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The Lauriston Garden Mystery
“Ifyouwillletmeknowhowyourinvestigationsgo,”hecontinued,“IshallbehappytogiveyouanyhelpIcan. InthemeantimeIshouldliketospeaktotheconstablewhofoundthebody. Canyougivemehisnameandaddress?”
Lestradeglancedathisnote-book. “JohnRance,”hesaid.“Heisoffdutynow.Youwillfindhimat46,AudleyCourt,KenningtonParkGate.”
Holmestookanoteoftheaddress.
“Comealong,Doctor,”hesaid;“weshallgoandlookhimup. I’lltellyouonethingwhichmayhelpyouinthecase,”hecontinued,turningtothetwodetectives. “Therehasbeenmurderdone,andthemurdererwasaman. Hewasmorethansixfeethigh,wasintheprimeoflife,hadsmallfeetforhisheight,worecoarse,square-toedbootsandsmokedaTrichinopolycigar. Hecameherewithhisvictiminafour-wheeledcab,whichwasdrawnbyahorsewiththreeoldshoesandonenewoneonhisoffforeleg. Inallprobabilitythemurdererhadafloridface,andthefinger-nailsofhisrighthandwereremarkablylong. Theseareonlyafewindications,buttheymayassistyou.”
LestradeandGregsonglancedateachotherwithanincreduloussmile.
“Ifthismanwasmurdered,howwasitdone?”askedtheformer.
“Poison,”saidSherlockHolmescurtly,andstrodeoff. “Oneotherthing,Lestrade,”headded,turningroundatthedoor: “‘Rache,’istheGermanfor‘revenge;’sodon’tloseyourtimelookingforMissRachel.”
WithwhichParthianshothewalkedaway,leavingthetworivalsopen-mouthedbehindhim.
