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shoot himself in the 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 would have left marks； and they haven't； and
therefore he didn't； and oh； bother the pond； that can wait till this
afternoon。 Bill； where does the secret passage begin？〃
〃Well； that's what we've got to find out； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 You see； my idea is this。〃
He explained his reasons for thinking that the secret of the passage
was concerned in some way with the secret of Robert's death； and went
on：
〃My theory is that Mark discovered the passage about a year ago the
time when he began to get keen on croquet。 The passage came out into
the floor of the shed； and probably it was Cayley's idea to put a croquet…
box over the trap…door； so as to hide it more completely。 You know； when
once you've discovered 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 find out。 Well then； when Miss Norris was
going to dress…up； Cayley gave it away。 Probably he told her that she
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could never get down to the bowling…green without being discovered； and
then perhaps showed that he knew there was one way in which she could
do it； and she wormed the secret out of him somehow。〃
〃But this was two or three days before Robert turned up。
〃Exactly。 I am not suggesting that there was anything sinister about
the passage in the first place。 It was just a little private bit of romance
and adventure for Mark； three days ago。 He didn't even know that Robert
was coming。 But somehow the passage has been used since； in
connexion with Robert。 Perhaps Mark escaped that way； perhaps he's
hiding there now。 And if so； then the only person who could give him
away was Miss Norris。 And she of course would only do it innocently
not knowing that the passage had anything to do with it。〃
〃So it was safer to have her out of the way？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But； look here； Tony； why do you want to bother about this end of it？
We can always get in at the bowling…green end。〃
〃I know； but if we do that we shall have to do it openly。 It will mean
breaking open the box； and letting Cayley know that 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 the police what we have found out； and then they can
explore the passage for themselves。 But I don't want to do that yet。〃
〃Rather not。
〃So we've got to carry on secretly for a bit。 It's the only way。〃 He
smiled and added； 〃And it's much more fun。〃
〃Rather！〃 Bill chuckled to himself。
〃Very well。 Where does the secret passage begin？〃
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER XI
The Reverend Theodore Ussher
〃There's one thing； which we have got to realize at once；〃 said
Antony； 〃and that is that if we don't find it easily； we shan't find it at all。〃
〃You mean that we shan't have time？〃
〃Neither time nor opportunity。 Which is rather a consoling thought to
a lazy person like me。〃
〃But it makes it much harder； if we can't really look properly。〃
〃Harder to find； yes； but so much easier to look。 For instance； the
passage might begin in Cayley's bedroom。 Well； now we know that it
doesn't。〃
〃We don't know anything of the sort；〃 protested Bill。
〃We … know for the purposes of。 our search。 Obviously we can't go
tailing into Cayley's bedroom and tapping his wardrobes； and obviously；
therefore； if we are going to look for it at all； we must assume that it
doesn't begin there。〃
〃Oh； I see。〃 Bill chewed a piece of grass thoughtfully。 〃Anyhow； it
wouldn't begin on an upstairs floor； would it？〃
〃Probably not。 Well； we're getting on。〃
〃You can wash out the kitchen and all that part of the house；〃 said Bill；
after more thought。 〃We can't go there。〃
〃Right。 And the cellars； if there are any。〃
〃Well； that doesn't leave us much。〃
〃No。 Of course it's only a hundred…to…one chance that we find it； but
what we want to consider is which is the most likely place of the few
places in which we can look safely。〃
〃All it amounts to；〃 said Bill； 〃is the living…rooms downstairs dining…
room； library； hail； billiard…room and the office rooms。〃
〃Yes； that's all。〃
〃Well； the office is the most likely； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 Except for one thing。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃Well； it's on the wrong side of the house。 One would expect the
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The Red House Mystery
passage to start from the nearest place to which it is going。 Why make it
longer by going under the house first？〃
〃Yes； that's true。 Well； then； you think the dining…room or the
library？〃
〃Yes。 And the library for choice。 I mean for our choice。 There are
always servants going into dining…rooms。 We shouldn't have much of a
chance of exploring properly in there。 Besides； there's another thing to
remember。 Mark has kept this a secret for a year。 Could he have kept it
a secret in the dining…room？ Could Miss Norris have got into the dining…
room and used the secret door just after dinner without being seen？ It
would have been much too risky。〃
Bill got up eagerly。
〃Come along；〃 he said； 〃let's try the library。 If Cayley comes in； we
can always pretend we're choosing a book。〃
Antony got up slowly； took his arm and walked back to the house with
him。
The library was worth going into； passages or no passages。 Antony
could never resist another person's bookshelves。 As soon as he went into
the room； he found himself wandering round it to see what books the
owner read； or （more likely） did not read； but kept for the air which they
lent to the house。 Mark had prided himself on his library。 It was a
mixed collection of books。 Books which he had inherited both from his
father and from his patron； books which he had bought because he was
interested in them or； if not in them； in the authors to whom he wished to
lend his patronage； books which he had ordered in beautifully bound
editions； partly because they looked well on his shelves； lending a noble
colour to his rooms； partly because no man of culture should ever be
without them； old editions； new editions； expensive books； cheap books a
library in which everybody； whatever his taste； could be sure of finding
something to suit him。
〃And which is your particular fancy； Bill？〃 said Antony； looking from
one shelf to another。 〃Or are you always playing billiards？〃
〃I have a look at 'Badminton' sometimes；〃 said Bill。
〃It's over in that corner there。〃 He waved a hand。
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The Red House Mystery
〃Over here？〃 said Antony； going to it。
〃Yes。〃 He corrected himself suddenly。 … 〃Oh； no； it's not。 It's over
there on the right now。 Mark had a grand re…arrangement of his library
about a year ago。 It took him more than a week； he told us。 He's got such
a frightful lot； hasn't he？〃
〃Now that's very interesting；〃 said Antony； and he sat down and filled
his pipe again。
There was indeed a 〃frightful lot〃 of books。 The four walls of the
library were plastered with them from floor to ceiling； save only where the
door and the two windows insisted on living their own life； even though an
illiterate one。 To Bill it seemed the most hopeless room of any in which
to look for a secret opening。
〃We shall have to take every blessed book down；〃 he said； 〃before we
can be certain that we haven't missed it。〃
〃Anyway；〃 said Antony； 〃if we take them down one at a time； nobody
can suspect us of sinister designs。 After all； what does one go into a
library for； except to take books down？〃
〃But there's such a frightful lot。〃
Antony's pipe was now going satisfactorily； and he got up and walked
leisurely to the end of the wall opposite the door。
〃Well； let's have a look；〃 he said； 〃and see if they are so very frightful。
Hallo； here's your 'Badminton。' You often read that； you say？〃
〃If I read anything。〃
〃Yes。〃 He looked down and up the shelf。 〃Sport and Travel chiefly。 I
like books of travel； don't you？〃
〃They're pretty dull as a rule。〃
〃Well； anyhow； some people like them very much；〃 said Antony；
reproachfully。 He moved on to the next row of shelves。 〃The Drama。
The Restoration dramatists。 You can have most of them。 Still； as you
well remark； many people seem to love them。 Shaw； Wilde； Robertson
I like reading plays； Bill。 There are not many people who do； but those
who do are usually very keen。 Let us pass on。〃
〃I say； we haven't too much time；〃 said Bill restlessly。
〃We haven't。 That's why we aren't wasting any。 Poetry。 Who
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The Red House Mystery
reads poetry nowadays？ Bill； when did you last read 'Paradise Lost'？〃
〃Never。〃
〃I thought not。 And when did Miss Calladine last read 'The
Excursion' aloud to you？〃
〃As a matter of fact； Betty Miss Calladine happens to be jolly keen