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Speaker 1: The Reigate puzzle. It was some time before the health

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of my friend mister Sherlock Holmes recovered from the strain

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caused by his immense exertions in the spring of eighty seven.

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The whole question of the Netherlands Sumatra Company and of

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the colossal schemes of Baron Maupetaus are too recent in

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the minds of the public, and are too intimately concerned

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with politics and finance to be fitting subjects for this

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series of sketches. They led, however, in an indirect fashion,

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to a singular and complex problem, which gave my friend

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an opportunity of demonstrating the value of a fresh weapon

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among the many with which he waged his lifelong battle

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against crime. On referring to my notes, I see that

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it was upon the fourteenth of April that I received

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a telegram from Lyons which informed me that Holmes was

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lying ill in the Hotel Dulon. Within twenty four hours

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I was in his sick room and was relieved to

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find that there was nothing formidable in his symptoms. Even

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his iron constitution, however, had broken down under the strain

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of an investigation which had extended over two months, during

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which period he had never worked less than fifteen hours

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a day and had more than once, as he assured me,

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kept to his task for five days at a stretch.

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Even the triumphant issue of his labors could not save

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him from reaction. After so terrible an exertion, and at

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a time when Europe was ringing with his name, and

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when his room was literally ankled deep with congratulatory telegrams,

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I found him a prey to the blackest depression. Even

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the knowledge that he had succeeded where the police of

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three countries had failed, and that he had outmaneuvered at

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every point the most accomplished swindler in Europe was insufficient

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to rouse him from his nervous prostration. Three days later

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we were back in Baker Street together, but it was

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evident that my friend would be more much the better

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for a change, and the thought of a week of

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springtime in the country was full of attractions to me. Also,

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my old friend, Colonel Hayter, who had come under my

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professional care in Afghanistan, had now taken a house near

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Reigate in Surrey, and had frequently asked me to come

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down to him upon a visit. On the last occasion

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he had remarked that if my friend would only come

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with me, he would be glad to extend his hospitality

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to him. Also, a little diplomacy was needed, but when

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Holmes understood that the establishment was a bachelor one, and

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that he would be allowed the fullest freedom, he fell

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in with my plans, and a week after our return

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from Lyon, we were under the colonel's roof. Hater was

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a fine old soldier who had seen much of the world,

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and he soon found, as I had expected, that Holmes

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and he had much in common. On the evening of

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our arrival, we were sitting in the colonel's gun room

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after dinner, homes stretched upon the sofa while and I

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looked over his little armory of Eastern weapons. By the way,

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said he suddenly, I think I'll take one of these

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pistols upstairs with me in case we have an alarm.

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An alarm, said I. Yes, we have had a scare

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in this part lately. Old Acton, who is one of

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our county magnates, had his house broken into last Monday.

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No great damage done, but the fellows are still at large.

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No clue, asked Holmes, cocking his eye at the colonel.

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None as yet, but the affair is a petty one,

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one of our little country crimes, which must seem too

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small for your attention, mister Holmes, after this great international affair.

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Holmes waved away the compliment, though his smile showed that

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it had pleased him. Was there any feature of interest?

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I fancy not. The thieves ransacked the library and got

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very little for their pains. The whole place was turned

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upside down, draws burst open, and presses ransacked, with the

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result that an odd volume of Pope's homer, two plaited candlesticks,

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an ivory letter weight, a small oak barometer, and a

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ball of twine are all that have vanished. What an

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extraordinary assortment, I exclaimed. Oh, the fellows evidently grabbed hold

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of everything they could get. Holmes grunted from the sofa.

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The county police ought to make something of that, said he.

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Why it is surely obvious that, but I held up

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a warning finger. You are here for a rest, my

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dear fellow. For Heaven's sake, don't get started on a

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new problem when your nerves are all in shreds. Holmes

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shrugged his shoulders with a glance of comic resignation. Towards

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the Colonel, and the talk drifted away into less dangerous channels.

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It was destined, however, that all my professional caution should

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be wasted, for next morning. The problem obtruded itself upon

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us in such a way that it was in possible

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to ignore it, and our country visit took a turn

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which neither of us could have anticipated. We were at

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breakfast when the colonel's butler rushed in with all his

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propriety shaken out of him. Have you heard the news, sir?

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He gasped at the Cunningham, Sir, Burglary, cried the Colonel

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with his coffee cup in mid air murder. The Colonel,

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whistled by jove, said he who's killed? Then? The j

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P or his son, nor either, Sir? It was William,

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the coachman shot through the art, Sir, and never spoke again.

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Who shot him?

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Speaker 2: Then?

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Speaker 1: The burglar?

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Speaker 2: Sir?

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Speaker 1: He was off like a shot and got clean away.

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He just broke in at the pantry window when William

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came on him and met his end in saving his

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master's property. What time it was late last night, sir?

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Somewhere about twelve ah. Then we'll step over afterwards, said

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the Colonel coolly, settling down to his breakfast again. It's

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a barish business, he added, when the butler had gone.

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He's our leading man about here is old Cunningham, a

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very decent fellow too. He'll be cut up over this,

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for the man has been in his service for years

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and was a good servant. It's evidently the same villains

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who broke into Acton's and stole that very singular collection,

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said Holmes, thoughtfully, precisely hum. It may prove the simplest

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matter in the world, but all the same, at first glance,

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this is just a little curious, is it not. A

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gang of burglars acting in the country might be expected

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to vary the scene of their operations, and not to

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crack two cribs in the same district within a few days.

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When you spoke last night of taking precautions, I remember

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that it passed through my mind that this was probably

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the last parish in England to which the thief or

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thiefs would be likely to turn their attention, which shows

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that I have still much to learn. I fancy it's

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some local practitioner, said the Colonel. In that case, of course,

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Acton's and Cunningham's are just the places he would go for,

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since they are far the largest about here and richest.

