<s> QUOTE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE CRIMINAL EXPERT QUOTE SAID MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES QUOTE LONDON HAS BECOME A SINGULARLY UNINTERESTING CITY SINCE THE DEATH OF THE LATE LAMENTED PROFESSOR MORIARTY QUOTE </s><s> I CAN HARDLY THINK THAT YOU WOULD FIND MANY DECENT CITIZENS TO AGREE WITH YOU I ANSWERED </s><s> WELL WELL I MUST NOT BE SELFISH SAID HE WITH A SMILE AS HE PUSHED BACK HIS CHAIR FROM THE BREAKFAST TABLE </s><s> THE COMMUNITY IS CERTAINLY THE GAINER AND NO ONE THE LOSER SAVE THE POOR OUT OF WORK SPECIALIST WHOSE OCCUPATION HAS GONE </s><s> WITH THAT MAN IN THE FIELD ONE'S MORNING PAPER PRESENTED INFINITE POSSIBILITIES </s><s> OFTEN IT WAS ONLY THE SMALLEST TRACE WATSON THE FAINTEST INDICATION AND YET IT WAS ENOUGH TO TELL ME THAT THE GREAT MALIGNANT BRAIN WAS THERE AS THE GENTLEST TREMORS OF THE EDGES OF THE WEB REMIND ONE OF THE FOUL SPIDER WHICH LURKS IN THE CENTRE </s><s> PETTY THEFTS WANTON ASSAULTS PURPOSELESS OUTRAGE TO THE MAN WHO HELD THE CLUE ALL COULD BE WORKED INTO ONE CONNECTED WHOLE </s><s> TO THE SCIENTIFIC STUDENT OF THE HIGHER CRIMINAL WORLD NO CAPITAL IN EUROPE OFFERED THE ADVANTAGES WHICH LONDON THEN POSSESSED </s><s> BUT NOW HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS IN HUMOROUS DEPRECATION OF THE STATE OF THINGS WHICH HE HAD HIMSELF DONE SO MUCH TO PRODUCE </s><s> AT THE TIME OF WHICH I SPEAK HOLMES HAD BEEN BACK FOR SOME MONTHS AND I AT HIS REQUEST HAD SOLD MY PRACTICE AND RETURNED TO SHARE THE OLD QUARTERS IN BAKER STREET </s><s> A YOUNG DOCTOR NAMED VEMER HAD PURCHASED MY SMALL KENSINGTON PRACTICE AND GIVEN WITH ASTONISHINGLY LITTLE DEMUR THE HIGHEST PRICE THAT I VENTURED TO ASK AN INCIDENT WHICH ONLY EXPLAINED ITSELF SOME YEARS LATER WHEN I FOUND THAT VEMER WAS A DISTANT RELATION OF HOLMES AND THAT IT WAS MY FRIEND WHO HAD REALLY FOUND THE MONEY </s><s> OUR MONTHS OF PARTNERSHIP HAD NOT BEEN SO UNEVENTFUL AS HE HAD STATED FOR I FIND ON LOOKING OVER MY NOTES THAT THIS PERIOD INCLUDES THE CASE OF THE PAPERS OF EX PRESIDENT MURILLO AND ALSO THE SHOCKING AFFAIR OF THE DUTCH STEAMSHIP FRIESLAND WHICH SO NEARLY COST US BOTH OUR LIVES </s><s> HIS COLD AND PROUD NATURE WAS ALWAYS AVERSE HOWEVER FROM ANYTHING IN THE SHAPE OF PUBLIC APPLAUSE AND HE BOUND ME IN THE MOST STRINGENT TERMS TO SAY NO FURTHER WORD OF HIMSELF HIS METHODS OR HIS SUCCESSES A PROHIBITION WHICH AS I HAVE EXPLAINED HAS ONLY NOW BEEN REMOVED </s><s> MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES WAS LEANING BACK IN HIS CHAIR AFTER HIS WHIMSICAL PROTEST AND WAS UNFOLDING HIS MORNING PAPER IN A LEISURELY FASHION WHEN OUR ATTENTION WAS ARRESTED BY A TREMENDOUS RING AT THE BELL FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A HOLLOW DRUMMING SOUND AS IF SOMEONE WERE BEATING ON THE OUTER DOOR WITH HIS FIST </s><s> AS IT OPENED THERE CAME A TUMULTUOUS RUSH INTO THE HALL RAPID FEET CLATTERED UP THE STAIR AND AN INSTANT LATER A WILD EYED AND FRANTIC YOUNG MAN