No. 4 The Boscombe Valley Mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle
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there_is a strong presumption that_the person whom McCarthy expected to meet him at Boscombe pool was someone who had_been in Australia ."

" what of_the rat, then ? "

Sherlock Holmes took a folded paper from_his pocket and flattened it out on_the table ." this_is a map of_the colony of Victoria," he_said ."I wired to Bristol for_it last night ." he put his hand over part of_the map ." what do_you read ? "

"ARAT," I_read .

" and now ? " he raised his hand .

"BALLARAT ."

" quite so . that was_the word the man uttered, and of_which his son only caught the last two syllables . he_was trying to utter the name of_his murderer . so and so, of Ballarat ."

" it_is wonderful ! " I exclaimed .

" it_is obvious . and now, you_see, I had narrowed the field down considerably . the possession of agrey garment was a third point which, granting the son's statement to_be correct, was a certainty . we_have come now out of mere vagueness to_the definite conception of an Australian from Ballarat with agrey cloak ."

" certainly ."

" and one who was at home in_the district, for_the pool can only be approached by_the farm or by_the estate, where strangers could hardly wander ."

" quite so ."

" then comes our expedition of to- day . by an examination of_the ground I gained the trifling details which I_gave to_that imbecile Lestrade, as_to_the personality of_the criminal ."

" but how did you gain them ? "

" you_know my method . it_is founded upon_the observation of trifles ."

" his height I_know that you_might roughly judge from_the length of_his stride . his boots, too, might_be told from their traces ."

" yes, they were peculiar boots ."

" but his lameness ? "

" the impression of_his right foot was always less distinct than his left . he put less weight upon it . why ? because he limped-- he_was lame ."

" but his left-handedness ."

" you were yourself struck by_the nature of_the injury as recorded by_the surgeon at_the inquest . the blow was struck from immediately behind, and yet was upon_the left side . now, how can that be unless it were by a left- handed man ? he had stood behind that tree during the interview between_the father and son . he had even smoked there . I_found the ash of a cigar, which my special knowledge of tobacco ashes enables me to pronounce as an Indian cigar . I_have, as_you_know, devoted some attention to_this, and written a little monograph on_the ashes of 140 different varieties of pipe, cigar, and cigarette tobacco .Having found the ash, I then looked round and discovered the stump among_the moss where he had tossed it . it_was an Indian cigar, of_the variety which are rolled in Rotterdam ."

" and_the cigar- holder ? "

"I could_see that_the end had_not_been in_his mouth . therefore he used a holder . the tip had_been cut off, not bitten off, but the cut was not a clean one, so I deduced a blunt pen- knife ."

"Holmes," I_said, " you_have drawn a net round this man from_which he_cannot escape, and you_have saved an innocent human life as truly as if_you had cut the cord which_was hanging him . I_see the direction in_which all this points . the culprit is--"

" Mr John turner," cried the hotel waiter, opening the door of_our sitting- room, and ushering in a visitor .

the man who entered was a strange and impressive figure . his slow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep- lined, craggy features, and_his enormous limbs showed that he_was possessed of unusual strength of body and of character . his tangled beard, grizzled hair, and outstanding, drooping eyebrows combined to_give an air of dignity and power to_his appearance, but his face was of an ashen white, while his lips and_the corners of_his nostrils were tinged with a shade of blue . it_was clear to_me at a glance that he_was in_the grip of some deadly and chronic disease .

" pray sit down on_the sofa," said Holmes gently ." you had my note ? "

" yes, the lodge- keeper brought it up . you said that you wished to_see me here to avoid scandal ."

" i_thought people would talk if I went to_the hall ."

" and why did you wish to_see me ? " he looked across at my companion with despair in_his weary eyes, as_though his question was already answered .

" yes," said Holmes, answering the look rather than_the words ." it_is so . I_know all about McCarthy ."

the old man sank his face in_his hands ." god help me ! " he cried ." but i_would_not have let the young man come to harm .I give_you my word that i_would_have spoken out if_it went against him at_the Assizes ."

" I_am glad_to_hear you say so," said Holmes gravely .

" i_would_have spoken now had it not been for_my dear girl . it would break her heart-- it_will break her heart when she hears that I_am arrested ."

" it may not come to_that," said Holmes .

" what ? "

" I_am no official agent .I understand that_it_was your daughter who required my presence here, and I_am acting in her interests . young McCarthy must_be got off, however ."

" I_am adying man," said old turner ." I_have_had diabetes for years . my doctor says it_is a question whether I_shall live a month . yet i_would rather die under my own roof than in a jail ."

Holmes rose and sat down at_the table with_his pen in_his hand and a bundle of paper before him ." just tell us the truth," he_said ." I_shall jot down the facts . you_will sign it, and Watson here can witness it . then I_could produce your confession at_the last extremity to save young McCarthy .I promise you that I_shall_not use it unless it_is absolutely needed ."

" it's as_well," said the old man; " it's a question whether I_shall live to_the Assizes, so it matters little to_me, but i_should wish to spare Alice the shock . and now i_will make_the thing clear to_you; it_has_been a long_time in_the acting, but will not take me long to_tell .

