〃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
  most　to　be　…　an　artist。　No　Othello　ever　blacked　himself　all　over　with　such
  enthusiasm　as　did　Mark。　His　beard　was　going　anyhow　…　possible　a
  chance　remark　of　Miss　Norbury's　helped　here。　She　did　not　like　beards。
  But　it　was　important　for　me　that　the　dead　man's　hands　should　not　be　the
  hands　of　a　manicured　gentleman。　Five　minutes　playing　upon　the　vanity
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  of　the　artist　settled　his　hands。　He　let　the　nails　grow　and　then　cut　them
  raggedly。　'Miss　Norris　would　notice　your　hands　at　once；'　I　had　said。
  'Besides；　as　an　artist　…'
  〃So　with　his　underclothes。　It　was　hardly　necessary　to　warn　him　that
  his　pants　might　show　above　the　edge　of　his　socks；　as　an　artist　he　had
  already　decided　upon　Robertian　pants。　I　bought　them；　and　other　things；
  in　London　for　him。　Even　if　I　had　not　cut　out　all　trace　of　the　maker's
  name；　he　would　instinctively　have　done　it。　As　an　Australian　and　an　artist；
  he　could　not　have　an　East　London　address　on　his　underclothes。　Yes；　we
  were　doing　the　thing　thoroughly；　both　of　us；　he　as　an　artist；　I　as　a　…　well；
  you　may　say　murderer；　if　you　like。　I　shall　not　mind　now。
  〃Our　plans　were　settled。　I　went　to　London　on　the　Monday　and　wrote
  him　a　letter　from　Robert。　（The　artistic　touch　again。）　I　also　bought　a
  revolver。　On　the　Tuesday　morning　he　announced　the　arrival　of　Robert　at
  the　breakfast…table。　Robert　was　now　alive　…　we　had　six　witnesses　to
  prove　it；　six　witnesses　who　knew　that　he　was　coming　that　afternoon。　Our
  private　plan　was　that　Robert　should　present　himself　at　three　o'clock；　in
  readiness　for　the　return　of　the　golfing…party　shortly　afterwards。　The　maid
  would　go　to　look　for　Mark；　and　having　failed　to　find　him；　come　back　to
  the　office　to　find　me　entertaining　Robert　in　Mark's　absence。　I　would
  explain　that　Mark　must　have　gone　out　somewhere；　and　would　myself
  introduce　the　wastrel　brother　to　the　tea…table。　Mark's　absence　would　not
  excite　any　comment；　for　it　would　be　generally　felt　…　indeed　Robert　would
  suggest　it　…　that　he　had　been　afraid　of　meeting　his　brother。　Then　Robert
  would　make　himself　amusingly　offensive　to　the　guests；　particularly；　of
  course；　Miss　Norris；　until　he　thought　that　the　joke　had　gone　far　enough。
  〃That　was　our　private　plan。　Perhaps　I　should　say　that　it　was　Mark's
  private　plan。　My　own　was　different。
  〃The　announcement　at　breakfast　went　well。　After　the　golfing…party
  had　gone　off；　we　had　the　morning　in　which　to　complete　our　arrangements。
  What　I　was　chiefly　concerned　about　was　to　establish　as　completely　as
  possible　the　identity　of　Robert。　For　this　reason　I　suggested　to　Mark　that；
  when　dressed；　he　should　go　out　by　the　secret　passage　to　the　bowling…green；
  and　come　back　by　the　drive；　taking　care　to　enter　into　conversation　with　the
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  lodge…keeper。　In　this　way　I　would　have　two　more　witnesses　of　Robert's
  arrival　…　first　the　lodge…keeper；　and　secondly　one　of　the　gardeners　whom　I
