"Of course one gets rather tired of piquet. As a
matter of fact I've got some friends here-- fright
86
Agatha Christie
fully cheery crowd. I don't really think my mother
approves of them--" He laughed as though he felt
this ought to be amusing. "The mater's very old-fashioned
.... Even girls in trousers shock her!"
" '
" '
r P n
Qmteso, sadMr. Parke y e.
"What I tell her s--one s got to move with the
times The
girls at home round us are frightfully
dull "
"I see," said Mr. Parker Pyne.
All
this interested him well enough· He was a
spectator of a miniature drama, but he was not
called upon to take part in it.
And then the worst--from Mr. Parker Pyne's
point of view--happened. A gushing lady of his
acquaintance came to stay at the Mariposa. They met in the tea shop in the presence of Mrs.
Chester.
The newcomer screamed:
"Why--if it isn't Mr. Parker Pyne--the one
and only Mr. Parker Pyne! And Adela Chester!
Do you know each other? Oh, you do? You're
staying at the same hotel? He's the one and only
