〃Because　I　have　seen　him；　Mr。　Holmes。　It　was　on　that　second　night。
  Sir　Robert　turned　and　passed　us…　me　and　Stephens；　quaking　in　the
  bushes　like　two　bunny…rabbits；　for　there　was　a　bit　of　moon　that　night。
  But　we　could　hear　the　other　moving　about　behind。　We　were　not　afraid　of
  him。　So　we　up　when　Sir　Robert　was　gone　and　pretended　we　were　just
  having　a　walk　like　in　the　moonlight；　and　so　we　came　right　on　him　as
  casual　and　innocent　as　you　please。　'Hullo；　mate！　who　may　you　be？'　says
  I。'。　I　guess　he　had　not　heard　us　coming；　so　he　looked　over　his
  shoulder　with　a　face　as　if　he　had　seen　the　devil　coming　out　of　hell。
  He　let　out　a　yell；　and　away　he　went　as　hard　as　he　could　lick　it　in　the
  darkness。　He　could　run！…　I'll　give　him　that。　In　a　minute　he　was　out　of
  sight　and　hearing；　and　who　he　was；　or　what　he　was；　we　never　found。〃
  〃But　you　saw　him　clearly　in　the　moonlight？〃
  〃Yes；　I　would　swear　to　his　yellow　face…　a　mean　dog；　I　should　say。
  What　could　he　have　in　common　with　Sir　Robert？〃
  Holmes　sat　for　some　time　lost　in　thought。
  〃Who　keeps　Lady　Beatrice　Falder　company？〃　he　asked　at　last。
  〃There　is　her　maid；　Carrie　Evans。　She　has　been　with　her　this　five
  years。〃
  〃And　is；　no　doubt；　devoted？〃
  Mr。　Mason　shuffled　uncomfortably。
  〃She's　devoted　enough；〃　he　answered　at　last。　〃But　I　won't　say　to
  whom。〃
  〃Ah！〃　said　Holmes。
  〃I　can't　tell　tales　out　of　school。〃
  〃I　quite　understand；　Mr。　Mason。　Of　course；　the　situation　is　clear
  enough。　From　Dr。　Watson's　description　of　Sir　Robert　I　can　realize　that
  no　woman　is　safe　from　him。　Don't　you　think　the　quarrel　between　brother
  and　sister　may　lie　there？〃
  Well；　the　scandal　has　been　pretty　clear　for　a　long　time。〃
  〃But　she　may　not　have　seen　it　before。　Let　us　suppose　that　she　has
  suddenly　found　it　out。　She　waits　to　get　rid　of　the　woman。　Her
  brother　will　not　permit　it。　The　invalid；　with　her　weak　heart　and
  inability　to　get　about；　has　no　means　of　enforcing　her　will。　The
  hated　maid　is　still　tied　to　her。　The　lady　refuses　to　speak；　sulks；
  takes　to　drink。　Sir　Robert　in　his　anger　takes　her　pet　spaniel　away
  from　her。　Does　not　all　this　hang　together？〃
  〃Well；　it　might　do…　so　far　as　it　goes。〃
  〃Exactly！　As　far　as　it　goes。　How　would　all　that　bear　upon　the　visits
  by　night　to　the　old　crypt？　We　can't　fit　that　into　our　plot。〃
  〃No；　sir；　and　there　is　something　more　that　I　can't　fit　in。　Why
  should　Sir　Robert　want　to　dig　up　a　dead　body？〃
  Holmes　sat　up　abruptly。
  〃We　only　found　it　out　yesterday…　after　I　had　written　to　you。
  Yesterday　Sir　Robert　had　gone　to　London；　so　Stephens　and　I　went　down
  to　the　crypt。　It　was　all　in　order；　sir；　except　that　in　one　corner
  was　a　bit　of　a　human　body。〃
  〃You　informed　the　police；　I　suppose？〃
  Our　visitor　smiled　grimly。
  〃Well；　sir；　I　think　it　would　hardly　interest　them。　It　was　just　the
  head　and　a　few　bones　of　a　mummy。　It　may　have　been　a　thousand　years
  old。　But　it　wasn't　there　before。　That　I'll　swear；　and　so　will
  Stephens。　It　had　been　stowed　away　in　a　corner　and　covered　over　with
  a　board；　but　that　corner　had　always　been　empty　before。〃
