ortaddress,showingthattherewasverylittleinkinthebottle.Now,aprivatepenorink-bottleisseldomallowedtobeinsuchastate,andthecombinationofthetwomustbequiterare.Butyouknowthehotelinkandthehotelpen,whereitisraretogetanythingelse.Yes,Ihaveverylittlehesitationinsayingthatcouldweexaminethewaste-paperbasketsofthehotelsaroundCharingCrossuntilwefoundtheremainsofthemutilatedTimesleaderwecouldlayourhandsstraightuponthepersonwhosentthissingularmessage.Halloa!Halloa!What’sthis?”
Hewascarefullyexaminingthefoolscap,uponwhichthewordswerepasted,holdingitonlyaninchortwofromhiseyes.
“Well?”
“Nothing,”saidhe,throwingitdown.“Itisablankhalf-sheetofpaper,withoutevenawater-markuponit.Ithinkwehavedrawnasmuchaswecanfromthiscuriousletterandnow,SirHenry,hasanythingelseofinteresthappenedtoyousinceyouhavebeeninLondon?”
“Why,no,Mr.Holmes.Ithinknot.”
“Youhavenotobservedanyonefolloworwatchyou?”
“Iseemtohavewalkedrightintothethickofadimenovel,”saidourvisitor.“Whyinthundershouldanyonefolloworwatchme?”
“Wearecomingtothat.Youhavenothingelsetoreporttousbeforewegointothismatter?”
“Well,itdependsuponwhatyouthinkworthreporting.”
“Ithinkanythingoutoftheordinaryroutineoflifewellworthreporting.”
SirHenrysmiled.“Idon’tknowmuchofBritishlifeyet,forIhavespentnearlyallmytimeintheStatesandinCanada.ButIhopethattoloseoneofyourbootsisnotpartoftheordinaryroutineoflifeoverhere.”
“Youhavelostoneofyourboots?”
“Mydearsir,”criedDr.Mortimer,“itisonlymislaid.Youwillfinditwhenyoureturntothehotel.WhatistheuseoftroublingMr.Holmeswithtriflesofthiskind?”
“Well,heaskedmeforanythingoutsidetheordinaryroutine.”
“Exactly,”saidHolmes,“howeverfoolishtheincidentmayseem.Youhavelostoneofyourboots,yousay?”
“Well,mislaidit,anyhow.Iputthembothoutsidemydoorlastnight,andtherewasonlyoneinthemorning.Icouldgetnosenseoutofthechapwhocleansthem.Theworstofitist