Chapter 4 of the valley of fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
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Chapter 4, Darkness. At three in the morning, the
chief Sussex, detective obeying, the urgent call from Sergeant
Wilson of belston, arrived from headquarters in a light dog.
Cart behind a breathless Trotter by the 540 train in the morning.
He had sent his message to Scotland Yard and he was at the
birlstone station at 12:00 to welcome us.
White Mason was a quiet comfortable.
Looking person in a loose, Tweed suit with a clean.
Shaved ruddy-faced a stoutish body and Full Bandy legs.
Adorned with gators, looking like a small farmer, a retired
gamekeeper or anything upon earth, except a very favorable
specimen of the provincial criminal officer A real
downright snorter, mr. McDonald.
He kept repeating, will have the Pressman down like flies when
they understand it. I'm hoping we'll get our work
done before they get poking their noses into it and messing
up all the trails. There's been nothing like this
that I can remember. There are some bits that will
come home to you. Mr. Holmes or I'm mistaken and
you also dr. Watson for the medicos will have
a word to say before we finish your room, is that the Westville
arms. There's no other place but I
hear that it is clean and good. The man will carry your bags
this way. Gentlemen, if you please, he was
a very bustling and genial person.
This Sussex detective in 10 minutes.
We had all found our quarters in ten more.
We were seated in The Parlor of the in and being treated to a
rapid sketch of those events, which have been outlined in the
previous chapter McDonald, made an occasional note.
While Holmes, set absorbed with the expression of surprised and
reverent admiration, with which the botanist surveys, the red.
Rare and precious Bloom remarkable.
He said, when the story was unfolded, most remarkable I can
hardly recall any case where the features have been more
peculiar. I thought you would say, so, mr.
Holmes, said, white Mason in great Delight.
We are well, up with the times in Sussex, I've told you now,
how matters were up to the time when I took over from Sergeant
Wilson between 3:00 and 4:00 this morning.
My word. I met the old mayor go.
Oh but I need not have been in such a hurry as it turned out
for there was nothing immediate that I could do, Sergeant Wilson
had all the facts, I checked them and consider them and maybe
added a few of my own. What were they asked Holmes?
Eagerly. Well, I first had the hammer
examined and there was dr. Wood there to help me we found
no signs of violence upon it. I was hoping that if mr.
Douglas defended himself with the hammer, he might have left
his Mark upon the murderer before he dropped it on the mat
but there was no stain. That of course bruised.
Nothing at all, remarked inspector MacDonald, there has
been a many, a hammer murder and no trace on the hammer.
Quite so it doesn't prove, it wasn't used, but the might have
been stains and that would have helped us.
As a matter of fact, there were none, then I examined the gun.
They were Buckshot cartridges. And as sergeant Wilson pointed
out, the triggers were wired together.
So that if you pulled on the hind a one, both barrels were
discharged, whoever fixed that up, had made up his mind that he
was going to take no chances of missing.
His man, the sword gun. Not more than two feet long one
could carry it easily under ones coat.
There was no complete makers name but the printed letters P
een, we're on the fluting between the barrels and the rest
of the name. Had been cut off by the saw a
big p with a flourish above it. He and ends smaller asked,
Holmes, exactly Pennsylvania. Small Arms Company, well-known
American firm said Holmes, White Mason gaze to my friend, as the
little village practitioner looks at the Harley Street
Specialists, who by a word, can solve the difficulties that
perplex him. That is very helpful.
Mr. Holmes. No doubt.
You're right. Wonderful.
You carry the names of all the
gun makers in the world in your memory ohms dismiss the subject
with a wave? No doubt.
It is an American shotgun white. Mason continued, I seem to have
read that, a sawed-off shotgun is a weapon used in some parts
of America apart from the name upon the barrel.
The idea had occurred to me there is some evidence then but
this Who entered the house and killed.
Its master was an American McDonald shook his head man.
You're surely traveling over fast said he?
I've heard no evidence yet that any stranger was ever in the
house at all the open window? The blood on the sill, the queer
card, the marks of boots in the corner, the gun nothing there
that could have been arranged mr.
Douglas was an American know I'd lived long in America so at mr.
Barker. You don't need to import an
American from outside in order to account for American doings.
Ames the butler. What about him is he reliable?
10 years with such as Chandos? Solid as a rock.
He's been with Douglas ever since he tucked the manor house.
Five years ago, he's never seen a gun of this sort in the house.
