ation. I don't
know if it is the right one I don't know, Bill; I'm rather frightened.
Frightened of what may have happened, of what may be going to happen.
However, here is an explanation. See if you can find any fault with it."

With his legs stretched out and his hands deep in his pockets, he lay
back on the garden-seat, looking up to the blue summer sky above him,
and just as if he saw up there the events of yesterday being enacted
over again, he described them slowly to Bill as they happened.

"We'll begin at the moment when Mark shoots Robert. Call it an accident;
probably it was. Mark would say it was, anyhow. He is in a panic,
naturally. But he doesn't lock the door and run away. For one thing, the
key is on the outside of the door; for another, he is not, quite such a
fool as that. But he is in a horrible position. He is known to be on bad
terms with his brother; he has just uttered some foolish threat to him,
which may possibly have been overheard. What is he to do? He does
the natural thing, the thing which Mark would always do in such
circumstances. He consults Cayley, the invaluable, inevitable Cayley.

"Cayley is just outside, Cayley must have heard the shot, Cayley will
tell him what to do. He opens the door just as Cayley is coming to see
what is the matter. He explains rapidly. 'What's to be done, Cay?
what's to be done? It was an accident. I swear it was an accident. He
threatened me. He would have shot me if I hadn't. Think of something,
quick!'

"Cayley has thought of something. 'Leave it to me,' he says. 'You clear
out altogether. I shot him, if you like. I'll do all the explaining. Get
away. Hide. Nobody saw you go in. Into the passage, quick. I'll come to
you there as soon as I can.'

"Good Cayley. Faithful Cayley! Mark's courage comes back. Cayley
will explain all right. Cayley will tell the servants that it was an
accident. He will ring up the police. Nobody will suspect Cayley--Cayley
has no quarrel with Robert. And then Cayley will come into the passage
and tell him that it is all right, and Mark will go out by the other
end, and saunter slowly back to the house. He will be told the news by
one of the servants. Robert accidentally shot? Good Heavens!

"So, greatly reassured, Mark goes into the library. And Cayley goes to
the door of the office.... and locks it. And then he bangs on the door
and shouts, 'Let me in!'"

Antony was silent. Bill looked at him and shook his head.

"Yes, Tony