Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out cushioned seat "Both you coroner at some pains," said he, "to single out the very strongest points young man's favour Don't that you alternately give him credit for having imagination and too little ? Too little, if invent cause of quarrel which would give him the sympathy jury; , if he evolved own inner consciousness anything so outre as dying reference to rat, incident vanishing cloth No, sir, approach point of view that what this young man says is true, and see whither that hypothesis will lead us And now my pocket Petrarch, and not another word shall of until scene of action We lunch at Swindon, and that there in twenty minutes "

nearly four o'clock when we at last, after passing beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, found ourselves pretty little country-town of Ross lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting platform light brown dustcoat and leather-leggings which he wore in deference rustic surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of Scotland Yard we drove Hereford Arms where room had already been engaged

" ordered carriage," said Lestrade sat over cup of tea " your energetic nature, happy until you scene crime "

" very nice and complimentary of you," Holmes answered " entirely question of barometric pressure "

Lestrade looked startled " quite follow,"

"How glass ? Twenty-nine, No wind, and not cloud sky case-full of cigarettes here which need smoking, sofa is superior usual country hotel abomination probable that use the carriage to-night "

Lestrade laughed indulgently " , , already formed your conclusions newspapers," "The case is as plain as pikestaff, more one goes the plainer it becomes Still, , one can't refuse lady, and such very positive one, too She has heard of you, and your opinion, though I repeatedly told her that nothing which do which I already done Why, bless my soul ! her carriage door "

He had hardly spoken before there rushed room lovely young women that ever seen in my life Her violet eyes shining, her lips parted, pink flush upon her cheeks, all thought of her natural reserve lost in her overpowering excitement and concern Josef Friedrich, 1906

"Oh, Mr Sherlock Holmes ! " she cried, glancing from one other of us, and finally, with woman's quick intuition, fastening upon my companion, " so glad that come driven down you so that James didn't it, and you to start upon your work knowing it, too Never let yourself doubt upon that point known since we were little children, and his faults as no one else does; but too tender-hearted to hurt fly Such charge is absurd to anyone who really knows him "

" clear him, Miss Turner," said Sherlock Holmes " rely upon my doing all that "

"But read the evidence formed some conclusion ? not see some loophole, some flaw ? not yourself think that innocent ? "

" very probable "

"There, now ! " she cried, throwing back her head and looking defiantly at Lestrade "You hear ! me hopes "

Lestrade shrugged his shoulders " afraid that my colleague little quick in forming his conclusions,"

"But right Oh ! that right James never did it And about his quarrel father, reason why speak coroner was because concerned "

"In what way ? " asked Holmes

" no time to hide anything James father had many disagreements about me Mr McCarthy was very anxious that there marriage James and always loved as brother and sister; but young and has seen very little of life yet, and--and--well, he naturally wish anything like that yet So there were quarrels, and this, , was "

"And your father ? " asked Holmes "Was he in favour union ? "

"No, averse also No one but Mr McCarthy was in favour of it " quick blush passed over her fresh young face as Holmes shot one keen, questioning glances at her

" ," said he "May your father if I call to-morrow ? "

" afraid the doctor won't allow it "

"The doctor ? "

"Yes, not heard ? Poor father has never been strong for years back, but this has broken him down completely He has taken bed, and Dr Willows says that wreck his nervous system is shattered Mr McCarthy only man alive who had known dad old days in Victoria "

"Ha ! In Victoria ! important "

"Yes, mines "

"Quite so; gold-mines, where, as I understand, Mr Turner made his money "

"Yes, certainly "

" , Miss Turner of material assistance "

" tell me any news to-morrow go prison James Oh, , Mr Holmes, do tell him that him innocent "

" , Miss Turner "

" go home now, for dad is very ill, and he misses me so if I leave him Good-bye, and God in your undertaking " She hurried room as impulsively as she had entered, and we heard the wheels of her carriage rattle off down the street

" ashamed of you, Holmes," said Lestrade with dignity after ' silence "Why should you raise up hopes which bound to disappoint ? not over-tender of heart, but I call it cruel "

" that my way to clearing James McCarthy," said Holmes " an order him in prison ? "

"Yes, but only and me "

"Then reconsider my resolution about going out still time train to Hereford him to-night ? "

"Ample "

"Then Watson, that it very slow, but only be away couple of hours "