No. 7 The Adventure of the Reigate Squire by Arthur Conan Doyle
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where the murderer had broken through_the garden- hedge in_his flight . that was of great interest ."

" naturally ."

" then we had a look at_this poor fellow's mother . we_could get no information from her, however, as she_is very old and feeble ."

" and what_is the result of your investigations ? "

" the conviction that_the crime is a very peculiar one . perhaps our visit now may do something to_make it less obscure . i_think that we_are both agreed, inspector that_the fragment of paper in_the dead man's hand, bearing, as it does, the very hour of_his death written upon it, is of extreme importance ."

" it should give aclue, Mr Holmes ."

" it does give aclue . whoever wrote that note was_the man who brought William Kirwan out of_his bed at_that hour . but where is_the rest of_that sheet of paper ? "

"I examined the ground carefully in_the hope of finding it," said the inspector .

" it_was torn out_of_the dead man's hand . why was some one so anxious to_get possession of it ? because it incriminated him . and what would he do with it ? thrust it into his pocket, most likely, never noticing that a corner of it had_been left in_the grip of_the corpse . if_we_could get the rest of_that sheet it_is obvious that we_should_have gone a long way towards solving the mystery ."

" yes, but how can we get at_the criminal's pocket before we catch the criminal ? "

" well, well, it_was worth thinking over . then there_is another obvious point . the note was sent to William . the man who wrote it could_not have taken it; otherwise, of_course, he_might_have delivered his own message by word of mouth . who brought the note, then ? or did it come through_the post ? "

" I_have_made inquiries," said the inspector ."William received a letter by_the afternoon post yesterday . the envelope was destroyed by him ."

" excellent ! " cried Holmes, clapping the inspector on_the back ." you've seen the postman . it_is a pleasure to work with_you . well, here_is_the lodge, and if_you_will come up, colonel, i_will show you the scene of_the crime ."

we passed the pretty cottage where the murdered man had lived, and walked up an oak- lined avenue to_the fine old queen Anne house, which bears the date of Malplaquet upon_the lintel of_the door .Holmes and_the inspector led us round it until we came to_the side gate, which_is separated by a stretch of garden from_the hedge which lines the road .a constable was standing at_the kitchen door .

" throw the door open, officer," said Holmes ." now, it_was on those stairs that young Mr Cunningham stood and saw the two men struggling just where we_are . old Mr Cunningham was at_that window-- the second on_the left-- and he_saw the fellow get away just to_the left of_that bush . then Mr Alec ran out and knelt beside the wounded man . the ground is very hard, you_see, and there_are no marks to guide us ." as he spoke two men came down the garden path, from round the angle of_the house . the one was an elderly man, with a strong, deep- lined, heavy- eyed face; the other adashing young fellow, whose bright, smiling expression and showy dress were in strange contract with_the business which had brought us there .

" still at it, then ? " said he to Holmes ." i_thought you Londoners were never at fault . you don't seem_to_be so very quick, after all ."

"Ah, you_must give_us a little time," said Holmes good-houmoredly .

" you'll want it," said young Alec Cunningham ." why, I don't see that we_have any clue at all ."

" there's only_one," answered the inspector ." we thought that if_we_could only find-- good heavens, Mr Holmes ! what_is the matter ? "

my poor friend's face had suddenly assumed the most dreadful expression . his eyes rolled upwards, his features writhed in agony, and with a suppressed groan he dropped on_his face upon_the ground . horrified at_the suddenness and severity of_the attack, we carried him into_the kitchen, where he lay back in a large chair, and breathed heavily for some minutes . finally, with a shamefaced apology for_his weakness, he rose once more .

"Watson would tell you that I_have only just recovered from a severe illness," he explained ." I_am liable to_these sudden nervous attacks ."

" shall I send_you home in my trap ? " asked old Cunningham .

" well, since I_am here, there_is one point on_which i_should like to_feel sure . we_can very easily verify it ."

