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〃Perhaps not。 But we get there all the same； Mr。 Holmes。 Don't
imagine that we had not formed our own views of this case； and that we
would not have laid our hands on our man。 You will excuse us for
feeling sore when you jump in with methods which we cannot use； and so
rob us of the credit。〃
〃There shall be no such robbery； MacKinnon。 I assure you that I
efface myself from now onward； and as to Barker； he has done nothing
save what I told him。〃
The inspector seemed considerably relieved。
〃That is very handsome of you； Mr。 Holmes。 Praise or blame can
matter little to you； but it is very different to us when the
newspapers begin to ask questions。〃
〃Quite so。 But they are pretty sure to ask questions anyhow； so it
would be as well to have answers。 What will you say； for example； when
the intelligent and enterprising reporter asks you what the exact
points were which aroused your suspicion； and finally gave you a
certain conviction as to the real facts？〃
The inspector looked puzzled。
〃We don't seem to have got any real facts yet； Mr。 Holmes。 You say
that the prisoner； in the presence of three witnesses； practically
confessed by trying to commit suicide； that he had murdered his wife
and her lover。 What other facts have you？〃
〃Have you arranged for a search？〃
〃There are three constables on their way。〃
〃Then you will soon get the clearest fact of all。 The bodies
cannot be far away。
Try the cellars and the garden。 It should not take long to dig up
the likely places。 This house is older than the water…pipes。 There
must be a disused well somewhere。 Try your luck there。〃
〃But how did you know of it； and how was it done？〃
〃I'll show you first how it was done； and then I will give the
explanation which is due to you； and even more to my long…suffering
friend here； who has been invaluable throughout。 But； first； I would
give you an insight into this man's mentality。 It is a very unusual
one… so much so that I think his destination is more likely to be
Broadmoor than the scaffold。 He has； to a high degree； the sort of
mind which one associates with the mediaeval Italian nature rather
than with the modern Briton。 He was a miserable miser who made his
wife so wretched by his niggardly ways that she was a ready prey for
any adventurer。 Such a one came upon the scene in the person of this
chess…playing doctor。 Amberley excelled at chess… one mark； Watson； of
a scheming mind。 Like all misers； he was a jealous man； and his
jealousy became a frantic mania。 Rightly or wrongly； he suspected an
intrigue。 He determined to have his revenge； and he planned it with
diabolical cleverness。 Come here！〃
Holmes led us along the passage with as much certainty as if he
had lived in the house and halted at the open door of the strong…room。
〃Pooh！ What an awful smell of paint！〃 cried the inspector。
〃That was our first clue；〃 said Holmes。 〃You can thank Dr。
Watson's observation for that； though he failed to draw the inference。
It set my foot upon the trail。 Why should this man at such a time be
filling his house with strong odours？ Obviously； to cover some other
smell which he wished to conceal… some guilty smell which would
suggest suspicions。 then came the idea of a room such as you see
here with iron door and shutter… a hermetically sealed room。 Put those
two facts together； and whither do they lead？ I could only determine
that by examining the house myself。 I was already certain that the
case was serious； for I had examined the box…office chart at the
Haymarket Theatre… another of Dr。 Watson's bull's…eyes… and
ascertained that neither B thirty nor thirty…two of the upper circle
had been occupied that night。 Therefore； Amberley had not been to
the theatre； and his alibi fell to the ground。 He made a bad slip when
he allowed my astute friend to notice the number of the seat taken for
his wife。 The question now arose how I might be able to examine the
house。 I sent an agent to the most impossible village I could think
of； and summoned my man to it at such an hour that he could not
possibly get back。 To prevent any miscarriage； Dr。 Watson
accompanied him。 The good vicar's name I took； of course； out of my
Crockford。 Do I make it all clear to you？〃
〃It is masterly；〃 said the inspector in an awed voice。
〃There being no fear of interruption I proceeded to burgle the
house。 Burglary has always been an alternative profession had I
cared to adopt it； and I have little doubt that I should have come
to the front。 Observe what I found。 You see the gas…pipe along the
skirting here。 Very good。 It rises in the angle of the wall； and there
is a tap here in the corner。 The pipe runs out into the strong…room；
as you can see； and ends in that plaster rose in the centre of the
ceiling； where it is concealed by the ornamentation。 That end is
wide open。 At any moment by turning the outside tap the room could
be flooded with gas。 With door and shutter closed and the tap full
on I would not give two minutes of conscious sensation to anyone
shut up in that little chamber。 By what devilish device he decoyed
them there I do not know； but once inside the door they were at his
mercy。〃
The inspector examined the pipe with interest。 〃One of our
officers mentioned the smell of gas；〃 said he； 〃but of course the
window and door were open then； and the paint… or some of it… was
already about。 He had begun the work of painting the day before；
according to his story。 But what next； Mr。 Holmes？〃
〃Well； then came an incident which was rather unexpected to
myself。 I was slipping through the pantry window； in the early dawn
when I felt a hand inside my collar； and a voice said： 'Now； you
rascal； what are you doing in there？' When I could twist my head round
I looked into the tinted spectacles of my friend and rival； Mr。
Barker。 it was a curious foregathering and set us both smiling。 It
seems that he had been engaged by Dr。 Ray Ernest's family to make some
investigations and had come to the same conclusion as to foul play。 He
had watched the house for some days and had spotted Dr。 Watson as
one of the obviously suspicious characters who had called there。 He
could hardly arrest Watson； but when he saw a man actually climbing
out of the pantry window there came a limit to his restraint。 Of
course； I told him how matters stood and we continued the case
together。〃
〃Why him？ Why； not us？〃
〃Because it was in my mind to put that little test which answered so
admirably。 I fear you would not have gone so far。〃
The inspector smiled。
〃Well； maybe not。 I understand that I have your word； Mr。 Holmes；
that you step right out of the case now and that you turn all your
results over to us。〃
〃Certainly； that is always my custom。〃
〃Well； in the name of the force I thank you。 It seems a clear
case； as you put it； and there can't be much difficulty over the
bodies。〃
〃I'll show you a grim little bit of evidence；〃 said Holmes； 〃and I
am sure Amberley himself never observed it。 You'll get results；
Inspector； by always putting yourself in the other f