Holmesleanedbackinthecarriage，andtheconversationceased。Afewminuteslaterourdriverpulledupataneatlittlered-brickvillawithoverhangingeaveswhichstoodbytheroad。Somedistanceoff，acrossapaddock，layalonggray-tiledout-building。Ineveryotherdirectionthelowcurvesofthemoor，bronze-coloredfromthefadingferns，stretchedawaytothesky-line，brokenonlybythesteeplesofTavistock，andbyaclusterofhousesawaytothewestwardwhichmarkedtheMapletonstables。WeallsprangoutwiththeexceptionofHolmes，whocontinuedtoleanbackwithhiseyesfixedupontheskyinfrontofhim，entirelyabsorbedinhisownthoughts。ItwasonlywhenItouchedhisarmthatherousedhimselfwithaviolentstartandsteppedoutofthecarriage。”Excuseme，”saidhe，turningtoColonelRoss，whohadlookedathiminsomesurprise。”Iwasday-dreaming。”Therewasagleaminhiseyesandasuppressedexcitementinhismannerwhichconvincedme，usedasIwastohisways，thathishandwasuponaclue，thoughIcouldnotimaginewherehehadfoundit。”Perhapsyouwouldpreferatoncetogoontothesceneofthecrime，Mr。Holmes?”saidGregory。”IthinkthatIshouldprefertostayherealittleandgointooneortwoquestionsofdetail。Strakerwasbroughtbackhere，Ipresume?””Yes；heliesupstairs。Theinquestisto-morrow。””Hehasbeeninyourservicesomeyears，ColonelRoss?””Ihavealwaysfoundhimanexcellentservant。””Ipresumethatyoumadeaninventoryofwhathehadinthispocketsatthetimeofhisdeath，Inspector?””Ihavethethingsthemselvesinthesitting-room，ifyouwouldcaretoseethem。””Ishouldbeveryglad。”WeallfiledintothefrontroomandsatroundthecentraltablewhiletheInspectorunlockedasquaretinboxandlaidasmallheapofthingsbeforeus。Therewasaboxofvestas，twoinchesoftallowcandle，anADPbrier-rootpipe，apouchofseal-skinwithhalfanounceoflong-cutCavendish，asilverwatchwithagoldchain，fivesovereignsingold，analuminumpencil-case，afewpapers，andanivory-handledknifewithaverydelicate，inflexiblebademarkedWeiss&Co。，London。”Thisisaverysingularknife，”saidHolmes，liftingitupandexaminingitminutely。”Ipresume，asIseeblood-stainsuponit，thatitistheonewhichwasfoundinthedeadman’sgrasp。Watson，thisknifeissurelyinyourline?””Itiswhatwecallacataractknife，”saidI。”Ithoughtso。Averydelicatebladedevisedforverydelicatework。Astrangethingforamantocarrywithhimuponaroughexpedition，especiallyasitwouldnotshutinhispocket。””Thetipwasguardedbyadiskofcorkwhichwefoundbesidehisbody，”saidtheInspector。”Hiswifetellsusthattheknifehadlainuponthedressing-table，andthathehadpickeditupashelefttheroom。Itwasapoorweapon，butperhapsthebestthathecouldlayhishandsonatthemoment。””Verypossible。Howaboutthesepapers?””Threeofthemarereceiptedhay-dealers’accounts。
OneofthemisaletterofinstructionsfromColonelRoss。Thisotherisamilliner’saccountforthirty-sevenpoundsfifteenmadeoutbyMadameLesurier，ofBondStreet，toWilliamDerbyshire。Mrs。
StrakertellsusthatDerbyshirewasafriendofherhusband’sandthatoccasionallyhisletterswereaddressedhere。””MadamDerbyshirehadsomewhatexpensivetastes，”
remarkedHolmes，glancingdowntheaccount。”Twenty-twoguineasisratherheavyforasinglecostume。Howeverthereappearstobenothingmoretolearn，andwemaynowgodowntothesceneofthecrime。”
Asweemergedfromthesitting-roomawoman，whohadbeenwaitinginthepassage，tookastepforwardandlaidherhandupontheInspector’ssleeve。Herfacewashaggardandthinandeager，stampedwiththeprintofarecenthorror。”Haveyougotthem?Haveyoufoundthem?”shepanted。”No，Mrs。Straker。ButMr。HolmesherehascomefromLondontohelpus，andweshalldoallthatispossible。””SurelyImetyouinPlymouthatagarden-partysomelittletimeago，Mrs。Straker?”saidHolmes。”No，sir；youaremistaken。””Dearme！Why，Icouldhavesworntoit。Youworeacostumeofdove-coloredsilkwithostrich-feathertrimming。””Ineverhadsuchadress，sir，”answeredthelady。”Ah，thatquitesettlesit，”saidHolmes。AndwithanapologyhefollowedtheInspectoroutside。Ashortwalkacrossthemoortookustothehollowinwhichthebodyhadbeenfound。Atthebrinkofitwasthefurze-bushuponwhichthecoathadbeenhung。”Therewasnowindthatnight，Iunderstand，”saidHolmes。”None；butveryheavyrain。””Inthatcasetheovercoatwasnotblownagainstthefurze-bush，butplacedthere。””Yes，itwaslaidacrossthebush。””Youfillmewithinterest，Iperceivethatthegroundhasbeentrampledupagooddeal。NodoubtmanyfeethavebeenheresinceMondaynight。””Apieceofmattinghasbeenlaidhereattheside，andwehaveallstooduponthat。””Excellent。””InthisbagIhaveoneofthebootswhichStrakerwore，oneofFitzroySimpson’sshoes，andacasthorseshoeofSilverBlaze。””MydearInspector，yousurpassyourself！”Homestookthebag，and，descendingintothehollow，hepushedthemattingintoamorecentralposition。Thenstretchinghimselfuponhisfaceandleaninghischinuponhishands，hemadeacarefulstudyofthetrampledmudinfrontofhim。”Hullo！”saidhe，suddenly。”What’sthis?”Itwasawaxvestahalfburned，whichwassocoatedwithmudthatitlookedatfirstlikealittlechipofwood。”IcannotthinkhowIcametooverlookit，”saidtheInspector，withanexpressionofannoyance。”Itwasinvisible，buriedinthemud。IonlysawitbecauseIwaslookingforit。””What！Youexpectedtofindit?””Ithoughtitnotunlikely。”