"
"Yes; well, I don't mind that. Mark goes in to see his brother,
and they quarrel and all the rest of it, just as Cayley was
saying. Cayley hears the shot, and in order to give Mark time to
get away, locks the door, puts the key in his pocket and pretends
that Mark has locked the door, and that he can't get in. How's
that?"
"Hopeless, Watson, hopeless."
"Why?"
"How does Cayley know that it is Mark who has shot Robert, and
not the other way round?"
"Oh!" said Bill, rather upset. "Yes." He thought for a moment,
"All right. Say that Cayley has gone into the room first, and
seen Robert on the ground."
"Well?"
"Well, there you are."
"And what does he say to Mark? That it's a fine afternoon; and
could he lend him a pocket-handkerchief? Or does he ask him
what's happened?"
"Well, of course, I suppose he asks what happened," said Bill
reluctantly.
"And what does Mark say?"
"Explains that the revolver went off accidentally during a
struggle."
"Whereupon Cayley shields him by doing what, Bill? Encouraging
him to do the damn silliest thing that any man could possibly do
confess his guilt by running away!"
"No, that's rather hopeless, isn't it?" Bill thought again.
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