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the parapet。〃
〃But it is at least fifteen feet from the body。〃
〃Yes； it is fifteen feet from the body。 It may have nothing to do
with the matter； But it is a point worth noting。 I do not think that
we have anything more to learn where。 There were no footsteps； you
say？〃
The ground was iron hard； sir。 There were no traces at all。〃
〃Then we can go。 We will go up to the house first and look over
these weapons of which you speak。 Then we shall get on to
Winchester； for I should desire to see Miss Dunbar before we go
farther。〃
Mr。 Neil Gibson had not returned from town； but we saw in the
house the neurotic Mr。 Bates who had called upon us in the morning。 He
showed us with a sinister relish the formidable array of firearms of
various shapes and sizes which his employer had accumulated in the
course of an adventurous life。
〃Mr。 Gibson has his enemies； as anyone would expect who knew him and
his methods；〃 said he。 〃He sleeps with a loaded revolver in the drawer
beside his bed。 He is a man of violence； sir； and there are times when
all of us are afraid of him。 I am sure that the poor lady who has
passed was often terrified。〃
〃Did you ever witness physical violence towards her？〃
〃No； I cannot say that。 But I have heard words which were nearly
as bad… words of cold； cutting contempt； even before the servants。〃
〃Our millionaire does not seem to shine in private life；〃 remarked
Holmes as we made our way to the station。 〃Well； Watson； we have
come on a good many facts； some of them new ones； and yet I seem
some way from my conclusion。 In spite of the evident dislike which Mr。
Bates has to his employer； I gather from him that when the alarm
came he was undoubtedly in his library。 Dinner was over at 8：30 and
all was normal up to then。 It is true that the alarm was somewhat late
in the evening； but the tragedy certainly occurred about the hour
named in the note。 There is no evidence at all that Mr。 Gibson had
been out of doors since his return from town at five o'clock。 On the
other hand； Miss Dunbar； as I understand it； admits that she had
made an appointment to meet Mrs。 Gibson at the bridge。 Beyond this she
would say nothing； as her lawyer； had advised her to reserve her
defence。 We have several very vital questions to ask that young
lady； and my mind will not be easy until we have seen her。 I must
confess that the case would seem to me to be very black against her if
it were not for one thing。〃
〃And what is that； Holmes？〃
〃The finding of the pistol in her wardrobe。〃
〃Dear me； Holmes！〃 I cried； 〃that seemed to me to be the most
damning incident of all。〃
〃Not so； Watson。 It had struck me even at my first perfunctory
reading as very strange； and now that I am in closer touch with the
case it is my only firm ground for hope。 We must look for consistency。
Where there is a want of it we must suspect deception。〃
〃I hardly follow you。〃
〃Well now； Watson； suppose for a moment that we visualize you in the
character of a woman who； in a cold； premeditated fashion； is about to
get rid of a rival。 You have planned it。 A note has been written。
The victim has come。 You have your weapon。 The crime is done。 It has
been workmanlike and complete。 Do you tell me that after carrying
out so crafty a crime you would now ruin your reputation as a criminal
by forgetting to fling your weapon into those adjacent reed…beds which
would forever cover it； but you must needs carry it carefully home and
put it in your own wardrobe； the very first place that would be
searched？ Your best friends would hardly call you a schemer； Watson；
and yet I could not picture you doing anything so crude as that。〃
〃In the excitement of the moment…〃
〃No； no； Watson； I will not admit that it is possible。 Where a crime
is coolly premeditated； then the means of covering it are coolly
premeditated also。 I hope； therefore； that we are in the presence of a
serious misconception。〃
〃But there is so much to explain。〃
〃Well； we shall set about explaining it。 When once your point of
view is changed； the very thing which was so damning becomes a clue to
the truth。 For example； there is this revolver。 Miss Dunbar
disclaims all knowledge of it。 On our new theory she is speaking truth
when she says so。 Therefore； it was placed in her wardrobe。 Who placed
it there？ Someone who wished to incriminate her。 Was not that person
the actual criminal？ You see how we come at once upon a most
fruitful line of inquiry。〃
We were compelled to spend the night at Winchester； as the
formalities had not yet been completed； but next morning； in the
company of Mr。 Joyce Cummings； the rising barrister who was
entrusted with the defence； we were allowed to see the young lady in
her cell。 I had expected from all that we had heard to see a beautiful
woman； but I can never forget the effect which Miss Dunbar produced
upon me。 It was no wonder that even the masterful millionaire had
found in her something more powerful than himself… something which
could control and guide him。 One felt； too； as one looked at the
strong； clear…cut； and yet sensitive face； that even should she be
capable of some impetuous deed。 None the less there was an innate
nobility of character which would make her influence always for the
good。 She was a brunette； tall； with a noble figure and commanding
presence； but her dark eyes had in them the appealing； helpless
expression of the hunted creature who feels the nets around it； but
can see no way out from the toils。 Now； as she realized the presence
and the help of my famous friend； there came a touch of colour in
her wan cheeks and a light of hope began to glimmer in the glance
which she turned upon us。
〃Perhaps Mr。 Neil Gibson has told you something of what occurred
between us？〃 she asked in a low； agitated voice。
〃Yes；〃 Holmes answered； 〃you need not pain yourself by entering into
that part of the story。 After seeing you； I am prepared to accept
Mr。 Gibson's statement both as to the influence which you had over him
and as to the innocence of your relations with him。 But why was the
whole situation not brought out in court？〃
〃It seemed to me incredible that such a charge could be sustained。 I
thought that if we waited the whole thing must clear itself up without
our being compelled to enter into painful details of the inner life of
the family。 But I understand that far from clearing it has become even
more serious。〃
〃My dear young lady；〃 cried Holmes earnestly； 〃I beg you to have
no illusions upon the point。 Mr。 Cummings here would assure you that
all the cards are at present against us； and that we must do
everything that is possible if we are to win clear。 It would be a
cruel deception to pretend that you are not in very great danger。 Give
me all the help you can； then； to get at the truth。〃
〃I will conceal nothing。〃
〃Tell us； then； of your true relations with Mr。 Gibson's wife。〃
〃She hated me； Mr。 Holmes。 She hated me with all the fervour of
her tropical nature。 She was a woman who would do nothing by halves；
and the measure of her love fear her husband was the measure also of
her hatred for me。 It is probable that she misunderstood our
relations。 I would not wish to wrong her； but she loved so vividly
in a physical sense that she could hardly understand the mental； and
even spiritual； tie which held her husband to me； or imagine that it
was only my desire to influence his power to good ends which kept me
under his roof。 I can see now that I was wrong。 Nothing could
justify me in remaining where I was a cause of unhappiness； and yet it
is certain that the unhappiness would have remained even if I had left
the house。〃
〃Now； Miss Dunbar；〃 said Holmes； 〃I beg you to tell us exactly
what occurred that evening。〃
〃I can tell you the truth so far as I know it； Mr。 Holmes； but I
am in a position to prove nothing； and there are points… the most
vital points… which I can neither explain nor can I imagine any
explanation。〃
〃If you will find the facts； perhaps others may find the
explanation。〃
〃Wi