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Chapter 5 of the valley of fear 
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 

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This LibriVox recording is in 
the public domain chapter 5, the

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people of the drama. 
Have you seen all you wanted to 

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study asked white Mason as we 
re-entered the house, for the 

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time said, the inspector and 
Holmes nodded. 

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Then perhaps you would now, like
to hear the evidence of some of 

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the people in the house. 
We could use the dining room. 

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Ames, please come yourself first
and tell us what, you know, The 

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butler's account was a simple 
and the clear one and he gave a 

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convincing impression of 
sincerity. 

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He been engaged five years 
before when Douglas first came 

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to birlstone, he understood that
mr. 

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Douglas was a rich gentleman who
had made his money in America. 

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He'd been a kind and 
considerate, employer, not quite

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what Ames was used to perhaps, 
but one can't have everything. 

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He never saw any signs of 
apprehension in mr. 

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Douglas on the contrary, he was 
the most Fearless man. 

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You'd ever known. 
He ordered a drawbridge to be 

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pulled up every night because it
was the ancient custom of the 

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old house and he liked to keep 
the old ways up mr. 

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Douglas seldom went to London or
left the village, but on the day

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before the crime, he had been 
shopping at Tunbridge Wells. 

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He aims had observed some 
restlessness and excitement on 

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the part of mr. 
Douglas that day for, he had 

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seemed impatient and irritable 
which was unusual with him. 

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He had not gone to bed that 
night but it was in the pantry 

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at the back of the house. 
Putting away the silver, when he

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heard the bell ring violently. 
He heard. 

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No shot. 
But it was hardly possibly would

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as the pantry and kitchens were 
at the very back of the house. 

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And there were several closed 
doors. 

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And the long passage between the
housekeeper had come out of her 

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room attracted by the violent. 
Ringing of the Bell, they had 

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gone to the front of the house 
together. 

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As they reached the bottom of 
the stairs, he had seen mrs. 

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Douglas coming down it. 
No, she was not hurrying it. 

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It did not seem to him that she 
was particularly agitated just 

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as she reached the bottom of the
stair. 

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Mr. Barker, had rushed out of 
the study. 

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He had stopped, mrs. 
Douglas, and begged her to go 

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back for God's sake. 
Go back to your room. 

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He cried. 
Poor Jack is dead. 

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You can do nothing for God's 
sake. 

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Go back. 
After some persuasion upon the 

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stairs. 
Mrs. Douglas had gone back. 

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She did not scream. 
She made no outcry, whatever, 

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mrs. 
Allen. 

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The housekeeper had taken her 
upstairs and stayed with her in 

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the bedroom Eames and mr. 
Barker had then returned to the 

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study where they had found 
everything exactly as the police

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had seen it. 
The candle was not litter that 

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time at the lamp was burning. 
They had looked out of the 

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window but the night was very 
dark and nothing could Be seen 

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or heard they had then rushed 
out into the Hall where Ames had

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turned The Windlass, which 
lowered the drawbridge mr. 

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Barker had. 
Then hurried off to get the 

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police. 
Such and its Essentials was the 

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evidence of the butler. 
The account of mrs. 

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Allen, the housekeeper was so 
far as it went, a corroboration 

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of that, of her fellow servant. 
The housekeeper's room was 

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rather nearer to the front of 
the house and the Pantry in 

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which aims had been working. 
She was preparing to go to bed 

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when the loud, ringing of the 
Bell had attracted her 

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attention. 
She was a little hard of hearing

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perhaps that was why she had not
heard the shot. 

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But in any case to study was a 
long way off, she remembered 

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hearing some sound which she 
imagined to be the Slamming of a

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door that was a good deal 
earlier. 

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Half an hour at least before the
ringing of the Bell. 

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When mr. 
Ames ran to the front. 

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She went with him. 
She saw mr. 

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Barker very pale and excited. 
Come out of the study, he 

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intercepted. 
Mrs. Douglas, who was coming 

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down the stairs? 
He entreated her to go back and 

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she answered him. 
But what she said, could not be 

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heard. 
Take her up. 

