I should have remembered afterwards。〃
〃Perhaps Cayley shut the door after him。〃
〃Wait！〃
He pressed his hand over his eyes and thought。 It wasn't anything
which he had heard； but something which he had seen。 He tried
desperately hard to see it again。。。。 He saw Cayley getting up； opening the
door from the office； leaving it open and walking into the passage； turning
to the door on the right； opening it； going in； and then …What did his
eyes see after that？ If they would only tell him again！
Suddenly he jumped up； his face alight。 〃Bill； I've got it！〃 he cried。
〃What？〃
〃The shadow on the wall！ I was looking at the shadow on the wall。
Oh； ass； and ten times ass！〃
Bill looked uncomprehendingly at him。 Antony took his arm and
pointed to the wall of the passage。
〃Look at the sunlight on it；〃 he said。 〃That's because you've left the
door of that room open。 The sun comes straight in through the windows。
Now； I'm going to shut the door。 Look！ D'you see how the shadow
moves across？ That's what I saw the shadow moving across as the door
shut behind him。 Bill； go in and shut the door behind you quite naturally。
Quick！〃
Bill went out and Antony knelt； watching eagerly。
〃I thought so！〃 he cried。 〃I knew it couldn't have been that。〃
〃What happened？〃 said Bill； coming back。
〃Just what you would expect。 The sunlight came； and the shadow
moved back again all in one movement。〃
〃And what happened yesterday？〃
〃The sunlight stayed there； and then the shadow came very slowly
back； and there was no noise of the door being shut。〃
Bill looked at him with startled eyes。
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〃By Jove！ You mean that Cayley closed the door afterwards as an
afterthought and very quietly； so that you couldn't hear？〃
Antony nodded。
〃Yes。 That explains why I was surprised afterwards when I went into
the room to find the door open behind me。 You know how those doors
with springs on them close？〃
〃The sort which old gentlemen have to keep out draughts？〃
〃Yes。 Just at first they hardly move at all； and then very； very slowly
they swing to well； that was the way the shadow moved； and
subconsciously I must have associated it with the movement of that sort of
door。 By Jove！〃 He got up； and dusted his knees。 〃Now； Bill； just to
make sure； go in and close the door like that。 As an afterthought； you
know； and very quietly； so that I don't hear the click of it。〃
Bill did as he was told； and then put his head out eagerly to hear what
had happened。
〃That was it；〃 said Antony； with absolute conviction。 〃That was just
what I saw yesterday。〃 He came out of the office； and joined Bill in the
little room。
〃And now；〃 he said； 〃let's try and find out what it was that Mr。 Cayley
was doing in here； and why he had to be so very careful that his friend Mr。
Gillingham didn't overhear him。〃
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER XIII
The Open Window
Anthony's first thought was that Cayley had hidden something；
something； perhaps； which he had found by the body； and but that was
absurd。 In the time at his disposal； he could have done no more than put
it away in a drawer； where it would be much more open to discovery by
Antony than if he had kept it in his pocket。 In any case he would have
removed it by this time； and hidden it in some more secret place。 Besides；
why in this case bother about shutting the door？
Bill pulled open a drawer in the chest； and looked inside。
〃Is it any good going through these； do you think？〃 he asked。
Antony looked over his shoulder。
〃Why did he keep clothes here at all？〃 he asked。 〃Did he ever change
down here？〃
〃My dear Tony； he had more clothes than anybody in the world。 He
just kept them here in case they might be useful； I expect。 When you and
I go from London to the country we carry our clothes about with us。
Mark never did。 In his flat in London he had everything all over again
which he has here。 It was a hobby with him； collecting clothes。 If he'd
had half a dozen houses； they would all have been full of a complete
gentleman's town and country outfit。〃
〃I see。〃
〃Of course； it might be useful sometimes； when he was busy in the
next room； not to have to go upstairs for a handkerchief or a more
comfortable coat。〃
〃I see。 Yes。〃 He was walking round the room as he answered； and
he lifted the top of the linen basket which stood near the wash basin and
glanced in。 〃He seems to have come in here for a collar lately。〃
Bill peered in。 There was one collar at the bottom of the basket。
〃Yes。 I daresay he would；〃 he agreed。 〃If he suddenly found that
the one he was wearing was uncomfortable or a little bit dirty； or
something。 He was very finicking。〃
Antony leant over and picked it out。
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The Red House Mystery
〃It must have been uncomfortable this time；〃 he said； after examining
it carefully。 〃It couldn't very well be cleaner。〃 He dropped it back again。
〃Anyway； he did come in here sometimes？〃
〃Oh； yes； rather。〃
〃Yes； but what did Cayley come in for so secretly？〃
