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 outside on the lawn again now； Bill and Antony； and Bill
was listening open…mouthed to his friend's theory of yesterday's
happenings。 It fitted in； it explained things； but it did not get them any
further。 It only gave them another mystery to solve。
〃What's that？〃 said Antony。
〃Mark。 Where's Mark？ If he never went into the office at all； then
where is he now？〃
〃I don't say that he never went into the office。 In fact； he must have
gone。 Elsie heard him。〃 He stopped and repeated slowly； 〃She heard
him at least she says she did。 But if he was there； he came out again by
the door。〃
〃Well； but where does that lead you？〃
〃Where it led Mark。 The passage。〃
〃Do you mean that he's been hiding there all the time？〃 Antony was
silent until Bill had repeated his question； and then with an effort he came
out of his thoughts and answered him。
〃I don't know。 But look here。 Here is a possible explanation。 I
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don't know if it is the right one I don't know； Bill； I'm rather frightened。
Frightened of what may have happened； of what may be going to happen。
However； here is an explanation。 See if you can find any fault with it。〃
With his legs stretched out and his hands deep in his pockets； he lay
back on the garden…seat； looking up to the blue summer sky above him；
and just as if he saw up there the events of yesterday being enacted over
again； he described them slowly to Bill as they happened。
〃We'll begin at the moment when Mark shoots Robert。 Call it an
accident； probably it was。 Mark would say it was； anyhow。 He is in a
panic； naturally。 But he doesn't lock the door and run away。 For one
thing； the key is on the outside of the door； for another； he is not； quite
such a fool as that。 But he is in a horrible position。 He is known to be
on bad terms with his brother； he has just uttered some foolish threat to
him； which may possibly have been overheard。 What is he to do？ He
does the natural thing； the thing which Mark would always do in such
circumstances。 He consults Cayley； the invaluable； inevitable Cayley。
〃Cayley is just outside； Cayley must have heard the shot； Cayley will
tell him what to do。 He opens the door just as Cayley is coming to see
what is the matter。 He explains rapidly。 'What's to be done； Cay？
what's to be done？。 It was an accident。 I swear it was an accident。 He
threatened me。 He would have shot me if I hadn't。 Think of something；
quick！'
〃Cayley has thought of something。 'Leave it to me；' he says。 'You
clear out altogether。 I shot him； if you like。 I'll do all the explaining。
Get away。 Hide。 Nobody saw you go in。 Into the passage； quick。 I'll
come to you there as soon as I can。'
〃Good Cayley。 Faithful Cayley！ Mark's courage comes back。
Cayley will explain all right。 Cayley will tell the servants that it was an
accident。 He will ring up the police。 Nobody will suspect Cayley …
Cayley has no quarrel with Robert。 And then Cayley will come into the
passage and tell him that it is all right； and Mark will go out by the other
end； and saunter slowly back to the house。 He will be told the news by
one of the servants。 Robert accidentally shot？ Good Heavens！
〃So； greatly reassured； Mark goes into the library。 And Cayley goes
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to the door of the office。。。。 and locks it。 And then he bangs on the door
and shouts； 'Let me in！'
Antony was silent。 Bill looked at him and shook his head。
〃Yes； Tony； but that doesn't make sense。 What's the point of Cayley
behaving like that？〃
Antony shrugged his shoulders without answering。
〃And what has happened to Mark since？〃
Antony shrugged his shoulders again。
〃Well； the sooner we go into that passage； the better；〃 said Bill。
〃You're ready to go？〃
〃Quite；〃 said Bill； surprised。
〃You're quite ready for what we may find？〃
〃You're being dashed mysterious； old boy。〃
〃I know I am。〃 He gave a little laugh； and went on； 〃Perhaps I'm
being an ass； just a melodramatic ass。 Well； I hope I am。〃 He looked at
his watch。
〃It's safe； is it？ They're still busy at the pond？〃
〃We'd better make certain。 Could you be a sleuthhound； Bill … one of
those that travel on their stomachs very noiselessly？ I mean； could you
get near enough to the pond to make sure that Cayley is still there； without
letting him see you？〃
〃Rather！〃 He got up eagerly。 〃You wait。〃
Antony's head shot up suddenly。 〃Why； that was what Mark said；〃 he
cried。
〃Mark？〃
〃Yes。 What Elsie heard him say。〃
〃Oh； that。〃
〃Yes I suppose she couldn't have made a mistake； Bill？ She did hear
him？〃
〃She couldn't have mistaken his voice； if that's what you mean。
〃Oh？〃
〃Mark had an extraordinary characteristic voice。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃Rather high…pitched； you know； and well； one can't explain； but …〃
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〃Yes？〃
〃Well； rather like this； you know； or even more so if anything。〃 He
