the criminal investigation has been left in the experienced hands of
Inspector Lestrade； of Scotland Yard； who is following up the clues
with his accustomed energy and sagacity。〃
Sherlock Holmes listened with closed eyes and fingertips together to
this remarkable account。
〃The case has certainly some points of interest；〃 said he； in his
languid fashion。 〃May I ask； in the first place； Mr。 McFarlane； how it
is that you are still at liberty； since there appears to be enough
evidence to justify your arrest？〃
〃I live at Torrington Lodge； Blackheath； with my parents； Mr。
Holmes； but last night； having to do business very late with Mr。 Jonas
Oldacre； I stayed at an hotel in Norwood； and came to my business from
there。 I knew nothing of this affair until I was in the train； when
I read what you have just heard。 I at once saw the horrible danger
of my position； and I hurried to put the case into your hands。 I
have no doubt that I should have been arrested either at my city
office or at my home。 A man followed me from London Bridge Station；
and I have no doubt… Great heaven！ what is that？〃
It was a clang of the bell； followed instantly by heavy steps upon
the stair。 A moment later； our old friend Lestrade appeared in the
doorway。 Over his shoulder I caught a glimpse of one or two
uniformed policemen outside。
〃Mr。 John Hector McFarlane？〃 said Lestrade。
Our unfortunate client rose with a ghastly face。
〃I arrest you for the wilful murder of Mr。 Jonas Oldacre； of Lower
Norwood。〃
McFarlane turned to us with a gesture of despair； and sank into
his chair once more like one who is crushed。
〃One moment； Lestrade；〃 said Holmes。 〃Half an hour more or less
can make no difference to you； and the gentleman was about to give
us an account of this very interesting affair； which might aid us in
clearing it up。〃
〃I think there will be no difficulty in clearing it up；〃 said
Lestrade； grimly。
〃None the less； with your permission； I should be much interested to
hear his account。〃
〃Well； Mr。 Holmes； it is difficult for me to refuse you anything；
for you have been of use to the force once or twice in the past； and
we owe you a good turn at Scotland Yard；〃 said Lestrade。 〃At the
same time I must remain with my prisoner； and I am bound to warn him
that anything he may say will appear in evidence against him。〃
〃I wish nothing better；〃 said our client。 〃All I ask is that you
should hear and the absolute truth。〃
Lestrade looked at his watch。 〃I'll give you half an hour；〃 said he。
〃I must explain first；〃 said McFarlane； 〃that I knew nothing of
Mr。 Jonas Oldacre。 His name was familiar to me； for many years ago
my parents were acquainted with him； but they drifted apart。 I was
very much surprised therefore； when yesterday； about three o'clock
in the afternoon； he walked into my office in the city。 But I was
still more astonished when he told me the object of his visit。 He
had in his hand several sheets of a notebook； covered with scribbled
writing… here they are… and he laid them on my table。
〃‘Here is my will；' said he。 ‘I want you； Mr。 McFarlane； to cast
it into proper legal shape。 I will sit here while you do so。'
〃I set myself to copy it； and you can imagine my astonishment when I
found that； with some reservations； he had left all his property to
me。 He was a strange little ferret…like man； with white eyelashes； and
when I looked up at him I found his keen gray eyes fixed upon me
with an amused expression。 I could hardly believe my own as I read the
terms of the will； but he explained that he was a bachelor with hardly
any living relation； that he had known my parents in his youth； and
that he had always heard of me as a very deserving young man； and
was assured that his money would be in worthy hands。 Of course； I
could only stammer out my thanks。 The will was duly finished；
signed； and witnessed by my clerk。 This is it on the blue paper； and
these slips； as I have explained； are the rough draft。 Mr。 Jonas
Oldacre then informed me that there were a number of documents…
building leases； title…deeds； mortgages； scrip； and so forth… which it
was necessary that I should see and understand。 He said that his
mind would not be easy until the whole thing was settled； and he
begged me to come out to his house at Norwood that night； bringing the
will with me； and to arrange matters。 ‘Remember； my boy； not one
word to your parents about the affair until everything is settled。
We will keep it as a little surprise for them。' He was very
insistent upon this point； and made me promise it faithfully。
〃You can imagine； Mr。 Holmes； that I was not in a humour to refuse
him anything that he might ask。 He was my benefactor； and all my
desire was to carry out his wishes in every particular。 I sent a
telegram home； therefore； to say that I had important business on
hand； and that it was impossible for me to say how late I might be。
Mr。 Oldacre had told me that he would like me to have supper with
