dangerous　work　for　your　friend。　Because　of　his　belief　in　me　as　his
  admiring　and　grateful　protege　and　his　belief　in　himself　as　my　benefactor；
  he　was　now　utterly　in　my　power。　I　could　take　my　time　and　choose　my
  opportunity。　Perhaps　I　should　not　have　killed　him；　but　I　had　sworn　to
  have　my　revenge　…　and　there　he　was；　poor　vain　fool；　at　my　mercy。　I　was
  in　no　hurry。
  〃Two　years　later　I　had　to　reconsider　my　position；　for　my　revenge　was
  being　taken　out　of　my　hands。　Mark　began　to　drink。　Could　I　have
  stopped　him？　I　don't　think　so；　but　to　my　immense　surprise　I　found
  myself　trying　to。　Instinct；　perhaps；　getting　the　better　of　reason；　or　did　I
  reason　it　out　and　tell　myself　that；　if　he　drank　himself　to　death；　I　should
  lose　my　revenge？　Upon　my　word；　I　cannot　tell　you；　but；　for　whatever
  motive；　I　did　genuinely　want　to　stop　it。　Drinking　is　such　a　beastly　thing；
  anyhow。
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  The　Red　House　Mystery
  〃I　could　not　stop　him；　but　I　kept　him　within　certain　bounds；　so　that
  nobody　but　myself　knew　his　secret。　Yes；　I　kept　him　outwardly　decent；
  and　perhaps　now　I　was　becoming　like　the　cannibal　who　keeps　his　victim　in
  good　condition　for　his　own　ends。　I　used　to　gloat　over　Mark；　thinking
  how　utterly　he　was　mine　to　ruin　as　I　pleased；　financially；　morally；
  whatever　way　would　give　me　most　satisfaction。　I　had　but　to　take　my
  hand　away　from　him　and　he　sank。　But　again　I　was　in　no　hurry。
  〃Then　he　killed　himself。　That　futile　little　drunkard；　eaten　up　with　his
  own　selfishness　and　vanity；　offered　his　beastliness　to　the　truest　and　purest
  woman　on　this　earth。　You　have　seen　her；　Mr。　Gillingham；　but　you　never
  knew　Mark　Ablett。　Even　if　he　had　not　been　a　drunkard；　there　was　no
  chance　for　her　of　happiness　with　him。　I　had　known　him　for　many　years；
  but　never　once　had　I　seen　him　moved　by　any　generous　emotion。　To　have
  lived　with　that　shrivelled　little　soul　would　have　been　hell　for　her；　and　a
  thousand　times　worse　hell　when　he　began　to　drink。
  〃So　he　had　to　be　killed。　I　was　the　only　one　left　to　protect　her；　for　her
  mother　was　in　league　with　Mark　to　bring　about　her　ruin。　I　would　have
  shot　him　openly　for　her　sake；　and　with　what　gladness；　but　I　had　no　mind　to
  sacrifice　myself　needlessly。　He　was　in　my　power；　I　could　persuade　him
  to　almost　anything　by　flattery；　surely　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　give　his
  death　the　appearance　of　an　accident。
  〃I　need　not　take　up　your　time　by　telling　you　of　the　many　plans　I　made
  and　rejected。　For　some　days　I　inclined　towards　an　unfortunate　boating
  accident　in　the　pond　…　Mark；　a　very　indifferent　swimmer；　myself　almost
  exhausted　in　a　gallant　attempt　to　hold　him　up。　And　then　he　himself　gave
  me　the　idea；　he　and　Miss　Norris　between　them；　and　so　put　himself　in　my
  hands；　without　risk　of　discovery；　I　should　have　said；　had　you　not
  discovered　me。
  〃We　were　talking　about　ghosts。　Mark　had　been　even　more　vain；
  pompous　and　absurd　than　usual；　and　I　could　see　that　Miss　Norris　was
  irritated　by　it。　After　dinner　she　suggested　dressing　up　as　a　ghost　and
