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investigations and had come to the same conclusion as to foul play。 He
had watched the house for some days and had spotted Dr。 Watson as
one of the obviously suspicious characters who had called there。 He
could hardly arrest Watson； but when he saw a man actually climbing
out of the pantry window there came a limit to his restraint。 Of
course； I told him how matters stood and we continued the case
together。〃
〃Why him？ Why； not us？〃
〃Because it was in my mind to put that little test which answered so
admirably。 I fear you would not have gone so far。〃
The inspector smiled。
〃Well； maybe not。 I understand that I have your word； Mr。 Holmes；
that you step right out of the case now and that you turn all your
results over to us。〃
〃Certainly； that is always my custom。〃
〃Well； in the name of the force I thank you。 It seems a clear
case； as you put it； and there can't be much difficulty over the
bodies。〃
〃I'll show you a grim little bit of evidence；〃 said Holmes； 〃and I
am sure Amberley himself never observed it。 You'll get results；
Inspector； by always putting yourself in the other fellow's place； and
thinking what you would do yourself。 It takes some imagination； but it
pays。 Now； we will suppose that you were shut up in this little
room； had not two minutes to live； but wanted to get even with the
fiend who was probably mocking at you from the other side of the door。
What would you do？〃
〃Write a message。〃
〃Exactly。 You would like to tell people how you died。 No use writing
on paper。 That would be seen。 If you wrote on the wall someone might
rest upon it。 Now； look here！ Just above the skirting is scribbled
with a purple indelible pencil： 'We we…' That's all。〃
〃What do you make of that？〃
〃Well； it's only a foot above the ground。 The poor devil was on
the floor dying when he wrote it。 He lost his senses before he could
finish。〃
〃He was writing； 'We were murdered。'〃
〃That's how I read it。 If you find an indelible pencil on the body…〃
〃We'll look out for it； you may be sure。 But those securities？
Clearly there was no robbery at all。 And yet he did possess those
bonds。 We verified that。〃
〃You may be sure he has them hidden in a safe place。 When the
whole elopement had passed into history； he would suddenly discover
them and announce that the guilty couple had relented and sent back
the plunder or had dropped it on the way。〃
〃You certainly seem to have met every difficulty；〃 said the
inspector。 〃Of course； he was bound to call us in； but why he should
have gone to you I can't understand。〃
〃Pure swank！〃 Holmes answered。 〃He felt so clever and so sure of
himself that he imagined no one could touch him。 He could say to any
suspicious neighbour； 'Look at the steps I have taken。 I have
consulted not only the police but even Sherlock Holmes。'〃
The inspector laughed。
〃We must forgive you your 'even；' Mr。 Holmes；〃 said he； 〃It's as
workmanlike a job as I can remember。〃
A couple of days later my friend tossed across to me a copy of the
bi…weekly North Surrey Observer。 Under a series of flaming
headlines； which began with 〃The Haven Horror〃 and ended with
〃Brilliant Police Investigation；〃 there was a packed column of print
which gave the first consecutive account of the affair。 The concluding
paragraph is typical of the whole。 It ran thus：
The remarkable acumen by which Inspector MacKinnon deduced from
the smell of paint that some other smell； that of gas； for example；
might be concealed； the bold deduction that the strong…room might also
be the death…chamber； and the subsequent inquiry which led to the
discovery of the bodies in a disused well； cleverly concealed by a
dog…kennel； should live in the history of crime as a standing
example of the intelligence of our professional detectives。
〃Well； well； MacKinnon is a good fellow；〃 said Holmes with a
tolerant smile。 〃You can file it in our archives； Watson。 Some day the
true story may be told。〃
…THE END…
。