The gun was made to conceal. That's way.
The barrels were sawed. It would fit into any box.
How could he swear there was no such gun in the house?
Well, anyhow. He had never seen one McDonald
shook. His obstinate Scotch head.
I'm not convinced yet that there was ever anyone in the house.
Said he, I'm asking you to consider his accent became more
of Adonia as he lost himself in his argument.
I'm asking you to consider what it involves if you suppose that
his gun as ever brought into the house at all these strange
things were done by a person from outside.
Oh man it's just inconceivable, it's clean against Common Sense.
I'll put it to you mr. Holmes judging it by what we've
heard. Well, State your case mr.
Mack said Holmes, in his most judicial style, the man is not a
burglar. Supposing that he ever existed
their own business and the card point to premeditated murder for
some private reason. Very good.
Here's a man who slips into a house with the deliberate
intention of committing murder. He knows if he knows anything
that you'll have a difficulty in making his Escape as the house
is surrounded with water, what weapon would D choose you see
the more silent in the world then he would hope when the deed
was done to slip quickly from the window to Wade the moat and
to get away at his leisure. That's understandable.
But is it understandable that he should go out of his way to
bring with him the most noisy weapon?
He could select knowing, well, that it will fetch every human
being in the house to the spot as quick as he could run and
that it is All Odds that he will be seen.
Before it can go across. The moat is that credible, mr.
Holmes. Well you put the case strongly,
my friend replied thoughtfully, it certainly needs a good deal
of justification. May I ask mr.
White Mason whether you examined the father side of the moat at
once to see if there were any signs of a man having climbed
out from the water. There were no signs.
Mr. Holmes, but it is a stone ledge and one could hardly
expect them no tracks or marks. None ha.
There be any objection mr. White Mason to are going down to
the house at once. There may possibly be some small
point to which might be suggestive.
I was going to propose it. Mr. Holmes.
But I thought it well to put you in touch with all the facts
before we go. I suppose, if anything should
strike you white Mason looked doubtfully at the amateur.
I have worked with mr. Holmes before said inspector
MacDonald, he plays the game My Own idea of the game at any rate
said Holmes with a smile I go into a case to help the ends of
justice and the work of the police.
If I've ever separated myself from the official force, it is
because they have first separated themselves from me.
I have no wish ever to score at their expense at the same time,
mr. White Mason.
Playing the right to work in my own way and give my results at
my own time, complete rather than in stages.
I'm sure we are honored by your presence and to show you all.
We know said white Mason cordially.
Come along dr. Watson.
And, when the time comes, we'll all hope for a place in your
book. We walked down the quaint
Village Street, with a row of Pollard Elms on each side of it,
just beyond were to ancient stone pillars, weather-stained
and lichen blotched bearing upon their Summits, a shapeless
something which had once been the rampant Lion of kappas of
birlstone a short walk along the winding drive with such sward
and Oaks around it as one only sees in rural England, then a
sudden turn and the long low Jacobi and House of dingy liver
colored brick lay before us with an old-fashioned Garden of cut
to use on each side of it as we approached it.
There was the wooden drawbridge and the beautiful broad moat as
still and luminous as quicksilver in the cold winter
Sunshine. Three centuries had flowed past
the old manor-house centuries of births and of homecomings of
country dances and of the meetings of fox Hunters.
Strange. That now in its old age, this
dark business should have cast. Its shadow upon the venerable
walls and yet those strange peaked roofs and quaint overhung
Gables. Were A fitting covering to grim
and terrible intrigued? As I looked at the deep-set
windows and the long sweep of the dull colored water lapped
front. I felt that no more fitting seen
could be set for such a tragedy. That's the window.
Said, white Mason that one on the immediate right of the
drawbridge. It's open just as it was found
last night. It looks rather narrow for a man
to pass. Well, it wasn't a fat man
anyhow. We don't need your deductions
mr. Holmes to tell us that but your
I could squeeze through, all right, Holmes walked to the edge
of the moat and looked across, then he examined the stone ledge
and the grass border Beyond it. I've had a good look, mr.
Holmes, said white Mason. There's nothing there no sign
that anyone has landed. But why should he leave any
sign? Exactly.
Why should he is the water? Always turbid.
Generally about this color, the stream brings down the clay.
How deep is it? About two feet at each side and
three in the middle. So we can put aside all idea of
the man having been drowned in Crossing, no, a child.
