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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've got a hundred things in my head； and
I can't fit them together。 And this afternoon will make a hundred and one。
I mustn't forget this afternoon。〃
He found Bill in the hall and proposed a stroll。 Bill was only too
ready。 〃Where do you want to go？〃 he asked。
〃I don't mind much。 Show me the park。〃
〃Righto。〃
They walked out together。
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The Red House Mystery
〃Watson； old man；〃 said Antony； as soon as they were away from the
house； 〃you really mustn't talk so loudly indoors。 There was a gentleman
outside； just behind you； all the time。〃
〃Oh； I say；〃 said Bill； going pink。 〃I'm awfully sorry。 So that's why
you were talking such rot。〃
〃Partly； yes。 And partly because I do feel rather bright this morning。
We're going to have a busy day。〃
〃Are we really？ What are we going to do？〃
〃They're going to drag the pond … beg its pardon； the lake。 Where is
the lake？〃
〃We're on the way to it now； if you'd like to see it。〃
〃We may as well look at it。 Do you haunt the lake much in the
ordinary way？〃
〃Oh； no； rather not。 There's nothing to do there。〃
〃You can't bathe？〃
〃Well； I shouldn't care to。 Too dirty。〃
〃I see。。。。 This is the way we came yesterday； isn't it？ The way to the
village？〃
〃Yes。 We go off a bit to the right directly。 What are they dragging it
for？〃
〃Mark。〃
〃Oh； rot；〃 said Bill uneasily。 He was silent for a little； and then；
forgetting his uncomfortable thoughts in his sudden remembrance of the
exciting times they were having； said eagerly； 〃I say； when are we going to
look for that passage？〃
〃We can't do very much while Cayley's in the house。〃
〃What about this afternoon when they're dragging the pond？ He's
sure to be there。〃
Antony shook his head。
〃There's something I must do this afternoon；〃 he said。 〃Of course we
might have time for both。〃
〃Has Cayley got to be out of the house for the other thing too？〃
〃Well； I think he ought to be。〃
〃I say； is it anything rather exciting？〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃I don't know。 It might be rather interesting。 I daresay I could do it
at some other time； but I rather fancy it at three o'clock； somehow。 I've
been specially keeping it back for then。〃
〃I say； what fun！ You do want me； don't you？〃
〃Of course I do。 Only； Bill don't talk about things inside the house；
unless I begin。 There's a good Watson。〃
〃I won't。 I swear I won't。〃
They had come to the pond … Mark's lake … and they walked silently
round it。 When they had made the circle； Antony sat down on the grass；
and relit his pipe。 Bill followed his example。
〃Well； Mark isn't there；〃 said Antony。
〃No；〃 said Bill。 〃At least； I don't quite see why you know he isn't。〃
〃It isn't 'knowing；' it's 'guessing；'〃 said Antony rapidly。 〃It's much
easier to shoot yourself than to drown yourself； and if Mark had wanted to
shoot himself in the water； with some idea of not letting the body be found；
he'd have put big stones in his pockets； and the only big stones are near the
water's edge； and they would have left marks； and they haven't； and
therefore he didn't； and oh； bother the pond； that can wait till this
afternoon。 Bill； where does the secret passage begin？〃
〃Well； that's what we've got to find out； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 You see； my idea is this。〃
He explained his reasons for thinking that the secret of the passage
was concerned in some way with the secret of Robert's death； and went
on：
〃My theory is that Mark discovered the passage about a year ago the
time when he began to get keen on croquet。 The passage came out into
the floor of the shed； and probably it was Cayley's idea to put a croquet…
box over the trap…door； so as to hide it more completely。 You know； when
once you've discovered a secret yourself； it always seems as if it must be
so obvious to everybody else。 I can imagine that Mark loved having this
little secret all to himself and to Cayley； of course； but Cayley