gent
call from Sergeant Wilson of Birlstone, arrived from headquarters in a
light dog-cart behind a breathless trotter. By the five-forty train in
the morning he had sent his message to Scotland Yard, and he was at the
Birlstone station at twelve o'clock to welcome us. White Mason was
a quiet, comfortable-looking person in a loose tweed suit, with a
clean-shaved, ruddy face, a stoutish body, and powerful bandy legs
adorned with gaiters, looking like a small farmer, a retired gamekeeper,
or anything upon earth except a very favourable specimen of the
provincial criminal officer.

"A real downright snorter, Mr. MacDonald!" he kept repeating. "We'll
have the pressmen down like flies when they understand it. I'm hoping
we will get our work done before they get poking their noses into it and
messing up all the trails. There has been nothing like this that I can
remember. There are some bits that will come home to you, Mr. Holmes,
or I am mistaken. And you also, Dr. Watson; for the medicos will have
a word to say before we finish. Your room is at the Westville Arms.
There's no other place; but I hear that it is clean and good. The man
will carry your bags. This way, gentlemen, if you please."

He was a very bustling and genial person, this Sussex detective. In ten
minutes we had all found our quarters. In ten more we were seated in the
parlour of the inn and being treated to a rapid sketch of those events
which have been outlined in the previous chapter. MacDonald made an
occasional note; while Holmes sat absorbed, with the expression of
surprised and reverent admiration with which the botanist surveys the
rare and precious bloom.

"Remarkable!" he said, when the story was unfolded, "most remarkable! I
can hardly recall any case where the features have been more peculiar."

"I thought you would say so, Mr. Holmes," said White Mason in great
delight. "We're well up with the times in Sussex. I've told you now
how matters were, up to the time when I took over from Sergeant Wilson
between three and four this morning. My word! I made the old mare go!
But I need not have been in such a hurry, as it turned out; for there
was nothing immediate that I could do. Sergeant Wilson had all the
facts. I checked them and considered them and maybe added a few of my
own."

"What were they?" asked Holmes eagerly.

"Well, I first had the hammer examined. There was Dr. Wood there to
help me. We found no signs of violence upon it. I was hop