Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-05

brother, it was purely accidental-as
L told the inspector"
Bill looked up with interest.
you mean that Robert did the
hold-up business" he said, land
there was a bit of a struggle, and
the revolver went off, and then Mark
lost his head and bolted? That sort
of idea?"
Exactly"
"Well, that seems all. right" He
turned to Antony. There's nothing
wrong with that, is there? It's the
most natural explanation to anyone
who knows Mark"
Antony pulled at his pipe.
II suppose it is" he said slowly.
But there's one thing that worries
me rather"
Whats that?" Bill and Cayley
asked the question simultaneously,
THE key"
1.-THE key?" said Bill.
Cayley lifted his head and looked
at Antony. What about the key?"
he asked.
We'll, there may be nothing in it.
l just wondered. Suppose Robert
was killed as you say, and suppose
Mark lost his head and thought of
hoiiiiiiS pob Willis bCioAS ~
one could see him. Well, very likely
he'd lock the door and put the key
in his pocket. He'd do it without
thinking, just to gain a moments
time"
Yes, that's what l suggest"
Eyes. that's all right if the key is
there. But suppose it isn't there?"
The suggestion made as If it were
already an established fact. startled
them both.
What do you mean?" said Cayiey.
We'll, it's just a question of where
people happen to keep their keys.
You go up to your bedroom and per-
haps o like to lock your door in
case anybody wandering in
when you've only got n sock and
a pair of braces on. Well. that's
natural enough. But downstairs.
people 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, all 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 and lock the doors when they
go to bed" He knocked the ashes
out of his pipe, and added, AT least,
mother always used to-"
you mean,' said Bill excitedly
that the key was on the outside of
the door when Mark went into the
well, I "a just wondering"
Have you noticed the other rooms
the billiard room, and library, and
on?' said Cayley.
i've only just thought about it
I've been sitting out here. You
live here-haven't you ever noticed
Cayley sat considering, with his
on n side.
1T seems rather absurd. you
know, but l can't say that 1 have"
He turned to Bill. Have you?"
Good Lord, no. I should never
worry about a thing like that"
I'm sure you wouldn't" laughed
Antony. well we car have a look
when we go in. If 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
accidental theory and see where
you get to. No instructive turning
of the key now, is there? He's got
you NEAR that it makes it seem
more deliberate?
Yes; that, certainly. But it also
seems to make Mark out an absolute
idiot. Just suppose for a moment
that. for. urgent reasons which
neither of you know anything about.
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 sui
eide. 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
Il hold to my opinion that 1t was