
'Do you mean to say,' said Rhoda, incredulously, 'that Anne meant to push me in? I know it felt like it. And she knew I can't swim. But – but was it deliberate?'
'It was quite deliberate,' said Poirot.
They were driving through the outskirts of London.
'But – but – why?'
Poirot did not reply for a minute or two. He thought he knew one of the motives that had led Anne to act as she had done and that motive was sitting next to Rhoda at the minute.
Superintendent Battle coughed.
'You'll have to prepare yourself, Miss Dawes, for a bit of a shock. This Mrs. Benson your friend lived with, her death wasn't quite the accident that it appeared – at least so we've reason to suppose.'
'What do you mean?'
'We believe,' said Poirot, 'that Anne Meredith changed two bottles.'
'Oh, no – no, how horrible! It's impossible. Anne? Why should she?'
'She had her reasons,' said Superintendent Battle. 'But the point is, Miss Dawes, that, as far as Miss Meredith knew, you were the only person who could give us a clue to that incident. You didn't tell her, I suppose, that you'd mentioned it to Mrs. Oliver?'
Rhoda said slowly, 'No. I thought she'd be annoyed with me.'
'She would. Very annoyed,' said Battle grimly. 'But she thought that the only danger could come from you, and that's why she decided to – er – eliminate you.'
'Eliminate? Me? Oh, how beastly! It can't be all true.'
'Well, she's dead now,' said Superintendent Battle. 'so we might as well leave it at that, but she wasn't a nice friend for you to have, Miss Dawes, and that's a fact.'
The car drew up in front of a door.
'We'll go in to Monsieur Poirot's,' said Superintendent Battle, 'and have a bit of a talk about it all.'
In Poirot's sitting-room they were welcomed by Mrs. Oliver who was entertaining Doctor Roberts. They were
