\"OnlyonelittlegleamofhopedidIget——andyetitamountedtonothing。Iexaminedthecontentsofthesafe，mostofwhichhadbeentakenoutandleftonthetable。Thepapershadbeenmadeupintosealedenvelopes，oneortwoofwhichhadbeenopenedbythepolice。Theywerenot，sofarasIcouldjudge，ofanygreatvalue，nordidthebank—bookshowthatMr。Oldacrewasinsuchveryaffluentcircumstances。Butitseemedtomethatallthepaperswerenotthere。Therewereallusionstosomedeeds——possiblythemorevaluable——whichIcouldnotfind。This，ofcourse，ifwecoulddefinitelyproveit，wouldturnLestrade’sargumentagainsthimself，forwhowouldstealathingifheknewthathewouldshortlyinheritit？
\"Finally，havingdrawneveryothercoverandpickedupnoscent，Itriedmyluckwiththehousekeeper。Mrs。Lexingtonishername，alittle，dark，silentperson，withsuspiciousandsidelongeyes。Shecouldtellussomethingifshewould——
Iamconvincedofit。Butshewasascloseaswax。Yes，shehadletMr。McFarlaneinathalf—pastnine。Shewishedherhandhadwitheredbeforeshehaddoneso。Shehadgonetobedathalf—pastten。Herroomwasattheotherendofthehouse，andshecouldhearnothingofwhatpassed。Mr。McFarlanehadlefthishat，andtothebestofherbeliefhisstick，inthehall。
Shehadbeenawakenedbythealarmoffire。Herpoor，dearmasterhadcertainlybeenmurdered。Hadheanyenemies？
Well，everymanhadenemies，butMr。Oldacrekepthimselfverymuchtohimself，andonlymetpeopleinthewayofbusiness。