”Inthefirstplace，”saidHolmes，”Ishouldlikeyoutoofferareward——comingfromyourself，fortheofficialsmaytakealittletimebeforetheywouldagreeuponthesum，andthesethingscannotbedonetoopromptly。Ihavejotteddowntheformhere，ifyouwouldnotmindsigningit。Fiftypoundwasquiteenough，Ithought。””Iwouldwillinglygivefivehundred，”saidtheJ。P。，takingtheslipofpaperandthepencilwhichHolmeshandedtohim。”Thisisnotquitecorrect，however，”headded，glancingoverthedocument。”Iwroteitratherhurriedly。””Youseeyoubegin，’Whereas，ataboutaquartertooneonTuesdaymorninganattemptwasmade，’andsoon。Itwasataquartertotwelve，asamatteroffact。”
Iwaspainedatthemistake，forIknewhowkeenlyHolmeswouldfeelanyslipofthekind。Itwashisspecialtytobeaccurateastofact，buthisrecentillnesshadshakenhim，andthisonelittleincidentwasenoughtoshowmethathewasstillfarfrombeinghimself。Hewasobviouslyembarrassedforaninstant，whiletheInspectorraisedhiseyebrows，andAlecCunninghamburstintoalaugh。Theoldgentlemancorrectedthemistake，however，andhandedthepaperbacktoHolmes。”Getitprintedassoonaspossible，”hesaid；”I
thinkyourideaisanexcellentone。”
Holmesputtheslipofpapercarefullyawayintohispocket-book。”Andnow，”saidhe，”itreallywouldbeagoodthingthatweshouldallgooverthehousetogetherandmakecertainthatthisrathererraticburglardidnot，afterall，carryanythingawaywithhim。”
Beforeentering，Holmesmadeanexaminationofthedoorwhichhadbeenforced。Itwasevidentthatachiselorstrongknifehadbeenthrustin，andthelockforcedbackwithit。Wecouldseethemarksinthewoodwhereithadbeenpushedin。”Youdon’tusebars，then?”heasked。”Wehaveneverfounditnecessary。””Youdon’tkeepadog?””Yes，butheischainedontheothersideofthehouse。””Whendotheservantsgotobed?””Aboutten。””IunderstandthatWilliamwasusuallyinbedalsoatthathour。””Yes。””Itissingularthatonthisparticularnightheshouldhavebeenup。Now，Ishouldbeverygladifyouwouldhavethekindnesstoshowusoverthehouse，Mr。Cunningham。”