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"The stable lane?" She raised her dark eyebrows. "What can he

hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir,

that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth,

that my cousin Arthur is innocent of this crime."

"I fully share your opinion, and I trust, with you, that we may

prove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the

snow from his shoes. "I believe I have the honour of addressing

Miss Mary Holder. Might I ask you a question or two?"

"Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up."

"You heard nothing yourself last night?"

"Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heard

that, and I came down."

"You shut up the windows and doors the night before. Did you

fasten all the windows?"

"Yes."

"Were they all fastened this morning?"

"Yes."

"You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarked

to your uncle last night that she had been out to see him?"