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〃We had to go there for the bowls; of course。 She couldn't have been 
there。〃 

〃Oh!〃 

〃It's dashed funny;〃 said Bill; after an interval for thought。 〃But it 
doesn't matter; does it? It has nothing to do with Robert。〃 

〃Hasn't it?〃 

〃I say; has it?〃 said Bill; getting excited again。 

〃I don't know。 We don't know what has; or what hasn't。 But it has 
got something to do with Miss Norris。 And Miss Norris …〃 He broke off 
suddenly。 

〃What about her?〃 

〃Well; you're all in it in a kind of way。 And if something 

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The Red House Mystery 

unaccountable happens to one of you a day or two before something 
unaccountable happens to the whole house; one is well; interested。〃 It was 
a good enough reason; but it wasn't the reason he had been on the point of 
giving。 

〃I see。 Well?〃 

Antony knocked out his pipe and got up slowly。 

〃Well then; let's find the way from the house by which Miss Norris 
came。 

Bill jumped up eagerly。 

〃By Jove! Do you mean there's a secret passage?〃 

〃A secluded passage; anyway。 There must be。〃 

〃I say; what fun! I love secret passages。 Good Lord; and this 
afternoon I was playing golf just like an ordinary merchant! What a life! 
Secret passages!〃 

They made their way down into the ditch。 If an opening was to be 
found which led to the house; it would probably be on the house side of 
the green; and on the outside of the ditch。 The most obvious place at 
which to begin the search was the shed where the bowls were kept。 It 
was a tidy place as anything in Mark's establishment would be。 There 
were two boxes of croquet things; one of them with the lid open; as if the 
balls and mallets and; hoops (neatly enough put away; though) had been 
recently used; a box of bowls; a small lawn…mower; a roller and so forth。 
A seat ran along the back of it; whereon the bowls…players could sit when 
it rained。 

Antony tapped the wall at the back。 

〃This is where the passage ought to begin。 It doesn't sound very 
hollow; does it?〃 

〃It needn't begin here at all; need it?〃 said Bill; walking round with 
bent head; and tapping the other walls。 He was just too tall to stand 
upright in the shed。 

〃There's only one reason why it should; and that is that it would save 
us the trouble of looking anywhere else for it。 Surely Mark didn't let you 
play croquet on his bowling…green?〃 He pointed to the croquet things。 

〃He didn't encourage it at one time; but this year he got rather keen 

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The Red House Mystery 

about it。 There's really nowhere else to play。 Personally I hate the game。 
He wasn't very keen on bowls; you know; but he liked calling it the 
bowling…green; and surprising his visitors with it。〃 

Antony laughed。 

〃I love you on Mark;〃 he said。 〃You're priceless。〃 

He began to feel in his pockets for his pipe and tobacco; and then 
suddenly stopped and stiffened to attention。 For a moment he stood 
listening; with his head on one side; holding up a finger to bid Bill listen 
too。 

〃What is it?〃 whispered Bill。 

Antony waved him to silence; and remained listening。 Very quietly 
he went down on his knees; and listened again。 Then he put his ear to the 
floor。 He got up and dusted himself quickly; walked across to Bill and 
whispered in his ear: 

〃Footsteps。 Somebody coming。 When I begin to talk; back me up。〃 

Bill nodded。 Antony gave him an encouraging pat on the back; and 
stepped firmly across to the box of bowls; whistling loudly to himself。 
He took the bowls out; dropped one with a loud bang on the floor; said; 
〃Oh; Lord!〃 and went on: 

〃I say; Bill; I don't think I want to play bowls; after all。〃 

〃Well; why did you say you did?〃 grumbled Bill。 

Antony flashed a smile of appreciation at him。 

〃Well; I wanted to when I said I did; and now I don't want to。〃 

〃Then what do you want to do?〃 

〃Talk。〃 

〃Oh; right…o!〃 said Bill eagerly。 

〃There's a seat on the lawn I saw it。 Let's bring these things along in 
case we want to play; after all。〃 

〃Right…o!〃 said Bill again。 He felt safe with that; not wishing to 
commit himself until he knew what he was wanted to say。 

As they went across the lawn; Antony dropped the bowls and took out 
his pipe。 

〃Got a match?〃 he said loudly。 

As he bent his head over the match; he whispered; 〃There'll be 

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The Red House Mystery 

somebody listening to us。 You take the Cayley view;〃 and then went on 
in his ordinary voice; 〃I don't think much of your matches; Bill;〃 and 
struck another。 They walked over to the seat and sat down。 