" what_was it ? "

" well, it seems to_me that_it_is just possible that_the arrival of_this poor fellow William was not before, but after, the entrance of_the burglary into_the house . you appear to_take it for granted that, although the door was forced, the robber never got in ."

"I fancy that_is quite obvious," said Mr Cunningham, gravely ." why, my son Alec had_not yet gone to bed, and he_would certainly have heard any_one moving about ."

" where was he sitting ? "

" i_was smoking in my dressing- room ."

" which window is_that ? "

" the last on_the left next my father's ."

" both of your lamps were lit, of_course ? "

" undoubtedly ."

" there_are some very singular points here," said Holmes, smiling ." is_it not extraordinary that aburglary-- and a burglar who had had some previous experience-- should deliberately break into a house at_a_time when he could_see from_the lights that two of_the family were still afoot ? "

" he_must_have been a cool hand ."

" well, of_course, if_the case were_not an odd one we should_not have_been driven to ask_you for an explanation," said young Mr Alec ." but as_to your ideas that_the man had robbed the house before William tackled him, i_think it a most absurd notion .Wouldn't we_have found the place disarranged, and missed the things which he had taken ? "

" it depends on what the things were," said Holmes ." you_must remember that we_are dealing with a burglar who_is a very peculiar fellow, and who appears to work on lines of_his own . look, for example, at_the queer lot of things which he_took from Acton's-- what_was it ? --a ball of string, a letter- weight, and I don't know what other odds and ends ."

" well, we_are quite in your hands, Mr Holmes," said old Cunningham ." anything which you or the inspector may suggest will most certainly be_done ."

" in_the first place," said Holmes, " i_should like you to offer a reward--coming from yourself, for_the officials may take a little time before_they would agree upon_the sum, and these things cannot_be_done too promptly . I_have jotted down the form here, if you_would_not mind signing it .Fifty pound was quite enough, i_thought ."

" i_would willingly give five hundred," said the J .P ., taking the slip of paper and_the pencil which Holmes handed to him ." this_is_not quite correct, however," he added, glancing over the document .

" i_wrote it rather hurriedly ."

" you_see you begin, ' whereas, at about a quarter to one on Tuesday morning an attempt was_made,' and so on . it_was at a quarter to twelve, as a matter of fact ."

i_was pained at_the mistake, for I_knew how keenly Holmes would feel any slip of_the kind . it_was his speciality to_be accurate as_to fact, but his recent illness had shaken him, and this_one little incident was enough to show me that he_was still far from being himself . he_was obviously embarrassed for an instant, while the inspector raised his eyebrows, and Alec Cunningham burst into a laugh . the old gentleman corrected the mistake, however, and handed the paper back to Holmes .

" get it printed as_soon_as_possible," he_said; " i_think your idea is an excellent one ."

Holmes put the slip of paper carefully away into his pocket- book .

" and now," said he, " it really would_be a good thing that we_should all go over the house together and make certain that_this rather erratic burglar did_not, after all, carry anything away with_him ."

before entering, Holmes made an examination of_the door which had_been forced . it_was evident that a chisel or strong knife had_been thrust in, and_the lock forced back with it . we could_see the marks in_the wood where it had_been pushed in .

" you don't use bars, then ? " he asked .

" we_have never found it necessary ."

" you don't keep a dog ? "

" yes, but he_is chained on_the other side of_the house ."

" when do_the servants go to bed ? "

" about ten ."

"I understand that William was usually in bed also at_that hour ."

" yes ."

" it_is singular that on_this particular night he should_have_been up . now, i_should_be very_glad if_you_would_have the kindness to show us over the house, Mr Cunningham ."

a stone-flagged passage, with_the kitchens branching away from_it, led by a wooden staircase directly to_the first floor of_the house . it came out upon_the landing opposite to a second more ornamental stair which came up from_the front hall . out of_this landing opened the drawing- room and several bedrooms, including those of Mr Cunningham and_his son .Holmes walked slowly, taking keen note of_the architecture of_the house . I_could tell from_his expression that he_was on a hot scent, and yet I_could_not in_the least imagine in what direction his inferences were leading him .

