was　that？〃

〃Let　me　see。　Three　years　ago。　And　she　has　been　a　loss　…　let　me　tell　you　that。〃

〃She　was　clever？〃

〃Clever　as　a　cartload　of　monkeys。〃

〃You　don't　know　the　name　of　the　man　she　became　friends　with　in　Paris？〃

〃He　was　a　swell；　I　know　that。　A　Count　…　or　e　to　think　of　it；　I　believe　it　was　a　Marquis。〃

〃And　you　know　nothing　about　her　since？〃

〃Nothing。　Never　even　run　across　her　accidentally　like。　I　bet　she　is　tooling　it　round　some　of　these　foreign　resorts。　Being　a　Marquise　to　the　life。　You　couldn't　put　one　over　on　Kitty。　She　would　give　as　good　as　she　got　any　day。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Poirot　thoughtfully。

〃I　am　sorry　I　can't　tell　you　more；　Monsieur　Poirot；〃　said　the　other。　〃I　would　like　to　be　of　use　to　you　if　I　could。　You　did　me　a　good　turn　once。〃

〃Ah；　but　we　are　quits　on　that；　you；　too；　did　me　a　good　turn。〃

〃One　good　turn　deserves　another。　Ha；　ha！〃　said　Mr　Aarons。

〃Your　profession　must　be　a　very　interesting　one；〃　said　Poirot。

〃So…so；〃　said　Mr　Aarons　nonmittally。　〃Taking　the　rough　with　the　smooth；　it　is　all　right。　I　don't　do　so　badly　at　it；　all　things　considered；　but　you　have　to　keep　your　eyes　skinned。　Never　know　what　the　public　will　jump　for　next。〃

〃Dancing　has　e　very　much　to　the　fore　in　the　last　few　years；〃　murmured　Poirot　reflectively。

〃I　never　saw　anything　in　this　Russian　ballet；　but　people　like　it。　Too　highbrow　for　me。〃

〃I　met　one　dancer　out　on　the　Riviera　…　Mademoiselle　Mirelle。〃

〃Mirelle？　She　is　hot　stuff；　by　all　accounts。　There　is　always　money　going　to　back　her　…　though；　so　far　as　that　goes；　the　girl　can　dance；　I　have　seen　her；　and　I　know　what　I　am　talking　about。　I　never　had　much　to　do　with　her　myself；　but　I　hear　she　is　a　terror　to　deal　with。　Tempers　an