and killed its master was an American."

MacDonald shook his head. "Man, you are surely travelling overfast,"
said he. "I have heard no evidence yet that any stranger was ever in
the house at all."

"The open window, the blood on the sill, the queer card, the marks of
boots in the corner, the gun!"

"Nothing there that could not have been arranged. Mr. Douglas was an
American, or had lived long in America. So had Mr. Barker. You don't
need to import an American from outside in order to account for
American doings."

"Ames, the butler--"

"What about him? Is he reliable?"

"Ten years with Sir Charles Chandos--as solid as a rock. He has been
with Douglas ever since he took the Manor House five years ago. He has
never seen a gun of this sort in the house."

"The gun was made to conceal. That's why the barrels were sawed. It
would fit into any box. How could he swear there was no such gun in the
house?"

"Well, anyhow, he had never seen one."

MacDonald shook his obstinate Scotch head. "I'm not convinced yet that
there was ever anyone in the house," said he. "I'm asking you to
conseedar" (his accent became more Aberdonian as he lost himself in his
argument) "I'm asking you to conseedar what it involves if you suppose
that this gun was ever brought into the house, and that all these
strange things were done by a person from outside. Oh, man, it's just
inconceivable! It's clean against common sense! I put it to you, Mr.
Holmes, judging it by what we have heard."

"Well, state your case, Mr. Mac," said Holmes in his most judicial
style.

"The man is not a burglar, supposing that he ever existed. The ring
business and the card point to premeditated murder for some private
reason. Very good. Here is a man who slips into a house with the
deliberate intention of committing murder. He knows, if he knows
anything, that he will have a deeficulty in making his escape, as the
house is surrounded with water. What weapon would he choose? You would
say the most silent in the world. Then he could hope when the deed was
done to slip quickly from the window, to wade the moat, and to get away
at his leisure. That's understandable. But is it understandable that he
should go out of his way to bring with him the most noisy weapon he
could select, knowing well that it will fetch every human being in the
house to the spot as quick as they can run, and that it is all odds
that he will be seen before he can get across the moat? Is tha