SHERLOCK　HOLMES
  THE　PROBLEM　OF　THOR　BRIDGE
  by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle
  Somewhere　in　the　vaults　of　the　bank　of　Cox　and　Co。；　at　Charing
  Cross；　there　is　a　travel…worn　and　battered　tin　dispatch…box　with　my
  name；　John　H。　Watson；　M。　D。；　Late　Indian　Army；　painted　upon　the　lid。
  It　is　crammed　with　papers；　nearly　all　of　which　are　records　of　cases　to
  illustrate　the　curious　problems　which　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes　had　at
  various　times　to　examine。　Some；　and　not　the　least　interesting；　were
  complete　failures；　and　as　such　will　hardly　bear　narrating；　since　no
  final　explanation　is　forthcoming。　A　problem　without　a　solution　may
  interest　the　student；　but　can　hardly　fail　to　annoy　the　casual
  reader。　Among　these　unfinished　tales　is　that　of　Mr。　James
  Phillimore；　who；　stepping　back　into　his　own　house　to　get　his　umbrella；
  was　never　more　seen　in　this　world。　No　less　remarkable　is　that　of　the
  cutter　Alicia；　which　sailed　one　spring　morning　into　a　small　patch　of
  mist　from　where　she　never　again　emerged；　nor　was　anything　further　ever
  heard　of　herself　and　her　crew。　A　third　case　worthy　of　note　is　that
  of　Isadora　Persano；　the　well…known　journalist　and　duellist；　who　was
  found　stark　staring　mad　with　a　match　box　in　front　of　him　which
  contained　a　remarkable　worm　said　to　be　unknown　to　science。　Apart
  from　these　unfathomed　cases；　there　are　some　which　involve　the
  secrets　of　private　families　to　an　extent　which　would　mean
  consternation　in　many　exalted　quarters　if　it　were　thought　possible
  that　they　might　find　their　way　into　print。　I　need　not　say　that　such
  a　breach　of　confidence　is　unthinkable；　and　that　these　records　will
  be　separated　and　destroyed　now　that　my　friend　has　time　to　turn　his
  energies　to　the　matter。　There　remain　a　considerable　residue　of　cases
  of　greater　or　less　interest　which　I　might　have　edited　before　had　I　not
  feared　to　give　the　public　a　surfeit　which　might　react　upon　the
  reputation　of　the　man　whom　above　all　others　I　revere。　In　some　I　was
  myself　concerned　and　can　speak　as　an　eye…witness；　while　in　others　I
  was　either　not　present　or　played　so　small　a　part　that　they　could
  only　be　told　as　by　a　third　person。　The　following　narrative　is　drawn
  from　my　own　experience。
  It　was　a　wild　morning　in　October；　and　I　observed　as　I　was　dressing
  how　the　last　remaining　leaves　were　being　whirled　from　the　solitary
  plane　tree　which　graces　the　yard　behind　our　house。　I　descended　to
  breakfast　prepared　to　find　my　companion　in　depressed　spirits；　for；
  like　all　great　artists；　he　was　easily　impressed　by　his　surroundings。
  On　the　contrary；　I　found　that　he　had　nearly　finished　his　meal；　and
  that　his　mood　was　particularly　bright　and　joyous；　with　that　somewhat
  sinister　cheerfulness　which　was　characteristic　of　his　lighter　moments。
  〃You　have　a　case；　Holmes？〃　I　remarked。
  〃The　faculty　of　deduction　is　certainly　contagious；　Watson；〃　he
  answered。　〃It　has　enabled　you　to　probe　my　secret。　Yes；　I　have　a
  case。　After　a　month　of　trivialities　and　stagnation　the　wheels　move
  once　more。〃
  〃Might　I　share　it？〃
  〃There　is　little　to　share；　but　we　may　discuss　it　when　you　have
  consumed　the　two　hard…boiled　eggs　with　which　our　new　cook　has　favoured
  us。　Their　condition　may　not　be　unconnected　with　the　copy　of　the　Family
  Herald　which　I　observed　yesterday　upon　the　hall…table。　Even　so　trivial
  a　matter　as　cooking　an　egg　demands　an　attention　which　is　conscious
  of　the　passage　of　time　and　incompatible　with　the　love　romance　in
  that　excellent　periodical。〃
  A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　the　table　had　been　cleared　and　we　were
  face　to　face。　He　had　drawn　a　letter　from　his　pocket。
  〃You　have　heard　of　Neil　Gibson；　the　Gold　King？〃　he　said。
  〃You　mean　the　American　Senator？〃
  〃Well；　he　was　once　Senator　for　some　Western　state；　but　is　better
  known　as　the　greatest　gold…mining　magnate　in　the　world。〃
  〃Yes；　I　know　of　him。　he　has　surely　lived　in　England　for　some　time。
  His　name　is　very　familiar。〃
  〃Yes；　he　bought　a　considerable　estate　in　Hampshire　some　five　years
  ago。　Possibly　you　have　already　heard　of　the　tragic　end　of　his　wife？〃
  〃Of　course。　I　remember　it　now。　That　is　why　the　name　is　familiar。　But
  I　really　know　nothing　of　the　details。〃
  Holmes　waved　his　hand　towards　some　papers　on　a　chair。　〃I　had　no　idea
  that　the　case　was　coming　my　way　or　I　should　have　had　my　extracts
  ready；〃　said　he。　〃The　fact　is　that　the　problem；　though　exceedingly
  sensational；　appeared　to　present　no　difficulty。　The　interesting
