No. 3 The Adventure of the Dancing Men by Arthur Conan Doyle
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"Tell me," said Holmes -- and I could_see by his eyes that he_was much excited -- " was_this amere addition to_the first, or did it appear to_be entirely separate ? "

" it_was on adifferent panel of_the door ."

"Excellent ! this_is far the most important of all for_our purpose .It fills me with hopes .Now, Mr Hilton Cubitt, please continue your most interesting statement ."

" I_have nothing more to_say, Mr Holmes, except that i_was angry with my wife that night for having held me back when I_might_have caught the skulking rascal .She said that she feared that I_might come to harm .For an instant it had crossed my mind that perhaps what she really feared was_that HE might come to harm, for I_could_not doubt that she knew who this man was and what he meant by_these strange signals .But there_is atone in my wife's voice, Mr Holmes, and alook in her eyes which forbid doubt, and I_am_sure that_it_was indeed my own safety that was in her mind .There's the whole case, and now i_want your advice as_to what I ought to_do .My own inclination is to_put half-a-dozen of_my farm lads in_the shrubbery, and when_this fellow comes again to_give him such ahiding that he_will leave us in peace for_the future ."

" I_fear it_is too deep acase for such simple remedies," said Holmes ."How long can_you stay in London ? "

" I_must go back to-day . i_would_not leave my wife alone all night for anything . she_is very nervous and begged me to_come back ."

"I dare say you_are right .But if you_could_have stopped I_might possibly have_been_able to return with_you in a day_or_two .Meanwhile you_will leave me these papers, and i_think that_it_is very likely that I_shall_be_able to_pay you avisit shortly and to throw some light upon your case ."

Sherlock Holmes preserved his calm professional manner until our visitor had left us, although it_was easy for_me, who knew him so_well, to_see that he_was profoundly excited .The moment that Hilton Cubitt's broad back had disappeared through_the door my comrade rushed to_the table, laid out all the slips of paper containing dancing men in front of him, and threw himself into an intricate and elaborate calculation .For two hours I watched him as he covered sheet after sheet of paper with figures and letters, so completely absorbed in_his task that he had evidently forgotten my presence .Sometimes he_was making progress and whistled and sang at his work; sometimes he_was puzzled, and would sit for long spells with afurrowed brow and avacant eye .Finally he sprang from_his chair with acry of satisfaction, and walked up and down the room rubbing his hands together .Then he wrote along telegram upon acable form ." if_my answer to this_is as I_hope, you_will_have avery pretty case to add to your collection, Watson," said he ."I expect that we_shall_be_able to_go down to Norfolk to-morrow, and to_take our friend some very definite news as_to_the secret of_his annoyance ."

I confess that i_was filled with curiosity, but i_was aware that Holmes liked to_make his disclosures at his own time and in_his own way; so I waited until it should suit him to_take me into his confidence .

But there_was adelay in_that answering telegram, and two days of impatience followed, during which Holmes pricked up his ears at every ring of_the bell . on_the evening of_the second there came aletter from Hilton Cubitt .All was quiet with_him, save that along inscription had appeared that morning upon_the pedestal of_the sun-dial .He enclosed acopy of it, which_is here reproduced .

Holmes bent over this grotesque frieze for some minutes, and then suddenly sprang to_his feet with an exclamation of surprise and dismay .His face was haggard with anxiety .

" we_have let this affair go far enough," said he ." is_there atrain to North Walsham to-night ? "

I turned up the time-table .The last had just gone .

"Then we_shall breakfast early and take_the very first in_the morning," said Holmes ."Our presence is most urgently needed .Ah ! here_is our expected cablegram .One moment, Mrs Hudson; there_may_be an answer .No, that_is quite as I expected .This message makes it even more essential that we should_not lose an hour in letting Hilton Cubitt know how matters stand, for_it is asingular and adangerous web in_which our simple Norfolk squire is entangled ."

So, indeed, it proved, and as I come to_the dark conclusion of astory which had seemed to_me to_be only childish and bizarre I experience once again the dismay and horror with_which i_was filled .Would that I had some brighter ending to communicate to my readers, but these are the chronicles of fact, and I_must follow to_their dark crisis the strange chain of events which for some days made Ridling Thorpe Manor ahousehold word through_the length and breadth of England .