PALE DISHEVELLED AND PALPITATING BURST INTO THE ROOM </s><s> HE LOOKED FROM ONE TO THE OTHER OF US AND UNDER OUR GAZE OF INQUIRY HE BECAME CONSCIOUS THAT SOME APOLOGY WAS NEEDED FOR THIS UNCEREMONIOUS ENTRY </s><s> I'M SORRY MR. HOLMES HE CRIED </s><s> QUOTE YOU MUSTN'T BLAME ME </s><s> I AM NEARLY MAD </s><s> MR. HOLMES I AM THE UNHAPPY JOHN HECTOR MCFARLANE </s><s> HE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AS IF THE NAME ALONE WOULD EXPLAIN BOTH HIS VISIT AND ITS MANNER BUT I COULD SEEL BY MY COMPANION'S UNRESPONSIVE FACE THAT IT MEANT NO MORE TO HIM THAN TO ME </s><s> HAVE A CIGARETTE MR. MCFARLANE SAID HE PUSHING HIS CASE ACROSS </s><s> I AM SURE THAT WITH YOUR SYMPTOMS MY FRIEND DOCTOR WATSON HERE WOULD PRESCRIBE A SEDATIVE </s><s> THE WEATHER HAS BEEN SO VERY WARM THESE LAST FEW DAYS </s><s> NOW IF YOU FEEL A LITTLE MORE COMPOSED I SHOULD BE GLAD IF YOU WOULD SIT DOWN IN THAT CHAIR AND TELL US VERY SLOWLY AND QUIETLY WHO YOU ARE. AND WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT </s><s> YOU MENTIONED YOUR NAME AS IF I SHOULD RECOGNIZE IT BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT BEYOND THE OBVIOUS FACTS THAT YOU ARE A BACHELOR A SOLICITOR A FREEMASON AND AN ASTHMATIC I KNOW NOTHING WHATEVER ABOUT YOU </s><s> FAMILIAR AS I WAS WITH MY FRIEND'S METHODS IT WAS NOT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO FOLLOW HIS DEDUCTIONS AND TO OBSERVE THE UNTIDINESS OF ATTIRE THE SHEAF OF LEGAL PAPERS THE WATCH CHARM AND THE BREATHING WHICH HAD PROMPTED THEM </s><s> OUR CLIENT HOWEVER STARED IN AMAZEMENT </s><s> YES I AM ALL THAT MR. HOLMES AND IN ADDITION I AM THE MOST UNFORTUNATE MAN AT THIS MOMENT IN LONDON </s><s> FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE DON'T ABANDON ME MR. HOLMES </s><s> IF THEY COME TO ARREST ME BEFORE I HAVE FINISHED MY STORY MAKE THEM GIVE ME TIME SO THAT I MAY TELL YOU THE WHOLE TRUTH </s><s> I COULD GO TO JAIL HAPPY IF I KNEW THAT YOU WERE WORKING FOR ME OUTSIDE QUOTE </s><s> ARREST YOU SAID HOLMES </s><s> THIS IS REALLY MOST GRATI MOST INTERESTING </s><s> ON WHAT CHARGE DO YOU EXPECT TO BE ARRESTED </s><s> UPON THE CHARGE OF MURDERING MR. JONAS OLDACRE OF LOWER NORWOOD </s><s> MY COMPANION'S EXPRESSIVE FACE SHOWED A SYMPATHY WHICH WAS NOT I AM AFRAID ENTIRELY UNMIXED WITH SATISFACTION </s><s> DEAR ME SAID HE IT WAS ONLY THIS MOMENT AT BREAKFAST THAT I WAS SAYING TO MY FRIEND DOCTOR WATSON THAT SENSATIONAL CASES HAD DISAPPEARED OUT OF OUR PAPERS </s><s> OUR VISITOR STRETCHED FORWARD A QUIVERING HAND AND PICKED UP THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WHICH STILL LAY UPON HOLMES'S KNEE </s><s> QUOTE IF YOU HAD LOOKED AT IT SIR YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN AT A GLANCE WHAT THE ERRAND IS ON WHICH I HAVE COME TO YOU THIS MORNING </s><s> I FEEL AS IF MY NAME AND MY MISFORTUNE MUST BE IN EVERY MAN'S MOUTH </s><s> HE TURNED IT OVER TO EXPOSE THE CENTRAL PAGE </s><s> HERE IT IS AND WITH YOUR PERMISSION I WILL READ IT