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Stay with her. 
He had said to mrs. 

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Allen. 
She therefore taken her to the 

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bedroom and endeavoured to 
soothe her. 

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She was greatly excited, 
trembling all over but made no 

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other attempt to go downstairs. 
She just sat in her dressing 

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gown by her bedroom fire with 
her head sunk in her hands mrs. 

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Allen stayed with her most of 
the night as to the other 

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servants, they had all gone to 
bed and the alarm did not reach 

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them until just before the 
police arrived. they slept at 

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the extreme back of the house 
and could not possibly have 

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heard anything so far the 
housekeeper could add nothing on

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cross-examination Save 
Lamentations and expressions of 

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amazement Cecil Barker. 
Succeeded mrs. 

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Allen as a witness as to the 
occurrences of the night before 

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he had very little to add to 
what he had already told. 

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The police personally, he was 
convinced that the murderer had 

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escaped by the window, the blood
stain was conclusive in his 

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opinion, on that point. 
Besides as the bridge was up, 

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there was no other possible way 
of escaping, he could not 

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explain what had become of the 
Assassin or why he had not taken

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his bicycle. 
If It were indeed his. 

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He could not possibly have been 
drowned in the moat which was at

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no place more than three feet 
deep in his own mind he had a 

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very definite theory about the 
murder. 

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Douglas was a reticent man and 
there were some chapters in his 

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life of which he never spoke. 
He had emigrated to America when

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he was a very young man, he had 
prospered well and Barker had 

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first met him in California, 
where they have become Partners 

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in a successful mining claim at 
a place called Benito. 

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So Kenyan, they done very well 
but Douglas had suddenly sold 

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out and started for England. 
He was a widower at that time 

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Barker had afterwards realized 
his money and come to live in 

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London. 
Thus they had renewed their 

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friendship Douglas had given 
him. 

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The impression that some danger 
was hanging over his head and he

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had always looked upon his 
sudden departure from California

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and also his renting a house in.
So quiet, a place in England, as

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being connected with this Peril,
he imagined that some secret 

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society, some implacable 
organization was on Douglas's 

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track which would never rest 
until it killed him. 

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Some remarks of his had given 
him this idea though, he never 

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told him what the society was 
Nor how he had come to offend 

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it. 
He could only suppose that the 

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legend upon the placard had some
reference to this secret 

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society. 
How long were you with and 

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Douglas in California? 
Asked, inspector MacDonald, five

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years, all together, he was a 
bachelor, you see a widower. 

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Have you ever heard where his 
first wife came from? 

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No. 
I remember his saying that she 

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was of German extraction and 
I've seen her portrait, she was 

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a very beautiful woman, she died
of typhoid the year before I met

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him. 
You don't associate his past 

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with any particular part of 
America. 

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I have heard talk of Chicago. 
He knew that City well and it 

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worked there. 
I have heard him talk of the 

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coal and iron districts. 
He had traveled a good deal in 

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his time. 
Was he a politician? 

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Had this secret society to do 
with politics. 

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No, he cared nothing about 
politics. 

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You have no reason to think it 
was Criminal on the contrary. 

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I never met a straight. 
A man in my life was there 

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anything curious about his life 
in California. 

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He liked best to stay in to work
at our claim in the mountains, 

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he would never go where other 
men were, if he could help it. 

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That's why I first thought 
someone was after him, then when

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he left so suddenly for Europe, 
I made sure that it was so I 

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believe that he had a warning of
some sort within a week of his 

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leaving half a dozen. 
Men were inquiring for him. 

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What sort of men? 
Well, they were a mighty 

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hard-looking crowd. 
He came up to the claim and 

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wanted to know where he was. 
I told them that he's gone to 

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Europe. 
No, I did not know where to find

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him. 
They meant him. 

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No good. 
It was easy to see that were 

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these men, Americans 
Californians. 

