We all stared up at the ceiling. Holmes was right. Then I
noticed something else. Near the top of the bell-rope was a tiny
opening in the wall. It looked like a small ventilator. Holmes saw
the ventilator too.
'That's strange,' he said. 'Air usually comes into a room from
outside, through a ventilator. But this ventilator connects two
rooms inside. I wonder why?'
'I don't know,' said Miss Stoner. 'But the bell-rope and the
ventilator were put in at the same time.'
'That's very interesting,' said Holmes. 'A bell-rope which
doesn't ring a bell and a ventilator which doesn't ventilate. They
are both false. And now, Miss Stoner, I'd like to examine your
stepfather's room.'
We went into Dr Roylott's room next door. There were a few
pieces of furniture in the room and some books. In the middle of
the floor stood a large iron safe16
. The safe was locked. Holmes
knocked on the walls of the safe.
'What's in here?' he asked.
'My stepfather's business papers,' replied Miss Stoner.
'There isn't a cat inside?'
'A cat!' said Miss Stoner, in surprise. 'No. What a strange
idea.'
'Well, look,' said Holmes. He pointed to a small saucer of milk
on top of the safe.
'We don't have a cat,' said Miss Stoner. 'But there is the
cheetah. A cheetah is just a big cat.'
'Yes, of course,' said Holmes. 'But here's something else.'
A short stick was lying on top of the bed. A thin rope
was attached to this stick. One end of the rope had been
tied into a noose17
. I looked at the noose. I wondered what
it was for.
'Well,' said Holmes. 'I think I've seen enough.'
We walked out into the garden. Holmes looked very serious