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finger into the remaining dark liquid and then brought a drop of it to his tongue. “No evidence of poison here Watson.” he stated as he passed the glass of liquor to the doctor, who mimicked Holmes’ actions, nodded in agreement and returned the glass to its original place on the desk.
    “I would like to interview the other servants now,” Holmes requested to Lestrade, “Please make them available.”
     
     

Chapter 4

    A Gathering of Facts
     
     
    The cook and maid, a married couple in their late forties, where soon questioned. Both reported similar facts that in the early morning just around midnight both had felt a sudden hard impact against the house, on the garden side, that awoke them suddenly. They had immediately heard the sound of splintering wood and shattering glass, followed moments later by a high pitched scream.
    “It woke us from our sleep sirs, my wife and I that is.” Spoke Johnny Burton, the chubby, red-haired cook in a hurried fashion. “I literally jumped clear outtta me bed at that ‘orrific wail! And the missus had the sheets up to ‘er eyes, she was tremblin’ something frightful my poor Beth.” The cook looked over to his plump wife, a short yet pretty woman in her late forties with tired eyes.
    “I was so afraid sirs, I could do not but shake and cower.” she managed.
    “We thought at first ‘twas a tree limb broke off and hit the house, but all was calm and there was no storm about.” the cook continued. “Eventually I mustered up the nerve to go out into the hall where Mr. Stinson hurried over and bid me to fetch the constable on duty, so I grabbed me coat and off I went as he wished.”
    The butler also noted that it was just after midnight when he was jolted awake; “After the very startling noises woke me, I jumped out of bed where I had fallen asleep while reading, threw on my robe and rushed over to the study to check on Professor Harper.” Stinson explained, “I became concerned when there was no response to my knocking and, at first, I could not gain entry as the door was locked from the inside My master rarely locked the study but did so on certain occasions so I simply retrieved the key ring from my room and then to unlock the door, which took about five minutes or so. I returned to gain entry and as soon as I opened the study door was assailed by the smell that remains here now, only much stronger; an animal scent, musky, with a stench of decay like meat left in the sun too long.
    “There were no lights on within the study but I could see rather well as it was a night of a full moon and it shone brightly through the gaping hole of where the patio doors used to be.” The butler pointed toward the rear of the room and the recent damage. “I thought I saw a shadowy form far off at the end of the garden, a slight movement, but it was only a fleeting glance and I may have been mistaken. I cannot say for certain. When I looked again it was gone.”
    “But it was a full moon, of that you are confident?” the detective interjected.
    “Yes of that fact I am sure.”
    “Thank you, pray continue,” Holmes motioned and Stinson began again.
    “It was after I had lit the lamp that I saw Professor Harper laid out on the floor in the exact condition we see him now. I knelt to tend to him but realized by his terrible physical state that he was well deceased and beyond any aid. I then told Burton here to quickly go notify the police and soon after he returned with the constable. I then dismissed Burton and his wife to their quarters, and have remained awake since so as to aid the authorities in any means required of me. I remain at your service sir.”
    Sherlock Holmes absorbed all this information with his sponge like mind. He then drew Stinson’s attention to the letter he had found in Harper’s robe. Holmes removed it from his waistcoat and held it up in front of the butler.
    “Can you explain this letter I found in your masters robe pocket? Had he any mention of it