"'Good-evening,' said he, looking window ' word ' The girl has sworn that as he spoke she noticed the corner little paper packet protruding closed hand

"'What business here ? ' asked the lad

"'It's business put something into your pocket,' said the other 'You've two horses in Wessex Cup--Silver Blaze and Bayard Let me have the straight tip and you won't be loser fact that weights Bayard could give the other hundred yards in five furlongs, and stable have put their money on him ? ' "'So, you're one damned touts ! ' cried the lad 'I'll show you how we serve them in King's Pyland ' He sprang up and rushed across the stable to unloose the dog The girl fled away house, but as she ran she looked back and saw stranger was leaning window minute later, however, when Hunter rushed out hound gone, and though he ran all round the buildings he failed any trace of him "

"One moment," I asked "Did the stable-boy, when he ran out dog, leave the door unlocked behind him ? "

"Excellent, Watson, excellent ! " murmured my companion "The importance point struck me so forcibly that special wire to Dartmoor yesterday to clear the matter up The boy locked the door before he left it The window, add, was not large enough for man through

"Hunter waited until his fellow-grooms had returned, when he sent message trainer and told him what had occurred Straker was excited at hearing the account, although seem quite realised its true significance It left him, however, vaguely uneasy, and Mrs Straker, waking at one morning, found that dressing In reply to her inquiries, that sleep on account anxiety horses, he intended to walk down stables that all was well She begged him to remain at home, as hear the rain pattering against the window, but of her entreaties he pulled large mackintosh and left the house

" Mrs Straker awoke at seven morning, that her husband yet returned She dressed herself hastily, called the maid, and set off stables The door was open; inside, huddled together upon chair, Hunter was sunk in state of absolute stupor, the favourite's stall was empty, and there were no signs trainer

"The two lads who slept chaff-cutting loft above the harness-room were quickly aroused They had heard nothing during the night, for both sound sleepers Hunter was obviously under the influence of some powerful drug, and as no sense got out of him, left to sleep it off while the two lads two women ran out in search absentees They still had hopes trainer had for some reason taken out the horse for early exercise, but on ascending the knoll near the house, all the neighbouring moors were visible, they no signs missing favourite, but they perceived something which warned them were presence of tragedy

"About quarter of mile stables John Straker's overcoat was flapping from furze-bush Immediately beyond bowl-shaped depression moor, and bottom of found the dead body unfortunate trainer His head shattered by savage blow from some heavy weapon, and wounded thigh, where long, clean cut, inflicted evidently by some very sharp instrument clear, however, that Straker had defended himself vigorously against his assailants, for right hand he held small knife, clotted with blood handle, while left he clasped red and black silk cravat, recognised maid as having been worn preceding evening stranger who had visited the stables Hunter, on recovering stupor, was also quite positive ownership cravat equally certain same stranger had, while standing window, drugged his curried mutton, and so deprived the stables watchman missing horse, there were abundant proofs mud which lay bottom fatal hollow that he there struggle But morning he has disappeared, and although large reward offered, and all the gypsies of Dartmoor are alert, no news of him Finally, an analysis has shown remains supper left stable-lad contain an appreciable quantity of powdered opium, while the people house partook same dish same night without any ill effect

"Those are the main facts case, stripped of all surmise, and stated as baldly as possible now recapitulate what the police matter

"Inspector Gregory, the case committed, is an extremely competent officer Were he but gifted with imagination he might rise to great heights profession arrival he promptly found and arrested the man upon whom suspicion naturally rested little difficulty in finding him, for he inhabited one villas which mentioned His name, it appears, was Fitzroy Simpson man of excellent birth and education, who had squandered fortune turf, and who lived now by doing little quiet and genteel book-making sporting clubs of London An examination betting-book shows that bets amount of five thousand pounds registered by him against the favourite On being arrested he volunteered that statement that he had come down to Dartmoor hope of getting some information King's Pyland horses, and also about Desborough, the second favourite, in charge of Silas Brown Mapleton stables attempt to deny that he had acted as described evening before, but declared that he had no sinister designs, and had simply wished to obtain first-hand information When confronted cravat, he turned very pale, and was utterly unable to account for its presence hand murdered man His wet clothing showed that he out storm night before, stick, Penang-lawyer weighted with lead, was just such weapon as might, by repeated blows, have inflicted the terrible injuries trainer had succumbed other hand, no wound upon his person, while the state of Straker's knife would show that one assailants must bear his mark upon him There it all in nutshell, Watson, and if me any light infinitely obliged "

I had listened greatest interest statement which Holmes, with characteristic clearness, had laid before me Though most facts were familiar , I sufficiently appreciated their relative importance, nor their connection to

"Is in not possible," I suggested, " incised would upon Straker may caused by his own knife convulsive struggles which follow any brain injury ? "

" more than possible; probable," said Holmes " case main points in favour accused disappears "

"And yet," said I, "even now I fail to understand what the theory police "

" afraid that whatever theory we state has very grave objections ," returned my companion "The police imagine, I take it, Fitzroy Simpson, having drugged the lad, and having in some way obtained duplicate key, opened the stable door and took out the horse, intention, apparently, of kidnapping him altogether His bridle is missing, Simpson put this on Then, having left the door open behind him, leading the horse away over the moor, when either met or overtaken trainer row naturally ensued Simpson beat out the trainer's brains heavy stick without receiving any injury small knife which Straker used in self-defence, and then the thief either led the horse on to some secret hiding-place, or else it bolted during the struggle, and be now wandering out moors case as it appears police, and improbable , all other explanations are more improbable still However, very quickly test the matter when once spot, and until then really see how get much further than our present position "

evening before we reached the little town of Tavistock, which lies, like the boss of shield, middle huge circle of Dartmoor Two gentlemen were awaiting us station--the one tall, fair man with lion-like hair and beard and curiously penetrating light blue eyes; the other small, alert person, very neat and dapper, in frock-coat and gaiters, with trim little side-whiskers and an eye-glass The latter was Colonel Ross, the well-known sportsman; the other, Inspector Gregory, man who was rapidly making his name English detective service

" delighted that come down, Mr Holmes," said the Colonel "The Inspector here all that could possibly be suggested, but to leave no stone unturned in trying to avenge poor Straker and in recovering my horse "

"Have there been any fresh developments ? " asked Holmes

" sorry that very little progress," said the Inspector " an open carriage outside, and like the place light fails, talk it over drive "