<s> IT WAS SOME TIME BEFORE THE HEALTH OF MY FRIEND MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES RECOVERED FROM THE STRAIN CAUSED BY HIS IMMENSE EXERTIONS IN THE SPRING OF EIGHTY SEVEN </s><s> THE WHOLE QUESTION OF THE NETHERLANDSUMATRA COMPANY AND OF THE COLOSSAL SCHEMES OF BARON MAUPERTUIS ARE TOO RECENT IN THE MINDS OF THE PUBLIC AND ARE TOO INTIMATELY CONCERNED WITH POLITICS AND FINANCE TO BE FITTING SUBJECTS FOR THIS SERIES OF SKETCHES </s><s> THEY LED HOWEVER IN AN INDIRECT FASHION TO A SINGULAR AND COMPLEX PROBLEM WHICH GAVE MY FRIEND AN OPPORTUNITY OF DEMONSTRATING THE VALUE OF A FRESH WEAPON AMONG THE MANY WITH WHICH HE WAGED HIS LIFELONG BATTLE AGAINST CRIME </s><s> ON REFERRING TO MY NOTES ONE SEE THAT IT WAS UPON THE FOURTEENTH OF APRIL THAT L. RECEIVED A TELEGRAM FROM LYONS WHICH INFORMED ME THAT HOLMES WAS LYING ILL IN THE HOTEL DULONG </s><s> WITHIN TWENTY FOUR HOURS I WAS IN HIS SICK ROOM AND WAS RELIEVED TO FIND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING FORMIDABLE IN HIS SYMPTOMS </s><s> EVEN HIS IRON CONSTITUTION HOWEVER HAD BROKEN DOWN UNDER THE STRAIN OF AN INVESTIGATION WHICH HAD EXTENDED OVER TWO MONTHS DURING WHICH PERIOD HE HAD NEVER WORKED LESS THAN FIFTEEN HOURS A DAY AND HAD MORE THAN ONCE AS HE ASSURED ME. KEPT TO HIS TASK FOR FIVE DAYS AT A STRETCH </s><s> EVEN THE TRIUMPHANT ISSUE OF HIS LABOURS COULD NOT SAVE HIM FROM REACTION AFTER SO TERRIBLE AN EXERTION AND AT A TIME WHEN EUROPE WAS RINGING WITH HIS NAME AND WHEN HIS ROOM WAS LITERALLY ANKLE DEEP WITH CONGRATULATORY TELEGRAMS I FOUND HIM A PREY TO THE BLACKEST DEPRESSION </s><s> EVEN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HE HAD SUCCEEDED WHERE THE POLICE OF THREE COUNTRIES HAD FAILED AND THAT HE HAD OUTMANOEUVRED AT EVERY POINT THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED SWINDLER IN EUROPE WAS INSUFFICIENT TO ROUSE HIM FROM HIS NERVOUS PROSTRATION </s><s> THREE DAYS LATER WE WERE BACK IN BAKER STREET TOGETHER BUT IT WAS EVIDENT THAT MY FRIEND WOULD BE MUCH THE BETTER FOR A CHANGE AND THE THOUGHT OF A WEEK OF SPRINGTIME IN THE COUNTRY WAS FULL OF ATTRACTIONS TO ME ALSO </s><s> MY OLD FRIEND COLONEL HAYTER WHO HAD COME UNDER MY PROFESSIONAL CARE IN AFGHANISTAN HAD NOW TAKEN A HOUSE NEAR REIGATE IN SURREY AND HAD FREQUENTLY ASKED ME TO COME DOWN TO HIM UPON A VISIT </s><s> ON THE LAST OCCASION HE HAD REMARKED THAT IF MY FRIEND WOULD ONLY COME WITH ME HE WOULD BE GLAD TO EXTEND HIS HOSPITALITY TO HIM ALSO </s><s> A LITTLE DIPLOMACY WAS NEEDED BUT WHEN HOLMES UNDERSTOOD THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT WAS A BACHELOR ONE AND THAT HE WOULD BE ALLOWED THE FULLEST FREEDOM HE FELL IN WITH MY PLANS AND A WEEK AFTER OUR RETURN FROM LYONS WE WERE UNDER THE COLONEL'S ROOF </s><s> HAYTER WAS A FINE OLD SOLDIER WHO HAD SEEN MUCH OF THE WORLD AND HE SOON FOUND AS I HAD EXPECTED THAT HOLMES AND HE HAD MUCH IN COMMON </s><s> ON THE EVENING OF OUR ARRIVAL WE WERE