" you didn't know this dead man, McCarthy . he_was a devil incarnate .I tell you that . god keep you out_of_the clutches of_such a man as he . his grip has_been upon me these twenty years, and he has blasted my life .I'll tell you first how I_came to_be in_his power .

" it_was in_the early '60's at_the diggings . i_was a young chap then, hot- blooded and reckless, ready to_turn my hand at anything; I got among bad companions, took to drink, had no luck with my claim, took to_the bush, and in a word became what you_would call over here a highway robber . there were six of us, and we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from_time to_time, or stopping the wagons on_the road to_the diggings . black jack of Ballarat was_the name I went under, and_our party is still remembered in_the colony as_the Ballarat gang .

" one day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne, and we lay in wait for_it and attacked it . there were six troopers and six of us, so it_was a close thing, but we emptied four of_their saddles at_the first volley . three of_our boys were killed, however, before we got the swag .I put my pistol to_the head of_the wagon- driver, who was_this very man McCarthy . i_wish to_the lord that I had shot him then, but I spared him, though I_saw his wicked little eyes fixed on my face, as_though to remember every feature . we got away with_the gold, became wealthy men, and made our way over to England without being suspected . there I parted from my old pals and determined to settle down to a quiet and respectable life .I bought this estate, which chanced to_be in_the market, and I set myself to_do a little good with my money, to_make up for_the way in_which I had earned it .I married, too, and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice . even when she was just a baby her wee hand seemed to lead me down the right path as nothing else had ever done . in a word, I turned over a new leaf and did my best to_make up for_the past . all was going well when McCarthy laid his grip upon me .

"I had gone up_to town about an investment, and I met him in regent street with hardly a coat to_his back or a boot to_his foot .

"' here we_are, jack,' says he, touching me on_the arm; ' we'll be as good as a family to_you . there's two of us, me and my son, and you_can_have the keeping of us . if_you don't-- it's a fine, law-abiding country is England, and there's always a policeman within hail .'

" well, down they came to_the west country, there_was no shaking them off, and there they_have lived rent free on my best land ever_since . there_was no rest for_me, no peace, no forgetfulness; turn where i_would, there_was his cunning, grinning face at my elbow . it grew worse as Alice grew up, for he soon saw i_was more afraid of her knowing my past than of_the police . whatever he_wanted he_must_have, and whatever it_was I_gave him without question, land, money, houses, until at last he asked a thing which I_could_not give . he asked for Alice .

" his son, you_see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as i_was known to_be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to him that his lad should step into_the whole property . but there i_was firm . i_would_not have his cursed stock mixed with mine; not that I had any dislike to_the lad, but his blood was in him, and_that was enough .I stood firm . McCarthy threatened .I braved him to_do his worst . we were to meet at_the pool midway between our houses to_talk it over .

" when we went down there I_found him talking with_his son, so smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he_should_be alone . but as I listened to_his talk all that was black and bitter in me seemed to_come uppermost . he_was urging his son to marry my daughter with as little regard for what she might think as_if she were aslut from off the streets . it drove me mad to_think that I and all that I held most dear should_be in_the power of_such a man as_this . could I not snap the bond ? i_was already adying and a desperate man . though clear of mind and fairly strong of limb, I_knew that my own fate was sealed . but my memory and my girl ! both could_be saved if I_could but silence that foul tongue . I_did it, Mr Holmes . i_would do_it again . deeply as I_have sinned, I_have led a life of martyrdom to atone for_it . but that my girl should_be entangled in_the same meshes which held me was more than I_could suffer .I struck him down with no more compunction than if he had_been some foul and venomous beast . his cry brought back his son; but I had gained the cover of_the wood, though i_was forced to_go back to fetch the cloak which I had dropped in my flight . that_is_the true story, gentlemen, of all that occurred ."

" well, it_is_not for_me to judge you," said Holmes as_the old man signed the statement which had_been drawn out ."I pray that we_may never be exposed to such a temptation ."

"I pray not, sir . and what do_you intend to_do ? "

" in view of your health, nothing . you_are yourself aware that you_will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than_the Assizes . i_will keep your confession, and if McCarthy is condemned I_shall_be forced to use it . if_not, it shall never be seen by mortal eye; and your secret, whether you be alive or dead, shall be safe with_us ."

" farewell, then," said the old man solemnly ." your own deathbeds, when they_come, will_be the easier for_the thought of_the peace which you_have given to mine ." Tottering and shaking in all his giant frame, he stumbled slowly from_the room .

" god help_us ! " said Holmes after a long silence ." why does fate play such tricks with poor, helpless worms ? I never hear of_such a case as_this that I_do_not_think of Baxter's words, and say, ' there, but for_the grace of god, goes Sherlock Holmes .'"

James McCarthy was acquitted at_the Assizes on_the strength of a number of objections which had_been drawn out by Holmes and submitted to_the defending counsel . old turner lived for seven months after our interview, but he_is now dead; and there_is every prospect that_the son and daughter may come to live happily together in ignorance of_the black cloud which rests upon their past .

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