The Red House Mystery

e flower-borders, a gentle cooing of pigeons in the tops of the elms. From distant lawns came the whir of a mowing-ma

or two for themselves. In the housekeeper's room Audrey Stevens, the pretty parlour-maid, re-trimmed

. Audrey nodded. She took a pin from her mouth, found a p

ink myself," said her aunt. "J

holding the hat out at arm's length, and reg

y for me now, though wearing better than some other people, I daresay. I was never the

ht, isn't

s an example," said Mrs.

d out and looked at her nails critical

rother for fifteen years." She gave a self-conscious laugh and went

, and never heard of a brother. I could say that before everybody if I was

-hot milk, was it, or toast?-well, they was all talking, and Mr. Mark turns to me, and says-you know his way-'Stevens,' he says, 'my brother is coming to see me this afternoon; I'm expecting him about three,' he says. 'Show him

"I can't say for that, not knowing the country; but what I do say is h

rs,' he says. Mr. Cayley having arst him when his brother was last in England. Mr. Cayley knew of him, I hea

at's five years Whitsuntide. I can take my oath he's not set foot in the house since five year

s?" said Aud

a gentleman goes to Australia, he has his reasons. And when he stays in Australia fifteen years, as Mr. Mark says, and

at breakfast he'd been a wild one. Debts. I'm glad Joe isn't like that. H

n. The ringing of a bell brought Audrey to her feet-no longer Aud

dies and gentlemen to see him. Well, they're all out at their golf, anyhow-Wonder if he's going to stay-P'raps he's brought back a lot o

, get on,

darling." S

ue-curtained. On the right and left were doors leading into other living-rooms, but on the side which faced you as you came in were windows again, looking on to a small grass court, and from open windows to open windows such air as there was played gently. The staircase w

ernoon, as if all the guests were outside, or-perhaps the wisest place of all-up in their bedrooms, sleeping. Mr. Cayley, the master's cousin, was a surprise; and, having given a little exclamation as she came suddenly upon him, she blushed, and said, "Oh, I beg your pardon, sir, I didn't see you at first," and he looked up

d Audrey to herself, as she

at pointed beard and his carefully curled moustache; with his quick-darting eyes, always moving from one to the other of any company he was in, to register one more smile to his credit when he h

blett," he growled. It so

smiled reassuringly at him. S

pecting you, if you

u know who

obert

's expecting me, eh? He'

this way, sir,"

cond door on the l

ned to the man behind her. "If you will sit down, sir, I will find the mast

the room. "What d'yo

ffice,

off

re the master

n't know he'd ever done a s

he fact that Mr. Mark "wrote," though nobody knew wh

enough for the d

r you are here, sir,"

e door and le

he had said to her and she had said to him-quiet-like. "Directly I saw him I said to myself-" Why,

he walked across the hall to the library, glanced in, cam

respectful voice, "can you tell me wher

ey, looking up fr

peated he

? He went up to the Temple after lunc

. I will go up

turned to

more often than they got on to paper, and got on to paper more often than they got into print. But that did not prevent the master of The Red House from being a little pained when a visitor treated the Temple carelessly, as if it had been erected for the ordinary purposes of flirtation and cigaret

anyone in your drawing-room with a red handkerchief round his neck and great big dusty boots, and-listen! One of the men shooting rabbits. Auntie was partial to a nice rabbit, and onion sauce. How hot it was; she wouldn't say

eper's room on her way to the hall, the door opene

. "It's Audrey," she sai

rey," called

d Audrey, lookin

ve me such a turn. W

the T

hear an

r wh

losions and te

abbits. Why, I said to myself as I came along, 'Auntie's parti

scornfully. "It was ins

he housemaids. "I said to Mrs. Stevens-didn't I

at her aunt an

revolver with him?" she

id Elsie

m, 'You're a bad lot, my man!' That's what I said, Elsie. Even before he

ustralia." Mrs. Stevens lay back in her chair, breathing rather rapidly. "I wo

ted five shillings for a new pair of shoes, "

art. They listened anxiously, the two girls insti

ing shaken, k

ste

oked at each other

man's voice

shouting. "Open the door

a panic, as if it was her door which was th

the door!" came

vered. Terrified, the two girls huddled closer, and w