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permit himself no food, and I have known him presume upon his iron strength until he has fainted from pure inanition. β€œAt present I cannot spare energy and nerve force for digestion,” he would say in answer to my medical remonstrances. I was not surprised, therefore, when this morning he left his untouched meal behind him and started with me for Norwood. A crowd of morbid sightseers were still gathered round Deep Dene House, which was just such a suburban villa as I had pictured. Within the gates Lestrade met us, his face flushed with victory, his manner grossly triumphant.

β€œWell, Mr. Holmes, have you proved us to be wrong yet? Have you found your tramp?” he cried.

β€œI have formed no conclusion whatever,” my companion answered.

β€œBut we formed ours yesterday, and now it proves to be correct; so you must acknowledge that we have been a little in front of you this time, Mr. Holmes.”

β€œYou certainly have the air of something unusual having occurred,” said Holmes.

Lestrade laughed loudly.

β€œYou don't like being beaten any more than the rest of us do,” said he. β€œA man can't expect always to have it his own way, can he, Dr. Watson? Step this way, if you please, gentlemen, and I think I can convince you once for all that it was John McFarlane who did this crime.”

He led us through the passage and out into a dark hall beyond.

β€œThis is where young McFarlane must have come out to get his hat after the crime was done,” said he. β€œNow, look at this.” With dramatic suddenness he struck a match and by its light exposed a stain of blood upon the whitewashed wall. As he held the match nearer I saw that it was more than a stain. It was the well-marked print of a thumb.

β€œLook at that with your magnifying glass, Mr. Holmes.”

β€œYes, I am doing so.”

β€œYou are aware that no two thumb marks are alike?”

β€œI have heard something of the kind.”

β€œWell, then, will you please compare that print with this wax impression of young McFarlane's right thumb, taken by my orders this morning?”

As he held the waxen print close to the blood-stain it did not take a magnifying glass to see that the two were undoubtedly from the same thumb. It was evident to me that our unfortunate client was lost.

β€œThat is final,” said Lestrade.

β€œYes, that is final,” I involuntarily echoed.

β€œIt is final,” said Holmes.

Something in his tone caught my ear, and I turned to look at him. An extraordinary change had come over his face. It was writhing with inward merriment. His two eyes were shining like stars. It seemed to me that he was making desperate efforts to restrain a convulsive attack of laughter.

β€œDear me! Dear me!” he said at last. β€œWell, now, who would have thought it? And how deceptive appearances may be, to be sure! Such a nice young man to look at! It is a lesson to us not to trust our own judgment, is it not, Lestrade?”

β€œYes, some of us are a little too much inclined to be cocksure, Mr. Holmes,” said Lestrade. The man's insolence was maddening, but we could not resent it.

β€œWhat a providential thing that this young man should press his right thumb against the wall in taking his hat from the peg! Such a very natural action, too, if you come to think of it.” Holmes was outwardly calm, but his whole body gave a wriggle of suppressed excitement as he spoke. β€œBy the way, Lestrade, who made this remarkable discovery?”

β€œIt was the housekeeper, Mrs. Lexington, who drew the night constable's attention to it.”

β€œWhere was the night constable?”

β€œHe remained on guard in the bedroom where the crime was committed, so as to see that nothing was touched.”

β€œBut why didn't the police see this mark yesterday?”

β€œWell, we had no particular reason to make a careful examination of the hall. Besides, it's not in a very prominent place, as you see.”

β€œNo, no, of course not. I suppose there is no doubt that the mark was there yesterday?”

Lestrade looked at Holmes as if he thought he was going out of his mind. I confess that I was myself surprised both at his hilarious manner and at his rather wild observation.

β€œI don't know whether you think that McFarlane came out of gaol in the dead of the night in order to strengthen the evidence against himself,” said Lestrade. β€œI leave it to any expert in the world whether that is not the mark of his thumb.”

β€œIt is unquestionably the mark of his thumb.”

β€œThere, that's enough,” said Lestrade. β€œI am a practical man, Mr. Holmes, and when I have got my evidence I come to my conclusions. If you have anything to say you will find me writing my report in the sitting-room.”

Holmes had recovered his equanimity, though I still seemed to detect gleams of amusement in his expression.

β€œDear me, this is a very sad development, Watson, is it not?” said he. β€œAnd yet there are singular points about it which hold out some hopes for our client.”

β€œI am delighted to hear it,” said I, heartily. β€œI was afraid it was all up with him.”

β€œI would hardly go so far as to say that, my dear Watson. The fact is that there is one really serious flaw in this evidence to which our friend attaches so much importance.”

β€œIndeed, Holmes! What is it?”

β€œOnly this: that I KNOW that that mark was not there when I examined the hall yesterday. And now, Watson, let us have a little stroll round in the sunshine.”

With a confused brain, but with a heart into which some warmth of hope was returning, I accompanied my friend in a walk round the garden. Holmes took each face of the house in turn and examined it with great interest. He then led the way inside and went over the whole building from basement to attics. Most of the rooms were unfurnished, but none the less Holmes inspected them all minutely. Finally, on the top corridor, which ran outside three untenanted bedrooms, he again was seized with a spasm of merriment.

β€œThere are really some very unique features about this case, Watson,” said he. β€œI think it is time now that we took our friend Lestrade into our confidence. He has had his little smile at our expense, and perhaps we may do as much by him if my reading of this problem proves to be correct. Yes, yes; I think I see how we should approach it.”

The Scotland Yard inspector was still writing in the parlour when Holmes

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