Page 32 - The Noorwood Mistery
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Holmes opened the cigarette box on the table and took out 'You see, ' Holmes went on, 'this is the Sydenham Road,
a cigarette. He gave his friend a short time to think about here is Deep Dene House and this is the timber yard. On the
left are the French windows which open into the builder's
his words before he lit it.
bedroom. As you can see, it's possible to look into the
'I see,' said Watson at last.
'Do you?' asked Holmes. Tm not sure I see yet. But I must bedroom from the road.'
go on with my story. As I said, Oldacre's house was large 'Is that important, Holmes?' asked Watson.
and modern, and next to it was the famous timber yard.' He 'I don't know,' Holmes replied. 'Possibly. Inspector Lestrade
took out his notebook and opened it on the table in front wasn't at Norwood this afternoon, but I met his sergeant, a
of him. 'Here, Watson, I drew a plan of it.' man called Judd. He, of course, was quite sure that our Mr
Watson got up and walked across the room to stand behind Mcfarlane is a murderer. The police found some buttons in
Holmes and look at the plan. the ashes in the timber yard, you see, and these buttons were
buttons from Oldacre's trousers. And so, says Sergeant Judd,
the builder is dead, and so Mcfarlane is a murderer.'
'This doesn't look good, Holmes, ' said Watson.
'No,' Holmes agreed. 'Our young friend is in deep trouble
here, I'm afraid. But we must not give up hope, Watson.
I searched the garden after talking to Sergeant Judd, but I
found nothing. Then I went into the house. First I searched
)'
t h e builder's bedroom. The bloodstains on the walls were
fresh, and I saw Oldacre's footprints on the floor, together
with John McFarlane's. But there were no others. I looked
ut the papers from the safe, which were on the table, but
I'm sure that some of the papers were not there. I couldn't
llnd the deeds to the house anywhere.'
'Where do you think they are, Holmes?' asked Watson.
'l don't know. But I'm sure that our young friend didn't
tuke them. He had no reason to steal the deeds if Oldacre
wanted to leave his house and money to him. Well, Watson,
11 ·xt I spoke to the builder's housekeeper, Mrs Lexington. A
give up (past
small, quiet woman, she never looked at me once when she gave, given) to
stop trying to do
wus talking to me. I am sure that she knows much more
something
t h an she wanted to tell me. She agreed that she answered fresh made not
long ago; not old
t h ' front door to John Mcfarlane at nine thirty yesterday
reason why you
1•vcning. She went to bed at ten thirty - her bedroom is do something
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