ker."

"Well?"

"I'll dictate it, if you like. Ready?

"Dear Sir:

"It has struck me that it is our duty to drain the moat, in the hope
that we may find some--"

"It's impossible," said the inspector. "I've made inquiry."

"Tut, tut! My dear sir, please do what I ask you."

"Well, go on."

"--in the hope that we may find something which may bear upon our
investigation. I have made arrangements, and the workmen will be at work
early to-morrow morning diverting the stream--"

"Impossible!"

"--diverting the stream; so I thought it best to explain matters
beforehand.

"Now sign that, and send it by hand about four o'clock. At that hour we
shall meet again in this room. Until then we may each do what we like;
for I can assure you that this inquiry has come to a definite pause."

Evening was drawing in when we reassembled. Holmes was very serious in
his manner, myself curious, and the detectives obviously critical and
annoyed.

"Well, gentlemen," said my friend gravely, "I am asking you now to
put everything to the test with me, and you will judge for yourselves
whether the observations I have made justify the conclusions to which
I have come. It is a chill evening, and I do not know how long our
expedition may last; so I beg that you will wear your warmest coats.
It is of the first importance that we should be in our places before it
grows dark; so with your permission we shall get started at once."

We passed along the outer bounds of the Manor House park until we came
to a place where there was a gap in the rails which fenced it. Through
this we slipped, and then in the gathering gloom we followed Holmes
until we had reached a shrubbery which lies nearly opposite to the main
door and the drawbridge. The latter had not been raised. Holmes crouched
down behind the screen of laurels, and we all three followed his
example.

"Well, what are we to do now?" asked MacDonald with some gruffness.

"Possess our souls in patience and make as little noise as possible,"
Holmes answered.

"What are we here for at all? I really think that you might treat us
with more frankness."

Holmes laughed. "Watson insists that I am the dramatist in real life,"
said he. "Some touch of the artist wells up within me, and calls
insistently for a well-staged performance. Surely our profession, Mr.
Mac, would be a drab and sordid one if we did not sometimes set the
scene so as to glorify our results. The blunt accusation, the bru