  〃What　did　you　do　with　it？〃
  〃Well；　we　just　left　it　there。〃
  〃That　was　wise。　You　say　Sir　Robert　was　away　yesterday。　Has　he
  returned？〃
  〃We　expect　him　back　to…day。〃
  〃When　did　Sir　Robert　give　away　his　sister's　dog？〃
  〃It　was　just　a　week　ago　to…day。　The　creature　was　howling　outside　the
  old　well…house；　and　Sir　Robert　was　in　one　of　his　tantrums　that
  morning。　He　caught　it　up；　and　I　thought　he　would　have　killed　it。
  Then　he　gave　it　to　Sandy　Bain；　the　jockey；　and　told　him　to　take　the
  dog　to　old　Barnes　at　the　Green　Dragon；　for　he　never　wished　to　see　it
  again。〃
  Holmes　sat　for　some　time　in　silent　thought。　He　had　lit　the　oldest
  and　foulest　of　his　pipes。
  〃I　am　not　clear　yet　what　you　want　me　to　do　in　this　matter；　Mr。
  Mason；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Can't　you　make　it　more　definite？〃
  〃Perhaps　this　will　make　it　more　definite；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　our
  visitor。
  He　took　a　paper　from　his　pocket；　and；　unwrapping　it　carefully；　he
  exposed　a　charred　fragment　of　bone。
  Holmes　examined　it　with　interest。
  〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃
  〃There　is　a　central　heating　furnace　in　the　cellar　under　Lady
  Beatrice's　room。　It's　been　off　for　some　time；　but　Sir　Robert
  complained　of　cold　and　had　it　on　again；　Harvey　runs　it…　he's　one　of　my
  lads。　This　very　morning　he　came　to　me　with　this　which　he　found
  raking　out　the　cinders。　He　didn't　like　the　look　of　it。〃
  〃Nor　do　I；〃　said　Holmes。　〃What　do　you　make　of　it；　Watson？〃
  It　was　burned　to　a　black　cinder；　but　there　could　be　no　question　as
  to　its　anatomical　significance。
  〃It's　the　upper　condyle　of　a　human　femur；〃　said　I。
  〃Exactly！〃　Holmes　had　become　very　serious。　〃When　does　this　lad
  tend　to　the　furnace？〃
  〃He　makes　it　up　every　evening　and　then　leaves　it。〃
  〃Then　anyone　could　visit　it　during　the　night？〃
  〃Yes；　sir。〃
  〃Can　you　enter　it　from　outside？〃
  〃There　is　one　door　from　the　outside。　There　is　another　which　leads　up
  by　a　stair　to　the　passage　in　which　Lady　Beatrice's　room　is　situated。〃
  〃These　are　deep　waters；　Mr。　Mason；　deep　and　rather　dirty。　You　say
  that　Sir　Robert　was　not　at　home　last　night？〃
  〃No；　sir。〃
  〃Then；　whoever　was　burning　bones；　it　was　not　he。〃
  〃That's　true；　sir。〃
  〃What　is　the　name　of　that　inn　you　spoke　of？〃
  〃The　Green　Dragon。〃
  〃Is　there　good　fishing　in　that　part　of　Berkshire？〃　The　honest
  trainer　showed　very　clearly　upon　his　face　that　he　was　convinced　that
  yet　another　lunatic　had　come　into　his　harassed　life。
  〃Well；　sir；　I've　heard　there　are　trout　in　the　mill…stream　and　pike
  in　the　Hall　lake。〃
  〃That's　good　enough。　Watson　and　I　are　famous　fishermen…　are　we
  not；　Watson？　You　may　address　us　in　future　at　the　Green　Dragon。　We
  should　reach　it　to…night。　I　need　not　say　that　we　don't　want　to　see
  you；　Mr。　Mason；　but　a　note　will　reach　us；　and　no　doubt　I　could　find
  you　if　I　want　you。　When　we　have　gone　a　little　farther　into　the
  matter　I　will　let　you　have　a　considered　opinion。〃
  Thus　it　was　that　on　a　bright　May　evening　Holmes　and　I　found
  ourselves　alone　in　a　first…class　carriage　and　bound　for　the　little