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Well they ought to be, but they've had a lawsuit

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for some years which has sucked the blood out of

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both of them. I fancy old Acton has some claim

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on half of Cunningham's estate, and the lawyers have been

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at it with both hands. If it's a local villain,

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there should not be much difficulty in running him down,

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said Holmes with a yawn. All right, Watson, I don't

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intend to meddle, Inspector, Forester, Sir, said the butler, throwing

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open the door. The official, a smart, keen faced young fellow,

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stepped into the room. Good morning, Colonel, said he. I

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hope I don't intry rude, but we hear that mister

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Holmes of Baker Street is here. The colonel waved his

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hand towards my friend, and the inspector bowed. We thought

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that perhaps you would care to step across, mister Holmes.

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The fates are against you, Watson said, he laughing. We

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were chatting about the matter when you came in, Inspector.

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Perhaps you can let us have a few details. As

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he leaned back in his chair in the familiar attitude.

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I knew that the case was hopeless. We had no

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clue in the acton affair, but here we have plenty

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to go on, and there's no doubt it is the

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same party. In each case. The man was seen, Ah, yes, sir,

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but he was off like a deer. After the shot

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that killed Poul William Kerwin was fired. Mister Cunningham saw

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him from the bedroom window, and mister Alec Cunningham saw

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him from the back passage. It was quarter to twelve

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when the alarm broke out. Mister Cunningham had just got

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into bed and mister Alec was smoking a pipe in

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his dressing gown. They heard William the coachman, calling for help,

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and mister Alec ran down to see what was the matter.

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The back door was open, and as he came to

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the foot of the stairs he saw two men wrestling

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together outside. One of them fired a shot, the other dropped,

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and the murderer rushed across the garden and over the hedge.

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Mister Cunningham, looking out of his bedroom, saw the fellow

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as he gained the road, but lost sight of him

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at once. Mister Alick stopped to see if he could

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help the dying man, and so the villain got clean away.

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Beyond the fact that he was a middle sized man

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and dressed in some dark stuff. We have no personal clue,

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but we're making energetic inquiries, and if he is a stranger,

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we shall soon find him out. What was this William

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doing there? Did he say anything before he died? Not

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a word. He lives at the lodge with his mother,

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and as he was a very faithful fellow, we imagined

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that he walked up to the house with the intention

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of seeing that all was right there. Of course, this

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acton business has put every one on their guard. The

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robber must have just burst open the door. The lock

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has been forced when William came upon him. Did William

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say anything to his mother before going out? She is

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very old and deaf, and we can get no information

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from her. The shock has made her half witted, but

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I understand that she was never very bright. There is

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one very important circumstance, however. Look at this. He took

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a small piece of torn paper from a note book

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and spread it out upon his knee. This was found

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between the finger and thumb of the dead man. It

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appears to be a fragment torn from a larger sheet.

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You will observe that they, how are mentioned upon it

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is the very time at which the poor fellow met

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his fate. You see that his murderer might have torn

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the rest of the sheet from him, or he might

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have taken this fragment from the murderer. It reads almost

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as though it were an appointment. Holmes took up the

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scrap of paper and facsimile of which is here produced

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d at quarter to twelve. Learn what may be presuming

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that is an appointment, continued the inspector. It is of

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course a conceivable theory that this William Kerwin, though he

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had the reputation of being an honest man, may have

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been in league with the thief. He may have met

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him there, may even have helped him to break in

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the door, and then they may have fallen out between themselves.

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This writing is of extraordinary interest, said Holmes, who had

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been examining it with intense concentration. These are much deeper

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waters than I had thought. He sank his head upon

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his hands, while the inspector smiled at the effect which

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his case had had upon the famous London specialist. Your

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last remark, said Holmes, presently, as to the possibility of

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there being an understanding between the burglar and the servant,

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and this being a note of appointment from one to

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the other is an ingenious and not entirely impossible supposition.

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But this writing opens up. He sank his head into

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his hands again and remained for some minutes in the

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deepest thought. When he raised his face again, I was

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surprised to see that his cheek was tinged with color,

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and his eyes as bright as before his illness. He

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sprang to his feet with all his old energy. I'll

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tell you what, said he I should like to have

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a quiet little glance into the details of this case.

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There is something in it which fascinates me extremely. If

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you will permit me, Colonel, I will leave my friend

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Watson and you and I will step around with the

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inspector to test the truth of one or two little

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fancies of mine. I will be with you again in

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half an hour. An hour and a half had elapsed

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before the inspector returned alone. Mister Holmes is walking up

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and down in the field outside, said he. He wants

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us all four to go up to the house together

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to mister Cunningham's Yes, sir, what for the inspector shrugged

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his shoulders. I don't quite know, sir, between ourselves, but

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I think mister Olmes had not quite got over his

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illness yet. He's been behaving very queerly, and he's very

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much excited. I don't think you need alarm yourself, said I.

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I have usually found that there was method in his madness.

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Some folks might say there was madness in his method,

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muttered the inspector. But he's all on fire, the start, Colonel,

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So we'd best go out, if you're ready. We found

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Holmes pacing up and down in the field, his chin

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sunk upon his breast and his hands thrust into his

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trousers pockets. The matter grows in interest, said he Watson.

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Your country trip has been a distinct success. I've had

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a charming morning. You've been up to the scene of

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the crime, I unders stand, said the colonel. Yes, the

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inspector and I have made quite a little reconnaissance together.

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Speaker 2: Any success.

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Speaker 1: Well, we've seen some very interesting things. I'll tell you

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what we did as we walk. First of all, we

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saw the body of this unfortunate man. He certainly died

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from a revolver wound, as reported. Had you doubted it. Then, oh,

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it is as well to test everything. Our inspection was

243
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not wasted. We then had an interview with mister Cunningham

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and his son, who were able to point out the

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exact spot where the murderer had broken through the garden

246
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hedge in his flight. That was of great interest. Naturally,

247
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then we had a look at this poor fellow's mother.

