Silver Blaze

           "Iamafraid,WatsonthatIshallhavetogo,"saidHolmesaswesatdowntogethertoourbreakfastonemorning.

           "Go!Whereto?"

           "ToDartmoor;toKing’sPyland."

           Iwasnotsurprised.Indeed,myonlywonderwasthathehadnotalreadybeenmixedupinthisextraordinarycase,whichwastheonetopicofconversationthroughthelengthandbreadthofEngland.Forawholedaymycompanionhadrambledabouttheroomwithhischinuponhischestandhisbrowsknitted,chargingandrecharginghispipewiththestrongestblacktobacco,andabsolutelydeaftoanyofmyquestionsorremarks.Fresheditionsofeverypaperhadbeensentupbyournewsagent,onlytobeglancedoverandtosseddownintoacorner.Yet,silentashewas,Iknewperfectlywellwhatitwasoverwhichhewasbrooding.Therewasbutoneproblembeforethepublicwhichcouldchallengehispowersofanalysis,andthatwasthesingulardisappearanceofthefavouritefortheWessexCup,andthetragicmurderofitstrainer.When,therefore,hesuddenlyannouncedhisintentionofsettingoutforthesceneofthedrama,itwasonlywhatIhadbothexpectedandhopedfor.

           "IshouldbemosthappytogodownwithyouifIshouldnotbeintheway,"saidI.

           "MydearWatson,youwouldconferagreatfavouruponmebycoming.AndIthinkthatyourtimewillnotbemisspent,fortherearepointsaboutthecasewhichpromisetomakeitanabsolutelyuniqueone.