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〃You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded by
the surgeon at the inquest。 The blow was struck from immediately
behind； and yet was upon the left side。 Now； how can that be unless it
were by a left…handed man？ He had stood behind that tree during the
interview between the father and son。 He had even smoked there。 I
found the ash of a cigar； which my special knowledge of tobacco
ashes enables me to pronounce as an Indian cigar。 I have； as you know；
devoted some attention to this； and written a little monograph on
the ashes of 140 different varieties of pipe； cigar； and cigarette
tobacco。 Having found the ash； I then looked round and discovered
the stump among the moss where he had tossed it。 It was an Indian
cigar； of the variety which are rolled in Rotterdam。〃
〃And the cigar…holder？〃
〃I could see that the end had not been in his mouth。 Therefore he
used a holder。 The tip had been cut off not bitten off； but the cut
was not a clean one； so I deduced a blunt pen…knife。〃
〃Holmes；〃 I said； 〃you have drawn a net round this man from which he
cannot escape； and you have saved an innocent human life as truly as
if you had cut the cord which was hanging him。 I see the direction
in which all this points。 The culprit is…〃
〃Mr。 John Turner；〃 cried the hotel waiter； opening the door of our
sitting…room； and ushering in a visitor。
The man who entered was a strange and impressive figure。 His slow；
limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of decrepitude；
and yet his hard； deep…lined； craggy features； and his enormous
limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual strength of body and
of character。 His tangled beard； grizzled hair； and outstanding；
drooping eyebrows combined to give an air of dignity and power to
his appearance； but his face was of an ashen white； while his lips and
the corners of his nostrils were tinged with a shade of blue。 It was
clear to me at a glance that he was in the grip of some deadly and
chronic disease。
〃Pray sit down on the sofa；〃 said Holmes gently。 〃You had my note？〃
〃Yes； the lodge…keeper brought it up。 You said that you wished to
see 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 my companion
with despair in his weary eyes； as though his question was already
answered。
〃Yes；〃 said Holmes； answering the look rather than the words。 〃It is
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 you my
word that I would have spoken out if it went against him at the
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。 It
would break her heart…it will break her heart when she hears that I am
arrested。〃
〃It may not come to that；〃 said Holmes。
〃What？〃
〃I am no official agent。 I understand that it was your daughter
who required my presence here； and I am acting in her interests。 Young
McCarthy must be got off； however。〃
〃I am a dying man；〃 said old Turner。 〃I have had diabetes for years。
My doctor says it is a question whether I shall live a month。 Yet I
would rather die under my own roof than in a jail。〃
Holmes rose and sat down at the table with his pen in his hand and a
bundle of paper before him。 〃Just tell us the truth；〃 he said。 〃I
shall jot down the facts。 You will sign it； and Watson here can
witness it。 Then I could produce your confession at the last extremity
to save young McCarthy。 I promise you that I shall not use it unless
it is absolutely needed。〃
〃It's as well；〃 said the old man； 〃it's a question whether I shall
live to the Assizes； so it matters little to me； but I should wish
to spare Alice the shock。 And now I will make the thing clear to
you； it has been a long time in the acting； but will not take me
long to tell。〃
〃You didn't know this dead man； McCarthy。 He was a devil
incarnate。 I tell you that。 God keep you out of the clutches of such a
man as he。 His grip has been upon me these twenty years； and he has
blasted my life。 I'll tell you first how I came to be in his power。
〃It was in the early '60's at the diggings。 I was a young chap then；
hot…blooded and reckless； ready to turn my hand at anything； I got
among bad companions； took to drink； had no luck with my claim； took
to the bush； and in a word became what you would call over here a
highway robber。 There were six of us； and we had a wild； free life
of it； sticking up a station from time to time； or stopping the wagons
on the road to the diggings。 Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I
went under； and our party is still remembered in the colony as the
Ballarat Gang。
〃One day a gold convoy came down from Ballust to Melbourne； and we
lay in wait for it and attacked it。 There were six troopers and six of
us； so it was a close thing； but we emptied four of their saddles at
the first volley。 Three of our boys were killed； however； before we
got the swag。 I put my pistol to the head of the wagon…driver； who was
this very man McCarthy。 I wish to the Lord that I had though him
shot him then； but I spared him； though I saw his wicked little eyes
fixed on my face； as though to remember every feature。 We got away
with the gold； became wealthy men； and made our way over to England
without being suspected。 There I parted from my old pals and
determined to settle down to a quiet and respectable life。 I bought
this estate； which chanced to be in the market； and I set myself to do
a little with my money； to make up for the way in which I had earned
it。 I married； too； and though my wife died young she left me my
dear little Alice。 Even when she was just a baby her wee hand seemed
to lead me down the right path as nothing else had ever done。 In a
word； I turned over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the
past。 All was going well when McCarthy laid his grip upon me。
〃I had gone up to town about an investment； and I met him in
Regent Street with hardly a coat to his back or a boot to his foot。
〃'Here we are； Jack；' says he； touching me on the arm； 'we'll be
as good as a family to you。 There's two of us； me and my son； and
you can have the keeping of us。 If you don't…it's a fine；
law…abiding country is England； and there's always a policeman
within hail。'
〃Well； down they came to the west country； there was no shaking them
off； and there they have lived rent free on my best land ever since。
There was no rest for me； no peace； no forgetfulness； turn where I
would； there was his cunning； grinning face at my elbow。 It grew worse
as Alice grew up； for he soon saw I was more afraid of her knowing my
past than of the police。 Whatever he wanted he must have； and whatever
it was I gave him without question； land； money； houses； until at last
he asked a thing which I could not give。 He asked for Alice。
〃His son； you see； had grown up； and so had my girl； and as I was
known to be in weak health； it seemed