"I believe, Mr. Holmes, that you have already made up your mind,"said Miss Stoner, laying her hand upon my companion's sleeve.
"Perhaps I have."
"Then, for pity's sake, tell me what was the cause of my sister'sdeath."
"I should prefer to have clearer proofs before I speak."
"You can at least tell me whether my own thought is correct, andif she died from some sudden fright."
"No, I do not think so. I think that there was probably some moretangible cause. And now, Miss Stoner, we must leave you for ifDr. Roylott returned and saw us our journey would be in vain.Good-bye, and be brave, for if you will do what I have told you,you may rest assured that we shall soon drive away the dangersthat threaten you."
Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom andsitting-room at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, andfrom our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, andof the inhabited wing of Stoke Moran Manor House. At dusk we sawDr. Grimesby Roylott drive past, his huge form looming up besidethe little figure of the lad who drove him. The boy had someslight difficulty in undoing the heavy iron gates, and we heardthe hoarse roar of the doctor's voice and saw the fury with whichhe shook his clinched fists at him. The trap drove on, and a fewminutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees asthe lamp was lit in one of the sitting-rooms.
"Do you know, Watson," said Holmes as we sat together in thegathering darkness, "I have really some scruples as to taking youto-night. There is a distinct element of danger."
"Can I be of assistance?"
"Your presence might be invaluable."
"Then I shall certainly come."
"It is very kind of you."
"You speak of danger. You have evidently seen more in these roomsthan was visible to me."
"No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imaginethat you saw all that I did."
"I saw nothing remarkable save the bell-rope, and what purposethat could answer I confess is more than I can imagine."
"You saw the ventilator, too?"
"Yes, but I do not think that it is such a very unusual thing tohave a small opening between two rooms. It was so small that arat could hardly pass through."
"I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came toStoke Moran."
"My dear Holmes!"
"Oh, yes, I did. You remember in her statement she said that hersister could smell Dr. Roylott's cigar. Now, of course thatsuggested at once that there must be a communication between thetwo rooms. It could only be a small one, or it would have beenremarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator."
"But what harm can there be in that?"
"Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. Aventilator is made, a cord is hung, and a lady who sleeps in thebed dies. Does not that strike you?"
"I cannot as yet see any connection."
"Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?"
"No."
"It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastenedlike that before?"
"I cannot say that I have."
"The lady could not move her bed. It must always be in the samerelative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we maycall it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull."
&nbs
p; "Holmes," I cried, "I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at.We are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horriblecrime."