TO YOU </s><s> LISTEN TO THIS MR. HOLMES </s><s> THE HEADLINES ARE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT LOWER NORWOOD </s><s> DISAPPEARANCE OF A WELL KNOWN BUILDER </s><s> SUSPICION OF MURDER AND ARSON </s><s> A CLUE TO THE CRIMINAL </s><s> THAT IS THE CLUE WHICH THEY ARE ALREADY FOLLOWING MR. HOLMES AND I KNOW THAT IT LEADS INFALLIBLY TO ME </s><s> I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED FROM LONDON BRIDGE STATION AND I AM SURE THAT THEY ARE ONLY WAITING FOR THE WARRANT TO ARREST ME </s><s> IT WILL BREAK MY MOTHER'S HEART IT WILL BREAK HER HEART </s><s> HE WRUNG HIS HANDS IN AN AGONY OF APPREHENSION AND SWAYED BACKWARD AND FORWARD IN HIS CHAIR </s><s> I LOOKED WITH INTEREST UPON THIS MAN WHO WAS ACCUSED OF BEING THE PERPETRATOR OF A CRIME OF VIOLENCE </s><s> HE WAS FLAXENHAIRED AND HANDSOME IN A WASHED OUT NEGATIVE FASHION WITH FRIGHTENED BLUE EYES AND A CLEAN SHAVEN FACE WITH A WEAK SENSITIVE MOUTH </s><s> HIS AGE MAY HAVE BEEN ABOUT TWENTY SEVEN HIS DRESS AND BEARING THAT OF A GENTLEMAN </s><s> FROM THE POCKET OF HIS LIGHT SUMMER OVERCOAT PROTRUDED THE BUNDLE OF ENDORSED PAPERS WHICH PROCLAIMED HIS PROFESSION </s><s> WE MUST USE WHAT TIME WE HAVE SAID HOLMES </s><s> WATSON WOULD YOU HAVE THE KINDNESS TO TAKE THE PAPER AND TO READ THE PARAGRAPH IN QUESTION </s><s> UNDERNEATH THE VIGOROUS HEADLINES WHICH OUR CLIENT HAD QUOTED I READ THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIVE NARRATIVE QUOTE LATE LAST NIGHT OR EARLY THIS MORNING AN INCIDENT OC CURRED AT LOWER NORWOOD WHICH POINTS IT IS FEARED TO A SERIOUS CRIME </s><s> MR. JONAS OLDACRE IS A WELL KNOWN RESIDENT OF THAT SUBURB WHERE HE HAS CARRIED ON HIS BUSINESS AS A BUILDER FOR MANY YEARS </s><s> MR. OLDACRE IS A BACHELOR FIFTY TWO YEARS OF AGE AND LIVES IN DEEP DENE HOUSE AT THE SYDENHAM END OF THE ROAD OF THAT NAME </s><s> HE HAS HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING A MAN OF ECCENTRIC HABITS SECRETIVE AND RETIRING </s><s> FOR SOME YEARS HE HAS PRACTICALLY WITHDRAWN FROM THE BUSINESS IN WHICH HE IS SAID TO HAVE MASSED CONSIDERABLE WEALTH </s><s> A SMALL TIMBER YARD STILL EXISTS HOWEVER AT THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND LAST NIGHT ABOUT TWELVE O'CLOCK AN ALARM WAS GIVEN THAT ONE OF THE STACKS WAS ON FIRE </s><s> THE ENGINES WERE SOON UPON THE SPOT BUT THE DRY WOOD BURNED WITH GREAT FURY AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO ARREST THE CONFLAGRATION UNTIL THE STACK HAD BEEN ENTIRELY CONSUMED </s><s> UP TO THIS POINT THE INCIDENT BORE THE APPEARANCE OF AN ORDINARY ACCIDENT BUT FRESH INDICATIONS SEEM TO POINT TO SERIOUS CRIME </s><s> SURPRISE WAS EXPRESSED AT THE ABSENCE OF THE MASTER OF THE ESTABLISH MENT FROM THE SCENE OF THE FIRE AND AN INQUIRY FOLLOWED WHICH SHOWED THAT HE HAD DISAPPEARED FROM THE HOUSE </s><s> AN EXAMINATION OF HIS ROOM REVEALED THAT THE BED HAD NOT BEEN SLEPT IN THAT A SAFE WHICH STOOD IN IT WAS OPEN THAT A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT