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be left till called for. They are both from the Guion Steamship Company, and refer to the sailing of their boats from Liverpool. It is clear that this unfortunate man was about to return to New York.โ€

โ€œHave you made any inquiries as to this man, Stangerson?โ€

โ€œI did it at once, sir,โ€ said Gregson. โ€œI have had advertisements sent to all the newspapers, and one of my men has gone to the American Exchange, but he has not returned yet.โ€

โ€œHave you sent to Cleveland?โ€

โ€œWe telegraphed this morning.โ€

โ€œHow did you word your inquiries?โ€

โ€œWe simply detailed the circumstances, and said that we should be glad of any information which could help us.โ€

โ€œYou did not ask for particulars on any point which appeared to you to be crucial?โ€

โ€œI asked about Stangerson.โ€

โ€œNothing else? Is there no circumstance on which this whole case appears to hinge? Will you not telegraph again?โ€

โ€œI have said all I have to say,โ€ said Gregson, in an offended voice.

Sherlock Holmes chuckled to himself, and appeared to be about to make some remark, when Lestrade, who had been in the front room while we were holding this conversation in the hall, reappeared upon the scene, rubbing his hands in a pompous and self-satisfied manner.

โ€œMr. Gregson,โ€ he said, โ€œI have just made a discovery of the highest importance, and one which would have been overlooked had I not made a careful examination of the walls.โ€

The little manโ€™s eyes sparkled as he spoke, and he was evidently in a state of suppressed exultation at having scored a point against his colleague.

โ€œCome here,โ€ he said, bustling back into the room, the atmosphere of which felt clearer since the removal of its ghastly inmate. โ€œNow, stand there!โ€

He struck a match on his boot and held it up against the wall.

โ€œLook at that!โ€ he said, triumphantly.

I have remarked that the paper had fallen away in parts. In this particular corner of the room a large piece had peeled off, leaving a yellow square of coarse plastering. Across this bare space there was scrawled in blood-red letters a single wordโ โ€”

Rache

โ€œWhat do you think of that?โ€ cried the detective, with the air of a showman exhibiting his show. โ€œThis was overlooked because it was in the darkest corner of the room, and no one thought of looking there. The murderer has written it with his or her own blood. See this smear where it has trickled down the wall! That disposes of the idea of suicide anyhow. Why was that corner chosen to write it on? I will tell you. See that candle on the mantelpiece. It was lit at the time, and if it was lit this corner would be the brightest instead of the darkest portion of the wall.โ€

โ€œAnd what does it mean now that you have found it?โ€ asked Gregson in a depreciatory voice.

โ€œMean? Why, it means that the writer was going to put the female name Rachel, but was disturbed before he or she had time to finish. You mark my words, when this case comes to be cleared up you will find that a woman named Rachel has something to do with it. Itโ€™s all very well for you to laugh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. You may be very smart and clever, but the old hound is the best, when all is said and done.โ€

โ€œI really beg your pardon!โ€ said my companion, who had ruffled the little manโ€™s temper by bursting into an explosion of laughter. โ€œYou certainly have the credit of being the first of us to find this out, and, as you say, it bears every mark of having been written by the other participant in last nightโ€™s mystery. I have not had time to examine this room yet, but with your permission I shall do so now.โ€

As he spoke, he whipped a tape measure and a large round magnifying glass from his pocket. With these two implements he trotted noiselessly about the room, sometimes stopping, occasionally kneeling, and once lying flat upon his face. So engrossed was he with his occupation that he appeared to have forgotten our presence, for he chattered away to himself under his breath the whole time, keeping up a running fire of exclamations, groans, whistles, and little cries suggestive of encouragement and of hope. As I watched him I was irresistibly reminded of a pure-blooded well-trained foxhound as it dashes backwards and forwards through the covert, whining in its eagerness, until it comes across the lost scent. For twenty minutes or more he continued his researches, measuring with the most exact care the distance between marks which were entirely invisible to me, and occasionally applying his tape to the walls in an equally incomprehensible manner. In one place he gathered up very carefully a little pile of grey dust from the floor, and packed it away in an envelope. Finally, he examined with his glass the word upon the wall, going over every letter of it with the most minute exactness. This done, he appeared to be satisfied, for he replaced his tape and his glass in his pocket.

โ€œThey say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains,โ€ he remarked with a smile. โ€œItโ€™s a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work.โ€

Gregson and Lestrade had watched the manoeuvres of their amateur companion with considerable curiosity and some contempt. They evidently failed to appreciate the fact, which I had begun to realize, that Sherlock Holmesโ€™ smallest actions were all directed towards some definite and practical end.

โ€œWhat do you think of it, sir?โ€ they both asked.

โ€œIt would be robbing you of the credit of the case if I was to presume to help you,โ€ remarked my friend. โ€œYou are doing so well now that it would be a pity for anyone to interfere.โ€ There was a world of sarcasm in his voice as he spoke. โ€œIf you will let me know how your investigations go,โ€ he continued, โ€œI shall be happy to give you any help I can. In the meantime I should like to speak

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