Holmestookupthescrapofpaper，afac-simileofwhichisherereproduced。
　　datquartertotwelvelearnwhatmaybe”Presumingthatitisanappointment，”continuedtheInspector，”itisofcourseaconceivabletheorythatthisWilliamKirwan——thoughhehadthereputationofbeinganhonestman，mayhavebeeninleaguewiththethief。Hemayhavemethimthere，mayevenhavehelpedhimtobreakinthedoor，andthentheymayhavefallenoutbetweenthemselves。””Thiswritingisofextraordinaryinterest，”saidHolmes，whohadbeenexaminingitwithintenseconcentration。”ThesearemuchdeeperwatersthanI
　　hadthough。”Hesankhisheaduponhishands，whiletheInspectorsmiledattheeffectwhichhiscasehadhaduponthefamousLondonspecialist。”Yourlastremark，”saidHolmes，presently，”astothepossibilityoftherebeinganunderstandingbetweentheburglarandtheservant，andthisbeinganoteofappointmentfromonetotheother，isaningeniousandnotentirelyimpossiblesupposition。Butthiswritingopensup——”Hesankhisheadintohishandsagainandremainedforsomeminutesinthedeepestthought。
　　Whenheraisedhisfaceagain，Iwassurprisedtoseethathischeekwastingedwithcolor，andhiseyesasbrightasbeforehisillness。Hesprangtohisfeetwithallhisoldenergy。”I’lltellyouwhat，”saidhe，”Ishouldliketohaveaquietlittleglanceintothedetailsofthiscase。
　　Thereissomethinginitwhichfascinatesmeextremely。Ifyouwillpermitme，Colonel，IwillleavemyfriendWatsonandyou，andIwillsteproundwiththeInspectortotestthetruthofoneortwolittlefanciesofmine。Iwillbewithyouagaininhalfanhour。”
　　AnhourandhalfhadelapsedbeforetheInspectorreturnedalone。”Mr。Holmesiswalkingupanddowninthefieldoutside，”saidhe。”Hewantsusallfourtogouptothehousetogether。””ToMr。Cunningham’s?””Yes，sir。””Whatfor?”
　　TheInspectorshruggedhisshoulders。”Idon’tquiteknow，sir。Betweenourselves，IthinkMr。Holmeshadnotquitegotoverhisillnessyet。He’sbeenbehavingveryqueerly，andheisverymuchexcited。””Idon’tthinkyouneedalarmyourself，”saidI。”I
　　haveusuallyfoundthattherewasmethodinhismadness。””Somefolksmightsaytherewasmadnessinhismethod，”mutteredtheInspector。”Buthe’sallonfiretostart，Colonel，sowehadbestgooutifyouareready。”
　　WefoundHolmespacingupanddowninthefield，hischinsunkuponhisbreast，andhishandsthrustintohistrouserspockets。”Themattergrowsininterest，”saidhe。”Watson，yourcountry-triphasbeenadistinctsuccess。Ihavehadacharmingmorning。””Youhavebeenuptothesceneofthecrime，I
　　understand，”saidtheColonel。”Yes；theInspectorandIhavemadequitealittlereconnaissancetogether。””Anysuccess?””Well，wehaveseensomeveryinterestingthings。
　　I’lltellyouwhatwedidaswewalk。Firstofall，wesawthebodyofthisunfortunateman。Hecertainlydiedfromarevolvedwoundasreported。””Hadyoudoubtedit，then?””Oh，itisaswelltotesteverything。Ourinspectionwasnotwasted。WethenhadaninterviewwithMr。
　　Cunninghamandhisson，whowereabletopointouttheexactspotwherethemurdererhadbrokenthroughthegarden-hedgeinhisflight。Thatwasofgreatinterest。””Naturally。””Thenwehadalookatthispoorfellow’smother。Wecouldgetnoinformationfromher，however，assheisveryoldandfeeble。””Andwhatistheresultofyourinvestigations?””Theconvictionthatthecrimeisaverypeculiarone。
　　Perhapsourvisitnowmaydosomethingtomakeitlessobscure。Ithinkthatwearebothagreed，Inspectorthatthefragmentofpaperinthedeadman’shand，bearing，asitdoes，theveryhourofhisdeathwrittenuponit，isofextremeimportance。””Itshouldgiveaclue，Mr。Holmes。””Itdoesgiveaclue。WhoeverwrotethatnotewasthemanwhobroughtWilliamKirwanoutofhisbedatthathour。Butwhereistherestofthatsheetofpaper?””Iexaminedthegroundcarefullyinthehopeoffindingit，”saidtheInspector。”Itwastornoutofthedeadman’shand。Whywassomeonesoanxioustogetpossessionofit?Becauseitincriminatedhim。Andwhatwouldhedowithit?
