Sherlock Holmes Investigates

Holmes shrugged his shoulders.

He said "We have a long way to go yet. But - well, we have facts to help us to see where we are going. Having this unimportant bust was worth more than a human life to this strange criminal. That is one thing. Then there very odd fact that the criminal did not break the bust in the house, or just outside the house. That's what he would have done if he just wanted to break it."

"He was upset and rushed by meeting this other fellow. He hardly knew what he was doing."

"Well, that's quite likely. But I want you to look particularly at where this house is, the one where the bust was destroyed in the garden."

Lestrade looked about him.

"It was an empty house, and so he knew that he would not be disturbed in the garden."

"Yes, but there is another empty house farther up the street. He must have passed that before he came to this one. Why did he not break the bust at that house? It is obvious that the longer that he carried the bust the more likely it was that someone would see him with it.

"I give up," said Lestrade.