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Page 67
"And stole that very singular collection," said
Holmes, thoughtfully.
"Precisely."
"Hum! It may prove the simplest matter in the world,
but all the same at first glance this is just a little
curious, is it not? A gang of burglars acting in the
country might be expected to vary the scene of their
operations, and not to crack two cribs in the same
district within a few days. When you spoke last night
of taking precautions I remember that it passed
through my mind that this was probably the last parish
in England to which the thief or thieves would be
likely to turn their attention--which shows that I
have still much to learn."
"I fancy it's some local practitioner," said the
Colonel. "In that case, of course, Acton's and
Cunningham's are just the places he would go for,
since they are far the largest about here."
"And richest?"
"Well, they ought to be, but they've had a lawsuit for
some years which has sucked the blood out of both of
them, I fancy. Old Acton has some claim on half
Cunningham's estate, and the lawyers have been at it
with both hands."
"If it's a local villain there should not be much
difficulty in running him down," said Holmes with a
yawn. "All right, Watson, I don't intend to meddle."
"Inspector Forrester, sir," said the butler, throwing
open the door.
The official, a smart, keen-faced young fellow,
stepped into the room. "Good-morning, Colonel," said
he; "I hope I don't intrude, but we hear that Mr.
Holmes of Baker Street is here."
The Colonel waved his hand towards my friend, and the
Inspector bowed.
"We thought that perhaps you would care to step
across, Mr. Holmes."
"The fates are against you, Watson," said he,
laughing. "We were chatting about the matter when you
came in, Inspector. Perhaps you can let us have a few
details." As he leaned back in his chair in the
familiar attitude I knew that the case was hopeless.
"We had no clue in the Acton affair. But here we have
plenty to go on, and there's no doubt it is the same
party in each case. The man was seen."
"Ah!"
"Yes, sir. But he was off like a deer after the shot
that killed poor William Kirwan was fired. Mr.
Cunningham saw him from the bedroom window, and Mr.
Alec Cunningham saw him from the back passage. It was
quarter to twelve when the alarm broke out. Mr.
Cunningham had just got into bed, and Mr. Alec was
smoking a pipe in his dressing-gown. They both heard
William the coachman calling for help, and Mr. Alec
ran down to see what was the matter. The back door
was open, and as he came to the foot of the stairs he
saw two men wrestling together outside. One of them
fired a shot, the other dropped, and the murderer
rushed across the garden and over the hedge. Mr.
Cunningham, looking out of his bedroom, saw the fellow
as he gained the road, but lost sight of him at once.
Mr. Alec stopped to see if he could help the dying
man, and so the villain got clean away. Beyond the
fact that he was a middle-sized man and dressed in
some dark stuff, we have no personal clue; but we are
making energetic inquiries, and if he is a stranger we
shall soon find him out."
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