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the coaxing of Scott Eccles to Wisteria Lodge had some connection with
them。〃
〃But what possible connection？〃
〃Let us take it link by link。 There is； on the face of it； something
unnatural about this strange and sudden friendship between the young
Spaniard and Scott Eccles。 It was the former who forced the pace。 He
called upon Eccles at the other end of London on the very day after he
first met him； and he kept in close touch with him until he got him
down to Esher。 Now； what did he want with Eccles？ What could Eccles
supply？ I see no charm in the man。 He is not particularly intelligent…
not a man likely to be congenial to a quick…witted Latin。 Why； then；
was he picked out from all the other people whom Garcia met as
particularly suited to his purpose？ Has he any one outstanding
quality？ I say that he has。 He is the very type of conventional
British respectability； and the very man as a witness to impress
another Briton。 You saw yourself how neither of the inspectors dreamed
of questioning his statement； extraordinary as it was。〃
〃But what was he to witness？〃
〃Nothing； as things turned out； but everything had they gone another
way。 That is how I read the matter。〃
〃I see； he might have proved an alibi。〃
〃Exactly； my dear Watson； he might have proved an alibi。 We will
suppose； for arguments sake； that the household of Wisteria Lodge
are confederates in some design。 The attempt； whatever it may be； is
to come off； we will say； before one o'clock。 By some juggling of
the clocks it is quite possible that they may have got Scott Eccles to
bed earlier than he 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 his 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
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 good… but quite inadmissible。 A Spaniard would
write to a Spaniard in Spanish。 The writer of this note is certainly
English。 Well； we can only possess our souls in patience until this
excellent inspector comes 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。； Purdey 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 message 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 this 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 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。
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 gave 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