No. 7 The Adventure of the Thor Bridge by Arthur Conan Doyle
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a trick, too, of suddenly sinking his voice to a whisper as_if he had come upon something of vital importance, though the information was usually commonplace enough . behind these tricks of manner he soon showed himself to_be a decent, honest fellow who was not too proud to admit that he_was out of_his depth and would welcome any help .

"Anyhow, I'd rather have_you than Scotland yard, Mr Holmes," said he ." if_the yard gets called into a case, then the local loses all credit for success and may_be blamed for failure . now, you play straight, so I've heard ."

" I_need not appear in_the matter at all," said Holmes to_the evident relief of_our melancholy acquaintance ." if I_can clear it up I don't ask to_have my name mentioned ."

" well, it's very handsome of you, I_am_sure . and your friend, Dr .Watson, can_be trusted, I_know . now, Mr Holmes, as_we walk down to_the place there_is one question i_should like to ask_you .I'd breathe it to no soul but you ." he looked round as_though he hardly dare utter the words ."Don't you_think there_might_be a case against Mr Neil Gibson himself ? "

" I_have_been considering that ."

" you've not seen miss Dunbar . she_is a wonderful fine woman in every way . he_may well have wished his wife out_of_the road . and these Americans are readier with pistols than our folk are . it_was his pistol, you_know ."

" was_that clearly made out ? "

" yes, sir . it_was one of a pair that he had ."

" one of a pair ? where is_the other ? "

" well, the gentleman has alot of firearms of one sort and another . we never quite matched that particular pistol -- but the box was_made for two ."

" if_it_was one of a pair you_should surely be_able to match it ."

" well, we_have them all laid out at_the house if_you_would care to look them o ev ."

" later, perhaps . i_think we_will walk down together and_have a look at_the scene of_the tragedy ."

this conversation had taken place in_the little front room of sergeant Coventry's humble cottage which served as_the local police- station .a walk of half a mile or so across a wind- swept heath, all gold and bronze with_the fading ferns, brought us to a side- gate opening into_the grounds of_the Thor place estate .a path led us through_the pheasant preserves, and then from aclearing we saw the widespread, half- timbered house, half Tudor and half Georgian, upon_the crest of_the hill . beside us there_was a long, reedy pool, constricted in_the centre where the main carriage drive passed over a stone bridge, but swelling into small lakes on either side . our guide paused at_the mouth of_this bridge, and he pointed to_the ground .

" that was where Mrs Gibson's body lay .I marked it by_that stone ."

"I understand that you were there before it_was moved ? "

" yes, they sent for_me at once ."

" who did ? "

" Mr Gibson himself . the moment the alarm was given and he had rushed down with others from_the house, he insisted that nothing should_be moved until the police should arrive ."

" that was sensible .I gathered from_the newspaper report that_the shot was fired from close quarters ."

" yes, sir, very close ."

" near the right temple ? "

" just behind it, sir ."

" how did the body lie ? "

" on_the back, sir . no trace of a struggle . no marks . no weapon . the short note from miss Dunbar was clutched in her left_hand ."

"Clutched, you say ? "

" yes, sir, we_could hardly open the fingers ."

" that_is of great importance . it excludes the idea that anyone could_have placed the note there after death in_order to_furnish a false clue . dear me ! the note, as I remember, was quite short:

" i_will_be at Thor bridge at nine o'clock ." "G . Dunbar .

was_that not so ? "

" yes, sir ."

" did miss Dunbar admit writing it ? "

" yes, sir ."

" what_was her explanation ? "

" her defence was reserved for_the Assizes . she_would say nothing ."

" the problem is certainly a very interesting one . the point of_the letter is very obscure, is_it not ? "

" well, sir," said the guide, " it seemed, if I_may_be so bold as to_say so, the only really clear point in_the whole case ."

Holmes shook his head .

"Granting that_the letter is genuine and was really written, it_was certainly received some_time before -- say one hour or two . why, then, was_this lady still clasping it in her left_hand ? why should she carry it so carefully ? she did_not need to refer to_it in_the interview .Does it not seem remarkable ? "

" well, sir, as_you put it, perhaps it does ."

" i_think i_should like to sit quietly for_a_few_minutes and think it out ." he seated himself upon_the stone ledge of_the bridge, and I could_see his quick gray eyes darting their questioning glances in every direction . suddenly he sprang up again and ran across to_the opposite parapet, whipped his lens from_his pocket, and began to examine the stonework .

" this_is curious," said he .

" yes, sir, we saw the chip on_the ledge .I expect it's been done by some passer- by ."

the stonework was gray, but at this_one point it showed white for a space not larger than asixpence . when examined closely one could_see that_the surface was chipped as by a sharp blow .

" it took some violence to do_that," said Holmes thoughtfully . with_his cane he struck the ledge several_times without leaving a mark ." yes, it_was a hard knock . in a curious place, too . it_was not from above but from below, for you_see that_it_is on_the lower edge of_the parapet ."

" but it_is at_least fifteen feet from_the body ."

" yes, it_is fifteen feet from_the body . it may_have nothing to_do with_the matter, but it_is a point worth noting . I_do_not_think that we_have anything more to learn here . there were no footsteps, you say ? "

" the ground was iron hard, sir . there were no traces at all ."

" then we_can go . we_will go up_to_the house first and look over these weapons of_which you speak . then we_shall get on to Winchester, for i_should desire to_see miss Dunbar before we go farther ."

Mr Neil Gibson had_not returned from town, but we saw in_the house the neurotic Mr Bates who had called upon us in_the morning . he showed us with a sinister relish the formidable array of firearms of various shapes and sizes which his employer had accumulated in_the course of an adventurous life .

