The Secret Adversary (Tommy & Tuppence 1)

“We must think. Order some Turkish coffee, Tommy. Stimulating to thebrain. Oh, dear, what a lot I have eaten!”

“You have made rather a hog of yourself! So have I for that matter, butI flatter myself that my choice of dishes was more judicious than yours.Two coffees.” (This was to the waiter.) “One Turkish, one French.”

Tuppence sipped her coffee with a deeply reflective air, and snubbedTommy when he spoke to her.

“Be quiet. I’m thinking.”

“Shades of Pelmanism!” said Tommy, and relapsed into silence.

“There!” said Tuppence at last. “I’ve got a plan. Obviously what we’vegot to do is to find out more about it all.”

Tommy applauded.

“Don’t jeer. We can only find out through Whittington. We must discoverwhere he lives, what he does--sleuth him, in fact! Now I can’t do it,because he knows me, but he only saw you for a minute or two in Lyons’.He’s not likely to recognize you. After all, one young man is much likeanother.”

“I repudiate that remark utterly. I’m sure my pleasing features anddistinguished appearance would single me out from any crowd.”

“My plan is this,” Tuppence went on calmly, “I’ll go alone to-morrow.I’ll put him off again like I did to-day. It doesn’t matter if I don’tget any more money at once. Fifty pounds ought to last us a few days.”

“Or even longer!”

“You’ll hang about outside. When I come out I shan’t speak to you incase he’s watching. But I’ll take up my stand somewhere near, and whenhe comes out of the building I’ll drop a handkerchief or something, andoff you go!”

“Off I go where?”

“Follow him, of course, silly! What do you think of the idea?”

“Sort of thing one reads about in books. I somehow feel that in reallife one will feel a bit of an ass standing in the street for hours withnothing to do. People will wonder what I’m up to.”

“Not in the city. Every one’s in such a hurry. Probably no one will evennotice you at all.”

“That’s the second time you’ve made that sort of remark. Never mind, Iforgive you. Anyway, it will be rather a lark. What are y

ou doing thisafternoon?”

“Well,” said Tuppence meditatively. “I _had_ thought of hats! Or perhapssilk stockings! Or perhaps----”

“Hold hard,” admonished Tommy. “There’s a limit to fifty pounds! Butlet’s do dinner and a show to-night at all events.”

“Rather.”

The day passed pleasantly. The evening even more so. Two of thefive-pound notes were now irretrievably dead.

They met by arrangement the following morning and proceeded citywards.Tommy remained on the opposite side of the road while Tuppence plungedinto the building.

Tommy strolled slowly down to the end of the street, then back again.Just as he came abreast of the building, Tuppence darted across theroad.

“Tommy!”

“Yes. What’s up?”

“The place is shut. I can’t make anyone hear.”

“That’s odd.”

“Isn’t it? Come up with me, and let’s try again.”

Tommy followed her. As they passed the third floor landing a young clerkcame out of an office. He hesitated a moment, then addressed himself toTuppence.

“Were you wanting the Esthonia Glassware?”

“Yes, please.”

“It’s closed down. Since yesterday afternoon. Company being wound up,they say. Not that I’ve ever heard of it myself. But anyway the officeis to let.”

“Th--thank you,” faltered Tuppence. “I suppose you don’t know Mr.Whittington’s address?”

“Afraid I don’t. They left rather suddenly.”

“Thank you very much,” said Tommy. “Come on, Tuppence.”

They descended to the street again where they gazed at one anotherblankly.

“That’s torn it,” said Tommy at length.

“And I never suspected it,” wailed Tuppence.

“Cheer up, old thing, it can’t be helped.”

“Can’t it, though!” Tuppence’s little chin shot out defiantly. “Do youthink this is the end? If so, you’re wrong. It’s just the beginning!”

“The beginning of what?”

“Of our adventure! Tommy, don’t you see, if they are scared enough torun away like this, it shows that there must be a lot in this Jane Finnbusiness! Well, we’ll get to the bottom of it. We’ll run them down!We’ll be sleuths in earnest!”

“Yes, but there’s no one left to sleuth.”

“No, that’s why we’ll have to start all over again. Lend me that bit ofpencil. Thanks. Wait a minute--don’t interrupt. There!” Tuppence handedback the pencil, and surveyed the piece of paper on which she hadwritten with a satisfied eye:

“What’s that?”

“Advertisement.”

“You’re not going to put that thing in after all?”

“No, it’s a different one.” She handed him the slip of paper.

Tommy read the words on it aloud:

“WANTED, any information respecting Jane Finn. Apply Y. A.”