I waved Mrs. Pearson out of the room, and sat as though stunned,
reading the words over and over again. Cinderella--kidnapped! In the
hands of the infamous Big Four! God, what could I do?
Poirot! I must have Poirot. He would advise me. He would checkmate them
somehow. In a few minutes now, he would be back. I must wait patiently
until then. But Cinderella--in the hands of the Big Four!
Another knock. Mrs. Pearson put her head in once more.
"A note for you, captain--brought by a heathen Chinaman. He's a-waiting
downstairs."