the red house mystery-第38章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
through。 He had questioned everybody connected with the estate； and
none of them had been into the shrubbery recently。 By forcing a way
through the shrubbery it was possible for a person to make a detour of the
house and get to the Stanton end of the park without ever being in sight of
the house itself。
He had made inquiries about the deceased。 Deceased had left for
Australia some fifteen years ago； owing to some financial trouble at home。
Deceased was not well spoken of in the village from which he and his
brother had come。 Deceased and his brother had never been on good
terms； and the fact that Mark Ablett had come into money had been a
cause of great bitterness between them。 It was shortly after this that
Robert had left for Australia。
He had made inquiries at Stanton station。 It had been market…day at
Stanton and the station had been more full of arrivals than usual。
Nobody had particularly noticed the arrival of Robert Ablett； there had
been a good many passengers by the 2。10 train that afternoon； the train by
which Robert had undoubtedly come from London。 A witness； however；
would state that he noticed a man resembling Mark Ablett at the station at
3。53 p。m。 that afternoon； and this man caught the 3。55 up train to town。
There was a pond in the grounds of the Red House。 He had dragged
159
The Red House Mystery
this； but without result。。。。
Antony listened to him carelessly； thinking his own thoughts all the
time。 Medical evidence followed； but there was nothing to be got from
that。 He felt so close to the truth； at any moment something might give
his brain the one little hint which it wanted。 Inspector Birch was just
pursuing the ordinary。 Whatever else this case was； it was not ordinary。
There was something uncanny about it。
John Borden was giving evidence。 He was on the up platform seeing
a friend off by the 3。55 on Tuesday afternoon。 He had noticed a man on
the platform with coat collar turned up and a scarf round his chin。 He
had wondered why the man should do this on such a hot day。 The man
seemed to be trying to escape observation。 Directly the train came in； he
hurried into a carriage。 And so on。
〃There's always a John Borden at every murder case； said Antony to
himself。
〃Have you ever seen Mark Ablett？〃
〃Once or twice； sir。〃
〃Was it he？〃
〃I never really got a good look at him； sir； what with his collar turned
up and the scarf and all。 But directly I heard of the sad affair； and that
Mr。 Ablett was missing； I said to Mrs。 Borden； 'Now I wonder if that was
Mr。 Ablett I saw at the station？' So then we talked it over and decided
that I ought to come and tell Inspector Birch。 It was just Mr。 Ablett's
height； sir。〃
Antony went on with his thoughts。。。。
The Coroner was summing up。 The jury； he said； had now heard all
the evidence and would have to decide what had happened in that room
between the two brothers。 How had the deceased met his death？ The
medical evidence would probably satisfy them that Robert Ablett had died
from the effects of a bullet…wound in the head。 Who had fired that bullet？
If Robert Ablett had fired it himself； no doubt they would bring in a
verdict of suicide； but if this had been so； where was the revolver which
had fired it； and what had become of Mark Ablett？ If they disbelieved in
this possibility of suicide； what remained？ Accidental death； justifiable。
160
The Red House Mystery
homicide； and murder。 Could the deceased have been killed accidentally？
It was possible； but then would Mark Ablett have run away？ The
evidence that he had run away from the scene of the crime was strong。
His cousin had seen him go into the room； the servant Elsie Wood had
heard him quarrelling with his brother in the room； the door had been
locked from the inside； and there were signs that outside the open window
some one had pushed his way very recently through the shrubbery。 Who； if
not Mark？ They would have then to consider whether he would have run
away if he had been guiltless of his brother's death。 No doubt innocent
people lost their heads sometimes。 It was possible that if it were proved
afterwards that Mark Ablett had shot his brother； it might also be proved
that he was justified in so doing； and that when he ran away from his
brother's corpse he had really nothing to fear at the hands of the Law。 In
this connexion he need hardly remind the jury that they were not the final
tribunal； and that if they found Mark Ablett guilty of murder it would not
prejudice his trial in any way if and when he was apprehended。。。。 The
jury could consider their verdict。
They considered it。 They announced that the deceased had died as
the result of a bullet…wound； and that the bullet had been fired by his
brother Mark Ablett。
Bill turned round to Antony at his side。 But Antony was gone。 Across
the room he saw Andrew Amos and Parsons going out of the door together；
and Antony was between them。
161
The Red House Mystery
CHAPTER XX
Mr。 Beverley is Tactful
The inquest had been held at the 〃Lamb〃 at Stanton； at Stanton
Robert Ablett was to be buried next day。 Bill waited about outside for his
friend； wondering where he had gone。 Then； realizing that Cayley would
be coming out to his car directly； and that a farewell talk with Cayley
would be a little embarrassing； he wandered round to the yard at the back
of the inn； lit a cigarette； and stood surveying a torn and weather…beaten
poster on the stable wall。 〃GRAND THEATRICAL ENTER〃 it announced；
to take place on 〃Wednesday； Decem。〃 Bill smiled to himself as he
looked at it； for the part of Joe； a loquacious postman； had been played by
〃William B。 Beverl；〃 as the remnants of the poster still maintained； and he
had been much less loquacious than the author had intended； having
forgotten his words completely； but it had all been great fun。 And then he
stopped smiling； for there would be no more fun now at the Red House。
〃Sorry to keep you waiting；〃 said the voice of Antony behind him。
〃My old friends Amos and Parsons insisted on giving me a drink。〃
He slipped his hand into the crook of Bill's arm； and smiled happily at
him。
〃Why were you so keen about them？〃 asked Bill a little resentfully。 〃I
couldn't think where on earth you had got to。〃
Antony didn't say anything。 He was staring at the poster。
〃When did this happen？〃 he asked。
〃What？〃
Antony waved to the poster。
〃Oh； that？ Last Christmas。 It was rather fun。〃
Antony began to laugh to himself。
〃Were you good？〃
〃Rotten。 I don't profess to be an actor。〃
〃Mark good？〃
〃Oh； rather。 He loves it。〃
〃Rev。 Henry Stutters … Mr。 Matthew Cay；〃 read Antony。
〃Was that our friend Cayley？〃
162
The Red House Mystery
〃Yes。〃
〃Any good？〃
〃Well； much better than I expected。 He wasn't keen； but Mark made
him。〃
〃Miss Norris wasn't playing； I see。〃
〃My dear Tony； she's a professional。 Of course she wasn't。〃
Antony laughed again。
〃A great success； was it？〃
〃Oh。 rather！〃
〃I'm a fool； and a damned fool；〃 Antony announced solemnly。 〃And
a damned fool；〃 he said again under his breath； as he led Bill away from
the poster； and out of the yard into the road。 〃And a damned fool。 Even
now …〃 He broke off and then asked suddenly； 〃Did Mark ever have
much trouble with his teeth？〃
〃He went to his dentist a good deal。 But what on earth …〃
Antony laughed a third time。
〃What luck！〃 he chuckled。 〃But how do you know？〃
〃We go to the same man； Mark recommended him to me。 Cartwright；
in Wimpole Street。〃
〃Cartwright in Wimpole Street；〃 repeated Antony thoughtfully。 〃Yes；
I can remember that。 Cartwright in Wimpole Street。 Did Cayley go to
him too； by any chance？〃
〃I expect so。 Oh； yes； I know he did。 But what on earth …〃
〃What was Mark's general health like？ Did he see a doctor much？〃
〃Hardly at all； I should think。 He did a lot of early morning exercises
which were supposed to make him bright and cheerful at breakfast。 They
didn't do that； but they seemed to keep him pretty fit。 Ton