SITTING IN THE COLONEL'S GUN ROOM AFTER DINNER HOLMES STRETCHED UPON THE SOFA WHILE HAYTER AND I LOOKED OVER HIS LITTLE ARMORY OF EASTERN WEAPONS </s><s> QUOTE BY THE WAY QUOTE SAID HE SUDDENLY QUOTE I THINK I'LL TAKE ONE OF THESE PISTOLS UPSTAIRS WITH ME IN CASE WE HAVE AN ALARM QUOTE </s><s> AN ALARM SAID I </s><s> YES WE'VE HAD A SCARE IN THIS PART LATELY </s><s> OLD ACTON WHO IS ONE OF OUR COUNTY MAGNATES HAD HIS HOUSE BROKEN INTO LAST MONDAY </s><s> NO GREAT DAMAGE DONE BUT THE FELLOWS ARE STILL AT LARGE </s><s> NO CLUE ASKED HOLMES COCKING HIS EYE AT THE COLONEL </s><s> NONE AS YET </s><s> BUT THE AFFAIR IS A PETTY ONE ONE OF OUR LITTLE COUNTRY CRIMES WHICH MUST SEEM TOO SMALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION MR. HOLMES AFTER THIS GREAT INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR QUOTE </s><s> HOLMES WAVED AWAY THE COMPLIMENT THOUGH HIS SMILE SHOWED THAT IT HAD PLEASED HIM </s><s> WAS THERE ANY FEATURE OF INTEREST </s><s> I FANCY NOT </s><s> THE THIEVES RANSACKED HE LIBRARY AND GOT VERY LITTLE FOR THEIR PAINS </s><s> THE WHOLE PLACE WAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN DRAWERS BURST OPEN AND PRESSES RANSACKED WITH THE RESULT THAT AN ODD VOLUME OF POPE'S HOMER TWO PLATED CANDLESTICKS AN IVORY LETTER WEIGHT A SMALL OAK BAROMETER AND A BALL OF TWINE ARE ALL THAT HAVE VANISHED </s><s> WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY ASSORTMENT </s><s> I EXCLAIMED </s><s> OH THE FELLOWS EVIDENTLY GRABBED HOLD OF EVERYTHING THEY COULD GET </s><s> HOLMES GRUNTED FROM THE SOFA </s><s> BUT I HELD UP A WARNING FINGER </s><s> QUOTE YOU ARE HERE FOR A REST MY DEAR FELLOW </s><s> FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE DON'T GET STARTED ON A NEW PROBLEM WHEN YOUR NERVES ARE ALL IN SHREDS </s><s> HOLMES SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS WITH A GLANCE OF COMIC RESIGNATION TOWARDS THE COLONEL AND THE TALK DRIFTED AWAY INTO LESS DANGEROUS CHANNELS </s><s> IT WAS DESTINED HOWEVER THAT ALL MY PROFESSIONAL CAUTION SHOULD BE WASTED FOR NEXT MORNING THE PROBLEM OBTRUDED ITSELF UPON US IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE IT AND OUR COUNTRY VISIT TOOK A TURN WHICH NEITHER OF US COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED </s><s> WE WERE AT BREAKFAST WHEN THE COLONEL'S BUTLER RUSHED IN WITH ALL HIS PROPRIETY SHAKEN OUT OF HIM </s><s> HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS SIR HE GASPED </s><s> AT THE CUNNINGHAM'S SIR </s><s> BURGLARY CRIED THE COLONEL WITH HIS COFFEE CUP IN MID AIR </s><s> MURDER </s><s> THE COLONEL WHISTLED </s><s> QUOTE BY JOVE QUOTE SAID HE </s><s> WHO'S KILLED THEN </s><s> THE J. P. OR HIS SON </s><s> NEITHER SIR </s><s> IT WAS WILLIAM THE COACHMAN </s><s> SHOT THROUGH THE HEART SIR AND NEVER SPOKE AGAIN </s><s> WHO SHOT HIM THEN </s><s> QUOTE THE BURGLAR SIR </s><s> HE WAS OFF LIKE A SHOT AND GOT CLEAN AWAY </s><s> HE'D JUST BROKE IN AT THE PANTRY WINDOW