248
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We could get no information from her, however, as she

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is very old and feeble. And what is the result

250
00:14:51,519 --> 00:14:55,480
of your investigations the conviction that the crime is a

251
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very peculiar one. Perhaps our visit now may do something

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to make it less obs I think that we are

253
00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:04,799
both agreed, Inspector, that the fragment of paper in the

254
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dead man's hand, bearing as it does in the very

255
00:15:07,919 --> 00:15:11,600
hour of his death written upon it, is of extreme importance.

256
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It should give a clue, mister Olmes. It does give

257
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a clue whoever wrote that note was the man who

258
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brought William Kerwin out of his bed at that hour?

259
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But where is the rest of that sheet of paper?

260
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I examined the ground carefully in the hope of finding it,

261
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said the inspector. It was torn out of the dead

262
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man's hand. Why was some one so anxious to get

263
00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:41,240
possession of it because it incriminated him, and what would

264
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he do with it? Thrust it into his pocket, most

265
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likely never noticing that a corner of it had been

266
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left in the grip of the corpse. If we could

267
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get the rest of that sheet, it is obvious that

268
00:15:52,879 --> 00:15:57,320
we should have gone a long way towards solving the mystery. Yes,

269
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but how can we get at the criminal's pocket before

270
00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,679
we catched a criminal? Well, well, it was worth thinking over.

271
00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,559
Then there is another obvious point. The note was sent

272
00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,279
to William. The man who wrote it could not have

273
00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,240
taken it otherwise, of course he might have delivered his

274
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own message by word of mouth. Who brought the note then?

275
00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:23,000
Or did it come through the post? I have my inquiries,

276
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said the inspector. William received a letter by the afternoon

277
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post yesterday. The envelope was destroyed by him. Excellent, cried Holmes,

278
00:16:32,799 --> 00:16:35,879
clapping the inspector on the back. You've seen the postman.

279
00:16:36,399 --> 00:16:39,000
It is a pleasure to work with you. Well, here

280
00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,200
is a lodge, and if you will come up, colonel,

281
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I will show you the scene of the crime. We

282
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passed the pretty cottage where the murdered man had lived,

283
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and walked up an oak lined avenue to the fine

284
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old Queen Anne house, which bears the date of Malplaquet

285
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upon the lintel of the door. Holmes and the inspector

286
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led us round it until we came to the gate,

287
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which is separated by a stretch of garden from the

288
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hedge which lines the road. A constable was standing at

289
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the kitchen door. Throw the door open, officer, said Holmes.

290
00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:15,400
Now it was on these stairs that young mister Cunningham

291
00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,880
stood and saw the two men struggling just where we are.

292
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Old mister Cunningham was at that window, the second on

293
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the left, and he saw the fellow get away just

294
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to the left of that bush. Then mister Alec ran

295
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out and knelt beside the wounded man. The ground is

296
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very hard, you see, and there are no marks to

297
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guide us. As he spoke, two men came down to

298
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the garden path from round the angle of the house.

299
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The one was an elderly man with a strong, deep lined,

300
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heavy eyed face, the other a dashing young fellow, whose bright,

301
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smiling expression and showy dress were in strange contrast with

302
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the business which had brought us there. Still at it,

303
00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,759
then said he to Holmes. I thought you Londoners were

304
00:18:01,759 --> 00:18:04,400
never at fault. You don't seem to disove very quick

305
00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,880
after all. Ah, you must give us a little time,

306
00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:12,559
said Holmes. Good humoredly, you'll want it, said young Alec Cunningham.

307
00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,279
Why I don't see that we have any clue at all?

308
00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:21,400
There's only one, answered the inspector. We thought that if

309
00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,640
we could only find good heavens, mister Holmes, what is

310
00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:28,759
the matter. My poor friend's face had suddenly assumed the

311
00:18:28,799 --> 00:18:33,960
most dreadful expression, His eyes rolled upwards, his features writhed

312
00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,319
in agony, and with a suppressed groan, he dropped on

313
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his face upon the ground. Horrified at the suddenness and

314
00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:44,160
severity of the attack. We carried him into the kitchen,

315
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where he lay back in a large chair and breathed

316
00:18:47,279 --> 00:18:51,839
heavily for some minutes. Finally, with a shame faced apology

317
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for his weakness, he rose once more. Watson would tell

318
00:18:56,279 --> 00:18:58,960
you that I have only just recovered from a severe illness,

319
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:03,799
he explained, I am liable to these sudden nervous attacks.

320
00:19:04,559 --> 00:19:09,960
Shall I send you home in my trap? Asked old Cunningham. Well,

321
00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,480
since I am here, there is one point on which

322
00:19:12,519 --> 00:19:15,480
I should like to feel sure we can very easily

323
00:19:15,559 --> 00:19:20,039
verify it. What was it? Well, it seems to me

324
00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,759
that it is just possible that the arrival of this

325
00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:27,119
poor fellow William was not before, but after the entrance

326
00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:30,240
of the burglar into the house. You appear to take

327
00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,880
it for granted that although the door was forced, the

328
00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:37,440
robber never got in. I fancy that is quite obvious,

329
00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:42,200
said mister Cunningham gravely. Why my son, Alec had not

330
00:19:42,319 --> 00:19:45,039
yet gone to bed, and you would certainly have heard

331
00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:50,119
any one moving about. Where was he sitting? I was

332
00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:54,440
smoking in my dressing room. Which window is that? The

333
00:19:54,519 --> 00:19:58,000
last on the left, next to my father's? Both of

334
00:19:58,039 --> 00:20:02,920
your lamps were lit. Of course, undoubtedly there are some

335
00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,839
very singular points here, said Holmes, smiling. Is it not

336
00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,400
extraordinary that a burglar, and a burglar who had had

337
00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:14,440
some previous experience, should deliberately break into a house at

338
00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,720
a time when he could see from the lights that

339
00:20:16,799 --> 00:20:20,039
two of the family were still afoot He must have

340
00:20:20,079 --> 00:20:24,440
been a cool hand. Well. Of course, if the case

341
00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:26,519
were not an odd one, we should not have been

342
00:20:26,599 --> 00:20:29,960
driven to ask you for an explanation, said young mister Alec.