Could not be drowned in it. We walked across the drawbridge
and were admitted by a quaint gnarled.
Dried up, the person who was the butler, Ames the poor old fellow
was white and quivering from the shock, The Village, Sergeant at
all formal Melancholy Man. Still held his vigil in the Room
of Fate. The doctor had Departed Anything
fresh, Sergeant Wilson asked white Mason.
No sir. Then you can go home.
You've had enough. We can send for you.
If we want you, the Butler had better.
Wait, outside, tell him to warn mr.
Cecil Barker. Mrs. Douglas and the housekeeper
that we may want a word with them.
Presently now, gentlemen, perhaps, you'll allow me to give
you the views. I formed first, and then you'll
be able to arrive at your own. You impressed me this country
specialist, he had a solid group of fact and the cool clear
Common Sense brain, which should take him some way in his
profession, Holmes listened to him intently with no sign of
that impatience, which the official exponent to often
produced? Is it suicide?
Or was it murder? That's our first question
gentlemen. Is it not if it was suicide?
Then we have to believe that this man began by taking off his
wedding ring. NG and concealing it.
That he then came down here in his dressing-gown.
Trampled, mud into a corner behind the curtain in order to
give the idea someone had waited for him.
Open the window put Blood on the we can surely dismiss that said
McDonald so I think suicide is out of the question, then a
murder has been done. What we have to determine is
whether it was done by someone outside or inside the house.
Well, let's hear the argument. There are considerable
difficulties both ways and yet one of the other, it must be, we
will suppose first that some person or persons inside the
house, did the crime. They got this man down here at a
time when everything was still, and yet, no one was asleep.
They then did the deed with the queerest and noisiest weapon in
the world. So, as to tell everyone what had
happened, a weapon that was never seen in the house before.
That does not seem very likely start, does it?
No, it does not. Well, then everyone is agreed
that after the alarm was given only a minute at the most had
passed before the whole household.
Not mr. Cecil Barker alone, though, he
claims to have been the first, but aims and all of them were on
the spot. You tell me that in that time.
The guilty person managed to make footmarks in the corner,
open the window. Mark, the sill with blood taking
a wedding ring off the Dead Man's finger and all the rest of
it. It's impossible.
You put it very clearly said, Holmes, I am inclined to agree
with you. Well, then we are driven back to
the theory that it was done by someone from outside.
We're still faced with some big difficulties, but anyhow, they
have ceased to be impossibilities.
The man got into the house between 4:30 and 6:00 that is to
say, between Dusk. And the time, when the bridge
was raised there have been some visitors and the door was open.
And so there was nothing to prevent him.
He may have been a common burglar or he may have had some
private grudge against mr. Douglas since mr.
Douglas had spent most of his life in America, and this
shotgun seems to be an American weapon.
It would seem that the private grudges.
The more likely theory, he slipped into this room because
it was the first he came to, and he hid behind the curtain.
They remain until 11:30 at night at that time.
Mr. Douglas entered the room, it was a short interview.
If there are any interview at all for mrs.
Douglas declares that her husband had not left her more
than a few minutes when she heard the shot.
The candle shows that said, Holmes exactly where the candle,
which was a new one is not burned more than half an inch.
He must have placed it on the table before he was attacked.
Otherwise, of course, it would have fallen when he fell this
shows that he was not attacked the instant that he entered the
room when mr. Barker arrived, the candle was
lit and the lamp was out. That's all clear enough.
Well now we can reconstruct things on those lines.
Mr. Douglas, enters the room, he puts down the candle.
A man appears from behind the curtain.
He's armed with this gun, he demands the wedding ring, heaven
only knows why but so I must have been mr.
Douglas gave it up, then, either In Cold Blood or in the course
of a struggle, Douglas may have gripped.
The hammer that was found upon the map.
At he shot, Douglas in his horrible way.
He dropped his gun and also would seen this queer card.
VV 340 one, whatever that may mean and he made his Escape
through the window and across the moat.
At the very moment, when Cecil Barker was discovering the
crime. How's that mr.
Holmes. Very interesting.
But just a little unconvincing Man, it will be absolute
nonsense. If it wasn't that anything else
is even worse. Tried McDonald.
Somebody killed the man and whoever it was, I could clearly
prove to you that he should have done it some other way.
What does he mean by allowing his Retreat to be cut off like
that? What does he mean by using a
shotgun when silence was his one chance of Escape come mr.
