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Page 46
Bill continued his breakfast with a slightly bewildered air. He
did not know that Cayley was smoking a cigarette outside the
windows behind him; not listening, perhaps; possibly not even
overhearing; but within sight of Antony, who was not going to
take any risks. So he went on with his breakfast, reflecting
that Antony was a rum fellow, and wondering if he had dreamed
only of the amazing things which had happened the day before.
Antony went up to his bedroom to fetch his pipe. It was occupied
by a housemaid, and he made a polite apology for disturbing her.
Then he remembered.
"Is it Elsie?" he asked, giving her a friendly smile.
"Yes, sir," she said, shy but proud. She had no doubts as to why
it was that she had achieved such notoriety.
"It was you who heard Mr. Mark yesterday, wasn't it? I hope the
inspector was nice to you?"
"Yes, thank you, sir."
"'It's my turn now. You wait,'" murmured Antony to himself.
"Yes, sir. Nasty-like. Meaning to say his chance had come."
"I wonder."
"Well, that's what I heard, sir. Truly."
Antony looked at her thoughtfully and nodded.
"Yes. I wonder. I wonder why."
"Why what, sir?"
"Oh, lots of things, Elsie .... It was quite an accident your
being outside just then?"
Elsie blushed. She had not forgotten what Mrs. Stevens had said
about it.
"Quite, sir. In the general way I use the other stairs."
"Of course."
He had found his pipe and was about to go downstairs again when
she stopped him.
"I beg your pardon, sir, but will there be an inquest?"
"Oh, yes. To-morrow, I think."
"Shall I have to give my evidence, sir?"
"Of course. There's nothing to be frightened of."
"I did hear it, sir. Truly."
"Why, of course you did. Who says you didn't?"
"Some of the others, sir, Mrs. Stevens and all."
"Oh, that's just because they're jealous," said Antony with a
smile.
He was glad to have spoken to her, because he had recognized at
once the immense importance of her evidence. To the Inspector no
doubt it had seemed only of importance in that it had shown Mark
to have adopted something of a threatening attitude towards his
brother. To Antony it had much more significance. It was the
only trustworthy evidence that Mark had been in the office at all
that afternoon.
For who saw Mark go into the office? Only Cayley. And if Cayley
had been hiding the truth about the keys, why should he not be
hiding the truth about Mark's entry into the office? Obviously
all Cayley's evidence went for nothing. Some of it no doubt was
true; but he was giving it, both truth and falsehood, with a
purpose. What the purpose was Antony did not know as yet; to
shield Mark, to shield himself, even to betray Mark it might be
any of these. But since his evidence was given for his own ends,
it was impossible that it could be treated as the evidence of an
impartial and trustworthy onlooker. Such, for instance, as Elsie
appeared to be.
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