343
00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,039
But as to your ideas that the man has robbed

344
00:20:33,079 --> 00:20:36,240
the house before William tackled him. I think it a

345
00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:40,200
most absurd notion, wouldn't we have found the place disarranged

346
00:20:40,559 --> 00:20:44,200
and missed the things which he had taken. It depends

347
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,920
on what the things were, said Holmes. You must remember

348
00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:49,799
that we are dealing with a burglar who is a

349
00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:53,359
very peculiar fellow, and who appears to work on lines

350
00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,559
of his own. Look, for example at the queer lot

351
00:20:56,599 --> 00:20:59,480
of things which he took from Acton's What was it?

352
00:21:00,079 --> 00:21:02,920
A ball of string, a letter? Wait, and I don't

353
00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,920
know what other osen ends. Well, we are quite in

354
00:21:07,039 --> 00:21:11,519
your hands, mister Holmes, said old Cunningham. Anything which you

355
00:21:11,799 --> 00:21:16,039
or the inspector may suggest will most certainly be done.

356
00:21:16,839 --> 00:21:19,799
In the first place, said Holmes, I should like you

357
00:21:19,839 --> 00:21:23,960
to offer a reward coming from yourself, for the officials

358
00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,039
may take a little time before they would agree upon

359
00:21:26,079 --> 00:21:29,720
the sum, and these things cannot be done too promptly.

360
00:21:31,039 --> 00:21:33,720
I have jotted down the form here, if you would

361
00:21:33,759 --> 00:21:36,359
not mind signing it. Fifty pounds is quite enough. I

362
00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,759
thought I would willingly give you five hundred.

363
00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:41,400
Speaker 2: Said the j P.

364
00:21:41,799 --> 00:21:44,480
Speaker 1: Taking the slip of paper and the pencil which Holmes

365
00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:49,400
handed to him. This is not quite correct, however, he added,

366
00:21:49,559 --> 00:21:53,160
glancing over the document. I wrote it rather hurriedly.

367
00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,640
Speaker 2: You see, you begin where a is at about a

368
00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:01,039
quarter to one on Tuesday morning, and attempt was made,

369
00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:04,240
and so on it was at a quarter to twelve.

370
00:22:04,279 --> 00:22:07,960
Speaker 1: As a matter of fact. I was pained at the mistake,

371
00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,000
for I knew how keenly Homes would feel any slip

372
00:22:11,039 --> 00:22:14,359
of the kind. It was his speciality to be accurate

373
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,880
as to fact. But his recent illness had shaken him,

374
00:22:18,079 --> 00:22:20,720
and this one little incident was enough to show me

375
00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,640
that he was still far from being himself. He was

376
00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:28,000
obviously embarrassed for an instant while the inspector raised his

377
00:22:28,039 --> 00:22:33,160
eyebrows and Alec Cunningham burst into a laugh. The old

378
00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:37,039
gentleman corrected the mistake, however, and handed the paper back

379
00:22:37,079 --> 00:22:42,000
to Holmes. Get it printed as soon as possible. He said,

380
00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:46,720
I think your idea is an excellent one. Holmes put

381
00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,160
the slip of paper carefully away into his pocket book,

382
00:22:50,319 --> 00:22:53,400
and now said he it really would be a good

383
00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:55,680
thing that we should all go over the house together

384
00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,440
and make certain that this rather erratic burglar did not,

385
00:22:59,559 --> 00:23:04,759
after all carry anything away with him. Before entering, Holmes

386
00:23:04,759 --> 00:23:07,200
made an examination of the door which had been forced.

387
00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,519
It was evident that a chisel or strong knife had

388
00:23:10,519 --> 00:23:13,319
been thrust in and the lock forced back with it.

389
00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:15,880
We could see the marks in the wood where it

390
00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:20,839
had been pushed in. You don't use bars, then, he asked.

391
00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:23,000
Speaker 2: We have never found it necessary.

392
00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:27,240
Speaker 1: You don't keep a dog, yes, but he is chained

393
00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,079
on the other side of the house. When do your

394
00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:35,200
servants go to bed about ten? I understand that William

395
00:23:35,319 --> 00:23:39,640
was usually in bed also at that hour. Yes, it

396
00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,480
is singular that on this particular night he should have

397
00:23:42,519 --> 00:23:45,119
been up. Now I should be very glad if you

398
00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,079
had have the kindness to show us over the house,

399
00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:52,039
mister Cunningham. A stone flagged passage with the kitchens branching

400
00:23:52,039 --> 00:23:55,279
away from it, led by a wooden staircase directly to

401
00:23:55,319 --> 00:23:58,440
the first floor of the house. It came out upon

402
00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,519
the landing opposite to a second and more ornamental stare,

403
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:05,079
which came up from the front hall. Out of this

404
00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:10,039
landing opened the drawing room and several bedrooms, including those

405
00:24:10,079 --> 00:24:14,920
of mister Cunningham and his son. Holmes walked slowly, taking

406
00:24:15,039 --> 00:24:18,119
keen note of the architecture of the house. I could

407
00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,920
tell from his expression that he was on a hot scent,

408
00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:23,599
and yet I could not in the least imagine in

409
00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:28,160
what direction his inferences were leading him. My good sir,

410
00:24:28,559 --> 00:24:32,920
said mister Cunningham, with some impatience, This is surely very unnecessary.

411
00:24:33,519 --> 00:24:35,359
That is my room at the end of the stairs,

412
00:24:35,839 --> 00:24:38,680
and my sons is the one beyond it. I leave

413
00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:40,839
it to your judgment whether it was possible for the

414
00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,799
thief to have come up here without disturbing us. You

415
00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,839
must try round and get on a fresh scent. I fancy,

416
00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:52,319
said the son, with a rather malicious smile. Still, I

417
00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,440
must ask you to humor me a little further. I

418
00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,160
should like, for example, to see how far the windows

419
00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:02,079
of the bedrooms command the front. This, I understand is

420
00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:05,839
your son's room. He pushed open the door, and that,

421
00:25:06,279 --> 00:25:09,000
my presume, is the dressing room in which he sat

422
00:25:09,079 --> 00:25:12,920
smoking when the alarm was given. Where does the window

423
00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,480
of that look out to He stepped across the bedroom,

424
00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,599
pushed open the door, and glanced around the other chamber.

