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"I know that. You've only got one idea in your head. What I mean is, what about

the next step? How are you going to keep the game up?"

Oh!" Tuppence laid down her spoon. "You're right, Tommy, it is a bit of a poser."

"After all, you know, you can't bluff him forever. You're sure to slip up sooner or

later. And, anyway, I'm not at all sure that it isn't actionable--blackmail, you

know."

Nonsense. Blackmail is saying you'll tell unless you are given money. Now,

there's nothing I could tell, because I don't really know anything."

"Hm," said Tommy doubtfully. "Well, anyway, what ARE we going to do?

Whittington was in a hurry to get rid of you this morning, but next time he'll want

to know something more before he parts with his money. He'll want to know how

much YOU know, and where you got your information from, and a lot of other

things that you can't cope with. What are you going to do about it?"

Tuppence frowned severely.

We must think. Order some Turkish coffee, Tommy. Stimulating to the brain.

Oh, dear, what a lot I have eaten!"

You have made rather a hog of yourself! So have I for that matter, but I flatter

myself that my choice of dishes was more judicious than yours. Two coffees."

This was to the waiter.) "One Turkish, one French."

(

Tuppence sipped her coffee with a deeply reflective air, and snubbed Tommy

when he spoke to her.

Be quiet. I'm thinking."

Shades of Pelmanism!" said Tommy, and relapsed into silence.

There!" said Tuppence at last. "I've got a plan. Obviously what we've got to do is

to find out more about it all."

Tommy applauded.

"Don't jeer. We can only find out through Whittington. We must discover where

he lives, what he does--sleuth him, in fact! Now I can't do it, because he knows

me, but he only saw you for a minute or two in Lyons'. He's not likely to recognize

The Secret Adversary