ThreedayslaterwewerebackinBakerStreettogether；butitwasevidentthatmyfriendwouldbemuchthebetterforachange，andthethoughtofaweekofspringtimeinthecountrywasfullofattractionstomealso。Myoldfriend，ColonelHayter，whohadcomeundermyprofessionalcareinAfghanistan，hadnowtakenahousenearReigateinSurrey，andhadfrequentlyaskedmetocomedowntohimuponavisit。Onthelastoccasionhehadremarkedthatifmyfriendwouldonlycomewithmehewouldbegladtoextendhishospitalitytohimalso。
Alittlediplomacywasneeded，butwhenHolmesunderstoodthattheestablishmentwasabachelorone，andthathewouldbeallowedthefullestfreedom，hefellinwithmyplansandaweekafterourreturnfromLyonswewereundertheColonel’sroof。Hayterwasafineoldsoldierwhohadseenmuchoftheworld，andhesoonfound，asIhadexpected，thatHolmesandhehadmuchincommon。
OntheeveningofourarrivalweweresittingintheColonel’sgun-roomafterdinner，Holmesstretcheduponthesofa，whileHayterandIlookedoverhislittlearmoryofEasternweapons。”Bytheway，”saidhesuddenly，”IthinkI’lltakeoneofthesepistolsupstairswithmeincasewehaveanalarm。””Analarm！”saidI。”Yes，we’vehadascareinthispartlately。OldActon，whoisoneofourcountymagnates，hadhishousebrokenintolastMonday。Nogreatdamagedone，butthefellowsarestillatlarge。””Noclue?”askedHolmes，cockinghiseyeattheColonel。”Noneasyet。Buttheaffairisaprettyone，oneofourlittlecountrycrimes，whichmustseemtoosmallforyourattention，Mr。Holmes，afterthisgreatinternationalaffair。”
Holmeswavedawaythecompliment，thoughhissmileshowedthatithadpleasedhim。”Wasthereanyfeatureofinterest?””Ifancynot。Thethievesransackedthelibraryandgotverylittlefortheirpains。Thewholeplacewasturnedupsidedown，drawersburstopen，andpressesransacked，withtheresultthatanoddvolumeofPope’s’Homer，’twoplatedcandlesticks，anivoryletter-weight，asmalloakbarometer，andaballoftwineareallthathavevanished。””Whatanextraordinaryassortment！”Iexclaimed。”Oh，thefellowsevidentlygrabbedholdofeverythingtheycouldget。”
Holmesgruntedfromthesofa。”Thecountypoliceoughttomakesomethingofthat，”
saidhe；”why，itissurelyobviousthat——”
ButIheldupawarningfinger。”Youarehereforarest，mydearfellow。ForHeaven’ssakedon’tgetstartedonanewproblemwhenyournervesareallinshreds。”
HolmesshruggedhisshoulderswithaglanceofcomicresignationtowardstheColonel，andthetalkdriftedawayintolessdangerouschannels。
Itwasdestined，however，thatallmyprofessionalcautionshouldbewasted，fornextmorningtheproblemobtrudeditselfuponusinsuchawaythatitwasimpossibletoignoreit，andourcountryvisittookaturnwhichneitherofuscouldhaveanticipated。WewereatbreakfastwhentheColonel’sbutlerrushedinwithallhisproprietyshakenoutofhim。”Haveyouheardthenews，sir?”hegasped。”AttheCunningham’ssir！””Burglary！”criedtheColonel，withhiscoffee-cupinmid-air。”Murder！”
TheColonelwhistled。”ByJove！”saidhe。”Who’skilled，then?TheJ。P。orhisson?””Neither，sir。ItwasWilliamthecoachman。Shotthroughtheheart，sir，andneverspokeagain。””Whoshothim，then?””Theburglar，sir。Hewasofflikeashotandgotcleanaway。He’djustbrokeinatthepantrywindowwhenWilliamcameonhimandmethisendinsavinghismaster’sproperty。””Whattime?””Itwaslastnight，sir，somewhereabouttwelve。””Ah，then，we’llstepoverafterwards，”saidtheColonel，coollysettlingdowntohisbreakfastagain。”It’sabaddishbusiness，”headdedwhenthebutlerhadgone；”he’sourleadingmanabouthere，isoldCunningham，andaverydecentfellowtoo。He’llbecutupoverthis，forthemanhasbeeninhisserviceforyearsandwasagoodservant。It’sevidentlythesamevillainswhobrokeintoActon’s。””Andstolethatverysingularcollection，”saidHolmes，thoughtfully。”Precisely。””Hum！Itmayprovethesimplestmatterintheworld，butallthesameatfirstglancethisisjustalittlecurious，isitnot?Agangofburglarsactinginthecountrymightbeexpectedtovarythesceneoftheiroperations，andnottocracktwocribsinthesamedistrictwithinafewdays。WhenyouspokelastnightoftakingprecautionsIrememberthatitpassedthroughmymindthatthiswasprobablythelastparishinEnglandtowhichthethieforthieveswouldbelikelytoturntheirattention——whichshowsthatI
