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〃I should think he was；〃 said Walter slowly。 〃I should think it is
certain he was。 You may depend on that； I think。〃
〃I think so； too；〃 agreed Dunn。 〃But how did you find out where I
was？〃
〃You know that day you came to Wreste Abbey？ There was some fellow
you had with you who told the landlord of the Chobham Arms； so I
easily found out from him；〃 answered Walter。
〃Anyhow； I'm glad you're here；〃 Dunn said。 〃I was wondering how to
get in touch with you。 Well； this is Deede Dawson's plan in brief。
Tomorrow； at four in the afternoon； Rupert Dunsmore is to be killed
… and I've undertaken to do the deed。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 exclaimed Walter； starting。
〃I've promised that if Deede Dawson will bring me face to face with
Rupert Dunsmore； I'll murder him；〃 answered Dunn； laughing softly。
〃A fairly safe offer on your part； isn't it？〃 observed Walter。 〃At
least； unless there's any saving clause about mirrors。〃
〃Oh； none；〃 answered Dunn。 〃I told Deede Dawson Rupert Dunsmore
was my worst enemy； and that's true enough； for I think every man's
worst enemy is himself。〃
〃I wish I had none worse；〃 muttered Walter。
〃I think you haven't； old chap；〃 Dunn said smilingly。 〃But come
across the road。 It'll be safer on the common。 Deede Dawson is
so cunning one is never safe from him。 One can never be sure
he isn't creeping up behind。〃
〃Well； I daresay it's wise to take every precaution；〃 observed
Walter。 〃But I can't imagine either him or any one else getting
near you without your knowledge。〃
Robert Dunn； … or rather； Rupert Dunsmore； as was his name by
right of birth … laughed again to himself； very softly in the
darkness。
〃Perhaps not；〃 he said。 〃But I take no chances I can avoid with
Deede Dawson。 Come along。〃
They crossed the road together and sat down on the common at an
open spot； where none could well approach them unheard or unseen。
Dunn laid his hand affectionately on Walter's shoulder as they
settled themselves。
〃Old chap；〃 he said。 〃It was good of you to come here。 You've run
some risk。 It's none too safe near Bittermeads。 But I'm glad to
see you； Walter。 It's a tremendous relief after all this strain of
doubt and watching and suspicion to be with some one I know … some
one I can trust … some one like you； Walter。〃
In the darkness； Walter put out his hand and took Dunn's and held
it for a moment。
〃I have been anxious about you；〃 he said。 Dunn returned the
pressure warmly。
〃I know；〃 he said。 〃Jove； old chap； it's good to see you again。
You don't know what it's like after all this long time； feeling that
every step was a step in the dark； to be at last with a real friend
again。〃
〃I think I can guess；〃 Walter said softly。
Dunn shook his head。
〃No one could；〃 he said。 〃I tell you I've doubted； distrusted；
suspected till I wasn't sure of my own shadow。 Well； that's all
over now。 Tomorrow we can act。〃
〃Tell me what I'm to do；〃 Walter Dunsmore said。
〃There's a whole lot I don't understand yet；〃 Dunn continued slowly。
〃I suppose it was that that was making me feel so jolly down before
you came。 I don't feel sure somehow … not sure。 Deede Dawson is
such a cunning brute。 He seems to have laid his whole hand bare；
and yet there may be cards up his sleeve still。 Besides； his plan
he told me about seems so bald。 And I don't understand why he
should think he is so sure of what I … I mean； of what Rupert
… it's a bit confusing to have a double identity … is going to do。
He says he is sure Rupert Dunsmore is to be at the Brook Bourne
Spring tomorrow at four。 He says his information is certain； and
that he has full knowledge of what Rupert Dunsmore is going to do；
which is more than I have。 But what can it be that's making him
so sure？〃
〃That's probably simple enough；〃 said Walter。 〃You said you
suspected there was a leakage from Burns & Swift's office； and you
told Burns to make misleading statements about your movements
occasionally when he was dictating his letters。 Well； I expect this
is one。〃
〃That may be； only Deede Dawson seems so very sure；〃 answered Dunn。
〃But what's specially important is his saying that his employer；
whoever it is； who is behind all this； will be there too。〃
〃A meeting？ Is that it？〃 exclaimed Walter。
〃No； that's not the idea；〃 answered Dunn。 〃You see； the idea is
that Rupert Dunsmore will be there at four； and that I'm to be
there in ambush to murder myself。 Whoever is behind all this will
be there too … to see I carry out my work properly。 And that gives
us our chance。〃
〃Oh； that's good；〃 exclaimed Walter。 〃We shall have him for
certain。〃
〃That's what I want you to see to；〃 said Dunn。 〃I want you to have
men you can trust well hidden all round； ready to collar him。 And
I want you to have all the roads leading to Ottam's Wood well
watched and every one going along them noted。 You understand？〃
〃That's quite easy；〃 declared Walter。 〃I can promise not a soul
will get into Ottam's Wood without being seen； and I'll make very
sure indeed of getting hold。 of any one hiding anywhere near Brook
Bourne Spring。 And once we've done that … once we know who it is … 〃
〃Yes；〃 agreed Dunn。 〃We shall be all right then。 That is the one
thing necessary to know … the key move to the problem … the
identity of who it is pulling the strings。 He must be a clever
beggar； anyhow； I mean to see him hang for it yet。〃
〃I daresay he's clever；〃 agreed Walter。 〃He is playing for big
stakes。 Anyhow； we'll have him tomorrow all right； that seems
certain … at last。〃
〃At last；〃 agreed Dunn； with a long…drawn sigh。 〃Ugh！ it's all
been such a nightmare。 It's been pretty awful； knowing there was
some one … not able to guess who。 Ever since you discovered that
first attempt； ever since we became certain there was a plot going
on to clear out every one in succession to the Chobham estates …
and that was jolly plain； though the fools of police did babble
about no evidence； as if pistol bullets come from nowhere and
poisoned cups of tea … 〃
〃Ah； I was to blame there； that was my fault；〃 said Walter。 〃You
see； we had no proof about the shooting； and when I had spilt that
tea； no proof of poison either。 I shall always regret that。〃
〃A bit of bad luck；〃 Dunn agreed。 〃But accidents will happen。
Anyhow； it was clear enough some one was trying to make a jolly
clear sweep。 It may be a madman； it may be some one with a grudge
against us； it may be； as poor Charley thought； some one in the
line of succession； who is just clearing the way to inherit the
title and estates himself。 I wish I knew what made Charley
suspicious of Deede Dawson in the first place。〃
〃You don't know that？〃 Walter asked。
〃No； he never told me；〃 answered Dunn。 〃Poor Charley； it cost him
his life。 That's another thing we must find out … where they've
hidden his body。〃
〃He was sure from the first；〃 remarked Walter； 〃that it was a
conspiracy on the part of some one in the line of succession？〃
〃Yes；〃 agreed Dunn。 〃It's likely enough； too。 You see； ever since
that big family row and dispersion eighty years ago； a whole branch
of the family has been enti