commit himself until he knew what he was wanted to say。
As they went across the lawn； Antony dropped the bowls and took out
his pipe。
〃Got a match？〃 he said loudly。
As he bent his head over the match； he whispered； 〃There'll be
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somebody listening to us。 You take the Cayley view；〃 and then went on
in his ordinary voice； 〃I don't think much of your matches； Bill；〃 and
struck another。 They walked over to the seat and sat down。
〃What a heavenly night！〃 said Antony。
〃Ripping。〃
〃I wonder where that poor devil Mark is now。〃
〃It's a rum business。〃
〃You agree with Cayley that it was an accident？〃
〃Yes。 You see； I know Mark。〃
〃H'm。〃 Antony produced a pencil and a piece of paper and began to
write on his knee； but while he wrote； he talked。 He said that he thought
Mark had shot his brother in a fit of anger； and that Cayley knew； or
anyhow guessed； this and had tried to give his cousin a chance of getting
away。
〃Mind you； I think he's right。 I think it's what any of us would do。 I
shan't give it away； of course； but somehow there are one or two little
things which make me think that Mark really did shoot his brother I mean
other than accidentally。〃
〃Murdered him？〃
〃Well； manslaughtered him； anyway。 I may be wrong。 Anyway； it's
not my business。〃
〃But why do you think so？ Because of the keys？〃
〃Oh； the keys are a wash…out。 Still； it was a brilliant idea of mine；
Wasn't it？ And it would have been rather a score for me if they had all
been outside。〃
He had finished his writing； and now passed the paper over to Bill。 In
the clear moonlight the carefully printed letters could easily be read：
〃GO ON TALKING AS IF I WERE HERE。 AFTER A MINUTE OR
TWO； TURN ROUND AS IF I WERE SITTING ON THE GRASS
BEHIND YOU； BUT GO ON TALKING。〃
〃I know you don't agree with me；〃 Antony went on as Bill read； 〃but
you'll see that I'm right。〃
Bill looked up and nodded eagerly。 He had forgotten golf and Betty
and all the other things which had made up his world lately。 This was the
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The Red House Mystery
real thing。 This was life。 〃Well；〃 he began deliberately； 〃the whole
point is that I know Mark。 Now； Mark …〃
But Antony was off the seat and letting himself gently down into the
ditch。 His intention was to crawl round it until the shed came in sight。
The footsteps which he had heard seemed to be underneath the shed；
probably there was a trap…door of some kind in the floor。 Whoever it was
would have heard their voices； and would probably think it worth while to
listen to what they were saying。 He might do this merely by opening the
door a little without showing himself； in which case Antony would have
found the entrance to the passage without any trouble to himself。 But
when Bill turned his head and talked over the back of the seat； it was
probable that the listener would find it necessary to put his head outside in
order to hear； and then Antony would be able to discover who it was。
Moreover； if he should venture out of his hiding…place altogether and peep
at them over the top of the bank； the fact that Bill was talking over the
back of the seat would mislead the watcher into thinking that Antony was
still there； sitting on the grass； no doubt； behind the seat； swinging his legs
over the side of the ditch。
He walked quickly but very silently along the half…length of the
bowling…green to the first corner； passed cautiously round； and then went
even more carefully along the width of it to the second corner。 He could
hear Bill hard at it； arguing from his knowledge of Mark's character that
this； that and the other must have happened； and he smiled appreciatively
to himself。 Bill was a great conspirator worth a hundred Watsons。 As
he approached the second corner he slowed down； and did the last few
yards on hands and knees。 Then； lying at full length； inch by inch his head
went round the corner。
The shed was two or three yards to his left； on the opposite side of the
ditch。 From where he lay he could see almost entirely inside it。
Everything seemed to be as they left it。 The bowls…box； the lawn…mower；
the roller； the open croquet…box； the
〃By Jove！〃 said Antony to himself； 〃that's neat。〃
The lid of the other croquet…box was open； too。 Bill was turning
round now； his voice became more difficult to hear。 〃You see what I
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The Red House Mystery
mean；〃 he was saying。 〃If Cayley …〃
And out of the second croquet…box came Cayley's black head。
Antony wanted to shout his applause。 It was neat； devilish neat。 For
a moment he gazed； fascinated； at that wonderful new kind of croquet…ball
which had appeared so dramatically out of the box； and then reluctantly
wriggled himself back。 There was nothing to be gained by staying there；
and a good deal to be lost； for Bill showed signs of running down。 As
quickly as he could Antony hurried round the ditch and took up his place
at the back of the seat。 Then he stood up with a yawn； stretched himself
