"It is wonderful!" I exclaimed.
"It is obvious. And now, you see, I had narrowed the field downconsiderably. The possession of a grey garment was a third pointwhich, granting the son's statement to be correct, was acertainty. We have come now out of mere vagueness to the definiteconception of an Australian from Ballarat with a grey cloak."
"Certainly."
"And one who was at home in the district, for the pool can onlybe approached by the farm or by the estate, where strangers couldhardly wander."
"Quite so."
"Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of theground I gained the trifling details which I gave to thatimbecile Lestrade, as to the personality of the criminal."
"But how did you gain them?"
"You know my method. It is founded upon the observation oftrifles."
"His height I know that you might roughly judge from the lengthof his stride. His boots, too, might be told from their traces."
"Yes, they were peculiar boots."
"But his lameness?"
"The impression of his right foot was always less distinct thanhis left. He put less weight upon it. Why? Because he limped--hewas lame."
"But his left-handedness."
"You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recordedby the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck fromimmediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how canthat be unless it were by a left-handed man? He had stood behindthat tree during the interview between the father and son. He hadeven smoked there. I found the ash of a cigar, which my specialknowledge of tobacco ashes enables me to pronounce as an Indiancigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, andwritten a little monograph on the ashes of 140 differentvarieties of pipe, cigar, and cigarette tobacco. Having found theash, I then looked round and discovered the stump among the mosswhere he had tossed it. It was an Indian cigar, of the varietywhich are rolled in Rotterdam."
"And the cigar-holder?"
"I could see that the end had not been in his mouth. Therefore heused a holder. The tip had been cut
off, not bitten off, but thecut was not a clean one, so I deduced a blunt pen-knife."
"Holmes," I said, "you have drawn a net round this man from whichhe cannot escape, and you have saved an innocent human life astruly as if you had cut the cord which was hanging him. I see thedirection in which all this points. The culprit is--"
"Mr. John Turner," cried the hotel waiter, opening the door ofour sitting-room, and ushering in a visitor.
The man who entered was a strange and impressive figure. Hisslow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance ofdecrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, andhis enormous limbs showed that he was possessed of unusualstrength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzledhair, and outstanding, drooping eyebrows combined to give an airof dignity and power to his appearance, but his face was of anashen white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils weretinged with a shade of blue. It was clear to me at a glance thathe was in the grip of some deadly and chronic disease.
"Pray sit down on the sofa," said Holmes gently. "You had mynote?"
"Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. You said that you wished tosee me here to avoid scandal."
"I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall."
"And why did you wish to see me?" He looked across at mycompanion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his questionwas already answered.
"Yes," said Holmes, answering the look rather than the words. "Itis so. I know all about McCarthy."
The old man sank his face in his hands. "God help me!" he cried."But I would not have let the young man come to harm. I give youmy word that I would have spoken out if it went against him atthe Assizes."
"I am glad to hear you say so," said Holmes gravely.
"I would have spoken now had it not been for my dear girl. Itwould break her heart--it will break her heart when she hearsthat I am arrested."
"It may not come to that," said Holmes.
"What?"