425
00:25:21,039 --> 00:25:24,960
I hope that you are satisfied now, said mister Cunningham, tartly.

426
00:25:26,039 --> 00:25:29,519
Thank you. I think I have seen all that I wished. Then,

427
00:25:29,559 --> 00:25:32,880
if it is really necessary, we can go into my room.

428
00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:36,640
If it is not too much trouble. The j P

429
00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,720
shrugged his shoulders and led the way into his own chamber,

430
00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:43,839
which was a plainly furnished and commonplace room. As we

431
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,839
moved across it in the direction of the window, Holmes

432
00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,079
fell back until he and I were the last of

433
00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:52,519
the group. Near the foot of the bed stood a

434
00:25:52,519 --> 00:25:56,119
dish of oranges and a carafe of water. As we

435
00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:00,319
passed it, Holmes, to my unutterable astonishment, leaned over in

436
00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,200
front of me and deliberately knocked the whole thing over.

437
00:26:04,319 --> 00:26:07,720
The glass smashed into a thousand pieces, and the fruit

438
00:26:07,839 --> 00:26:11,720
rolled about into every corner of the room. You've done

439
00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,039
it now, Watson said, he coolly, A pretty mess you've

440
00:26:15,039 --> 00:26:18,799
made of the carpet. I stooped in some confusion, and

441
00:26:18,839 --> 00:26:22,079
began to pick up the fruit, understanding for some reason

442
00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,119
my companion desired me to take the blame upon myself.

443
00:26:26,039 --> 00:26:28,480
The others did the same and set the table on

444
00:26:28,559 --> 00:26:33,759
its legs again. Hullo, cried the inspector. Where's he's got to?

445
00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:40,359
Holmes had disappeared. Wait here an instant, said young Alec Cunningham,

446
00:26:41,039 --> 00:26:44,240
a fellow is off his head in my opinion. Come

447
00:26:44,279 --> 00:26:46,559
with me, father, and see where he has got to.

448
00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:51,400
They rushed out of the room, leaving the inspector, the colonel,

449
00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:56,039
and me staring at each other. Puon my word, I'm

450
00:26:56,079 --> 00:26:59,400
inclined to agree with Master Alick, said the official. It

451
00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,920
may be the of his illness, but it seems to

452
00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,000
me that his words were cut short by a sudden

453
00:27:05,039 --> 00:27:10,119
scream of help, help, murder. With a thrill, I recognized

454
00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:13,359
the voice of that of my friend. I rushed madly

455
00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:16,440
from the room on to the landing. The cries, which

456
00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:20,519
had sunk down into a hoarse, inarticulate shouting, came from

457
00:27:20,559 --> 00:27:23,920
the room which we had first visited. I dashed in

458
00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:28,160
and on into the dressing room beyond the two Cunninghams

459
00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,799
were bending over the prostrate figure of Sherlock Holmes, the

460
00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:35,000
younger clutching his throat with both hands, while the elder

461
00:27:35,039 --> 00:27:38,440
seemed to be twisting one of his wrists. In an instant,

462
00:27:38,519 --> 00:27:40,359
the three of us had torn them away from him,

463
00:27:40,759 --> 00:27:44,440
and Holmes staggered to his feet, very pale and evidently

464
00:27:44,519 --> 00:27:50,920
greatly exhausted. Arrest these men inspector. He gasped, on what charge,

465
00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:57,039
that of murdering their coachman William Kerwin. The inspector stared

466
00:27:57,079 --> 00:28:01,160
about him in bewilderment. Oh, come down to Holmes, said

467
00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,680
he at last, Ah, I'm sure you don't really mean

468
00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:08,200
to tut man. Look at their faces, cried Holmes curtly.

469
00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:12,160
Never certainly have I seen a plainer confession of guilt

470
00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:16,799
upon human countenances. The older man seemed numbed and dazed,

471
00:28:17,039 --> 00:28:20,319
with a heavy sullen expression upon his strongly marked face.

472
00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:24,160
The sun, on the other hand, had dropped all that jaunty,

473
00:28:24,319 --> 00:28:28,039
dashing style which had characterized him, and the ferocity of

474
00:28:28,079 --> 00:28:31,599
a dangerous wild beast gleamed in his dark eyes and

475
00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:37,200
distorted his handsome features. The inspector said nothing, but stepping

476
00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,759
to the door, he blew his whistle. Two of his

477
00:28:39,839 --> 00:28:44,440
constables came at the call. I've no alternative, mister Cunningham

478
00:28:44,559 --> 00:28:47,279
said he. I trust that this may all prove to

479
00:28:47,279 --> 00:28:50,640
be an absurd mistake, but you can see that. Ah,

480
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,720
would you drop it? He struck out with his hand,

481
00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:55,839
and a revolver, which the younger man was in the

482
00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,839
act of cocking, clattered down upon the floor. Keep that,

483
00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,720
said Holmes, quietly, putting his foot upon it. You will

484
00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,640
find it useful at the trial. But this is what

485
00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,240
we really wanted. He held up a little crumpled piece

486
00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:16,039
of paper. The remainder of the sheet, cried the inspector. Precisely,

487
00:29:16,759 --> 00:29:20,240
and where was it? Where I was sure it must be.

488
00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:26,079
I'll make the whole matter clear to you presently. I think, Colonel,

489
00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:29,319
that you and Watson might return now, and I will

490
00:29:29,359 --> 00:29:31,319
be with you again in an hour at the furthest.

491
00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,480
The inspector and I must have a word with the prisoners,

492
00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:37,920
but you will certainly see me back at luncheon time.