havestillmuchtolearn。””Ifancyit’ssomelocalpractitioner，”saidtheColonel。”Inthatcase，ofcourse，Acton’sandCunningham’sarejusttheplaceshewouldgofor，sincetheyarefarthelargestabouthere。””Andrichest?””Well，theyoughttobe，butthey’vehadalawsuitforsomeyearswhichhassuckedthebloodoutofbothofthem，Ifancy。OldActonhassomeclaimonhalfCunningham’sestate，andthelawyershavebeenatitwithbothhands。””Ifit’salocalvillainthereshouldnotbemuchdifficultyinrunninghimdown，”saidHolmeswithayawn。”Allright，Watson，Idon’tintendtomeddle。””InspectorForrester，sir，”saidthebutler，throwingopenthedoor。
Theofficial，asmart，keen-facedyoungfellow，steppedintotheroom。”Good-morning，Colonel，”saidhe；”IhopeIdon’tintrude，butwehearthatMr。
HolmesofBakerStreetishere。”
TheColonelwavedhishandtowardsmyfriend，andtheInspectorbowed。”Wethoughtthatperhapsyouwouldcaretostepacross，Mr。Holmes。””Thefatesareagainstyou，Watson，”saidhe，laughing。”Wewerechattingaboutthematterwhenyoucamein，Inspector。Perhapsyoucanletushaveafewdetails。”AsheleanedbackinhischairinthefamiliarattitudeIknewthatthecasewashopeless。”WehadnoclueintheActonaffair。Butherewehaveplentytogoon，andthere’snodoubtitisthesamepartyineachcase。Themanwasseen。””Ah！””Yes，sir。ButhewasofflikeadeeraftertheshotthatkilledpoorWilliamKirwanwasfired。Mr。
Cunninghamsawhimfromthebedroomwindow，andMr。
AlecCunninghamsawhimfromthebackpassage。Itwasquartertotwelvewhenthealarmbrokeout。Mr。
Cunninghamhadjustgotintobed，andMr。Alecwassmokingapipeinhisdressing-gown。TheybothheardWilliamthecoachmancallingforhelp，andMr。Alecrandowntoseewhatwasthematter。Thebackdoorwasopen，andashecametothefootofthestairshesawtwomenwrestlingtogetheroutside。Oneofthemfiredashot，theotherdropped，andthemurdererrushedacrossthegardenandoverthehedge。Mr。
Cunningham，lookingoutofhisbedroom，sawthefellowashegainedtheroad，butlostsightofhimatonce。
Mr。Alecstoppedtoseeifhecouldhelpthedyingman，andsothevillaingotcleanaway。Beyondthefactthathewasamiddle-sizedmananddressedinsomedarkstuff，wehavenopersonalclue；butwearemakingenergeticinquiries，andifheisastrangerweshallsoonfindhimout。””WhatwasthisWilliamdoingthere?Didhesayanythingbeforehedied?””Notaword。Helivesatthelodgewithhismother，andashewasaveryfaithfulfellowweimaginethathewalkeduptothehousewiththeintentionofseeingthatallwasrightthere。OfcoursethisActonbusinesshasputeveryoneontheirguard。Therobbermusthavejustburstopenthedoor——thelockhasbeenforced——whenWilliamcameuponhim。””DidWilliamsayanythingtohismotherbeforegoingout?””Sheisveryoldanddeaf，andwecangetnoinformationfromher。Theshockhasmadeherhalf-witted，butIunderstandthatshewasneververybright。Thereisoneveryimportantcircumstance，however。Lookatthis！”
Hetookasmallpieceoftornpaperfromanote-bookandspreaditoutuponhisknee。”Thiswasfoundbetweenthefingerandthumbofthedeadman。Itappearstobeafragmenttornfromalargersheet。Youwillobservethatthehourmentioneduponitistheverytimeatwhichthepoorfellowmethisfate。Youseethathismurderermighthavetorntherestofthesheetfromhimorhemighthavetakenthisfragmentfromthemurderer。Itreadsalmostasthoughitwereanappointment。”