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farther side of this and lay down once more upon his face with a
little cry of satisfaction。 For a long time he remained there； turning
over the leaves and dried sticks； gathering up what seemed to me to be
dust into an envelope and examining with his lens not only the
ground but even the bark of the tree as far as he could reach。 A
jagged stone was lying among the moss； and this also he carefully
examined and retained。 Then he followed a pathway through the wood
until he came to the highroad； where all traces were lost。
〃It has been a case of considerable interest；〃 he remarked；
returning to his natural manner。 〃I fancy that this gray house on
the right must be the lodge。 I think that I will go in and have a word
with Moran； and perhaps write a little note。 Having done that； we
may drive back to our luncheon。 You may walk to the cab； and I shall
be with you presently。〃
It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove back
into Ross； Holmes still carving with him the stone which he had picked
up in the wood。
〃This may interest you； Lestrade；〃 he remarked； holding it out。 〃The
murder was done with it。〃
〃I see no marks。〃
〃There are none。〃
〃How do you know； then？〃
〃The grass was growing under it。 It had only lain there a few
days。 There was no sign of a place whence it had been taken。 It
corresponds with the injuries。 There is no sign of any other weapon。〃
〃And the murderer？〃
〃Is a tall man； left…handed； limps with the right leg； wears
thick…soled shooting boots and a gray cloak； smokes Indian cigars；
uses a cigar…holder； and carries a blunt pen…knife in his pocket。
There are several other indications； but these may be enough to aid us
in our search。〃
Lestrade laughed。 〃I am afraid that I am still a sceptic；〃 he
said。 〃Theories are all very well； but we have to deal with a
hard…headed British jury。〃
〃Nous verrons；〃 answered Holmes calmly。 〃You work your own method；
and I shall work mine。 I shall be busy this afternoon； and shall
probably return to London by the evening train。〃
〃And leave your case unfinished？〃
〃No； finished。〃
〃But the mystery？〃
〃It is solved。〃
〃Who was the criminal； then？〃
〃The gentleman I describe。〃
〃But who is he？〃
〃Surely it would not be difficult to find out。 This is not such a
populous neighbourhood。〃
Lestrade shrugged his shoulders。 〃I am a practical man；〃 he said；
〃and I really cannot undertake to go about the country looking for a
left…handed gentleman with a game…leg。 I should become the
laughing…stock of Scotland Yard。〃
〃All right；〃 said Holmes quietly。 〃I have given you the chance。 Here
are your lodgings。 Good…bye。 I shall drop you a line before I leave。〃
Having left Lestrade at his rooms； we drove to our hotel； where we
found lunch upon the table。 Holmes was silent and buried in thought
with a pained expression upon his face； as one who finds himself in
a perplexing position。
〃Look here； Watson；〃 he said when the cloth was cleared； 〃just sit
down in this chair and let me preach to you for a little。 I don't know
quite what to do； and I should value your advice。 Light a cigar and
let me expound。〃
〃Pray do so。〃
〃Well； now； in considering this case there are two points about
young McCarthy's narrative which struck us both instantly； although
they impressed me in his favour and you against him。 One was the
fact that his father should； according to his account； cry 'Cooee！'
before seeing him。 The other was his singular dying reference to a
rat。 He mumbled several words； you understand； but that was all that
caught the son's ear。 Now from this double point our research must
commence； and we will begin it by presuming that what the lad says
is absolutely true。〃
〃What of this 'Cooee！' then？〃
〃Well； obviously it could not have been meant for the son。 The
son； as far as he knew； was in Bristol。 It was mere chance that he was
within earshot。 The 'Cooee！' was meant to attract the attention of
whoever it was that he had the appointment with。 But 'Cooee' is a
distinctly Australian cry； and one which is used between
Australians。 There is a strong presumption that the person whom
McCarthy expected to meet him at Boscombe Pool was someone who had
been in Australia。〃
〃What of the rat； then？〃
Sherlock Holmes took a folded paper from his pocket and flattened it
out on the table。 〃This is a map of the Colony of Victoria；〃 he
said。 〃I wired to Bristol for it last night。〃 He put his hand over
part of the map。 〃What do you read？〃