493
00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,240
Sherlock Holmes was as good as his word, for about

494
00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,880
one o'clock he rejoined us in the colonel's smoking room.

495
00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,160
He was accompanied by a little elderly gentleman who was

496
00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,160
introduced to me as the mister Acton, whose house had

497
00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:56,359
been the scene of the original burglary. I wish mister

498
00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,440
Acton to be present while I demonstrated this small matter

499
00:29:59,519 --> 00:30:02,680
to you, said Holmes, for it is natural that he

500
00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:07,119
should take a keen interest in the details. I am afraid,

501
00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,880
my dear colonel, that you must regret the hour that

502
00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:12,359
you took in such a stormy petrol as I am.

503
00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:17,480
On the contrary, answered the colonel warmly. I consider it

504
00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,319
the greatest privilege to have been permitted to study your

505
00:30:20,359 --> 00:30:25,000
methods of working. I confess that they quite surpass my expectations,

506
00:30:25,519 --> 00:30:27,920
and I am utterly unable to account for your result.

507
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:30,960
I have not yet seen the vestige of a clue.

508
00:30:32,519 --> 00:30:35,079
I am afraid that my explanation may disillusion you, but

509
00:30:35,119 --> 00:30:37,359
it has always been my habit to hide none of

510
00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:41,160
my methods, either from my friend Watson, or from any

511
00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:45,000
one who might take an intelligent interest in them. But first,

512
00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,759
as I am rather shaken by the knocking about which

513
00:30:47,759 --> 00:30:50,079
I had in the dressing room, I think that I

514
00:30:50,079 --> 00:30:52,440
shall help myself to a dash of your brandy. Colonel,

515
00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:57,000
my strength had been rather tired of late. I trust

516
00:30:57,039 --> 00:31:01,160
that you are no more of those nervous attacks. Sherlock

517
00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:04,839
Holmes laughed heartily. Ha, we will come to that in

518
00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,039
its turn, said he. I will lay an account of

519
00:31:08,039 --> 00:31:11,039
the case before you in its due order, showing you

520
00:31:11,119 --> 00:31:14,880
the various points which guided me in my decision. Pray

521
00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:17,000
interrupt me if there is any inference which is not

522
00:31:17,119 --> 00:31:21,640
perfectly clear to you it is of the highest importance

523
00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:24,160
in the art of detection to be able to recognize

524
00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:27,839
out of a number of facts which are incidental and

525
00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:32,240
which vital. Otherwise your energy and attention must be dissipated

526
00:31:32,279 --> 00:31:36,559
instead of being concentrated. Now, in this case, there was

527
00:31:36,599 --> 00:31:38,880
not the slightest doubt in my mind from the first

528
00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:41,440
that the key of the whole matter must be looked

529
00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:44,160
for in the scrap of paper in the dead man's hand.

530
00:31:45,519 --> 00:31:48,119
Before going to this, I would draw your attention to

531
00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:52,200
the fact that if Alec Cunningham's narrative was correct, and

532
00:31:52,279 --> 00:31:56,200
if the assailant, after shooting William Kerwin had instantly fled,

533
00:31:57,200 --> 00:31:59,519
then it obviously could not be he who tore the

534
00:31:59,559 --> 00:32:03,440
paper the dead man's hand. But if it was not he,

535
00:32:04,359 --> 00:32:08,759
it must have been Alec Cunningham himself, for by the

536
00:32:08,839 --> 00:32:12,119
time that the old man had descended, several servants were

537
00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,640
upon the scene. The point is a simple one, but

538
00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,200
the inspector had overlooked it because he had started with

539
00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:22,000
the supposition that these County magnates had had nothing to

540
00:32:22,039 --> 00:32:24,920
do with the matter. Now I make a point of

541
00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:28,839
never having any prejudices, and of following docile wherever fact

542
00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,279
may lead me. And so in the very first stage

543
00:32:32,319 --> 00:32:35,799
of the investigation, I found myself looking a little askance

544
00:32:35,839 --> 00:32:38,599
at the part which had been played by mister Alec Cunningham.

545
00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,440
And now I made a very careful examination of the

546
00:32:42,519 --> 00:32:45,960
corner of paper which the inspector had submitted to us.

547
00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:48,400
It was at once clear to me that it formed

548
00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:52,839
part of a very remarkable document. Here it is. Do

549
00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:57,079
you not now observe something very suggestive about it? It

550
00:32:57,119 --> 00:33:01,480
has a very irregular look, said the colonel. My dear Sir,

551
00:33:01,799 --> 00:33:04,640
cried Holmes. There cannot be the least doubt in the

552
00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:07,799
world that it has been written by two persons doing

553
00:33:07,839 --> 00:33:11,720
alternate words. When I draw your attention to the strong

554
00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:15,519
tease of at and two and ask you to compare

555
00:33:15,559 --> 00:33:19,119
them with the weak ones of quarter and twelve, you

556
00:33:19,119 --> 00:33:23,119
will instantly recognize the fact a very brief analysis of

557
00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:25,400
these four words would enable you to say with the

558
00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:29,759
utmost confidence that the learn and the maybe are written

559
00:33:29,759 --> 00:33:33,039
in the stronger hand, and that the what in the weaker.

560
00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:37,920
By jove, it is as clear as day, cried the colonel.

