ThereforeheisatMapleton。Letustakethatasaworkinghypothesisandseewhatitleadsusto。Thispartofthemoor，astheInspectorremarked，isveryhardanddry。ButiffallsawaytowardsMapleton，andyoucanseefromherethatthereisalonghollowoveryonder，whichmusthavebeenverywetonMondaynight。
Ifoursuppositioniscorrect，thenthehorsemusthavecrossedthat，andthereisthepointwhereweshouldlookforhistracks。”
Wehadbeenwalkingbrisklyduringthisconversation，andafewmoreminutesbroughtustothehollowinquestion。AtHolmes’requestIwalkeddownthebanktotheright，andhetotheleft，butIhadnottakenfiftypacesbeforeIheardhimgiveashout，andsawhimwavinghishandtome。Thetrackofahorsewasplainlyoutlinedinthesoftearthinfrontofhim，andtheshoewhichhetookfromhispocketexactlyfittedtheimpression。”Seethevalueofimagination，”saidHolmes。”ItistheonequalitywhichGregorylacks。Weimaginedwhatmighthavehappened，acteduponthesupposition，andfindourselvesjustified。Letusproceed。”
Wecrossedthemarshybottomandpassedoveraquarterofamileofdry，hardturf。Againthegroundsloped，andagainwecameonthetracks。Thenwelostthemforhalfamile，butonlytopickthemuponcemorequiteclosetoMapleton。ItwasHolmeswhosawthemfirst，andhestoodpointingwithalookoftriumphuponhisface。Aman’strackwasvisiblebesidethehorse’s。”Thehorsewasalonebefore，”Icried。”Quiteso。Itwasalonebefore。Hullo，whatisthis?”
ThedoubletrackturnedsharpoffandtookthedirectionofKing’sPyland。Homeswhistled，andwebothfollowedalongafterit。Hiseyeswereonthetrail，butIhappenedtolookalittletooneside，andsawtomysurprisethesametrackscomingbackagainintheoppositedirection。”Oneforyou，Watson，”saidHolmes，whenIpointeditout。”Youhavesavedusalongwalk，whichwouldhavebroughtusbackonourowntraces。Letusfollowthereturntrack。”
Wehadnottogofar。ItendedatthepavingofasphaltwhichleduptothegatesoftheMapletonstables。Asweapproached，agroomranoutfromthem。”Wedon’twantanyloiterersabouthere，”saidhe。”Ionlywishedtoaskaquestion，”saidHolmes，withhisfingerandthumbinhiswaistcoatpocket。”ShouldIbetooearlytoseeyourmaster，Mr。SilasBrown，ifIweretocallatfiveo’clockto-morrowmorning?””Blessyou，sir，ifanyoneisabouthewillbe，forheisalwaysthefirststirring。Buthereheis，sir，toansweryourquestionsforhimself。No，sir，no；itisasmuchasmyplaceisworthtolethimseemetouchyourmoney。Afterwards，ifyoulike。”
AsSherlockHolmesreplacedthehalf-crownwhichhehaddrawnfromhispocket，afierce-lookingelderlymanstrodeoutfromthegatewithahunting-cropswinginginhishand。”What’sthis，Dawson！”hecried。”Nogossiping！Goaboutyourbusiness！Andyou，whatthedevildoyouwanthere?””Tenminutes’talkwithyou，mygoodsir，”saidHolmesinthesweetestofvoices。”I’venotimetotalktoeverygadabout。Wewantnostrangerhere。Beoff，oryoumayfindadogatyourheels。”
Holmesleanedforwardandwhisperedsomethinginthetrainer’sear。Hestartedviolentlyandflushedtothetemples。”It’salie！”heshouted，”aninfernallie！””Verygood。Shallweargueaboutithereinpublicortalkitoverinyourparlor?””Oh，comeinifyouwishto。”
Holmessmiled。”Ishallnotkeepyoumorethanafewminutes，Watson，”saidhe。”Now，Mr。Brown，Iamquiteatyourdisposal。”
Itwastwentyminutes，andtheredshadallfadedintograysbeforeHolmesandthetrainerreappeared。NeverhaveIseensuchachangeashadbeenbroughtaboutinSilasBrowninthatshorttime。Hisfacewasashypale，beadsofperspirationshoneuponhisbrow，andhishandsshookuntilthehunting-cropwaggedlikeabranchinthewind。Hisbullying，overbearingmannerwasallgonetoo，andhecringedalongatmycompanion’ssidelikeadogwithitsmaster。”Youinstructionswillbedone。Itshallallbedone，”saidhe。”Theremustbenomistake，”saidHolmes，lookingroundathim。Theotherwincedashereadthemenaceinhiseyes。”Ohno，thereshallbenomistake。Itshallbethere。
ShouldIchangeitfirstornot?”
