possibly Mark had revealed it to her secretly one day； never guessing that
she would make so unkind a use of it later on； possibly Cayley； having
been let into the joke of the dressing…up； had shown her how she could
make her appearance on the bowling…green even more mysterious and
supernatural。 One way or another； she knew about the secret passage。
So she must be hurried away。
Why？ Because if she stayed and talked； she might make some
innocent mention of it。 And Cayley did not want any mention of it。
Why； again？ Obviously because the passage； or even the mere
knowledge of its existence； might provide a clue。
〃I wonder if Mark's hiding there；〃 thought Antony； and he went to
sleep。
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER X
Mr。 Gillingham。 Talks Nonsense
Antony came down in a very good humour to breakfast next morning；
and found that his host was before him。 Cayley looked up from his
letters and nodded。
〃Any word of Mr。 Ablett … of Mark？〃 said Antony； as he poured out his
coffee。
〃No。 The inspector wants to drag the lake this afternoon。
〃Oh！ Is there a lake？〃
There was just the flicker of a smile on Cayley's face； but it
disappeared as quickly as it came。
〃Well； it's really a pond；〃 he said； 〃but it was called 'the lake。'〃
〃By Mark；〃 thought Antony。 Aloud he said； 〃What do they expect to
find？〃
〃They think that Mark …〃 He broke off and shrugged his shoulders。
〃May have drowned himself； knowing that he couldn't get away？
And knowing that he had compromised himself by trying to get away at
all？〃 〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 said Cayley slowly。
〃I should have thought he would have given himself more of a run for
his money。 After all； he had a revolver。 If he was determined not to be
taken alive； he could always have prevented that。 Couldn't he have
caught a train to London before the police knew anything about it？〃
〃He might just have managed it。 There was a train。 They would
have noticed him at Waldheim； of course； but he might have managed it at
Stanton。 He's not so well…known there； naturally。 The inspector has
been inquiring。 Nobody seems to have seen him。〃
〃There are sure to be people who will say they did； later on。 There
was never a missing man yet but a dozen people come forward who swear
to have seen him at a dozen different places at the same time。〃
Cayley smiled。
〃Yes。 That's true。 Anyhow； he wants to drag the pond first。〃 He
added dryly； 〃From what I've read of detective stories； inspectors always
do want to drag the pond first。〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃Is it deep？〃
〃Quite deep enough；〃 said Cayley as he got up。 On his way to the
door he stopped； and looked at Antony。 〃I'm so sorry that we're keeping
you here like this； but it will only be until to…morrow。 The inquest is tomorrow afternoon。 Do amuse yourself how you like till then。 Beverley
will look after you。〃
〃Thanks very much。 I shall really be quite all right。〃
Antony went on with his breakfast。 Perhaps it was true that
inspectors liked dragging ponds； but the question was； Did Cayleys like
having them dragged？ Was Cayley anxious about it； or quite indifferent？
He certainly did not seem to be anxious； but he could hide his feelings
very easily beneath that heavy； solid face； and it was not often that the real
Cayley peeped out。 Just a little too eager once or twice； perhaps； but
there was nothing to be learnt from it this morning。 Perhaps he knew that
the pond had no secrets to give up。 After all； inspectors were always
dragging ponds。
Bill came in noisily。
Bill's face was an open book。 Excitement was written all over it。
〃Well；〃 he said eagerly； as he sat down to the business of the meal；
〃what are we going to do this morning？〃
〃Not talk so loudly； for one thing；〃 said Antony。 Bill looked about
him apprehensively。 Was Cayley under the table； for example？ After
last night one never knew。
〃Is er …〃 He raised his eyebrows。
〃No。 But one doesn't want to shout。 One should modulate the voice；
my dear William； while breathing gently from the hips。 Thus one avoids
those chest…notes which have betrayed many a secret。 In other words；
pass the toast。〃
〃You seem bright this morning。〃
〃I am。 Very bright。 Cayley noticed it。 Cayley said； 'Were it not
that I have other business； I would come gathering nuts and may with thee。
Fain would I gyrate round the mulberry…bush and hop upon the little hills。
But the waters of Jordan encompass me and Inspector Birch tarries outside
with his shrimping…net。 My friend William Beverley will attend thee
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The Red House Mystery
anon。 Farewell； a long farewell to all …thy grape…nuts。' He then left
up…centre。 Enter W。 Beverley； R。〃
〃Are you often like this at breakfast？〃
〃Almost invariably。 Said he with his mouth full。 'Exit W。 Beverley；
L。〃
〃It's a touch of the sun； I suppose；〃 said Bill； shaking his head sadly。
〃It's the sun and the moon and the stars； all acting together on an
empty stomach。 Do you know anything about the stars； Mr。 Beverley？
