ForamomentortwoIsatbreathless,hardlyabletobelievemyears.Thenmysensesandmyvoicecamebacktome,whileacrushingweightofresponsibilityseemedinaninstanttobeliftedfrommysoul.Thatcold,incisive,ironicalvoicecouldbelongtobutonemaninalltheworld.
“Holmes!”Icried—“Holmes!”
“Comeout,”saidhe,“andpleasebecarefulwiththerevolver.”
Istoopedundertherudelintel,andtherehesatuponastoneoutside,hisgreyeyesdancingwithamusementastheyfelluponmyastonishedfeatures.Hewasthinandworn,butclearandalert,hiskeenfacebronzedbythesunandroughenedbythewind.Inhistweedsuitandclothcaphelookedlikeanyothertouristuponthemoor,andhehadcontrived,withthatcatlikeloveofpersonalcleanlinesswhichwasoneofhischaracteristics,thathischinshouldbeassmoothandhislinenasperfectasifhewereinBakerStreet.
“Ineverwasmoregladtoseeanyoneinmylife,”saidIasIwrunghimbythehand.
“Ormoreastonished,eh?”
“Well,Imustconfesstoit.”
“Thesurprisewasnotallononeside,Iassureyou.Ihadnoideathatyouhadfoundmyoccasionalretreat,stilllessthatyouwereinsideit,untilIwaswithintwentypacesofthedoor.”
“Myfootprint,Ipresume?”
“No,Watson,IfearthatIcouldnotundertaketorecognizeyourfootprintamidallthefootprintsoftheworld.IfyouseriouslydesiretodeceivemeyoumustchangeyourtobacconistforwhenIseethestubofacigarettemarkedBradley,OxfordStreet,IknowthatmyfriendWatsonisintheneighbourhood.Youwillseeittherebesidethepath.Youthrewitdown,nodoubt,atthatsuprememomentwhenyouchargedintotheemptyhut.”
“Exactly.”
“Ithoughtasmuch—andknowingyouradmirabletenacityIwasconvincedthatyouweresittinginambush,aweaponwithinreach,waitingforthetenanttoreturn.SoyouactuallythoughtthatIwasthecriminal?”
“Ididnotknowwhoyouwere,butIwasdeterminedtofindout.”
“Excellent,Watson!Andhowdidyoulocaliseme?Yousawme,perhaps,onthenightoftheconvicthunt,whenIwassoimprudentastoallowthemoontorisebehindme?”
“Yes,Isawyouthen.”
“Andhavenodoubtsearchedallthehutsuntilyoucametothisone?”
“No,yourboyhadbeenobserved,andthatgavemeaguidewheretolook.”
“Theoldgentlemanwiththetelescope,nodoubt.IcouldnotmakeitoutwhenfirstIsawthelightflashinguponthelens.”Heroseandpeepedintothehut.“Ha,IseethatCartwrighthasbroughtupsomesupplies.What’sthi