The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-08-07

Antony pulled at his pipe.
IT suppose it is" he said slowly.
But there's one thing that worries
me rather"
Whats that?" Bill and Cayley
asked the question simultaneously.
1.-THE key"
1.-THE key?" said Bill.
Cayley lifted his head and looked at
Antony. What about the key?" he
asked.
well, there may be nothing in tt;
just wondered. Suppose Robert was
killed ,as you say, and suppose Mark
lost his head and thought Of nothing
but getting away before any one
could see him. Well, very likely he'd
lock the door and put the key in
his pocket. He'd do it without think
ing. just to gain a moments time"
Yes. that's what I suggest"
Eyes, that all right If the key is
there. But suppose it isn't thcre?"
The suggestion. made as if it were
already an established fact, startled
them both.
What do you mean?" said Cayley.
well it's just a question Of where
people happen to keep their keys
You go up to your bedroom. and per
haps you like to lock your door in
case anybody comes wandering in
when you've only got one sock and
pair of braces on. Well, that's
natural enough. But downstairs PEG
pie don't lock themselves in. It's
really never done at all. Bill. for
instance, has never locked himself
into the dining room in order to be
alone with the sherry On the other
hand. ali women, and particularly
servants. have a horror Of burglars.
And if a burglar gets in by the win
dow, they like to limit his activities
to that particular room. So they keep
the keys on the outside Of the doors
ard lock the doors when they go TO
bed" He knocked the ashes out Of
his pipe. and added. AT least, my
mother always used to-
you mean" said Bill excitedly
that the key was on the outside Of
the door when Mark went into the
room?"
well. I was just wondering"
''Have you noticed the other rooms
the billiard room. and library, and
so on?" said Cayley.
i've only just thought about It,
while I've been sitting out here. You
live here--haven't you ever noticed
them?"
Cayley sat considering, with his
head on one side.
1T seems rather absurd, you know,
no
He turned TO Bill. Have your"
Good Lord, no. I should never
worry about thing Ike that"
I'm sure you wouldn't" laughed
Antony. We'll, we can have a look
when we go in. II the other keys
are outside, then this one was prob
ably outside, too. and in that case
well, It makes It more interesting"
Cayley said nothing. Bill chewed a
piece Of grass. and then said, does
it make much difference"
1T makes It more hard to under
stand what happened in there. Take
your accidental theory and see where
you get to. No instructive turning of
the key now. is there? He's got to
open tho door to get It. and opening
the door means showing his head to
anybody in the hall--his cousin. for
instance, whom he left there two min
utes ago. Is a man in Marks state
OF mind. frightened to death lest he
should be found with the body. going
to do anything so foolhardy as that?"
He needn't have been afraid Of
me-" said Cayley,
Then why didn't he call for your
He knew you We're about. You could
have advised him; Heaven knows he
wanted advice. But the whole theory
OF Marks escape is that he was afraid
Of you and Of everybody else"
Yes. I expect you're right" said
Bill thoughtfully. Unless he took
the key in with him. and locked the
door at once"
Exactly. But IN that case you
have to build up a new theory en-
tlrely."
you mean that IT makes It seem
more deliberate?"
Eyes; that. certainly. But It also
seems to make Mark out an absolute
idiot. Just suppose for a moment
that. for urgent reasons which nei-
Their Of you know anything about. he
had wished to get rid OF his brother.
Would he have done it like that?
Just killed him and then run away?
Why, that's practically suicide. No.
If you really wanted to remove an
undesirable brother. you would do it
a little bit more cleverly than that.
Cayley had been silent. apparently
thinking over this new idea. With
his eyes still on the ground, he said
now:
81 hold to my opinion that It was
purely accidental, and that Mark lost
his head and ran away"
But what about the key?" asked
Bill.
1--WE don't know yet that the keys
we're outside"
ooh. well of course. II they are in
side, then your original theory is
probably the correct one. Having
often seen them outside, I just Won
dered-that's all"
Even IL the key was outside" went
on Cayley stubbornly, Il still think
it might have been accidental He
might have taken it in with him,
knowing that the interview would be
an unpleasant one, and not wishing
to be interrupted.
But he had just told you to stand
by in case he wanted you; 80 why
should he lock you out? Besides,