him.
"You are an early bird, Mr. Mac," said he. "I wish you luck with yourworm. I fear this means that there is some mischief afoot."
"If you said 'hope' instead of 'fear,' it would be nearer the truth,I'm thinking, Mr. Holmes," the inspector answered, with a knowing grin."Well, maybe a wee nip would keep out the raw morning chill. No, Iwon't smoke, I thank you. I'll have to be pushing on my way; for theearly hours of a case are the precious ones, as no man knows betterthan your own self. But--but--"
The inspector had stopped suddenly, and was staring with a look ofabsolute amazement at a paper upon the table. It was the sheet uponwhich I had scrawled the enigmatic message.
"Douglas!" he stammered. "Birlstone! What's this, Mr. Holmes? Man, it'switchcraft! Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you getthose names?"
"It is a cipher that Dr. Watson and I have had occasion to solve. Butwhy--what's amiss with the names?"
The inspector looked from one to the other of us in dazed astonishment."Just this," said he, "that Mr. Douglas of Birlstone Manor House washorribly murdered last night!"
Chapter 2
Sherlock Holmes Discourses
It was one of those dramatic moments for which my friend existed. Itwould be an overstatement to say that he was shocked or even excited bythe amazing announcement. Without having a tinge of cruelty in hissingular composition, he was undoubtedly callous from longover-stimulation. Yet, if his emotions were dulled, his intellectualperceptions were exceedingly active. There was no trace then of thehorror which I had myself felt at this curt declaration; but his faceshowed rather the quiet and interested composure of the chemist whosees the crystals falling into position from his oversaturated solution.
"Remarkable!" said he. "Remarkable!"
"You don't seem surprised."
"Interested, Mr. Mac, but hardly surprised. Why should I be surprised?I receive an anonymous communication from a quarter which I know to beimportant, warning me that danger threatens a certain person. Within anhour I learn that this danger has actually materialized and that theperson is dead. I am interested; but, as you observe, I am notsurprised."
In a few short sentences he explained to the inspector the facts aboutthe letter and the cipher. MacDonald sat with his chin on his hands andhis great sandy eyebrows bunched into a yellow tangle.
"I was going down to Birlstone this morning," said he. "I had come toask you if you cared to come with me--you and your friend here. Butfrom what you say we might perhaps be doing better work in London."
"I rather think not," said Holmes.
"Hang it all, Mr. Holmes!" cried the inspector. "The papers will befull of the Birlstone mystery in a day or two; but where's the mysteryif there is a man in London who prophesied the crime before ever itoccurred? We have only to lay our hands on that man, and the rest willfollow."
"No doubt, Mr. Mac. But how do you propose to lay your hands on theso-called Porlock?"
MacDonald turned over the letter which Holmes had handed him. "Postedin Camberwell--that doesn't help us much. Name, you say, is assumed.Not much to go on, certainly. Didn't you say that you have sent himmoney?"
"Twice."
"And how?"
"In notes to Camberwell post-office."
"Did you ever trouble to see who called for them?"
"No."
The inspector looked surprised and a little shocked. "Why not?"
"Because I always keep faith. I had promised when he first wrote that Iwould not try to trace him."
"You think there is someone behind him?"
"I know there is."
"This professor that I've heard you mention?"
"Exactly!"