"
"You wrote it? There was no one on earth outside the Joint who
knew the secret of the dancing men. How came you to write it?"
"What one man can invent another can discover," said Holmes.
There is a cab coming to convey you to Norwich, Mr. Slaney.
But, meanwhile, you have time to make some small reparation for
the injury you have wrought. Are you aware that Mrs. Hilton
Cubitt has herself lain under grave suspicion of the murder
of her husband, and that it was only my presence here and the
knowledge which I happened to possess which has saved her from
the accusation? The least that you owe her is to make it clear
to the whole world that she was in no way, directly or
indirectly, responsible for his tragic end."
"I ask nothing better," said the American. "I guess the very
best case I can make for myself is the absolute naked truth."
"It is my duty to warn you that it will be used against you,"
cried the inspector, with the magnificent fair-play of the
British criminal law.
Slaney shrugged his shoulders.
"I'll chance that," said he. "First of all, I want you
gentlemen to understand that I have known this lady since she
was a child.
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