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interrupted him.

โ€œI understood that you were writing a report of this case,โ€ said he.

โ€œSo I am.โ€

โ€œDon't you think it may be a little premature? I can't help thinking that your evidence is not complete.โ€

Lestrade knew my friend too well to disregard his words. He laid down his pen and looked curiously at him.

โ€œWhat do you mean, Mr. Holmes?โ€

โ€œOnly that there is an important witness whom you have not seen.โ€

โ€œCan you produce him?โ€

โ€œI think I can.โ€

โ€œThen do so.โ€

โ€œI will do my best. How many constables have you?โ€

โ€œThere are three within call.โ€

โ€œExcellent!โ€ said Holmes. โ€œMay I ask if they are all large, able-bodied men with powerful voices?โ€

โ€œI have no doubt they are, though I fail to see what their voices have to do with it.โ€

โ€œPerhaps I can help you to see that and one or two other things as well,โ€ said Holmes. โ€œKindly summon your men, and I will try.โ€

Five minutes later three policemen had assembled in the hall.

โ€œIn the outhouse you will find a considerable quantity of straw,โ€ said Holmes. โ€œI will ask you to carry in two bundles of it. I think it will be of the greatest assistance in producing the witness whom I require. Thank you very much. I believe you have some matches in your pocket, Watson. Now, Mr. Lestrade, I will ask you all to accompany me to the top landing.โ€

As I have said, there was a broad corridor there, which ran outside three empty bedrooms. At one end of the corridor we were all marshalled by Sherlock Holmes, the constables grinning and Lestrade staring at my friend with amazement, expectation, and derision chasing each other across his features. Holmes stood before us with the air of a conjurer who is performing a trick.

โ€œWould you kindly send one of your constables for two buckets of water? Put the straw on the floor here, free from the wall on either side. Now I think that we are all ready.โ€

Lestrade's face had begun to grow red and angry.

โ€œI don't know whether you are playing a game with us, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,โ€ said he. โ€œIf you know anything, you can surely say it without all this tomfoolery.โ€

โ€œI assure you, my good Lestrade, that I have an excellent reason for everything that I do. You may possibly remember that you chaffed me a little some hours ago, when the sun seemed on your side of the hedge, so you must not grudge me a little pomp and ceremony now. Might I ask you, Watson, to open that window, and then to put a match to the edge of the straw?โ€

I did so, and, driven by the draught, a coil of grey smoke swirled down the corridor, while the dry straw crackled and flamed.

โ€œNow we must see if we can find this witness for you, Lestrade. Might I ask you all to join in the cry of 'Fire!'? Now, then; one, two, threeโ€”โ€

โ€œFire!โ€ we all yelled.

โ€œThank you. I will trouble you once again.โ€

โ€œFire!โ€

โ€œJust once more, gentlemen, and all together.โ€

โ€œFire!โ€ The shout must have rung over Norwood.

It had hardly died away when an amazing thing happened. A door suddenly flew open out of what appeared to be solid wall at the end of the corridor, and a little, wizened man darted out of it, like a rabbit out of its burrow.

โ€œCapital!โ€ said Holmes, calmly. โ€œWatson, a bucket of water over the straw. That will do! Lestrade, allow me to present you with your principal missing witness, Mr. Jonas Oldacre.โ€

The detective stared at the new-comer with blank amazement. The latter was blinking in the bright light of the corridor, and peering at us and at the smouldering fire. It was an odious faceโ€”crafty, vicious, malignant, with shifty, light-grey eyes and white eyelashes.

โ€œWhat's this, then?โ€ said Lestrade at last. โ€œWhat have you been doing all this time, eh?โ€

Oldacre gave an uneasy laugh, shrinking back from the furious red face of the angry detective.

โ€œI have done no harm.โ€

โ€œNo harm? You have done your best to get an innocent man hanged. If it wasn't for this gentleman here, I am not sure that you would not have succeeded.โ€

The wretched creature began to whimper.

โ€œI am sure, sir, it was only my practical joke.โ€

โ€œOh! a joke, was it? You won't find the laugh on your side, I promise you. Take him down and keep him in the sitting-room until I come. Mr. Holmes,โ€ he continued, when they had gone, โ€œI could not speak before the constables, but I don't mind saying, in the presence of Dr. Watson, that this is the brightest thing that you have done yet, though it is a mystery to me how you did it. You have saved an innocent man's life, and you have prevented a very grave scandal, which would have ruined my reputation in the Force.โ€

Holmes smiled and clapped Lestrade upon the shoulder.

โ€œInstead of being ruined, my good sir, you will find that your reputation has been enormously enhanced. Just make a few alterations in that report which you were writing, and they will understand how hard it is to throw dust in the eyes of Inspector Lestrade.โ€

โ€œAnd you don't want your name to appear?โ€

โ€œNot at all. The work is its own reward. Perhaps I shall get the credit also at some distant day when I permit my zealous historian to lay out his foolscap once moreโ€”eh, Watson? Well, now, let us see where this rat has been lurking.โ€

A lath-and-plaster partition had been run across the passage six feet from the end, with a door cunningly concealed in it. It was lit within by slits under the eaves. A few articles of furniture and a supply of food and water were within, together with a number of books and papers.

โ€œThere's the advantage of being a builder,โ€ said Holmes, as we came out. โ€œHe was able to fix up his own little hiding-place without any confederateโ€”save, of course, that precious housekeeper of his, whom I should lose no time in adding to your bag, Lestrade.โ€

โ€œI'll take your advice. But how did you know of this place, Mr. Holmes?โ€

โ€œI made up my mind that the fellow was in hiding in the house. When I paced one corridor and found it six feet shorter than the corresponding

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