Free The Complete Tommy & Tuppence Collection by Agatha Christie Page A

doing. I guess if I go to and fro hustling them, they ought to get busy!”
    The energy of Mr. Hersheimmer was tremendous. They bowed before it.
    â€œBut say now,” he ended, “you’re not after her for anything? Contempt of court, or something British? A proud-spirited young American girl might find your rules and regulations in wartime rather irksome, and get up against it. If that’s the case, and there’s such a thing as graft in this country, I’ll buy her off.”
    Tuppence reassured him.
    â€œThat’s good. Then we can work together. What about some lunch? Shall we have it up here, or go down to the restaurant?”
    Tuppence expressed a preference for the latter, and Julius bowed to her decision.
    Oysters had just given place to Sole Colbert when a card was brought to Hersheimmer.
    â€œInspector Japp, C.I.D. Scotland Yard again. Another man this time. What does he expect I can tell him that I didn’t tell the first chap? I hope they haven’t lost that photograph. That Western photographer’s place was burned down and all his negatives destroyed—this is the only copy in existence. I got it from the principal of the college there.”
    An unformulated dread swept over Tuppence.
    â€œYou—you don’t know the name of the man who came this morning?”
    â€œYes, I do. No, I don’t. Half a second. It was on his card. Oh, I know! Inspector Brown. Quiet unassuming sort of chap.”

Six
    A P LAN OF C AMPAIGN
    A veil might with profit be drawn over the events of the next half hour. Suffice it to say that no such person as “Inspector Brown” was known to Scotland Yard. The photograph of Jane Finn, which would have been of the utmost value to the police in tracing her, was lost beyond recovery. Once again “Mr. Brown” had triumphed.
    The immediate result of this setback was to effect a rapprochement between Julius Hersheimmer and the Young Adventurers. All barriers went down with a crash, and Tommy and Tuppence felt they had known the young American all their lives. They abandoned the discreet reticence of “private inquiry agents,” and revealed to him the whole history of the joint venture, whereat the young man declared himself “tickled to death.”
    He turned to Tuppence at the close of the narration.
    â€œI’ve always had a kind of idea that English girls were just a mite moss-grown. Old-fashioned and sweet, you know, but scared to move round without a footman or a maiden aunt. I guess I’m a bit behind the times!”
    The upshot of these confidential relations was that Tommy and Tuppence took up their abode forthwith at the Ritz, in order, as Tuppence put it, to keep in touch with Jane Finn’s only living relation. “And put like that,” she added confidentially to Tommy, “nobody could boggle at the expense!”
    Nobody did, which was the great thing.
    â€œAnd now,” said the young lady on the morning after their installation, “to work!”
    Mr. Beresford put down the Daily Mail, which he was reading, and applauded with somewhat unnecessary vigour. He was politely requested by his colleague not to be an ass.
    â€œDash it all, Tommy, we’ve got to do something for our money.”
    Tommy sighed.
    â€œYes, I fear even the dear old Government will not support us at the Ritz in idleness forever.”
    â€œTherefore, as I said before, we must do something.”
    â€œWell,” said Tommy, picking up the Daily Mail again, “ do it. I shan’t stop you.”
    â€œYou see,” continued Tuppence. “I’ve been thinking—”
    She was interrupted by a fresh bout of applause.
    â€œIt’s all very well for you to sit there being funny, Tommy. It would do you no harm to do a little brain work too.”
    â€œMy union, Tuppence, my union! It does not permit me to work before 11 a.m.”
    â€œTommy, do you want something thrown at