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Well, I don't know about 
Californians. 

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They were Americans. 
All right, but they were not 

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minors. 
I don't know what Were was very 

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glad to see their backs that was
six years ago, near a seven and 

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then you were together. 
Five years in California. 

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So that this business dates back
a not less than 11 years at the 

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least. 
That is so, It must be a very 

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serious Feud that would be kept 
up with such earnestness. 

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For as long as that to be no 
light thing, that would give 

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rise to it. 
I think it's shadowed. 

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His whole life was never quite 
out of his mind. 

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But if a man had a dagger 
hanging over him, I knew what it

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was. 
Don't you think it would turn to

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the police for protection? 
Maybe it was some danger that he

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could not be protected against, 
there's one thing you should 

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know. 
He always went about armed, his 

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revolver was never out of his 
pocket. 

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But by bad luck, he was in his 
dressing-gown and had left it in

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the bedroom last night. 
Once the bridge was up, I guess,

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he thought he was safe. 
I should like these dates. 

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A little clearer said McDonald. 
It is quite six years since 

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Douglas left California. 
You followed him next year. 

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Did you not? 
That is so and had been married 

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five years. 
You must have returned from the 

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time of his marriage. 
About a month before I was his 

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best, man. 
Did you know mrs. 

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Douglas before her marriage? 
No, I did not. 

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I had been away from England for
10 years, but you have seen a 

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good deal of her since Barker 
looked sternly at the detective.

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I have seen a good deal of him 
since he answered if I have seen

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her it is because you cannot 
visit a man without knowing his 

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wife. 
If you imagine there's any 

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connection, I imagine nothing. 
Mr. Barker I'm bound to make 

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every inquiry which can bear 
upon the case but I mean no 

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offense. 
Some inquiries are offensive. 

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Barker answered angrily. 
It's only the facts that we 

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want. 
It is in your interest in 

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everyone's interest that they 
should be cleared up. 

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Did mr. 
Douglas entirely approve. 

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Your friendship with his wife. 
Barca grew paler and is great. 

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Strong hands were clasped 
convulsively together. 

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You have no right to ask such 
questions. 

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He cried what has this to do 
with the matter you're 

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investigating I must repeat the 
question. 

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Well, I refuse to answer. 
You can refuse to answer, but 

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you must be aware. 
That your refusal is in itself. 

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An answer for you would not 
refuse if you had nothing to 

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conceal. 
Barker stood for a moment with 

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his face set grimly and is 
strong black eyebrows drawn low 

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in intense thought then he 
looked up with a smile. 

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Well, I guess you gentlemen are 
only doing your clear Duty after

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all and I have no right to stand
in the way of it. 

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I'd only ask you not to worry 
Miss Douglas over this matter 

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for she is enough upon her. 
Just now I may tell you that to 

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Port, Douglas had just one fault
in the world. 

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And that was his jealousy. 
He was fond of Me. 

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No, man, could be fonder of a 
friend and he was devoted to his

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wife. 
He loved me to come here and was

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forever sending for me. 
And yet if his wife and I talked

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together or there seemed any 
sympathy between us, a kind of 

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wave of jealousy, would pass 
over him, and he would be off 

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the handle and saying, the 
wildest Things in a moment more 

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than once, I've sworn off, 
coming for that reason and then 

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he would write me with such 
penitent imploring letters and I

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just had to but you can take it 
from me gentlemen, if it was my 

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last word that no man ever had, 
a more loving faithful wife and 

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I can say, also no friend could 
be more loyal than I He was 

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spoken with fervor and feeling 
and yet inspector MacDonald 

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could not dismiss the subject, 
you are aware said he that the 

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Dead Man's wedding ring has been
taken from his fingers. 

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So it appears said, Barker what 
do you mean by appears? 

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You know it, as a fact. 
The man seemed confused and 

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undecided. 
When I said appears, I meant 

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that it was conceivable that he 
had himself taken off the ring. 

