also, Dr. Watson; for the medicos will have a word to say before
we finish. Your room is at the Westville Arms. There's no other
place; but I hear that it is clean and good. The man will carry
your bags. This way, gentlemen, if you please."

He was a very bustling and genial person, this Sussex detective.
In ten minutes we had all found our quarters. In ten more we
were seated in the parlour of the inn and being treated to a
rapid sketch of those events which have been outlined in the
previous chapter. MacDonald made an occasional note; while
Holmes sat absorbed, with the expression of surprised and
reverent admiration with which the botanist surveys the rare and
precious bloom.

"Remarkable!" he said, when the story was unfolded, "most
remarkable! I can hardly recall any case where the features have
been more peculiar."

"I thought you would say so, Mr. Holmes," said White Mason in
great delight. "We're well up with the times in Sussex. I've
told you now how matters were, up to the time when I took over
from Sergeant Wilson between three and four this morning. My
word! I made the old mare go! But I need not have been in such
a hurry, as it turned out; for there was nothing immediate that I
could do. Sergeant Wilson had all the facts. I checked them and
considered them and maybe added a few of my own."

"What were they?" asked Holmes eagerly.

"Well, I first had the hammer examined. There was Dr. Wood there