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thought； but in any case it is likely that when Garcia went out of his way
to tell him that it was one it was really not more than twelve。 If Garcia
could do whatever he had to do and be back by the hour mentioned he had
evidently a powerful reply to any accusation。 Here was this irreproachable
Englishman ready to swear in any court of law that the accused was in the
house all the time。 It was an insurance against the worst。〃
〃Yes； yes； I see that。 But how about the disappearance of the others？〃
〃I have not all my facts yet； but I do not think there are any
insuperable difficulties。 Still； it is an error to argue in front of your data。
You find yourself insensibly twisting them round to fit your theories。〃
〃And the message？〃
〃How did it run？ 'Our own colours； green and white。' Sounds like
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The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge
racing。 'Green open； white shut。' That is clearly a signal。 'Main stair； first
corridor； seventh right； green baize。' This is an assignation。 We may find a
jealous husband at the bottom of it all。 It was clearly a dangerous quest。
She would not have said 'Godspeed' had it not been so。 'D'that should be
a guide。〃
〃The man was a Spaniard。 I suggest that 'D' stands for Dolores； a
common female name in Spain。〃
〃Good； Watson； very goodbut quite inadmissable。 A Spaniard would
write to a Spaniard in Spanish。 The writer of this note is certainly English。
Well； we can only possess our soul in patience until this excellent
inspector come back for us。 Meanwhile we can thank our lucky fate which
has rescued us for a few short hours from the insufferable fatigues of
idleness。〃
An answer had arrived to Holmes's telegram before our Surrey officer
had returned。 Holmes read it and was about to place it in his notebook
when he caught a glimpse of my expectant face。 He tossed it across with a
laugh。
〃We are moving in exalted circles；〃 said he。
The telegram was a list of names and addresses：
Lord Harringby； The Dingle； Sir George Ffolliott； Oxshott Towers； Mr。
Hynes Hynes； J。P。； Purdley Place； Mr。 James Baker Williams； Forton Old
Hall； Mr。 Henderson； High Gable； Rev。 Joshua Stone； Nether Walsling。
〃This is a very obvious way of limiting our field of operations；〃 said
Holmes。 〃No doubt Baynes； with his methodical mind； has already
adopted some similar plan。〃
〃I don't quite understand。〃
〃Well； my dear fellow； we have already arrived at the conclusion that
the massage received by Garcia at dinner was an appointment or an
assignation。 Now； if the obvious reading of it is correct； and in order to
keep the tryst one has to ascend a main stair and seek the seventh door in a
corridor； it is perfectly clear that the house is a very large one。 It is equally
certain that this house cannot be more than a mile or two from Oxshott；
since Garcia was walking in that direction and hoped； according to my
reading of the facts； to be back in Wisteria Lodge in time to avail himself
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of an alibi； which would only be valid up to one o'clock。 As the number of
large houses close to Oxshott must be limited； I adopted the obvious
method of sending to the agents mentioned by Scott Eccles and obtaining
a list of them。 Here they are in this telegram； and the other end of our
tangled skein must lie among them。〃
It was nearly six o'clock before we found ourselves in the pretty
Surrey village of Esher； with Inspector Baynes as our companion。
Holmes and I had taken things for the night； and found comfortable
quarters at the Bull。 Finally we set out in the company of the detective on
our visit to Wisteria Lodge。 It was a cold； dark March evening； with a
sharp wind and a fine rain beating upon our faces； a fit setting for the wild
common over which our road passed and the tragic goal to which it led us。
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2。 The Tiger of San Pedro
A cold and melancholy walk of a couple of miles brought us to a high
wooden gate； which opened into a gloomy avenue of chestnuts。 The
curved and shadowed drive led us to a low； dark house； pitch… black
against a slate…coloured sky。 From the front window upon the left of the
door there peeped a glimmer of a feeble light。
〃There's a constable in possession；〃 said Baynes。 〃I'll knock at the
window。〃 He stepped across the grass plot and tapped with his hand on the
pane。 Through the fogged glass I dimly saw a man spring up from a chair
beside the fire； and heard a sharp cry from within the room。 An instant
later a white…faced； hard… breathing policeman had opened the door； the
candle wavering in his trembling hand。
〃What's the matter； Walters？〃 asked Baynes sharply。
The man mopped his forehead with his handkerchief and agave a long
sigh of relief。
〃I am glad you have come； sir。 It has been a long evening； and I don't
think my nerve is as good as it was。〃
〃Your nerve； Walters？ I should not have thought you had a nerve in
your body。〃
〃Well； sir； it's this lonely； silent house and the queer thing in the
kitchen。 Then when you tapped at the window I thought it had come
again。〃
〃That what had come again？〃
〃The devil； sir； for all I know。 It was at the window。〃
〃What was at the window； and when？〃
〃It was just about two hours ago。 The light was just fading。 I was
sitting reading in the chair。 I don't know what made me look up； but there
was a face looking in at me through the lower pane。 Lord； sir； what a face
it was！ I'll see it in my dreams。〃
〃Tut； tut； Walters。 This is not talk for a police…constable。〃
〃I know； sir； I know； but it shook me； sir； and there's no use to deny it。
It wasn't black； sir； nor was it white； nor any colour that I know but a kind
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of queer shade like clay with a splash of milk in it。 Then there was the size
of itit was twice yours； sir。 And the look of itthe great staring goggle
eyes； and the line of white teeth like a hungry beast。 I tell you； sir； I
couldn't move a finger； nor get my breath； till it whisked away and was
gone。 Out I ran and through the shrubbery； but thank God there was no one
there。〃
〃If I didn't know you were a good man； Walters； I should put a black
mark against you for this。 If it were the devil himself a constable on duty
should never thank God that he could not lay his hands upon him。 I
suppose the whole thing is not a vision and a touch of nerves？〃
〃That； at least； is very easily settled；〃 said Holmes； lighting his little
pocket lantern。 〃Yes；〃 he reported； after a short examination of the grass
bed； 〃a number twelve shoe； I should say。 If he was all on the same scale
as his foot he must certainly have been a giant。〃
〃What became of him？〃
〃He seems to have broken through the shrubbery and made for the
road。〃
〃Well；〃 said the inspector with a grave and thoughtful face； 〃whoever
he may have been； and whatever he may have wanted； he's gone for the
present； and we have more immediate things to attend to。 Now； Mr。
Holmes； with your permission； I will show you round the house。〃
The various bedrooms and sitting…rooms had yielded nothing to a
careful search。 Apparently the tenants had brought little or nothing with
them； and all the furniture down to the smallest details had been taken
over with the house。 A good deal of clothing with the stamp of Marx and
Co。； High Holborn； had been left behind。 Telegraphic inquiries had been
already made which showed that Marx knew nothing of his customer save
that he was a good payer。 Odds and ends； some pipes； a few novels； two of
them in Spanish；