N or M Read Online Free PDF Page A

were poignant with suppressed feeling. Then, suddenly, he too smiled. He said:
    “They said of Red Indians, did they not, that a good Indian was a dead Indian?” He laughed. “To be a good German I must be on time at my work. Please. Good morning.”
    Again that stiff bow. Tuppence stared after his retreating figure. She said to herself:
    “Mrs Blenkensop, you had a lapse there. Strict attention to business in future. Now for breakfast at Sans Souci.”
    The hall door of Sans Souci was open. Inside, Mrs Perenna was conducting a vigorous conversation with someone.
    “And you'll tell him what I think of that last lot of margarine. Get the cooked ham at Quiller's - it was twopence cheaper last time there, and be careful about the cabbages -” She broke off as Tuppence entered.
    “Oh, good morning, Mrs Blenkensop, you are an early bird. You haven't had breakfast yet. It's all ready in the dining room.” She added, indicating her companion: “My daughter Sheila. You haven't met her. She's been away and only came home last night.”
    Tuppence looked with interest at the vivid, handsome face. No longer full of tragic energy, bored now and resentful. “My daughter Sheila.” Sheila Perenna.
    Tuppence murmured a few pleasant words and went into the dining room. There were three people breakfasting - Mrs Sprot and her baby girl, and big Mrs O'Rourke. Tuppence said, “Good morning” and Mrs O'Rourke replied with a hearty, “The top of the morning to you” that quite drowned Mrs Sprot's more anaemic salutation.
    The old woman stared at Tuppence with a kind of devouring interest.
    “'Tis a fine thing to be out walking before breakfast,” she observed. “A grand appetite it gives you.”
    Mrs Sprot said to her offspring:
    “Nice bread and milk, darling,” and endeavoured to insinuate a spoonful into Miss Betty Sprot's mouth.
    The latter cleverly circumvented this endeavour by an adroit movement of her head, and continued to stare at Tuppence with large round eyes.
    She pointed a milky finger at the newcomer, gave her a dazzling smile and observed in gurgling tones: “Ga - Ga Bouch.”
    “She likes you,” cried Mrs Sprot, beaming on Tuppence as on one marked out for favour. “Sometimes she's so shy with strangers.”
    “Bouch,” said Betty Sprot. “Ah pooth ah bag,” she added with emphasis.
    “And what would she be meaning by that?” demanded Mrs O'Rourke, with interest.
    “She doesn't speak awfully clearly yet,” confessed Mrs Sprot. “She's only just over two, you know. I'm afraid most of what she says is just bosh. She can say Mama, though, can't you, darling?”
    Betty looked thoughtfully at her mother and remarked with an air of finality:
    “Cuggle bick.”
    “'Tis a language of their own they have, the little angels,” boomed out Mrs O'Rourke. “Betty darling, say Mama now.”
    Betty looked hard at Mrs O'Rourke, frowned and observed with terrific emphasis: “Nazer -”
    “There now, if she isn't doing her best! And a lovely sweet girl she is.”
    Mrs O'Rourke rose, beamed in a ferocious manner at Betty, and waddled heavily out of the room.
    “Ga, ga ga,” said Betty with enormous satisfaction, and beat with a spoon on the table.
    Tuppence said with a twinkle:
    “What does Na-zer really mean?”
    Mrs Sprot said with a flush: “I'm afraid, you know, it's what Betty says when she doesn't like anyone or anything.”
    “I rather thought so,” said Tuppence.
    Both women laughed.
    “After all,” said Mrs Sprot, “Mrs O'Rourke means to be kind but she is rather alarming - with that deep voice and the beard and - and everything.”
    With her head on one side Betty made a cooing noise at Tuppence.
    “She has taken to you, Mrs Blenkensop,” said Mrs Sprot.
    There was a slight jealous chill, Tuppence fancied, in her voice. Tuppence hastened to adjust matters.
    “They always like a new face, don't they?” she said easily.
    The door opened and Major Bletchley and Tommy appeared. Tuppence became