The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

I am afraid, Watson, that I shall have to go," said Holmes, as we sat down together to ourbreakfast one morning."Go!

Where to?""To Dartmoor; to King's Pyland."I was not surprised.

Indeed, my only wonder was that he had not already been mixed upin this extraordinary case, which was the one topic of conversation through the length andbreadth of England.

For a whole day my companion had rambled about the room with hischin upon his chest and his brows knitted, charging and recharging his pipe with thestrongest black tobacco, and absolutely deaf to any of my questions or remarks.

Fresheditions of every paper had been sent up by our news agent, only to be glanced over andtossed down into a corner.

Yet, silent as he was, I knew perfectly well what it was overwhich he was brooding.

There was but one problem before the public which couldchallenge his powers of analysis, and that was the singular disappearance of the favouritefor the Wessex Cup, and the tragic murder of its trainer.

When, therefore, he suddenlyannounced his intention of setting out for the scene of the drama it was only what I hadboth expected and hoped for."I should be most happy to go down with you if I should not be in the way," said I."My dear Watson, you would confer a great favour upon me by coming. And I think thatyour time will not be misspent, for there are points about the case which promise to makeit an absolutely unique one.

We have, I think, just time to catch our train at Paddington, andI will go further into the matter upon our journey.

You would oblige me by bringing withyou your very excellent field-glass."And so it happened that an hour or so later I found myself in the corner of a first-classcarriage flying along en route for Exeter, while Sherlock Holmes, with his sharp, eager faceframed in his ear-flapped travelling-cap, dipped rapidly into the bundle of fresh paperswhich he had procured at Paddington.

We had left Reading far behind us before he thrustthe last one of them under the seat, and offered me his cigar-case.