〃What a heavenly night!〃 said Antony。 

〃Ripping。〃 

〃I wonder where that poor devil Mark is now。〃 

〃It's a rum business。〃 

〃You agree with Cayley that it was an accident?〃 

〃Yes。 You see; I know Mark。〃 

〃H'm。〃 Antony produced a pencil and a piece of paper and began to 
write on his knee; but while he wrote; he talked。 He said that he thought 
Mark had shot his brother in a fit of anger; and that Cayley knew; or 
anyhow guessed; this and had tried to give his cousin a chance of getting 
away。 

〃Mind you; I think he's right。 I think it's what any of us would do。 I 
shan't give it away; of course; but somehow there are one or two little 
things which make me think that Mark really did shoot his brother I mean 
other than accidentally。〃 

〃Murdered him?〃 

〃Well; manslaughtered him; anyway。 I may be wrong。 Anyway; it's 
not my business。〃 

〃But why do you think so? Because of the keys?〃 

〃Oh; the keys are a wash…out。 Still; it was a brilliant idea of mine; 
Wasn't it? And it would have been rather a score for me if they had all 
been outside。〃 

He had finished his writing; and now passed the paper over to Bill。 In 
the clear moonlight the carefully printed letters could easily be read: 

〃GO ON TALKING AS IF I WERE HERE。 AFTER A MINUTE OR 
TWO; TURN ROUND AS IF I WERE SITTING ON THE GRASS 
BEHIND YOU; BUT GO ON TALKING。〃 

〃I know you don't agree with me;〃 Antony went on as Bill read; 〃but 
you'll see that I'm right。〃 

Bill looked up and nodded eagerly。 He had forgotten golf and Betty 
and all the other things which had made up his world lately。 This was the 

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The Red House Mystery 

real thing。 This was life。 〃Well;〃 he began deliberately; 〃the whole 
point is that I know Mark。 Now; Mark …〃 

But Antony was off the seat and letting himself gently down into the 
ditch。 His intention was to crawl round it until the shed came in sight。 
The footsteps which he had heard seemed to be underneath the shed; 
probably there was a trap…door of some kind in the floor。 Whoever it was 
would have heard their voices; and would probably think it worth while to 
listen to what they were saying。 He might do this merely by opening the 
door a little without showing himself; in which case Antony would have 
found the entrance to the passage without any trouble to himself。 But 
when Bill turned his head and talked over the back of the seat; it was 
probable that the listener would find it necessary to put his head outside in 
order to hear; and then Antony would be able to discover who it was。 
Moreover; if he should venture out of his hiding…place altogether and peep 
at them over the top of the bank; the fact that Bill was talking over the 
back of the seat would mislead the watcher into thinking that Antony was 
still there; sitting on the grass; no doubt; behind the seat; swinging his legs 
over the side of the ditch。 

He walked quickly but very silently along the half…length of the 
bowling…green to the first corner; passed cautiously round; and then went 
even more carefully along the width of it to the second corner。 He could 
hear Bill hard at it; arguing from his knowledge of Mark's character that 
this; that and the other must have happened; and he smiled appreciatively 
to himself。 Bill was a great conspirator worth a hundred Watsons。 As 
he approached the second corner he slowed down; and did the last few 
yards on hands and knees。 Then; lying at full length; inch by inch his head 
went round the corner。 

The shed was two or three yards to his left; on the opposite side of the 
ditch。 From where he lay he could see almost entirely inside it。 
Everything seemed to be as they left it。 The bowls…box; the lawn…mower; 
the roller; the open croquet…box; the 

〃By Jove!〃 said Antony to himself; 〃that's neat。〃 

The lid of the other croquet…box was open; too。 Bill was turning 
round now; his voice became more difficult to hear。 〃You see what I 

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The Red House Mystery 

mean;〃 he was saying。 〃If Cayley …〃 

And out of the second croquet…box came Cayley's black head。 

Antony wanted to shout his applause。 It was neat; devilish neat。 For 
a moment he gazed; fascinated; at that wonderful new kind of croquet…ball 
which had appeared so dramatically out of the box; and then reluctantly 
wriggled himself back。 There was nothing to be gained by staying there; 
and a good deal to be lost; for Bill showed signs of running down。 As 
quickly as he could Antony hurried round the ditch and took up his place 
at the back of the seat。 Then he stood up with a yawn; stretched himself 

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