”AboutaquarterofamilefromthestablesJohnStraker’sovercoatwasflappingfromafurze-bush。Immediatelybeyondtherewasabowl-shapeddepressioninthemoor，andatthebottomofthiswasfoundthedeadbodyoftheunfortunatetrainer。Hisheadhadbeenshatteredbyasavageblowfromsomeheavyweapon，andhewaswoundedonthethigh，wheretherewasalong，cleancut，inflictedevidentlybysomeverysharpinstrument。Itwasclear，however，thatStrakerhaddefendedhimselfvigorouslyagainsthisassailants，forinhisrighthandheheldasmallknife，whichwasclottedwithblooduptothehandle，whileinhisleftheclaspedaredandblacksilkcravat，whichwasrecognizedbythemaidashavingbeenwornontheprecedingeveningbythestrangerwhohadvisitedthestables。Hunter，onrecoveringfromhisstupor，wasalsoquitepositiveastotheownershipofthecravat。Hewasequallycertainthatthesamestrangerhad，whilestandingatthewindow，druggedhiscurriedmutton，andsodeprivedthestablesoftheirwatchman。Astothemissinghorse，therewereabundantproofsinthemudwhichlayatthebottomofthefatalhollowthathehadbeenthereatthetimeofthestruggle。Butfromthatmorninghehasdisappeared，andalthoughalargerewardhasbeenoffered，andallthegypsiesofDartmoorareonthealert，nonewshascomeofhim。Finally，ananalysishasshownthattheremainsofhissupperleftbythestable-ladcontainanappreciablequantityofpowderedopium，whilethepeopleatthehousepartookofthesamedishonthesamenightwithoutanyilleffect。”Thosearethemainfactsofthecase，strippedofallsurmise，andstatedasbaldlyaspossible。Ishallnowrecapitulatewhatthepolicehavedoneinthematter。”InspectorGregory，towhomthecasehasbeencommitted，isanextremelycompetentofficer。Werehebutgiftedwithimaginationhemightrisetogreatheightsinhisprofession。Onhisarrivalhepromptlyfoundandarrestedthemanuponwhomsuspicionnaturallyrested。Therewaslittledifficultyinfindinghim，forheinhabitedoneofthosevillaswhichIhavementioned。Hisname，itappears，wasFitzroySimpson。Hewasamanofexcellentbirthandeducation，whohadsquanderedafortuneupontheturf，andwholivednowbydoingalittlequietandgenteelbook-makinginthesportingclubsofLondon。Anexaminationofhisbetting-bookshowsthatbetstotheamountoffivethousandpoundshadbeenregisteredbyhimagainstthefavorite。OnbeingarrestedhevolunteeredthatstatementthathehadcomedowntoDartmoorinthehopeofgettingsomeinformationabouttheKing’sPylandhorses，andalsoaboutDesborough，thesecondfavorite，whichwasinchargeofSilasBrownattheMapletonstables。Hedidnotattempttodenythathehadactedasdescribedupontheeveningbefore，butdeclaredthathehadnosinisterdesigns，andhadsimplywishedtoobtainfirst-handinformation。Whenconfrontedwithhiscravat，heturnedverypale，andwasutterlyunabletoaccountforitspresenceinthehandofthemurderedman。Hiswetclothingshowedthathehadbeenoutinthestormofthenightbefore，andhisstick，whichwasaPenang-lawyerweightedwithlead，wasjustsuchaweaponasmight，byrepeatedblows，haveinflictedtheterribleinjuriestowhichthetrainerhadsuccumbed。
Ontheotherhand，therewasnowounduponhisperson，whilethestateofStraker’sknifewouldshowthatoneatleastofhisassailantsmustbearhismarkuponhim。Thereyouhaveitallinanutshell，Watson，andifyoucangivemeanylightIshallbeinfinitelyobligedtoyou。”
IhadlistenedwiththegreatestinteresttothestatementwhichHolmes，withcharacteristicclearness，hadlaidbeforeme。Thoughmostofthefactswerefamiliartome，Ihadnotsufficientlyappreciatedtheirrelativeimportance，northeirconnectiontoeachother。”Isinnotpossible，”Isuggested，”thattheincisedwoulduponStrakermayhavebeencausedbyhisownknifeintheconvulsivestruggleswhichfollowanybraininjury?””Itismorethanpossible；itisprobable，”saidHolmes。”Inthatcaseoneofthemainpointsinfavoroftheaccuseddisappears。””Andyet，”saidI，”evennowIfailtounderstandwhatthetheoryofthepolicecanbe。””Iamafraidthatwhatevertheorywestatehasverygraveobjectionstoit，”returnedmycompanion。”Thepoliceimagine，Itakeit，thatthisFitzroySimpson，havingdruggedthelad，andhavinginsomewayobtainedaduplicatekey，openedthestabledoorandtookoutthehorse，withtheintention，apparently，ofkidnappinghimaltogether。Hisbridleismissing，sothatSimpsonmusthaveputthison。Then，havingleftthedooropenbehindhim，hewasleadingthehorseawayoverthemoor，whenhewaseithermetorovertakenbythetrainer。Arownaturallyensued。
