What John Rance had to tell.

           Itwasoneo’clockwhenweleftNo.3,LauristonGardens. SherlockHolmesledmetothenearesttelegraphoffice,whencehedispatchedalongtelegram. Hethenhailedacab,andorderedthedrivertotakeustotheaddressgivenusbyLestrade. 

           “Thereisnothinglikefirsthandevidence,”heremarked; “asamatteroffact,mymindisentirelymadeupuponthecase,butstillwemayaswelllearnallthatistobelearned.” 

           “Youamazeme,Holmes,”saidI. “Surelyyouarenotassureasyoupretendtobeofallthoseparticularswhichyougave.” 

           “There’snoroomforamistake,”heanswered. “TheveryfirstthingwhichIobservedonarrivingtherewasthatacabhadmadetworutswithitswheelsclosetothecurb. Now,uptolastnight,wehavehadnorainforaweek,sothatthosewheelswhichleftsuchadeepimpressionmusthavebeenthereduringthenight. Therewerethemarksofthehorse’shoofs,too,theoutlineofoneofwhichwasfarmoreclearlycutthanthatoftheotherthree,showingthatthatwasanewshoe. Sincethecabwasthereaftertherainbegan,andwasnotthereatanytimeduringthemorning—IhaveGregson’swordforthat—itfollowsthatitmusthavebeenthereduringthenight,and,therefore,thatitbroughtthosetwoindividualstothehouse.” 

           “Thatseemssimpleenough,”saidI;“buthowabouttheotherman’sheight?” 

           “Why,theheightofaman,inninecasesoutoften,canbetoldfromthelengthofhisstride. Itisasimplecalculationenough,thoughthereisnousemyboringyouwithfigures.