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be there in twenty minutes。〃
It was nearly four o'clock when we at last； after passing through
the beautiful Stroud Valley； and over the broad gleaming Severn； found
ourselves at the pretty little country…town of Ross。 A lean
ferret…like man； furtive and sly…looking； was waiting for us upon
the platform。 In spite of the light brown dustcoat and leather
leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic surroundings； I
had no difficulty in recognizing Lestrade； of Scotland Yard。 With
him we drove to the Hereford Arms where a room had already been
engaged for us。
〃I have ordered a carriage；〃 said Lestrade as we sat over a cup of
tea。 〃I knew your energetic nature； and that you would not be happy
until you had been on the scene of the crime。〃
〃It was very nice and complimentary of you；〃 Holmes answered。 〃It is
entirely a question of barometric pressure。〃
Lestrade looked startled。 〃I do not quite follow；〃 he said。
〃How is the glass？ Twenty…nine； I see。 No wind； and not a cloud in
the sky。 I have a caseful of cigarettes here which need smoking； and
the sofa is very much superior to the usual country hotel abomination。
I do not think that it is probable that I shall use the carriage
to…night。〃
Lestrade laughed indulgently。 〃You have； no doubt； already formed
your conclusions from the newspapers；〃 he said。 〃The case is as
plain as a pikestaff； and the more one goes into it the plainer it
becomes。 Still； of course； one can't refuse a lady； and such a very
positive one； too。 She had heard of you； and would have your
opinion； though I repeatedly told her that there was nothing which you
could do which I had not already done。 Why； bless my soul！ here is her
carriage at the door。〃
He had hardly spoken before there rushed into the room one of the
most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life。 Her violet
eyes shining； her lips parted； a pink flush upon her cheeks； all
thought of her natural reserve lost in her overpowering excitement and
concern。
〃Oh； Mr。 Sherlock Holmes！〃 she cried； glancing from one to the other
of us； and finally； with a woman's quick intuition； fastening upon
my companion； 〃I am so glad that you have come。 I have driven down
to tell you so。 I know that James didn't do it。 I know it； and I
want you to start upon your work knowing it； too。 Never let yourself
doubt upon that point。 We have known each other since we were little
children； and I know his faults as no one else does； but he is too
tenderhearted to hurt a fly。 Such a charge is absurd to anyone who
really knows him。〃
〃I hope we may clear him； Miss Turner；〃 said Sherlock Holmes。 〃You
may rely upon my doing all that I can。〃
〃But you have read the evidence； You have formed some conclusion？ Do
you not see some loophole； some flaw？ Do you not yourself think that
he is innocent？〃
〃I think that it is very probable。〃
〃There； now！〃 she cried； throwing back her head and looking
defiantly at Lestrade。 〃You hear！ He gives me hopes。〃
Lestrade shrugged his shoulders。 〃I am afraid that my colleague
has been a little quick in forming his conclusions；〃 he said。
〃But he is right。 Oh！ I know that he is right。 James never did it。
And about his quarrel with his father； I am sure that the reason why
he would not speak about it to the coroner was because I was concerned
in it。〃
〃In what way？〃 asked Holmes。
〃It is no time for me to hide anything。 James and his father had
many disagreements about me。 Mr。 McCarthy was very anxious that
there should be a marriage between us。 James and I have always loved
each other as brother and sister； but of course he is young and has
seen very little of life yet； and…and…well； he naturally did not
wish to do anything like that yet。 So there were quarrels； and this； I
am sure； was one of them。〃
〃And your father？〃 asked Holmes。 〃Was he in favour of such a union？〃
〃No； he was averse to it also。 No one but Mr。 McCarthy was in favour
of it。〃 A quick blush passed over her fresh young face as Holmes
shot one of his keen； questioning glances at her。
〃Thank you for this information；〃 said he。 〃May I see your father if
I call tomorrow？〃
〃I am afraid the doctor won't allow it。〃
〃The doctor？〃
〃Yes； have you not heard？ Poor father has never been strong for
years back； but this has broken him down completely。 He has taken to
his bed； and Dr。 Willows says that he is a wreck and that his
nervous system is shattered。 Mr。 McCarthy was the only man alive who
had known dad in the old days in Victoria。〃
