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〃One should always be ready to give another chance to a poor fellow
who's down；〃 he said。 〃He may run straight now he's got an
opportunity。 I told him he had better shave； but he seems to think
a beard suits him best。 What do you say？〃
〃Breakfast's waiting；〃 Ella answered； turning away without taking
any notice of the question。
〃I'll go in then；〃 said Deede Dawson。 〃You might show Dunn the way
to the kitchen … his name's Robert Dunn； by the way … and tell Mrs。
Barker to give him something to eat。〃
〃I should think he could find his way there himself；〃 Ella remarked。
But though she made this protest； she obeyed at once； for though she
used a considerable liberty of speech to her stepfather； it was none
the less evident that she was very much afraid of him and would not
be very likely to disobey him or oppose him directly。
〃This way；〃 she said to Dunn； and walked on along a path that led
to the hack of the house。 Once she stopped and looked hack。 She
smiled slightly and disdainfully as she did so； and Dunn saw that
she was looking at a clump of small bushes near where they had been
standing。
He guessed at once that she believed Deede Dawson to be behind those
bushes watching them； and when she glanced at him he understood that
she wished him to know it also。
He said nothing； though a faint movement visible in the bushes
convinced him that her suspicions； if； indeed； she had them； were
well…founded； and they walked on in silence； Ella a little ahead；
and Dunn a step or two behind。
The garden was a large one； and had at one time been well cultivated；
but now it was neglected and overgrown。 It struck Dunn that if he
was to be the gardener here he would certainly not find himself short
of work； and Ella； without looking round； said to him over her
shoulder：
〃Do you know anything about gardening？〃
〃A little； miss；〃 he answered。
〃You needn't call me 'miss；'〃 she observed。 〃When a man has tied
a girl to a chair I think he may regard himself as on terms of some
familiarity with her。〃
〃What must I call you？〃 he asked； and his words bore to himself a
double meaning； for； indeed； what name was it by which he ought to
call her？
But she seemed to notice nothing as she answered 〃My name is Cayley
… Ella Cayley。 You can call me Miss Cayley。 Do you know anything
of motoring？〃
〃Yes；〃 he answered。 〃Though I never cared much for motoring at night。〃
She gave him a quick glance； but said no more； and they came almost
immediately to the back door。
Ella opened it and entered； nodding to him to follow； and crossing a
narrow； stone…floored passage； she entered the kitchen where a tall
gaunt elderly woman in a black bonnet and； a course apron was at
work。
〃This is Dunn； Mrs。 Barker；〃 she called； raising her voice。 〃He is
the new gardener。 Will you give him some breakfast； please？〃 She
added to Dunn：
〃When you've finished； you can go to the garage and wash the car；
and when you speak to Mrs。 Barker you must shout。 She is quite deaf；
that is why my stepfather engaged her； because he was sorry for her
and wanted to give her a chance； you know。。。 〃
CHAPTER XI
THE PROBLEM
When he had finished his breakfast； and after he had had the wash
of which he certainly stood in considerable need； Dunn made his
way to the garage and there occupied himself cleaning the car。
He noticed that the mud with which it was liberally covered was of
a light sandy sort； and he discovered on one of the tyres a small
shell。
Apparently； therefore； last night's wild journey had been to the
coast； and it was a natural inference that the sea had provided a
secure hiding…place for the packing…case and its dreadful contents。
But then that meant that there was no evidence left on which he
could take action。
As he busied himself with his task； he tried to think out as clearly
as he could the position in which he found himself and to decide
what he ought to do next。
To his quick and hasty nature the swiftest action was always the
most congenial； and had he followed his instinct； he would have lost
no time in denouncing Deede Dawson。 But his cooler thoughts told
him that he dared not do that； since it would be to involve risks；
not for himself； but for others； that he simply dared not contemplate。
He felt that the police； even if they credited his story； which he
also felt that very likely they would not do； could not act on his
sole evidence。
And even if they did act and did arrest Deede Dawson； it was certain
no jury would convict on so strange a story； so entirely
uncorroborated。
The only result would be to strengthen Deede Dawson's position by
the warning； to show him his danger； and to give him the
opportunity； if he chose to use it； of disappearing and beginning
again his plots and plans after some fresh and perhaps more deadly
fashion。
〃Whereas at present；〃 he mused； 〃at any rate； I'm here and he
doesn't seem to suspect me； and I can watch and wait for a time；
till I see my way more clearly。〃
And this decision he came to was a great relief to him； for he
desired very greatly to know more before he acted and in especial
to find out for certain what was Ella's position in all this。
It was Deede Dawson's voice that broke in upon his meditations。
〃Ah； you're busy；〃 he said。 〃That's right； I like to see a man
working hard。 I've got some new things for you I think may fi
fairly well； and Mrs。 Dawson is going to get one of the attics
ready for you to sleep in。
〃Very good； sir；〃 said Dunn。
He wondered which attic was to be assigned to him and if it would
be that one in which he had found his friend's body。 He suspected；
too； that he was to be lodged in the house so that Deede Dawson
might watch him； and this pleased him； since it meant that he； in
his turn； would be able to watch Deede Dawson。
Not that there appeared much to watch； for the days passed on and
it seemed a very harmless and quiet life that Deede Dawson lived
with his wife and stepdaughter。
But for the memory； burned into Dunn's mind； of what he had seen
that night of his arrival； he would have been inclined to say that
no more harmless； gentle soul existed than Deede Dawson。
But as it was； the man's very gentleness and smiling urbanity
filled him with a loathing that it was at times all he could do
to control。
The attic assigned to him to sleep in was that where he had made
his dreadful discovery； and he believed this had been done as a
further test of his ignorance； for he was sure Deede Dawson
watched him closely to see if the idea of being there was in any
way repugnant to him。
Indeed at another time he might have shrunk from the idea of
sleeping each night in the very room where his friend had been
foully done to death； but now he derived a certain grim
satisfaction and a strengthening of his nerves for the task that
lay before him。
Only a very few visitors came to Bittermeads； especially now that
Mr。 John Clive； who had； come often； was laid up。 But one or two
of the people from the village came occasionally； and the vicar
appeared two or three times every week； ostensibly to play chess
with Deede