view　is　changed；　the　very　thing　which　was　so　damning　becomes　a　clue　to
  the　truth。　For　example；　there　is　this　revolver。　Miss　Dunbar
  disclaims　all　knowledge　of　it。　On　our　new　theory　she　is　speaking　truth
  when　she　says　so。　Therefore；　it　was　placed　in　her　wardrobe。　Who　placed
  it　there？　Someone　who　wished　to　incriminate　her。　Was　not　that　person
  the　actual　criminal？　You　see　how　we　come　at　once　upon　a　most
  fruitful　line　of　inquiry。〃
  We　were　compelled　to　spend　the　night　at　Winchester；　as　the
  formalities　had　not　yet　been　completed；　but　next　morning；　in　the
  company　of　Mr。　Joyce　Cummings；　the　rising　barrister　who　was
  entrusted　with　the　defence；　we　were　allowed　to　see　the　young　lady　in
  her　cell。　I　had　expected　from　all　that　we　had　heard　to　see　a　beautiful
  woman；　but　I　can　never　forget　the　effect　which　Miss　Dunbar　produced
  upon　me。　It　was　no　wonder　that　even　the　masterful　millionaire　had
  found　in　her　something　more　powerful　than　himself…　something　which
  could　control　and　guide　him。　One　felt；　too；　as　one　looked　at　the
  strong；　clear…cut；　and　yet　sensitive　face；　that　even　should　she　be
  capable　of　some　impetuous　deed。　None　the　less　there　was　an　innate
  nobility　of　character　which　would　make　her　influence　always　for　the
  good。　She　was　a　brunette；　tall；　with　a　noble　figure　and　commanding
  presence；　but　her　dark　eyes　had　in　them　the　appealing；　helpless
  expression　of　the　hunted　creature　who　feels　the　nets　around　it；　but
  can　see　no　way　out　from　the　toils。　Now；　as　she　realized　the　presence
  and　the　help　of　my　famous　friend；　there　came　a　touch　of　colour　in
  her　wan　cheeks　and　a　light　of　hope　began　to　glimmer　in　the　glance
  which　she　turned　upon　us。
  〃Perhaps　Mr。　Neil　Gibson　has　told　you　something　of　what　occurred
  between　us？〃　she　asked　in　a　low；　agitated　voice。
  〃Yes；〃　Holmes　answered；　〃you　need　not　pain　yourself　by　entering　into
  that　part　of　the　story。　After　seeing　you；　I　am　prepared　to　accept
  Mr。　Gibson's　statement　both　as　to　the　influence　which　you　had　over　him
  and　as　to　the　innocence　of　your　relations　with　him。　But　why　was　the
  whole　situation　not　brought　out　in　court？〃
  〃It　seemed　to　me　incredible　that　such　a　charge　could　be　sustained。　I
  thought　that　if　we　waited　the　whole　thing　must　clear　itself　up　without
  our　being　compelled　to　enter　into　painful　details　of　the　inner　life　of
  the　family。　But　I　understand　that　far　from　clearing　it　has　become　even
  more　serious。〃
  〃My　dear　young　lady；〃　cried　Holmes　earnestly；　〃I　beg　you　to　have
  no　illusions　upon　the　point。　Mr。　Cummings　here　would　assure　you　that
  all　the　cards　are　at　present　against　us；　and　that　we　must　do
  everything　that　is　possible　if　we　are　to　win　clear。　It　would　be　a
  cruel　deception　to　pretend　that　you　are　not　in　very　great　danger。　Give
  me　all　the　help　you　can；　then；　to　get　at　the　truth。〃
  〃I　will　conceal　nothing。〃
  〃Tell　us；　then；　of　your　true　relations　with　Mr。　Gibson's　wife。〃
  〃She　hated　me；　Mr。　Holmes。　She　hated　me　with　all　the　fervour　of
  her　tropical　nature。　She　was　a　woman　who　would　do　nothing　by　halves；
