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That note only reached her yesterday, said Holmes.
This may account also for
the obvious fact thathis wife has ceased to love him. Yes, it is all we can do
to make him wash his hands, and hisface is as black as a tinkers. On the
contrary, Watson, you can see everything.
And you have no doubt that it is your
husbandshand, madam?
Also,by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he
has gas laidon in his house. He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took
out, to myastonishment, a very large bath-sponge.
I was wondering what I should
say to this dearlittle woman to-night when she meets me at the door.
We made
our way downstairs as quietly as possible, and out intothe bright morning
sunshine. There is no reason, therefore, to think that moneytroubles have been
weighing upon his mind.
It was no wonder that no onewas stirring.
Do you think
that I would respond to sucha trifle and yet be ignorant of his death?
A shock
of very bright red hair grew low overhis eyes and forehead.
Hisappearance, you
see, is so remarkable that no one can pass himwithout observing him.
Inten days
I had the money and had paid the debt. It was the toy which he hadpromised to
bring home.
You are a funny one, chuckled the inspector. It was pierced in the
brim for ahat-securer, but the elastic was missing. I reached this one, said my
friend, by sitting upon fivepillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I want to
test a little theory of mine, said he, pulling on hisboots. We shall now have a
littlesupper and then retire, for we may have a very busy dayto-morrow.
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