PAPERS WERE SCATTERED ABOUT THE ROOM AND FINALLY THAT THERE WERE SIGNS OF A MURDEROUS STRUGGLE SLIGHT TRACES OF BLOOD BEING FOUND WITHIN THE ROOM AND AN OAKEN WALKING STICK WHICH ALSO SHOWED STAINS OF BLOOD UPON THE HANDLE </s><s> IT IS KNOWN THAT MR. JONAS OLDACRE HAD RECEIVED A LATE VISITOR IN HIS BEDROOM UPON THAT NIGHT AND THE STICK FOUND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE PROPERTY OF THIS PERSON WHO IS A YOUNG LONDON SOLICITOR NAMED JOHN HECTOR MCFARLANE JUNIOR PARTNER OF GRAHAM AND MCFARLANE OF FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY SIX GRESHAM BUILDINGS </s><s> E. C. THE POLICE BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE EVIDENCE IN THEIR POSSESSION WHICH SUPPLIES A VERY CONVINCING MOTIVE FOR THE CRIME AND ALTOGETHER IT CANNOT BE DOUBTED THAT SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS WILL FOLLOW </s><s> LATER IT IS RUMOURED AS WE GO TO PRESS THAT MR. JOHN HECTOR MCFARLANE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ARRESTED ON THE CHARGE OF THE MURDER OF MR. JONAS OLDACRE </s><s> IT IS AT LEAST CERTAIN THAT A WARRANT HAS BEEN ISSUED </s><s> THERE HAVE BEEN FURTHER AND SINISTER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE INVESTIGATION AT NORWOOD </s><s> BE SIDES THE SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE IN THE ROOM OF THE UNFORTUNATE BUILDER IT IS NOW KNOWN THAT THE FRENCH WINDOWS OF HIS BEDROOM WHICH IS ON THE GROUND FLOOR WERE FOUND TO BE OPEN THAT THERE WERE MARKS AS IF SOME BULKY OBJECT HAD BEEN DRAGGED ACROSS TO THE WOOD PILE AND FINALLY IT IS ASSERTED THAT CHARRED REMAINS HAVE BEEN FOUND AMONG THE CHARCOAL ASHES OF THE FIRE </s><s> THE POLICE THEORY IS THAT A MOST SENSATIONAL CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED THAT THE VICTIM WAS CLUBBED TO DEATH IN HIS OWN BEDROOM HIS PAPERS RIFLED AND HIS DEAD BODY DRAGGED ACROSS TO THE WOOD STACK WHICH WAS THEN IGNITED SO AS TO HIDE ALL TRACES OF THE CRIME </s><s> THE CONDUCT OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN LEFT IN THE EXPERIENCED HANDS OF INSPECTOR LESTRADE OF SCOTLAND YARD WHO IS FOLLOWING UP THE CLUES WITH HIS ACCUSTOMED ENERGY AND SAGACITY </s><s> SHERLOCK HOLMES LISTENED WITH CLOSED EYES AND FINGERTIPS TOGETHER TO THIS REMARKABLE ACCOUNT </s><s> THE CASE HAS CERTAINLY SOME POINTS OF INTEREST SAID HE IN HIS LANGUID FASHION </s><s> MAY I ASK IN THE FIRST PLACE MR. MCFARLANE HOW IT IS THAT YOU ARE STILL AT LIBERTY SINCE THERE APPEARS TO BE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY YOUR ARREST </s><s> I LIVE AT TORRINGTON LODGE BLACKHEATH WITH MY PARENTS MR. HOLMES BUT LAST NIGHT HAVING TO DO BUSINESS VERY LATE WITH MR. JONAS OIDACRE I STAYED AT AN HOTEL IN NORWOOD AND CAME TO MY BUSINESS FROM THERE </s><s> I KNEW NOTHING OF THIS AFFAIR UNTIL I WAS IN THE TRAIN WHEN I READ WHAT YOU HAVE JUST HEARD </s><s> I AT ONCE SAW THE HORRIBLE DANGER OF MY POSITION AND I HURRIED TO PUT THE CASE INTO YOUR HANDS </s><s> I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED EITHER AT MY CITY OFFICE OR AT MY HOME </s><s> A MAN FOLLOWED ME FROM LONDON BRIDGE STATION AND I HAVE NO DOUBT GREAT HEAVEN WHAT IS THAT QUOTE </s><s> IT WAS A CLANG OF THE BELL FOLLOWED INSTANTLY BY HEAVY STEPS UPON THE STAIR </s><s> A MOMENT LATER OUR OLD FRIEND LESTRADE APPEARED IN THE DOORWAY </s><s> OVER HIS SHOULDER I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF ONE OR TWO UNIFORMED POLICEMEN OUTSIDE </s><s> MR. JOHN HECTOR MCFARLANE SAID LESTMDE </s><s> OUR UNFORTUNATE CLIENT ROSE WITH A GHASTLY FACE </s><s> I ARREST YOU FOR THE WILFUL MURDER OF MR. JONAS OLDACRE OF LOWER NORWOOD </s><s> MCFARLANE TURNED TO US WITH A GESTURE OF DESPAIR AND SANK INTO HIS CHAIR ONCE MORE LIKE ONE WHO IS CRUSHED </s><s> ONE MOMENT </s><s> LESTRADE SAID HOLMES </s><s> HALF AN HOUR MORE OR LESS CAN MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO YOU AND THE GENTLEMAN WAS ABOUT TO GIVE US AN ACCOUNT OF THIS VERY INTERESTING AFFAIR WHICH MIGHT AID US IN CLEARING IT UP </s><s> QUOTE I THINK THERE WILL BE NO DIFFICULTY IN CLEARING IT UP QUOTE SAID LESTRADE GRIMLY </s><s> NONE THE LESS WITH YOUR PERMISSION I SHOULD BE MUCH INTERESTED TO HEAR HIS ACCOUNT </s><s> WELL MR. HOLMES IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO REFUSE YOU ANYTHING FOR YOU HAVE BEEN OF USE TO THE FORCE ONCE OR TWICE IN THE PAST AND WE OWE YOU A GOOD TURN AT SCOTLAND YARD SAID LESTRADE </s><s> AT THE SAME TIME I MUST REMAIN WITH MY PRISONER AND I AM BOUND TO WARN HIM THAT ANYTHING HE MAY SAY WILL APPEAR IN EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM </s><s> I WISH NOTHING BETTER SAID OUR CLIENT </s><s> ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU SHOULD HEAR AND RECOGNIZE THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH </s><s> LESTRADE LOOKED AT HIS WATCH </s><s> QUOTE I'LL GIVE YOU HALF AN HOUR QUOTE SAID HE </s><s> I MUST EXPLAIN FIRST SAID MCFARLANE THAT I KNEW NOTHING OF MR. JONAS OLDACRE </s><s> HIS NAME WAS FAMILIAR TO ME FOR MANY YEARS AGO MY PARENTS WERE ACQUAINTED WITH HIM BUT THEY DRIFTED APART </s><s> I WAS VERY MUCH SURPRISED THEREFORE WHEN YESTERDAY ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON HE WALKED INTO MY OFFICE IN THE CITY </s><s> BUT I WAS STILL MORE ASTONISHED WHEN HE TOLD ME THE OBJECT OF HIS VISIT </s><s> HE HAD IN HIS HAND SEVERAL SHEETS OF A NOTEBOOK COVERED WITH SCRIBBLED WRITING HERE THEY ARE AND HE LAID THEM ON MY TABLE </s><s> HERE IS MY WILL SAID HE </s><s> I WANT YOU MR. MCFARLANE TO CAST IT INTO PROPER LEGAL SHAPE </s><s> I WILL SIT HERE WHILE YOU DO SO </s><s> I SET MYSELF TO COPY IT AND YOU CAN IMAGINE MY ASTONISHMENT WHEN I FOUND THAT WITH SOME RESERVATIONS HE HAD LEFT ALL HIS PROPERTY TO ME </s><s> HE WAS A STRANGE LITTLE FERRET LIKE MAN WITH WHITE EYELASHES AND WHEN I LOOKED UP AT HIM I FOUND HIS KEEN GRAY EYES FIXED UPON ME WITH AN AMUSED EXPRESSION </s><s> I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE MY OWN SENSES