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what lay behind it。 Which side was he on； if it came to choosing sides
Mark's or the Law's？
〃You know； you can't just say； 'Oh er hallo！' to him；〃 said Antony；
breaking rather appropriately into his thoughts。
Bill looked up at him with a start。
〃Nor；〃 went on Antony； 〃can you say； 'This is my friend Mr。
Gillingham； who is staying with you。 We were just going to have a game
of bowls。'〃
〃Yes； it's dashed difficult。 I don't know what to say。 I've been rather
forgetting about Mark。〃 He wandered over to the window and looked out
on to the lawns。 There was a gardener clipping the grass edges。 No
reason why the lawn should be untidy just because the master of the house
had disappeared。 It was going to be a hot day again。 Dash it； of course
he had forgotten Mark。 How could he think of him as an escaped
murderer； a fugitive from justice； when everything was going on just as it
did yesterday； and the sun was shining just as it did when they all drove
off to their golf； only twenty…four hours ago？ How could he help feeling
that this was not real tragedy； but merely a jolly kind of detective game
that he and Antony were playing？
He turned back to his friend。
〃All the same；〃 he said； 〃you wanted to find the passage； and now
you've found it。 Aren't you going into it at all？〃
Antony took his arm。
〃Let's go outside again；〃 he said。 〃We can't go into it now； anyhow。
It's too risky； with Cayley about。 Bill； I feel like you … just a little bit
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frightened。 But what I'm frightened of I don't quite know。 Anyway； you
want to go on with it； don't you？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Bill firmly。 〃We must。〃
〃Then we'll explore the passage this afternoon； if we get the chance。
And if we don't get the chance； then we'll try it to…night。〃
They walked across the hall and out into the sunlight again。
〃Do you really think we might find Mark hiding there？〃 asked Bill。
〃It's possible；〃 said Antony。 〃Either Mark or …〃 He pulled himself
up quickly。 〃No；〃 he murmured to himself； 〃I won't let myself think that
not yet； anyway。 It's too horrible。〃
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER XII
A Shadow on the Wall
In the twenty hours or so at his disposal Inspector Birch had been
busy。 He had telegraphed to London a complete description of Mark in
the brown flannel suit which he had last been seen wearing； he had made
inquiries at Stanton as to whether anybody answering to this description
had been seen leaving by the 4。20； and though the evidence which had
been volunteered to him had been inconclusive； it made it possible that
Mark had indeed caught that train； and had arrived in London before the
police at the other end had been ready to receive him。 But the fact that it
was market…day at Stanton； and that the little town would be more full than
usual of visitors； made it less likely that either the departure of Mark by
the 4。20； or the arrival of Robert by the 2。10 earlier in the afternoon；
would have been particularly noticed。 As Antony had said to Cayley；
there would always be somebody ready to hand the police a circumstantial
story of the movements of any man in whom the police were interested。
That Robert had come by the 2。10 seemed fairly certain。 To find out
more about him in time for the inquest would be difficult。 All that was
known about him in the village where he and Mark had lived as boys bore
out the evidence of Cayley。 He was an unsatisfactory son； and he had
been hurried off to Australia； nor had he been seen since in the village。
Whether there were any more substantial grounds of quarrel between the
two brothers than that the younger one was at home and well…to…do； while
the elder was poor and an exile； was not known； nor； as far as the inspector
could see； was it likely to be known until Mark was captured。
The discovery of Mark was all that mattered immediately。 Dragging
the pond might not help towards this； but it would certainly give the
impression in court to…morrow that Inspector Birch was handling the case
with zeal。 And if only the revolver with which the deed was done was
brought to the surface； his trouble would be well repaid。 〃Inspector
Birch produces the weapon〃 would make an excellent headline in the local
paper。
He was feeling well…satisfied with himself； therefore； as he walked to
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the pond； where his men were waiting for him； and quite in the mood for a
little pleasant talk with Mr。 Gillingham and his friend； Mr。 Beverley。 He
gave them a cheerful 〃Good afternoon；〃 and added with a smile； 〃Coming
to help us？〃
〃You don't really want us；〃 said Antony； smiling back at him。
〃You can come if you like。〃
Antony gave a little shudder。
〃You can tell me afterwards what you find；〃 he said。 〃By the way；〃
he added； 〃I hope the landlord at the 'George' gave me a good character？〃
The Inspector looked at him quickly。
〃Now how on earth do you know anything about that？〃
Antony bowed to him gravely。
〃Because I guessed that you were a very efficient member of the
Force。〃
The inspector laughed。
〃Well； you came out all right； Mr。 Gillingham。 You got a clean bill。
But I had to make certain about you。
〃Of course you did。 Well； I wish you luck。 But I don't think you'll
find much at the pond。 It's rather out of the way； isn't it； for anybody
running away？〃
〃That's just what I told Mr。 Cayley； when he called my attention to the
pond。 However； we shan't do any harm by looking。 It's the unexpected
that's the most likely in this sort of case。〃
〃You're quite right； Inspector。 Well； we mustn't keep you。 Good
afternoon；〃 and Antony smiled pleasantly at him。
〃Good afternoon； sir。〃
〃Good afternoon；〃 said Bill。
Antony stood looking after the Inspector as he strode off； silent for so
long that Bill shook him by the arm at last； and asked him rather crossly
what was the matter。
Antony shook his head slowly from side to side。
〃I don't know； really I don't know。 It's too devilish what I keep
thinking。 He can't be as cold…blooded as that。〃
〃Who？〃
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Without answering； Antony led the way back to the garden…seat on
which they had been sitting。 He sat there with his head in his hands。
〃Oh； I hope they find something；〃 he murmured。 〃Oh； I hope they
do。〃
〃In the pond？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But what？〃
〃Anything； Bill； anything。〃
Bill was annoyed。 〃I say； Tony； this won't do。 You really mustn't
be so damn mysterious。 What's happened to you suddenly？〃
Antony looked up at him in surprise。
〃Didn't you hear what he said？〃
〃What； particularly？〃
〃That it was Cayley's idea to drag the pond。〃
〃Oh！ Oh； 'I say！〃 Bill was rather excited again。 〃You mean that
he's hidden something there？ Some false clue which he wants the police
to find？〃
〃I hope so；〃 said Antony earnestly； 〃but I'm afraid …〃 He stopped
short。
〃Afraid of what？〃
〃Afraid that he hasn't hidden anything there。 Afraid that …〃
〃Well？〃
〃What's the safest place in which to hide anything very important？