“I have no objection,” Lestrade answered, seating himself. “I freely confess

that I was of the opinion that Stangerson was concerned in the death of Drebber.

This fresh development has shown me that I was completely mistaken. Full of the

one idea, I set myself to find out what had become of the Secretary. They had

been seen together at Euston Station about half-past eight on the evening of the

third. At two in the morning Drebber had been found in the Brixton Road. The

question which confronted me was to find out how Stangerson had been employed

between 8.30 and the time of the crime, and what had become of him afterwards. I

telegraphed to Liverpool, giving a description of the man, and warning them to

keep a watch upon the American boats. I then set to work calling upon all the

hotels and lodging-houses in the vicinity of Euston. You see, I argued that if

Drebber and his companion had become separated, the natural course for the

latter would be to put up somewhere in the vicinity for the night, and then to

hang about the station again next morning.”

 

“They would be likely to agree on some meeting-place beforehand,” remarked

Holmes.

 

“So it proved. I spent the whole of yesterday evening in making enquiries

entirely without avail. This morning I began very early, and at eight o’clock I

reached Halliday’s Private Hotel, in Little George Street. On my enquiry as to

whether a Mr. Stangerson was living there, they at once answered me in the

affirmative.

 

“‘No doubt you are the gentleman whom he was expecting,’ they said. ‘He has been