　　Thrustitintohispocket，mostlikely，nevernoticingthatacornerofithadbeenleftinthegripofthecorpse。Ifwecouldgettherestofthatsheetitisobviousthatweshouldhavegonealongwaytowardssolvingthemystery。””Yes，buthowcanwegetatthecriminal’spocketbeforewecatchthecriminal?””Well，well，itwasworththinkingover。Thenthereisanotherobviouspoint。ThenotewassenttoWilliam。Themanwhowroteitcouldnothavetakenit；otherwise，ofcourse，hemighthavedeliveredhisownmessagebywordofmouth。Whobroughtthenote，then?Ordiditcomethroughthepost?””Ihavemadeinquiries，”saidtheInspector。”Williamreceivedaletterbytheafternoonpostyesterday。
　　Theenvelopewasdestroyedbyhim。””Excellent！”criedHolmes，clappingtheInspectorontheback。”You’veseenthepostman。Itisapleasuretoworkwithyou。Well，hereisthelodge，andifyouwillcomeup，Colonel，Iwillshowyouthesceneofthecrime。”
　　Wepassedtheprettycottagewherethemurderedmanhadlived，andwalkedupanoak-linedavenuetothefineoldQueenAnnehouse，whichbearsthedateofMalplaquetuponthelintelofthedoor。HolmesandtheInspectorledusroundituntilwecametothesidegate，whichisseparatedbyastretchofgardenfromthehedgewhichlinestheroad。Aconstablewasstandingatthekitchendoor。”Throwthedooropen，officer，”saidHolmes。”Now，itwasonthosestairsthatyoungMr。Cunninghamstoodandsawthetwomenstrugglingjustwhereweare。OldMr。Cunninghamwasatthatwindow——thesecondontheleft——andhesawthefellowgetawayjusttotheleftofthatbush。ThenMr。Alecranoutandkneltbesidethewoundedman。Thegroundisveryhard，yousee，andtherearenomarkstoguideus。”Ashespoketwomencamedownthegardenpath，fromroundtheangleofthehouse。Theonewasanelderlyman，withastrong，deep-lined，heavy-eyedface；theotheradashingyoungfellow，whosebright，smilingexpressionandshowydresswereinstrangecontractwiththebusinesswhichhadbroughtusthere。”Stillatit，then?”saidhetoHolmes。”IthoughtyouLondonerswereneveratfault。Youdon’tseemtobesoveryquick，afterall。””Ah，youmustgiveusalittletime，”saidHolmesgood-humoredly。”You’llwantit，”saidyoungAlecCunningham。”Why，I
　　don’tseethatwehaveanyclueatall。””There’sonlyone，”answeredtheInspector。”Wethoughtthatifwecouldonlyfind——Goodheavens，Mr。
　　Holmes！Whatisthematter?”
　　Mypoorfriend’sfacehadsuddenlyassumedthemostdreadfulexpression。Hiseyesrolledupwards，hisfeatureswrithedinagony，andwithasuppressedgroanhedroppedonhisfaceupontheground。Horrifiedatthesuddennessandseverityoftheattack，wecarriedhimintothekitchen，wherehelaybackinalargechair，andbreathedheavilyforsomeminutes。
　　Finally，withashamefacedapologyforhisweakness，heroseoncemore。”WatsonwouldtellyouthatIhaveonlyjustrecoveredfromasevereillness，”heexplained。”Iamliabletothesesuddennervousattacks。””ShallIsendyouhomeinmytrap?”askedoldCunningham。”Well，sinceIamhere，thereisonepointonwhichI
　　shouldliketofeelsure。Wecanveryeasilyverifyit。””Whatwasit?””Well，itseemstomethatitisjustpossiblethatthearrivalofthispoorfellowWilliamwasnotbefore，butafter，theentranceoftheburglaryintothehouse。Youappeartotakeitforgrantedthat，althoughthedoorwasforced，therobbernevergotin。””Ifancythatisquiteobvious，”saidMr。Cunningham，gravely。”Why，mysonAlechadnotyetgonetobed，andhewouldcertainlyhaveheardanyonemovingabout。””Wherewashesitting?””Iwassmokinginmydressing-room。””Whichwindowisthat?””Thelastontheleftnextmyfather’s。””Bothofyourlampswerelit，ofcourse?””Undoubtedly。””Therearesomeverysingularpointshere，”saidHolmes，smiling。”Isitnotextraordinarythataburglary——andaburglarwhohadhadsomepreviousexperience——shoulddeliberatelybreakintoahouseatatimewhenhecouldseefromthelightsthattwoofthefamilywerestillafoot?””Hemusthavebeenacoolhand。””Well，ofcourse，ifthecasewerenotanoddoneweshouldnothavebeendriventoaskyouforanexplanation，”saidyoungMr。Alec。”ButastoyourideasthatthemanhadrobbedthehousebeforeWilliamtackledhim，Ithinkitamostabsurdnotion。
　　Wouldn’twehavefoundtheplacedisarranged，andmissedthethingswhichhehadtaken?””Itdependsonwhatthethingswere，”saidHolmes。”Youmustrememberthatwearedealingwithaburglarwhoisaverypeculiarfellow，andwhoappearstoworkonlinesofhisown。Look，forexample，atthequeerlotofthingswhichhetookfromActon’s——whatwasit?——aballofstring，aletter-weight，andIdon’tknowwhatotheroddsandends。””Well，wearequiteinyourhands，Mr。Holmes，”saidoldCunningham。”AnythingwhichyouortheInspectormaysuggestwillmostcertainlybedone。”