  personality　of　the　accused　does　not　obscure　the　clearness　of　the
  evidence。　That　was　the　view　taken　by　the　coroner's　jury　and　also　in
  the　police…court　proceedings。　It　is　now　referred　to　the　Assizes　at
  Winchester。　I　fear　it　is　a　thankless　business。　I　can　discover　facts；
  Watson；　but　I　cannot　change　them。　Unless　some　entirely　new　and
  unexpected　ones　come　to　light　I　do　not　see　what　my　client　can　hope
  for。〃
  〃Your　client？〃
  〃Ah；　I　forgot　I　had　not　told　you。　I　am　getting　into　your　involved
  habit；　Watson；　of　telling　the　story　backward。　You　had　best　read　this
  first。〃
  The　letter　which　he　handed　to　me；　written　in　a　bold；　masterful　hand；
  ran　as　follows：
  CLARIDGE'S　HOTEL；
  October　3rd。
  Dear　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes：
  I　can't　see　the　best　woman　God　ever　made　go　to　her　death　without
  doing　all　that　is　possible　to　save　her。　I　can't　explain　things…　I
  can't　even　try　to　explain　them；　but　I　know　beyond　all　doubt　that
  Miss　Dunbar　is　innocent。　You　know　the　facts…　who　doesn't？　It　has
  been　the　gossip　of　the　country。　And　never　a　voice　raised　for　her！　It's
  the　damned　injustice　of　it　all　that　makes　me　crazy。　That　woman　has　a
  heart　that　wouldn't　let　her　kill　a　fly。　Well；　I'll　come　at　eleven
  to…morrow　and　see　if　you　can　get　some　ray　of　light　in　the　dark。
  Maybe　I　have　a　clue　and　don't　know　it。　Anyhow；　all　I　know　and　all　I
  have　and　all　I　am　are　for　your　use　if　only　you　can　save　her。　If　ever
  in　your　life　you　showed　your　powers；　put　them　now　into　this　case。
  Yours　faithfully；
  J。　NEIL　GIBSON。
  〃There　you　have　it；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes；　knocking　out　the　ashes　of
  his　after　breakfast　pipe　and　slowly　refilling　it。　〃That　is　the
  gentleman　I　await。　As　to　the　story；　you　have　hardly　time　to　master　all
  these　papers；　so　I　must　give　it　to　you　in　a　nutshell　if　you　are　to
  take　an　intelligent　interest　in　the　proceedings。　This　man　is　the
  greatest　financial　power　in　the　world；　and　a　man；　as　I　understand；
  of　most　violent　and　formidable　character。　He　married　a　wife；　the
  victim　of　this　tragedy；　of　whom　I　know　nothing　save　that　she　was
  past　her　prime；　which　was　the　more　unfortunate　as　a　very　attractive
  governess　superintended　the　education　of　two　young　children。　These　are
  the　three　people　concerned；　and　the　scene　is　a　grand　old　manor
  house；　the　centre　of　a　historical　English　state。　Then　as　to　the
  tragedy。　The　wife　was　found　in　the　grounds　nearly　half　a　mile　from　the
  house；　late　at　night；　clad　in　her　dinner　dress；　with　a　shawl　over
  her　shoulders　and　a　revolver　bullet　through　her　brain。　No　weapon　was
  found　near　her　and　there　was　no　local　clue　as　to　the　murder。　No　weapon
  near　her；　Watson…　mark　that！　The　crime　seems　to　have　been　committed
  late　in　the　evening；　and　the　body　was　found　by　a　gamekeeper　about
  eleven　o'clock；　when　it　was　examined　by　the　police　and　by　a　doctor
  before　being　carried　up　to　the　house。　Is　this　too　condensed；　or　can
  you　follow　it　clearly？〃
  〃It　is　all　very　clear。　But　why　suspect　the　governess？〃
  〃Well；　in　the　first　place　there　is　some　very　direct　evidence。　A
  revolver　with　one　discharged　chamber　and　a　calibre　which
  corresponded　with　the　bullet　was　found　on　the　floor　of　her
  wardrobe。〃　His　eyes　fixed　and　he　repeated　in　broken　words；　〃On…　the…
  floor…　of…　her…　wardrobe。〃　Then　he　sank　into　silence；　and　I　saw　that
  some　train　of　thought　had　been　set　moving　which　I　should　be　foolish　to
  interrupt。　Suddenly　with　a　start　he　emerged　into　brisk　life　once　more。
  〃Yes；　Watson；　it　was　found。　Pretty　damning；　eh？　So　the　two　juries
  thought。　Then　the　dead　woman　had　a　note　upon　her　making　an　appointment
  at　that　very　place　and　signed　by　the　governess。　How's　that？　Finally
  there　is　the　motive。　Senator　Gibson　is　an　attractive　person。　If　his
  wife　dies；　who　more　likely　to　succeed　her　than　the　young　lady　who
  had　already　by　all　accounts　received　pressing　attentions　from　her
  employer？　Love；　fortune；　power；　all　depending　upon　one　middle…aged
  life。　Ugly；　Watson…　very　ugly！〃
  〃Yes；　indeed；　Holmes。〃
  〃Nor　could　she　prove　an　alibi。　On　the　contrary；　she　had　to　admit
  that　she　was　down　near　Thor　Bridge…　that　was　the　scene　of　the　tragedy…
  about　that　hour。　She　couldn't　deny　it；　for　some　passing　villager　had
  seen　her　there。〃
  〃That　really　seems　final。〃
  〃And　yet；　Watson…　and　yet！　This　bridge…　a　single　broad　span　of　stone
  with　balustraded　sides…　carries　the　drive　over　the　narrowest　part　of　a
  long；　deep；　reedgirt　sheet　of　water。　Thor　Mere　it　is　called。　In　the
  mou