Do you know anything about Orion's Belt； for instance？ And why isn't
there a star called Beverley's Belt？ Or a novel？ Said he masticating。
Re…enter W。 Beverley through trap…door。〃
〃Talking about trap…doors …〃
〃Don't；〃 said Antony； getting up。 〃Some talk of Alexander and some
of Hercules； but nobody talks about …what's the Latin for trap…door？
Mensa a table； you might get it from that。 Well； Mr。 Beverley；〃 …and
he slapped him heartily on the back as he went past him … 〃I shall see you
later。 Cayley says that you will amuse me； but so far you have not made
me laugh once。 You must try and be more amusing when you have
finished your breakfast。 But don't hurry。 Let the upper mandibles have
time to do the work。〃 With those words Mr。 Gillingham then left the
spacious apartment。
Bill continued his breakfast with a slightly bewildered air。 He did not
know that Cayley was smoking a cigarette outside the windows behind
him； not listening； perhaps； possibly not even overhearing； but within
sight of Antony； who was not going to take any risks。 So he went on with
his breakfast； reflecting that Antony was a rum fellow； and wondering if he
had dreamed only of the amazing things which had happened the day
before。
Antony went up to his bedroom to fetch his pipe。 It was occupied by
a housemaid； and he made a polite apology for disturbing her。 Then be
remembered。
〃Is it Elsie？〃 he asked； giving her a friendly smile。
〃Yes； sir；〃 she said； shy but proud。 She had no doubts as to why it
was that she had achieved such notoriety。
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The Red House Mystery
〃It was you who heard Mr。 Mark yesterday； wasn't it？ I hope the
inspector was nice to you？〃
〃Yes； thank you； sir。〃
〃'It's my turn now。 You wait；'〃 murmured Antony to himself。
〃Yes； sir。 Nasty…like。 Meaning to say his chance had come。〃
〃I wonder。〃
〃Well； that's what I heard； sir。 Truly。〃
Antony looked at her thoughtfully and nodded。
〃Yes。 I wonder。 I wonder why。〃
〃Why what； sir？〃
〃Oh； lots of things； Elsie。。。。 It was quite an accident your being outside
just then？〃
Elsie blushed。 She had not forgotten what Mrs。 Stevens had said
about it。
〃Quite； sir； In the general way I use the other stairs。〃
〃Of course。〃
He had found his pipe and was about to go downstairs again when she
stopped him。
〃I beg your pardon； sir； but will there be an inquest？〃
〃Oh； yes。 To…morrow； I think。〃
〃Shall I have to give my evidence； sir？〃
〃Of course。 There's nothing to be frightened of。〃
〃I did hear it； sir。 Truly。〃
〃Why； of course you did。 Who says you didn't？〃
〃Some of the others sir Mrs。 Stevens and all。〃
〃Oh； that's just because they're jealous；〃 said Antony with a smile。
He was glad to have spoken to her； because he had recognized at once
the immense importance of her evidence。 To the inspector no doubt it
had seemed only of importance in that it had shown Mark to have adopted
something of a threatening attitude towards his brother。 To Antony it had
much more significance。 It was the only trustworthy evidence that Mark
had been in the office at all that afternoon。
For who saw Mark go into the office？ Only Cayley。 And if Cayley
had been hiding the truth about the keys； why should he not be hiding the
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The Red House Mystery
truth about Mark's entry into the office？ Obviously all Cayley's evidence
went for nothing。 Some of it no doubt was true； but he was giving it；
both truth and falsehood； with a purpose。 What the purpose was Antony
did not know as yet； to shield Mark； to shield himself； even to betray Mark
it might be any of these。 But since his evidence was given for his own
ends； it was impossible that it could be treated as the evidence of an
impartial and trustworthy onlooker。 Such； for instance； as Elsie appeared
to be。
Elsie's evidence； however； seemed to settle the point。 Mark had gone
into the office to see his brother； Elsie had heard them both talking； and
then Antony and Cayley had found the body of Robert。。。。 and the inspector
was going to drag the pond。
But certainly Elsie's evidence did not prove anything more than the
mere presence of Mark in the room。 〃It's my turn now； you wait。〃 That
was not an immediate threat； … it was a threat for the future。 If Mark had
shot his brother immediately afterwards it must have been an accident； the
result of a struggle； say； provoked by that 〃nasty…like〃 tone of voice。
Nobody would say 〃You wait〃 to a man who was just going to be shot。
〃You wait〃 meant 〃You wait； and see what's going to happen to you later
on。〃 The owner of The Red House had had enough of his brother's
sponging； his brother's blackmail； now it was Mark's turn to get a bit of his
own back。 Let Robert just wait a bit； and he would see。 The
conversation which Elsie had overheard might have meant something like
this。 It couldn't have meant murder。 Anyway not murder of Robert by
Mark。
〃It's a funny business；〃 thought Antony。 〃The one obvious solution is
so easy and yet so wrong。 And I'