Holmesthoughtalittleandthenburstoutlaughing。”No，don’t，”saidhe；”Ishallwritetoyouaboutit。
Notricks，now，or——””Oh，youcantrustme，youcantrustme！””Yes，IthinkIcan。Well，youshallhearfrommeto-morrow。”Heturneduponhisheel，disregardingthetremblinghandwhichtheotherheldouttohim，andwesetoffforKing’sPyland。”Amoreperfectcompoundofthebully，coward，andsneakthanMasterSilasBrownIhaveseldommetwith，”
remarkedHolmesaswetrudgedalongtogether。”Hehasthehorse，then?””Hetriedtoblusteroutofit，butIdescribedtohimsoexactlywhathisactionshadbeenuponthatmorningthatheisconvincedthatIwaswatchinghim。Ofcourseyouobservedthepeculiarlysquaretoesintheimpressions，andthathisownbootsexactlycorrespondedtothem。Again，ofcoursenosubordinatewouldhavedaredtodosuchathing。Idescribedtohimhow，whenaccordingtohiscustomhewasthefirstdown，heperceivedastrangehorsewanderingoverthemoor。Howhewentouttoit，andhisastonishmentatrecognizing，fromthewhiteforeheadwhichhasgiventhefavoriteitsname，thatchancehadputinhispowertheonlyhorsewhichcouldbeattheoneuponwhichhehadputhismoney。ThenIdescribedhowhisfirstimpulsehadbeentoleadhimbacktoKing’sPyland，andhowthedevilhadshownhimhowhecouldhidethehorseuntiltheracewasover，andhowhehadleditbackandconcealeditatMapleton。WhenItoldhimeverydetailhegaveitupandthoughtonlyofsavinghisownskin。””Buthisstableshadbeensearched?””Oh，andoldhorse-fakirlikehimhasmanyadodge。””Butareyounotafraidtoleavethehorseinhispowernow，sincehehaseveryinterestininjuringit?””Mydearfellow，hewillguarditastheappleofhiseye。Heknowsthathisonlyhopeofmercyistoproduceitsafe。””ColonelRossdidnotimpressmeasamanwhowouldbelikelytoshowmuchmercyinanycase。””ThematterdoesnotrestwithColonelRoss。Ifollowmyownmethods，andtellasmuchoraslittleasI
choose。Thatistheadvantageofbeingunofficial。I
don’tknowwhetheryouobservedit，Watson，buttheColonel’smannerhasbeenjustatriflecavaliertome。Iaminclinednowtohavealittleamusementathisexpense。Saynothingtohimaboutthehorse。””Certainlynotwithoutyourpermission。””AndofcoursethisisallquiteaminorpointcomparedtothequestionofwhokilledJohnStraker。””Andyouwilldevoteyourselftothat?””Onthecontrary，webothgobacktoLondonbythenighttrain。”
Iwasthunderstruckbymyfriend’swords。WehadonlybeenafewhoursinDevonshire，andthatheshouldgiveupaninvestigationwhichhehadbegunsobrilliantlywasquiteincomprehensibletome。NotawordmorecouldIdrawfromhimuntilwewerebackatthetrainer’shouse。TheColonelandtheInspectorwereawaitingusintheparlor。”MyfriendandIreturntotownbythenight-express，”
saidHolmes。”WehavehadacharminglittlebreathofyourbeautifulDartmoorair。”
TheInspectoropenedhiseyes，andtheColonel’slipcurledinasneer。”SoyoudespairofarrestingthemurdererofpoorStraker，”saidhe。
Holmesshruggedhisshoulders。”Therearecertainlygravedifficultiesintheway，”saidhe。”Ihaveeveryhope，however，thatyourhorsewillstartuponTuesday，andIbegthatyouwillhaveyourjockeyinreadiness。MightIaskforaphotographofMr。JohnStraker?”
TheInspectortookonefromanenvelopeandhandedittohim。”MydearGregory，youanticipateallmywants。IfI
mightaskyoutowaithereforaninstant，IhaveaquestionwhichIshouldliketoputtothemaid。””ImustsaythatIamratherdisappointedinourLondonconsultant，”saidColonelRoss，bluntly，asmyfriendlefttheroom。”Idonotseethatweareanyfurtherthanwhenhecame。””Atleastyouhavehisassurancethatyourhorsewillrun，”saidI。