tood up and looked at each other.

"If I can be of any help to you," said Antony, "please let me."

"That's very kind of you. There will be things to do. Police, doctors--I
don't know. But you mustn't let me trespass on your kindness. Indeed, I
should apologise for having trespassed so much already."

"I came to see Beverley. He is an old friend of mine."

"He's out playing golf. He will be back directly." Then, as if he had
only just realized it, "They will all be back directly."

"I will stay if I can be of any help."

"Please do. You see, there are women. It will be rather painful. If you
would--" He hesitated, and gave Antony a timid little smile, pathetic
in so big and self-reliant a man. "Just your moral support, you know. It
would be something."

"Of course." Antony smiled back at him, and said cheerfully, "Well,
then, I'll begin by suggesting that you should ring up the police."

"The police? Y-yes." He looked doubtfully at the other. "I suppose--"

Antony spoke frankly.

"Now, look here, Mr.--er--"

"Cayley. I'm Mark Ablett's cousin. I live with him."

"My name's Gillingham. I'm sorry, I ought to have told you before. Well
now, Mr. Cayley, we shan't do any good by pretending. Here's a man been
shot--well, somebody shot him."

"He might have shot himself," mumbled Cayley.

"Yes, he might have, but he didn't. Or if he did, somebody was in the
room at the time, and that somebody isn't here now. And that somebody
took a revolver away with him. Well, the police will want to say a word
about that, won't they?"

Cayley was silent, looking on the ground.

"Oh, I know what you're thinking, and believe me I do sympathize with
you, but we can't be children about it. If your cousin Mark Ablett was
in the room with this"--he indicated the body--"this man, then--"

"Who said he was?" said Cayley, jerking his head up suddenly at Antony.

"You did."

"I was in the library. Mark went in--he may have come out again--I know
nothing. Somebody else may have gone in--"

"Yes, yes," said Antony patiently, as if to a little child. "You know
your cousin; I don't. Let's agree that he had nothing to do with it. But
somebody was in the room when this man was shot, and--well, the police
will have to know. Don't you think--" He looked at the telephone. "Or
would you rather I did it?"

Cayley shrugged his shoulders and went to the telephone.

"May I--er--look round a bit?" Antony nodded towards the open door.

"Oh