Собака Баскервіллів

           "Thereareoneortwoindications,andyettheutmostpainshavebeentakentoremoveallclues. Theaddress,youobserveisprintedinroughcharacters. ButtheTimesisapaperwhichisseldomfoundinanyhandsbutthoseofthehighlyeducated. Wemaytakeit,therefore,thattheletterwascomposedbyaneducatedmanwhowishedtoposeasanuneducatedone,andhisefforttoconcealhisownwritingsuggeststhatthatwritingmightbeknown,orcometobeknown,byyou. Again,youwillobservethatthewordsarenotgummedoninanaccurateline,butthatsomearemuchhigherthanothers. ‘Life,’forexampleisquiteoutofitsproperplace. Thatmaypointtocarelessnessoritmaypointtoagitationandhurryuponthepartofthecutter. OnthewholeIinclinetothelatterview,sincethematterwasevidentlyimportant,anditisunlikelythatthecomposerofsuchaletterwouldbecareless. Ifhewereinahurryitopensuptheinterestingquestionwhyheshouldbeinahurry, sinceanyletterposteduptoearlymorningwouldreachSirHenrybeforehewouldleavehishotel. Didthecomposerfearaninterruption—andfromwhom?" 

           "Wearecomingnowratherintotheregionofguesswork,"saidDr.Mortimer. 

           "Say,rather,intotheregionwherewebalanceprobabilitiesandchoosethemostlikely. Itisthescientificuseoftheimagination,butwehavealwayssomematerialbasisonwhichtostartourspeculation. Now,youwouldcallitaguess,nodoubt,butIamalmostcertainthatthisaddresshasbeenwritteninahotel." 

           "Howintheworldcanyousaythat?" 

           "Ifyouexamineitcarefullyyouwillseethatboththepenandtheinkhavegiventhewritertrouble.