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gun and held him in my arms； but he almost instantly expired。 I
knelt beside him for some minutes； and then made my way to Mr。
Turner's lodge…keeper； his house being the nearest； to ask for
assistance。 I saw no one near my father when I returned； and I have no
idea how he came by his injuries。 He was not a popular man； being
somewhat cold and forbidding in his manners； but he had； as far as I
know； no active enemies。 I know nothing further of the matter。〃
The Coroner： Did your father make any statement to you before he
died？
Witness： He mumbled a few words； but I could only catch some
allusion to a rat。
The Coroner： What did you understand by that？
Witness： It conveyed no meaning to me。 I thought that he was
delirious。
The Coroner： What was the point upon which you and your father had
this final quarrel？
Witness： I should prefer not to answer。
The Coroner： I am afraid that I must press it。
Witness： It is really impossible for me to tell you。 I can assure
you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which followed。
The Coroner： That is for the court to decide。 I need not point out
to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case
considerably in any future proceedings which may arise。
Witness： I must still refuse。
The Coroner： I understand that the cry of 'Cooee' was a common
signal between you and your father？
Witness： It was。
The Coroner： How was it； then； that he uttered it before he saw you；
and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol？
Witness （with considerable confusion）： I do not know。
A Juryman： Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions when
you returned on hearing the cry and found your father fatally injured？
Witness： Nothing definite。
The Coroner： What do you mean？
Witness： I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into the
open； that I could think of nothing except of my father。 Yet I have
a vague impression that as I ran forward something lay upon the ground
to the left of me。 It seemed to me to be something gray in colour； a
coat of some sort； or a plaid perhaps。 When I rose from my father I
looked round for it； but it was gone。
〃Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help？〃
〃Yes； it was gone。〃
〃You cannot say what it was？〃
〃No； I had a feeling something was there。〃
〃How far from the body？〃
〃A dozen yards or so。〃
〃And how far from the edge of the wood？〃
〃About the same。〃
〃Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen yards
of it？〃
〃Yes； but with my back towards it。〃
This concluded the examination of the witness。
〃I see；〃 said I as I glanced down the column； 〃that the coroner in
his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy。 He calls
attention； and with reason； to the discrepancy about his father having
signalled to him before seeing him； also to his refusal to give
details of his conversation with his father； and his singular
account of his father's dying words。 They are all； as he remarks； very
much against the son。〃
Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon
the cushioned seat。 〃Both you and the coroner have been at some
pains；〃 said he； 〃to single out the very strongest points in the young
man's favour。 Don't you see that you alternately give him credit for
having too much imagination and too little？ Too little； if he could
not invent a cause of quarrel which would give him the sympathy of the
jury； too much； if he evolved from his own inner consciousness
anything so outre as a dying reference to a rat； and the incident of
the vanishing cloth。 No； sir； I shall approach this case from the
point of view that what this young man says is true； and we shall
see whither that hypothesis will lead us。 And now here is my pocket
Petrarch； and not another word shall I say of this case until we are
on the scene of action。 We lunch at Swindon； and I see that we shall
be there in twenty minutes。〃
It was nearly four o'clock when we at last； after passing through
the beautiful Stroud Valley； and over the broad gleaming Severn； found
ourselves at the pretty little country…town of Ross。 A lean
ferret…like man； furtive and sly…looking； was waiting for us upon
the platform。 In spite of the light brown dustcoat and leather
leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic surroundings； I
had no difficulty in recognizing Lestrade； of Scotland Yard。 With
him we drove to the Hereford Arms where a room had already been
engaged for us。
〃I have ordered a carriage；〃 said Lestrade as we sat over a cup of
tea。 〃I knew your energetic nature； and that you would not be happy
until you had been on the scene of the crime。〃
〃It was very nice and complimentary of you；〃 Holmes answered。 〃It is
entirely a question of barometric pressure。〃
Lestrade looked startled。 〃I do not quite follow；〃 he said。
〃How is the glass？ Twenty…nine； I see。 No wind； and not a cloud in
the sky。 I have a caseful of cigarettes here which need smoking； and
the sofa is very much superior to the usual country hotel abomination。
I do not think that it is probable that I shall use the carriage
to…night。〃
Lestrade laughed indulgently。 〃You have； no doubt； already formed
your conclusions from the newspapers；〃 he said。 〃The case is as
plain as a pikestaff； and the more one goes into it the plainer it
becomes。 Still； of course； one can't refuse a lady； and such a very
positive one； too。 She had heard of you； and would have your
opinion； though I repeatedly told her that there was nothing which you
could do which I had not already done。 Why； bless my soul！ here is her
carriage at the door。〃
He had hardly spoken before there rushed into the room one of the
most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life。 Her violet
eyes shining； her lips parted； a pink flush upon her cheeks； all
thought of her natural reserve lost in her overpowering excitement and
concern。
〃Oh； Mr。 Sherlock Holmes！〃 she cried； glancing from one to the other
of us； and finally； with a woman's quick intuition； fastening upon
my companion； 〃I am so glad that you have come。 I have driven down
to tell you so。 I know that James didn't do it。 I know it； and I
want you to start upon your work knowing it； too。 Never let yourself
doubt upon that point。 We have known each other since we were little
children； and I know his faults as no one else does； but he is too
tenderhearted to hurt a fly。 Such a charge is absurd to anyone who
really knows him。〃
〃I hope we may clear him； Miss Turner；〃 said Sherlock Holmes。 〃You
may rely upon my doing all that I can。〃
〃But you have read the evidence； You have formed some conclusion？ Do
you not see some loophole； some flaw？ Do you not yourself think that
he is innocent？〃
〃I think that it is very probable。〃
〃There； now！〃 she cried； throwing back her head and looking
defiantly at Lestrade。 〃You hear！ He gives me hopes。〃
Lestrade shrugged his shoulders。 〃I am afraid that my colleague
has been a little quick in forming his conclusions；〃 he said。
〃But