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that big family row and dispersion eighty years ago； a whole branch
of the family has been entirely lost sight of。 There may be half a
dozen possible heirs we know nothing about。 Like poor John Clive。
I daresay if we had known of his existence we should have begun by
suspecting him。〃
〃There's one thing pretty sure；〃 remarked Walter。 〃If these
pleasant little arrangements did succeed； it would be a fairly safe
guess that the inheritor of the title and estates was the guilty
person。 It might be brought home to him； too。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 agreed Dunn dryly。 〃But just a trifle too late to
interest me for one。 And I don't mean to let the dad or uncle be
sacrificed if I can help it。 I failed with Clive； poor fellow； but
I don't mean to again； and I don't see how we can。 Deede Dawson
has exposed his hand。 Now we can play ours。〃
〃But what are you going to do？〃 Walter asked。 〃Are you going to
follow out his instructions？〃
〃To the letter；〃 Dunn answered。 〃We are dealing with very wary；
suspicious people； and the least thing might make them take alarm。
The important point； f course； is the promise that Deede Dawson's
employer will be at Brook Bourne Spring tomorrow afternoon。 That's
our trump card。 Everything bangs on that。 And to make sure there's
no hitch； I shall do exactly what I've been told to do。 I expect
I shall be watched。 I shall be there at four o'clock； and ten
minutes after I hope we shall have laid hands on … whoever it is。〃
Walter nodded。
〃I don't see how we can fail；〃 he said。
CHAPTER XXIV
AN APHORISM
〃No；〃 Dunn agreed after a long pause。 〃No； I don't see myself how
failure is possible； I don't see what there is to go wrong。 All the
same； I shan't be sorry when it's all over； I suppose I'm nervous；
that's the truth of it。 But Deede Dawson's hardly the sort of man
I should have expected to lay all his cards on the table so openly。〃
〃Oh； I think that's natural enough；〃 answered Walter。 〃Quite
natural … he thinks you are in with him and he tells you what he
wants you to do。 But I don't quite see the object of your visit to
the Abbey the other day。 You gave me the shock of my life； I think。
I hadn't the least idea who you were … that beard makes a wonderful
difference。〃
Dunn laughed quietly。
〃It's a good disguise；〃 he admitted。 〃I didn't quite know myself
first time I looked in a mirror。 We went to the Abbey to prepare
for a burglary there。〃
〃Oh； is that on the cards； too？〃 exclaimed Walter。 〃I didn't expect
that。〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Dunn。 〃My own idea is that Deede Dawson sees an
opportunity for making a bit on his own。 After all of us are
disposed of and his friend has got the title and estates； he won't
dare to prosecute of course； and so Deede Dawson thinks it a good
opportunity to visit the Abbey and pick up any pictures or heirlooms
or so…so he can that it would be almost impossible to dispose of in
the ordinary way； but that he expects he will be able to sell back
at a good price to the new owner of the property。 I think he
calculates that that gentleman will be ready to pay as much as he
is asked。 I don't know； but I think that's his idea from something
he said the other day about the uselessness of even good stuff from
a big house unless you knew of a sure market； or could sell it back
again to the owner。〃
〃Jolly clever idea if it works all right；〃 said Walter slowly。 〃I
can see Mr。 Deede Dawson is a man who needs watching。 And I suppose
we had better be on the look…out at the Abbey tomorrow night？〃
〃Evening；〃 corrected Dunn。 〃It's planned for the dinner…hour。〃
〃Right；〃 said Walter。 〃We shall see some crowded hours tomorrow； I
expect。 Well； it's like this； as I understand it … we had better be
sure everything is quite clear。 Their idea is that you will meet
and murder Rupert Dunsmore； who they have no notion is really your
own self； at Brook Bourne Spring at four tomorrow afternoon； and the
unknown somebody who is behind all this business will be in hiding
there to make sure you do your work properly。 Our idea is to watch
all the roads leading to Ottam's Wood and to have men in ambush near
the spring to seize any one hiding there at that time。 Then we shall
know who is at the bottom of all these plots and shall be able to
smash the whole conspiracy。 In addition； Deede Dawson and this other
man you speak of； Allen； are going to break into the Abbey tomorrow
evening and we are to be ready for them and catch them in the act？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Dunn； 〃that's the idea； you can manage all right？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 answered Walter。 〃It's all simple enough … you've
planned it out so jolly well there's nothing much left for me to
do。 And I don't see what you're nervous about； there's nothing
that can go wrong very well … your plans are perfect； I think。〃
〃It's easy enough to make plans when you know just what the other
side are going to do；〃 observed Dunn。 〃There's one point more。
Miss Cayley … I mentioned her in one of the notes I sent you through
Burns。〃
〃Yes； I remember … Deede Dawson's step…daughter；〃 said Walter。 〃I
suppose she is in it？〃
〃She is not； she knows nothing；〃 declared Dunn vehemently。
〃But it was she who took away poor Charley's body； wasn't it？〃 asked
Walter。 〃But for that you would have had evidence enough to act on
at once； wouldn't you？〃
〃She did not know what she was doing；〃 Dunn replied。 〃And now she
is in danger herself。 I am convinced Deede Dawson is growing afraid
of her； he dropped hints； I'm sure he is planning something； perhaps
he means to murder her as well。 So besides these other arrangements
I want to see that there's a trustworthy man watching here。 I don't
anticipate that there's any immediate danger … it's almost certain
that if he means anything he will wait till he sees how this other
business is turning out。 But I want some one trustworthy to be at
hand in case of need。 You will see to that？〃
〃Oh； yes； I can spare Simmonds； I'll send him；〃 answered Walter。
〃Though； I must say； my dear chap； I don't think I should trouble
much about that young lady。 But it can be easily managed； in fact
everything you want me to do is easy enough； I only wish some of
it was a bit difficult or dangerous。〃
〃You're a good chap； Walter；〃 said Dunn； putting his hand on the
other's shoulder again。 〃Well； I think it's all settled now。 I
tell you I'm looking forward a good deal to four o'clock tomorrow
afternoon。 I feel as if I would give all I possess to know who it
is。〃
〃Don't make that offer；〃 Waiter said with a smile； 〃or the fates
may accept it。〃
〃I feel as though there's only one thing in the world I want one
half so much；〃 Dunn said。 〃As to know who this … devil is。〃
〃Devil？〃 repeated Walter。 〃Well； yes； devil's a word like any
other。〃
〃I think it's justified in this case；〃 said Dunn sternly。 〃Poor
Charley Wright dead！ One thing I can't understand about that is
how they got him back here when you saw him in London when you did。
But they're a cunning lot。 They must have worked it somehow。 Then
Clive。 I feel to blame for Clive's death … as if I ought to have
managed better and saved him。 Now