36- MISS MARPLE - Agatha Christie - short stories

else was lost. It is not generally known, but the Otranto was carrying bullion.' "'Yes?' I said, much interested. "'Naturally we have had divers at work on salvage operations, but the gold has gone, Mr. West.' "'Gone!' I said, staring at him. 'How can it have gone?' "'That is the question,' said the inspector. 'The rocks tore a gaping hole in her strong-room. It was easy enough for the divers to get in that way, but they found thc strong-room empty. The question is, was the gold stolen before the wreck or afterwards? Was it ever in the strong-room at all?' "'It seems a curious case,' I said. "'It is a very curious case, when you consider what bullion is. Not a diamond necklace that you could put into your pocket. When you think how cumbersome it is and how bulky--well, the whole thing seems abolutely impossible. There may have been some hocus-pocus before the ship sailed; but if not, it must have been removed within the last six monthsand I am going down to look into the matter.' "I found Newman waiting to meet me at the station. He apologized for the absence of his car, which had gone to Truro for some necessary repairs. Instead, he met me with a farm lorry belonging to the property. "I swung myself up beside him, and we wound carefully in and out of the narrow streets of the fishing village. We went up a steep ascent, with a gradient, I should say of one in five, ran a little distance along a winding lane, and turned in at the granite-pillared gates of Pol House. "The place was a charming one; it was situated high up the cliffs, with a good view out to sea. Part of it was some three or four hundred years old, and a modern wing had been added. Behind it farming land of about seven or eight acres ran inland. "'Welcome to Pol House,' said Newman. 'And to the to down load complete story http://www.4shared.com/get/ouTsKRL4/Agatha_Christie-uk-Complete_sh.html