hatisso.Someone,then,cutoutthemessagewithapairofshort-bladedscissors,pasteditwithpaste—”
“Gum,”saidHolmes.
“Withgumontothepaper.ButIwanttoknowwhytheword‘moor’shouldhavebeenwritten?”
“Becausehecouldnotfinditinprint.Theotherwordswereallsimpleandmightbefoundinanyissue,but‘moor’wouldbelesscommon.”
“Why,ofcourse,thatwouldexplainit.Haveyoureadanythingelseinthismessage,Mr.Holmes?”
“Thereareoneortwoindications,andyettheutmostpainshavebeentakentoremoveallclues.Theaddress,youobserveisprintedinroughcharacters.ButtheTimesisapaperwhichisseldomfoundinanyhandsbutthoseofthehighlyeducated.Wemaytakeit,therefore,thattheletterwascomposedbyaneducatedmanwhowishedtoposeasanuneducatedone,andhisefforttoconcealhisownwritingsuggeststhatthatwritingmightbeknown,orcometobeknown,byyou.Again,youwillobservethatthewordsarenotgummedoninanaccurateline,butthatsomearemuchhigherthanothers.‘Life,’forexampleisquiteoutofitsproperplace.Thatmaypointtocarelessnessoritmaypointtoagitationandhurryuponthepartofthecutter.OnthewholeIinclinetothelatterview,sincethematterwasevidentlyimportant,anditisunlikelythatthecomposerofsuchaletterwouldbecareless.Ifhewereinahurryitopensuptheinterestingquestionwhyheshouldbeinahurry,sinceanyletterposteduptoearlymorningwouldreachSirHenrybeforehewouldleavehishotel.Didthecomposerfearaninterruption—andfromwhom?”
“Wearecomingnowratherintotheregionofguesswork,”saidDr.Mortimer.
“Say,rather,intotheregionwherewebalanceprobabilitiesandchoosethemostlikely.Itisthescientificuseoftheimagination,butwehavealwayssomematerialbasisonwhichtostartourspeculation.Now,youwouldcallitaguess,nodoubt,butIamalmostcertainthatthisaddresshasbeenwritteninahotel.”
“Howintheworldcanyousaythat?”
“Ifyouexamineitcarefullyyouwillseethatboththepenandtheinkhavegiventhewritertrouble.Thepenhassplutteredtwiceinasinglewordandhasrundrythreetimesinash