Page 27 - The Noorwood Mistery
P. 27

'Thank  you,  Mrs  Lexington,'  Holmes  said  once  more.
 'You've  been  very  helpful,'  said Holmes.  He  stood  up.  'But
        'Goodbye.'
 now  I  must  go.  Thank  you  for  your  time,  Mrs  Lexington.'
          He closed  the  door  behind  him  as  he left  the  kitchen.  In
 The  housekeeper  got  up suddenly.  'I  tried  to save  him,  Mr
        the  hall  he  met  Sergeant  Judd,  who  was  coming  down  the
 Holmes,  poor  Mr  Oldacre,'  she  said.  'I  ran  out  into  the
        stairs.
 timber  yard,  but  the  wood  was  so  dry.  It  was  burning  so
          'Mr  Holmes,'  said  the  policeman.  'I  hope  that  your  visit
 quickly.  I  can't  remember  the  last time  it rained.  The  sme i l
        has  been  helpful.'
 was  terrible  .  .  .    when  I  think  .  .    .'
          'Very  elpful,  Sergeant, '  Holmes  replied.  'Thank  you.  And
        I  hope  that your  investigation  is  going  well.'
          'We  have  our  murderer,  Mr  Holmes, '  the  policeman
        answered.  'Inspector  Lestrade  is  talking  to  him  now  at
        Scotland Yard.  His  name  is  John  Hector  Mcfarlane  and  he
        killed  Mr  Oldacre  for  his  house  and  his  money.'
          Tm  very  pleased  to  hear  that  you  have  your  man,'  said
        Holmes  with  his  strange  smile.  'It's  obvious,  I'm  sure,  that
        Mr  Mcfarlane  murdered  Jonas  Oldacre  and  burnt  his  body
        in  the  timber  yard.'
          Tm  happy  t !?   hear  that  you  agree,  sir,'  replied  Judd.
         'Goodbye,  Mr  Holmes.'
          'Goodbye,  Sergeant, '  safd  Holmes.
          He  walked  slowly  to  the  front  door,  looking  carefully  at
         the  walls  in  the  hall,  and  left  the  builder's  house.  Outside
         he  took  a  last  look  at  the  garden,  house,  and  timber  yard
         and  drew  a  plan  i ri'  his  notebook  before  walking  through
         the  streets  of  Norwood  to  the  station.  It  was  a  fine  summer
        day,  but  Holmes  wasn't  happy.
          In  the  train  back  to  London,  he  asked  himself  a  number
         of  questions.  Could  John  Mcfarlane  really  be  a  murderer?
         Was Jonas Oldacre really dead? Why did the builder suddenly
        decide  to  leave  all  his  money  to  a  young  man that  he  didn't
         I  now?  And  why  did  he  write  his  will  on  an  express  train?
                                                                obvious  easy to
         For  now,  Holmes  did  not know  the  answer  to  his  questions,   see or  understand
         but  he  was  sure  that  they were  good  questions  to  ask.   draw  (past drew,
                                                                drawn)  to make a
                                                                picture with a pen
                                                                or pencil

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