the red house mystery-第13章

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and　all　the　other　things　which　had　made　up　his　world　lately。　This　was　the　

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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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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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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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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　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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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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〃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　dragg