The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Part 1 (2/2)

”Have there been any fresh developments?” asked Holmes

”I aress,” said the Inspector ”We have an open carriage outside, and as you would no doubt like to see the place before the light fails, we ht talk it over as we drive”

A minute later ere all seated in a coh the quaint old Devonshi+re city Inspector Gregory was full of his case, and poured out a stream of remarks, while Holmes threw in an occasional question or interjection Colonel Ross leaned back with his arms folded and his hat tilted over his eyes, while I listened with interest to the dialogue of the two detectives Gregory was for his theory, which was almost exactly what Holmes had foretold in the train

”The net is drawn pretty close round Fitzroy Simpson,” he remarked, ”and I believe nize that the evidence is purely circumstantial, and that some new development may upset it”

”How about Straker's knife?”

”We have quite come to the conclusion that he wounded hiestion to ainst this man Sin of a wound The evidence against hireat interest in the disappearance of the favorite He lies under suspicion of having poisoned the stable-boy, he was undoubtedly out in the storm, he was armed with a heavy stick, and his cravat was found in the dead o before a jury”

Hols,” said he ”Why should he take the horse out of the stable? If he wished to injure it why could he not do it there? Has a duplicate key been found in his possession? What chemist sold hier to the district, hide a horse, and such a horse as this? What is his own explanation as to the paper which he wished the ive to the stable-boy?”

”He says that it was a ten-pound note One was found in his purse But your other difficulties are not so forer to the district He has twice lodged at Tavistock in the suht fro served its purpose, would be hurled away The horse may be at the bottom of one of the pits or old mines upon the moor”

”What does he say about the cravat?”

”He acknowledges that it is his, and declares that he had lost it But a new element has been introduced into the case whichthe horse from the stable”

Holmes pricked up his ears

”We have found traces which show that a party of gypsies encaht within a mile of the spot where thethat there was soht he not have been leading the horse to them when he was overtaken, and may they not have him now?”

”It is certainly possible”

”The ypsies I have also examined every stable and out-house in Tavistock, and for a radius of ten -stable quite close, I understand?”

”Yes, and that is a factor which we h, their horse, was second in the betting, they had an interest in the disappearance of the favorite Silas Brown, the trainer, is known to have had large bets upon the event, and he was no friend to poor Straker We have, however, exa to connect hi to connect this man Simpson with the interests of the Mapleton stables?”

”Nothing at all”

Hole, and the conversation ceased A few minutes later our driver pulled up at a neat little red-brick villa with overhanging eaves which stood by the road Soray-tiled out-building In every other direction the low curves of theferns, stretched away to the sky-line, broken only by the steeples of Tavistock, and by a cluster of houses away to the hichout with the exception of Holmes, who continued to lean back with his eyes fixed upon the sky in front of hihts It was only when I touched his arm that he roused hie

”Excuseto Colonel Ross, who had looked at hileam in his eyes and a suppressed excitement in his manner which convinced me, used as I was to his ways, that his hand was upon a clue, though I could not iine where he had found it

”Perhaps you would prefer at once to go on to the scene of the criory

”I think that I should prefer to stay here a little and go into one or two questions of detail Straker was brought back here, I presume?”

”Yes; he lies upstairs The inquest is to-morrow”

”He has been in your service some years, Colonel Ross?”

”I have always found him an excellent servant”

”I presume that you made an inventory of what he had in his pockets at the tis the-roolad” We all filed into the front room and sat round the central table while the Inspector unlocked a square tin box and laid a ss before us There was a box of vestas, two inches of tallow candle, an A D P brier-root pipe, a pouch of seal-skin with half an ounce of long-cut Cavendish, a silver watch with a gold chain, five sovereigns in gold, an aluminum pencil-case, a few papers, and an ivory-handled knife with a very delicate, inflexible blade ular knife,” said Hol it minutely ”I presume, as I see blood-stains upon it, that it is the one which was found in the dead rasp Watson, this knife is surely in your line?”

”It is e call a cataract knife,” said I

”I thought so A very delicate blade devised for very delicate work A strange thing for a h expedition, especially as it would not shut in his pocket”

”The tip was guarded by a disk of cork which we found beside his body,” said the Inspector ”His wife tells us that the knife had lain upon the dressing-table, and that he had picked it up as he left the room It was a poor weapon, but perhaps the best that he could lay his hands on at the moment”

”Very possible How about these papers?”

”Three of them are receipted hay-dealers' accounts One of them is a letter of instructions from Colonel Ross This other is a milliner's account for thirty-seven pounds fifteen made out by Madame Lesurier, of Bond Street, to William Derbyshi+re Mrs Straker tells us that Derbyshi+re was a friend of her husband's and that occasionally his letters were addressed here”

”Madam Derbyshi+re had so down the account ”Twenty-two guineas is rather heavy for a single costu o down to the scene of the cri-rooe, took a step forward and laid her hand upon the Inspector's sleeve Her face was haggard and thin and eager, staot them? Have you found them?” she panted

”No, Mrs Straker But Mr Holmes here has come from London to help us, and we shall do all that is possible”

”Surely I o, Mrs Straker?” said Holmes

”No, sir; you are mistaken”

”Dear me! Why, I could have sworn to it You wore a costu”

”I never had such a dress, sir,” answered the lady

”Ah, that quite settles it,” said Holy he followed the Inspector outside A short walk across the moor took us to the hollohich the body had been found At the brink of it was the furze-bush upon which the coat had been hung

”There was no wind that night, I understand,” said Holmes

”None; but very heavy rain”

”In that case the overcoat was not blown against the furze-bush, but placed there”

”Yes, it was laid across the bush”