The Red House Mystery

t next morning, and found that his host was before

f Mark?" said Antony, as

wants to drag the l

there

smile on Cayley's face, but it d

ond," he said, "but it

y. Aloud he said, "What

-" He broke off and s

uldn't get away? And knowing that he had comp

se so," said

he had a revolver. If he was determined not to be taken alive, he could always have prevent

aldheim, of course, but he might have managed it at Stanton. He's not so well-known

was never a missing man yet but a dozen people come forward who sw

ey s

st." He added dryly, "From what I've read of detective s

it d

ny. "I'm so sorry that we're keeping you here like this, but it will only be until to-morrow. The in

I shall really be

fferent? He certainly did not seem to be anxious, but he could hide his feelings very easily beneath that heavy, solid face, and it was not often that the real Cayley peeped out. Just a little to

me in n

en book. Excitement w

own to the business of the meal, "wh

l looked about him apprehensively. Was Cayley under t

e raised h

William, while breathing gently from the hips. Thus one avoids those ches

bright thi

gyrate round the mulberry-bush and hop upon the little hills. But the waters of Jordan encompass me and Inspector Birch tarries outside with his shrimpin

n like this a

d he with his mouth ful

, I suppose," said Bill,

about the stars, Mr. Beverley? Do you know anything about Orion's Belt, for instance? And why isn't ther

about tra

everley,"-and he slapped him heartily on the back as he went past him-"I shall see you later. Cayley says that you will amuse me, but so far you have not made me laugh once. You must try an

not listening, perhaps; possibly not even overhearing; but within sight of Antony, who was not going to take any risks. So he went on with his

It was occupied by a housemaid, and he made a pol

asked, giving he

She had no doubts as to why it was

yesterday, wasn't it? I hope

hank yo

You wait,'" murmur

ke. Meaning to say

won

what I heard

t her thoughtfu

nder. I wo

what,

.. It was quite an accident

ot forgotten what Mrs. S

e general way I us

cour

was about to go downstairs

, sir, but will th

To-morrow,

to give my e

e's nothing to b

ar it, si

you did. Who s

ers, sir, Mrs. S

se they're jealous," s

t it had seemed only of importance in that it had shown Mark to have adopted something of a threatening attitude towards his brother.

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 mig

ice to see his brother; Elsie had heard them both talking; and then Antony and Ca

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

et so wrong. And I've got a hundred things in my head, and I can't fit them togethe

ed a stroll. Bill was only too ready

d much. Show

ght

ked out

om the house, "you really mustn't talk so loudly indoors. Th

nk. "I'm awfully sorry. So that'

do feel rather bright this mornin

y? What are w

e pond-beg its pardon, th

to it now, if you'

t. Do you haunt the lake

not. There's not

an't b

ldn't care to

we came yesterday, isn't

the right directly. What

ar

his uncomfortable thoughts in his sudden remembrance of the exciting times the

much while Cayle

when they're dragging the p

shook h

is afternoon," he said. "Of cou

out of the house for

hink he ou

anything rat

ld do it at some other time, but I rather fancy it at three o'

n! You do want

lk about things inside the house, un

I swear

ly round it. When they had made the circle, Antony sat down

isn't there,

ast, I don't quite see

he 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 woul

t we've got to fi

see, my id

secret of the passage was concerned in some way

d 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 wouldn't count and they must have had great fun fixing it up, and making it more difficult for other people to fi

r three days before

ago. He didn't even know that Robert was coming. But somehow the passage has been used since, in connection with Robert. Perhaps Mark escaped that way; perhaps he's hiding there

r to have her o

es

to bother about this end of it? We can

at we've done it. You see, Bill, if we don't find anything out for ourselves in the next day or two, we've got to tell t

her

r a bit. It's the only way." He smile

ill chuckle

e does the secre