〃I understood that you were writing a report of this case；〃 said he。
〃So I am。〃
〃Don't you think it may be a little premature？ I can't help thinking
that your evidence is not complete。〃
Lestrade knew my friend too well to disregard his words。 He laid
down his pen and looked curiously at him。
〃What do you mean； Mr。 Holmes？〃
〃Only that there is an important witness whom you have not seen。〃
〃Can you produce him？〃
〃I think I can。〃
〃Then do so。〃
〃I will do my best。 How many constables have you？〃
〃There are three within call。〃
〃Excellent！〃 said Holmes。 〃May I ask if they are all large；
able…bodied men with powerful voices？〃
〃I have no doubt they are； though I fail to see what their voices
have to do with it。〃
〃Perhaps I can help you to see that and one or two other things as
well；〃 said Holmes。 〃Kindly summon your men； and I will try。〃
Five minutes later； three policemen had assembled in the hall。
〃In the outhouse you will find a considerable quantity of straw；〃
said Holmes。 〃I will ask you to carry in two bundles of it。 I think it
will be of the greatest assistance in producing the witness whom I
require。 Thank you very much。 I believe you have some matches in
your pocket Watson。 Now； Mr。 Lestrade； I will ask you all to accompany
me to the top landing。〃
As I have said； there was a broad corridor there； which ran
outside three empty bedrooms。 At one end of the corridor we were all
marshalled by Sherlock Holmes； the constables grinning and Lestrade
staring at my friend with amazement； expectation； and derision chasing
each other across his features。 Holmes stood before us with the air of
a conjurer who is performing a trick。
〃Would you kindly send one of your constables for two buckets of
water？ Put the straw on the floor here； free from the wall on either
side。 Now I think that we are all ready。〃
Lestrade's face had begun to grow red and angry。
〃I don't know whether you are playing a game with us； Mr。 Sherlock
Holmes；〃 said he。 〃If you know anything； you can surely say it without
all this tomfoolery。〃
〃I assure you； my good Lestrade； that I have an excellent reason for
everything that I do。 You may possibly remember that you chaffed me
a little； some hours ago； when the sun seemed on your side of the
hedge； so you must not grudge me a little pomp and ceremony now。 Might
I ask you； Watson； to open that window； and then to put a match to the
edge of the straw？〃
I did so； and driven by the draught a coil of gray smoke swirled
down the corridor； while the dry straw crackled and flamed。
〃Now we must see if we can find this witness for you； Lestrade。
Might I ask you all to join in the cry of ‘Fire！'？ Now then； one； two；
three…〃
〃Fire！〃 we all yelled。
〃Thank you。 I will trouble you once again。〃
〃Fire！〃
〃Just once more； gentlemen； and all together。〃
〃Fire！〃 The shout must have rung over Norwood。
It had hardly died away when an amazing thing happened。 A door
suddenly flew open out of what appeared to be solid wall at the end of
the corridor； and a little； wizened man darted out of it； like a
rabbit out of its burrow。
〃Capital！〃 said Holmes； calmly。 〃Watson； a bucket of water over
the straw。 That will do！ Lestrade； allow me to present you with your
principal missing witness； Mr。 Jonas Oldacre。〃
The detective stared at the newcomer with blank amazement。 The
latter was blinking in the bright light of the corridor； and peering
at us and at the smouldering fire。 It was an odious face… crafty；
vicious； malignant； with shifty； light…gray eyes and white lashes。
〃What's this； then？〃 said Lestrade； at last。 〃What have you been
doing all this time； eh？〃
Oldacre gave an uneasy laugh； shrinking back from the furious red
face of the angry detective。
〃I have done no harm。〃
〃No harm？ You have done your best to get an innocent man hanged。
If it wasn't this gentleman here； I am not sure that you would not
have succeeded。〃
The wretched creature began to whimper。
〃I am sure； sir； it was only my practical joke。〃
〃Oh！ a joke； was it？ You won't find the laugh on your side； I promise
you。 Take him down； and keep him in the sitting…room until I come。 Mr。
Holmes；〃 he continued； when they had gone； 〃I could not speak before
the constables； but I don't mind saying； in the presence of Dr。
Watson； that this is the brightest thing that you have done yet；
though it is a mystery to me how you did it。 You have saved an
innocent man's life； and you have prevented a very grave scandal；
which would have ruined my reputation in the Force。〃
Holmes smiled； and clapped Lestrade upon the shoulder。
〃Instead of being ruined； my good sir； you will find that your
reputation has been enormously enhanced。 Just make a few alterations
in that report which you were writing； and they will understand how
hard it is to throw dust in the eyes of Inspector Lestrade。〃
〃And you don't want your name to appear？〃
〃Not at all。 The work is its own reward。 Perhaps I shall get the
credit also at some distant day； when I permit my zealous historian to
