THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN By AGATHA CHRISTIE Copyright, 1928, by Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. _Dedicated to_ TWO DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE O. F. D. CARLOTTA _and_ PETER Contents 1. The Man with the White Hair 2. M. le Marquis 3. Heart of Fire 4. In Curzon Street 5. A Useful Gentleman 6. Mirelle 7. Letters 8. Lady Tamplin Writes a Letter 9. An Offer Refused 10. On the Blue Train 11. Murder 12. At the Villa Marguerite 13. Van Aldin Gets a Telegram 14. Ada Mason's Story 15. The Comte de la Roche 16. Poirot Discusses the Case 17. An Aristocratic Gentleman 18. Derek Lunches 19. An Unexpected Visitor 20. Katherine Makes a Friend 21. At the Tennis 22. M. Papopolous Breakfasts 23. A New Theory 24. Poirot Gives Advice 25. Defiance 26. A Warning 27. Interview with Mirelle 28. Poirot Plays the Squirrel 29. A Letter From Home 30. Miss Viner Gives Judgment 31. Mr. Aarons Lunches 32. Katherine and Poirot Compare Notes 33. A New Theory 34. The Blue Train Again 35. Explanations 36. By the Sea Cast of Characters MONSIEUR LE MARQUIS, an elegant gentleman who merits his mask but not his white hairs DEMETRIUS PAPOPOLOUS, a venerable dealer in unique antiques ZIA PAPOPOLOUS, whose resemblance to her father, Demetrius, is more than physical RUFUS VAN ALDIN, a hard man, with plenty of hard cash MAJOR RICHARD KNIGHTON, Van Aldin's secretary--quick, intelligent, and resourceful RUTH KETTERING, another daughter who resembles her father, Rufus Van Aldin DEREK KETTERING, Ruth's husband, the future Lord Leconbury MIRELLE, an exotic dancer who was not made to be poor KATHERINE GREY, a grey-eyed saint with a sense of humor--and a brand-new fortune VISCOUNTESS ROSALIE TAMPLIN, who has an eye (blue and charming) for a quick penny THE HONORABLE LENOX TAMPLIN, who does _not_ resemble her mother M. HERCULE POIROT, the semiretired Belgian detective who is semimodest about admitting that he is always right ADA MASON, lady's maid to Ruth Kettering, and English to the tip of her red nose