I'll have to be pushing on my way; for the early hours of a case are the precious ones, as no man knows better than your own self.

But--but--" The inspector had stopped suddenly, and was staring with a look of absolute amazement at a paper upon the table.

It was the sheet upon which I had scrawled the enigmatic message.
"Douglas!" he stammered.

"Birlstone! What's this, Mr.Holmes?
Man, it's witchcraft! Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names ?" "It is a cipher that Dr.Watson and I have had occasion to solve.

But why--what's amiss with the names ?" The inspector looked from one to the other of us in dazed astonishment.
"Just this," said he, "that Mr.Douglas of Birlstone Manor House was horribly murdered last night!".