"It was a very thoroughly Biblical one, if that is what you mean. Simon knows that story, too, by the way."
"I expect so, but how do you happen to know?"
"When he heard that Patrick had come back he couldn't help, in spite of his denials, a fear that it might be true. There had been that other case, you see. That time the victim had survived by a miracle. He was afraid that by some miracle Patrick had survived. I know, because he came into that room, the first day I was there, strung up to face something dreadful. And his relief when he saw me was almost funny."
He drank down the rest of his tea and looked quizzically at the Rector. In spite of himself he was beginning to feel better.
"Another of Simon's little jokes was to send me out that first day on Timber, without telling me he was a rogue. But I suppose that was just his 'perverted sense of mischief. And still another of his little jokes was to loosen my girth yesterday before I started a race on Chevron. But I suppose that was just one of his 'well-known impish moments'."
The Rector's deep eyes considered Brat.
"I am not defending Simon-he has never been an admirable character-but tricks played on an interloper, a pretender-even dangerous tricks, are one thing, and the murder of a well-loved brother is quite another. Why, by the way, did Simon not denounce you at once if he did not believe you were his brother?"
"For the same reason that you didn't."
"I see. He would merely be held to be-difficult."
"And of course, having got rid of one Patrick with impunity, he looked forward with confidence to getting rid of another."