THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD
that in the Shanghai Club brisk play was the invariable rule.
We had a round of brisk play.
"That Miss Russell," said Caroline. "She came here pretending to consult James on Friday morning. It's my opinion she wanted to see where the poisons were kept. Five Characters."
"Chow," said Miss Ganett. "What an extraordinary idea? I wonder if you can be right."
"Talking of poisons," said the colonel. "Eh—what? Haven't I discarded? Oh! Eight Bamboos."
"Mah Jong!" said Miss Ganett.
Caroline was very much annoyed.
"One Red Dragon," she said regretfully, "and I should have had a hand of three doubles."
"I've had two Red Dragons all the time," I mentioned.
"So exactly like you, James," said Caroline reproachfully. "You've no conception of the spirit of the game."
I myself thought I had played rather cleverly. I should have had to pay Caroline an enormous amount if she had gone Mah Jong. Miss Ganett's Mah Jong was of the poorest variety possible, as Caroline did not fail to point out to her.
East Wind passed, and we started a new hand in silence.
"What I was going to tell you just now was this," said Caroline.
"Yes?"' said Miss Ganett encouragingly.
"My idea about Ralph Paton, I mean."
[196]
