"Have you heard the news, sir?" he gasped. "At the Cunningham's sir!"
"Burglary!" cried the Colonel, with his coffee-cup in mid-air.
"Murder!"
The Colonel whistled. "By Jove!" said he. "Who's killed, then? The J.P.or his son?"
"Neither, sir. It was William the coachman. Shot through the heart, sir,and never spoke again."
"Who shot him, then?"
"The burglar, sir. He was off like a shot and got clean away. He'd justbroke in at the pantry window when William came on him and met his endin saving his master's property."
"What time?"
"It was last night, sir, somewhere about twelve."
"Ah, then, we'll step over afterwards," said the Colonel, coollysettling down to his breakfast again. "It's a baddish business," headded when the butler had gone; "he's our leading man about here, is oldCunningham, and a very decent fellow too. He'll be cut up over this, forthe man has been in his service for years and was a good servant. It'sevidently the same villains who broke into Acton's."
"And stole that very singular collection," said Holmes, thoughtfully.
"Precisely."
"Hum! It may prove the simplest matter in the world, but all the sameat first glance this is just a little curious, is it not? A gang ofburglars acting in the country might be expected to vary the scene oftheir operations, and not to crack two cribs in the same district withina few days. When you spoke last night of taking precautions I rememberthat it passed through my mind that this was probably the last parishin England to which the thief or thieves would be likely to turn theirattention--which shows that I have still much to learn."
"I fancy it's some local practitioner," said the Colonel. "In that case,of course, Acton's and Cunningham's are just the places he would go for,since they are far the largest about here."
"And richest?"
"Well, they ought to be, but they've had a lawsuit for some years whichhas sucked the blood out of both of them, I fancy. Old Acton has someclaim on half Cunningham's estate, and the lawyers have been at it withboth hands."
"If it's a local villain there should not be much difficulty in runninghim down," said Holmes with a yawn. "All right, Watson, I don't intendto meddle."
"Inspector Forrester, sir," said the butler, throwing open the door.
The official, a smart, keen-faced young fellow, stepped into the room."Good-morning, Colonel," said he; "I hope I don't intrude, but we hearthat Mr. Holmes of Baker Street is here."
The Colonel waved his hand towards my friend, and the Inspector bowed.
"We thought that perhaps you would care to step across, Mr. Holmes."
"The fates are against you, Watson," said he, laughing. "We werechatting about the matter when you came in, Inspector. Perhaps youcan let us have a few details." As he leaned back in his chair in thefamiliar attitude I knew that the case was hopeless.
"We had no clue in the Acton affair. But here we have plenty to go on,and there's no doubt it is the same party in each case. The man wasseen."
"Ah!"
"Yes, sir. But he was off like a deer after the shot that killed poorWilliam Kirwan was fired. Mr. Cunningham saw him from the bedroomwindow, and Mr. Alec Cunningham saw him from the back passage. It wasquarter to twelve when the alarm broke out. Mr. Cunningham had just gotinto bed, and Mr. Alec was smoking a pipe in his dressing-gown. Theyboth heard William the coachman calling for he
lp, and Mr. Alec ran downto see what was the matter. The back door was open, and as he came tothe foot of the stairs he saw two men wrestling together outside. One ofthem fired a shot, the other dropped, and the murderer rushed across thegarden and over the hedge. Mr. Cunningham, looking out of his bedroom,saw the fellow as he gained the road, but lost sight of him at once. Mr.Alec stopped to see if he could help the dying man, and so the villaingot clean away. Beyond the fact that he was a middle-sized man anddressed in some dark stuff, we have no personal clue; but we are makingenergetic inquiries, and if he is a stranger we shall soon find himout."
"What was this William doing there? Did he say anything before he died?"
"Not a word. He lives at the lodge with his mother, and as he was avery faithful fellow we imagine that he walked up to the house withthe intention of seeing that all was right there. Of course this Actonbusiness has put every one on their guard. The robber must have justburst open the door--the lock has been forced--when William came uponhim."
"Did William say anything to his mother before going out?"
"She is very old and deaf, and we can get no information from her. Theshock has made her half-witted, but I understand that she was neververy bright. There is one very important circumstance, however. Look atthis!"