〃Ha！ In Victoria！ That is important。〃
〃Yes； at the mines。〃
〃Quite so； at the gold…mines； where； as I understand； Mr。 Turner
made his money。〃
〃Yes； certainly。〃
〃Thank you； Miss Turner。 You have been of material assistance to
me。〃
〃You will tell me if you have any news to…morrow。 No doubt you
will go to the prison to see James。 Oh； if you do； Mr。 Holmes； do tell
him that I know him to be innocent。〃
〃I will； Miss Turner。〃
〃I must go home now； for dad is very ill； and he misses me so if I
leave him。 Good…bye； and God help you in your undertaking。〃 She
hurried from the room as impulsively as she had entered； and we
heard the wheels of her carriage rattle off down the street。
〃I am ashamed of you； Holmes；〃 said Lestrade with dignity after a
few minutes' silence。 〃Why should you raise up hopes which you are
bound to disappoint？ I am not over…tender of heart； but I call it
cruel。〃
〃I think that I see my way to clearing James McCarthy；〃 said Holmes。
〃Have you an order to see him in prison？〃
〃Yes； but only for you and me。〃
〃Then I shall reconsider my resolution about going out。 We have
still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to…night？〃
〃Ample。〃
〃Then let us do so。 Watson； I fear that you will find it very
slow； but I shall only be away a couple of hours。〃
I walked down to the station with them； and then wandered through
the streets of the little town； finally returning to the hotel；
where I lay upon the sofa and tried to interest myself in a
yellow…backed novel。 The puny plot of the story was so thin；
however； when compared to the deep mystery through which we were
groping； and I found my attention wander so continually from the
fiction to the fact； that I at last flung it across the room and
gave myself up entirely to a consideration of the events of the day。
Supposing that this unhappy young man's story were absolutely true；
then what hellish thing； what absolutely unforeseen and
extraordinary calamity could have occurred between the time when he
parted from his father； and the moment when； drawn back by his
screams； he rushed into the glade？ It was something terrible and
deadly。 What could it be？ Might not the nature of the injuries
reveal something to my medical instincts？ I rang the bell and called
for the weekly county paper； which contained a verbatim account of the
inquest。 In the surgeon's deposition it was stated that the
posterior third of the left parietal bone and the left half of the
occipital bone had been shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt weapon。
I marked the spot upon my own head。 Clearly such a blow must have been
struck from behind。 That was to some extent in favour of the
accused； as when seen quarrelling he was face to face with his father。
Still； it did not go for very much； for the older man might have
turned his back before the blow fell。 Still； it might be worth while
to call Holmes's attention to it。 Then there was the peculiar dying
reference to a rat。 What could that mean？ It could not be delirium。
A man dying from a sudden blow does not commonly become delirious。 No；
it was more likely to be an attempt to explain how he met his fate。
But what could it indicate？ I cudgelled my brains to find some
possible explanation。 And then the incident of the gray cloth seen
by young McCarthy。 If that were true the murderer must have dropped
some part of his dress； presumably his overcoat； in his flight and
must have had the hardihood to return and to carry it away at the
instant when the son was kneeling with his back turned not a dozen
paces off。 What a tissue of mysteries and improbabilities the whole
thing was！ I did not wonder at Lestrade's opinion； and yet I had so
much faith in Sherlock Holmes's insight that I could not lose hope
as long as every fresh fact seemed to strengthen his conviction of
young McCarthy's innocence。
It was late before Sherlock Holmes returned。 He came back alone； for
Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town。
〃The glass still keeps very high；〃 he remarked as he sat down。 〃It
is of importance that it should not rain before we are able to go over
the ground。 On the other hand； a man should be at his very best and
keenest for such nice work as that； and I did not wish to do it when
fagged by a long journey。 I have seen young McCarthy。〃
〃And what did you learn from him？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Could he throw no light？〃
〃None at all。 I was inclined to think at one time that he knew who
had done it and was screening him or her； but I am convinced now