"It suggested that at the time of the firing the window as well as thedoor of the room had been open. Otherwise the fumes of powder could nothave been blown so rapidly through the house. A draught in the room wasnecessary for that. Both door and window were only open for a very shorttime, however."
"How do you prove that?"
"Because the candle has not guttered."
"Capital!" cried the inspector. "Capital!"
"Feeling sure that the window had been open at the time of the tragedyI conceived that there might have been a third person in the affair, whostood outside this opening and fired through it. Any shot directed atthis person might hit the sash. I looked, and there, sure enough, wasthe bullet mark!"
"But how came the window to be shut and fastened?"
"The woman's first instinct would be to shut and fasten the window. But,halloa! what is this?"
It was a lady's hand-bag which stood upon the study table--a trim littlehand-bag of crocodile-skin and silver. Holmes opened it and turnedthe contents out. There were twenty fifty-pound notes of the Bank ofEngland, held together by an india-rubber band--nothing else.
"This must be preserved, for it will figure in the trial," said Holmes,as he handed the bag with its contents to the inspector. "It is nownecessary that we should try to throw some light upon this third bullet,which has clearly, from the splintering of the wood, been fired frominside the room. I should like to see Mrs. King, the cook, again. Yousaid, Mrs. King, that you were awakened by a LOUD explosion. When yousaid that, did you mean that it seemed to you to be louder than thesecond one?"
"Well, sir, it wakened me from my sleep, and so it is hard to judge. Butit did seem very loud."
"You don't think that it might have been two shots fired almost at thesame instant?"
"I am sure I couldn't say, sir."
"I believe that it was undoubtedly so. I rather think, Inspector Martin,that we have now exhausted all that this room can teach us. If you willkindly step round with me, we shall see what fresh evidence the gardenhas to offer."
A flower-bed extended up to the study window, and we all broke into anexclamation as we approached it. The flowers were trampled down, and thesoft soil was imprinted all over with footmarks. Large, masculine feetthey were, with peculiarly long, sharp toes. Holmes hunted about amongthe grass and leaves like a retriever after a wounded bird. Then, witha cry of satisfaction, he bent forward and picked up a little brazencylinder.
"I thought so," said he; "the revolver had an ejector, and here is thethird cartridge. I really think, Inspector Martin, that our case isalmost complete."
The country inspector's face had shown his intense amazement at therapid and masterful progress of Holmes's investigation. At first hehad shown some disposition to assert his own position; but now he wasovercome with admiration and ready to follow without question whereverHolmes led.
"Whom do you suspect?" he asked.
"I'll go into that later. There are several points in this problem whichI have not been able to explain to you yet. Now that I have got so farI had best proceed on my own lines, and then clear the whole matter uponce and for all."
"Just as you wish, Mr. Holmes, so long as we get our man."
"I have no desire to make mysteries, but it is impossible at the momentof action to enter into long and complex explanations. I have thethreads of this affair all in my hand. Even if this lady should neverrecover consciousness we can still reconstruct the events of last nightand ensure that justice be done. First of all I wish to know whetherthere is any inn in this neighbourhood known as 'Elrige's'?"
The servants were cross-questioned, but none of them had heard of
such aplace. The stable-boy threw a light upon the matter by remembering thata farmer of that name lived some miles off in the direction of EastRuston.
"Is it a lonely farm?"
"Very lonely, sir."
"Perhaps they have not heard yet of all that happened here during thenight?"
"Maybe not, sir."
Holmes thought for a little and then a curious smile played over hisface.
"Saddle a horse, my lad," said he. "I shall wish you to take a note toElrige's Farm."
He took from his pocket the various slips of the dancing men. With thesein front of him he worked for some time at the study-table. Finally hehanded a note to the boy, with directions to put it into the handsof the person to whom it was addressed, and especially to answer noquestions of any sort which might be put to him. I saw the outside ofthe note, addressed in straggling, irregular characters, very unlikeHolmes's usual precise hand. It was consigned to Mr. Abe Slaney,Elrige's Farm, East Ruston, Norfolk.
"I think, inspector," Holmes remarked, "that you would do well totelegraph for an escort, as, if my calculations prove to be correct, youmay have a particularly dangerous prisoner to convey to the county gaol.The boy who takes this note could no doubt forward your telegram. Ifthere is an afternoon train to town, Watson, I think we should do wellto take it, as I have a chemical analysis of some interest to finish,and this investigation draws rapidly to a close."