his customer save that he was a good payer。 Odds and ends； some pipes；
a few novels； two of them in Spanish； an old…fashioned pinfire
revolver； and a guitar were among the personal property。
〃Nothing in all this〃 said Baynes； stalking； candle in hand； from
room to room。 〃But now； Mr。 Holmes； I invite your attention to the
kitchen。〃
It was a gloomy； high…ceilinged room at the back of the house；
with a straw litter in one corner； which served apparently as a bed
for the cook。 The table was piled with half…eaten dishes and dirty
plates； the debris of last night's dinner。
〃Look at this；〃 said Baynes。 〃What do you make of it？〃
He held up his candle before an extraordinary object which stood
at the back of the dresser。 It was so wrinkled and shrunken and
withered that it was difficult to say what it might have been。 One
could but say that it was black and leathery and that it bore some
resemblance to a dwarfish； human figure。 At first； as I examined it； I
thought that it was a mummified negro baby； and then it seemed a
very twisted and ancient monkey。 Finally I was left in doubt as to
whether it was animal or human。 A double band of white shells was
strung round the centre of it。
〃Very interesting… very interesting； indeed！〃 said Holmes； peering
at this sinister relic。 〃Anything more？〃
In silence Baynes led the way to the sink and held forward his
candle。 The limbs and body of some large； white bird； torn savagely to
pieces with the feathers still on； were littered all over it。 Holmes
pointed to the wattles on the severed head。
〃A white cock；〃 said he。 〃Most interesting！ It is really a very
curious case。〃
But Mr。 Baynes had kept his most sinister exhibit to the last。 From
under the sink he drew a zinc pail which contained a quantity of
blood。 Then from the table he took a platter heaped with small
pieces of charred bone。
〃Something has been killed and something has been burned。 We raked
all these out of the fire。 We had a doctor in this morning。 He says
that they are not human。〃
Holmes smiled and rubbed his hands。
〃I must congratulate you； Inspector； on handling so distinctive
and instructive a case。 Your powers； if I may say so without
offence； seem superior to your opportunities。〃
Inspector Baynes's small eyes twinkled with pleasure。
〃You're right； Mr。 Holmes。 We stagnate in the provinces。 A case of
this sort gives a man a chance； and I hope that I shall take it。
What do you make of these bones？〃
〃A lamb； I should say； or a kid。〃
〃And the white cock？〃
〃Curious； Mr。 Baynes； very curious。 I should say almost unique。〃
〃Yes； sir； there must have been some very strange people with some
very strange ways in this house。 One of them is dead。 Did his
companions follow him and kill him？ If they did we should have them；
for every port is watched。 But my own views are different。 Yes； sir；
my own views are very different。〃
〃You have a theory then？〃
〃And I'll work it myself； Mr。 Holmes。 It's only due to my own credit
to do so。 Your name is made； but I have still to make mine。 I should
be glad to be able to say afterwards that I had solved it without your
help。〃
Holmes laughed good…humouredly。
〃Well； well； Inspector；〃 said he。 〃Do you follow your path and I
will follow mine。 My results are always very much at your service if
you care to apply to me for them。 I think that I have seen all that
I wish in this house； and that my time may be more profitably employed
elsewhere。 Au revoir and good luck！〃
I could tell by numerous subtle signs； which might have been lost
upon anyone but myself； that Holmes was on a hot scent。 As impassive
as ever to the casual observer； there were none the less a subdued
eagerness and suggestion of tension in his brightened eyes and brisker
manner which assured me that the game was a foot。 After his habit he
said nothing； and after mine I asked no questions。 Sufficient for me
to share the sport and lend my humble help to the capture without
distracting that intent brain with needless interruption。 All would
come round to me in due time。
I waited； therefore… but to my ever…deepening disappointment I
waited in vain。 Day succeeded day； and my friend took no step forward。
One morning he spent in town； and I learned from a casual reference
that he had visited the British Museum。 Save for this one excursion；
he spent his days in long and often solitary walks； or in chatting
with a number of village gossips whose acquaintance he had cultivated。
〃I'm sure； Watson； a week in the country will be invaluable to you；〃
he remarked。 〃It is very pleasant to see the first green shoots upon
the hedges and the catkins on the hazels once again。 With a spud； a
tin box； and an elementary book on botany； there are instructive
days to be spent。〃 He prowled about with this equipment himself； but
it was a poor show of plants which he would bring back of an evening。
Occasionally in our rambles we came across Inspector Baynes。 His
fat； red face wreathed itself in smiles and his small eyes glittered
