No. 9 The Adventure of the Lion's Mane by Arthur Conan Doyle
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on what pretext ? "

"Oh, we_can easily find a pretext . after all, this poor man did_not ill- use himself in_this outrageous way . some human hand was on_the handle of_that scourge, if indeed it_was a scourge which inflicted the injuries . his circle of acquaintances in_this lonely place was surely limited . let_us follow it up in every direction and we_can hardly fail to_come upon_the motive, which in turn should lead us to_the criminal ."

it would_have_been a pleasant walk across the thyme- scented downs had our minds not been poisoned by_the tragedy we had witnessed . the village of Fulworth lies in a hollow curving in a semicircle round the bay . behind the old- fashioned hamlet several modern houses have_been built upon_the rising ground . it_was to one_of_these that Stackhurst guided me .

" that's the haven, as Bellamy called it . the one with_the corner tower and slate roof . not bad for a man who started with nothing but -- by Jove, look at_that ! "

the garden gate of_the haven had opened and a man had emerged . there_was no mistaking that tall, angular, straggling figure . it_was Ian Murdoch, the mathematician .a moment later we confronted him upon_the road .

"Hullo ! " said Stackhurst . the man nodded, gave_us a sideways glance from_his curious dark eyes, and would_have- passed us, but his principal pulled him up .

" what were you doing there ? " he asked .

Murdoch's face flushed with anger ." I_am your subordinate, sir, under your roof . I_am not aware that I owe you any account of_my private actions ."

Stackhurst's nerves were near the surface after all he had endured . otherwise, perhaps, he_would_have waited . now he_lost his temper completely .

" in_the circumstances your answer is pure impertinence, Mr Murdoch ."

" your own question might perhaps come under the same heading ."

" this_is_not the first time that I_have_had to overlook your insubordinate ways . it_will certainly be the last . you_will kindly make fresh arrangements for your future as speedily as_you_can ."

"I had intended to_do_so . I_have lost to- day the only person who_made the Gables habitable ."

he strode off upon his way, while Stackhurst, with angry eyes, stood glaring after him ." is he not an impossible, intolerable man ? " he cried .

the one_thing that impressed itself forcibly upon my mind was_that Mr Ian Murdoch was taking the first chance to open a path of escape from_the scene of_the crime . suspicion, vague and nebulous, was now beginning to_take outline in my mind . perhaps the visit to_the Bellamys might throw some further light upon_the matter .Stackhurst pulled himself together, and we went forward to_the house .

Mr Bellamy proved to_be a middle- aged man with aflaming red beard . he_seemed to_be in a very angry mood, and_his face was soon as florid as his hair .

" no, sir, I_do_not desire any particulars . my son here" -indicating a powerful young man, with a heavy, sullen face, in_the corner of_the sitting- room -- " is of one mind with me that Mr McPherson's attentions to Maud were insulting . yes, sir, the word ' marriage' was never mentioned, and yet there were letters and meetings, and a great deal more of_which neither of us could approve . she has no mother, and we_are her only guardians . we_are determined --"

but the words were taken from_his mouth by_the appearance of_the lady herself . there_was no gainsaying that she would_have graced any assembly in_the_world . who could_have imagined that so rare a flower would grow from such a root and in_such an atmosphere ? women have seldom been an attraction to_me, for_my brain has always governed my heart, but I_could_not look upon her perfect clear- cut face, with all the soft freshness of_the downlands in her delicate colouring, without realizing that no young man would cross her path unscathed . such was_the girl who had pushed open the door and stood now, wide- eyed and intense, in front of Harold Stackhurst .

" I_know already that Fitzroy is dead," she said ." do_not be afraid to_tell me the particulars ."

" this other gentleman of yours let_us_know the news," explained the father .

" there_is no reason why my sister should_be brought into_the matter," growled the younger man .

the sister turned a sharp, fierce look upon him ." this_is my business, William . kindly leave me to manage it in my own way . by all accounts there_has_been a crime committed . if I_can help to show who did it, it_is_the least I_can do for him who_is gone ."

she listened to a short account from my companion, with a composed concentration which showed me that she possessed strong character as_well as great beauty .Maud Bellamy will always remain in my memory as a most complete and remarkable woman . it seems that she already knew me by sight, for she turned to_me at_the end .

" bring them to justice, Mr Holmes . you_have my sympathy and my help, whoever they_may_be ." it seemed to_me that she glanced defiantly at her father and brother as she spoke .

" thank_you," said I ."I value a woman's instinct in_such matters . you use the word ' they .' you_think that more than one was concerned ? "

" I_knew Mr McPherson well enough to_be aware that he_was a brave and a strong man . no single person could ever have inflicted such an outrage upon him ."

" might I_have one word with_you alone ? "

"I tell you, Maud, not to mix yourself up in_the matter," cried her father angrily .

she looked at me helplessly ." what can I_do ? "

" the whole world will know the facts presently, so there can_be no harm if I discuss them here," said I ." i_should_have preferred privacy, but if your father will not allow it he_must share the deliberations ." then I spoke of_the note which had_been found in_the dead man's pocket ." it_is sure to_be produced at_the inquest . may I ask_you to throw any light upon it that you_can ? "

" I_see no reason for mystery," she answered ." we were engaged to_be married, and we only kept it secret because Fitzroy's uncle, who_is very old and said to_be dying, might_have disinherited him if he had married against his wish . there_was no other reason ."

" you_could_have told us," growled Mr Bellamy .

" so i_would, father, if_you had ever shown sympathy ."

"I object to my girl picking up with men outside her own station ."

