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‘What did you do with it?’ asked Holmes.

‘Well, we just left it there.’

‘That was wise,’ said Holmes. ‘You say Sir Robert was away yesterday. Has he returned?’

‘We expect him back today.’

‘When did Sir Robert give away his sister’s dog?’

‘It was just a week ago today. The dog was howling and Sir Robert got very angry. He caught it up and I thought he would kill it. Then he gave it to Sandy Bain, the jockey, and told him to take the dog to old Barnes at the «Green Dragon», for he never wished to see it again.’

Holmes lit his pipe and sat for some time in silent thought.

‘It’s not clear to me yet what you want me to do in this matter, Mr. Mason,’ he said at last. ‘Can’t you make it more definite?’

‘Perhaps this will make it more definite, Mr. Holmes,’ said our visitor.

He took a paper from his pocket and, unwrapping it carefully, showed us a burned piece of bone.

Holmes examined it with interest.

‘Where did you get it?’

‘There is a central heating furnace in the cellar un-der Lady Beatrice’s room. The boy who runs the furnace came to me this morning with this thing. He had found it in the furnace. He did not like the look of it.’

‘Nor do I,’ said Holmes. ‘What do you make of it, Watson?’

‘It is burned black,’ said I, ‘but there’s no doubt that it is part of a human leg bone.’

‘Exactly!’ Holmes became very serious. ‘When does the boy who runs the furnace leave the cellar?’

‘He leaves it every evening,’ said Mr.Mason.

‘Then anyone could visit it during the night?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Can you enter it from outside?’ asked Holmes again.

‘There is one door from outside. There is another which leads up by a stair to the floor in which Lady Beatrice’s room is situated.’

‘You say, Mr. Mason, that Sir Robert was not at home last night?’

‘No, sir, he wasn’t.’

‘Then whoever was burning bones in the furnace, it was not he,’ said Holmes.

‘That’s true, sir,’ said the horse trainer.

‘What is the name of that inn you spoke of?’

‘The «Green Dragon».’

‘Is there good fishing in that part of the country?’ The honest trainer showed very clearly upon his face that he was sure that Sherlock Holmes had gone mad, too.

‘Well, sir,’ he said, ‘I’ve heard there are fish in the river not far from the «Green Dragon», and in the Hull lake. It’s in Shoscombe Park.’

‘Very good! Watson and I are famous fishermen — are we not, Watson? We shall reach the inn tonight. Of course I need not say that we don’t want to see you, Mr, Mason. But a note will reach us, and I’m sure I can find vou if I want you.’

* * *

On a bright May evening Holmes and I were discussing our plans for fishing with Mr. Barnes, the innkeeper.

‘What about the Hull lake?’ asked Holmes. ‘Are there many fish in it?’

‘It’s Sir Robert, sir, he doesn’t want any strangers to come near his park. Sir Robert is the sort that strikes first and speaks afterwards. Keep away from the park

‘What did you do with it?’ asked Holmes.

‘Well, we just left it there.’

‘That was wise,’ said Holmes. ‘You say Sir Robert was away yesterday. Has he returned?’

‘We expect him back today.’

‘When did Sir Robert give away his sister’s dog?’

‘It was just a week ago today. The dog was howling and Sir Robert got very angry. He caught it up and I thought he would kill it. Then he gave it to Sandy Bain, the jockey, and told him to take the dog to old Barnes at the «Green Dragon», for he never wished to see it again.’

Holmes lit his pipe and sat for some time in silent thought.

‘It’s not clear to me yet what you want me to do in this matter, Mr. Mason,’ he said at last. ‘Can’t you make it more definite?’

‘Perhaps this will make it more definite, Mr. Holmes,’ said our visitor.

He took a paper from his pocket and, unwrapping it carefully, showed us a burned piece of bone.

Holmes examined it with interest.

‘Where did you get it?’

‘There is a central heating furnace in the cellar un-der Lady Beatrice’s room. The boy who runs the furnace came to me this morning with this thing. He had found it in the furnace. He did not like the look of it.’

‘Nor do I,’ said Holmes. ‘What do you make of it, Watson?’

‘It is burned black,’ said I, ‘but there’s no doubt that it is part of a human leg bone.’

‘Exactly!’ Holmes became very serious. ‘When does the boy who runs the furnace leave the cellar?’

‘He leaves it every evening,’ said Mr.Mason.

‘Then anyone could visit it during the night?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Can you enter it from outside?’ asked Holmes again.

‘There is one door from outside. There is another which leads up by a stair to the floor in which Lady Beatrice’s room is situated.’

‘You say, Mr. Mason, that Sir Robert was not at home last night?’

‘No, sir, he wasn’t.’

‘Then whoever was burning bones in the furnace, it was not he,’ said Holmes.

‘That’s true, sir,’ said the horse trainer.

‘What is the name of that inn you spoke of?’

‘The «Green Dragon».’

‘Is there good fishing in that part of the country?’ The honest trainer showed very clearly upon his face that he was sure that Sherlock Holmes had gone mad, too.

‘Well, sir,’ he said, ‘I’ve heard there are fish in the river not far from the «Green Dragon», and in the Hull lake. It’s in Shoscombe Park.’

‘Very good! Watson and I are famous fishermen — are we not, Watson? We shall reach the inn tonight. Of course I need not say that we don’t want to see you, Mr, Mason. But a note will reach us, and I’m sure I can find vou if I want you.’

* * *

On a bright May evening Holmes and I were discussing our plans for fishing with Mr. Barnes, the innkeeper.

‘What about the Hull lake?’ asked Holmes. ‘Are there many fish in it?’

‘Don’t fish there, sir,’ answered the innkeeper. ‘You may find yourself in the lake before you have finished,’

‘How is that?’

‘It’s Sir Robert, sir, he doesn’t want any strangers to come near his park. Sir Robert is the sort that strikes first and speaks afterwards. Keep away from the park