〃ARAT；〃 I read。
〃And now？〃 He raised his hand。
〃BALLARAT。〃
〃Quite so。 That was the word the man uttered； and of which his son
only caught the last two syllables。 He was trying to utter the name of
his murderer。 So and so； of Ballarat。〃
〃It is wonderful！〃 I exclaimed。
〃It is obvious。 And now； you see； I had narrowed the field down
considerably。 The possession of a gray garment was a third point
which； granting the son's statement to be correct； was a certainty。 We
have come now out of mere vagueness to the definite conception of an
Australian from Ballarat with a gray cloak。〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃And one who was at home in the district； for the pool can only be
approached by the farm or by the estate； where strangers could
hardly wander。〃
〃Quite so。〃
〃Then comes our expedition of to…day。 By an examination of the
ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that imbecile
Lestrade； as to the personality of the criminal。〃
〃But how did you gain them？〃
〃You know my method。 It is founded upon the observation of trifles。〃
〃His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length of
his stride。 His boots； too； might be told from their traces。〃
〃Yes； they were peculiar boots。〃
〃But his lameness？〃
〃The impression of his right foot was always less distinct than
his left。 He put less weight upon it。 Why？ Because he limped…he was
lame。〃
〃But his left…handedness。〃
〃You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded by
the surgeon at the inquest。 The blow was struck from immediately
behind； and yet was upon the left side。 Now； how can that be unless it
were by a left…handed man？ He had stood behind that tree during the
interview between the father and son。 He had even smoked there。 I
found the ash of a cigar； which my special knowledge of tobacco
ashes enables me to pronounce as an Indian cigar。 I have； as you know；
devoted some attention to this； and written a little monograph on
the ashes of 140 different varieties of pipe； cigar； and cigarette
tobacco。 Having found the ash； I then looked round and discovered
the stump among the moss where he had tossed it。 It was an Indian
cigar； of the variety which are rolled in Rotterdam。〃
〃And the cigar…holder？〃
〃I could see that the end had not been in his mouth。 Therefore he
used a holder。 The tip had been cut off not bitten off； but the cut
was not a clean one； so I deduced a blunt pen…knife。〃
〃Holmes；〃 I said； 〃you have drawn a net round this man from which he
cannot escape； and you have saved an innocent human life as truly as
if you had cut the cord which was hanging him。 I see the direction
in which all this points。 The culprit is…〃
〃Mr。 John Turner；〃 cried the hotel waiter； opening the door of our
sitting…room； and ushering in a visitor。
The man who entered was a strange and impressive figure。 His slow；
limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of decrepitude；
and yet his hard； deep…lined； craggy features； and his enormous
limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual strength of body and
of character。 His tangled beard； grizzled hair； and outstanding；
drooping eyebrows combined to give an air of dignity and power to
his appearance； but his face was of an ashen white； while his lips and
the corners of his nostrils were tinged with a shade of blue。 It was
clear to me at a glance that he was in the grip of some deadly and
chronic disease。
〃Pray sit down on the sofa；〃 said Holmes gently。 〃You had my note？〃
〃Yes； the lodge…keeper brought it up。 You said that you wished to
see me here to avoid scandal。〃
〃I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall。〃
〃And why did you wish to see me？〃 He looked across at my companion
with despair in his weary eyes； as though his question was already
answered。
〃Yes；〃 said Holmes； answering the look rather than the words。 〃It is
so。 I know all about McCarthy。〃
The old man sank his face in his hands。 〃God help me！〃 he cried。
〃But I would not have let the young man come to harm。 I give you my
word that I would have spoken out if it went against him at the
Assizes。〃
〃I am glad to hear you say so；〃 said Holmes gravely。
〃I would have spoken now had it not been for my dear girl。 It
would break her heart…it will break her heart when she hears that I am
arrested。〃
〃It may not come to that；〃 said Holmes。
〃What？〃
〃I am no official agent。 I understand that it was your daughter
who required my presence here； and I am acting in her interests。 Young
McCarthy must be g