ans 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, I
won't smoke, I thank you. I'll have to be pushing on my way; for the
early hours of a case are the precious ones, as no man knows better
than your own self. But--but--"

The inspector had stopped suddenly, and was staring with a look of
absolute amazement at a paper upon the table. It was the sheet upon
which I had scrawled the enigmatic message.

"Douglas!" he stammered. "Birlstone! What's this, Mr. Holmes? Man, it's
witchcraft! Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get
those names?"

"It is a cipher that Dr. Watson and I have had occasion to solve. But
why--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 was
horribly murdered last night!"

Chapter 2

Sherlock Holmes Discourses

It was one of those dramatic moments for which my friend existed. It
would be an overstatement to say that he was shocked or even excited by
the amazing announcement. Without having a tinge of cruelty in his
singular composition, he was undoubtedly callous from long
over-stimulation. Yet, if his emotions were dulled, his intellectual
perceptions were exceedingly active. There was no trace then of the
horror which I had myself felt at this curt declaration; but his face
showed rather the quiet and interested composure of the chemist who
sees 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 be
important, warning me that danger threatens a certain person. Within an
hour I learn that this danger has actually materialized and that the
person is dead. I am interested; but, as you observe, I am not
surprised."

In a few short sentences he explained to the inspector the facts about
the letter and the cipher. MacDonald sat with his chin on his hands and
his great sandy eyebrows bunched into a yellow tangle.

"I was going down to Birlstone this morning," said he. "I had come to
ask you if you cared to come with me--you and your friend he