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The Adventure of the Dancing Men
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“Ihaveonlytheevidenceofthedancingmen,”saidHolmes.“Iwillexplainthemattertoyoulater.Meanwhile,sinceitistoolatetopreventthistragedy,IamveryanxiousthatIshouldusetheknowledgewhichIpossessinordertoinsurethatjusticebedone.Willyouassociatemeinyourinvestigation,orwillyoupreferthatIshouldactindependently?”
“Ishouldbeproudtofeelthatwewereactingtogether,Mr.Holmes,”saidtheinspector,earnestly.
“InthatcaseIshouldbegladtoheartheevidenceandtoexaminethepremiseswithoutaninstantofunnecessarydelay.”
InspectorMartinhadthegoodsensetoallowmyfriendtodothingsinhisownfashion,andcontentedhimselfwithcarefullynotingtheresults.Thelocalsurgeon,anold,white-hairedman,hadjustcomedownfromMrs.HiltonCubitt’sroom,andhereportedthatherinjurieswereserious,butnotnecessarilyfatal.Thebullethadpassedthroughthefrontofherbrain,anditwouldprobablybesometimebeforeshecouldregainconsciousness.Onthequestionofwhethershehadbeenshotorhadshotherself,hewouldnotventuretoexpressanydecidedopinion.Certainlythebullethadbeendischargedatveryclosequarters.Therewasonlytheonepistolfoundintheroom,twobarrelsofwhichhadbeenemptied.Mr.HiltonCubitthadbeenshotthroughtheheart.Itwasequallyconceivablethathehadshotherandthenhimself,orthatshehadbeenthecriminal,fortherevolverlayuponthefloormidwaybetweenthem.
“Hashebeenmoved?”askedHolmes.
“Wehavemovednothingexceptthelady.