" my good sir," said Mr Cunningham with some impatience, " this_is surely very unnecessary . that_is my room at_the end of_the stairs, and my son's is_the one beyond it .I leave it to your judgement whether it_was possible for_the thief to_have come up here without disturbing us ."

" you_must try round and get on a fresh scent, I fancy," said the son with a rather malicious smile .

" still, I_must ask_you to humour me a little further . i_should like, for example, to_see how far the windows of_the bedrooms command the front . this, I understand is your son's room"-- he pushed open the door--" and_that, I presume, is_the dressing- room in_which he sat smoking when_the alarm was given . where does the window of_that look out to ? " he stepped across the bedroom, pushed open the door, and glanced round the other chamber .

" I_hope_that you_are satisfied now ? " said Mr Cunningham, tartly .

" thank_you, i_think I_have_seen all that I wished ."

" then if_it_is really necessary we_can go into my room ."

" if it_is_not too_much trouble ."

the J .P . shrugged his shoulders, and led the way into his own chamber, which_was a plainly furnished and commonplace room . as_we moved across it in_the direction of_the window, Holmes fell back until he and I were the last of_the group . near the foot of_the bed stood a dish of oranges and a carafe of water . as_we passed it Holmes, to my unutterable astonishment, leaned over in front of me and deliberately knocked the whole thing over . the glass smashed into a thousand pieces and_the fruit rolled about into every corner of_the room .

" you've done it now, Watson," said he, coolly ."A pretty mess you've made of_the carpet ."

I stooped in some confusion and began to pick up the fruit, understanding for some reason my companion desired me to take_the blame upon myself . the others did the same, and set the table on its legs again .

"Hullo ! " cried the inspector, " where's he got to ? "

Holmes had disappeared .

" wait here an instant," said young Alec Cunningham ." the fellow is off his head, in my opinion . come with me, father, and_see where he has got to ! "

they rushed out_of_the room, leaving the inspector, the colonel, and me staring at each_other .

"'Pon my word, I_am inclined to agree with master Alec," said the official ." it may_be the effect of_this illness, but it seems to_me that--"

his words were cut short by a sudden scream of " help ! help ! murder ! " with a thrill I recognised the voice of_that of_my friend .I rushed madly from_the room on to_the landing . the cries, which had sunk down into a hoarse, inarticulate shouting, came from_the room which we had first visited .I dashed in, and on into_the dressing- room beyond . the two Cunninghams were bending over the prostrate figure of Sherlock Holmes, the younger clutching his throat with both hands, while the elder seemed to_be twisting one of_his wrists . in an instant the three of us had torn them away from_him, and Holmes staggered to_his feet, very pale and evidently greatly exhausted .

" arrest these men, inspector," he gasped .

" on what charge ? "

" that of murdering their coachman, William Kirwan ."

the inspector stared about him in bewilderment ."Oh, come now, Mr Holmes," said he at last, "I'm sure you don't really mean to--"

"Tut, man, look at their faces ! " cried Holmes, curtly .

never certainly have I seen a plainer confession of guilt upon human countenances . the older man seemed numbed and dazed with a heavy, sullen expression upon his strongly- marked face . the son, on_the other hand, had dropped all that jaunty, dashing style which had characterised him, and_the ferocity of a dangerous wild beast gleamed in_his dark eyes and distorted his handsome features . the inspector said nothing, but, stepping to_the door, he blew his whistle . two of_his constables came at_the call .

" I_have no alternative, Mr Cunningham," said he ."I trust that_this may all prove to_be an absurd mistake, but you_can see that--Ah, would you ? drop it ! " he struck out with_his hand, and a revolver which the younger man was in_the act of cocking clattered down upon_the floor .

" keep that," said Holmes, quietly putting his foot upon it; " you_will_find it useful at_the

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