561
00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:40,519
Why on earth should two men write a letter in

562
00:33:40,559 --> 00:33:44,440
such a fashion. Obviously the business was a bad one,

563
00:33:44,839 --> 00:33:47,559
and one of the men who distrusted the other was

564
00:33:47,599 --> 00:33:51,200
determined that whatever was done, each should have an equal

565
00:33:51,279 --> 00:33:54,599
hand in it. Now, of the two men, it is

566
00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:57,039
clear that the one who wrote the AT and two

567
00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:02,640
was the ringleader. Do you get at that we might

568
00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,160
deduce it from the mere character of the one hand

569
00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,280
as compared with the other, But we have more assured

570
00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:11,639
reasons than that for supposing it. If you examine this

571
00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:15,079
scrap with attention, you will come to the conclusion that

572
00:34:15,119 --> 00:34:18,199
the man with the stronger hand wrote all his words first,

573
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,440
leaving blanks for the other to fill up. These blanks

574
00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,079
were not always sufficient, and you can see that the

575
00:34:25,079 --> 00:34:27,840
second man had a squeeze to fit his quarter in

576
00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,199
between the AT and the two, showing that the latter

577
00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:34,199
was already written. The man who wrote all his words

578
00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:38,639
first is undoubtedly the man who planned the affair. Excellent,

579
00:34:39,199 --> 00:34:45,480
cried mister Acton, But very superficial, said Holmes. We come now, however,

580
00:34:45,519 --> 00:34:48,719
to a point which is of importance. You may not

581
00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,159
be aware that the deduction of a man's age from

582
00:34:51,199 --> 00:34:54,119
his writing is one which has been brought to considerable

583
00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:58,280
accuracy by experts. In normal cases, one can place a

584
00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:02,039
man in his true decade. With toleran confidence. I say

585
00:35:02,159 --> 00:35:06,199
normal cases, because ill health and physical weakness reproduce the

586
00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,480
signs of old age, even when the invalid is a youth.

587
00:35:10,679 --> 00:35:13,760
In this case, looking at the bold, strong hand of

588
00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,639
the one and the rather broken back to appearance of

589
00:35:16,679 --> 00:35:20,480
the other, which still retains its legibility, although the teas

590
00:35:20,559 --> 00:35:23,880
have begun to lose their crossing, we can say that

591
00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:26,320
the one was a young man and the other was

592
00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:32,280
advanced in years, without being positively decrepit. Excellent, cried mister Acton. Again.

593
00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,360
There is a further point, however, which is subtler and

594
00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:41,000
of greater interest. There is something in common between these hands.

595
00:35:41,599 --> 00:35:44,679
They belong to men who are blood relatives. It may

596
00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:47,320
be most obvious to you in the Greek ease, but

597
00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:50,000
to me there are many small points which indicate the

598
00:35:50,039 --> 00:35:53,960
same thing. I have no doubt at all that a

599
00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,320
family mannerism can be traced in these two specimens of writing.

600
00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:00,840
I am only, of course, giving you the leading results

601
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:04,199
now of my examination of the paper. There were twenty

602
00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:06,599
three other deductions which would be of more interest to

603
00:36:06,639 --> 00:36:09,880
experts than to you. They all tend to deepen the

604
00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:13,719
impression upon my mind that the Cunninghams father and son

605
00:36:14,199 --> 00:36:19,000
had written this letter. Having got so far, my next

606
00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,679
step was, of course, to examine into the details of

607
00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:25,119
the crime, and to see how far they would help us.

608
00:36:25,679 --> 00:36:28,119
I went up to the house with the inspector and

609
00:36:28,199 --> 00:36:31,039
saw all that was to be seen. The wound upon

610
00:36:31,039 --> 00:36:33,199
the dead man was, as I was able to determine

611
00:36:33,199 --> 00:36:37,280
with absolute confidence, fired from a revolver at the distance

612
00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:41,440
of something over four yards. There was no powder blackening

613
00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:46,159
on the clothes. Evidently, therefore Alec Cunningham had lied when

614
00:36:46,159 --> 00:36:48,119
he said that the two men were struggling when the

615
00:36:48,119 --> 00:36:52,840
shot was fired. Again, both father and son agreed as

616
00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:55,280
to the place where the man escaped into the road.

617
00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,480
At that point, however, as it happens, there is a

618
00:36:59,519 --> 00:37:02,960
broadish ditch moist at the bottom. As there were no

619
00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,559
indications of boot marks about this ditch, I was absolutely

620
00:37:06,639 --> 00:37:10,239
sure not only that the Cunninghams had again lied, but

621
00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:12,480
that there had never been any unknown man upon the

622
00:37:12,519 --> 00:37:15,920
scene at all. And now I have to consider the

623
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:21,079
motive of this singular crime. To get at this, I endeavored,

624
00:37:21,119 --> 00:37:23,679
first of all to solve the reason of the original

625
00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:27,920
burglary at mister Acton's I understood from something which the

626
00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:30,760
Colonel told us, that a law suit had been going

627
00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:34,559
on between you, mister Acton, and the Cunninghams. Of course,

628
00:37:34,679 --> 00:37:37,320
it instantly occurred to me that they had broken into

629
00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,159
your library with the intention of getting at some document

630
00:37:40,599 --> 00:37:44,360
which might be of importance in the case. Precisely so,

631
00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:48,320
said mister Acton. There can be no possible doubt as

632
00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:51,800
to their intentions. I have the clearest claim upon half

633
00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:54,719
of their present estate, and if they could have found

634
00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:58,559
a single paper, which fortunately was in the strong box

635
00:37:58,599 --> 00:38:02,679
of my solicitors, they would undoubtedly have crippled our case.

636
00:38:04,079 --> 00:38:08,280
There you are, said Holmes, smiling. It was a dangerous,

637
00:38:08,519 --> 00:38:11,880
reckless attempt in which I seemed to trace the influence

638
00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:16,800
of young Alick. Having found nothing, they tried to divert

639
00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:20,199
suspicion by making it appear to be an ordinary burglary,

640
00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:23,039
to which end they carried off whatever they could lay

641
00:38:23,079 --> 00:38:27,280
their hands upon. That is all clear enough, But there

642
00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:30,920
was much that was still obscure. What I wanted, above

643
00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,639
all was to get the missing part of that note.

644
00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:35,960
I was certain that Alec had torn it out of

645
00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:38,960
the dead man's hand, and almost certain that he must

646
00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:41,239
have thrust it into the pocket of his dressing gown.

