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about it all。 I don't understand it。〃 He was silent for a little； and then
added； 〃I wonder if the inquest is going to help us。
〃What about last night？ I'm longing to hear what you make of that。
Have you been thinking it out at all？〃
〃Last night；〃 said Antony thoughtfully to himself。 〃Yes； last night
wants some explaining。〃
Bill waited hopefully for him to explain。 What； for instance； had
Antony been looking for in the cupboard？
〃I think；〃 began Antony slowly； 〃that after last night we must give up
the idea that Mark has been killed； killed； I mean； by Cayley。 I don't
believe anybody would go to so much trouble to hide a suit of clothes
when he had a body on his hands。 The body would seem so much more
important。 I think we may take it now that the clothes are all that Cayley
had to hide。〃
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〃But why not have kept them in the passage？〃
〃He was frightened of the passage。 Miss Norris knew about it。〃
〃Well； then； in his own bedroom； or even； in Mark's。 For all you or I
or anybody knew； Mark might have had two brown suits。 He probably
had； I should think。〃
〃Probably。 But I doubt if that would reassure Cayley。 The brown
suit hid a secret； and therefore the brown suit had to be hidden。 We all
know that in theory the safest hiding…place is the most obvious； but in
practice very few people have the nerve to risk it。〃
Bill looked rather disappointed。
〃Then we just come back to where we were；〃 he complained。 〃Mark
killed his brother； and Cayley helped him to escape through the passage；
either in order to compromise him； or because there was no other way out
of it。 And he helped him by telling a lie about his brown suit。〃
Antony smiled at him in genuine amusement。
〃Bad luck； Bill；〃 he said sympathetically。 〃There's only one murder；
after all。 I'm awfully sorry about it。 It was my fault for …〃
〃Shut up； you ass。 You know I didn't mean that。〃
〃Well； you seemed awfully disappointed。〃
Bill said nothing for a little； and then with a sudden laugh confessed。
〃It was so exciting yesterday；〃 he said apologetically； 〃and we seemed
to be just getting there； and discovering the most wonderful things； and
now …〃
〃And now？〃
〃Well； it's so much more ordinary。〃
Antony gave a shout of laughter。
〃Ordinary！〃 he cried。 〃Ordinary！ Well； I'm dashed！ Ordinary！ If
only one thing would happen in an ordinary way； we might do something；
but everything is ridiculous。〃 Bill brightened up again。
〃Ridiculous？ How？〃
〃Every way。 Take those ridiculous clothes we found last night。 You
can explain the brown suit； but why the under clothes。 You can explain
the underclothes in some absurd way； if you like … you can say that Mark
always changed his underclothes whenever he interviewed anybody from
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The Red House Mystery
Australia … but why； in that case； my dear Watson； why didn't he change
his collar？〃
〃His collar？〃 said Bill in amazement。
〃His collar； Watson。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
〃And it's all so ordinary；〃 scoffed Antony。
〃Sorry； Tony； I didn't mean that。 Tell me about the collar。〃
〃Well； that's all。 There was no collar in the bag last night。 Shirt；
socks； tie … everything except a collar。 Why？〃
〃Was that what you were looking for in the cupboard？〃 said Bill
eagerly。
〃Of course。 'Why no collar？' I； said。 For some reason Cayley
considered it necessary to hide all Mark's clothes； not just the suit； but
everything which he was wearing； or supposed to be wearing； at the time
of the murder。 But he hadn't hidden the collar。 Why？ Had he left it out
by mistake？ So I looked in the cupboard。 It wasn't there。 Had he left
it out on purpose？ If so； why？ … and where was it？ Naturally I began to
say to myself； 'Where have I seen a collar lately？ A collar all by itself？'
And I remembered … what； Bill？〃
Bill frowned heavily to himself； and shook his head。
Don't ask me； Tony。 I can't … By Jove！〃 He threw up his head； 〃In
the basket in the office bedroom！〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃But is that the one？〃
〃The one that goes with the rest of the clothes？ I don't know。 Where
else can it be？ But if so； why send the collar quite casually to the wash in
the ordinary way； and take immense trouble to hide everything else？
Why； why； why？〃
Bill bit hard at his pipe； but could think of nothing to say。
〃Anyhow；〃 said Antony； getting up restlessly； 〃I'm certain of one thing。
Mark knew on the Monday that Robert was coming here。〃
