“He tried to bluster out of it, but I described to him so exactlywhat his actions had been upon that morning that he is convincedthat I was watching him. Of course you observed the peculiarlysquare toes in the impressions, and that his own boots exactlycorresponded to them. Again, of course no subordinate wouldhave dared to do such a thing. I described to him how, whenaccording to his custom he was the first down, he perceived astrange horse wandering over the moor. How he went out to it,and his astonishment at recognizing, from the white foreheadwhich has given the favorite its name, that chance had put in hispower the only horse which could beat the one upon which he hadput his money. Then I described how his first impulse had beento lead him back to King’s Pyland, and how the devil had shownhim how he could hide the horse until the race was over, and howhe had led it back and concealed it at Mapleton. When I told himevery detail he gave it up and thought only of saving his own skin.”
“But his stables had been searched?”
“Oh, an old horse-faker like him has many a dodge.”
“But are you not afraid to leave the horse in his power now,since he has every interest in injuring it?”
“My dear fellow, he will guard it as the apple of his eye. Heknows that his only hope of mercy is to produce it safe.”
“Colonel Ross did not impress me as a man who would be likelyto show much mercy in any case.”
“The matter does not rest with colonel Ross. I follow my ownmethods, and tell as much or as little as I choose. That is theadvantage of being unofficial. I don’t know whether you observedit, Watson, but the Colonel’s manner has been just a trifle cavalierto me. I am inclined now to have a little amusement at hisexpense. Say nothing to him about the horse.”
“Certainly not without your permission.”
“And of course this is all quite a minor point compared to thequestion of who killed John Straker.”
“And you will devote yourself to that?”
“On the contrary, we both go back to London by the night train.”
I was thunderstruck by my friend’s words. We had onlybeen a few hours in Devonshire, and that he should give upan investigation which he had begun so brilliantly was quiteincomprehensible to me. Not a word more could I draw from himuntil we were back at the trainer’s house. The colonel and theInspector were awaiting us in the parlor.
“My friend and I return to town by the night-express,” saidHolmes. “We have had a charming little breath of your beautifulDartmoor air.”
The Inspector opened his eyes, and the Colonel’s lip curled in asneer.
“So you despair of arresting the murderer of poor Straker,” saidhe.
Holmes shrugged his shoulders. “There are certainly gravedifficulties in the way,” said he. “I have every hope, however, thatyour horse will start upon Tuesday, and I beg that you will haveyour jockey in readiness. Might I ask for a photograph of Mr. JohnStraker?”
The inspector took one from an envelope and handed it to him.
“My dear Gregory, you anticipate all my wants. If I might askyou to wait here for an instant, I have a question which I shouldlike to put to the maid.”
“I must say that I am rather disappointed in our Londonconsultant,” said Colonel Ross, bluntly, as my friend left the room.
“I do not see that we are any further than when he came.”
“At least you have his assurance that your horse will run,” said I.
“Yes, I have his assurance,” said the Colonel, with a shrug of hisshoulders. “I should prefer to have the horse.”
I was about to make some reply in defence of my friend whenhe entered the room again.
“Now, gentlemen,” said he, “I am quite ready for Tavistock.”
As we stepped into the carriage one of the stable-lads held thedoor open for us. A sudden idea seemed to occur to Holmes, forhe leaned forward and touched the lad upon the sleeve.
“You have a few sheep in the paddock,” he said. “Who attendsto them?”
“I do, sir.”
“Have you noticed anything amiss with them of late?”
“Well, sir, not of much account; but three of them have gonelame, sir.”
I could see that Holmes was extremely pleased, for he chuckledand rubbed his hands together.
“A long shot, Watson; a very long shot,” said he, pinching myarm. “Gregory, let me recommend to your attention this singularepidemic among the sheep. Drive on, coachman!”
Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the pooropinion which he had formed of my companion’s ability, but I sawby the Inspector’s face that his attention had been keenly aroused.
“You consider that to be important?” he asked.
“Exceedingly so.”
“Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?”
“To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.”
“The dog did nothing in the night-time.”
“That was the curious incident,” remarked Sherlock Holmes.
Four days later Holmes and I were again in the train, bound forWinchester to see the race for the Wessex Cup. Colonel Ross metus by appointment outside the station, and we drove in his drag tothe course beyond the town. His face was grave, and his mannerwas cold in the extreme.
“I have seen nothing of my horse,” said he.
“I suppose that you would know him when you saw him?” askedHolmes.
The colonel was very angry. “I have been on the turf for twentyyears, and never was asked such a question as that before,” said he.
“A child would know Silver Blaze, with his white forehead and hismottled off-foreleg.”
“How is the betting?”
“Well, that is the curious part of it. You could have got fifteen toone yesterday, but the price has become shorter and shorter, untilyou can hardly get three to one now.”
“Hum!” said Holmes. “Somebody knows something, that isclear.”
As the drag drew up in the enclosure near the grand stand Iglanced at the card to see the entries.
