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almost hidden behind the heavy creases of cheek and brow。 With a
slow smile he drew a folded and discoloured scrap of paper from his
pocket。
〃It was a dog…grate； Mr。 Holmes； and he overpitched it。 I picked
this out unburned from the back of it。〃
Holmes smiled his appreciation。
〃You must have examined the house very carefully to find a single
pellet of paper。〃
〃I did； Mr。 Holmes。 It's my way。 Shall I read it； Mr。 Gregson？〃
The Londoner nodded。
〃The note is written upon ordinary cream…laid paper without
watermark。 It is a quarter…sheet。 The paper is cut off in two snips
with a short…bladed scissors。 It has been folded over three times
and sealed with purple wax； put on hurriedly and pressed down with
some flat oval object。 It is addressed to Mr。 Garcia； Wisteria
Lodge。 It says：
〃Our own colours； green and white。 Green open； white shut。 Main
stair； first corridor； seventh right； green baize。 Godspeed。 D。
It is a woman's writing； done with a sharp…pointed pen； but the
address is either done with another pen or by someone else。 It is
thicker and bolder； as you see。〃
〃A very remarkable note；〃 said Holmes； glancing it over。 〃I must
compliment you； Mr。 Baynes； upon your attention to detail in your
examination of it。 A few trifling points might perhaps be added。 The
oval seal is undoubtedly a plain sleeve…link… what else is of such a
shape？ The scissors were bent nail scissors。 Short as the two snips
are； you can distinctly see the same slight curve in each。〃
The country detective chuckled。
〃I thought I had squeezed all the juice out of it； but I see there
was a little over；〃 he said。 〃I'm bound to say that I make nothing
of the note except that there was something on hand； and that a woman；
as usual； was at the bottom of it。〃
Mr。 Scott Eccles had fidgeted in his seat during this conversation。
〃I am glad you found the note； since it corroborates my story；〃 said
he。 〃But I beg to point out that I have not yet heard what has
happened to Mr。 Garcia； nor what has become of his household。〃
〃As to Garcia；〃 said Gregson； 〃that is easily answered。 He was found
dead this morning upon Oxshott Common； nearly a mile from his home。
His head had been smashed to pulp by heavy blows of a sandbag or
some such instrument； which had crushed rather than wounded。 It is a
lonely corner； and there is no house within a quarter of a mile of the
spot。 He had apparently been struck down first from behind； but his
assailant had gone on beating him long after he was dead。 It was a
most furious assault。 There are no footsteps nor any clue to the
criminals。〃
〃Robbed？〃
〃No； there was no attempt at robbery。〃
〃This is very painful… very painful and terrible；〃 said Mr。 Scott
Eccles in a querulous voice； 〃but it is really uncommonly hard upon
me。 I had nothing to do with my host going off upon a nocturnal
excursion and meeting so sad an end。 How do I come to be mixed up with
the case？〃
〃Very simply； sir；〃 Inspector Baynes answered。 〃The only document
found in the pocket of the deceased was a letter from you saying
that you would be with him on the night of his death。 It was the
envelope of this letter which gave us the dead man's name and address。
It was after nine this morning when we reached his house and found
neither you nor anyone else inside it。 I wired to Mr。 Gregson to run
you down in London while I examined Wisteria Lodge。 Then I came into
town； joined Mr。 Gregson； and here we are。〃
〃I think now；〃 said Gregson； rising； 〃we had best put this matter
into an official shape。 You will come round with us to the station；
Mr。 Scott Eccles； and let us have your statement in writing。〃
〃Certainly； I will come at once。 But I retain your services； Mr。
Holmes。 I desire you to spare no expense and no pains to get at the
truth。〃
My friend turned to the country inspector。
〃I suppose that you have no objection to my collaborating with
you； Mr。 Baynes？〃
〃Highly honoured； sir； I am sure。〃
〃You appear to have been very prompt and business…like in all that
you have done。 Was there any clue； may I ask； as to the exact hour
that the man met his death？〃
〃He had been there since one o'clock。 There was rain about that
time； and his death had certainly been before the rain。〃
〃But that is perfectly impossible； Mr。 Baynes；〃 cried our client。
〃His voice is unmistakable。 I could swear to it that it was he who
addressed me in my bedroom at that very hour。〃
〃Remarkable； but by no means impossible；〃 said Holmes； smiling。
〃You have a clue？〃 asked Gregson。
〃On the face of it the case is not a very complex one； though it
certainly presents some novel and interesting features。 A further
knowledge of facts is necessary before I would venture to give a final
and definite opinion。 By the way； Mr。 Baynes； did you find anything
remarkable besides this note in your examination of the house？〃
The detective looked at my friend in a singular way。
〃There were；〃 said he； 〃one or two very remarkable things。 Perhaps
when I have finished at the police…station you would care to come
out and give me your opinion of them。〃
〃I am entirely at your service；〃 said Sherlock Holmes； ringing the
bell。 〃You will show these gentlemen out； Mrs。 Hudson； and kindly send
the boy with this telegram。 He is to pay a five…shilling reply。〃
We sat for some time in silence after our visitors had left。
Holmes smoked hard； with his brows drawn down over his keen eyes；
and his head thrust forward in the eager way characteristic of the
man。
〃Well； Watson；〃 he asked； turning suddenly upon me； 〃What do you
make of it？〃
〃I can make nothing of this mystification of Scott Eccles。〃
〃But the crime？〃
〃Well； taken with the disappearance of the man's companions； I
should say that they were in some way concerned in the murder and
had fled from justice。〃
〃That is certainly a possible point of view。 On the face of it you
must admit； however； that it is very strange that his two servants
should have been in a conspiracy against him and should have
attacked him on the one night when he had a guest。 They had him
alone at their mercy every other night in the week。〃
〃Then why did they fly？〃
〃Quite so。 Why did they fly？ There is a big fact。 Another big fact
is the remarkable experience of our client； Scott Eccles。 Now； my dear
Watson； is it beyond the limits of human ingenuity to furnish an
explanation which would cover both these big facts？ If it were one
which would also admit of the mysterious note with its very curious
phraseology； why； then it would be worth accepting as a temporary
hypothesis。 If the fresh facts which come to our knowledge all fit
themselves into the scheme； then our hypothesis may gradually become a
solution。〃
〃But what is our hypothesis？〃
Holmes leaned back in his chair with half…closed eyes。
〃You must admit my dear Watson； that the idea of a joke is
impossible。 There were grave events afoot。 as the sequel showed； and
the coaxing of Scott Eccles to Wisteria Lodge had some connection with
them。〃
〃But what