The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-09-08
CONTINUED From Our Last Issue)

FROM the beginning Antony had seen
this answer coming and had drawn back
from it. For. If Mark had been killed, II
seemed such a cold.blooded killing. Was
Cayley equal TO It?
Bill would have said NO because
Bill wouldn't have killed anybody in
cold blood himself and because he took
1t for granted that other people be
haved pretty much as he did. But An
tony had no such illusions. Murders
were done; murder had actually been
lone here. for there was Roberts dead
Jody. Why not another murder?
Had Mark been in the office at all
that afternoon? The only evidence 10Th
er than Cayley's. which obviously did
not count) was Elsle's. Elsie was quite
certain that she had heard his voice
But then Bill had said that 1t was very
characteristic voice-an easy voice,
therefore, to initiate. If Bill could imi
tate 1t so successfully, why not Cay.
ley?
But perhaps 1t had not been such
cold-blooded killing, after all. Sup.
pose Cayley had mad quarrel with
his cousin that afternoon over the girl
whom they were both wooing Suppose
Cayley had killed Mark. either purpose
ly, in sudden passion. or accidentally
meaning only to knock him down. Sup
pose that this had happeued in the pass
age say about two o'clock. Suppose
Cayley there, with the body at his feet
feeling already the rope round his neck
his mind darting this way and that in
frantic search for a way Of escape; and
suppose that suddenly and irrelevantly
he remembers that Robert Is coming
to the house at three O'Clock that after
noon-automatlcally he looks at his
watch--in half an hours time.
Antony pictured TO himself Cayley in
the passage, standing over the dead
BODY OF his cousin and working It out
How could Robert be made TO seem the
murderer, II Robert were alive to deny
it' But suppose Robert were dead, too?
He looks at his watch again. (Only
twenty-five minutes nowJ Suppose
Robert were dead too? Robert dead in
the office, and Mark dead in the pass
age-how does that help? Madnessl But
II the bodies were brought together
somehow. And Roberts death looked
like suicide? Was 1t possible?
Madness again. Too difficult. (Only
twenty minutes now) Too difficult
TO arranga in twenty minutes. Can,
arrange a suicide. Too difficult.
ONLY ninettep rniputaa
And then the sudden inspiration. Rob.
ert dead In the office, Marks BODY hid.
den in the passage-impossible TO make
Robert seem the murder but how eas>
to make Mark! Robert dead and Mark
missing; why. II jumped to the eye at
once. Mari; had killed Robert accident.
ally; yes. that would be more likely
and then had run away Sudden panic.
(He looks at his watch again. Fifteen
minutes. but plenty Of time now. The
thing arranged itself.)
Was that the solution, Antony won.
dered. II seemed to lit In with the facts
as they knew them but then. so did thai,
other theory which he had suggo sted Ia
Bill In the morning.
which one?" said BIZ.
They were sitting In the copse above
the pond. from which the Inspector
and his fishermen had now withdrawn.
Bill had listened with open mouth 10
Antony's theory. and save for an oc.
casional BY Jove." had listened I'm si.
lcnce. Smart man, Cayley." had been
his only comment at the end.
Which other theory"
That Mark had killed Robert nc.
oidentally and had gone to Cayley for
help. and that Cayley. having hidden
him In the passage. locked the office
door from the outside and hammered
on It,"
Yes. but you were so dashed mys.
terious about that. asked YOU what
the point OF II was. and you wouldn't
say anything" lie thought for little
and then went on. II suppose YOU
meant that Cayloy deliberately betray
I'd Mark. and tried to make him lool,
like a murderer"
Il wanted to warn YOU that we
should probably find Mark in the pass.
hkcs awe OF dead
And now YOU don't think sos"
Now l think that his dead body Il
there"
Meaning that Caylcy went down and
killed him attcrward-aftcr you had
come. after the police had Gomez"
We'll. that's what shrink from.
Blll. It's 50 horribly cold.bloodcd. Cay.
ley may bo capable Of IL. but hate to
think OF t."
but. dash Il all. your other way is
cold.hloodcd enough According to YOU
he goes up TO the office and deliberately
shoots man with whom he has no
quarrel. whom he hasn't seen Tor fifteen
years."
Yes. but to save his own neck. Tha,
makes a difference. And | think that
Marks dead body IL In the passage now
ard has been there since. say. halfpas,
two yesterday afternoon. And tonight
Cayley Is going to hide It In the pond"
liill pulled at the moss on thu ground
beside him. threw away handful or two
nd said slowly. you may be right.
hut It's all guess.work. you know
An,onl hughcU.
"'irot Lord. o. course lt is. he said.
And tonight We shall know II It's a
Ecoj nu,ss or a lad on,
l,ili frightened ~ fttdenly.
Tonight" he said u say. toniehts