" Mr Gibson has his enemies, as anyone would expect who knew him and_his methods," said he ." he sleeps with a loaded revolver in_the drawer beside his bed . he_is a man of violence, sir, and there_are times when all of us are afraid of him . I_am_sure that_the poor lady who has passed was often terrified ."

" did you ever witness physical violence towards her ? "

" no, I cannot_say that . but I_have heard words which were nearly as bad -- words of cold, cutting contempt, even before_the servants ."

" our millionaire does_not seem to shine in private life," remarked Holmes as we_made our way to_the station ." well, Watson, we_have come on a good_many facts, some_of_them new ones, and yet I seem some way from my conclusion . in_spite of_the very evident dislike which Mr Bates has_to his employer, I gather from_him that when_the alarm came he_was undoubtedly in_his library . dinner was over at 8:30 and all was normal up_to then . it_is true that_the alarm was somewhat late in_the evening, but the tragedy certainly occurred about_the hour named in_the note . there_is no evidence at all that Mr Gibson had_been out of doors since his return from town at five o'clock . on_the other hand, miss Dunbar, as I understand it, admits that she had made an appointment to meet Mrs Gibson at_the bridge . beyond this she_would say nothing, as her lawyer had advised her to reserve her defence . we_have several very vital questions to ask that young lady, and my mind will_not_be easy until we_have seen her . I_must confess that_the case would seem to_me to_be very black against her if_it were_not for_one_thing ."

" and what_is that, Holmes ? "

" the finding of_the pistol in her wardrobe ."

" dear me, Holmes ! " I cried, " that seemed to_me to_be the most damning incident of all ."

" not so, Watson . it had struck me even at my first perfunctory reading as very strange, and now that I_am in closer touch with_the case it_is my only firm ground for hope . we_must look for consistency . where there_is a want of it we_must suspect deception ."

"I hardly follow you ."

" well now, Watson, suppose for a moment that we visualize you in_the character of a woman who, in a cold, premeditated fashion, is about to_get rid of a rival . you_have planned it .a note has_been written . the victim has_come . you_have your weapon . the crime is done . it_has_been workmanlike and complete . do_you tell me that after carrying out so crafty a crime you_would now ruin your reputation as a criminal by forgetting to fling your weapon into those adjacent reed-beds which would forever cover it, but you_must needs carry it carefully home and put it in your own wardrobe, the very first place that_would_be searched ? your best friends would hardly call you a schemer, Watson, and yet I_could_not picture you doing anything so crude as_that ."

" in_the excitement of_the moment "

" no, no, Watson, i_will_not admit that_it_is possible . where a crime is coolly premeditated, then the means of covering it are coolly premeditated also . I_hope, therefore, that we_are in_the presence of a serious misconception ."

" but there_is so_much to explain ."

" well, we_shall set about explaining it . when once your point of view is changed, the very thing which_was so damning becomes aclue to_the truth . for example, there_is this revolver . miss Dunbar disclaims all knowledge of it . on_our new theory she_is speaking truth when she says so . therefore, it_was placed in her wardrobe . who placed it there ? someone who wished to incriminate her . was not that person the actual criminal ? you_see how we come at once upon a most fruitful line of inquiry ."

we were compelled to_spend the night at Winchester, as_the formalities had_not yet been completed, but next morning, in_the company of Mr Joyce Cummings, the rising barrister who was entrusted with_the defence, we were allowed to_see the young lady in her cell .I had expected from all that we had heard to_see a beautiful woman, but I_can never forget the effect which miss Dunbar produced upon me . it_was no wonder that even the masterful millionaire had found in her something more powerful than himself -- something which could control and guide him . one felt, too, as one looked at_the strong, clear- cut, and yet sensitive face, that even should she be capable of some impetuous deed, none the less there_was an innate nobility of character which would make her influence always for_the good . she was abrunette, tall, with a noble figure and commanding presence, but her dark eyes had in_them the appealing, helpless expression of_the hunted creature who feels the nets around it, but can_see no way out from_the toils . now, as she realized the presence and_the help of_my famous friend, there came a touch of colour in her wan cheeks and a light of hope began to glimmer in_the glance which she turned upon us .

" perhaps Mr Neil Gibson has told you something of what occurred between_us ? " she asked in a low, agitated voice .

" yes," Holmes answered, " you_need not pain yourself by entering into that part of_the story . after seeing you, I_am prepared to accept Mr Gibson's statement both as_to_the influence which you had over him and as_to_the innocence of your relations with_him . but why was_the whole situation not brought out in court ? "

" it seemed to_me incredible that such a charge could_be sustained . i_thought that if_we waited the whole thing must clear itself up without our being compelled to enter into painful details of_the inner life of_the family . but I understand that far from clearing it has become even more serious ."

" my dear young lady," cried Holmes earnestly, "I beg you to_have no illusions upon_the point .Mr Cummings here would assure you that all the cards are at present against us, and_that we_must do everything that_is possible if_we_are to win clear . it would_be a cruel deception to pretend that you_are_not in very great danger . give_me all the help_you can, then, to_get at_the truth ."

" i_will conceal nothing ."

" tell us, then, of your true relations with Mr Gibson's wife ."

" she hated me, Mr Holmes . she hated me with all the fervour of her tropical nature . she was a woman who_would do nothing by halves, and_the measure of her love for her husband was_the measure also of her hatred for_me . it_is probable that she misunderstood our relations . i_would_not wish to wrong her, but she loved so vividly in a physical sense that she_could hardly understand the mental, and even spiritual, tie which held her husband to_me, or imagine that_it_was only my desire to influence his power to good ends which kept me under his roof . I_can_see now that i_was wrong . nothing could justify me in remaining where i_was a cause of unhappiness, and yet it_is certain

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