Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Man with the Watches
"Andnowwehavetofitinthemaninthesmokingcarriage.Presumingthatwehave,uptothispoint,reconstructedthetragedycorrectly,weshallfindnothinginthisothermantocauseustoreconsiderourconclusions.Accordingtomytheory,thismansawtheyoungfellowcrossfromonetraintotheother,sawhimopenthedoor,heardthepistol-shot,sawthetwofugitivesspringoutontotheline,realizedthatmurderhadbeendone,andsprangouthimselfinpursuit.Whyhehasneverbeenheardofsince—whetherhemethisowndeathinthepursuit,orwhether,asismorelikely,hewasmadetorealizethatitwasnotacaseforhisinterference—isadetailwhichwehaveatpresentnomeansofexplaining.Iacknowledgethattherearesomedifficultiesintheway.Atfirstsight,itmightseemimprobablethatatsuchamomentamurdererwouldburdenhimselfinhisflightwithabrownleatherbag.Myansweristhathewaswellawarethatifthebagwerefoundhisidentitywouldbeestablished.Itwasabsolutelynecessaryforhimtotakeitwithhim.Mytheorystandsorfallsupononepoint,andIcallupontherailwaycompanytomakestrictinquiryastowhetheraticketwasfoundunclaimedinthelocaltrainthroughHarrowandKing’sLangleyuponthe18thofMarch.Ifsuchaticketwerefoundmycaseisproved.Ifnot,mytheorymaystillbethecorrectone,foritisconceivableeitherthathetravelledwithoutaticketorthathisticketwaslost.
