Nextmorning,afterbreakfast,wefoundInspectorMacDonaldandWhiteMasonseatedincloseconsultationinthesmallparlourofthelocalpolicesergeant.Onthetableinfrontofthemwerepiledanumberoflettersandtelegrams,whichtheywerecarefullysortinganddocketing.Threehadbeenplacedononeside.
“Stillonthetrackoftheelusivebicyclist?”Holmesaskedcheerfully.“Whatisthelatestnewsoftheruffian?”
MacDonaldpointedruefullytohisheapofcorrespondence.
“HeisatpresentreportedfromLeicester,Nottingham,Southampton,Derby,EastHam,Richmond,andfourteenotherplaces.Inthreeofthem—EastHam,Leicester,andLiverpool—thereisaclearcaseagainsthim,andhehasactuallybeenarrested.Thecountryseemstobefullofthefugitiveswithyellowcoats.”
“Dearme!”saidHolmessympathetically.“Now,Mr.Macandyou,Mr.WhiteMason,Iwishtogiveyouaveryearnestpieceofadvice.WhenIwentintothiscasewithyouIbargained,asyouwillnodoubtremember,thatIshouldnotpresentyouwithhalf-provedtheories,butthatIshouldretainandworkoutmyownideasuntilIhadsatisfiedmyselfthattheywerecorrect.ForthisreasonIamnotatthepresentmomenttellingyouallthatisinmymind.Ontheotherhand,IsaidthatIwouldplaythegamefairlybyyou,andIdonotthinkitisafairgametoallowyouforoneunnecessarymomenttowasteyourenergiesuponaprofitlesstask.ThereforeIamheretoadviseyouthismorning,andmyadvicetoyouissummedupinthreewords—abandonthecase.”
MacDonaldandWhiteMasonstaredinamazementattheircelebratedcolleague.
“Youconsiderithopeless!”criedtheinspector.
“Iconsideryourcasetobehopeless.Idonotconsiderthatitishopelesstoarriveatthetruth.”
“Butthiscyclist.Heisnotaninvention.Wehavehisdescription,hisvalise,hisbicycle.Thefellowmustbesomewhere.Whyshouldwenotgethim?”
“Yes,yes,nodoubtheissomewhere,andnodoubtweshallgethimbutIwouldnothaveyouwasteyourenergiesinEastHamorLiverpool.Iamsurethatwecanfindsomeshortercuttoaresult.”
“Youareholdingsomethingback.It'shardlyfairofyou,Mr.Holmes.”Theinspectorwasannoyed.
“Youknowmymethodsofwork,Mr.Mac.ButIwillholditbackfortheshortesttimepossible.Ionlywishtoverifymydetailsinoneway,whichcanveryreadilybedone,andthenImakemybowandreturntoLondon,leavingmyresultsentirelyatyourservice.IoweyoutoomuchtoactotherwiseforinallmyexperienceIcannotrecallanymoresingularandinterestingstudy.”
“Thisiscleanbeyondme,Mr.Holmes.WesawyouwhenwereturnedfromTunbridgeWellslastnight,andyouwereingeneralagreementwithourresults.Whathashappenedsincethentogiveyouacompletelynewideaofthecase?”
“Well,sinceyouaskme,Ispent,asItoldyouthatIwould,somehourslastnightattheManorHouse.”
“Well,whathappened?”
“Ah,Icanonlygiveyouaverygeneralanswertothatforthemoment.Bythewa