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The Boscombe Pool is thicklywooded round, with just a fringe of grass and of
reeds round theedge.
McCarthy was the only man alivewho had known dad in the
old days in Victoria.
There is as much sense in Hafiz as in Horace, and as
muchknowledge of the world. It has been a case of considerable interest, he
remarked,returning to his natural manner.
Ifever circumstantial evidence
pointed to a criminal it does sohere.
That fellow willrise from crime to crime
until he does something very bad, andends on a gallows.
This is not such
apopulous neighbourhood.
Quite so; at the gold-mines, where, as I understand,
Mr.
Iknew the firm for which this man worked.
Thereis no possible getting out
of it, Mr. A jagged stone was lying amongthe moss, and this also he carefully
examined and retained.
He came back alone,for Lestrade was staying in lodgings
in the town.
We havestill time to take a train to Hereford and see him
to-night? But thedeception could not be kept up forever. Having once spotted my
man, it was easy to get corroboration.
It is of importance that it should not
rain before we are ableto go over the ground. Holmes laughed softly to himself
and stretched himself out uponthe cushioned seat.
That is as much as I have
been able to gather about thefamilies. You may walk to the cab,and I shall be
with you presently.
He ran round, like a dog who is pickingup a scent, and then
turned upon my companion.
Never let yourself doubt upon that point. There are
several other indications, but these may beenough to aid us in our search. It
was from Sherlock Holmes and ranin this way:Have you a couple of days to spare?
I then hurried forward, and foundhim standing by the pool.
I am afraid that I
am still a sceptic, hesaid. I do not think that it is probable that Ishall use
the carriage to-night. We have got to the deductions and the inferences,
saidLestrade, winking at me. Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up
his hat. The case is asplain as a pikestaff, and the more one goes into it the
plainerit becomes.
Dont you see that you alternately give himcredit for having
too much imagination and too little?
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