〃What did he want to shut the door for？〃 said Bill。 〃That's what I
don't understand。 You couldn't have seen him； anyhow。〃
〃No。 So it follows that I might have heard him。 He was going to do
something which he didn't want me to hear。〃
〃By Jove； that's it！〃 said Bill eagerly。
〃Yes； but what？〃
Bill frowned hopefully to himself； but no inspiration came。
〃Well； let's have some air； anyway；〃 he said at last； exhausted by the
effort； and he went to the window； opened it； and looked out。 Then； struck
by an idea； he turned back to Antony and said； 〃Do you think I had better
go up to the pond to make sure that they're still at it？ Because 〃
He broke off suddenly at the sight of Antony's face。
〃Oh； idiot； idiot！〃 Antony cried。 〃Oh； most super…excellent of
Watsons！ Oh； you lamb； you blessing！ Oh； Gillingham； you
incomparable ass！〃
〃What on earth …〃
〃The window； the window！〃 cried Antony； pointing to it。
Bill turned back to the window； expecting it to say something。 As it
said nothing； he looked at Antony again。
〃He was opening the window！ 〃 cried Antony。
〃Who？〃
〃Cayley； of course。〃 Very gravely and slowly he expounded。 〃He
came in here in order to open the window。 He shut the door so that I
shouldn't hear him open the window。 He opened the window。 I came in
here and found the window open。 I said； 'This window is open。 My
amazing powers of analysis tell me that the murderer must have escaped
by this window。' 'Oh；' said Cayley； raising his eyebrows。 'Well；' said he； 'I
suppose you must be right。' Said I proudly； 'I am。 For the window is
open；' I said。 Oh； you incomparable ass！〃
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The Red House Mystery
He understood now。 It explained so much that had been puzzling
him。
He tried to put himself in Cayley's place … Cayley； when Antony had
first discovered him； hammering at the door and crying； 〃Let me in！〃
Whatever had happened inside the office； whoever had killed Robert；
Cayley knew all about it； and knew that Mark was not inside； and had not
escaped by the window。 But it was necessary to Cayley's plans … to
Mark's plans if they were acting in concert … that he should be thought so
to have escaped。 At some time； then； while he was hammering （the key
in his pocket） at the locked door； he must suddenly have remembered with
what a shock！ that a mistake had been made。 A window had not been left
open！
Probably it would just have been a horrible doubt at first。 Was the
office window open？ Surely it was open！ Was it？。。。。 Would he have
time now to unlock the door； slip in； open the French windows and slip out
again？ No。 At any moment the servants might come。 It was too risky。
Fatal； if he were discovered。 But servants were stupid。 He could get
the windows safely open while they were crowding round the body。
They wouldn't notice。 He could do it somehow。
And then Antony's sudden appearance！ Here was a complication。
And Antony suggesting that they should try the window！ Why； the
window was just what he wanted to avoid。 No wonder he had seemed
dazed at first。
Ah； and here at last was the explanation why they had gone the longest
way round and yet run。 It was Cayley's only chance of getting a start on
Antony； of getting to the windows first； of working them open somehow
before Antony caught him up。 Even if that were impossible； he must get
there first； just to make sure。 Perhaps they were open。 He must get
away from Antony and see。 And if they were shut； hopelessly shut； then
he must have a moment to himself； a moment in which to think of some
other plan； and avoid the ruin which seemed so suddenly to be threatening。
So he had run。 But Antony had kept up with him。 They had broken
in the window together； and gone into the office。 But Cayley was not
done yet。 There was the dressing…room window！ But quietly； quietly。
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Antony mustn't hear。
And Antony didn't hear。 Indeed； he had played up to Cayley
splendidly。 Not only had he called attention to the open window； but he
had carefully explained to Cayley why Mark had chosen this particular
window in preference to the office window。 And Cayley had agreed that
probably that was the reason。 How he must have chuckled to himself！
But he was still a little afraid。 Afraid that Antony would examine the
shrubbery。 Why？ Obviously because there was no trace of anyone
having broken through the shrubbery。 No doubt Cayley had provided the
necessary traces since； and had helped the inspector to find them。 Had he
even gone as far as footmarks in Mark's shoes？ But the ground was very
hard。 Perhaps footmarks were not necessary。 Antony smiled as he
thought of the big Cayley trying to squeeze into the dapper little Mark's
shoes。 Cayley must have been glad that footmarks were not necessary。
No； the open window was enough； the open window and a broken twig
or two。 But quietly； quietly。 Antony mustn't hear。 And Antony had
not heard。。。。 But he had seen a shadow on the wall。
They were outsi