Chapter 12. Death on the Moor

ForamomentortwoIsatbreathless,hardlyabletobelievemyears.Thenmysensesandmyvoicecamebacktome,whileacrushingweightofresponsibilityseemedinaninstanttobeliftedfrommysoul.Thatcold,incisive,ironicalvoicecouldbelongtobutonemaninalltheworld. “Holmes!”Icried—“Holmes!” “Comeout,”saidhe,“andpleasebecarefulwiththerevolver.” Istoopedundertherudelintel,andtherehesatuponastoneoutside,hisgreyeyesdancingwithamusementastheyfelluponmyastonishedfeatures.Hewasthinandworn,butclearandalert,hiskeenfacebronzedbythesunandroughenedbythewind.Inhistweedsuitandclothcaphelookedlikeanyothertouristuponthemoor,andhehadcontrived,withthatcatlikeloveofpersonalcleanlinesswhichwasoneofhischaracteristics,thathischinshouldbeassmoothandhislinenasperfectasifhewereinBakerStreet. “Ineverwasmoregladtoseeanyoneinmylife,”saidIasIwrunghimbythehand. “Ormoreastonished,eh?” “Well,Imustconfesstoit.” “Thesurprisewasnotallononeside,Iassureyou.Ihadnoideathatyouhadfoundmyoccasionalretreat,stilllessthatyouwereinsideit,untilIwaswithintwentypacesofthedoor.” “Myfootprint,Ipresume?” “No,Watson,IfearthatIcouldnotundertaketorecognizeyourfootprintamidallthefootprintsoftheworld.IfyouseriouslydesiretodeceivemeyoumustchangeyourtobacconistforwhenIseethestubofacigarettemarkedBradley,OxfordStreet,IknowthatmyfriendWatsonisintheneighbourhood.Youwillseeittherebesidethepath.Youthrewitdown,nodoubt,atthatsuprememomentwhenyouchargedintotheemptyhut.” “Exactly.” “Ithoughtasmuch—andknowingyouradmirabletenacityIwasconvincedthatyouweresittinginambush,aweaponwithinreach,waitingforthetenanttoreturn.SoyouactuallythoughtthatIwasthecriminal?” “Ididnotknowwhoyouwere,butIwasdeterminedtofindout.” “Excellent,Watson!Andhowdidyoulocaliseme?Yousawme,perhaps,onthenightoftheconvicthunt,whenIwassoimprudentastoallowthemoontorisebehindme?” “Yes,Isawyouthen.” “Andhavenodoubtsearchedallthehutsuntilyoucametothisone?” “No,yourboyhadbeenobserved,andthatgavemeaguidewheretolook.” “Theoldgentlemanwiththetelescope,nodoubt.IcouldnotmakeitoutwhenfirstIsawthelightflashinguponthelens.”Heroseandpeepedintothehut.“Ha,IseethatCartwrighthasbroughtupsomesupplies.What’sthispaper?SoyouhavebeentoCoombeTracey,haveyou?” “Yes.” “ToseeMrs.LauraLyons?” “Exactly.” “Welldone!Ourresearcheshaveevidentlybeenrunningonparallellines,andwhenweuniteourresultsIexpectweshallhaveafairlyfullknowledgeofthecase.” “Well,Iamgladfrommyheartthatyouarehere,forindeedtheresponsibilityandthemysterywerebothbecomingtoomuchformynerves.Buthowinthenameofwonderdidyoucomehere,andwhathaveyoubeendoing?IthoughtthatyouwereinBakerStreetworkingoutthatcaseofblackmailing.” “ThatwaswhatIwishedyoutothink.” “Thenyouuseme,andyetdonottrustme!”Icriedwithsomebitterness.“IthinkthatIhavedeservedbetteratyourhands,Holmes.” “Mydearfellow,youhavebeeninvaluabletomeinthisasinmanyothercases,andIbegthatyouwillforgivemeifIhaveseemedtoplayatrickuponyou.Intruth,itwaspartlyforyourownsakethatIdidit,anditwasmyappreciationofthedangerwhichyouranwhichledmetocomedownandexaminethematterformyself.HadIbeenwithSirHenryandyouitisconfidentthatmypointofviewwouldhavebeenthesameasyours,andmypresencewouldhavewarnedourveryformidableopponentstobeontheirguard.Asitis,IhavebeenabletogetaboutasIcouldnotpossiblyhavedonehadIbeenlivingintheHall,andIremainanunknownfactorinthebusiness,readytothrowinallmyweightatacriticalmoment.” “Butwhykeepmeinthedark?” “Foryoutoknowcouldnothavehelpedusandmightpossiblyhaveledtomydiscovery.Youwouldhavewishedtotellmesomething,orinyourkindnessyouwouldhavebroughtmeoutsomecomfortorother,andsoanunnecessaryriskwouldberun.IbroughtCartwrightdownwithme—yourememberthelittlechapattheexpressoffice—andhehasseenaftermysimplewants:aloafofbreadandacleancollar.Whatdoesmanwantmore?Hehasgivenmeanextrapairofeyesuponaveryactivepairoffeet,andbothhavebeeninvaluable.” “Thenmyreportshaveallbeenwasted!”—MyvoicetrembledasIrecalledthepainsandthepridewithwhichIhadcomposedthem. Holmestookabundleofpapersfromhispocket. “Hereareyourreports,mydearfellow,andverywellthumbed,Iassureyou.Imadeexcellentarrangements,andtheyareonlydelayedonedayupontheirway.Imustcomplimentyouexceedinglyuponthezealandtheintelligencewhichyouhaveshownoveranextraordinarilydifficultcase.” Iwasstillratherrawoverthedeceptionwhichhadbeenpractiseduponme,butt