Page 7 - The Noorwood Mistery

Watson, could you take the newspaper and read us the 'This is very interesting,' he said at last. 'Can I ask, Mr
story?' Mcfarlane, why the police have not already arrested you?
Watson opened the newspaper and started to read. I understand from the newspaper that they are sure you
Sherlock Holmes listened carefully, his eyes closed, as murdered Mr Oldacre.'
Watson read the story from the morning newspaper. 'I live at Torrington Lodge, Blackheath, with my mother
and father, Mr Holmes, but last night, after my business
Murder of well-known builder with Mr Oldacre, I stayed in a hotel at Norwood and went
to work from there this morning. I knew nothing about this
Late last night, or early this found an open safe, which I
morning, a terrible crime took was empty. There were papers crime until I was on the train, when I read the story in the
place at Norwood in south on the floor and bloodstains � newspaper. I understood immediately that I was in terrible
London. Mr Jonas Oldacre on the walls. The men
trouble, so when my train arrived at the station I ran to
has lived at Norwood and has also found a bloodstained
Baker Street to see you, Mr Holmes, and to tell you that I
worked there as a builder for walking stick in the room.
many years. He is fifty-two This stick belongs to Mr John am not a criminal. I did not murder Mr Jonas Oldacre. The
years old, unmarried, and he McFarlane, who visited Mr police, I'm sure, were waiting for me at work and also at
lives in Deep Dene House Oldacre at his home yesterday
my father's house at Blackheath. A man followed me here
on the Sydenham Road. The evening. The police are sure
people of Norwood know Mr that they know the motive I from the station and-' '
.
Oldacre as an unusual man. for the crime and are looking Suddenly there was another knock
He does not often leave his for Mr McFarlane. They will the street door. Then they heard men
house, but his business has arrest him when they find him.
on the stairs, and Inspector Lestrade
made him very rich. There is At Norwood, police now say
entered the room with two
timber yard a a small timber yard behind that Mr Oldacre's bedroom
place where wood windows on the ground floor other policemen.
is kept his house and last night, at
� about midnight, a man who of the house were open. 1\.re you Mr John Mcfarlane?'
fire brigade if
your house is on \ was out walking saw that soJbe They have found some burnt he asked.
fire, you call the
fire brigade of the wood there was ''on remains, possibly of a body, The young man stood up,
fire. He immediately called in the fire in the timber yard.
put out to stop
something burning the fir� brigade, who arrived The police think that there his face white.
safe a very strong soon after. The wood was very has been a murder. They say 'I am,' he said.
box that people put dry and burned quickly, so that the criminal killed the
money and other Lestrade gave him a long
expensive things in it was impossible to put out builder in his bedroom, then
look. 'John Mcfarlane, I am
bloodstains the fire. The fire brigade were pulled his dead body into
marks made by arresting you for the murder
blood surprised when Mr Oldacre did the garden and burned it in I
not come out of the house, the timber yard. Inspector of Mr Jonas Oldacre, the
walking stick a
stick to help you and two of their officers went Lestrade of Scotland Yard f
walk builder, of Norwood, south
inside to look for him. But Mr is the policeman who is
motive the reason Oldacre was not in the house. investigating this most terrible # London.'
for a crime
In the bedroom the two men cnme. I
remains what
is left
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