”AboutaquarterofamilefromthestablesJohnStraker’sovercoatwasflappingfromafurze-bush。Immediatelybeyondtherewasabowl-shapeddepressioninthemoor，andatthebottomofthiswasfoundthedeadbodyoftheunfortunatetrainer。Hisheadhadbeenshatteredbyasavageblowfromsomeheavyweapon，andhewaswoundedonthethigh，wheretherewasalong，cleancut，inflictedevidentlybysomeverysharpinstrument。Itwasclear，however，thatStrakerhaddefendedhimselfvigorouslyagainsthisassailants，forinhisrighthandheheldasmallknife，whichwasclottedwithblooduptothehandle，whileinhisleftheclaspedaredandblacksilkcravat，whichwasrecognizedbythemaidashavingbeenwornontheprecedingeveningbythestrangerwhohadvisitedthestables。Hunter，onrecoveringfromhisstupor，wasalsoquitepositiveastotheownershipofthecravat。Hewasequallycertainthatthesamestrangerhad，whilestandingatthewindow，druggedhiscurriedmutton，andsodeprivedthestablesoftheirwatchman。Astothemissinghorse，therewereabundantproofsinthemudwhichlayatthebottomofthefatalhollowthathehadbeenthereatthetimeofthestruggle。Butfromthatmorninghehasdisappeared，andalthoughalargerewardhasbeenoffered，andallthegypsiesofDartmoorareonthealert，nonewshascomeofhim。Finally，ananalysishasshownthattheremainsofhissupperleftbythestable-ladcontainanappreciablequantityofpowderedopium，whilethepeopleatthehousepartookofthesamedishonthesamenightwithoutanyilleffect。”Thosearethemainfactsofthecase，strippedofallsurmise，andstatedasbaldlyaspossible。Ishallnowrecapitulatewhatthepolicehavedoneinthematter。”InspectorGregory，towhomthecasehasbeencommitted，isanextremelycompetentofficer。Werehebutgiftedwithimaginationhemightrisetogreatheightsinhisprofession。Onhisarrivalhepromptlyfoundandarrestedthemanuponwhomsuspicionnaturallyrested。Therewaslittledifficultyinfindinghim，forheinhabitedoneofthosevillaswhichIhavementioned。Hisname，itappears，wasFitzroySimpson。Hewasamanofexcellentbirthandeducation，whohadsquanderedafortuneupontheturf，andwholivednowbydoingalittlequietandgenteelbook-makinginthesportingclubsofLondon。Anexaminationofhisbetting-bookshowsthatbetstotheamountoffivethousandpoundshadbeenregisteredbyhimagainstthefavorite。OnbeingarrestedhevolunteeredthatstatementthathehadcomedowntoDartmoorinthehopeofgettingsomeinformationabouttheKing’sPylandhorses，andalsoaboutDesborough，thesecondfavorite，whichwasinchargeofSilasBrownattheMapletonstables。Hedidnotattempttodenythathehadactedasdescribedupontheeveningbefore，butdeclaredthathehadnosinisterdesigns，andhadsimplywishedtoobtainfirst-handinformation。Whenconfrontedwithhiscravat，heturnedverypale，andwasutterlyunabletoaccountforitspresenceinthehandofthemurderedman。Hiswetclothingshowedthathehadbeenoutinthestormofthenightbefore，andhisstick，whichwasaPenang-lawyerweightedwithlead，wasjustsuchaweaponasmight，byrepeatedblows，haveinflictedtheterribleinjuriestowhichthetrainerhadsuccumbed。
Ontheotherhand，therewasnowounduponhisperson，whilethestateofStraker’sknifewouldshowthatoneatleastofhisassailantsmustbearhismarkuponhim。Thereyouhaveitallinanutshell，Watson，andifyoucangivemeanylightIshallbeinfinitelyobligedtoyou。”
IhadlistenedwiththegreatestinteresttothestatementwhichHolmes，withcharacteristicclearness，hadlaidbeforeme。Thoughmostofthefactswerefamiliartome，Ihadnotsufficientlyappreciatedtheirrelativeimportance，northeirconnectiontoeachother。”Isinnotpossible，”Isuggested，”thattheincisedwoulduponStrakermayhavebeencausedbyhisownknifeintheconvulsivestruggleswhichfollowanybraininjury?””Itismorethanpossible；itisprobable，”saidHolmes。”Inthatcaseoneofthemainpointsinfavoroftheaccuseddisappears。””Andyet，”saidI，”evennowIfailtounderstandwhatthetheoryofthepolicecanbe。””Iamafraidthatwhatevertheorywestatehasverygraveobjectionstoit，”returnedmycompanion。”Thepoliceimagine，Itakeit，thatthisFitzroySimpson，havingdruggedthelad，andhavinginsomewayobtainedaduplicatekey，openedthestabledoorandtookoutthehorse，withtheintention，apparently，ofkidnappinghimaltogether。Hisbridleismissing，sothatSimpsonmusthaveputthison。Then，havingleftthedooropenbehindhim，hewasleadingthehorseawayoverthemoor，whenhewaseithermetorovertakenbythetrainer。Arownaturallyensued。
Simpsonbeatoutthetrainer’sbrainswithhisheavystickwithoutreceivinganyinjuryfromthesmallknifewhichStrakerusedinself-defence，andthenthethiefeitherledthehorseontosomesecrethiding-place，orelseitmayhaveboltedduringthestruggle，andbenowwanderingoutonthemoors。Thatisthecaseasitappearstothepolice，andimprobableasitis，allotherexplanationsaremoreimprobablestill。However，IshallveryquicklytestthematterwhenIamonceuponthespot，anduntilthenIcannotreallyseehowwecangetmuchfurtherthanourpresentposition。”
ItwaseveningbeforewereachedthelittletownofTavistock，whichlies，likethebossofashield，inthemiddleofthehugecircleofDartmoor。Twogentlemenwereawaitingusinthestation——theoneatall，fairmanwithlion-likehairandbeardandcuriouslypenetratinglightblueeyes；theotherasmall，alertperson，veryneatanddapper，inafrock-coatandgaiters，withtrimlittleside-whiskersandaneye-glass。ThelatterwasColonelRoss，thewell-knownsportsman；theother，InspectorGregory，amanwhowasrapidlymakinghisnameintheEnglishdetectiveservice。”Iamdelightedthatyouhavecomedown，Mr。Holmes，”