  and　the　measure　of　her　love　fear　her　husband　was　the　measure　also　of
  her　hatred　for　me。　It　is　probable　that　she　misunderstood　our
  relations。　I　would　not　wish　to　wrong　her；　but　she　loved　so　vividly
  in　a　physical　sense　that　she　could　hardly　understand　the　mental；　and
  even　spiritual；　tie　which　held　her　husband　to　me；　or　imagine　that　it
  was　only　my　desire　to　influence　his　power　to　good　ends　which　kept　me
  under　his　roof。　I　can　see　now　that　I　was　wrong。　Nothing　could
  justify　me　in　remaining　where　I　was　a　cause　of　unhappiness；　and　yet　it
  is　certain　that　the　unhappiness　would　have　remained　even　if　I　had　left
  the　house。〃
  〃Now；　Miss　Dunbar；〃　said　Holmes；　〃I　beg　you　to　tell　us　exactly
  what　occurred　that　evening。〃
  〃I　can　tell　you　the　truth　so　far　as　I　know　it；　Mr。　Holmes；　but　I
  am　in　a　position　to　prove　nothing；　and　there　are　points…　the　most
  vital　points…　which　I　can　neither　explain　nor　can　I　imagine　any
  explanation。〃
  〃If　you　will　find　the　facts；　perhaps　others　may　find　the
  explanation。〃
  〃With　regard；　then；　to　my　presence　at　Thor　Bridge　that　night；　I
  received　a　note　from　Mrs。　Gibson　in　the　morning。　It　lay　on　the　table
  of　the　schoolroom；　and　it　may　have　been　left　there　by　her　own　hand。　It
  implored　me　to　see　her　there　after　dinner；　said　she　had　something
  important　to　say　to　me；　and　asked　me　to　leave　an　answer　on　the　sundial
  in　the　garden；　as　she　desired　no　one　to　be　in　our　confidence；　I　saw　no
  reason　for　such　secrecy；　but　I　did　as　she　asked；　accepting　the
  appointment。　She　asked　me　to　destroy　her　note　and　I　burned　it　in　the
  schoolroom　grate。　She　was　very　much　afraid　of　her　husband；　who　treated
  her　with　a　harshness　for　which　I　frequently　reproached　him；　and　I
  could　only　imagine　that　she　acted　in　this　way　Because　she　did　not　wish
  him　to　know　of　our　interview。〃
  〃Yet　she　kept　your　reply　very　carefully？〃
  〃Yes。　I　was　surprised　to　hear　that　she　had　it　in　her　hand　when　she
  died。〃
  〃Well；　what　happened　then？〃
  〃I　went　down　as　I　had　promised。　When　I　reached　the　bridge　she　was
  waiting　for　me。　Never　did　I　realize　till　that　moment　how　this　poor
  creature　hated　me。　She　was　like　a　mad　woman…　indeed；　I　think　she　was　a
  mad　woman；　subtly　mad　with　the　deep　power　of　deception　which　insane
  people　may　have。　How　else　could　she　have　met　me　with　unconcern　every
  day　and　yet　had　so　raging　a　hatred　of　me　in　her　heart？　I　will　not
  say　what　she　said。　She　poured　her　whole　wild　fury　out　in　burning　and
  horrible　words。　I　did　not　even　answer…　I　could　not。　It　was　dreadful　to
  see　her。　I　put　my　hands　to　my　ears　and　rushed　away。　When　I　left　her
  she　was　standing；　still　shrieking　out　her　curses　at　me；　in　the　mouth
  of　the　bridge。〃
  〃Where　she　was　afterwards　found？〃
  〃Within　a　few　yards　from　the　spot。〃
  〃And　yet；　presuming　that　she　met　her　death　shortly　after　you　left
  her；　you　heard　no　shot？〃
  〃No；　I　heard　nothing。　But；　indeed；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　was　so　agitated　and
  horrified　by　this　terrible　outbreak　that　I　rushed　to　get　back　to　the