  〃halt…on…demand〃　station　of　Shoscombe。　The　rack　above　us　was　covered
  with　a　formidable　litter　of　rods；　reels；　and　baskets。　On　reaching
  our　destination　a　short　drive　took　us　to　an　old…fashioned　tavern；
  where　a　sporting　host；　Josiah　Barnes；　entered　eagerly　into　our　plans
  for　the　extirpation　of　the　fish　of　the　neighbourhood。
  〃What　about　the　Hall　lake　and　the　chance　of　a　pike？〃　said　Holmes。
  The　face　of　the　innkeeper　clouded。
  〃That　wouldn't　do；　sir。　You　might　chance　to　find　yourself　in　the
  lake　before　you　were　through。〃
  〃How's　that；　then？〃
  〃It's　Sir　Robert；　sir。　He's　terrible　jealous　of　touts。　If　you　two
  strangers　were　as　near　his　training　quarters　as　that　he'd　be　after　you
  as　sure　as　fate。　He　ain't　taking　no　chances；　Sir　Robert　ain't。〃
  〃I've　heard　he　has　a　horse　entered　for　the　Derby。〃
  〃Yes；　and　a　good　colt；　too。　He　carries　all　our　money　for　the　race；
  and　all　Sir　Robert's　into　the　Bargain。　By　the　way〃…　he　looked　at　us
  with　thoughtful　eyes…　〃I　suppose　you　ain't　on　the　turf　yourselves？〃
  〃No；　indeed。　just　two　weary　Londoners　who　badly　need　some　good
  Berkshire　air。〃
  〃Well；　you　are　in　the　right　place　for　that。　There　is　a　deal　of　it
  lying　about。　But　mind　what　I　have　told　you　about　Sir　Robert。　He's
  the　sort　that　strikes　first　and　speaks　afterwards。　Keep　clear　of　the
  park。〃
  〃Surely；　Mr。　Barnes！　We　certainly　shall。　By　the　way；　that　was　a　most
  beautiful　spaniel　that　was　whining　in　the　hall。〃
  〃I　should　say　it　was。　That　was　the　real　Shoscombe　breed。　There　ain't
  a　better　in　England。〃
  〃I　am　a　dog…fancier　myself；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Now；　if　it　is　a　fair
  question；　what　would　a　prize　dog　like　that　cost？〃
  〃More　than　I　could　pay；　sir。　It　was　Sir　Robert　himself　who　gave　me
  this　one。　That's　why　I　have　to　keep　it　on　a　lead。　It　would　be　off　to
  the　Hall　in　a　jiffy　if　I　gave　it　its　head。〃
  〃We　are　getting　some　cards　in　our　hand；　Watson；〃　said　Holmes　when
  the　landlord　had　left　us。　〃It's　not　an　easy　one　to　play；　but　we　may
  see　our　way　in　a　day　or　two。　By　the　way；　Sir　Robert　is　still　in
  London；　I　hear。　We　might；　perhaps；　enter　the　sacred　domain　to…night
  without　fear　of　bodily　assault。　There　are　one　or　two　points　on　which　I
  should　like　reassurance。〃
  〃Have　you　any　theory；　Holmes？〃
  〃Only　this；　Watson；　that　something　happened　a　week　or　so　ago　which
  has　cut　deep　into　the　life　of　the　Shoscombe　household。　What　is　that
  something？　We　can　only　guess　at　it　from　its　effects。　They　seem　to　be
  of　a　curiously　mixed　character。　But　that　should　surely　help　us。　It
  is　only　the　colourless；　uneventful　case　which　is　hopeless。
  〃Let　us　consider　our　data。　The　brother　no　longer　visits　the
  beloved　invalid　sister。　He　gives　away　her　favourite　dog。　Her　dog；
  Watson！　Does　that　suggest　nothing　to　you？〃
  〃Nothing　but　the　brother's　spite。〃
  〃Well；　it　might　be　so。　Or…　well；　there　is　an　alternative。　Now　to
  continue　our　review　of　the　situation　from　the　time　that　the　quarrel；
  if　there　is　a　quarrel；　began。　The　lady　keeps　her　room；　alters　her
  habits；　is　not　seen　save