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The mere fact that the ring 
should be absent, whoever may 

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have removed. 
It would suggest to anyone's 

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00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:34,800
mind. 
Would it not that the marriage 

229
00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,900
and the tragedy were connected? 
Barca Shrugged, his broad 

230
00:13:38,900 --> 00:13:43,400
shoulders, I can't profess to 
say what it means he answered. 

231
00:13:43,900 --> 00:13:47,100
But if you mean to hint that it 
could reflect in any way upon 

232
00:13:47,100 --> 00:13:50,900
this lady's honor, his eyes, 
blazed for an instant. 

233
00:13:51,500 --> 00:13:54,100
And then with an evident effort,
he got a grip upon his own 

234
00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:57,300
emotions. 
Well, you are on the wrong 

235
00:13:57,300 --> 00:14:00,300
track. 
That's all I don't know that I 

236
00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:03,700
have anything else to ask you at
present said, McDonald coldly. 

237
00:14:04,900 --> 00:14:08,500
There was one, small Point, 
remarked Sherlock Holmes. 

238
00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,800
When you entered the room it was
only a candle lighted on the 

239
00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:14,000
table was there. 
Not? 

240
00:14:14,900 --> 00:14:18,700
Yes, that was. 
So by its light, you saw that, 

241
00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:23,800
some terrible incident. 
Had occurred exactly you at once

242
00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:25,900
rang, for help. 
Yes. 

243
00:14:26,700 --> 00:14:30,500
And it arrived, very speedily 
within a minute or two. 

244
00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:35,500
And yet, when they arrived, they
found that the candle was out 

245
00:14:35,500 --> 00:14:38,800
and that the lamp had been 
lighted that seems very 

246
00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,800
remarkable. 
Again, Barker showed some signs 

247
00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:45,800
of indecision. 
I don't see that. 

248
00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,500
It was remarkable, mr. 
Holmes, he answered, after a 

249
00:14:48,508 --> 00:14:51,800
pause the candle through a very 
bad light. 

250
00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,200
My first thought was to get a 
better one. 

251
00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:59,800
My lamp was on the tables, so I 
lit it and blew out the candle. 

252
00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:03,200
Exactly. 
Holmes, Austin. 

253
00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:06,800
No further question and Barco 
with a deliberate look from one 

254
00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,200
to the other of us which had as 
it seemed to me something of 

255
00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,900
defiance in it turned and left 
the room. 

256
00:15:14,300 --> 00:15:17,300
Inspector MacDonald have sent up
a note to the effect that he 

257
00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:20,600
would wait upon mrs. 
Douglas in her room but she had 

258
00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,800
replied that she would meet us 
in the dining room. 

259
00:15:23,500 --> 00:15:27,200
She entered now at all and 
beautiful woman of thirty 

260
00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,700
reserved and self-possessed to a
remarkable degree. 

261
00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:34,100
Very Aunt from the tragic and 
distracted figure. 

262
00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:37,300
I had pictured. 
It is true that her face was 

263
00:15:37,300 --> 00:15:40,500
pale and drawn like that, with 
one who had enjoyed a great 

264
00:15:40,500 --> 00:15:44,600
shock but her manner was 
composed and the finely molded 

265
00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:48,500
hand, which she rested upon the 
edge of the table was as steady 

266
00:15:48,500 --> 00:15:51,600
as my own. 
Her sad, appealing eyes 

267
00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,500
travelled from one to the other 
of us with a curiously 

268
00:15:54,500 --> 00:15:58,500
inquisitive expression. 
That questioning gaze 

269
00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,000
transformed itself suddenly into
abrupt speech. 

270
00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,800
Have you found anything out yet?
She asked. 

271
00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,900
Was it my imagination that there
was an undertone of fear, rather

272
00:16:09,900 --> 00:16:14,400
than of Hope in the question, we
have taken every possible step. 

