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Show BED HOUSE iJlf3f AXJE1FlYifcE BEG I X HKR1C TODAY i It was with considerable dlscust that I MARK AT3LETT bachelor proprietor of The Red House, bad Informed his house-party gmata that bis ne'er-do-well brother. ROBERT, who has been absent for 15 yoara In Australia, was to VlSIt him that afternoon .Mark and his companion, MATT CAY LEV. awaited the arrival of Robert after lunch, the guest- plAylng golf. Robert arrived, nrafl ushered Into Mark's office by the maid, AUDREY STEVENS. ho went to inform in-form hor master. Before she found Mark a .-hot was heard a.nd ANTONY GILLINGHAM, a friend of BILL BEVERLEY, one of Mark's guests, entered thu house to find Cay k-y pound I ii on the locked Uo or and demanding admittance, The two men ontereu the office through a window (tnd discovered a body on the floor- with a .shot In the head. .Mark was not lo be found and the 'lend man, Cayley told Antony, waa the brother who had ju.t arrived arriv-ed . tiO ON Willi THE STORY. Ouests at The Red VIousc were allowed al-lowed to do what they likod within roiison the reasonableness or otherwise other-wise of It belnp decided by Mark. Bui when once they (or Mark) had made-up made-up their minds as to what they wanted want-ed to do. the plan had to be kept. Mrs Oalladine, who know this Utile wcnknes of their host's, resisted there fore the suprfiostlon of Bill that they should ha o a second round ot golf In the afternoon, and drive home comfortably com-fortably after tea. Antony was standing in front 01 the house wailing for them Bill Mnve.l. and he waved back. Then us the ar drew up. Bill, who WM in frOflt With Ho- chauffeur, jumped down and greeted hlna eagerly. Hallo, vou madman, have you come to stay. ... what?" He had a sudden Idea 'bon't say you re Mark Abletfl long-lost brother from A.U8-trulin. A.U8-trulin. though 1 could QUlte i D H , you ' He laughed boyishly 'Hallo BUI.' M.td Antony quietly Will you introduce me? I'm afraid I've B-ot Norn bad news." Bill rather sobered by this introduced intro-duced him. The Major and Mrs U -l-idlne were on the near side of the car. and Antony spoke to them in u low voice. I'm afraid I'm going to give you rather a shock." he said. i'R"1.,'r" ableti Mr Mark Abletfs brother, has-been has-been killed." He Jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "In the house. "Do vou mean that he has just killod himsolf?' asked Mrs. Calladlno ' It was about two hours ago. J liappened to come hero" he half-turned half-turned to Reverlov and explained "I was coming to see you. Bill, and I arrived Just after the the death Mr Cayley and I found the body Mr Cayley being busv Just now there are p., h.e and doctors and so on In the house he asked me to tell you. He savs that no doubt you would prefer the house-party having been broken up in this tragic way. to leave as soon as possible" lie gafc a pleasant apolegetlc little smile. Bill c.ized with open mouth at An- I tony. Mrs. Caladlne was quietly I mistress of herself. inr. .. v, -1 1 K in Ihn WIT. ves. I quite understand.' she said, "but we can't lust shake the dust of the plao-I plao-I off our shoes bocause sometblnt; I -r- rlble has happened there. I must sec ' Mark. lie nni6t l:now how verj d( i p- ly w- feel for him Perhaps we ' sh- hesitated "The Major and I might be useful anyway," said Bill ' Where is Mark"" raid the Major suddenly, looking hard at Antony. Antony looked back unwa eringly and said nothing "I think." suld the Major gently ! leaning over to Mis. Culladlne. "that It would be belter if you took Betty back to London tonight." "Very well,' she agreed o.uietl As Antony re-entered 'be hall the j Inspector from Middleston was jut crossing into the library with Cayley The lutter stopped and nodded to Antony. An-tony. "Walt a moment. Inspector Here n Mi GUlingham." And then to An-t.,nv, An-t.,nv, "This Is Inspector Birch." lurch looked inquiringly from one to the other. "Mr GUlingham nnd T found tne body together." :cp!alned Cayley. "Oh! Well, come along, and letfe get the facts sorted out a bit." They went into the library The , Inspector seated himself at a writing writ-ing table, and Cayley sat In a chair by j the. side of It. Antony mnde himself comfortable In nr armchair and pro-pared pro-pared to be interested. "Wle'll start with the dead man " said the Inspector ' Robert Ablet', didn't you say?" He took out his note-hook note-hook "Yes Brother of Mark Ablett, who lives here " Antony . listened attentively while Cayley explained all that ho knew Hbout Robert. This was news to him "I see. Sent out of the country ir disgrace. What had he done?" "I hardly know " "Mark Ablett never tnlked about hn ?" Hardly ever. He was vory much ashamed of him, and well, very glad h was In Australia " "Now your own private opinion. My. Cayley. Do you think that Mark was unfair to his brother?" "They'd never liked each other as boys T don"t know whoso fault It was In the first place If anybody's." The inspector nodded "This letter that Mark got did you see It?" "Not at the time It was showed to me afterwardp "Any addresB?" "No. A half-sheet of rather dirt) papr." 