Holmestookupthescrapofpaper，afac-simileofwhichisherereproduced。
datquartertotwelvelearnwhatmaybe”Presumingthatitisanappointment，”continuedtheInspector，”itisofcourseaconceivabletheorythatthisWilliamKirwan——thoughhehadthereputationofbeinganhonestman，mayhavebeeninleaguewiththethief。Hemayhavemethimthere，mayevenhavehelpedhimtobreakinthedoor，andthentheymayhavefallenoutbetweenthemselves。””Thiswritingisofextraordinaryinterest，”saidHolmes，whohadbeenexaminingitwithintenseconcentration。”ThesearemuchdeeperwatersthanI
hadthough。”Hesankhisheaduponhishands，whiletheInspectorsmiledattheeffectwhichhiscasehadhaduponthefamousLondonspecialist。”Yourlastremark，”saidHolmes，presently，”astothepossibilityoftherebeinganunderstandingbetweentheburglarandtheservant，andthisbeinganoteofappointmentfromonetotheother，isaningeniousandnotentirelyimpossiblesupposition。Butthiswritingopensup——”Hesankhisheadintohishandsagainandremainedforsomeminutesinthedeepestthought。
Whenheraisedhisfaceagain，Iwassurprisedtoseethathischeekwastingedwithcolor，andhiseyesasbrightasbeforehisillness。Hesprangtohisfeetwithallhisoldenergy。”I’lltellyouwhat，”saidhe，”Ishouldliketohaveaquietlittleglanceintothedetailsofthiscase。
Thereissomethinginitwhichfascinatesmeextremely。Ifyouwillpermitme，Colonel，IwillleavemyfriendWatsonandyou，andIwillsteproundwiththeInspectortotestthetruthofoneortwolittlefanciesofmine。Iwillbewithyouagaininhalfanhour。”