that　it　seemed　endless；　for；　in　his　nervous　restlessness；　he　could　not
  sit　still；　but　paced　the　carriage　or　drummed　with　his　long；
  sensitive　fingers　upon　the　cushions　beside　him。　Suddenly；　however；
  as　we　neared　our　destination　he　seated　himself　opposite　to　me…　we
  had　a　first…class　carriage　to　ourselves…　and　laying　a　hand　upon　each
  of　my　knees　he　looked　into　my　eyes　with　the　peculiarly　mischievous
  gaze　which　was　characteristic　of　his　more　imp…like　moods。
  〃Watson；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　some　recollection　that　you　go　armed
  upon　these　excursions　of　ours。〃
  It　was　as　well　for　him　that　I　did　so；　for　he　took　little　care　for
  his　own　safety　when　his　mind　was　once　absorbed　by　a　problem；　so　that
  more　than　once　my　revolver　had　been　a　good　friend　in　need。　I
  reminded　him　of　the　fact。
  〃Yes；　yes；　I　am　a　little　absent…minded　in　such　matters。　But　have　you
  your　revolver　on　you？〃
  I　produced　it　from　my　hip…pocket；　a　short；　handy；　but　very
  serviceable　little　weapon。　He　undid　the　catch；　shook　out　the
  cartridges；　and　examined　it　with　care。
  〃It's　heavy…　remarkably　heavy；〃　said　he。
  〃Yes；　it　is　a　solid　bit　of　work。〃
  He　mused　over　it　for　a　minute。
  〃Do　you　know；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃I　believe　your　revolver　is　going　to
  have　a　very　intimate　connection　with　the　mystery　which　we　are
  investigating。〃
  〃My　dear　Holmes；　you　are　joking。〃
  〃No；　Watson；　I　am　very　serious。　There　is　a　test　before　us。　If　the
  test　comes　off　all　will　be　clear。　And　the　test　will　depend　upon　the
  conduct　of　this　little　weapon。　One　cartridge　out。　Now　we　will
  replace　the　other　five　and　put　on　the　safetycatch。　So！　That
  increases　the　weight　and　makes　it　a　better　reproduction。〃
  I　had　no　glimmer　of　what　was　in　his　mind；　nor　did　he　enlighten　me；
  but　sat　lost　in　thought　until　we　pulled　up　in　the　little　Hampshire
  station；　We　secured　a　ramshackle　trap；　and　in　a　quarter　of　all　hour
  were　at　the　house　of　our　confidential　friend；　the　sergeant。
  〃A　clue；　Mr。　Holmes？　What　is　it？〃
  〃It　all　depends　upon　the　behaviour　of　Dr。　Watson's　revolver；〃　said
  my　friend。　Here　it　is。　Now；　officer；　can　you　give　me　ten　yards　of
  string？〃
  The　village　shop　provided　a　ball　of　stout　twine。
  〃I　think　that　this　is　all　we　will　need；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Now；　if　you
  please；　we　will　get　off　on　what　I　hope　is　the　last　stage　of　our
  journey。〃
  The　sun　was　setting　and　turning　the　rolling　Hampshire　moor　into　a
  wonderful　autumnal　panorama。　The　sergeant；　with　many　critical　and
  incredulous　glances；　which　showed　his　deep　doubts　of　the　sanity　of
  my　companion；　lurched　along　beside　us。　As　we　approached　the　scene　of
  the　crime　I　could　see　that　my　friend　under　all　his　habitual　coolness
  was　in　truth　deeply　agitated。
  〃Yes；〃　he　said　in　answer　to　my　remark；　〃you　have　seen　me　miss　my
  mark　before；　Watson。　I　have　all　instinct　for　such　things；　and　yet　it
  has　sometimes　played　me　false。　It　seemed　a　certainty　when　first　it
  flashed　across　my　mind　in　the　cell　at　Winchester；　but　one　drawback
  of　an　active　mind　is　that　one　can　always　conceive　alternative
  explanations　which　would　make　our　scent　a　false　one。　And　yet…　and　yet…
  Well；　Watson；　we　can　but　try〃
  As　he　walked　he　had　firmly　tied　one　end　of　the　string　to　the
  handle　of　the　revolver。　We　had　now　reached　the　scene　of　the　tragedy。
  With　great　care　he　marked　out　under　the　guidance　of　the　policeman
  the　exact　spot　where　the　body　had　been　stretched。　He　then　hunted　among
  the　heather　and　the　ferns　until　he　found　a　considerable　stone。　This　he
  secured　to　the　other　end　of　his　line　of　string；　and　he　hung　it　over
  the　parapet　of　the　bridge　so　that　it　swung　clear　above　the　water。　He
  then　stood　on　the　fatal　spot；　some　distance　from　the　edge　of　the
  bridge；　with　my　revolver　in　his　hand；　the　string　being　taut　between
  the　weapon　and　the　heavy　stone　on　the　farther　side。
  〃Now　for　it！〃　he　cried。
  At　the　words　he　raised　the　pistol　to　his　head；　and　then　let　go　his