and said carelessly； 〃Well； don't worry yourself about it； Bill； old man。 I
daresay you're right。 You know Mark； and I don't； and that's the
difference。 Shall we have a game or shall we go to bed？〃
Bill looked at him for inspiration； and； receiving it； said； 〃Oh； just let's
have one game； shall we？〃
〃Right you are；〃 said Antony。
But Bill was much too excited to take the game which followed very
seriously。 Antony； on the other hand； seemed to be thinking of nothing
but bowls。 He played with great deliberation for ten minutes； and then
announced that he was going to bed。 Bill looked at him anxiously。
〃It's all right；〃 laughed Antony。 〃You can talk if you want to。 Just
let's put 'em away first； though。〃
They made their way down to the shed； and while Bill was putting the
bowls away； Antony tried the lid of the closed croquet…box。 As he
expected； it was locked。
〃Now then；〃 said Bill； as they were walking back to the house again；
〃I'm simply bursting to know。 Who was it？〃
〃Cayley。〃
〃Good Lord！ Where？〃
〃Inside one of the croquet…boxes。〃
〃Don't be an ass。〃
〃It's quite true； Bill。〃 He told the other what he had seen。
〃But aren't we going to have a look at it？〃 asked Bill； in great
disappointment。 〃I'm longing to explore。 Aren't you？〃
〃To…morrow and to…morrow and to…morrow。 We shall see Cayley
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The Red House Mystery
coming along this way directly。 Besides； I want to get in from the other
end； if I can。 I doubt very much if we can do it this end without giving
ourselves away。 Look； there's Cayley。〃
They could see him coming along the drive towards them。 When
they were a little closer； they waved to him and he waved back。
〃I wondered where you were； he said； as he got up to them。 〃I rather
thought you might be along this way。 What about bed？〃
〃Bed it is；〃 said Antony。
〃We've been playing bowls；〃 added Bill； 〃and talking； and … and
playing bowls。 Ripping night； isn't it？〃
But he left the rest of the conversation； as they wandered back to the
house； to Antony。 He wanted to think。 There seemed to be no doubt
now that Cayley was a villain。 Bill had never been familiar with a villain
before。 It didn't seem quite fair of Cayley； somehow； he was taking
rather a mean advantage of his friends。 Lot of funny people there were in
the world funny people with secrets。 Look at Tony； that first time he had
met him in a tobacconist's shop。 Anybody would have thought he was a
tobacconist's assistant。 And Cayley。 Anybody would have thought that
Cayley was an ordinary decent sort of person。 And Mark。 Dash it！
one could never be sure of anybody。 Now； Robert was different。
Everybody had always said that Robert was a shady fellow。
But what on earth had Miss Norris got to do with it？ What had Miss
Norris got to do with it？ This was a question which Antony had already
asked himself that afternoon； and it seemed to him now that he had found
the answer。 As he lay in bed that night he reassembled his ideas； and
looked at them in the new light which the events of the evening threw
upon the dark corners in his brain。
Of course it was natural that Cayley should want to get rid of his
guests as soon as the tragedy was discovered。 He would want this for
their own sake as well as for his。 But he had been a little too quick about
suggesting it； and about seeing the suggestion carried out。 They had been
bustled off as soon as they could be packed。 The suggestion that they were
in his hands； to go or stay as he wished； could have been left safely to
them。 As it was； they had been given no alternative； and Miss Norris；
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The Red House Mystery
who had proposed to catch an after…dinner train at the junction； in the
obvious hope that she might have in this way a dramatic cross…
examination at the hands of some keen…eyed detective； was encouraged
tactfully； but quite firmly； to travel by the earlier train with the others。
Antony had felt that Cayley； in the tragedy which had suddenly befallen
the house； ought to have been equally indifferent to her presence or
absence。 But he was not； and Antony assumed from this that Cayley was
very much alive to the necessity for her absence。
Why？
Well； that question was not to be answered off…hand。 But the fact that
it was so had made Antony interested in her； and it was for this reason that
he had followed up so alertly Bill's casual mention of her in connexion
with the dressing…up business。 He felt that he wanted to know a little
more about Miss Norris and the part she had played in The Red House
circle。 By sheer luck； as it seemed to him； he had stumbled on the
answer to his question。
Miss Norris was hurried away because she knew about the secret
passage。
The passage； then； had something to do with the mystery of Robert's
death。 Miss Norris had used it in order to bring off her dramatic
appearance as the ghost。 Possibly she had discovered it for herself；
possibly Mark had revealed it to her secretly one day； never guessing that
she would make so unkind a use of