eemtohavequiterealizeditstruesignificance.Itlefthim,however,vaguelyuneasy,andMrs.Straker,wakingatoneinthemorning,foundthathewasdressing.Inreplytoherinquiries,hesaidthathecouldnotsleeponaccountofhisanxietyaboutthehorses,andthatheintendedtowalkdowntothestablestoseethatallwaswell.Shebeggedhimtoremainathome,asshecouldheartherainpatteringagainstthewindow,butinspiteofherentreatieshepulledonhislargemackintoshandleftthehouse.
“Mrs.Strakerawokeatseveninthemorning,tofindthatherhusbandhadnotyetreturned.Shedressedherselfhastily,calledthemaid,andsetoffforthestables.Thedoorwasopeninside,huddledtogetheruponachair,Hunterwassunkinastateofabsolutestupor,thefavourite’sstallwasempty,andtherewerenosignsofhistrainer.
“Thetwoladswhosleptinthechaff-cuttingloftabovetheharness-roomwerequicklyaroused.Theyhadheardnothingduringthenight,fortheyarebothsoundsleepers.Hunterwasobviouslyundertheinfluenceofsomepowerfuldrug,andasnosensecouldbegotoutofhim,hewaslefttosleepitoffwhilethetwoladsandthetwowomenranoutinsearchoftheabsentees.Theystillhadhopesthatthetrainerhadforsomereasontakenoutthehorseforearlyexercise,butonascendingtheknollnearthehouse,fromwhichalltheneighbouringmoorswerevisible,theynotonlycouldseenosignsofthemissingfavourite,buttheyperceivedsomethingwhichwarnedthemthattheywereinthepresenceofatragedy.
“AboutaquarterofamilefromthestablesJohnStraker’sovercoatwasflappingfromafurze-bush.Immediatelybeyondtherewasabowl-shapeddepressioninthemoor,andatthebottomofthiswasfoundthedeadbodyoftheunfortunatetrainer.Hisheadhadbeenshatteredbyasavageblowfromsomeheavyweapon,andhewaswoundedonthethigh,wheretherewasalong,cleancut,inflictedevidentlybysomeverysharpinstrument.Itwasclear,however,thatStrakerhaddefendedhimselfvigorouslyagainsthisassailants,forinhisrighthandheheldasmallknife,whichwasclottedwithblooduptothehandle,whileinhisleftheclaspedaredandblacksilkcravat,whichwasrecognisedbythemaidashavingbeenwornontheprecedingeveningbythestrangerwhohadvisitedthestables.
“Hunter,onrecoveringfromhisstupor,wasalsoquitepositiveastotheownershipofthecravat.Hewasequallycertainthatthesamestrangerhad,whilestandingatthewindow,druggedhiscurriedmutton,andsodeprivedthestablesoftheirwatchman.
“Astothemissinghorse,therewereabundantproofsinthemudwhichlayatthebottomofthefatalhollowthathehadbeenthereatthetimeofthestruggle.Butfromthatmorninghehasdisappeared,andalthoughalargerewardhasbeenoffered,andallthegypsiesofDartmoorareonthealert,nonewshascomeofhim.Finally,ananalysishasshownthattheremainsofhissupperleftbythestable-ladcontainanappreciablequantityofpowderedopium,whilethepeopleatthehousepartookofthesamedishonthesamenightwithoutanyilleffect.
“Thosearethemainfactsofthecase,strippedofallsurmise,andstatedasbaldlyaspossible.Ishallnowrecapitulatewhatthepolicehavedoneinthematter.
“InspectorGregory,towhomthecasehasbeencommitted,isanextremelycompetentofficer.Werehebutgiftedwithimaginationhemightrisetogreatheightsinhisprofession.Onhisarrivalhepromptlyfoundandarrestedthemanuponwhomsuspicionnaturallyrested.Therewaslittledifficultyinfindinghim,forheinhabitedoneofthosevillaswhichIhavementioned.Hisname,itappears,wasFitzroySimpson.Hewasamanofexcellentbirthandeducation,whohadsquanderedafortuneupontheturf,andwholivednowbydoingalittlequietandgenteelbook-makinginthesportingclubsofLondon.Anexaminationofhisbetting-bookshowsthatbetstotheamountoffivethousandpoundshadbeenregisteredbyhimagainstthefavourite.
“OnbeingarrestedhevolunteeredthestatementthathehadcomedowntoDartmoorinthehopeofgettingsomeinformationabouttheKing’sPylandhorses,andalsoaboutDesborough,thesecondfavourite,whichwasinchargeofSilasBrownattheMapletonstables.Hedidnotattempttodenythathehadactedasdescribedupontheeveningbefore,butdeclaredthathehadnosinisterdesigns,andhadsimplywishedtoobtainfirst-handinformation.Whenconfrontedwithhiscravat,heturnedverypale,andwasutterlyunabletoaccountforitspresenceinthehandofthemurderedman.Hiswetclothingshowedthathehadbeenoutinthestormofthenightbefore,andhisstick,whichwasaPenang-lawyerweightedwithlead,wasjustsuchaweaponasmight,byrepeatedblows,haveinflictedtheterribleinjuriestowhichthetrainerhadsuccumbed.
“Ontheotherhand,therewasnowounduponhisperson,whilethestateofStraker’sknifewouldshowthatoneatleastofhisassailantsmustbearhismarkuponhim.Thereyouhaveitallinanutshell,Watson,andifyoucangivemeanylightIshallbeinfinitelyobligedtoyou.”
Ihadlistenedwiththegreatestinter