etofunderclothes,socks,agraytweedsuit,andashortyellowovercoat.
“Theclothesarecommonplace,”remarkedHolmes,“saveonlytheovercoat,whichisfullofsuggestivetouches.”Heheldittenderlytowardsthelight.“Here,asyouperceive,istheinnerpocketprolongedintothelininginsuchfashionastogiveamplespaceforthetruncatedfowlingpiece.Thetailor'stabisontheneck—'Neal,Outfitter,Vermissa,U.S.A.'Ihavespentaninstructiveafternoonintherector'slibrary,andhaveenlargedmyknowledgebyaddingthefactthatVermissaisaflourishinglittletownattheheadofoneofthebestknowncoalandironvalleysintheUnitedStates.Ihavesomerecollection,Mr.Barker,thatyouassociatedthecoaldistrictswithMr.Douglas'sfirstwife,anditwouldsurelynotbetoofar-fetchedaninferencethattheV.V.uponthecardbythedeadbodymightstandforVermissaValley,orthatthisveryvalleywhichsendsforthemissariesofmurdermaybethatValleyofFearofwhichwehaveheard.Somuchisfairlyclear.Andnow,Mr.Barker,Iseemtobestandingratherinthewayofyourexplanation.”
ItwasasighttoseeCecilBarker'sexpressivefaceduringthisexpositionofthegreatdetective.Anger,amazement,consternation,andindecisionsweptoveritinturn.Finallyhetookrefugeinasomewhatacridirony.
“Youknowsuchalot,Mr.Holmes,perhapsyouhadbettertellussomemore,”hesneered.
“IhavenodoubtthatIcouldtellyouagreatdealmore,Mr.Barkerbutitwouldcomewithabettergracefromyou.”
“Oh,youthinkso,doyou?Well,allIcansayisthatifthere'sanysecrethereitisnotmysecret,andIamnotthemantogiveitaway.”
“Well,ifyoutakethatline,Mr.Barker,”saidtheinspectorquietly,“wemustjustkeepyouinsightuntilwehavethewarrantandcanholdyou.”
“Youcandowhatyoudamnpleaseaboutthat,”saidBarkerdefiantly.
Theproceedingsseemedtohavecometoadefiniteendsofarashewasconcernedforonehadonlytolookatthatgranitefacetorealizethatnopeineforteetdurewouldeverforcehimtopleadagainsthiswill.Thedeadlockwasbroken,however,byawoman'svoice.Mrs.Douglashadbeenstandinglisteningatthehalfopeneddoor,andnowsheenteredtheroom.
“Youhavedoneenoughfornow,Cecil,”saidshe.“Whatevercomesofitinthefuture,youhavedoneenough.”
“Enoughandmorethanenough,”remarkedSherlockHolmesgravely.“Ihaveeverysympathywithyou,madam,andshouldstronglyurgeyoutohavesomeconfidenceinthecommonsenseofourjurisdictionandtotakethepolicevoluntarilyintoyourcompleteconfidence.ItmaybethatIammyselfatfaultfornotfollowingupthehintwhichyouconveyedtomethroughmyfriend,Dr.Watsonbut,atthattimeIhadeveryreasontobelievethatyouweredirectlyconcernedinthecrime.NowIamassuredthatthisisnotso.Atthesametime,thereismuchthatisunexplained,andIshouldstronglyrecommendthatyouaskMr.Douglastotellushisownstory.”
Mrs.Douglasgave