'Whore Is It now?" "I don't know. In Mark's pocket, I expect." "Ah ' He pulled at his beard ' Can you remember what it said?" "As far as I remember, something, liko this- 'Mark, your loving brother Is corning to see you tomorrow, all the way from Australia. I give you Warning so that you will be able to conceal your su-prlse, but not I! hope, your plpjusure Expert him at three, or thereabouts." " "Ah!" The inoertor copied It down carefully "Did you notice the postmark post-mark ?" "London." "And what wa Mark's attitude?" "Annoyance, disgust " Cavloy hesitated 'Apprehension" N oo, not exactly. Or. rather apprehension of an unpleasant interview, in-terview, not of any unpleasant outcome out-come for himself " 'Yon moan that he wasn't afraid of violence, or blackmail. or anything any-thing of that gorf" "He, didn't apxear to be " "Right Now then he arrived ar-rived you say, about three o'clock"" "Tat, about that." "v'ho was In thf house then'" Mark and myself, and tome ofl the servants. I don't know which fjf foiirnr, you, will ask them directly, direct-ly, no doubt " "With your permission No guests?" "Thev w em ojt ?ll day playlnii trolf." "Where were you when Robert "I'm afraid I've fb1 inr bnd ru v." arrived "?" asked Birch. Cayley explained how be hud been sitting in the hi how Audrey had asked him where the master was, and how he had said that he had last seen him going up to the Temple ' She went away , and I went on with my book. Thero was a atep on the stairs, and I looked up to see Mark Coming down He went Into the office and t went on wdth my book again. I went Into the library for a moment In rr-fov tr. nrr. Ihn. book and when I was in thero I hp'ird a shot. At least, it was a loud hang j wr.sn't sure if was a shot T .stood ami listened Then I .line slowly to the door and looked out. Then I w nt back afjaln, hesl-tatod hesl-tatod a bit juu know, and finally decided de-cided to ko across to the office, and make sure that it was nil right. I turned tho handle of the door and found It wa locked Then r eot frightened, nnd I Lanced at (lie dooi and .shouted, and well, that was wh ii Mr. Gllllnsrham arrived h went on 10 -cptatn how they had found the body The inspector looked at him with a smile "Yes. well, we shall have to go over some of that again. Mr, Cayley Mr Mark, now Did he say anything?" any-thing?" ' "He said, 'Roberts herC' or some-thins some-thins of th sort. i 9ai( -Yes,' and he uave a aort of shrupr. and .-aid. Don't go too far away. 1 might wantj vou'; and then went In " I What did you think he meant by that?" Wei! he ronulte me a good Mall I you know. I'm his sort of unofficial solleltor in a kind of way " e- Hnw long wan It before yoil j heard the shot ? ' , "Two minutes perhaps " j j The Inspector finished his wrltln&.j and then regarded Cavley thougL'.. fuliv Suddenly he said r What i your theory of RoberM'. ;de:lth? J ! Cayley HhruKRed bn shuiildcis ' , "Vou ve prubuJJy -een moie Uhaii I've seen," he nftswered. "I lean, onto speak a9 a layman- and Ma'rk s friend " J "AVell?" ,J , Ihon t should say that RJobflH came here meaning trouble, and! i,ii.,o. o xUhlvAr with him Me V1IIIU , I produced It almost at once, Mark) tried to get it from him. the6e was a little struggle perhaps, nnd fit wcrti 'off Mark lost nls head, findliic htm-1 self with a reolver in his haind and a dead man at his feet His ono Idat was to escape. He looked the door almost Instinctively, arid then, when ho heard me hammerbng at a wont out of the window ' y yes. Well, thai sounds rea-liOhahlfl rea-liOhahlfl enough What do,' you say, Mr fJUIInghamf' ( ' i should hardly call M 'reasonable' 'reason-able' to loe your head,".' said An tony, getting up from hjis chair and corning toward them "Well, you know whatf I mean, it explains things ' "Oh, yos. Any rvthei- explanation would make thorn mucjh more com- plicated " "Have you any lother explanations" explana-tions" ' "Not I." 1 "Well, now abcu: m,. not. ataylnR In th- &0UV. fg Antony explain! a, ! ttlt ementu ! "Yes Did you hm lyj "Ves .hut a i caoi Jl ttu house. 1 own', B pres.Mion at the tlmt, VaTfl It now." "Where were you thdt-"Cuming thdt-"Cuming up the 4rl',v Nobndy left the hoaiwi 'Inor nft"r ih- shoir' "Nobody,' he all, 'Xk 'Th. mk you, You'fM;-.! If I want you J" ' Mr. Gilllnstham li rUrjtl til after the Inqum.'' ni ley (Continued la Our ffa 0"-- -' D.c rnadbrj of th N"1.! railway Is to bo lii ( hl?h"'nv for automotilM n vhlclea. - |