  frightening　him。　I　thought　it　my　duty　to　warn　her　that　Mark　took　any
  joke　against　himself　badly；　but　she　was　determined　to　do　it。　I　gave　way
  reluctantly。　Reluctantly；　also；　I　told　her　the　secret　of　the　passage。
  170
  The　Red　House　Mystery
  （There　is　an　underground　passage　from　the　library　to　the　bowling…green。
  You　should　exercise　your　ingenuity；　Mr。　Gillingham；　in　trying　to　discover
  it。　Mark　came　upon　it　by　accident　a　year　ago。　It　was　a　godsend　to　him；
  he　could　drink　there　in　greater　secrecy。　But　he　had　to　tell　me　about　it。
  He　wanted　an　audience；　even　for　his　vices。）
  〃I　told　Miss　Norris；　then；　because　it　was　necessary　for　my　plan　that
  Mark　should　be　thoroughly　frightened。　Without　the　passage　she　could
  never　have　got　close　enough　to　the　bowling…green　to　alarm　him　properly；
  but　as　I　arranged　it　with　her　she　made　the　most　effective　appearance；　and
  Mark　was　in　just　the　state　of　rage　and　vindictiveness　which　I　required。
  Miss　Norris；　you　understand；　is　a　professional　actress。　I　need　not　say　that
  to　her　I　appeared　to　be　animated　by　no　other　feeling　than　a　boyish　desire　to
  bring　off　a　good　joke　…　a　joke　directed　as　much　against　the　others　as
  against　Mark。
  〃He　came　to　me　that　night；　as　I　expected；　still　quivering　with
  indignation。　Miss　Norris　must　never　be　asked　to　the　house　again；　I　was
  to　make　a　special　note　of　it；　never　again。　It　was　outrageous。　Had　he　not　a
  reputation　as　a　host　to　keep　up；　he　would　pack　her　off　next　morning。　As
  it　was；　she　could　stay；　hospitality　demanded　it；　but　never　again　would　she
  come　to　the　Red　House　…　he　was　absolutely　determined　about　that。　I　was
  to　make　a　special　note　of　it。
  〃I　comforted　him；　I　smoothed　down　his　ruffled　feathers。　She　had
  behaved　very　badly；　but　he　was　quite　right；　he　must　try　not　to　show　how
  much　he　disapproved　of　her。　And　of　course　she　would　never　come　again
  …that　was　obvious。　And　then　suddenly　I　began　to　laugh。　He　looked　up
  at　me　indignantly。
  〃'Is　there　a　joke？〃　he　said　coldly。
  〃I　laughed　gently　again。
  〃'I　was　just　thinking；'　I　said；　'that　it　would　be　rather　amusing　if　you
  well；　had　your　revenge。
  〃'My　revenge？　How　do　you　mean？'
  〃'Well；　paid　her　back　in　her　own　coin。'
  〃'Do　you　mean　try　and　frighten　her？'
  〃'No；　no；　but　dressed　up　and　pulled　her　leg　a　bit。　Made　her　look　a
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  The　Red　House　Mystery
  fool　in　front　of　the　others。'　I　laughed　to　myself　again。　'Serve　her　jolly
  well　right。'
  〃He　jumped　up　excitedly。
  〃'By　Jove；　Cay！'　he　cried。　'If　I　could！　How？　You　must　think　of　a
  way。
  〃I　don't　know　if　Beverley　has　told　you　about　Mark's　acting。　He　was
  an　amateur　of　all　the　arts；　and　vain　of　his　little　talents；　but　as　an　actor　he
  seemed　to　himself　most　wonderful。　Certainly　he　had　some　ability　for　the
  stage；　so　long　as　he　had　the　stage　to　himself　and　was　playing　to　an
  admiring　audience。　As　a　professional　actor　in　a　small　part　he　would　have
  been　hopeless；　as　an　amateur　playing　the　leading　part；　he　deserved　all　that
  the　local　papers　had　ever　said　about　him。　And　so　the　idea　of　giving　us　a