lay out his foolscap once more… eh； Watson？ Well； now； let us see
where this rat has been lurking。〃
A lath…and…plaster partition had been run across the passage six
feet from the end； with a door cunningly concealed in it。 It was lit
within by slits under the eaves。 A few articles of furniture and a
supply of food and water were within； together with a number of
books and papers。
〃There's the advantage of being a builder；〃 said Holmes； as we
came out。 〃He was able to fix up his own little hiding…place without
any confederate… save； of course； that precious housekeeper of his；
whom I should lose no time in adding to your bag； Lestrade。〃
〃I'll take your advice。 But how did you know of this place； Mr。
Holmes？〃
〃I made up my mind that the fellow was in hiding in the house。
When I paced one corridor and found it six feet shorter than the
corresponding one below； it was pretty clear where he was。 I thought
he had not the nerve to lie quiet before an alarm of fire。 We could；
of course； have gone in and taken him； but it amused me to make him
reveal himself。 Besides； I owed you a little mystification；
Lestrade； for your chaff in the morning。〃
〃Well； sir； you certainly got equal with me on that。 But how in
the world did you know that he was in the house at all？〃
〃The thumb…mark； Lestrade。 You said it was final； and so it was；
in a very different sense。 I knew it had not been there the day
before。 I pay a good deal of attention to matters of detail； as you
may have observed； and I had examined the hall； and was sure that
the wall was clear。 Therefore； it had been put on during the night。〃
〃But how？〃
〃Very simply。 When those packets were sealed up； Jonas Oldacre got
McFarlane to secure one of the seals by putting his thumb upon the
soft wax。 It would be done so quickly and so naturally； that I daresay
the young man himself has no recollection of it。 Very likely it just
so happened； and Oldacre had himself no notion of the use he would put
it to。 Brooding over the case in that den of his； it suddenly struck
him what absolutely damning evidence he could make against McFarlane
by using that thumb…mark。 It was the simplest thing in the world for
him to take a wax impression from the seal； to moisten it in as much
blood as he could get from a pin…prick； and to put the mark upon the
wall during the night； either with his own hand or with that of his
housekeeper。 If you examine among those documents which he took with
him into his retreat； I will lay you a wager that you find the seal
with the thumb…mark upon it。〃
〃Wonderful！〃 said Lestrade。 〃Wonderful！ It's all as clear as
crystal； as you put it。 But what is the object of this deep deception；
Mr。 Holmes？〃
It was amusing to me to see how the detective's overbearing manner
had changed suddenly to that of a child asking questions of its
teacher。
〃Well； I don't think that is very hard to explain。 A very deep；
malicious； vindictive person is the gentleman who is now waiting us
downstairs。 You know that he was once refused by McFarlane's mother？
You don't！ I told you that you should go to Blackheath first and
Norwood afterwards。 Well； this injury； as he would consider it； has
rankled in his wicked； scheming brain； and all his life he has
longed for vengeance； but never seen his chance。 During the last
year or two； things have gone against him… secret speculation； I
think… and he finds himself in a bad way。 He determines to swindle his
creditors； and for this purpose he pays large checks to a certain
Mr。 Cornelius； who is； I imagine； himself under another name。 I have
not traced these checks yet； but I have no doubt that they were banked
under that name at some provincial town where Oldacre from time to
time led a double existence。 He intended to change his name
altogether； draw this money； and vanish； starting life again
elsewhere。〃
〃Well； that's likely enough。〃
〃It would strike him that in disappearing he might throw all pursuit
off his track； and at the same time have an ample and crushing revenge
upon his old sweetheart； if he could give the impression that he had
been murdered by her only child。 It was a masterpiece of villainy； and
he carried it out like a master。 The idea of the will； which would
give an obvious motive for the crime； the secret visit unknown to
his own parents； the retention of the stick； the blood； and the animal
remains and buttons in the wood…pile； all were admirable。 It was a net
from which it seemed to me； a few hours ago； that there was no
possible escape。 But he had not that supreme gift of the artist； the
knowledge of when to stop。 He wished to improve that which was already
perfect… to draw the rope tighter yet round the neck of his
unfortunate victim… and so he ruined all。 Let us descend； Lestrade。
There are just one or two questions that I would ask him。〃
The malignant creature was seated in his own parlour； with a
policeman upon each side of him。
〃It was a joke； m