"Robbed ? "

"No, no attempt at robbery "

" very painful- very painful and terrible," said Mr Scott Eccles in querulous voice, "but really uncommonly hard upon me I had nothing with my host going off upon nocturnal excursion and meeting so sad an end How do I come mixed up case ? "

"Very simply, sir," Inspector Baynes answered "The only document found pocket deceased was letter saying that night death It envelope letter which the dead man's name and address after nine when we reached his house and found neither you nor anyone else inside it I wired to Mr Gregson to run you down in London while I examined Wisteria Lodge Then into town, joined Mr Gregson, and here "

" now," said Gregson, rising, "we had best put into an official shape come round station, Mr Scott Eccles, and your statement in writing "

"Certainly, come at once But I retain your services, Mr Holmes you to spare no expense and no pains truth "

My friend turned country inspector

"I suppose that no objection to my collaborating , Mr Baynes ? "

"Highly honoured, sir, "

"You appear very prompt and business-like in all that you Was there any clue, may I ask, exact hour man met his death ? "

"He there since one o'clock rain , death had certainly been rain "

"But perfectly impossible, Mr Baynes," cried our client "His voice is unmistakable swear he who addressed me in my bedroom very hour "

"Remarkable, but by no means impossible," said Holmes, smiling

" clue ? " asked Gregson

" face of it the case very complex one, though it certainly presents some novel and interesting features further knowledge of facts is necessary before venture final and definite opinion , Mr Baynes, did you find anything remarkable besides this note in your examination house ? "

The detective looked at my friend in singular way

"There were," said he, " very remarkable things Perhaps when finished police-station care out and your opinion "

" entirely at your service," said Sherlock Holmes, ringing the bell " show these gentlemen out, Mrs Hudson, and kindly send the boy telegram five-shilling reply "

We sat for in silence after our visitors had left Holmes smoked hard, brows drawn down over his keen eyes, head thrust forward eager way characteristic man

"Well, Watson," he asked, turning suddenly upon me, "What make of it ? "

" make nothing mystification of Scott Eccles "

"But the crime ? "

"Well, taken disappearance man's companions, say were in some way concerned murder and had fled from justice "

" certainly possible point of view face of it admit, however, very strange that his two servants in conspiracy against him and attacked him one night when he had guest They had him alone at their mercy night week "

"Then why did they fly ? "

"Quite so Why did they fly ? big fact Another big fact remarkable experience client, Scott Eccles Now, my dear Watson, beyond the limits of human ingenuity an explanation which would cover both these big facts ? were one which would also admit mysterious note with its very curious phraseology, why, then it worth accepting as temporary hypothesis fresh facts which come to our knowledge all fit themselves scheme, then our hypothesis may gradually become solution "

"But our hypothesis ? "

Holmes leaned back chair with half-closed eyes

" admit my dear Watson, idea of joke is impossible There were grave events afoot sequel showed, coaxing of Scott Eccles to Wisteria Lodge had some connection "

"But what possible connection ? "

" take it link by link , face of it, something unnatural strange and sudden friendship young Spaniard and Scott Eccles It former who forced the pace upon Eccles other end of London very day after he first met him, and he kept in close touch until he got him down to Esher Now, what did he want with Eccles ? What could Eccles supply ? no charm man particularly intelligent- not man likely congenial to quick-witted Latin Why, then, was he picked out from all the other people whom Garcia met as particularly suited purpose ? Has he outstanding quality ? that he has He very type of conventional British respectability, very man as witness to impress another Briton You saw yourself how neither inspectors dreamed of questioning his statement, extraordinary as "

"But he to witness ? "

"Nothing, as things turned out, but everything had they gone another way how the matter "

" , proved an alibi "

"Exactly, my dear Watson; proved an alibi suppose, for arguments sake, household of Wisteria Lodge are confederates in some design The attempt, whatever it , is off, say, before one o'clock By some juggling clocks quite possible got Scott Eccles to bed earlier than he thought but in any case likely that when Garcia went out way him one really not more than twelve If Garcia could do whatever he had and be back hour mentioned he had evidently powerful reply to any accusation Here irreproachable Englishman ready to swear in any court of law accused was house all the time an insurance against the worst "

"Yes, yes, that But how disappearance others ? "

" all my facts yet but any insuperable difficulties Still, an error to argue in front of your data You find yourself insensibly twisting them round to fit your theories "

" message ? "

"How did it run ? 'Our own colours, green and white ' Sounds like racing 'Green open, white shut ' clearly signal 'Main stair, first corridor, seventh right, green baize ' an assignation find jealous husband bottom of it all clearly dangerous quest not have said 'Godspeed' had it not been so 'D'- that guide "

"The man was Spaniard I 'D' stands for Dolores, common female name in Spain "