The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-08-09


to play bowls, after all
We'll, why did you say you did?'
grumbled Bill.
Antony flashed a smile of appre-
citation at him.
.'Wel1, I wanted to when I said I
did. and now I don't want to-
Then what do you want to do7''
There's a seat on the lawn. Let's
go over there and bring these things
along in case we want to play"
AS they went across the lawn, An
tony dropped the bowls and took out
his pipe.
Got match?" he said loudly.
AS he bent his head over the
match, he whispered. .'ThereU be
somebody listening to us. You take
the Cayley view They walked
over to the seat and sat down.
What heavenly night!'' said An
tony.
Ripping"
"I wonde= where that poor devil
Mark is now"
TITS a rum business"
you agree with Cayley-that it
was an accident?''
Yes. You see, I know Mark"
HIM" Antony produced a pencil
and a piece of paper and began to
write on his knee, but while he
wrote, he talked. He said that he
thought Mark had shot his brother in
a fit of anger, and that Cayley knew,
or anyhow guessed, this, and had
tried TO give his cousin a chance OF
getting away.
Mind you, think he's right. I
think it's what any of US would do.
l shan't give it away, of course, but
somehow there are one or two little
things which make me think that
Mark really did shoot his brother
1 mean other than accidentally"
Murdered him?"
We'll, manslaughtered him, any,
way. / may be wrong. Anyway, it's
not my business"
But why do you think so? Be-
cause Of the keys?"
'Oh. the keys are a wash out. Still,
1t was brilliant idea of mine, wasn't
it?''
He had finished his writing, and
now passed the paper over to Bill. In
the clear moonlight the carefully
printed letters could easily be read:
Go on talking as If I were here.
After minute or two. turn round
as If 1 were sitting on the grass be-
hind you. but go on talking"
II know you don't agree with me-"
Antony went on as Bill read. but
you'll see that I'm right"
Bill looked up and nodded eagerly.
To had
all the other things which had made
up his world lately. This was the
real thing. This was life.
Well" he began deliberately, ''the
whole point is that ] know Mark.
Now, Mark"
But Antony was off the seat and
letting himself gently down into the
ditch. His intention was to crawl
round it until the shed came in sight
The footsteps which he had heard
seemed TO be underneath the shed;
probably there was a trap-door of
some kind in the floor. Whoever it
was would have heard their voices,
and would probably think it worth
while to listen to what they were
saying.
He walked quickly but very silent
ly along the half-length of the
bowling green to the first corner,
passed cautiously round. and then
went even more carefully along the
width of it to the second corner. He
could hear Bill hard at it. and he
smiled appreciatively to himself. Bill
was a great onspirator-worth a
hundred Watsons. As he approached
the second corner he slowed down,
and did the last few yards on hands
and knees. Then, lying at full
length, inch by inch his head went
round the corner.
The shed was two or three yards
to his left, on the opposite side of
the ditch. From where he lay he
could see almost entirely inside it.
Everything seemed to be as they
left it. The bowls-box. the lawn
mower. the roller, the open croquet-
box, the
by Jove" said Antony to him
self. that's neat"
The lid of the other croquet-box
was open, too.
Bill was turning round now; his
voice became more difficult to hear.
You see what / mean." he was say
ing. eff Cayfey-"
And out OF the second croQuet-box
came Cayley's black head.
Continued in Our Next Issuel