him at nine； as he might not be home before that hour。 I had some
difficulty in finding his house； however； and it was nearly
half…past before I reached it。 I found him…〃
〃One moment！〃 said Holmes。 〃Who opened the door？〃
〃A middle…aged woman； who was； I suppose； his housekeeper。〃
〃And it was she； I presume； who mentioned your name？〃
〃Exactly；〃 said McFarlane。
〃Pray proceed。〃
McFarlane wiped his damp brow； and then continued his narrative：
〃I was shown by this woman into a sitting…room； where a frugal
supper was laid out。 Afterwards； Mr。 Jonas Oldacre led me into his
bedroom； in which there stood a heavy safe。 This he opened and took
out a mass of documents； which we went over together。 It was between
eleven and twelve when we finished。 He remarked that we must not
disturb the housekeeper。 He showed me out through his own French
window； which had been open all this time。〃
〃Was the blind down？〃 asked Holmes。
〃I will not be sure； but I believe that it was only half down。
Yes； I remember how he pulled it up in order to swing open the window。
I could not find my stick； and he said； ‘Never mind； my boy； I shall
see a good deal of you now； I hope； and I will keep your stick until
you come back to claim it。' I left him there； the safe open； and the
papers made up in packets upon the table。 It was so late that I
could not get back to Blackheath； so I spent the night at the
Anerley Arms； and I knew nothing more until I read of this horrible
affair in the morning。〃
〃Anything more that you would like to ask； Mr。 Holmes？〃 said
Lestrade； whose eyebrows had gone up once or twice during this
remarkable explanation。
〃Not until I have been to Blackheath。〃
〃You mean to Norwood；〃 said Lestrade。
〃Oh； yes； no doubt that is what I must have meant；〃 said Holmes；
with his enigmatical smile。 Lestrade had learned by more experiences
than he would care to acknowledge that that brain could cut through
that which was impenetrable to him。 I saw him look curiously at my
companion。
〃I think I should like to have a word with you presently； Mr。
Sherlock Holmes；〃 said he。 〃Now； Mr。 McFarlane； two of my constables
are at the door； and there is a four…wheeler waiting。〃 The wretched
young man arose； and with a last beseeching glance at us walked from
the room。 The officers conducted him to the cab； but Lestrade
remained。
Holmes had picked up the pages which formed the rough draft of the
will； and was looking at them with the keenest interest upon his face。
〃There are some points about that document； Lestrade； are there
not？〃 said he； pushing them over。
The official looked at them with a puzzled expression。
〃I can read the first few lines and these in the middle of the
second page； and one or two at the end。 Those are as clear as
print；〃 said he； 〃but the writing in between is very bad； and there
are three places where I cannot read it at all。〃
〃What do you make of that？〃 said Holmes。
〃Well； what do you make of it？〃
〃That it was written in a train。 The good writing represents
stations； the bad writing movement； and the very bad writing passing
over points。 A scientific expert would pronounce at once that this was
drawn up on a suburban line； since nowhere save in the immediate
vicinity of a great city could there be so quick a succession of
points。 Granting that his whole journey was occupied in drawing up the
will； then the train was an express； only stopping once between
Norwood and London Bridge。〃
Lestrade began to laugh。
〃You are too many for me when you begin to get on your theories； Mr。
Holmes；〃 said he。 〃How does this bear on the case？〃
〃Well； it corroborates the young man's story to the extent that
the will was drawn up by Jonas Oldacre in his journey yesterday。 It is
curious… is it not？… that a man should draw up so important a document
in so haphazard a fashion。 It suggests that he did not think it was
going to be of much practical importance。 If a man drew up a will
which he did not intend ever to be effective； he might do it so。〃
〃Well； he drew up his own death warrant at the same time；〃 said
Lestrade。
〃Oh； you think so？〃
〃Don't you？〃
〃Well； it is quite possible； but the case is not clear to me yet。〃
〃Not clear？ Well； if that isn't clear； what could be clear？ Here
is a young man who learns suddenly that； if a certain older man
dies； he will succeed to a fortune。 What does he do？ He says nothing
to anyone； but he arranges that he shall go out on some pretext to see
his client that night。 He waits until the only other person in the
house is in bed； and then in the solitude of a man's room he murders
him； burns his body in the wood…pile； and departs to a neighbouring
hotel。 The blood…stains in the room and also on the stick are very
slight。 It is probable that he imagined his crime to be a bloodless
one； and hoped that if the body were consumed it would hide all traces
of the method of his death… traces which； for some reason； must have
pointed to him。 Is not all this obvious？〃
〃It strikes me； my good Lestrade