273
00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,400
Mrs. Douglas said the inspector,
you may rest assured that 

274
00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:23,400
nothing will be neglected spare 
no money she said in a dead even

275
00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:26,400
tone. 
It is my desire that every 

276
00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,000
possible effort should be made. 
Perhaps you can tell us 

277
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:34,100
something which may throw some 
light upon the matter, I fear 

278
00:16:34,100 --> 00:16:36,800
not but all I know. 
Is that your service? 

279
00:16:37,900 --> 00:16:40,700
We've heard from mr. 
Cecil Barker, you did not 

280
00:16:40,700 --> 00:16:44,700
actually see the UN ever in the 
room where the tragedy occurred.

281
00:16:45,700 --> 00:16:48,100
No, he turned me back upon the 
stairs. 

282
00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:53,200
He begged me to return to my 
room, quite so you heard the 

283
00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:58,100
shot and yet at once, come down,
I put on my dressing gown and 

284
00:16:58,100 --> 00:17:02,100
then came down, how long was it 
after hearing the shot that you 

285
00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:04,099
were stopped on the stair by mr.
Barker. 

286
00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:09,000
It may have been a couple of 
minutes, it is so hard to reckon

287
00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:12,500
time at such a moment. 
He implored me not to go on. 

288
00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:14,800
He assured me that, I could do 
nothing. 

289
00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:18,700
Then mrs. 
Allen the housekeeper, led me 

290
00:17:18,700 --> 00:17:21,700
upstairs again. 
It was all like some Dreadful 

291
00:17:21,700 --> 00:17:24,900
dream. 
Can you give us any idea how 

292
00:17:24,900 --> 00:17:27,400
long your husband have been 
downstairs before you heard the 

293
00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:31,500
shot? 
No, I cannot say he went from 

294
00:17:31,500 --> 00:17:34,400
his dressing room and I did not 
hear him go. 

295
00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,900
He did the round of the house 
every night for he was nervous a

296
00:17:37,908 --> 00:17:40,400
fire. 
It is the only thing that I've 

297
00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,700
ever known him nervous of That 
is just the point, which I want 

298
00:17:44,700 --> 00:17:47,200
to come to mrs. 
Douglas, you have known your 

299
00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,400
husband only in England. 
Have you not? 

300
00:17:50,300 --> 00:17:52,400
Yes. 
We have been married five years.

301
00:17:53,300 --> 00:17:54,700
Have you heard him speak of 
anything? 

302
00:17:54,700 --> 00:17:57,800
Which occurred in America and 
might bring some danger upon 

303
00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,300
him? 
This is Douglas thought 

304
00:18:00,300 --> 00:18:03,900
earnestly before she answered. 
Yes. 

305
00:18:04,100 --> 00:18:08,700
She said at last, I have always 
felt that there was a danger 

306
00:18:08,700 --> 00:18:11,800
hanging over him. 
He refused to discuss it with 

307
00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,600
me. 
It was not from want of 

308
00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:16,800
confidence in me. 
There was the most complete love

309
00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,900
and confidence between us, but 
it was out of his desire to keep

310
00:18:20,900 --> 00:18:24,200
all alarm away from me. 
He thought I should brood over 

311
00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,300
it if I knew all. 
And so he was silent. 

312
00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:32,700
How did you know it then? 
Mrs. Douglas face lit with a 

313
00:18:32,708 --> 00:18:36,800
quick smile. 
Can a husband ever carry about a

314
00:18:36,808 --> 00:18:39,800
secret, all his life? 
And a woman who loves him have 

315
00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:43,600
no suspicion of it. 
I knew it by his refusal to talk

316
00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,800
about some episodes in his 
American life, I knew it by 

317
00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,100
certain precautions. 
He tuck I knew it by certain 

318
00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:55,000
words, he let fall I knew it. 
By the way he looked at 

319
00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,400
unexpected strangers, I was 
perfectly certain that he had 

320
00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,100
some powerful enemies and he 
believed they were on his track 

321
00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:05,700
and that he was always on. 
Guard against them. 

322
00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,300
I was so sure of it that for 
years I have been terrified if 

323
00:19:10,300 --> 00:19:12,800
ever he came home later than was
expected. 