WHEN WILLIAM CAME ON HIM AND MET HIS END IN SAVING HIS MASTER'S PROPERTY </s><s> WHAT TIME </s><s> IT WAS LAST NIGHT SIR SOMEWHERE ABOUT TWELVE </s><s> AH THEN WE'LL STEP OVER AFTERWARDS SAID THE COLONEL COOLLY SETTLING DOWN TO HIS BREAKFAST AGAIN </s><s> IT'S A BADDISH BUSINESS HE ADDED WHEN THE BUTLER HAD GONE HE'S OUR LEADING MAN ABOUT HERE IS OLD CUNNINGHAM AND A VERY DECENT FELLOW TOO </s><s> HE'LL BE CUT UP OVER THIS FOR THE MAN HAS BEEN IN HIS SERVICE FOR YEARS AND WAS A GOOD SERVANT </s><s> IT'S EVIDENTLY THE SAME VILLAINS WHO BROKE INTO ACTON'S QUOTE </s><s> AND STOLE THAT VERY SINGULAR COLLECTION SAID HOLMES THOUGHTFULLY </s><s> PRECISELY </s><s> HUM </s><s> IT MAY PROVE THE SIMPLEST MATTER IN THE WORLD BUT ALL THE SAME AT FIRST GLANCE THIS IS JUST A LITTLE CURIOUS IS IT NOT </s><s> A GANG OF BURGLARS ACTING IN THE COUNTRY MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO VARY THE SCENE OF THEIR OPERATIONS AND NOT TO CRACK TWO CRIBS IN THE SAME DISTRICT WITHIN A FEW DAYS </s><s> WHEN YOU SPOKE LAST NIGHT OF TAKING PRECAUTIONS I REMEMBER THAT IT PASSED THROUGH MY MIND THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY THE LAST PARISH IN ENGLAND TO WHICH THE THIEF OR THIEVES WOULD BE LIKELY TO TURN THEIR ATTENTION WHICH SHOWS THAT I HAVE STILL MUCH TO LEARN </s><s> I FANCY IT'S SOME LOCAL PRACTITIONER SAID THE COLONEL </s><s> QUOTE IN THAT CASE OF COURSE ACTON'S AND CUNNINGHAM'S ARE JUST THE PLACES HE WOULD GO FOR SINCE THEY ARE FAR THE LARGEST ABOUT HERE QUOTE </s><s> AND RICHEST </s><s> WELL THEY OUGHT TO BE BUT THEY'VE HAD A LAWSUIT FOR SOME YEARS WHICH HAS SUCKED THE BLOOD OUT OF BOTH OF THEM I FANCY </s><s> OLD ACTON HAS SOME CLAIM ON HALF CUNNINGHAM'S ESTATE AND THE LAWYERS HAVE BEEN AT IT WITH BOTH HANDS </s><s> IF IT'S A LOCAL VILLAIN THERE SHOULD NOT BE MUCH DIFFICULTY IN RUNNING HIM DOWN SAID HOLMES WITH A YAWN </s><s> ALL RIGHT WATSON I DON'T INTEND TO MEDDLE </s><s> QUOTE INSPECTOR FORRESTER SIR QUOTE SAID THE BUTLER THROWING OPEN THE DOOR </s><s> THE OFFICIAL A SMART KEEN FACED YOUNG FELLOW STEPPED INTO THE ROOM </s><s> GOOD MORNING COLONEL SAID HE </s><s> I HOPE I DON'T INTRUDE BUT WE HEAR THAT MR. HOLMES OF BAKER STREET IS HERE </s><s> THE COLONEL WAVED HIS HAND TOWARDS MY FRIEND AND THE INSPECTOR BOWED </s><s> WE THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS YOU WOULD CARE TO STEP ACROSS MR. HOLMES </s><s> THE FATES ARE AGAINST YOU WATSON SAID HE LAUGHING </s><s> WE WERE CHATTING ABOUT THE MATTER WHEN YOU CAME IN INSPECTOR </s><s> PERHAPS YOU CAN LET US HAVE A FEW DETAILS QUOTE </s><s> AS HE LEANED BACK IN HIS CHAIR IN THE FAMILIAR ATTITUDE I KNEW THAT THE CASE WAS HOPELESS </s><s> WE HAD NO CLUE IN THE ACTON AFFAIR </s><s> BUT HERE WE HAVE PLENTY TO GO ON AND THERE'S NO DOUBT IT IS THE SAME PARTY IN EACH CASE </s><s> THE MAN WAS SEEN </s><s> AH </s><s> YES SIR </s><s> BUT HE WAS OFF LIKE A DEER AFTER THE SHOT THAT KILLED POOR WILLIAM KIRWAN WAS FIRED </s><s> MR. CUNNINGHAM SAW HIM FROM THE BEDROOM WINDOW AND MR. ALEC CUNNINGHAM SAW HIM FROM THE BACK PASSAGE </s><s> IT WAS QUARTER TO TWELVE WHEN THE ALARM BROKE OUT </s><s> MR. CUNNINGHAM HAD JUST GOT INTO BED AND MR. ALEC WAS SMOKING A PIPE IN HIS DRESSING GOWN </s><s> THEY BOTH HEARD WILLIAM THE COACHMAN CALLING FOR HELP AND MR. ALEC RAN DOWN TO SEE WHAT WAS THE MATTER </s><s> THE BACK DOOR WAS OPEN AND AS HE CAME TO THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS HE SAW TWO MEN WRESTLING TOGETHER OUTSIDE </s><s> ONE OF THEM FIRED A SHOT THE OTHER DROPPED AND THE MURDERER RUSHED ACROSS THE GARDEN AND OVER THE HEDGE </s><s> MR. CUNNINGHAM LOOKING OUT OF HIS BEDROOM SAW THE FELLOW AS HE GAINED THE ROAD BUT LOST SIGHT OF HIM AT ONCE </s><s> MR. ALEC STOPPED TO SEE IF HE COULD HELP THE DYING MAN AND SO THE VILLAIN GOT CLEAN AWAY </s><s> BEYOND THE FACT THAT HE WAS A MIDDLE SIZED MAN AND DRESSED IN SOME DARK STUFF WE HAVE NO PERSONAL CLUE BUT WE ARE MAKING ENERGETIC INQUIRIES AND IF HE IS A STRANGER WE SHALL SOON FIND HIM OUT </s><s> QUOTE WHAT WAS THIS WILLIAM DOING THERE </s><s> DID HE SAY ANYTHING BEFORE HE DIED </s><s> NOT A WORD </s><s> HE LIVES AT THE LODGE WITH HIS MOTHER AND AS HE WAS A VERY FAITHFUL FELLOW WE IMAGINE THAT HE WALKED UP TO THE HOUSE WITH THE INTENTION OF SEEING THAT ALL WAS RIGHT THERE </s><s> OF COURSE THIS ACTON BUSINESS HAS PUT EVERYONE ON THEIR GUARD </s><s> THE ROBBER MUST HAVE JUST BURST OPEN THE DOOR THE LOCK HAS BEEN FORCED WHEN WILLIAM CAME UPON HIM </s><s> DID WILLIAM SAY ANYTHING TO HIS MOTHER BEFORE GOING OUT </s><s> SHE IS VERY OLD AND DEAF AND WE CAN GET NO INFORMATION FROM HER </s><s> THE SHOCK HAS MADE HER HALF WITTED BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT SHE WAS NEVER VERY BRIGHT </s><s> THERE IS ONE VERY IMPORTANT CIRCUMSTANCE HOWEVER </s><s> LOOK AT THIS QUOTE </s><s> HE TOOK A SMALL PIECE OF TORN PAPER FROM A NOTEBOOK AND SPREAD IT OUT UPON HIS KNEE </s><s> THIS WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE FINGER AND THUMB OF THE DEAD MAN </s><s> IT APPEARS TO BE A FRAGMENT TORN FROM A LARGER SHEET </s><s> YOU WILL OBSERVE THAT THE HOUR MENTIONED UPON IT IS THE VERY TIME AT WHICH THE POOR FELLOW MET HIS FATE </s><s> YOU SEE THAT HIS MURDERER MIGHT HAVE TORN THE REST OF THE SHEET FROM HIM OR HE MIGHT HAVE TAKEN THIS FRAGMENT FROM THE MURDERER </s><s> IT READS ALMOST AS THOUGH IT WERE AN APPOINTMENT </s><s> HOLMES TOOK UP THE SCRAP OF PAPER A FACSIMILE OF WHICH IS HERE REPRODUCED </s><s> A. T. QUARTER TO TWELVE LEARN WHAT MAY </s><s> PRESUMING THAT IT IS AN APPOINTMENT CONTINUED THE INSPECTOR IT IS OF COURSE A CONCEIVABLE THEORY THAT THIS WILLIAM KIRWAN THOUGH HE HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING AN HONEST MAN MAY HAVE BEEN IN LEAGUE WITH THE THIEF </s><s> HE MAY HAVE MET HIM THERE MAY EVEN HAVE HELPED HIM TO BREAK IN THE DOOR AND THEN THEY MAY HAVE FALLEN OUT BETWEEN THEMSELVES </s><s> THIS WRITING IS OF