”Thatwasthestateofthings，Watson，whenupontheTuesdaymorningI，attherequestofMajorMurphy，wentdowntoAldershottosupplementtheeffortsofthepolice。Ithinkthatyouwillacknowledgethattheproblemwasalreadyoneofinterest，butmyobservationssoonmademerealizethatitwasintruthmuchmoreextraordinarythanwouldatfirstsightappear。”BeforeexaminingtheroomIcross-questionedtheservants，butonlysucceededinelicitingthefactswhichIhavealreadystated。OneotherdetailofinterestwasrememberedbyJaneStewart，thehousemaid。Youwillrememberthatonhearingthesoundofthequarrelshedescendedandreturnedwiththeotherservants。Onthatfirstoccasion，whenshewasalone，shesaysthatthevoicesofhermasterandmistressweresunksolowthatshecouldhearhardlyanything，andjudgedbytheirtonesrathertantheirwordsthattheyhadfallenout。Onmypressingher，however，sherememberedthatsheheardthewordDavidutteredtwicebythelady。Thepointisoftheutmostimportanceasguidingustowardsthereasonofthesuddenquarrel。TheColonel’sname，youremember，wasJames。”Therewasonethinginthecasewhichhadmadethedeepestimpressionbothupontheservantsandthepolice。ThiswasthecontortionoftheColonel’sface。Ithadset，accordingtotheiraccount，intothemostdreadfulexpressionoffearandhorrorwhichahumancountenanceiscapableofassuming。Morethanonepersonfaintedatthemeresightofhim，soterriblewastheeffect。Itwasquitecertainthathehadforeseenhisfate，andthatithadcausedhimtheutmosthorror。This，ofcourse，fittedinwellenoughwiththepolicetheory，iftheColonelcouldhaveseenhiswifemakingamurderousattackuponhim。Norwasthefactofthewoundbeingonthebackofhisheadafatalobjectiontothis，ashemighthaveturnedtoavoidtheblow。Noinformationcouldbegotfromtheladyherself，whowastemporarilyinsanefromanacuteattackofbrain-fever。”FromthepoliceIlearnedthatMissMorrison，whoyourememberwentoutthateveningwithMrs。Barclay，deniedhavinganyknowledgeofwhatitwaswhichhadcausedtheill-humorinwhichhercompanionhadreturned。”Havinggatheredthesefacts，Watson，Ismokeseveralpipesoverthem，tryingtoseparatethosewhichwerecrucialfromotherswhichweremerelyincidental。Therecouldbenoquestionthatthemostdistinctiveandsuggestivepointinthecasewasthesingulardisappearanceofthedoor-key。Amostcarefulsearchhadfailedtodiscoveritintheroom。Thereforeitmusthavebeentakenfromit。ButneithertheColonelnortheColonel’swifecouldhavetakenit。Thatwasperfectlyclear。Thereforeathirdpersonmusthaveenteredtheroom。Andthatthirdpersoncouldonlyhavecomeinthroughthewindow。Itseemedtomethatacarefulexaminationoftheroomandthelawnmightpossiblyrevealsometracesofthismysteriousindividual。Youknowmymethods，Watson。TherewasnotoneofthemwhichIdidnotapplytotheinquiry。
AndonesfromthosewhichIhadexpected。Therehadbeenamanintheroom，andhehadcrossedthelawncomingfromtheroad。Iwasabletoobtainfiveveryclearimpressionsofhisfoot-marks：oneintheroadwayitself，atthepointwherehehadclimbedthelowwall，twoonthelawn，andtwoveryfaintonesuponthestainedboardsnearthewindowwherehehadentered。Hehadapparentlyrushedacrossthelawn，forhistoe-marksweremuchdeeperthanhisheels。
Butitwasnotthemanwhosurprisedme。Itwashiscompanion。””Hiscompanion！”
Holmespulledalargesheetoftissue-paperoutofhispocketandcarefullyunfoldedituponhisknee。”Whatdoyoumakeofthat?”heasked。
Thepaperwascoveredwithhetracingsofthefoot-marksofsomesmallanimal。Ithadfivewell-markedfoot-pads，anindicationoflongnails，andthewholeprintmightbenearlyaslargeasadessert-spoon。”It’sadog，”saidI。”Didyoueverhearofadogrunningupacurtain?I