We had hardly alighted at North Walsham, and mentioned the name of_our destination, when_the station-master hurried towards us ."I suppose that you_are the detectives from London ? " said he .

alook of annoyance passed over Holmes's face .

"What makes you_think such athing ? "

"Because Inspector Martin from Norwich has just passed through .But maybe you_are the surgeons .She's not dead -- or wasn't by last accounts . you_may_be in_time to save her yet -- though it be for_the gallows ."

Holmes's brow was dark with anxiety .

" we_are going to Ridling Thorpe Manor," said he, "but we_have heard nothing of what has passed there ."

"It's aterrible business," said the station-master ." they_are shot, both Mr Hilton Cubitt and_his wife .She shot him and then herself -- so the servants say .He's dead and her life is despaired of .Dear, dear, one_of_the oldest families in_the County of Norfolk, and one_of_the_most honoured ."

Without aword Holmes hurried to acarriage, and during the long seven miles' drive he never opened his mouth .Seldom have I seen him so utterly despondent .He had_been uneasy during all our journey from town, and I had observed that he had turned over the morning papers with anxious attention; but now this sudden realisation of_his worst fears left him in ablank melancholy .He leaned back in_his seat, lost in gloomy speculation .Yet there_was much around to interest us, for we were passing through as singular acountry-side as any in England, where afew scattered cottages represented the population of to-day, while on every hand enormous square-towered churches bristled up from_the flat, green landscape and told of_the glory and prosperity of old East Anglia .At last the violet rim of_the German Ocean appeared over the green edge of_the Norfolk coast, and_the driver pointed with_his whip to two old brick and timber gables which projected from agrove of trees ."That's Ridling Thorpe Manor," said he .

as_we drove up_to_the porticoed front door I observed in front of it, beside the tennis lawn, the black tool-house and_the pedestalled sun-dial with_which we had such strange associations .adapper little man, with aquick, alert manner and awaxed moustache, had just descended from ahigh dog-cart .He introduced himself as Inspector Martin, of_the Norfolk Constabulary, and he_was considerably astonished when he heard the name of_my companion .

"Why, Mr Holmes, the crime was only committed at three this_morning .How could you hear of it in London and get to_the spot as_soon_as I ? "

"I anticipated it . I_came in_the hope of preventing it ."

"Then you_must_have important evidence of which_we_are ignorant, for they were said to_be amost united couple ."

" I_have only the evidence of_the dancing men," said Holmes ." i_will explain the matter to_you later .Meanwhile, since it_is too late to_prevent this tragedy, I_am very anxious that i_should use the knowledge which I possess in_order to ensure that justice be_done . will_you associate me in your investigation, or will_you prefer that i_should act independently ? "

" i_should_be proud to_feel that we were acting together, Mr Holmes," said the inspector, earnestly .

" in_that case i_should_be glad_to_hear the evidence and to examine the premises without an instant of unnecessary delay ."

Inspector Martin had the good sense to allow my friend to_do things in_his own fashion, and contented himself with carefully noting the results .The local surgeon, an old, white-haired man, had just come down from Mrs Hilton Cubitt's room, and he reported that her injuries were serious, but not necessarily fatal .The bullet had passed through_the front of her brain, and it would probably be some_time before she_could regain consciousness . on_the_question of whether she had_been shot or had shot herself he_would_not venture to express any decided opinion .Certainly the bullet had_been discharged at very close quarters . there_was only the one pistol found in_the room, two barrels of_which had_been emptied .Mr Hilton Cubitt had_been shot through_the heart . it_was equally conceivable that he had shot her and then himself, or that she had_been the criminal, for_the revolver lay upon_the floor midway between_them .

"Has he been moved ? " asked Holmes .

" we_have moved nothing except the lady . we_could_not leave her lying wounded upon_the floor ."

"How long have_you been here, doctor ? "

"Since four o'clock ."

"Anyone else ? "

"Yes, the constable here ."

"And you_have touched nothing ? "

"Nothing ."

" you_have acted with great discretion .Who sent for_you ? "

"The housemaid, Saunders ."

" was_it she who gave the alarm ? "

"She and Mrs King, the cook ."

"Where are they now ? "

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