Free Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie Page A

from the tent and was immediately challenged by a determined woman and made to pay sixpence and guess the weight of a cake.
    A hoopla stall presided over by a fat motherly woman urged him to try his luck and, much to his discomfiture, he immediately won a large Kewpie doll. Walking sheepishly along with this he encountered Michael Weyman who was standing gloomily on the outskirts near the top of a path that led down to the quay.
    â€œYou seem to have been enjoying yourself, M. Poirot,” he said, with a sardonic grin.
    Poirot contemplated his prize.
    â€œIt is truly horrible, is it not?” he said sadly.
    A small child near him suddenly burst out crying. Poirot stooped swiftly and tucked the doll into the child’s arm.
    â€œ Voilà, it is for you.”
    The tears ceased abruptly.
    â€œThere—Violet—isn’t the gentleman kind? Say, Ta, ever so—”
    â€œChildren’s Fancy Dress,” called out Captain Warburton through a megaphone. “The first class—three to five. Form up, please.”
    Poirot moved towards the house and was cannoned into by ayoung man who was stepping backwards to take a better aim at a coconut. The young man scowled and Poirot apologized, mechanically, his eye held fascinated by the varied pattern of the young man’s shirt. He recognized it as the “turtle’ shirt of Sir George’s description. Every kind of turtle, tortoise and sea monster appeared to be writhing and crawling over it.
    Poirot blinked and was accosted by the Dutch girl to whom he had given a lift the day before.
    â€œSo you have come to the fête,” he said. “And your friend?”
    â€œOh, yes, she, too, comes here this afternoon. I have not seen her yet, but we shall leave together by the bus that goes from the gates at five-fifteen. We go to Torquay and there I change to another bus for Plymouth. It is convenient.”
    This explained what had puzzled Poirot, the fact that the Dutch girl was perspiring under the weight of a rucksack.
    He said: “I saw your friend this morning.”
    â€œOh, yes, Elsa, a German girl, was with her and she told me they had tried to get through woods to the river and quay. And the gentleman who owns the house was very angry and made them go back.”
    She added, turning her head to where Sir George was urging competitors on at the coconut shy:
    â€œBut now—this afternoon, he is very polite.”
    Poirot considered explaining that there was a difference between young women who were trespassers and the same young women when they had paid two shillings and sixpence entrance fee and were legally entitled to sample the delights of Nasse House and its grounds. But Captain Warburton and his megaphone bore down upon him. The Captain was looking hot and bothered.
    â€œHave you seen Lady Stubbs, Poirot? Anyone seen Lady Stubbs? She’s supposed to be judging this Fancy Dress business and I can’t find her anywhere.”
    â€œI saw her, let me see—oh, about half an hour ago. But then I went to have my fortune told.”
    â€œCurse the woman,” said Warburton angrily. “Where can she have disappeared to? The children are waiting and we’re behind schedule as it is.”
    He looked round.
    â€œWhere’s Amanda Brewis?”
    Miss Brewis, also, was not in evidence.
    â€œIt really is too bad,” said Warburton. “One’s got to have some cooperation if one’s trying to run a show. Where can Hattie be? Perhaps she’s gone into the house.”
    He strode off rapidly.
    Poirot edged his way towards the roped-off space where teas were being served in a large marquee, but there was a long queue waiting and he decided against it.
    He inspected the Fancy Goods stall where a determined old lady very nearly managed to sell him a plastic collar box, and finally made his way round the outskirts to a place where he could contemplate the activity from a safe distance.
    He