Simpsonbeatoutthetrainer’sbrainswithhisheavystickwithoutreceivinganyinjuryfromthesmallknifewhichStrakerusedinself-defence，andthenthethiefeitherledthehorseontosomesecrethiding-place，orelseitmayhaveboltedduringthestruggle，andbenowwanderingoutonthemoors。Thatisthecaseasitappearstothepolice，andimprobableasitis，allotherexplanationsaremoreimprobablestill。However，IshallveryquicklytestthematterwhenIamonceuponthespot，anduntilthenIcannotreallyseehowwecangetmuchfurtherthanourpresentposition。”
ItwaseveningbeforewereachedthelittletownofTavistock，whichlies，likethebossofashield，inthemiddleofthehugecircleofDartmoor。Twogentlemenwereawaitingusinthestation——theoneatall，fairmanwithlion-likehairandbeardandcuriouslypenetratinglightblueeyes；theotherasmall，alertperson，veryneatanddapper，inafrock-coatandgaiters，withtrimlittleside-whiskersandaneye-glass。ThelatterwasColonelRoss，thewell-knownsportsman；theother，InspectorGregory，amanwhowasrapidlymakinghisnameintheEnglishdetectiveservice。”Iamdelightedthatyouhavecomedown，Mr。Holmes，”
saidtheColonel。”TheInspectorherehasdoneallthatcouldpossiblybesuggested，butIwishtoleavenostoneunturnedintryingtoavengepoorStrakerandinrecoveringmyhorse。””Havetherebeenanyfreshdevelopments?”askedHolmes。”Iamsorrytosaythatwehavemadeverylittleprogress，”saidtheInspector。”Wehaveanopencarriageoutside，andasyouwouldnodoubtliketoseetheplacebeforethelightfails，wemighttalkitoveraswedrive。”
Aminutelaterwewereallseatedinacomfortablelandau，andwererattlingthroughthequaintoldDevonshirecity。InspectorGregorywasfullofhiscase，andpouredoutastreamofremarks，whileHolmesthrewinanoccasionalquestionorinterjection。
ColonelRossleanedbackwithhisarmsfoldedandhishattiltedoverhiseyes，whileIlistenedwithinteresttothedialogueofthetwodetectives。
Gregorywasformulatinghistheory，whichwasalmostexactlywhatHolmeshadforetoldinthetrain。”ThenetisdrawnprettycloseroundFitzroySimpson，”
heremarked，”andIbelievemyselfthatheisourman。
AtthesametimeIrecognizethattheevidenceispurelycircumstantial，andthatsomenewdevelopmentmayupsetit。””HowaboutStraker’sknife?””Wehavequitecometotheconclusionthathewoundedhimselfinhisfall。””MyfriendDr。Watsonmadethatsuggestiontomeaswecamedown。Ifso，itwouldtellagainstthismanSimpson。””Undoubtedly。Hehasneitheraknifenoranysignofawound。Theevidenceagainsthimiscertainlyverystrong。Hehadagreatinterestinthedisappearanceofthefavorite。Heliesundersuspicionofhavingpoisonedthestable-boy，hewasundoubtedlyoutinthestorm，hewasarmedwithaheavystick，andhiscravatwasfoundinthedeadman’shand。Ireallythinkwehaveenoughtogobeforeajury。”
Holmesshookhishead。”Aclevercounselwouldtearitalltorags，”saidhe。”Whyshouldhetakethehorseoutofthestable?Ifhewishedtoinjureitwhycouldhenotdoitthere?Hasaduplicatekeybeenfoundinhispossession?Whatchemistsoldhimthepowderedopium?Aboveall，wherecouldhe，astrangertothedistrict，hideahorse，andsuchahorseasthis?Whatishisownexplanationastothepaperwhichhewishedthemaidtogivetothestable-boy?””Hesaysthatitwasaten-poundnote。Onewasfoundinhispurse。Butyourotherdifficultiesarenotsoformidableastheyseem。Heisnotastrangertothedistrict。HehastwicelodgedatTavistockinthesummer。TheopiumwasprobablybroughtfromLondon。
Thekey，havingserveditspurpose，wouldbehurledaway。Thehorsemaybeatthebottomofoneofthepitsoroldminesuponthemoor。””Whatdoeshesayaboutthecravat?””Heacknowledgesthatitishis，anddeclaresthathehadlostit。Butanewelementhasbeenintroducedintothecasewhichmayaccountforhisleadingthehorsefromthestable。”
Holmesprickeduphisears。”WehavefoundtraceswhichshowthatapartyofgypsiesencampedonMondaynightwithinamileofthespotwherethemurdertookplace。OnTuesdaytheyweregone。Now，presumingthattherewassomeunderstandingbetweenSimpsonandthesegypsies，mighthenothavebeenleadingthehorsetothemwhenhewasovertaken，andmaytheynothavehimnow?””Itiscertainlypossible。””Themoorisbeingscouredforthesegypsies。Ihavealsoexaminedeverystableandout-houseinTavistock，andforaradiusoftenmiles。””Thereisanothertraining-stablequiteclose，I
understand?””Yes，andthatisafactorwhichwemustcertainlynotneglect。AsDesborough，theirhorse，wassecondinthebetting，theyhadaninterestinthedisappearanceofthefavorite。SilasBrown，thetrainer，isknowntohavehadlargebetsupontheevent，andhewasnofriendtopoorStraker。Wehave，however，examinedthestables，andthereisnothingtoconnecthimwiththeaffair。””AndnothingtoconnectthismanSimpsonwiththeinterestsoftheMapletonstables?””Nothingatall。”