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combination in the three…quarter line and their weakness both in
attack and defence more than neutralized the efforts of a heavy and
hard…working pack。〃
〃Then our friend Overton's forebodings have been justified；〃 said
Holmes。 〃Personally I am in agreement with Dr。 Armstrong； and football
does not come within my horizon。 Early to bed to…night； Watson； for
I foresee that to…morrow may be an eventful day。〃
I was horrified by my first glimpse of Holmes next morning； for he
sat by the fire holding his tiny hypodermic syringe。 I associated that
instrument with the single weakness of his nature； and I feared the
worst when I saw it glittering in his hand。 He laughed at my
expression of dismay and laid it upon the table。
〃No； no； my dear fellow； there is no cause for alarm。 It is not upon
this occasion the instrument of evil； but it will rather prove to be
the key which will unlock our mystery。 On this syringe I base all my
hopes。 I have just returned from a small scouting expedition； and
everything is favourable。 Eat a good breakfast； Watson； for I
propose to get upon Dr。 Armstrong's trail to…day； and once on it I
will not stop for rest or food until I run him to his burrow。〃
〃In that case；〃 said I； 〃we had best carry our breakfast with us；
for he is making an early start。 His carriage is at the door。〃
〃Never mind。 Let him go。 He will be clever if he can drive where I
cannot follow him。 When you have finished； come downstairs with me；
and I will introduce you to a detective who is a very eminent
specialist in the work that lies before us。〃
When we descended I followed Holmes into the stable yard； where he
opened the door of a loose…box and led out a squat； lop…eared；
white…and…tan dog； something between a beagle and a foxhound。
〃Let me introduce you to Pompey；〃 said he。 〃Pompey is the pride of
the local draghounds… no very great flier； as his build will show； but
a staunch hound on a scent。 Well； Pompey； you may not be fast； but I
expect you will be too fast for a couple of middle…aged London
gentlemen； so I will take the liberty of fastening this leather
leash to your collar。 Now； boy； come along； and show what you can do。〃
He led him across to the doctor's door。 The dog sniffed round for an
instant； and then with a shrill whine of excitement started off down
the street； tugging at his leash in his efforts to go faster。 In
half an hour； we were clear of the town and hastening down a country
road。
〃What have you done； Holmes？〃 I asked。
〃A threadbare and venerable device； but useful upon occasion。 I
walked into the doctor's yard this morning； and shot my syringe full
of aniseed over the hind wheel。 A draghound will follow aniseed from
here to John o' Groat's； and our friend； Armstrong； would have to
drive through the Cam before he would shake Pompey off his trail。
Oh； the cunning rascal！ This is how he gave me the slip the other
night。〃
The dog had suddenly turned out of the main road into a
grass…grown lane。 Half a mile farther this opened into another broad
road； and the trail turned hard to the right in the direction of the
town； which we had just quitted。 The road took a sweep to the south of
the town； and continued in the opposite direction to that in which
we started。
〃This detour has been entirely for our benefit； then？〃 said
Holmes。 〃No wonder that my inquiries among those villagers led to
nothing。 The doctor has certainly played the game for all it is worth；
and one would like to know the reason for such elaborate deception。
This should be the village of Trumpington to the right of us。 And；
by Jove！ here is the brougham coming round the corner。 Quick；
Watson… quick； or we are done！〃
He sprang through a gate into a field； dragging the reluctant Pompey
after him。 We had hardly got under the shelter of the hedge when the
carriage rattled past。 I caught a glimpse of Dr。 Armstrong within； his
shoulders bowed； his head sunk on his hands； the very image of
distress。 I could tell by my companion's graver face that he also
had seen。
〃I fear there is some dark ending to our quest；〃 said he。 〃It cannot
be long before we know it。 Come； Pompey！ Ah； it is the cottage in
the field！〃
There could be no doubt that we had reached the end of our
journey。 Pompey ran about and whined eagerly outside the gate； where
the marks of the brougham's wheels were still to be seen。 A footpath
led across to the lonely cottage。 Holmes tied the dog to the hedge；
and we hastened onward。 My friend knocked at the little rustic door；
and knocked again without response。 And yet the cottage was not
deserted； for a low sound came to our ears… a kind of drone of
misery and despair which was indescribably melancholy。 Holmes paused
irresolute； and then he glanced back at the road which he had just
traversed。 A brougham was coming down it； and there could be no
mistaking those gray horses。
〃By Jove； the doctor is coming back！〃 cried Holmes。 〃That settles
it。 We are bound to see what it means before he comes。〃
He opened the door； and we stepped into the hall。 The droning
sound swelled louder upon our ears until it became one long； deep wail
of distress。 It came from upstairs。 Holmes darted up； and I followed
him。 He pushed open a half…closed door； and we both stood appalled
at the sight before us。
A woman； young and beautiful； was lying dead upon the bed。 Her
calm pale face； with dim； wide…opened blue eyes； looked upward from
amid a great tangle of golden hair。 At the foot of the bed； half
sitting； half kneeling； his face buried in the clothes； was a young
man； whose frame was racked by his sobs。 So absorbed was he by his
bitter grief； that he never looked up until Holmes's hand was on his
shoulder。
〃Are you Mr。 Godfrey Staunton？〃
〃Yes； yes； I am… but you are too late。 She is dead。〃
The man was so dazed that he could not be made to understand that we
were anything but doctors who had been sent to his assistance。
Holmes was endeavouring to utter a few words of consolation and to
explain the alarm which had been caused to his friends by his sudden
disappearance when there was a step upon the stairs； and there was the
heavy； stern； questioning face of Dr。 Armstrong at the door。
〃So； gentlemen；〃 said he； 〃you have attained your end and have
certainly chosen a particularly delicate moment for your intrusion。
I would not brawl in the presence of death； but I can assure you
that if I were a younger man your monstrous conduct would not pass
with impunity。〃
〃Excuse me； Dr。 Armstrong； I think we are a little at
cross…purposes；〃 said my friend； with dignity。 〃If you could step
downstairs with us； we may each be able to give some light to the
other upon this miserable affair。〃
A minute later； the grim doctor and ourselves were in the
sitting…room below。
〃Well； sir？〃 said he。
〃I wish you to understand； in the first place； that I am not
employed by Lord Mount…James； and that my sympathies in this matter
are entirely against that nobleman。 When a man is lost it is my duty
to ascertain his fate； but having do