324
00:19:14,100 --> 00:19:18,800
Might I ask asked Holmes what 
the words were which attracted 

325
00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:23,300
your attention. 
The valley of fear, the lady 

326
00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:25,900
answered. 
That was an expression. 

327
00:19:25,900 --> 00:19:29,800
He had used, when I questioned 
him, I have been in the valley 

328
00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,600
of fear. 
I am not out of it, yet. 

329
00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:35,800
Are we never to get out of the 
valley of fear? 

330
00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,600
I have asked him when I've seen 
him more serious than usual? 

331
00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,800
Sometimes, I think that we never
shall, he has answered. 

332
00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,300
Shirley asked him what he meant 
by the valley of fear. 

333
00:19:49,300 --> 00:19:53,400
I did, but his face would become
very grave and he would shake 

334
00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,700
his head. 
It is bad enough. 

335
00:19:55,700 --> 00:19:57,500
That one of us should have been 
in its shadow. 

336
00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:02,600
He said, please God, it shall 
never fall upon you to some real

337
00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,500
Valley in which he had lived and
in which something terrible had 

338
00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:09,600
occurred to him of that, I'm 
certain, but I can tell you no 

339
00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,700
more, And he never mentioned any
names. 

340
00:20:14,700 --> 00:20:18,700
Yes, he was delirious with fever
once when he had his hunting 

341
00:20:18,700 --> 00:20:22,900
accident three years ago. 
Then I remember that there was a

342
00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:25,500
name that came continually to 
his lips. 

343
00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:30,700
He spoke it with anger and a 
sort of a horror McGinty was the

344
00:20:30,708 --> 00:20:35,600
name bodymaster McGinty I asked 
him when he recovered who 

345
00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,200
bodymaster McGinty was and whose
body? 

346
00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,800
He was Master of never of mind. 
Thank God. 

347
00:20:42,100 --> 00:20:45,000
He answered with a laugh. 
And that was all I could get 

348
00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:48,400
from him, but there is a 
connection between bodymaster 

349
00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:54,200
McGinty and the valley of fear. 
There is one other point said, 

350
00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,900
inspector MacDonald, you met mr.
Douglas in a boarding house in 

351
00:20:57,900 --> 00:21:00,800
London. 
Did you not and became engaged 

352
00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,400
in there? 
Was there any romance anything 

353
00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,400
secret or mysterious about the 
wedding? 

354
00:21:06,700 --> 00:21:09,700
There was romance, there is 
always romance. 

355
00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,900
There was nothing mysterious. 
He had no rival. 

356
00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:19,400
No, I was quite free. 
You have heard no doubt that his

357
00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:22,700
wedding ring has been taken. 
Does that suggest anything to 

358
00:21:22,700 --> 00:21:25,500
you suppose? 
That some enemy is old life? 

359
00:21:25,500 --> 00:21:27,900
Attracting down and committed 
his crime. 

360
00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,100
What possible reason could you 
have for taking his wedding 

361
00:21:31,100 --> 00:21:34,000
ring? 
For an instant, I could have 

362
00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:38,000
sworn that the faintest shadow 
of a smile flickered over the 

363
00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,800
woman's lips. 
I really can't tell she 

364
00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,100
answered. 
It is certainly a most 

365
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:48,100
extraordinary thing. 
Well will not detain, you any 

366
00:21:48,100 --> 00:21:51,100
longer and we're sorry to have 
put you to this trouble at such 

367
00:21:51,100 --> 00:21:54,200
a time. 
So the inspector, there are some

368
00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,800
other points no doubt but we can
refer to you as they arise. 

369
00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:01,400
She arose. 
And I was, again, conscious of 

370
00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,500
that quick, questioning glance 
with, which she had, just 

371
00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:08,200
surveyed us. 
What impression has my evidence 

372
00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,200
made upon you? 
The question might as well have 

373
00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:15,100
been spoken then with a bow she 
swept from the room. 

