Page 13 - The Noorwood Mistery

'I took the train to Norwood and arrived there at about McFarlane stood up and the two policemen took him
nine o'clock. It was difficult to find Mr Oldacre's house on down the stairs and out into Baker Street. Lestrade stayed
the Sydenham Road and it was nine-thirty when I at last in the room with Holmes and Watson. Holmes looked at
knocked on the door of Deep Dene House.' McFarlane's papers, which were still on the table.
'Stop,' said Holmes. 'Who opened the door to you?' 'Interesting, ' he said. 'Mr Oldacre's writing is very easy to
'It was Mr Oldacre's housekeeper, ' McFarlane replied. 'A read in some places, but very difficult to read in others. And
woman of about fifty-five years.' here it's impossible. Can you read this, Watson?'
'And she told Mr Oldacre that you were there?' Holmes Watson agreed that it was impossible to read.
went on. 'And why is that?' asked Holmes.
'That's right,' McFarlane agreed. 'She then took me into 'I've no idea,' Watson replied.
the dining room, where Mr Oldacre was waiting for me. We 'Is this important, Mr Holmes?' asked Lestrade.
ate a light meal of sandwiches and fruit, then Mr Oldacre 'Possibly,' said H0lmes. 'Mr Oldacre wrote his will on a
took me to his bedroom. There was a safe in the corner of train. We can read everything that he wrote when the train
the room, and Mr Oldacre opened it and took out a lot of was at a station, but it's impossible to read what he wrote
papers. We looked at them together and didn't finish until when the train was moving. Mr Oldacre spent the journey
about half past eleven. Mr Oldacre said that we mustn't writing his will, so his train was an
wake up the housekeeper, so I left the house by the French express, which stopped only once
windows in the bedroom, which were open. I couldn't find between Norwood and London Bridge.'
my walking stick, but Mr Oldacre said that he would give it 'Very interesting, Mr Holmes ' said
,
back to me next time. "I hope you will come back often," Lestrade, 'but I have a murderer
he said. When I left, Mr Oldacre was in his bedroom and to see. I must go. Goodbye, Mr
the safe was open. His papers were on the table. It was too Holmes. Dr Watson.'
late for me to go back t4 my father's house at Blackheath, 'Goodbye, Inspector, ' said
so I went to a hotel called the Anerley Arms in Norwood Holmes with a smile.
and spent the night there. I knew nothing more about Mr
Oldacre until I read the story in the newspaper this morning.
And everything that I've told you is true.'
Lestrade looked at Holmes. 'Any more questions?'
'Possibly,' said Holmes. 'But first I must go to Blackheath.'
'You mean Norwood,' said Lestrade.
'Perhaps,' replied Holmes with a strange smile. The
dining room the
room in a house Inspector didn't understand, but said nothing.
where people eat
'Mr McFarlane?' said one of the other policemen, who was
French windows
glass doors waiting at the door. 'Come with us, please.'

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