AS I READ THE TERMS OF THE WILL BUT HE EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS A BACHELOR WITH HARDLY ANY LIVING RELATION THAT HE HAD KNOWN MY PARENTS IN HIS YOUTH AND THAT HE HAD ALWAYS HEARD OF ME AS A VERY DESERVING YOUNG MAN AND WAS ASSURED THAT HIS MONEY WOULD BE IN WORTHY HANDS </s><s> OF COURSE I COULD ONLY STAMMER OUT MY THANKS </s><s> THE WILL WAS DULY FINISHED SIGNED AND WITNESSCD BY MY CLERK </s><s> THIS IS IT ON THE BLUE PAPER AND THESE SLIPS AS I HAVE EXPLAINED ARE THE ROUGH DRAFT </s><s> MR. JONAS OLDACRE THEN INFORMED ME THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS BUILDING LEASES TITLE DEEDS MORTGAGES SCRIP AND SO FORTH WHICH IT WAS NECESSARY THAT I SHOULD SEE AND UNDERSTAND </s><s> HE SAID THAT HIS MIND WOULD NOT BE EASY UNTIL THE WHOLE THING WAS SETTLED AND HE BEGGED ME TO COME OUT TO HIS HOUSE AT NORWOOD THAT NIGHT BRINGING THE WILL WITH ME AND TO ARRANGE MATTERS </s><s> REMEMBER MY BOY NOT ONE WORD TO YOUR PARENTS ABOUT THE AFFAIR UNTIL EVERYTHING IS SETTLED </s><s> WE WILL KEEP IT AS A LITTLE SURPRISE FOR THEM </s><s> HE WAS VERY INSISTENT UPON THIS POINT AND MADE ME PROMISE IT FAITHFULLY </s><s> YOU CAN IMAGINE MR. HOLMES THAT I WAS NOT IN A HUMOUR TO REFUSE HIM ANYTHING THAT HE MIGHT ASK </s><s> HE WAS MY BENEFACTOR AND ALL MY DESIRE WAS TO CARRY OUT HIS WISHES IN EVERY PARTICULAR </s><s> I SENT A TELEGRAM HOME THEREFORE TO SAY THAT I HAD IMPORTANT BUSINESS ON HAND AND THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO SAY HOW LATE I MIGHT BE </s><s> MR. OLDACRE HAD TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD LIKE ME TO HAVE SUPPER WITH HIM AT NINE AS HE MIGHT NOT BE HOME BEFORE THAT HOUR </s><s> I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY IN FINDING HIS HOUSE HOWEVER AND IT WAS NEARLY HALF PAST BEFORE I REACHED IT </s><s> I FOUND HIM </s><s> QUOTE ONE MOMENT QUOTE SAID HOLMES </s><s> WHO OPENED THE DOOR </s><s> A MIDDLE AGED WOMAN WHO WAS I SUPPOSE HIS HOUSEKEEPER </s><s> AND IT WAS SHE I PRESUME WHO MENTIONED YOUR NAME </s><s> EXACTLY SAID MCFARLANE </s><s> PRAY PROCEED </s><s> QUOTE I WAS SHOWN BY THIS WOMAN INTO A SITTING ROOM WHERE A FRUGAL SUPPER WAS LAID OUT </s><s> AFTERWARDS MR. JONAS OLDACRE LED ME INTO HIS BEDROOM IN WHICH THERE STOOD A HEAVY SAFE </s><s> THIS HE OPENED AND TOOK OUT A MASS OF DOCUMENTS WHICH WE WENT OVER TOGETHER </s><s> IT WAS BETWEEN ELEVEN AND TWELVE WHEN WE FINISHED </s><s> HE REMARKED THAT WE MUST NOT DISTURB THE HOUSEKEEPER </s><s> HE SHOWED ME OUT THROUGH HIS OWN FRENCH WINDOW WHICH HAD BEEN OPEN ALL THIS TIME </s><s> WAS THE BLIND DOWN ASKED HOLMES </s><s> I WILL NOT BE SURE. BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS ONLY HALF DOWN </s><s> YES I REMEMBER HOW HE PULLED IT UP IN ORDER TO SWING OPEN THE WINDOW </s><s> I COULD NOT FIND MY STICK AND HE SAID NEVER MIND MY BOY I SHALL SEE A GOOD DEAL OF YOU NOW I HOPE AND I WILL KEEP YOUR STICK UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO CLAIM IT </s>