Holmes, it's up to you to give us a lead since you say mr.
White Mason's theory is unconvincing.
Homes at set intently observant, during this long discussion
missing no word that was said with his Keen eyes darting to
right? And to left and his forehead
wrinkled with speculation. I should like a few more facts
before I get so far as a theory, mr.
Mack said, he kneeling down beside the body, dear me.
These injuries are really appalling.
Can we have the butler in for a moment?
Eames, I understand that. You have often seen this very
unusual. Mark.
A branded triangle. Inside a circle upon mr.
Douglas is forearm frequently sir.
You never heard any speculation as to what it meant.
No sir, it must have caused Great pain when it was
inflicted, it is undoubtedly a burn.
Now I observe aims there is a small piece of plaster at the
angle of mr. Douglas is jaw.
Did You observe that in life is Sir.
He cut himself in shaving yesterday morning.
Did you ever know him to cut himself in shaving before not
for a very long time? Sir suggestive said Holmes it
may of course be a mere coincidence or it may point to
some nervousness which would indicate that he had reason to
apprehend danger. Had you noticed anything unusual
in his conduct yesterday? Aims it struck me sir, that you
was a little restless and excited to her.
Ha, the attack may not have been entirely unexpected.
We do seem to make a little progress.
Do we not perhaps you would rather do the questioning?
Mr. Mack almost ohms, so in better hands than mine.
Well, then we will pass to this card VV 340 one.
It is rough cardboard? Have you?
Any of the sort in this house, or you don't think so?
Holmes walked across to the desk and dabbed a little ink from
each bottle onto the blotting paper.
It was not printed in this room. He said this is Black Ink and
the other purplish it was done by a thick pen and these are
fine. No it was done elsewhere.
My should say can you make anything of the inscription
Eames? No, sir.
Nothing. What do you think?
Mr. Mack It gives me the impression of a secret society
of some sort the same with us badge upon the forearm.
That's my idea to said white Mason Well, we can adopt it as a
working hypothesis and then see how far our difficulties
disappear, an agent from such a society makes his way into the
house waits for mr. Douglas, blows his head nearly
off with his weapon and escapes by wading the moat.
After leaving a card beside the dead man, which will when
mentioned in the papers. Tell other members of the
society that Vengeance has been done that all hangs together.
But why this gun of all weapons exactly and why the missing ring
quite so, and why no arrests? It's past to now, I take it for
granted that since Dawn, every Constable within 40 miles has
been looking out for a wet stranger.
That is so, mr. Holmes.
Well, unless he has a burrow close by or a change of clothes
ready, they can hardly miss him. And yet, they have missed him up
to now. Homes are gone to the window and
was examining with his lens, the blood mark on the sill.
It is clearly the tread of a shoe, it is remarkably broad a
splay foot. One would say curious because so
far as one can trace any foot Mark in this mud-stained corner,
one would say it was a more shapely Soul.
However, they're certainly very indistinct, what's this?
Under the side table. Mr. Douglas dumbbells.
So Dame's dumbbell. There's only one.
Where's the other? I don't know.
Mr. Holmes there may have been only one.
I've not noticed some four months, one dumbbell Homestead
seriously. But his remarks were interrupted
by a sharp, knock at the door. At all sunburned capable looking
clean, shaved man, look tinnitus.
I had no difficulty in guessing that it was the Cecil Barker of
whom I had heard his master of Lies, traveled quickly, with a
questioning glance from face-to-face.
Sorry to interrupt your consultation said he but you
should hear the latest news. An arrest, no, such luck, but
they found his bicycle. The fellow left, his bicycle
behind him, come and have a look.
It is within 100 yards of the hall door.
We found three or four Grooms and idlers standing in the drive
inspecting, a bicycle, which had been drawn out from a clump of
Evergreens in which it had been concealed.
It was a well-used rudge wit with splashed.
As from a considerable Journey, there is a saddle bag with a
spanner and oil can, but no clue as to the owner.
It would be a grand help to the police said the inspector if
these things were numbered and registered but we must be
thankful for what we've got. If we can't find where he went
to at least, we're likely to get to where he came from.
But what in the name of all that is wonderful.
Made the fellow leave it behind and how in the world is he got
away without it? We don't seem to get a gleam of
light in the case mr. Holmes.
Don't we my friend answered thoughtfully.
I wonder. End of chapter 4.