In three of them--East Ham, Leicester, and
Liverpool--there is a clear case against him, and he has actually
been arrested. The country seems to be full of the fugitives
with yellow coats."
"Dear me!" said Holmes sympathetically. "Now, Mr. Mac and you,
Mr. White Mason, I wish to give you a very earnest piece of
advice. When I went into this case with you I bargained, as you
will no doubt remember, that I should not present you with
half-proved theories, but that I should retain and work out my
own ideas until I had satisfied myself that they were correct.
For this reason I am not at the present moment telling you all
that is in my mind. On the other hand, I said that I would play
the game fairly by you, and I do not think it is a fair game to
allow you for one unnecessary moment to waste your energies upon
a profitless task. Therefore I am here to advise you this
morning, and my advice to you is summed up in three
words--abandon the case."
MacDonald and White Mason stared in amazement at their celebrated
colleague.
"You consider it hopeless!" cried the inspector.
"I consider your case to be hopeless.
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