"Now events at Lachine between nine and ten evening of last Monday "

" Mrs Barclay was, it appears, member Roman Catholic Church, and had interested herself establishment Guild of St George, formed in connection Watt Street Chapel of supplying the poor with cast-off clothing meeting Guild held that evening at eight, and Mrs Barclay had hurried over her dinner present at it When leaving the house she was heard coachman some commonplace remark to her husband, and to assure him that be back before very long She then called for Miss Morrison, young lady who lives next villa, two went off together meeting It lasted forty minutes, and at quarter-past nine Mrs Barclay returned home, having left Miss Morrison at her door as she passed

" room used as morning-room at Lachine This faces the road and opens by large glass folding-door on lawn The lawn is thirty yards across, only divided highway by low wall with an iron rail above it room that Mrs Barclay went upon her return The blinds down, room was seldom used evening, but Mrs Barclay herself lit the lamp and then rang the bell, asking Jane Stewart, the house-maid, to bring her cup of tea, quite contrary to her usual habits The Colonel sitting dining-room, but hearing that his wife had returned he joined her morning-room The coachman saw him cross the hall and enter it never seen again alive

"The tea which ordered was brought up end of ten minutes; but the maid, as she approached the door, was surprised to hear the voices of her master and mistress in furious altercation She knocked without receiving any answer, and even turned the handle, but only door was locked inside Naturally enough she ran down the cook, two women coachman came up hall and listened dispute still raging They all agreed that only two voices were heard, those of Barclay and wife Barclay's remarks were subdued and abrupt, were audible listeners The lady's, other hand, were most bitter, and when she raised her voice plainly heard 'You coward ! ' she repeated over and over again 'What now ? What now ? back my life never as breathe the same air again ! You coward ! You Coward ! ' Those were scraps of her conversation, ending in sudden dreadful cry man's voice, with crash, and piercing scream woman Convinced that some tragedy had occurred, the coachman rushed door and strove to force it, while scream after scream issued from within unable, however, his way in, maids were too distracted with fear of any assistance to him sudden thought struck him, however, and he ran hall door and round lawn the long French windows open One side window was open, which I understand was quite usual summer-time, and he passed without difficulty room His mistress had ceased to scream and was stretched insensible upon couch, while feet tilted over the side of an arm-chair, head ground near the corner fender, was lying the unfortunate soldier stone dead in pool own blood

"Naturally, the coachman's first thought, on finding that do nothing master, was to open the door But here an unexpected and singular difficulty presented itself The key was not inner side door, nor could he find it anywhere room He went out again, therefore, window, and having obtained the help of policeman and of medical man, he returned The lady, against whom naturally the strongest suspicion rested, was removed to her room, still in state of insensibility The Colonel's body was then placed sofa, and careful examination made scene tragedy

"The injury the unfortunate veteran was suffering was found jagged cut some two inches long back part head, which had evidently been caused by violent blow from blunt weapon Nor difficult to guess what that weapon may floor, close body, was lying singular club of hard carved wood with bone handle The Colonel possessed varied collection of weapons brought different countries he had fought, and conjectured police that his club was among his trophies The servants deny having seen it before, but numerous curiosities house possible may overlooked Nothing else of importance was discovered room police, save the inexplicable fact that neither upon Mrs Barclay's person nor upon that victim nor in any part room missing key found The door had eventually opened by locksmith from Aldershot

"That state of things, Watson, when Tuesday morning I, request of Major Murphy, went down to Aldershot to supplement the efforts police that acknowledge problem was already one of interest, but my observations soon made me realise in truth much more extraordinary than would at first sight appear

"Before examining the room I cross-questioned the servants, but only succeeded in eliciting the facts which already stated One other detail of interest was remembered by Jane Stewart, the housemaid remember that on hearing the sound quarrel she descended and returned other servants first occasion, when she was alone, she says voices of her master and mistress were sunk so low that hear hardly anything, and judged by their tones rather tan their words had fallen out On my pressing her, however, she remembered that she heard the word David uttered twice lady The point is utmost importance as guiding us towards the reason sudden quarrel The Colonel's name, you remember, was James

" case which had made the deepest impression both servants police the contortion Colonel's face It had set, according account, most dreadful expression of fear and horror which human countenance is capable of assuming More than one person fainted mere sight of him, so terrible effect quite certain that he had foreseen his fate, it had caused him the utmost horror This, , fitted in well enough police theory, Colonel seen his wife making murderous attack upon him Nor fact wound being back head fatal objection , as turned to avoid the blow No information got lady herself, who was temporarily insane from an acute attack of brain-fever

" police I learned that Miss Morrison, who you remember went out that evening with Mrs Barclay, denied having any knowledge of what which had caused the ill-humour her companion had returned

"Having gathered these facts, Watson, I smoke several pipes over them, trying to separate those which were crucial from others which were merely incidental There no question most distinctive and suggestive point case singular disappearance door-key most careful search had failed to discover it room Therefore it must taken But neither the Colonel nor the Colonel's wife taken it That was perfectly clear Therefore third person entered the room third person could only have come in window It seemed that careful examination room lawn might possibly reveal some traces mysterious individual my methods, Watson not which apply inquiry And ones from those which I had expected There man room, and he had crossed the lawn coming road able to obtain five very clear impressions foot-marks: one roadway itself, point where he had climbed the low wall, two lawn, and two very faint ones stained boards near the window where he had entered He had apparently rushed across the lawn, toe-marks were much deeper than his heels But not the man who surprised me his companion "

"His companion ! "

Holmes pulled large sheet of tissue-paper out pocket and carefully unfolded it upon his knee