  would　have　working　on　the　front　lawn。　Mark；　of　course；　was　willing
  enough。　He　could　practise　his　Australian　accent　on　the　lodge…keeper。　It
  was　really　amusing　to　see　how　readily　he　fell　into　every　suggestion　which
  I　made。　Never　was　a　killing　more　carefully　planned　by　its　victim。
  〃He　changed　into　Robert's　clothes　in　the　office　bedroom。　This　was
  the　safest　way　…　for　both　of　us。　When　he　was　ready；　he　called　me　in；　and
  I　inspected　him。　It　was　extraordinary　how　well　he　looked　the　part。　I
  suppose　that　the　signs　of　his　dissipation　had　already　marked　themselves　on；
  his　face；　but　had　been　concealed　hitherto　by　his　moustache　and　beard；　for
  now　that　he　was　clean…shaven　they　lay　open　to　the　world　from　which　we
  had　so　carefully　hidden　them；　and　he　was　indeed　the　wastrel　which　he　was
  pretending　to　be。
  〃'By　Jove；　you're　wonderful；'　I　said。
  〃He　smirked；　and　called　my　attention　to　the　various　artistic　touches
  which　I　might　have　missed。
  〃'Wonderful；'　I　said　to　myself　again。　'Nobody　could　possibly　guess。'
  〃I　peered　into　the　hall。　It　was　empty。　We　hurried　across　to　the
  library；　he　got　into　the　passage　and　made　off。　I　went　back　to　the
  bedroom；　collected　all　his　discarded　clothes；　did　them　up　in　a　bundle　and
  returned　with　them　to　the　passage。　Then　I　sat　down　in　the　hall　and
  waited。
  〃You　heard　the　evidence　of　Stevens；　the　maid。　As　soon　as　she　was　on
  her　way　to　the　Temple　in　search　of　Mark；　I　stepped　into　the　office。　My
  hand　was　in　my　side…pocket；　and　in　my　hand　was　the　revolver。
  〃He　began　at　once　in　his　character　of　Robert　…　some　rigmarole　about
  working　his　passage　over　from　Australia；　a　little　private　performance　for
  my　edification。　Then　in　his　natural　voice；　gloating　over　his　well…planned
  retaliation　on　Miss　Norris；　he　burst　out；　'It's　my　turn　now。　You　wait。'　It
  was　this　which　Elsie　heard。　She　had　no　business　to　be　there　and　she
  might　have　ruined　everything；　but　as　it　turned　out　it　was　the　luckiest　thing
  which　could　have　happened。　For　it　was　the　one　piece　of　evidence　which　I
  wanted；　evidence；　other　than　my　own；　that　Mark　and　Robert　were　in　the
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  room　together。
  〃I　said　nothing。　I　was　not　going　to　take　the　risk　of　being　heard　to
  speak　in　that　room。　I　just　smiled　at　the　poor　little　fool；　and　took　out　my
  revolver；　and　shot　him。　Then　I　went　back　into　the　library　and　waited
  just　as　I　said　in　my　evidence。
  〃Can　you　imagine；　Mr。　Gillingham；　the　shock　which　your　sudden
  appearance　gave　me？　Can　you　imagine　the　feelings　of　a　'murderer'　who
  has　（as　he　thinks）　planned　for　every　possibility；　and　is　then　confronted
  suddenly　with　an　utterly　new　problem？　What　difference　would　your
  coming　make？　I　didn't　know。　Perhaps　none；　perhaps　all。　And　I　had
  forgotten　to　open　the　window！
  〃I　don't　know　whether　you　will　think　my　plan　for　killing　Mark　a　clever
  one。　Perhaps　not。　But　if　I　do　deserve　any　praise　in　the　matter；　I　think　I
  deserve　it　for　the　way　I　pulled　myself　together　in　the　face　of　the
  unexpected　catastrophe　of　your　arrival。　Yes；　I　got　a　window　open；　Mr。
