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fat； red face wreathed itself in smiles and his small eyes glittered
as he greeted my companion。 He said little about the case； but from
that little we gathered that he also was not dissatisfied at the
course of events。 I must admit； however； that I was somewhat surprised
when； some five days after the crime； I opened my morning paper to
find in large letters：
THE OXSHOTT MYSTERY
A SOLUTION
ARREST OF SUPPOSED ASSASSIN
Holmes sprang in his chair as if he had been stung when I read the
headlines。
〃By Jove！〃 he cried。 〃You don't mean that Baynes has got him？〃
〃Apparently；〃 said I as I read the following report：
〃Great excitement was caused in Esher and the neighbouring
district when it was learned late last night that an arrest had been
effected in connection with the Oxshott murder。 It will be
remembered that Mr。 Garcia； of Wisteria Lodge； was found dead on
Oxshott Common； his body showing signs of extreme violence； and that
on the same night his servant and his cook fled； which appeared to
show participation in the crime。 It was suggested； but never proved；
that the gentleman may have had valuables in the house； and that their
abstraction was the motive of the crime。 Every effort was made by
Inspector Baynes； who has the case in hand； to ascertain the hiding
place of the fugatives； and he had good reason to believe that they
had not gone far but were lurking in some retreat which had been
already prepared。 It was certain from the first； however； that they
would eventually be detected； as the cook； from the evidence of one or
two trades…people who have caught a glimpse of him through the window；
was a man of most remarkable appearance… being a huge and hideous
mulatto； with yellowish features of a pronounced negroid type。 This
man has been seen since the crime； for he was detected and pursued
by Constable Walters on the same evening； when he had the audacity
to revisit Wisteria Lodge。 Inspector Baynes； considering that such a
visit must have some purpose in view and was likely； therefore； to
be repeated； abandoned the house but left an ambuscade in the
shrubbery。 The man walk into the trap and was captured last night
after a struggle in which Constable Downing was badly bitten by the
savage。 We understand that when the prisoner is brought before the
magistrates a remand will be applied for by the police； and that great
developments are hoped from his capture。〃
〃Really we must see Baynes at once；〃 cried Holmes； picking up his
hat。 〃We will just catch him before he starts。〃 We hurried down the
village street and found； as we had expected； that the inspector was
just leaving his lodgings。
〃You've seen the paper； Mr。 Holmes？〃 he asked； holding one out to
us。
〃Yes； Baynes； I've seen it。 Pray don't think it a liberty if I
give you a word of friendly warning。
〃Of warning。 Mr。 Holmes？〃
〃I have looked into this case with some care； and I am not convinced
that you are on the right lines。 I don't want you to commit yourself
too far unless you are sure。〃
〃You're very kind； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃I assure you I speak for your good。〃
It seemed to me that something like a wink quivered for an instant
over one of Mr。 Baynes's tiny eyes。
〃We agreed to work on our own lines； Mr。 Holmes。 That's what I am
doing。〃
〃Oh； very good；〃 said Holmes。 〃Don't blame me。〃
〃No； sir； I believe you mean well by me。 But we all have our own
systems； Mr。 Holmes。 You have yours； and maybe I have mine。〃
〃Let us say no more about it。〃
〃You're welcome always to my news。 This fellow is a perfect
savage； as strong as a cart…horse and as fierce as the devil。 He
chewed Downing's thumb nearly off before they could master him。 He
hardly speaks a word of English； and we can get nothing out of him but
grunts。〃
〃And you think you have evidence that he murdered his late master？〃
〃I didn't say so； Mr。 Holmes； I didn't say so。 We all have our
little ways。 You try yours and I will try mine。 That's the agreement。〃
Holmes shrugged his shoulders as we walked away together。 〃I can't
make the man out。 He seems to be riding for a fall。 Well； as he
says； we must each try our own way and see what comes of it。 But
there's something in Inspector Baynes which I can't quite understand。〃
〃Just sit down in that chair； Watson；〃 said Sherlock Holmes when
we had returned to our apartment at the Bull。 〃I want to put you in
touch with the situation； as I may need your help to…night。 Let me
show you the evolution of this case so far as I have been able to
follow it。 Simple as it has been in its leading features； it has
none the less presented surprising difficulties in the way of an
arrest。 There are gaps in that direction which we have still to fill。
〃We will go back to the note which was handed in to Garcia upon
the evening of his death。 We may put aside this idea of Baynes's
that Garcia's servants were concerned in the matter。 The proof of this
lies in the fact that it was he who had arranged for the presence of
Scott Eccles； which could only have been done for the purpose of an
alibi。 It was Garcia； then； who had an enterprise； and apparently a
criminal enterprise； in hand that night in the course of which he
met his death。 I say 'criminal' because only a man with a criminal
enterprise desires to establish an alibi。 Who； then； is most likely to
have taken his life？ Surely the person against whom the criminal
enterprise was directed。 So far it seems to me that we are on safe
ground。
〃We can now see a reason for the disappearance of Garcia's
household。 They were all confederates in the same unknown crime。 If it
came off when Garcia returned； any possible suspicion would be
warded off by the Englishman's evidence； and all would be well。 But
the attempt was a dangerous one； and if Garcia did not return by a
certain hour it was probable that his own life had been sacrificed。 It
had been arranged； therefore； that in such a case his two subordinates
were to make for some prearranged spot where they could escape
investigation and be in a position afterwards to renew their
attempt。 That would fully explain the facts； would it not？〃
The whole inexplicable tangle seemed to straighten out before me。
I wondered； as I always did； how it had not been obvious to me before。
〃But why should one servant return？〃
〃We can imagine that in the confusion of flight something
precious； something which he could not bear to part with； had been
left behind。 That would explain his persistence； would it not？〃
〃Well； what is the next step？〃
〃The next step is the note received by Garcia at the dinner。 It
indicates a confederate at the other end。 Now； where was the other
end？ I have already shown you that it could only lie in some large
house； and that the number of large houses； is limited。 My first
days in this village were devoted to a series of walks in which in the
intervals of my botanical researches I made a reconnaissance of all
the large houses and an examination of the family hist