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〃It means murder；〃 said he； stooping over the dead man。 〃Ah； I
expected it。 Look here！〃 He pointed to what looked like a long； dark
thorn stuck in the skin just above the ear。
〃It looks like a thorn；〃 said I。
〃It is a thorn。 You may pick it out。 But be careful； for it is
poisoned。〃
I took it up between my finger and thumb。 It came away from the
skin so readily that hardly any mark was left behind。 One tiny speck of
blood showed where the puncture had been。
〃This is all an insoluble mystery to me；〃 said I。 〃It grows darker
instead of clearer。〃
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〃On the contrary；〃 he answered； 〃it clears every instant。 I only
require a few missing links to have an entirely connected case。〃
We had almost forgotten our companion's presence since we entered
the chamber。 He was still standing in the door…way； the very picture of
terror； wringing his hands and moaning to himself。 Suddenly； however；
he broke out into a sharp； querulous cry。
〃The treasure is gone！〃 he said。 〃They have robbed him of the
treasure！ There is the hole through which we lowered it。 I helped him
to do it！ I was the last person who saw him！ I left him here last night；
and I heard him lock the door as I came down…stairs。〃
〃What time was that？〃
〃It was ten o'clock。 And now he is dead； and the police will be called
in； and I shall be suspected of having had a hand in it。 Oh； yes； I am sure
I shall。 But you don't think so； gentlemen？ Surely you don't think that
it was I？ Is it likely that I would have brought you here if it were I？ Oh；
dear！ oh； dear！ I know that I shall go mad！〃 He jerked his arms and
stamped his feet in a kind of convulsive frenzy。
〃You have no reason for fear； Mr。 Sholto；〃 said Holmes； kindly； putting
his hand upon his shoulder。 〃Take my advice； and drive down to the
station to report this matter to the police。 Offer to assist them in every
way。 We shall wait here until your return。〃
The little man obeyed in a half…stupefied fashion； and we heard him
stumbling down the stairs in the dark。
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CHAPTER VI Sherlock Holmes
Gives a Demonstration
〃Now； Watson；〃 said Holmes； rubbing his hands； 〃we have half an
hour to ourselves。 Let us make good use of it。 My case is； as I have
told you； almost complete； but we must not err on the side of over…
confidence。 Simple as the case seems now； there may be something
deeper underlying it。〃
〃Simple！〃 I ejaculated。
〃Surely；〃 said he； with something of the air of a clinical professor
expounding to his class。 〃Just sit in the corner there； that your footprints
may not complicate matters。 Now to work！ In the first place； how did
these folk come； and how did they go？ The door has not been opened
since last night。 How of the window？〃 He carried the lamp across to it；
muttering his observations aloud the while； but addressing them to himself
rather than to me。 〃Window is snibbed on the inner side。 Framework is
solid。 No hinges at the side。 Let us open it。 No water…pipe near。
Roof quite out of reach。 Yet a man has mounted by the window。 It rained
a little last night。 Here is the print of a foot in mould upon the sill。 And
here is a circular muddy mark； and here again upon the floor； and here
again by the table。 See here； Watson！ This is really a very pretty
demonstration。〃
I looked at the round； well…defined muddy discs。 〃This is not a
footmark；〃 said I。
〃It is something much more valuable to us。 It is the impression of a
wooden stump。 You see here on the sill is the boot…mark； a heavy boot
with the broad metal heel； and beside it is the mark of the timber…toe。〃
〃It is the wooden…legged man。〃
〃Quite so。 But there has been some one else；a very able and
efficient ally。 Could you scale that wall； doctor？〃
I looked out of the open window。 The moon still shone brightly on
that angle of the house。 We were a good sixty feet from the round； and；
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look where I would； I could see no foothold； nor as much as a crevice in
the brick…work。
〃It is absolutely impossible；〃 I answered。
〃Without aid it is so。 But suppose you had a friend up here who
lowered you this good stout rope which I see in the corner； securing one
end of it to this great hook in the wall。 Then； I think； if you were an
active man； You might swarm up； wooden leg and all。 You would depart；
of course； in the same fashion； and your ally would draw up the rope； untie
it from the hook； shut the window； snib it on the inside； and get away in
the way that he originally came。 As a minor point it may be noted；〃 he
continued； fingering the rope； 〃that our wooden…legged friend； though a
fair climber； was not a professional sailor。 His hands were far from
horny。 My lens discloses more than one blood…mark； especially towards
the end of the rope； from which I gather that he slipped down with such
velocity that he took the skin off his hand。〃
〃This is all very well；〃 said I； 〃but the thing becomes more
unintelligible than ever。 How about this mysterious ally？ How came he
into the room？〃
〃Yes； the ally！〃 repeated Holmes； pensively。 〃There are features of
interest about this ally。 He lifts the case from the regions of the
commonplace。 I fancy that this ally breaks fresh ground in the annals of
crime in this country；though parallel cases suggest themselves from India；
and； if my memory serves me； from Senegambia。〃
〃How came he； then？〃 I reiterated。 〃The door is locked； the
window is inaccessible。 Was it through the chimney？〃
The grate is much too small；〃 he answered。 〃I had already considered
that possibility。〃
〃How then？〃 I persisted。
〃You will not apply my precept；〃 he said； shaking his head。 〃How
often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible
whatever remains； HOWEVER IMPROBABLE； must be the truth？ We
know that he did not come through the door； the window； or the chimney。
We also know that he could not have been concealed in the room； as there
is no concealment possible。 Whence； then； did he come？〃
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〃He came through the hole in the roof；〃 I cried。
〃Of course he did。 He must have done so。 If you will have the
kindness to hold the lamp for me； we shall now extend our researches to
the room above；the secret room in which the treasure was found。〃
He mounted the steps； and； seizing a rafter with either hand； he swung
himself up into the garret。 Then； lying on his face； he reached down for
the lamp and held it while I followed him。
The chamber in which we found ourselves was about ten feet one way
and six the other。 The floor was formed by the rafters； with thin lath…and…
plaster between； so that in walking one had to step from beam to beam。
The roof ran up to an apex； and was evidently the inner shell of the true
roof of the house。 There was no furniture of any sort； and the
accumulated dust of years lay thick upon the floor。
〃Here you are； you see；〃 said Sherlock Holmes； putting his hand
against the sloping wall。 〃This is a trap…door which leads out on to the
roof。 I can press it back； and her