" it_was your prejudice against him which prevented us from telling you . as_to_this appointment" -- she fumbled in her dress and produced a crumpled note -- " it_was in answer to_this ."

dearest [ran the message]: the old place on_the beach just after sunset on Tuesday . it_is_the only time I_can get away .F .M .

" Tuesday was to- day, and I had meant to meet him to- night ."

I turned over the paper ." this never came by post . how did you get it ? "

" i_would rather not answer that question . it has really nothing to_do with_the matter which you_are investigating . but anything which bears upon that i_will most freely answer ."

she was as good as her word, but there_was nothing which_was helpful in_our investigation . she had no reason to_think that her fiance had any hidden enemy, but she admitted that she had had several warm admirers .

" may I ask if Mr Ian Murdoch was one_of_them ? "

she blushed and seemed confused .

" there_was a time when i_thought he_was . but that was all changed when he understood the relations between Fitzroy and myself ."

again the shadow round this strange man seemed to_me to_be taking more definite shape . his record must_be examined . his rooms must_be privately searched .Stackhurst was awilling collaborator, for in_his mind also suspicions were forming . we returned from_our visit to_the haven with_the hope_that one free end of_this tangled skein was already in_our hands .

a week passed . the inquest had thrown no light upon_the matter and had_been adjourned for further evidence .Stackhurst had made discreet inquiry about his subordinate, and there had_been a superficial search of_his room, but without result . personally, I had gone over the whole ground again, both physically and mentally, but with no new conclusions . in all my chronicles the reader will_find no case which brought me so completely to_the limit of_my powers . even my imagination could conceive no solution to_the mystery . and then there came the incident of_the dog .

it_was my old housekeeper who heard of it first by_that strange wireless by_which such people collect the news of_the countryside .

" sad story this, sir, about Mr McPherson's dog," said she one evening .

I_do_not encourage such conversations, but the words arrested my attention .

" what of Mr McPherson's dog ? "

" dead, sir . died of grief for its master ."

" who told you this ? "

" why, sir, everyone is talking of it . it took on terrible, and has eaten nothing for a week . then to- day two of_the young gentlemen from_the Gables found it dead -- down on_the beach, sir, at_the very place where its master met his end ."

" at_the very place ." the words stood out clear in my memory . some dim perception that_the matter was vital rose in my mind . that_the dog should die was after_the beautiful, faithful nature of dogs . but " in_the very place" ! why should this lonely beach be fatal to_it ? was_it possible that_it also had_been sacrificed to some revengeful feud ? was_it possible -- ? yes, the perception was dim, but already something was building up in my mind . in_a_few_minutes i_was on my way to_the Gables, where I_found Stackhurst in_his study . at my request he sent for Sudbury and Blount, the two students who had found the dog .

" yes, it lay on_the very edge of_the pool," said one_of_them ." it must_have followed the trail of_its dead master ."

I_saw the faithful little creature, an Airedale terrier, laid out upon_the mat in_the hall . the body was stiff and rigid, the eyes projecting, and_the limbs contorted . there_was agony in every line of it .

from_the Gables I walked down to_the bathing- pool . the sun had sunk and_the shadow of_the great cliff lay black across the water, which glimmered dully like a sheet of lead . the place was deserted and there_was no sign of life save for two sea-birds circling and screaming overhead . in_the fading light I_could dimly make out the little dog's spoor upon_the sand round the very rock on_which his master's towel had_been laid . for_a_long_time I stood in deep meditation while the shadows grew darker around me . my mind was filled with racing thoughts . you_have known what it_was to_be in a nightmare in_which_you feel that_there_is some all- important thing for_which you search and which you_know is_there, though it remains forever just beyond your reach . that was how I_felt that evening as I stood alone by_that place of death . then at last I turned and walked slowly homeward .

I had just reached the top of_the path when it came to_me . like a flash, I remembered the thing for_which I had so eagerly and vainly grasped . you_will know, or Watson has_written in vain, that I hold a vast store of out- of- the- way knowledge without scientific system, but very available for_the needs of_my work . my mind is like a crowded box- room with packets of all sorts stowed away therein -- so_many that I_may well have but a vague perception of what_was there .I had known that there_was something which might bear upon this_matter . it_was still vague, but at_least I_knew how I_could make it clear . it_was monstrous, incredible, and yet it_was always a possibility . i_would test it to_the full .

there_is a great garret in my little house which_is stuffed with books . it_was into_this that I plunged and rummaged for an hour . at_the end of_that_time I emerged with a little chocolate and silver volume . eagerly I turned up the chapter of_which I had a dim remembrance . yes, it_was indeed a far-fetched and unlikely proposition, and yet I could_not_be at rest until I had made sure if_it might, indeed, be so . it_was late when I retired, with my mind eagerly awaiting the work of_the morrow .

but that work met with an annoying interruption .I had hardly swallowed my early cup of tea and was starting for_the beach when I had a call from inspector Bardle of_the Sussex constabulary -- a steady, solid, bovine man with thoughtful eyes, which looked at me now with a very troubled expression .

" I_know your immense experience, sir," said he ." this_is quite unofficial, of_course, and need go no farther . but I_am fairly up against it in_this McPherson case . the question is, shall I make an arrest, or shall I not ? "

"Meaning Mr Ian Murdoch ? "

" yes, sir . there_is really no one else when_you come to_think of it . that's the advantage of_this solitude . we narrow it down to a very_small compass . if he_did_not do_it, then who did ? "

" what have_you against him ? "

he had gleaned along the same furrows as I had . there_was Murdoch's character and_the mystery which seemed to hang round the man . his furious bursts of temper, as shown in_the incident of_the dog . the fact that he had quarrelled with McPherson in_the_past, and_that there_was

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