"I really beg your pardon ! " said my companion, who had ruffled the little man's temper by bursting into an explosion of laughter "You certainly have the credit of being the first of us this out, and, say, it bears every mark of having been written other participant in last night's mystery time to examine this room yet, but with your permission now "

As he spoke, he whipped tape measure and large round magnifying glass pocket two implements he trotted noiselessly room, sometimes stopping, occasionally kneeling, and once lying flat upon his face So engrossed was he occupation that he appeared forgotten our presence, for he chattered away to himself under his breath the whole time, keeping up running fire of exclamations, groans, whistles, and little cries suggestive of encouragement and of hope As I watched him irresistibly reminded of pure-blooded well-trained foxhound as it dashes backwards and forwards covert, whining in its eagerness, until it comes across the lost scent For twenty minutes or more he continued his researches, measuring most exact care the distance between marks which were entirely invisible , and occasionally applying his tape walls in an equally incomprehensible manner In one place he gathered up very carefully little pile of grey dust floor, and packed it away in an envelope Finally, he examined glass the word wall, going over every letter of it most minute exactness This done, he appeared satisfied, for he replaced his tape glass pocket

"They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains," he remarked with smile "It's very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work "

Gregson and Lestrade had watched the manoeuvres {9} amateur companion with considerable curiosity and some contempt They evidently failed to appreciate the fact, which I had begun to realize, that Sherlock Holmes' smallest actions were all directed towards some definite and practical end

"What of it, sir ? " they both asked

"It robbing you credit case if to presume to ," remarked my friend " well now pity for anyone to interfere " world of sarcasm voice as he spoke " let me know how your investigations go," he continued, " happy any help meantime like constable who found the body me his name and address ? "

Lestrade glanced at his note-book "John Rance," " off duty now him at 46, Audley Court, Kennington Park Gate "

Holmes took note address

"Come along, Doctor," ; " go and look him up I'll tell you case," he continued, turning two detectives " murder done, murderer was man more than six feet high, was prime of life, had small feet height, wore coarse, square-toed boots and smoked Trichinopoly cigar here victim in four-wheeled cab, drawn by horse with three old shoes and one new one off fore leg In all probability the murderer had florid face, finger-nails right hand were remarkably long These are only few indications, but assist you "

Lestrade and Gregson glanced at with an incredulous smile

" man was murdered, how done ? " asked the former

"Poison," said Sherlock Holmes curtly, and strode off "One other thing, Lestrade," he added, turning round door: "`Rache,' German for `revenge;' so don't lose your time looking for Miss Rachel "

Parthian shot he walked away, leaving the two rivals open-mouthed behind him

CHAPTER IV

WHAT JOHN RANCE HAD

one o'clock when we left No 3, Lauriston Gardens Sherlock Holmes led me nearest telegraph office, whence he dispatched long telegram He then hailed cab, and ordered the driver us address given us by Lestrade

" nothing like first hand evidence," he remarked; "as matter of fact, my mind is entirely made up case, but still learn all that learned "

"You amaze me, Holmes," said I "Surely as sure pretend of all those particulars which "

"There's no room for mistake," he answered "The very first thing which I observed on arriving that cab had made two ruts with its wheels close curb Now, last night, no rain for week, so wheels which left such deep impression must there during the night There were the marks horse's hoofs, too, the outline of one of far more clearly cut than that other three, showing that that was new shoe cab was there rain began, and was not there at during the morning -- Gregson's word -- it follows must there during the night, and, therefore, brought those two individuals house "

"That seems simple enough," said I; "but how other man's height ? "

"Why, the height of man, in nine cases out of ten, told length stride simple calculation enough, though no use my boring you with figures I had this fellow's stride both clay outside and dust within Then I had way of checking my calculation When man writes on wall, his instinct leads him to write level own eyes Now that writing was just over six feet ground child's play "

" age ? " I asked

"Well, if man can stride four and a-half feet without the smallest effort, 't be quite sere and yellow That breadth of puddle garden walk which he had evidently walked across Patent-leather boots had gone round, and Square-toes had hopped over no mystery at all simply applying to ordinary life few precepts of observation and deduction which I advocated article anything else that puzzles you ? "

"The finger nails Trichinopoly," I suggested

"The writing wall with man's forefinger dipped in blood My glass allowed me to observe plaster was slightly scratched in doing it, which the case man's nail trimmed I gathered up some scattered ash floor dark in colour and flakey -- such an ash as is only made by Trichinopoly special study of cigar ashes -- , written monograph I flatter myself that distinguish at glance the ash of any known brand, either of cigar or of tobacco just details skilled detective differs Gregson and Lestrade type "

" florid face ? " I asked

"Ah, that was more daring shot, though that right not ask me that present state affair "

I passed my hand over my brow "My head is in whirl," I remarked; "the more one thinks of it the more mysterious it grows How came these two men -- if there were two men -- into an empty house ? What has become cabman who drove them ? How could one man compel another poison ? Where did the blood come from ? the object murderer, since robbery had no part ? How came the woman's ring there ? Above all, why should the second man write up the German word RACHE before decamping ? I confess that I any possible way of reconciling all these facts "

My companion smiled approvingly