  Gillingham；　under　your　very　nose；　the　right　window　too；　you　were　kind
  enough　to　say。　And　the　keys　…　yes；　that　was　clever　of　you；　but　I　think　I
  was　cleverer。　I　deceived　you　over　the　keys；　Mr。　Gillingham；　as　I　learnt
  when　I　took　the　liberty　of　listening　to　a　conversation　on　the　bowling…green
  between　you　and　your　friend　Beverley。　Where　was　I？　Ah；　you　must
  have　a　look　for　that　secret　passage；　Mr。　Gillingham。
  〃But　what　am　I　saying？　Did　I　deceive　you　at　all？　You　have　found
  out　the　secret　…　that　Robert　was　Mark　…　and　that　is　all　that　matters。　How
  have　you　found　out？　I　shall　never　know　now。　Where　did　I　go　wrong？
  Perhaps　you　have　been　deceiving　me　all　the　time。　Perhaps　you　knew
  about　the　keys；　about　the　window；　even　about　the　secret　passage。　You　are
  a　clever　man；　Mr。　Gillingham。
  〃I　had　Mark's　clothes　on　my　hands。　I　might　have　left　them　in　the
  passage；　but　the　secret　of　the　passage　was　now　out。　Miss　Norris　knew　it。
  That　was　the　weak　point　of　my　plan；　perhaps；　that　Miss　Norris　had　to
  know　it。　So　I　hid　them　in　the　pond；　the　inspector　having　obligingly
  dragged　it　for　me　first。　A　couple　of　keys　joined　them；　but　I　kept　the
  revolver。　Fortunate；　wasn't　it；　Mr。　Gillingham？
  〃I　don't　think　that　there　is　any　more　to　tell　you。　This　is　a　long　letter；
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  but　then　it　is　the　last　which　I　shall　write。　There　was　a　time　when　I　hoped
  that　there　might　be　a　happy　future　for　me；　not　at　the　Red　House；　not　alone。
  Perhaps　it　was　never　more　than　an　idle　day…dream；　for　I　am　no　more
  worthy　of　her　than　Mark　was。　But　I　could　have　made　her　happy；　Mr。
  Gillingham。　God；　how　I　would　have　worked　to　make　her　happy！　But
  now　that　is　impossible。　To　offer　her　the　hand　of　a　murderer　would　be　as
  bad　as　to　offer　her　the　hand　of　a　drunkard。　And　Mark　died　for　that。　I
  saw　her　this　morning。　She　was　very　sweet。　It　is　a　difficult　world　to
  understand。
  〃Well；　well；　we　are　all　gone　now　…　the　Abletts　and　the　Cayleys。　I
  wonder　what　old　Grandfather　Cayley　thinks　of　it　all。　Perhaps　it　is　as　well
  that　we　have　died　out。　Not　that　there　was　anything　wrong　with　Sarah
  except　her　temper。　And　she　had　the　Ablett　nose　…　you　can't　do　much　with
  that。　I'm　glad　she　left　no　children。
  〃Good…bye；　Mr。　Gillingham。　I'm　sorry　that　your　stay　with　us　was　not
  of　a　pleasanter　nature；　but　you　understand　the　difficulties　in　which　I　was
  placed。　Don't　let　Bill　think　too　badly　of　me。　He　is　a　good　fellow；　look
  after　him。　He　will　he　surprised。　The　young　are　always　surprised。　And
  thank　you　for　letting　me　end　my　own　way。　I　expect　you　did　sympathize　a
  little；　you　know。　We　might　have　been　friends　in　another　world　…　you　and
  I；　and　I　and　she。　Tell　her　what　you　like。　Everything　or　nothing。　You
  will　know　what　is　best。　Good…bye；　Mr。　Gillingham。
  〃MATTH
  EW　CAYLEY。
  〃I　am　lonely　to…night　without　Mark。　That's　funny；　isn't　it？〃
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  CHAPTER　XXII
  Mr。　Beverley　Moves　On
  〃Good　Lord！〃　said　Bill；　as　he　put　down　the　letter。
  〃I　thought　you'd　say　th