lodge and not at the first。 So I talked to Amos and Parsons。 That made
it more curious。 Amos told me that Robert had gone out of his way to
speak to him； had called to him； in fact。 Parsons told me that his wife was
out in their little garden at the first lodge all the afternoon； and was certain
that Robert had never come past it。 He also told me that Cayley had put
him on to a job on the front lawn that afternoon。 So I had another guess。
Robert had used the secret passage … the passage which comes out into the
park between the first and second lodges。 Robert； then； had been in the
house； it was a put…up job between Robert and Cayley。 But how could
Robert be there without Mark knowing？ Obviously； Mark knew too。
What did it all mean？〃
〃When was this？〃 interrupted Bill。 〃Just after the inquest …after
you'd seen Amos and Parsons； of course？〃
〃Yes。 I got up and left them； and came to look for you。 I'd got back
to the clothes then。 Why did Mark change his clothes so secretly？
Disguise？ But then what about his face？ That was much more
important than clothes。 His face； his beard … he'd have to shave off his
beard … and then …oh； idiot！ I saw you looking at that poster。 Mark
acting； Mark made…up； Mark disguised。 Oh； priceless idiot！ Mark was
Robert。。。。 Matches； please。〃
Bill passed over the matches again； waited till Antony had relit his
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pipe； and then held out his hand for them； just as they were going into the
other's pocket。
〃Yes；〃 said Bill thoughtfully。 〃Yes。。。。 But wait a moment。 What
about the 'Plough and Horses'？〃 Antony looked comically at him。
〃You'll never forgive me； Bill；〃 he said。 〃You'll never come clue…
hunting with me again。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
Antony sighed。
〃It was a fake； Watson。 I wanted you out of the way。 I wanted to be
alone。 I'd guessed at my x； and I wanted to test it … to test it every way；
by everything we'd discovered。 I simply had to be alone just then； So …〃
he smiled and added； 〃Well； I knew you wanted a drink。〃
〃You are a devil；〃 said Bill； staring at him。 〃And your interest when I
told you that a woman had been staying there …〃
〃Well； it was only polite to be interested when you'd taken so much
trouble。〃
〃You brute！ You … you Sherlock！ And then you keep trying to steal
my matches。 Well； go on。〃
〃That's all。 My x fitted。〃
〃Did you guess Miss Norris and all that？〃
〃Well； not quite。 I didn't realize that Cayley had worked for it from
the beginning … had put Miss Norris up to frightening Mark。 I thought
he'd just seized the opportunity。〃
Bill was silent for a long time。 Then； puffing at his pipe； he said
slowly； 〃Has Cayley shot himself？〃
Antony shrugged his shoulders。
〃Poor devil；〃 said Bill。 〃It was decent of you to give him a chance。
I'm glad you did。〃
〃I couldn't help liking Cayley in a kind of way； you know。〃
〃He's a clever devil。 If you hadn't turned up just when you did； he
would never have been found out。〃
〃I wonder。 It was ingenious； but it's often the ingenious thing which
gets found out。 The awkward thing from Cayley's point of view was that；
though Mark was missing； neither he nor his body could ever be found。
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Well； that doesn't often happen with a missing man。 He generally gets
discovered in the end； a professional criminal； perhaps not … but an
amateur like Mark！ He might have kept the secret of how he killed Mark；
but I think it would have become obvious sooner or later that he had killed
him。〃
〃Yes； there's something in that。。。。 Oh； just tell me one thing。 Why
did Mark tell Miss Norbury about his imaginary brother？〃
〃That's puzzled me rather； too； Bill。 It may be that he was just doing
the Othello business … painting himself black all over。 I mean he may
have been so full of his appearance as Robert that he had almost got to
believe in Robert； and had to tell everybody。 More likely； though； he felt
that； having told all of you at the house； he had better tell Miss Norbury； in
case she met one of you； in which case； if you mentioned the approaching
arrival of Robert； she might say； 'Oh； I'm certain he has no brother； he
would have told me if he had；' and so spoil his joke。 Possibly； too；
Cayley put him on to it； Cayley obviously wanted as many people as
possible to know about Robert。〃
〃Are you going to tell the police？〃
〃Yes； I suppose they'll have to know。 Cayley may have left another
confession。 I hope he won't give me away； you see； I've been a sort of
accessory since yesterday evening。 And I must go and see Miss
Norbury。〃
〃I asked；〃 explained Bill； 〃because I was wondering what I should say
to … to Betty。 Miss Calladine。 You see； she's bound to ask。〃
〃Perhaps you won't see her again for a long； long time；〃 said Antony
sadly。
〃As a matter of fact； I happen to know that she will be at the
Barringtons。 And I go up there to…morrow。〃
〃Well； you had better tell her。 You're obviously longing to。 Only
don't let her say anything for a day or two。 Ill write to you。〃
〃Righto！〃
Antony knocked the ashes out of his pipe and got up。
〃The Barringtons；〃 he said。 〃Large party？〃
〃Fairly； I think。〃
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Antony smiled at his friend。
〃Yes。 Well； if any of 'em should happen to be murdered； you might
send for me。 I'm just getting into the swing of it。〃
End of Project Gutenberg Etext of The Red House Mystery； by A。 A。
Milne
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