  private　performance；　directed　against　a　professional　actress　who　had　made
  fun　of　him；　appealed　equally　to　his　vanity　and　his　desire　for　retaliation。
  If　he；　Mark　Albett；　by　his　wonderful　acting　could　make　Ruth　Norris　look　a
  fool　in　front　of　the　others；　could　take　her　in；　and　then　join　in　the　laugh　at
  her　afterwards；　he　would　indeed　have　had　a　worthy　revenge！
  〃It　strikes　you　as　childish；　Mr。　Gillingham？　Ah；　you　never　knew
  Mark　Ablett。
  〃'How；　Cay；　how？'　he　said　eagerly。
  〃'Well；　I　haven't　really　thought　it　out；'　I　protested。　'It　was　just　an
  idea。'
  〃He　began　to　think　it　out　for　himself。
  〃'I　might　pretend　to　be　a　manager；　come　down　to　see　her　…　but　I
  suppose　she　knows　them　all。　What　about　an　interviewer？'
  〃'It's　going　to　be　difficult；'　I　said　thoughtfully。　'You've　got　rather　a
  characteristic　face；　you　know。　And　your　beard　…'
  〃'I'd　shave　it　off；'　he　snapped。
  〃'My　dear　Mark！'
  〃He　looked　away；　and　mumbled；　'I've　been　thinking　of　taking　it　off；
  anyhow。　And　besides；　if　I'm　going　to　do　the　thing；　I'm　going　to　do　it
  properly。'
  〃'Yes；　you　always　were　an　artist；'　I　said；　looking　at　him　admiringly。
  〃He　purred。　To　be　called　an　artist　was　what　he　longed　for　most。　Now
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  The　Red　House　Mystery
  I　knew　that　I　had　him。
  〃'All　the　same；'　I　went　on；　'even　without　your　beard　and　moustache
  you　might　be　recognizable。　Unless；　of　course　…'　I　broke　off。
  〃'Unless　what？'
  〃'You　pretend　to　be　Robert。'　I　began　to　laugh　to　myself　again。　'By
  Jove！'　I　said；　'that's　not　a　bad　idea。　Pretend　to　be　Robert；　the　wastrel
  brother；　and　make　yourself　objectionable　to　Miss　Norris。　Borrow　money
  from　her；　and　that　sort　of　thing。'
  〃He　looked　at　me；　with　his　bright　little　eyes；　nodding　eagerly。
  〃'Robert；'　he　said。　'Yes。　How　shall　we　work　it？'
  〃There　was　really　a　Robert；　Mr。　Gillingham；　as　I　have　no　doubt　you
  and　the　Inspector　both　discovered。　And　he　was　a　wastrel　and　he　went　to
  Australia。　But　he　never　came　to　the　Red　House　on　Tuesday　afternoon。
  He　couldn't　have；　because　he　died　（unlamented）　three　years　ago。　But
  there　was　nobody　who　knew　this；　save　Mark　and　myself；　for　Mark　was　the
  only　one　of　the　family　left；　his　sister　having　died　last　year。　Though　I
  doubt；　anyhow；　if　she　knew　whether　Robert　was　alive　or　dead。　He　was
  not　talked　about。
  〃For　the　next　two　days　Mark　and　I　worked　out　our　plans。　You
  understand　by　now　that　our　aims　were　not　identical。　Mark's　endeavour
  was　that　his　deception　should　last　for；　say；　a　couple　of　hours；　mine　that　it
  should　go　to　the　grave　with　him。　He　had　only　to　deceive　Miss　Norris　and
  the　other　guests；　I　had　to　deceive　the　world。　When　he　was　dressed　up　as
  Robert；　I　was　going　to　kill　him。　Robert　would　then　be　dead；　Mark　（of
  course）　missing。　What　could　anybody　think　but　that　Mark　had　killed
  Robert？　But　you　see　how　important　it　was　for　Mark　to　enter　fully　into
  his　latest　（and　last）　impersonation。　Half…measures　would　be　fatal。
  〃You　will　say　that　it　was　impossible　so　do　the　thing　thoroughly　enough。
  I　answer　again　that　you　never　knew　Mark。　He　was　being　what　he　wished
  mos