“Obviously,” replied Gatton, “a supper for two had been prepared, and that one of those two was the late Sir Marcus is perfectly obvious.  That he expected the other to be Miss Merlin is at least suggested by the presence of her photograph in the room; for you will have noticed that it is the only photograph there.”

“Nevertheless,” I said firmly, “I am positive that no one would be more surprised than herself to learn of its presence.”

“And as I have already said,” replied Gatton, “I am rapidly coming round to your way of thinking.  But even if I were quite sure of it the evidence at the moment is all the other way, you will admit.  As to the connection between this garage and the interrupted supper party (for obviously it was interrupted) this it must be my business to find out.”

“Don’t you think,” I said, “that we are attaching perhaps undue importance to the fact that some kind of fittings have been removed from the doors?  They may have been removed by the late occupier, and the call to the police depot may have been made with the idea of securing a witness, and a credible one, to the presence of the crate here on the night of the murder.”

“At the moment,” replied Gatton, musingly, “I cannot see that this would have served any useful purpose; but nevertheless you may be right.  I am going to assume, however, that you are wrong, and that the object of sending Bolton here last night was to open and shut these doors.  I propose now to return again to the scene of the interrupted supper.”

Leaving the garage not very much wiser than when we had entered it, we paced once more up the drive in the shade of the big trees and were greeted again by the malarious smell of rotting leaves.  Entering the Red House, Gatton and I proceeded first to that incredible oasis in the desert of empty rooms and my companion made a detailed examination of everything in the place, even sounding the walls, examining the fittings of the door, and finally proceeding through the hall in the direction of the south wing of the house—­that nearest to the garage.

What he expected to find I had no idea, but his attention seemed to be more particularly directed towards the wainscot and the picture-rails of the empty and uncarpeted rooms which we entered.  Whatever he had sought he failed to find, and at last we stood in a desolate apartment looking out into the tangled shrubbery before the windows.  The back of the garage was visible from there and I viewed it dully, wondering what evil secret it held, and marveling at the trick of fate which had made me witness of an act in this gruesome drama.

“Of course, Gatton,” I said, “we are all along assuming that Sir Marcus actually met his death in this house.  We must remember that he may merely have been brought here after the crime.”

“Such a short period elapsed,” replied the Inspector, “between his leaving the New Avenue Theater and the approximate time of his death that it seems unlikely that he visited any intermediate spot.”