esttothestatementwhichHolmes,withcharacteristicclearness,hadlaidbeforeme.Thoughmostofthefactswerefamiliartome,Ihadnotsufficientlyappreciatedtheirrelativeimportance,northeirconnectiontoeachother.
“Isitnotpossible,”Isuggested,“thattheincisedwounduponStrakermayhavebeencausedbyhisownknifeintheconvulsivestruggleswhichfollowanybraininjury?”
“Itismorethanpossibleitisprobable,”saidHolmes.“Inthatcaseoneofthemainpointsinfavouroftheaccuseddisappears.”
“Andyet,”saidI,“evennowIfailtounderstandwhatthetheoryofthepolicecanbe.”
“Iamafraidthatwhatevertheorywestatehasverygraveobjectionstoit,”returnedmycompanion.“Thepoliceimagine,Itakeit,thatthisFitzroySimpson,havingdruggedthelad,andhavinginsomewayobtainedaduplicatekey,openedthestabledoorandtookoutthehorse,withtheintention,apparently,ofkidnappinghimaltogether.Hisbridleismissing,sothatSimpsonmusthaveputthison.Then,havingleftthedooropenbehindhim,hewasleadingthehorseawayoverthemoor,whenhewaseithermetorovertakenbythetrainer.Arownaturallyensued.Simpsonbeatoutthetrainer’sbrainswithhisheavystickwithoutreceivinganyinjuryfromthesmallknifewhichStrakerusedinself-defence,andthenthethiefeitherledthehorseontosomesecrethiding-place,orelseitmayhaveboltedduringthestruggle,andbenowwanderingoutonthemoors.Thatisthecaseasitappearstothepolice,andimprobableasitis,allotherexplanationsaremoreimprobablestill.However,IshallveryquicklytestthematterwhenIamonceuponthespot,anduntilthenIcannotreallyseehowwecangetmuchfurtherthanourpresentposition.”
ItwaseveningbeforewereachedthelittletownofTavistock,whichlies,likethebossofashield,inthemiddleofthehugecircleofDartmoor.Twogentlemenwereawaitingusinthestation—theoneatall,fairmanwithlion-likehairandbeardandcuriouslypenetratinglightblueeyestheotherasmall,alertperson,veryneatanddapper,inafrock-coatandgaiters,withtrimlittleside-whiskersandaneye-glass.ThelatterwasColonelRoss,thewell-knownsportsmantheother,InspectorGregory,amanwhowasrapidlymakinghisnameintheEnglishdetectiveservice.
“Iamdelightedthatyouhavecomedown,Mr.Holmes,”saidtheColonel.“TheInspectorherehasdoneallthatcouldpossiblybesuggested,butIwishtoleavenostoneunturnedintryingtoavengepoorStrakerandinrecoveringmyhorse.”
“Havetherebeenanyfreshdevelopments?”askedHolmes.
“Iamsorrytosaythatwehavemadeverylittleprogress,”saidtheInspector.“Wehaveanopencarriageoutside,andasyouwouldnodoubtliketoseetheplacebeforethelightfails,wemighttalkitoveraswedrive.”
Aminutelaterwewereallseatedinacomfortablelandau,andwererattlingthroughthequaintoldDevonshirecity.InspectorGregorywasfullofhiscase,andpouredoutastreamofremarks,whileHolmesthrewinanoccasionalquestionorinterjection.ColonelRossleanedbackwithhisarmsfoldedandhishattiltedoverhiseyes,whileIlistenedwithinteresttothedialogueofthetwodetectives.Gregorywasformulatinghistheory,whichwasalmostexactlywhatHolmeshadforetoldinthetrain.
“ThenetisdrawnprettycloseroundFitzroySimpson,”heremarked,“andIbelievemyselfthatheisourman.AtthesametimeIrecognisethattheevidenceispurelycircumstantial,andthatsomenewdevelopmentmayupsetit.”
“HowaboutStraker’sknife?”
“Wehavequitecometotheconclusionthathewoundedhimselfinhisfall.”
“MyfriendDr.Watsonmadethatsuggestiontomeaswecamedown.Ifso,itwouldtellagainstthismanSimpson.”
“Undoubtedly.Hehasneitheraknifenoranysignofawound.Theevidenceagainsthimiscertainlyverystrong.Hehadagreatinterestinthedisappearanceofthefavourite.Heliesundersuspicionofhavingpoisonedthestable-boy,hewasundoubtedlyoutinthestorm,hewasarmedwithaheavystick,andhiscravatwasfoundinthedeadman’shand.Ireallythinkwehaveenoughtogobeforeajury.”
Holmesshookhishead.“Aclevercounselwouldtearitalltorags,”saidhe.“Whyshouldhetakethehorseoutofthestable?Ifhewishedtoinjureitwhycouldhenotdoitthere?Hasaduplicatekeybeenfoundinhispossession?Whatchemistsoldhimthepowderedopium?Aboveall,wherecouldhe,astrangertothedistrict,hideahorse,andsuchahorseasthis?Whatishisownexplanationastothepaperwhichhewishedthemaidtogivetothestable-boy?”
“Hesaysthatitwasaten-poundnote.Onewasfoundinhispurse.Butyourotherdifficultiesarenotsoformidableastheyseem.Heisnotastrangertothedistrict.HehastwicelodgedatTavistockinthesummer.TheopiumwasprobablybroughtfromLondon.Thekey,havingserveditspurpose,wouldbehurledaway.Thehorsemaybeatthebottomofoneofthepitsoroldminesuponthemoor.”
“Whatdoeshesayaboutthecravat?”
“Heacknowledgesthatitishis,anddeclaresthathehadlostit.Butanewelementhasbeenintroduce