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think that that's so unfair。 So here goes。 Of course； I don't really know
that he's got it； but I do know that he had it。 I know that when I came on
him this afternoon； he had just locked the door and put the key in his
pocket。〃
〃You mean you saw him at the time； but that you've only just
remembered it … reconstructed it in the way you were explaining just
now？〃
〃No。 I didn't see him。 But I did see something。 I saw the key of
the billiard…room。〃
〃Where？
〃Outside the billiard…room door。〃
〃Outside？ But it was inside when we looked just now。〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃Who put it there？〃
〃Obviously Cayley。〃
〃But …〃
〃Let's go back to this afternoon。 I don't remember noticing the
billiard…room key at the time； I must have done so without knowing。
Probably when I saw Cayley banging at the door I may have wondered
subconsciously whether the key of the room next to it would fit。
Something like that； I daresay。 Well； when I was sitting out by myself on
that seat just before you came along； I went over the whole scene in my
mind； and I suddenly saw the billiard…room key there outside。 And I
began to wonder if the office…key had been outside too。 When Cayley
came up； I told you my idea and you were both interested。 But Cayley
was just a shade too interested。 I daresay you didn't notice it； but he was。
〃By Jove！〃
〃Well； of course that proved nothing； and the key business didn't really
prove anything； because whatever side of the door the other keys were；
Mark might have locked his own private room from the inside sometimes。
But I piled it on； and pretended that it was enormously important； and
quite altered the case altogether； and having got Cayley thoroughly
anxious about it； I told him that we should be well out of the way for the
next hour or so； and that he would be alone in the house to do what he
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The Red House Mystery
liked about it。 And； as I expected； he couldn't resist it。 He altered the
keys and gave himself away entirely。〃
〃But the library key was still outside。 Why didn't he alter that？〃
〃Because he's a clever devil。 For one thing； the inspector had been in
the library； and might possibly have noticed it already。 And for another …〃
Antony hesitated。
〃What？〃 said Bill； after waiting for him to go on。
〃It's only guesswork。 But I fancy that Cayley was thoroughly upset
about the key business。 He suddenly realized that he had been careless；
and he hadn't got time to think it all over。 So he didn't want to commit
himself definitely to the statement that the key was either outside or inside。
He wanted to leave it vague。 It was safest that way。〃
〃I see；〃 said Bill slowly。
But his mind was elsewhere。 He was wondering suddenly about
Cayley。 Cayley was just an ordinary man … like himself。 Bill had had
little jokes with him sometimes； not that Cayley was much of a hand at
joking。 Bill had helped him to sausages； played tennis with him；
borrowed his tobacco； lent him a putter。。。。 and here was Antony saying that
he was what？ Well； not an ordinary man； anyway。 A man with a secret。
Perhaps a murderer。 No； not a murderer； not Cayley。 That was rot；
anyway。 Why； they had played tennis together。
〃Now then； Watson；〃 said Antony suddenly。 〃It's time you said
something。〃
〃I say； Tony； do you really mean it？〃
〃Mean what？〃
〃About Cayley。〃
〃I mean what I said； Bill。 No more。
〃Well； what does it amount to？〃
〃Simply that Robert Ablett died in the office this afternoon； and that
Cayley knows exactly how he died。 That's all。 It doesn't follow that
Cayley killed him。〃
〃No。 No； of course it doesn't。〃 Bill gave a sigh of relief。 〃He's just
shielding Mark； what？〃
〃I wonder。〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃Well； isn't that the simplest explanation？〃
〃It's the simplest if you're a friend of Cayley and want to let him down
lightly。 But then I'm not； you see。
〃Why isn't it simple； anyhow？〃
〃Well； let's have the explanation then； and I'll undertake to give you a
simpler one afterwards。 Go on。 Only remember the key is on the
outside of the door to start with。〃
〃Yes； well； I don't mind that。 Mark goes in to see his brother； and
they quarrel and all the rest of it； just as Cayley was saying。 Cayley hears
the shot； and in order to give Mark time to get away； locks the door； puts
the key in his pocket and pretends that Mark has locked the door； and that
he can't get in。 How's that？〃
〃Hopeless； Watson； hopeless。〃
〃Why？〃
〃How does Cayley know that it is Mark who has shot Robert； and not