647
00:38:42,119 --> 00:38:45,159
Where else could he have put it? The only question

648
00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,920
was whether it was still there. It was worth an

649
00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:50,920
effort to find out, and for that object we all

650
00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:54,679
went up to the house. The Cunninghams joined us, as

651
00:38:54,679 --> 00:38:59,000
you doubtless remember, outside the kitchen door. It was, of course,

652
00:38:59,039 --> 00:39:01,440
of the very first import shaughtance that they should not

653
00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:05,000
be reminded of the existence of this paper, otherwise they

654
00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:09,119
would naturally destroy it without delay. The Inspector was about

655
00:39:09,119 --> 00:39:11,360
to tell them the importance which we attached to it,

656
00:39:11,719 --> 00:39:14,679
when by the luckiest chance in the world, I tumbled

657
00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:17,840
down in a sort of fit, and so changed the conversation.

658
00:39:19,079 --> 00:39:22,480
Good Heavens, cried the colonel, laughing, do you mean to

659
00:39:22,559 --> 00:39:25,760
say all our sympathy was wasted and you'll fit an

660
00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:31,440
imposture speaking professionally. It was admirably done, cried I, looking

661
00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:34,480
in amazement at this man who was forever confounding me

662
00:39:34,559 --> 00:39:38,159
with some new phase of his astuteness. It is an

663
00:39:38,239 --> 00:39:41,719
art which is often useful, said he. When I recovered

664
00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:44,199
I managed, by a device which had perhaps some little

665
00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:47,280
merit of ingenuity, to get old Cunningham to write the

666
00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:50,320
word twelve, so that I might compare it with the

667
00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:54,639
twelve upon the paper. Oh what an ass I have been,

668
00:39:55,159 --> 00:39:59,039
I exclaimed. I could see that you were commiserating me

669
00:39:59,119 --> 00:40:03,000
over my weakness, said Holmes, laughing, I was sorry to

670
00:40:03,079 --> 00:40:05,960
cause you the sympathetic pain which I know that you felt.

671
00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:09,760
We then went upstairs together, and having entered the room

672
00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,480
and seen the dressing gown hanging up behind the door,

673
00:40:13,119 --> 00:40:16,679
I contrived by upsetting a table to engage their attention

674
00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:20,559
for the moment, and slipped back to examine the pockets.

675
00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:24,079
I had hardly got the paper, however, which was as

676
00:40:24,119 --> 00:40:26,679
I had expected in one of them, when the two

677
00:40:26,719 --> 00:40:29,400
Cunninghams were on me, and would I verily believe have

678
00:40:29,559 --> 00:40:32,039
murdered me then and there but for your prompt and

679
00:40:32,119 --> 00:40:36,119
friendly aid. As it is, I feel that young man's

680
00:40:36,159 --> 00:40:39,239
grip on my throat now, and the father has twisted

681
00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:41,239
my wrist round in the effort to get the paper

682
00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:44,280
out of my hand. They saw that I must know

683
00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:47,199
all about it, you see, and the sudden change from

684
00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:52,840
absolute security to complete despair made them perfectly desperate. I

685
00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:55,719
had a little talk with old Cunningham afterwards as to

686
00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:59,559
the motive of the crime, he was tractable enough, though

687
00:40:59,559 --> 00:41:02,599
his son was a perfect demon, ready to blow out

688
00:41:02,599 --> 00:41:04,760
his own or anybody else's brains if he could have

689
00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:08,360
got to his revolver. When Cunningham saw that the case

690
00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:11,519
against him was so strong, he lost all heart and

691
00:41:11,639 --> 00:41:15,519
made a clean breast of everything. It seems that William

692
00:41:15,559 --> 00:41:18,559
had secretly followed his two masters on the night when

693
00:41:18,599 --> 00:41:21,800
they made their raid upon mister Acton's, and having thus

694
00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:26,239
got them into his power, proceeded under threats of exposure

695
00:41:26,719 --> 00:41:30,440
to levy blackmail upon them. Mister Alick, however, was a

696
00:41:30,519 --> 00:41:34,039
dangerous man to play games of that sort with. It

697
00:41:34,199 --> 00:41:37,039
was a stroke of positive genius on his part to

698
00:41:37,079 --> 00:41:40,239
see in the burglary scare which was convulsing the countryside,

699
00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:43,800
an opportunity of plausibly getting rid of the man whom

700
00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:48,119
he feared. William was decoyed up and shot. And had

701
00:41:48,119 --> 00:41:50,599
they only got the whole of the note and paid

702
00:41:50,599 --> 00:41:53,960
a little more attention to detail in the accessories, it

703
00:41:54,039 --> 00:41:57,320
is very possible that suspicion might never have been aroused.

704
00:41:58,559 --> 00:42:02,800
And a note I asked Sherlock Holmes placed the subjoined

705
00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:06,840
paper before us, if you will only come around to

706
00:42:06,880 --> 00:42:09,159
the east gate it will very much surprise you and

707
00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:12,000
be of the greatest service to you and also to

708
00:42:12,039 --> 00:42:15,360
Annie Morrison. But say nothing to anyone upon the matter.

709
00:42:17,159 --> 00:42:19,360
It is very much the sort of thing that I expected,

710
00:42:19,599 --> 00:42:22,559
said he. Of course, we do not yet know what

711
00:42:22,599 --> 00:42:26,360
the relations may have been between Alec Cunningham, William Kerwin

712
00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:30,559
and Annie Morrison. The result shows that the trap was

713
00:42:30,559 --> 00:42:33,840
skillfully baited. I am sure that you cannot fail to

714
00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:36,800
be delighted with the traces of heredity shown in the

715
00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:40,719
peas and in the Tales of the Ges. The absence

716
00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:43,480
of the ie dots in the old Man's writing is

717
00:42:43,519 --> 00:42:48,480
also more characteristic Watson. I think our quiet rest in

718
00:42:48,519 --> 00:42:52,599
the country has been a distinct success, and I shall

719
00:42:52,639 --> 00:42:58,880
certainly return much invigorated to Baker Street to morrow. End

720
00:42:59,280 --> 00:43:00,639
of the reigate. It's puzzle