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The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER XIX
The Inquest
The Coroner； having made a few commonplace remarks as to the
terrible nature of the tragedy which they had come to investigate that
afternoon； proceeded to outline the case to the jury。 Witnesses would be
called to identify the deceased as Robert Ablett； the brother of the owner
of the Red House； Mark Ablett。 It would be shown that he was something
of a ne'er…do…well； who had spent most of his life in Australia； and that he
had announced； in what might almost be called a threatening letter； his
intention of visiting his brother that afternoon。 There would be evidence
of his arrival； of his being shown into the scene of the tragedy … a room
in the Red House； commonly called 〃the office〃 … and of his brother's
entrance into that room。 The jury would have to form their own opinion
as to what happened there。 But whatever happened； happened almost
instantaneously。 Within two minutes of Mark Abletts entrance； as would
be shown in the evidence； a shot was heard； and when … perhaps five
minutes later … the room was forced open； the dead body of Robert Ablett
was found stretched upon the floor。 As regards Mark Ablett； nobody had
seen him from the moment of his going into the room； but evidence would
be called to show that he had enough money on him at the time to take
him to any other part of the country； and that a man answering to his
description had been observed on the platform of Stanton station；
apparently waiting to catch the 3。55 up train to London。 As the jury
would realize； such evidence of identity was not always reliable。
Missing men had a way of being seen in a dozen different places at once。
In any case； there was no doubt that for the moment Mark Ablett had
disappeared。
〃Seems a sound man；〃 whispered Antony to Bill。 〃Doesn't talk too
much。〃
Antony did not expect to learn much from the evidence … he knew the
facts of the case so well by now … but he wondered if Inspector Birch had
developed any new theories。 If so； they would appear in he Coroner's
examination； for the Coroner would certainly have been coached by the
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The Red House Mystery
police as to the important facts to be extracted from each witness。 Bill
was the first to be put through it。
〃Now； about this letter； Mr。 Beverley？〃 he was asked when his chief
evidence was over。 〃Did you see it at all？〃
〃I didn't see the actual writing。 I saw the back of it。 Mark was
holding it up when he told us about his brother。〃
〃You don't know what was in it； then？〃
Bill had a sudden shock。 He had read the letter only that morning。
He knew quite well what was in it。 But it wouldn't do to admit this。 And
then； just as he was about to perjure himself； he remembered： Antony had
heard Cayley telling the Inspector。
〃I knew afterwards。 I was told。 But Mark didn't read it out at
breakfast。〃
〃You gathered； however； that it was an unwelcome letter？〃
〃Oh； yes！〃
〃Would you say that Mark was frightened by it？〃
〃Not frightened。 Sort of bitter … and resigned。 Sort of 'Oh； Lord；
here we are again！'〃
There was a titter here and there。 The Coroner smiled； and tried to
pretend that he hadn't。
〃Thank you； Mr。 Beverley。〃
The next witness was summoned by the name of Andrew Amos； and
Antony looked up with interest； wondering who he was。
〃He lives at the inner lodge；〃 whispered Bill to him。
All that Amos had to say was that a stranger had passed by his lodge at
a little before three that afternoon； and had spoken to him。 He had seen
the body and recognized it as the man。
〃What did he say？〃
〃'Is this right for the Red House？' or something like that； sir。
〃What did you say？〃
〃I said； 'This is the Red House。 Who do you want to see？' He was a
bit rough…looking； you know； sir； and I didn't know what he was doing
there。〃
〃Well？〃
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〃Well； sir； he said； 'Is Mister Mark Ablett at home？' It doesn't sound
much put like that； sir； but I didn't care about the way he said it。 So I got
in front of him like； and said； 'What do you want； eh？' and he gave a sort
of chuckle and said； 'I want to see my dear brother Mark。' Well； then I
took a closer look at him； and I see that p'raps he might be his brother； so I。
said； 'If you'll follow the drive； sir； you'll come to the house。 Of course I
can't say if Mr。 Ablett's at home。' And he gave a sort of nasty laugh again；
and said； 'Fine place Mister Mark Ablett's got here。 Plenty of money to
spend； eh？' Well； then I had another look at him； sir； because gentlemen
do