  peace　of　my　own　room；　and　I　was　incapable　of　noticing　anything　which
  happened。〃
  〃You　say　that　you　returned　to　your　room。　Did　you　leave　it　again
  before　next　morning。
  〃Yes；　when　the　alarm　came　that　the　poor　creature　had　met　her　death　I
  ran　out　with　the　others。〃
  〃Did　you　see　Mr。　Gibson？〃
  〃Yes；　he　had　just　returned　from　the　bridge　when　I　saw　him。　He　had
  sent　for　the　doctor　and　the　police。〃
  〃Did　he　seem　to　you　much　perturbed？〃
  〃Mr。　Gibson　is　a　very　strong；　self…contained　man。　I　do　not　think
  that　he　would　ever　show　his　emotions　on　the　surface。　But　I；　who　knew
  him　so　well；　could　see　that　he　was　deeply　concerned。〃
  〃Then　we　come　to　the　all…important　point。　This　pistol　that　was　found
  in　your　room。　Had　you　ever　seen　it　before？〃
  〃Never；　I　swear　it。〃
  〃When　was　it　found？〃
  〃Next　morning；　when　the　police　made　their　search。〃
  〃Among　your　clothes？〃
  〃Yes；　on　the　floor　of　my　wardrobe　under　my　dresses。〃
  〃You　could　not　guess　how　long　it　had　been　there？〃
  〃It　had　not　been　there　the　morning　before。〃
  〃How　do　you　know？〃
  〃Because　I　tidied　out　the　wardrobe。〃
  〃That　is　final。　Then　someone　came　into　your　room　and　placed　the
  pistol　there　in　order　to　inculpate　you。〃
  〃It　must　have　been　so。〃
  〃And　when？〃
  〃It　could　only　have　been　at　meal…time；　or　else　at　the　hours　when　I
  would　be　in　the　schoolroom　with　the　children。〃
  〃As　you　were　when　you　got　the　note？〃
  〃Yes；　from　that　time　onward　for　the　whole　morning。〃
  〃Thank　you；　Miss　Dunbar。　Is　there　any　other　point　which　could　help
  me　in　the　investigation？〃
  〃I　can　think　of　none。〃
  〃There　was　some　sign　of　violence　on　the　stonework　of　the　bridge…　a
  perfectly　fresh　chip　just　opposite　the　body。　Could　you　suggest　any
  possible　explanation　of　that？〃
  〃Surely　it　must　be　a　mere　coincidence。〃
  〃Curious；　Miss　Dunbar；　very　curious。　Why　should　it　appear　at　the
  very　time　of　the　tragedy；　and　why　at　the　very　place？〃
  〃But　what　could　have　caused　it？　Only　great　violence　could　have
  such　an　effect。〃
  Holmes　did　not　answer。　His　pale；　eager　face　had　suddenly　assumed
  that　tense；　far…away　expression　which　I　had　learned　to　associate
  with　the　supreme　manifestations　of　his　genius。　So　evident　was　the
  crisis　in　his　mind　that　none　of　us　dared　to　speak；　and　we　sat；
  barrister；　prisoner；　and　myself；　watching　him　in　a　concentrated　and
  absorbed　silence。　Suddenly　he　sprang　from　his　chair；　vibrating　with
  nervous　energy　and　the　pressing　need　for　action。
  〃Come；　Watson；　come！〃　he　cried。
  〃What　is　it；　Mr。　Holmes？〃
  〃Never　mind；　my　dear　lady。　You　will　hear　from　me；　Mr。　Cummings。　With
  the　help　of　the　god　of　justice　I　will　give　you　a　case　which　will
  make　England　ring。　You　will　get　news　by　to…morrow；　Miss　Dunbar；　and
  meanwhile　take　my　assurance　that　the　clouds　are　lifting　and　that　I
  have　every　hope　that　the　light　of　truth　is　breaking　through。〃
  It　was　not　a　long　journey　from　Winchester　to　Thor　Place；　but　it
  was　long　to　me　in　my　impatience；　while　for　Holmes　it　was　evident
  that　it　seemed　endless；　for；　in　his　nervous　restlessness；　he　could　not
  sit　still；　but　paced　the　carriage　or　drummed　with