  grip。　In　an　instant　it　had　been　whisked　away　by　the　weight　of　the
  stone；　had　struck　with　a　sharp　crack　against　the　parapet；　and　had
  vanished　over　the　side　into　the　water。　It　had　hardly　gone　before
  Holmes　was　kneeling　beside　tile　stonework；　and　a　joyous　cry　showed
  that　he　had　found　what　he　expected。
  〃Was　there　ever　a　more　exact　demonstration？〃　he　cried。　〃See；　Watson；
  your　revolver　has　solved　the　problem！〃　As　he　spoke　he　pointed　to　a
  second　chip　of　the　exact　size　and　shape　of　the　first　which　had
  appeared　on　the　under　edge　of　the　stone　balustrade。
  〃We'll　stay　at　the　inn　to…night；〃　he　continued　as　he　rose　and
  faced　the　astonished　sergeant。　〃You　will；　of　course；　get　a
  grappling…hook　and　you　will　easily　restore　my　friend's　revolver。　You
  will　also　find　beside　it　the　revolver；　string　and　weight　with　which
  this　vindictive　woman　attempted　to　disguise　her　own　crime　and　to
  fasten　a　charge　of　murder　upon　an　innocent　victim。　You　can　let　Mr。
  Gibson　know　that　I　will　see　him　in　the　morning；　when　steps　can　be
  taken　for　Miss　Dunbar's　vindication。〃
  Late　that　evening；　is　we　sat　together　smoking　our　pipes　in　the
  village　inn；　Holmes　gave　me　a　brief　review　of　what　had　passed。
  〃I　fear；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　will　not　improve　any　reputation
  which　I　may　have　acquired　by　adding　the　case　of　the　Thor　Bridge
  mystery　to　your　annals。　I　have　been　sluggish　in　mind　and　wanting　in
  that　mixture　of　imagination　and　reality　which　is　the　basis　of　my
  art。　I　confess　that　the　chip　in　the　stonework　was　a　sufficient　clue　to
  suggest　the　true　solution；　and　that　I　blame　myself　for　not　having
  attained　it　sooner。
  〃It　must　be　admitted　that　the　workings　of　this　unhappy　woman's
  mind　were　deep　and　subtle；　so　that　it　was　no　very　simple　matter　to
  unravel　her　plot。　I　do　not　think　that　in　our　adventures　we　have　ever
  come　across　a　stranger　example　of　what　perverted　love　can　bring　about。
  Whether　Miss　Dunbar　was　her　rival　in　a　physical　or　in　a　merely
  mental　sense　seems　to　have　been　equally　unforgivable　in　her　eyes。　No
  doubt　she　blamed　this　innocent　lady　for　all　those　harsh　dealings　and
  unkind　words　with　which　her　husband　tried　to　repel　her　too
  demonstrative　affection。　Her　first　resolution　was　to　end　her　own　life。
  Her　second　was　to　do　it　in　such　a　way　as　to　involve　her　victim　in　a
  fate　which　was　worse　far　than　any　sudden　death　could　be。
  〃We　can　follow　the　various　steps　quite　clearly；　and　they　show　a
  remarkable　subtlety　of　mind。　A　note　was　extracted　very　cleverly　from
  Miss　Dunbar　which　would　make　it　appear　that　she　had　chosen　the　scene
  of　the　crime。　In　her　anxiety　that　it　should　be　discovered　she　somewhat
  overdid　it　by　holding　it　in　her　hand　to　the　last。　This　alone　should
  have　excited　my　suspicions　earlier　than　it　did。
  〃Then　she　took　one　of　her　husband's　revolvers…　there　was；　as　you
  saw；　an　arsenal　in　the　house…　and　kept　it　for　her　own　use。　A　similar
  one　she　concealed　that　morning　in　Miss　Dunbar's　wardrobe　after
  discharging　one　barrel；　which　she　could　easily　do　in　the　woods　without
  attracting　attention。　She　then　went　down　to　the　bridge　where　she　had
  contrived　this　exceedingly　ingenious　method　for　getting　rid　of　her
  weapon。　When　Miss　Dunbar　appeared　she　used　her　last　breath　in
  pouring　out　her　hatred；　and　then；　when　she　was　out　of　hearing；　carried
  out　her　terrible　purpose。　Every　link　is　now　in　its　place　and　the　chain
  is　complete。　The　papers　may　ask　why　the　mere　was　not　dragged　in　the
  first　instance；　but　it　is　easy　to　be　wise　after　the　event；　and　in
  any　case　the　expanse　of　a　reed…filled　lake　is　no　easy　matter　to　drag
  unless　you　have　a　clear　perception　of　what　you　are　looking　for　and
  where。　Well；　Watson；　we　have　helped　a　remarkable　woman；　and　also　a
  formidable　man。　Should　they　in　the　future　join　their　forces；　as
  seems　not　unlikely；　the　financial　world　may　find　that　Mr。　Neil
  Gibson　has　learned　something　in　that　schoolroom　of　sorrow　where　our
  earthly　lessons　are　taught。〃
  THE　END
  。