resthimwouldleadtothepublicationofsomehideousscandal.Theywereconvertedtothisidea,andpreferredtolethimgo.Forthispurposetheyprobablyloweredthebridge,whichcanbedonequitenoiselessly,andthenraiseditagain.Hemadehisescape,andforsomereasonthoughtthathecoulddosomoresafelyonfootthanonthebicycle.Hethereforelefthismachinewhereitwouldnotbediscovereduntilhehadgotsafelyaway.Sofarwearewithintheboundsofpossibility,arewenot?”
“Well,itispossible,nodoubt,”saidI,withsomereserve.
“Wehavetoremember,Watson,thatwhateveroccurrediscertainlysomethingveryextraordinary.Well,now,tocontinueoursupposititiouscase,thecouple—notnecessarilyaguiltycouple—realizeafterthemurdererisgonethattheyhaveplacedthemselvesinapositioninwhichitmaybedifficultforthemtoprovethattheydidnotthemselveseitherdothedeedorconniveatit.Theyrapidlyandratherclumsilymetthesituation.ThemarkwasputbyBarker'sbloodstainedslipperuponthewindowsilltosuggesthowthefugitivegotaway.Theyobviouslywerethetwowhomusthaveheardthesoundofthegunsotheygavethealarmexactlyastheywouldhavedone,butagoodhalfhouraftertheevent.”
“Andhowdoyouproposetoproveallthis?”
“Well,iftherewereanoutsider,hemaybetracedandtaken.Thatwouldbethemosteffectiveofallproofs.Butifnot—well,theresourcesofsciencearefarfrombeingexhausted.Ithinkthataneveningaloneinthatstudywouldhelpmemuch.”
“Aneveningalone!”
“Iproposetogouptherepresently.IhavearrangeditwiththeestimableAmes,whoisbynomeanswholeheartedaboutBarker.Ishallsitinthatroomandseeifitsatmospherebringsmeinspiration.I'mabelieverinthegeniusloci.Yousmile,FriendWatson.Well,weshallsee.Bytheway,youhavethatbigumbrellaofyours,haveyounot?”
“Itishere.”
“Well,I'llborrowthatifImay.”
“Certainly—butwhatawretchedweapon!Ifthereisdanger—”
“Nothingserious,mydearWatson,orIshouldcertainlyaskforyourassistance.ButI'lltaketheumbrella.AtpresentIamonlyawaitingthereturnofourcolleaguesfromTunbridgeWells,wheretheyareatpresentengagedintryingforalikelyownertothebicycle.”
ItwasnightfallbeforeInspectorMacDonaldandWhiteMasoncamebackfromtheirexpedition,andtheyarrivedexultant,reportingagreatadvanceinourinvestigation.
“Man,I'lladm