374
00:22:16,700 --> 00:22:20,900
She's a beautiful woman. 
A very beautiful woman, said, 

375
00:22:20,900 --> 00:22:24,000
McDonald thoughtfully after the 
door had closed behind her. 

376
00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:28,000
This man Barca has certainly 
been down here, a good deal. 

377
00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:30,600
He's a man who might be 
attractive to a woman. 

378
00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:34,800
He admits that, the dead man was
jealous, and maybe he knew best 

379
00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:36,900
himself, what cause he had for 
jealousy. 

380
00:22:37,700 --> 00:22:41,800
Then there's that wedding ring. 
You can't get past that the man 

381
00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:43,800
who tears a wedding ring off a 
dead man's. 

382
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:48,000
What do you say to that, mr. 
Holmes My friend had sat with 

383
00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:53,000
his head upon his hands sunk in 
the deepest thought now Heroes 

384
00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,000
and rang the bell. 
Eames. 

385
00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,300
He said when the butler entered.
Where is mr. 

386
00:22:59,300 --> 00:23:02,800
Cecil Barker? 
Now all-seater. 

387
00:23:04,100 --> 00:23:06,900
He came back in a moment to say 
that Barca was in the garden. 

388
00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,100
Can you remember Ames what? 
Mr. Barker had on his feet last 

389
00:23:12,100 --> 00:23:13,900
night when they joined him in 
the study? 

390
00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:15,800
Yes mr. 
Holmes. 

391
00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:19,300
He had a pair of bedroom 
slippers are brought in his 

392
00:23:19,300 --> 00:23:21,000
boots when he went for the 
police. 

393
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:26,600
Where are the slippers now? 
They're still under the chair 

394
00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:27,000
in. 
No. 

395
00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:31,800
All Very good Ames. 
It is of course, important for 

396
00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:33,700
us to know which tracks maybe 
mr. 

397
00:23:33,700 --> 00:23:37,800
Barker's. 
And which from outside is, Sir 

398
00:23:38,300 --> 00:23:41,500
are my say that I know is that 
the slippers were stained with 

399
00:23:41,500 --> 00:23:45,600
blood. 
So indeed were my own, that is 

400
00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,400
natural enough considering the 
condition of the room, very 

401
00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,700
good. 
Ames, we will ring if we want 

402
00:23:51,700 --> 00:23:54,900
you. 
A few minutes later, we were in 

403
00:23:54,900 --> 00:23:58,500
the study, Holmes had brought 
with him, the carpet slippers 

404
00:23:58,500 --> 00:24:01,500
from the hall, as Ames had 
observed. 

405
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:03,800
The soles of both were dark with
blood. 

406
00:24:04,900 --> 00:24:08,700
Strange moment Holmes as he 
stood in the light of the window

407
00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:14,900
and examined the minutely. 
Very strange indeed stooping 

408
00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:18,600
with one of his quick feline 
pounces he placed a slipper up 

409
00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:22,300
on the blood mark on the sill it
exactly correspond. 

410
00:24:26,300 --> 00:24:28,900
The inspector was transfigured 
with excitement. 

411
00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,700
His native accent rattled like a
stick upon railings, man. 

412
00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:36,300
He cried. 
There's not a doubt of it. 

413
00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:40,600
Barker has just marked a window 
himself as a good deal. 

414
00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,000
Broader than any boot, Mark, I 
mind. 

415
00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:47,100
You said it was a split foot and
here's the explanation but 

416
00:24:47,100 --> 00:24:50,000
what's the game is Stones? 
What's the game? 

417
00:24:51,100 --> 00:24:53,100
Hi. 
What's the game? 

418
00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:57,600
My friend repeated thoughtfully,
white Mason chuckled and rubbed 

419
00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,800
his fat hands together in his 
professional satisfaction. 

420
00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:06,600
I said it was a snorter. 
He cried and a real snorter it 

421
00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:10,000
is End of chapter 5. 
End of chapter 5.

