Part 6 (2/2)
”I daresay, Mr. Cayley,” smiled the Inspector. ”Anyhow, it was more convenient to have him in Australia?”
”Yes.”
”Mark Ablett never talked about him?”
”Hardly ever. He was very much ashamed of him, and-well, very glad he was in Australia.”
”Did he write Mark sometimes?”
”Occasionally. Perhaps three or four times in the last five years.”
”Asking for money?”
”Something of the sort. I don't think Mark always answered them. As far as I know, he never sent any money.”
”Now your own private opinion, Mr. Cayley. Do you think that Mark was unfair to his brother? Unduly hard on him?”
”They'd never liked each other as boys. There was never any affection between them. I don't know whose fault it was in the first place-if anybody's.”
”Still, Mark might have given him a hand?”
”I understand,” said Cayley, ”that Robert spent his whole life asking for hands.”
The inspector nodded.
”I know that sort. Well, now, we'll go on to this morning. This letter that Mark got-did you see it?”
”Not at the time. He showed it to me afterwards.”
”Any address?”
”No. A half-sheet of rather dirty paper.”
”Where is it now?”
”I don't know. In Mark's pocket, I expect.”
”Ah!” He pulled at his beard. ”Well, we'll come to that. Can you remember what it said?”
”As far as I remember, something like this: 'Mark, your loving brother is coming to see you to-morrow, all the way from Australia. I give you warning so that you will be able to conceal your surprise, but not I hope, your pleasure. Expect him at three, or thereabouts.'”
”Ah!” The inspector copied it down carefully. ”Did you notice the postmark?”
”London.”
”And what was Mark's att.i.tude?”
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