Chapter12.

DeathontheMoor

ForamomentortwoIsatbreathless,hardlyabletobelievemyears.Thenmysensesandmyvoicecamebacktome,whileacrushingweightofresponsibilityseemedinaninstanttobeliftedfrommysoul.Thatcold,incisive,ironicalvoicecouldbelongtobutonemaninalltheworld.“Holmes!”Icried—“Holmes!”“Comeout,”saidhe,“andpleasebecarefulwiththerevolver.”Istoopedundertherudelintel,andtherehesatuponastoneoutside,hisgreyeyesdancingwithamusementastheyfelluponmyastonishedfeatures.Hewasthinandworn,butclearandalert,hiskeenfacebronzedbythesunandroughenedbythewind.Inhistweedsuitandclothcaphelookedlikeanyothertouristuponthemoor,andhehadcontrived,withthatcatlikeloveofpersonalcleanlinesswhichwasoneofhischaracteristics,thathischinshouldbeassmoothandhislinenasperfectasifhewereinBakerStreet.“Ineverwasmoregladtoseeanyoneinmylife,”saidIasIwrunghimbythehand.“Ormoreastonished,eh?”“Well,Imustconfesstoit.”“Thesurprisewasnotallononeside,Iassureyou.Ihadnoideathatyouhadfoundmyoccasionalretreat,stilllessthatyouwereinsideit,untilIwaswithintwentypacesofthedoor.”“Myfootprint,Ipresume?”“No,Watson,IfearthatIcouldnotundertaketorecognizeyourfootprintamidallthefootprintsoftheworld.Ifyouseriouslydesiretodeceivemeyoumustchangeyourtobacconist;forwhenIseethestubofacigarettemarkedBradley,OxfordStreet,IknowthatmyfriendWatsonisintheneighbourhood.Youwillseeittherebesidethepath.Youthrewitdown,nodoubt,atthatsuprememomentwhenyouchargedintotheemptyhut.”“Exactly.”“Ithoughtasmuch—andknowingyouradmirabletenacityIwasconvincedthatyouweresittinginambush,aweaponwithinreach,waitingforthetenanttoreturn.SoyouactuallythoughtthatIwasthecriminal?”“Ididnotknowwhoyouwere,butIwasdeterminedtofindout.”“Excellent,Watson!Andhowdidyoulocaliseme?Yousawme,perhaps,onthenightoftheconvicthunt,whenIwassoimprudentastoallowthemoontorisebehindme?”“Yes,Isawyouthen.”“Andhavenodoubtsearchedallthehutsuntilyoucametothisone?”“No,yourboyhadbeenobserved,andthatgavemeaguidewheretolook.”“Theoldgentlemanwiththetelescope,nodoubt.IcouldnotmakeitoutwhenfirstIsawthelightflashinguponthelens.”Heroseandpeepedintothehut.“Ha,IseethatCartwrighthasbroughtupsomesupplies.What’sthispaper?SoyouhavebeentoCoombeTracey,haveyou?”“Yes.”“ToseeMrs.LauraLyons?”“Exactly.”“Welldone!Ourresearcheshaveevidentlybeenrunningonparallellines,andwhenweuniteourresultsIexpectweshallhaveafairlyfullknowledgeofthecase.”“Well,Iamgladfrommyheartthatyouarehere,forindeedtheresponsibilityandthemysterywerebothbe


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