rattled these words off in Mark's rather monotonous； high…pitched voice；
and then laughed； and added in his natural voice； 〃I say； that was really
rather good。〃
Antony nodded quickly。 〃That was like it？〃 he said。
〃Exactly。〃
〃Yes。〃 He got up and squeezed Bill's arm。 〃Well just go and see
about Cayley； and then we'll get moving。 I shall be in the library。〃
〃Right。〃
Bill nodded and walked off in the direction of the pond。 This was
glorious fun； this was life。 The immediate programme could hardly be
bettered。 First of all he was going to stalk Cayley。 There was a little
copse above the level of the pond； and about a hundred yards away from it。
He would come into this from the back； creep cautiously through it； taking
care that no twigs cracked； and then； drawing himself on his stomach to
the edge； peer down upon the scene below him。 People were always
doing that sort of thing in books； and he had been filled with a hopeless
envy of them； well； now he was actually going to do it himself。 What
fun！
And then； when he had got back unobserved to the house and reported
to Antony； they were going to explore the secret passage！ Again； what
fun！ Unfortunately there seemed to be no chance of buried treasure； but
there might be buried clues。 Even if you found nothing； you couldn't get
away from the fact that a secret passage was a secret passage； and
anything might happen in it。 But even that wasn't the end of this exciting
day。 They were going to watch the pond that night； they were going to
watch Cayley under the moonlight； watch him as he threw into the silence
of the pond what？ The revolver？ Well； anyhow； they were going to
watch him。 What fun！
To Antony； who was older and who realized into what deep waters
they were getting； it did not seem fun。 But it was amazingly interesting。
He saw so much； and yet somehow it was all out of focus。 It was like
looking at an opal； and discovering with every movement of it some new
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colour； some new gleam of light reflected； and yet never really seeing the
opal as a whole。 He was too near it； or too far away； he strained his eyes
and he relaxed his eyes； it was no good。 His brain could not get hold of it。
But there were moments when he almost had it。。。。 and then turned
away from it。 He had seen more of life than Bill； but he had never seen
murder before； and this which was in his mind now； and to which he was
afraid to listen； was not just the hot…blooded killing which any man may
come to if he lose control。 It was something much more horrible。 Too
horrible to be true。 Then let him look again for the truth。 He looked
again but it was all out of focus。
〃I will not look again；〃 he said aloud； as he began to walk towards the
house。 〃Not yet； anyway。〃 He would go on collecting facts and
impressions。 Perhaps the one fact would come along； by itself which
would make everything clear。
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CHAPTER XIV
Mr。 Beverley Qualifies for the Stage
Bill had come back； and had reported； rather breathless； that Cayley
was still at the pond。
〃But I don't think they're getting up much except mud；〃 he said。 〃I
ran most of the way back so as to give us as much time as possible。〃
Antony nodded。
〃Well； come along； then；〃 he said。 〃The sooner； the quicker。〃
They stood in front of the row of sermons。 Antony took down the
Reverend Theodore Ussher's famous volume； and felt for the spring。 Bill
pulled。 The shelves swung open towards them。
〃By Jove！〃 said Bill； 〃it is a narrow way。
There was an opening about a yard square in front of them； which had
something the look of a brick fireplace； a fireplace raised about two feet
from the ground。 But； save for one row of bricks in front； the floor of it
was emptiness。 Antony took a torch from his pocket and flashed it down
into the blackness。
〃Look；〃 he whispered to the eager Bill。 〃The steps begin down there。
Six feet down。〃
He flashed his torch up again。 There was a handhold of iron； a sort of
large iron staple； in the bricks in front of them。
〃You swing off from there；〃 said Bill。 〃At least； I suppose you do。 I
wonder how Ruth Norris liked doing it。〃
〃Cayley helped her； I should think。。。。 It's funny。〃
〃Shall I go first？〃 asked Bill； obviously longing to do so。 Antony
shook his head with a smile。
〃I think I will； if you don't mind very much； Bill。 Just in case。
〃In case of what？〃
〃Well in case。〃
Bill； had to be content with that； but he was too much excited to
wonder what Antony meant。
〃Righto；〃 he said。 〃Go on。〃
〃Well； we'll just make sure we can get back again； first。 It really
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wouldn't be fair on the Inspector if we got stuck down here for the rest of
our lives。 He's got enough to do trying to find Mark； but if he has to find
you and me as well …〃
〃We can always get out at the other end。〃
〃Well； we're not certain yet。 I think I'd better just go down a