the other way round？〃
〃Oh！〃 said Bill； rather upset。 〃Yes。〃 He thought for a moment； 〃All
right。 Say that Cayley has gone into the room first； and seen Robert on
the ground。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； there you are。〃
〃And what does he say to Mark？ That it's a fine afternoon； and could
he lend him a pocket…handkerchief？ Or does he ask him what's
happened？〃
〃Well； of course； I suppose he asks what happened；〃 said Bill
reluctantly。
〃And what does Mark say？〃
〃Explains that the revolver went off accidentally during a struggle。〃
〃Whereupon Cayley shields him by doing what； Bill？ Encouraging
him to do the damn silliest thing that any man could possibly do confess
his guilt by running away！〃
〃No； that's rather hopeless； isn't it？〃 Bill thought again。 〃Well；〃 he
said reluctantly； 〃suppose Mark confessed that he'd murdered his brother？〃
〃That's better； Bill。 Don't be afraid of getting away from the accident
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The Red House Mystery
idea。 Well then； your new theory is this。 Mark confesses to Cayley that
he shot Robert on purpose； and Cayley decides； even at the risk of
committing perjury； and getting into trouble himself； to help Mark to
escape。 Is that right？〃
Bill nodded。
〃Well then； I want to ask you two questions。 First； is it possible； as I
said before dinner； that any man would commit such an idiotic murder a
murder that puts the rope so very tightly round his neck？ Secondly； if
Cayley is prepared to perjure himself for Mark （as he has to； anyway；
now）； wouldn't it be simpler for him to say that he was in the office all the
time； and that Robert's death was accidental？〃
Bill considered this carefully； and then nodded slowly again。
〃Yes； my simple explanation is a wash…out；〃 he said。 〃Now let's have
yours。〃
Antony did not answer him。 He had begun to think about something
quite different。
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER IX
Possibilities of a Croquet Set
〃What's the matter？〃 said Bill sharply。'
Antony looked round at him with raised eyebrows。
〃You've thought of something suddenly；〃 said Bill。 〃What is it？〃
Antony laughed。
〃My dear Watson；〃 he said； 〃you aren't supposed to be as clever as
this。〃
〃Oh； you can't take me in！〃
〃No。。。。 Well； I was wondering about this ghost of yours； Bill。 It
seems to me …〃
〃Oh； that！〃 Bill was profoundly disappointed。 〃What on earth has the
ghost got to do with it？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Antony apologetically。 〃I don't know what
anything has got to do with it。 I was just wondering。 You shouldn't
have brought me here if you hadn't wanted me to think about the ghost。
This is where she appeared； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。〃 Bill was distinctly short about it。
〃How？〃
〃What？〃
〃I said； 'How？'〃
〃How？ How do ghosts appear？ I don't know。 They just appear。〃
〃Over four or five hundred yards of open park？〃
〃Well； but she had to appear here； because this is where the original
one … Lady Anne； you know … was supposed to walk。〃
〃Oh； never mind Lady Anne！ A real ghost can do anything。 But
how did Miss Norris appear suddenly over five hundred yards of bare
park？〃
Bill looked at Antony with open mouth。
〃I … I don't know；〃 he stammered。 〃We never thought of that。〃
〃You would have seen her long before； wouldn't you； if she had come
the way we came？〃
〃Of course we should。〃
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The Red House Mystery
〃And that would have spoilt it rather。 You would have had time to
recognize her walk。〃
Bill was interested now。
〃That's rather funny； you know； Tony。 We none of us thought of
that。〃
〃You're sure she didn't come across the park when none of you were
looking？〃
〃Quite。 Because； you see； Betty and I were expecting her； and we
kept looking round in case we saw her； so that we should all be playing
with our backs to her。〃
〃You and Miss Calladine were playing together？〃
〃I say； however do you know that？〃
〃Brilliant deductive reasoning。 Well； then you suddenly saw her？〃
〃Yes； she walked across that side of the lawn。〃 He indicated the
opposite side； nearer to the house。
〃She couldn't have been hiding in the ditch？ Do you call it the moat；
by the way？〃
〃Mark does。 We don't among ourselves。 No； she couldn't。 Betty
and I were here before the others； and walked round a bit。 We should
have seen her。〃
〃Then she must have been hiding in the shed。 Or do you call it the
summer…house？〃
〃We had to go there for the bowls； of course。 She couldn't have been
there。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃It's dashed