Colonel, and me
staring at each other.

"'Pon my word, I am inclined to agree with Mister Alec," said the
official. "It may be the effect of this illness, but it seems to me
that----"

His words were cut short by a sudden scream of "Help! Help! Murder!"
With a thrill I recognised the voice as that of my friend. I rushed
madly from the room on to the landing. The cries, which had sunk down
into a hoarse, inarticulate shouting, came from the room which we had
first visited. I dashed in, and on into the dressing-room beyond. The
two Cunninghams were bending over the prostrate figure of Sherlock
Holmes, the younger clutching his throat with both hands, while the
elder seemed to be twisting one of his wrists. In an instant the three
of us had torn them away from him, and Holmes staggered to his feet,
very pale, and evidently greatly exhausted.

"Arrest these men, Inspector," he gasped.

"On what charge?"

"That of murdering their coachman, William Kirwan!"

The Inspector stared about him in bewilderment. "Oh, come now, Mr.
Holmes," said he at last; "I am sure you don't really mean to----"

"Tut, man; look at their faces!" cried Holmes, curtly.

Never, certainly, have I seen a plainer confession of guilt upon human
countenances. The older man seemed numbed and dazed, with a heavy,
sullen expression upon his strongly-marked face. The son, on the other
hand, had dropped all that jaunty, dashing style which had characterized
him, and the ferocity of a dangerous wild beast gleamed in his dark eyes
and distorted his handsome features. The Inspector said nothing, but,
stepping to the door, he blew his whistle. Two of his constables came at
the call.

"I have no alternative, Mr. Cunningham," said he. "I trust that this may
all prove to be an absurd mistake; but you can see that----Ah, would
you? Drop it!" He struck out with his hand, and a revolver, which the
younger man was in the act of cocking, clattered down upon the floor.

[Illustration: "BENDING OVER THE PROSTRATE FIGURE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES."]

"Keep that," said Holmes, quickly putting his foot upon it. "You will
find it useful at the trial. But this is what we really wanted." He held
up a little crumpled piece of paper.

"The remainder of the sheet!" cried the Inspector.

"Precisely."

"And where was it?"

"Where I was sure it must be. I'll make the whole matter clear to you
presently. I think, Colonel, that you and Watson might return now, and I
will be