"No, Mrs. Straker. But Mr. Holmes here has come from London to help us,and we shall do all that is possible."
"Surely I met you in Plymouth at a garden-party some little time ago,Mrs. Straker?" said Holmes.
"No, sir; you are mistaken."
"Dear me! Why, I could have sworn to it. You wore a costume ofdove-colored silk with ostrich-feather trimming."
"I never had such a dress, sir," answered the lady.
"Ah, that quite settles it," said Holmes. And with an apology hefollowed the Inspector outside. A short walk across the moor took us tothe hollow in which the body had been found. At the brink of it was thefurze-bush upon which the coat had been hung.
"There was no wind that night, I understand," said Holmes.
"None; but very heavy rain."
"In that case the overcoat was not blown against the furze-bush, butplaced there."
"Yes, it was laid across the bush."
"You fill me with interest, I perceive that the ground has been trampledup a good deal. No doubt many feet have been here since Monday night."
"A piece of matting has been laid here at the side, and we have allstood upon that."
"Excellent."
"In this bag I have one of the boots which Straker wore, one of FitzroySimpson's shoes, and a cast horseshoe of Silver Blaze."
"My dear Inspector, you surpass yourself!" Holmes took the bag, and,descending into the hollow, he pushed the matting into a more centralposition. Then stretching himself upon his face and leaning his chinupon his hands, he made a careful study of the trampled mud in front ofhim. "Hullo!" said he, suddenly. "What's this?" It was a wax vesta halfburned, which was so coated with mud that it looked at first like alittle chip of wood.
"I cannot think how I came to overlook it," said the Inspector, with anexpression of annoyance.
"It was invisible, buried in the mud. I only saw it because I waslooking for it."
"What! You expected to find it?"
"I thought it not unlikely."
He took the boots from the bag, and compared the impressions of each ofthem with marks upon the ground. Then he clambered up to the rim of thehollow, and crawled about among the ferns and bushes.
"I am afraid that there are no more tracks," said the Inspector. "Ihave examined the ground very carefully for a hundred yards in eachdirection."
"Indeed!" said Holmes, rising. "I should not have the impertinence todo it again after what you say. But I should like to take a little walkover the moor before it grows dark, that I may know my ground to-morrow,and I think that I shall put this horseshoe into my pocket for luck."
Colonel Ross, who had shown some signs of impatience at my companion'squiet and systematic method of work, glanced at his watch. "I wish youwould come back with me, Inspector," said he. "There are several pointson which I should like your advice, and especially as to whether we donot owe it to the public to remove our horse's name from the entries forthe Cup."
"Certainly not," cried Holmes, with decision. "I should let the namestand."
The Colonel bowed. "I am very glad to have had your opinion, sir," saidhe. "You will find us at poor Straker's house when you have finishedyour walk, and we can drive together into Tavistock."
He turned back with the Inspector, while Holmes and I walked slowlyacross the moor. The sun was beginning to sink behind the stables ofMapleton, and the long, sloping plain in front of us was tinged withgold, deepening into rich, ruddy browns where the faded ferns andbrambles caught the evening light. But the glories of the landscape wereall wasted upon my companion, who was sunk in the deepest thought.
"It's this way, Watson," said he at last. "We may leave the questionof who killed John Straker for the instant, and confine ourselves tofinding out what has become of the horse. Now, supposing that he brokeaway during or after the tragedy, where could he have gone to? The horseis a very gregarious creature. If left to himself his instincts wouldhave been either to return to King's Pyland or go over to Mapleton. Whyshould he run wild upon the moor? He would surely have been seen by now.And why should gypsies kidnap him? These people always clear out whenthey hear of trouble, for they do not wish to be pestered by the police.They could not hope to sell such a horse. They would run a great riskand gain nothing by taking him. Surely that is clear."
"Where is he, then?"
"I have already said that he must have gone to King's Pyland or toMapleton. He is not at King's Pyland. Therefore he is at Mapleton. Letus take that as a working hypothesis and see what it leads us to. Thispart of the moor, as the Inspector remarked, is very hard and dry. Butit falls away towards Mapleton, and you can see from here that thereis a long hollow over yonder, which must have been very wet on Mondaynight. If our supposition is correct, then the horse must have crossedthat, and there is the point where we should look for his tracks."
We had been walking briskly during this conversation, and a few moreminutes brought us to the hollow in question. At Holmes' request Iwalked down the bank to the right, and he to the left, but I had nottaken fifty paces before I heard him give a shout, and saw him wavinghis hand to me. The track of a horse was plainly outlined in the softearth in front of him, and the shoe which he took from his pocketexactly fitted the impression.