as he greeted my companion。 He said little about the case； but from
that little we gathered that he also was not dissatisfied at the
course of events。 I must admit； however； that I was somewhat surprised
when； some five days after the crime； I opened my morning paper to
find in large letters：
THE OXSHOTT MYSTERY
A SOLUTION
ARREST OF SUPPOSED ASSASSIN
Holmes sprang in his chair as if he had been stung when I read the
headlines。
〃By Jove！〃 he cried。 〃You don't mean that Baynes has got him？〃
〃Apparently；〃 said I as I read the following report：
〃Great excitement was caused in Esher and the neighbouring
district when it was learned late last night that an arrest had been
effected in connection with the Oxshott murder。 It will be
remembered that Mr。 Garcia； of Wisteria Lodge； was found dead on
Oxshott Common； his body showing signs of extreme violence； and that
on the same night his servant and his cook fled； which appeared to
show participation in the crime。 It was suggested； but never proved；
that the gentleman may have had valuables in the house； and that their
abstraction was the motive of the crime。 Every effort was made by
Inspector Baynes； who has the case in hand； to ascertain the hiding
place of the fugatives； and he had good reason to believe that they
had not gone far but were lurking in some retreat which had been
already prepared。 It was certain from the first； however； that they
would eventually be detected； as the cook； from the evidence of one or
two trades…people who have caught a glimpse of him through the window；
was a man of most remarkable appearance… being a huge and hideous
mulatto； with yellowish features of a pronounced negroid type。 This
man has been seen since the crime； for he was detected and pursued
by Constable Walters on the same evening； when he had the audacity
to revisit Wisteria Lodge。 Inspector Baynes； considering that such a
visit must have some purpose in view and was likely； therefore； to
be repeated； abandoned the house but left an ambuscade in the
shrubbery。 The man walk into the trap and was captured last night
after a struggle in which Constable Downing was badly bitten by the
savage。 We understand that when the prisoner is brought before the
magistrates a remand will be applied for by the police； and that great
developments are hoped from his capture。〃
〃Really we must see Baynes at once；〃 cried Holmes； picking up his
hat。 〃We will just catch him before he starts。〃 We hurried down the
village street and found； as we had expected； that the inspector was
just leaving his lodgings。
〃You've seen the paper； Mr。 Holmes？〃 he asked； holding one out to
us。
〃Yes； Baynes； I've seen it。 Pray don't think it a liberty if I
give you a word of friendly warning。
〃Of warning。 Mr。 Holmes？〃
〃I have looked into this case with some care； and I am not convinced
that you are on the right lines。 I don't want you to commit yourself
too far unless you are sure。〃
〃You're very kind； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃I assure you I speak for your good。〃
It seemed to me that something like a wink quivered for an instant
over one of Mr。 Baynes's tiny eyes。
〃We agreed to work on our own lines； Mr。 Holmes。 That's what I am
doing。〃
〃Oh； very good；〃 said Holmes。 〃Don't blame me。〃
〃No； sir； I believe you mean well by me。 But we all have our own
systems； Mr。 Holmes。 You have yours； and maybe I have mine。〃
〃Let us say no more about it。〃
〃You're welcome always to my news。 This fellow is a perfect
savage； as strong as a cart…horse and as fierce as the devil。 He
chewed Downing's thumb nearly off before they could master him。 He
hardly speaks a word of English； and we can get nothing out of him but
grunts。〃
〃And you think you have evidence that he murdered his late master？〃
〃I didn't say so； Mr。 Holmes； I didn't say so。 We all have our
little ways。 You try yours and I will try mine。 That's the agreement。〃
Holmes shrugged his shoulders as we walked away together。 〃I can't
make the man out。 He seems to be riding for a fall。 Well； as he
says； we must each try our own way and see what comes of it。 But
there's something in Inspector Baynes which I can't quite understand。〃
〃Just sit down in that chair； Watson；〃 said Sherlock Holmes when
we had returned to our apartment at the Bull。 〃I want to put you in
touch with the situation； as I may need your help to…night。 Let me
show you the evolution of this case so far as I have been able to
follow it。 Simple as it has been in its leading features； it has
none the less presented surprising difficulties in the way of an
arrest。 There are gaps in that direction which we have still to fill。
〃We will go back to the note which was handed in to Garcia upon
the evening of his death。 We may put aside this idea of Baynes's
that Garcia's servants were concerned in the matter。 The proof of this
lies in the fact that it was he who had arranged for the presence of
Scott Eccl