EXTRAORDINARY INTEREST SAID HOLMES WHO HAD BEEN EXAMINING IT WITH INTENSE CONCENTRATION </s><s> QUOTE THESE ARE MUCH DEEPER WATERS THAN I HAD THOUGHT QUOTE </s><s> HE SANK HIS HEAD UPON HIS HANDS WHILE THE INSPECTOR SMILED AT THE EFFECT WHICH HIS CASE HAD HAD UPON THE FAMOUS LONDON SPECIALIST </s><s> YOUR LAST REMARK SAID HOLMES PRESENTLY AS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THERE BEING AN UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE BURGLAR AND THE SERVANT AND THIS BEING A NOTE OF APPOINTMENT FROM ONE TO THE OTHER IS AN INGENIOUS AND NOT ENTIRELY IMPOSSIBLE SUPPOSITION </s><s> BUT THIS WRITING OPENS UP HE SANK HIS HEAD INTO HIS HANDS AGAIN AND REMAINED FOR SOME MINUTES IN THE DEEPEST THOUGHT </s><s> WHEN HE RAISED HIS FACE AGAIN I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT HIS CHEEK WAS TINGED WITH COLOUR AND HIS EYES AS BRIGHT AS BEFORE HIS ILLNESS </s><s> HE SPRANG TO HIS FEET WITH ALL HIS OLD ENERGY </s><s> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT SAID HE I SHOULD LIKE TO HAVE A QUIET LITTLE GLANCE INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS CASE </s><s> THERE IS SOMETHING IN IT WHICH FASCINATES ME EXTREMELY </s><s> IF YOU WILL PERMIT ME COLONEL I WILL LEAVE MY FRIEND WATSON AND YOU AND I WILL STEP ROUND WITH THE INSPECTOR TO TEST THE TRUTH OF ONE OR TWO LITTLE FANCIES OF MINE </s><s> I WILL BE WITH YOU AGAIN IN HALF AN HOUR </s><s> AN HOUR AND A HALF HAD ELAPSED BEFORE THE INSPECTOR RETURNED ALONE </s><s> MR. HOLMES IS WALKING UP AND DOWN IN THE FIELD OUTSIDE SAID HE </s><s> QUOTE HE WANTS US ALL FOUR TO GO UP TO THE HOUSE TOGETHER QUOTE </s><s> TO MR. CUNNINGHAM'S </s><s> YES SIR </s><s> WHAT FOR </s><s> THE INSPECTOR SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS </s><s> I DON'T QUITE KNOW SIR </s><s> BETWEEN OURSELVES I THINK MR. HOLMES HAS NOT QUITE GOT OVER HIS ILLNESS YET </s><s> HE'S BEEN BEHAVING VERY QUEERLY AND HE IS VERY MUCH EXCITED </s><s> QUOTE I DON'T THINK YOU NEED ALARM YOURSELF QUOTE SAID I. QUOTE I HAVE USUALLY FOUND THAT THERE WAS METHOD IN HIS MADNESS QUOTE </s><s> SOME FOLK MIGHT SAY THERE WAS MADNESS IN HIS METHOD MUTTERCD THE INSPECTOR </s><s> BUT HE'S ALL ON FIRE TO START COLONEL SO WE HAD BEST GO OUT IF YOU ARE READY </s><s> WE FOUND HOLMES PACING UP AND DOWN IN THE FIELD HIS CHIN SUNK UPON HIS BREAST AND HIS HANDS THRUST INTO HIS TROUSERS POCKETS </s><s> THE MATTER GROWS IN INTEREST SAID HE </s><s> WATSON YOUR COUNTRY TRIP HAS BEEN A DISTINCT SUCCESS </s><s> I HAVE HAD A CHARMING MORNING </s><s> QUOTE YOU HAVE BEEN UP TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME I UNDERSTAND QUOTE SAID THE COLONEL </s><s> YES THE INSPECTOR AND I HAVE MADE QUITE A LITTLE RECONNAISSANCE TOGETHER </s><s> ANY SUCCESS </s><s> WELL WE HAVE SEEN SOME VERY INTERESTING THINGS </s><s> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE DID AS WE WALK </s><s> FIRST OF ALL WE SAW THE BODY OF THIS UNFORTUNATE MAN </s>