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scent. The acrid
smoke anesthetized Lama's olfactory sense. Through
no fault of his own, the poor dog was completely
incapable of performing the task he was bred
to do. Namely, to be a good watchdog."
    "That
does it," snapped Bennett. "I knew young Charles
couldn't have been the culprit."
    "Then
we are back to Horace Ledbetter and Vincent
Staley, both of whom suffer from congeni tal
defects themselves. Namely, a blind hatred of each
other and of Ezariah Trelawney."
    "Very
well put, Watson," said Holmes, with approval.
"However, the hatred had existed for decades.
What fanned the spark into flame at this particular
time?"
    "I
can give you one theory, Mr. Holmes," said the constable.
"In a village like Shaw, little happens that isn't public
knowledge. Feed and grain is not the business it once was in these
parts. Vincent Staley owed the bank a
considerable amount. He had asked for an
extension, which, due to Ezariah Trelawney, was denied. Staley is on
the brink of ruin."
    "Excellent,
Bennett!" said the great detective. "Now
you give us a motive." The sleuth of Baker Street
was thoughtful for a time. "But we are still in the tender area
of circumstantial evidence. How about Horace Ledbetter, the other
prime suspect?"
    "Just
prior to the inquest, I rode out to his farm. His
niece, Agnes Bisbee, said that the day of the murder
she had had a conversation with Ledbetter which
had thrown him into a rage and that he had ridden off to Marley. The
Ledbetter property is midway between Shaw and Marley. I haven't had the chance to catch up with him since
that time."
    The
constable concluded his statement with a hesitant air. Holmes
regarded him searchingly, as though
reaching within the recesses of his brain. "There is something
else, obviously," commented the
detective.
    Bennett
nodded. "It didn't come out at the inquest
since it seemed to have no bearing at the time, but young Charles and
Agnes Bisbee have been keeping company.
They've had to be pretty sly about it
too, considering the circumstances."
    "Montague
and Capulet." Holmes' eyes had a faraway
look. "But, you see, it does explain a great deal.
Charles Trelawney states that he returned to Shaw at ten forty-five
and the stationmaster says he was on the
six o'clock train. The young lover was silent
because Romeo was with Juliet. Agnes Bis bee
had a discussion with her uncle which threw him into a rage. About
her intention to marry the stepson of his hereditary enemy, no doubt.
The recent strain in the relations
between Ezariah Trelawney and his
stepson can also be laid at the doorstep
of the star-crossed lovers."
    Gently
lifting the dog from his lap and placing him
on the floor, Holmes rose to his feet. "The
hour is late, but the time spent has been profitable.
I doubt if Charles Trelawney need ap pear
before the magistrates or, indeed, the assizes."
    "But
there is a strong possibility that Vincent Staley
might." Bennett's voice was grim. "Let me walk
you back to the inn, gentlemen. You have indeed
earned a mite of rest in what is left of the night."
    While
I had enjoyed a lengthy nap on the train trip
to Shaw, the country air acted like a soporific. It
was late the following morning when I forced my eyes
open to find Holmes, fully dressed, standing beside my bed, smiling.
I grabbed at the watch, formerly the
property of my departed brother of sad
memory, which was on the bed-stand. One look provoked
a groan.
    "Great
Scott, Holmes, you have allowed me to sleep
away the morning!"
    "No
matter, dear fellow. My expedition proved a simple
one and required no assistance."
    "Expedition,
indeed," I said, climbing from the bed
and dressing as rapidly as possible. "Where to, may
I ask?"
    "Marley,
of course," replied Holmes. "You will recall
that on the day of the murder, Agnes Bisbee said
her uncle had ridden off to Marley in a rage. But Bennett stated that
Ledbetter's farm was equi distant
between Marley and Shaw. It occurred to me
that Ledbetter might well have said he was riding
to Marley