The Red House Mystery

ympathetic, with everything in her large eyes which she was too much overawed to tell; Mrs. Calladine, protesting that she did not know what to say, but apparently finding plenty; a

ewells (with a special squeeze of the hand for Betty),

rum show," said B

rum, W

ally walked r

to it," s

ply wouldn't keep to the point when I wanted to ask him about the murder, or whatever it is, but kept asking m

d already told the Inspector, Bill interrupting him her

business, isn't it? Wher

o you

me, and I get put through it by that inspect

smiled

of you so as to know what you'd all been doing all day. And Cayley was nice enough

house?" said Bill eagerly.

to the departure of

blu

e her again next week

r looks. And that grey dress. A

that's he

Bill, I want you more than she does

lattered. He had a great admiration for Ant

ings are going to

nd that sor

ing before that. Hall

g, clean-shaven, ugly faces which can never quite be called plain. "Bad luck on Cayley," said Bill. "

t bother,"

ame to them, and stoo

m for you," said

y they've rather lost their heads in the kitchen, and dinner won't be till half-past

ld walk over to the inn d

h it as soon as it comes

lf, anyhow, to pack up and pay my bill. Besides, it's a

uld lo

the bag there, I'll send t

s very

or to stay. Antony wondered whether he wanted to talk about the afternoon's happenings, or whether it wa

abruptly, "He's getting a

s, "Well, he was bound to do that, wasn't he? It doesn't follow that-well, it doesn'

Mr. Gillingham?" said Cayle

surd," said Bi

l, you see,

loyalty to any

erhaps I might

place on the seat, and sat there heavily, his elbows o

am prejudiced where Mark is concerned. So I want to know how

sugges

his brother, it was purely acc

ed up wit

nd there was a bit of a struggle, and the revolver went off,

act

"There's nothing wrong with that, is there? It's th

ulled at

slowly. "But there's one th

nd Cayley asked the q

e k

y?" sai

d looked at Antony. "What

k lost his head and thought of nothing but getting away before anyone could see him. Well, very likely he

t's what

g you'd do without thinking. Besides, if you are

f the key is there. But

eady an established fact, startled the

ou mean?"

u'll find the keys all ready, so that you can lock yourself in at a moment's notice. But downstairs people don't lock themselves in. It's really never done at all. Bill, for instance, has never locked himself into the dining-room in order to be alone with the sherry. On the other hand, all women, and particularly

at the key was on the outside of the

was just

oms-the billiard-room, and lib

e I've been sitting out here. You liv

dering, with his

ow, but I can't say that I have

ould never worry abo

hen we go in. If the other keys are outside, then this one was proba

a piece of grass, and then said

s there? He's got to open the door to get it, and opening the door means showing his head to anybody in the hall-his cousin, for instance, whom he left the

been afraid of

pe is that he was afraid of you and of everybody else, and that he had no other idea but to get out of the room himself, and prevent you or the servants

thoughtfully. "Unless he took the key in

ase you have to build u

t makes it seem

ave done it like that? Just killed him and then run away? Why, that's practically suicide-suicide whilst of unsound mind. No. If you really wanted to remove an undesirable brother, you would do it a little bit more clever

yourself a bit of a

ing to do it deliberately, that is to sa

his eyes still on the ground, he said now: "I hold to my opinion that

out the key?

ingham that the keys of the down-stairs rooms are always outside the doors. Somet

ving often seen them outside, I just wondered that's all. You asked me to be quite frank, you know,

might have been accidental. He might have taken it in with him, knowing that

hink that if a man were going to have an unpleasant interview with a threatening relation, the last thing he wo

ooked obstinate. Antony gave a lit

g to Cayley, he went on, "You must forgive me if I have let my thoughts run on rather. Of course, I was considering

oo. "It is for you to make allowances for me. I'm sure you wil

the house. "Let me see; it's over in that direction, isn't it?" He pointed

you, my boy

most as far as the village. Then I'll se

s very

use. Antony took hold of Bill's arm and wa