exclaimed at its beauty and passed it to Mr. Leatl
ern who said, "Pretty good--yes, pretty good," i
a somewhat artificial manner and in his tur,
passed it to Llewellyn.
The waiters coming in at that moment there wa
a slight hitch in the proceedings. When they hat
gone again, Evan said, "Very fine stone" ant
passed it to Leo Stein who did not trouble to mak,
any comment but handed it quickly on to Eve.
12
Agatha Christie
"How perfectly lovely," cried Eve in a high affected
voice.
"Oh!" She gave a cry of consternation as it
slipped from her hand. "I've dropped it."
She pushed back her chair and got down to
grope under the table. Sir George at her right, bent
also. A glass got swept off the table in the confusion.
Stein, Llewellyn and Mrs. Rustington all
helped in the search. Finally Lady Marroway
joined in.
Only Mr. Pointz took no part in the proceedings.
He remained in his seat sipping his wine and
smiling sardonically.
"Oh, dear," said Eve, still in her artificial
manner. "How dreadful! Where can it have rolled
to? I can't find it anywhere."
One by one the assistant searchers rose to their
feet.
"It's disappeared all right, Pointz," said Sir