"The two callings are very closely allied," he said modestly. "Detectives deal with murderers and thieves, and I with nerves and tissues. It is all a question of diagnosis." "I must say I think you've diagnosed this case very well, Mr. Garnesk," I said, "though we are just at the beginning of our troubles if what you suppose is correct." "I can't think of any other solution," he answered thoughtfully; "and we are, as you say, just at the beginning of our troubles. The first thing to do is----" "To find the man who stole the dog," I cut in. "To find the man who knew the dog was blind," he corrected. "By that means we may come to the man who stole the dog; then we may get his reason from his own lips, if we are exceptionally lucky. But I fancy I can supply his motive, failing a full confession." "You can?" I cried. "Let's hear it." "You've thought of one yourself, of course?" he asked. "The only motive I can think of is too fantastic altogether. It is weak enough to presuppose that someone has a grievance against Miss McLeod or the General, and that someone took advantage of the extraordinary circumstances to steal Sholto, and if possible prevent Myra getting her sight back. Oh, it's too ridiculous!" "We have to remember," my companion suggested, "that our unknown quantity not only knew that the dog was blind, but also knew that I was coming or had arrived, and would probably experiment on the beast. It argues a very terrible urgency that the animal disappeared within an hour or two of my arrival. From all that I deduce what seems to me the only possible motive. The dog was stolen by the man who made Miss McLeod blind." "_Made_ her blind!" I cried. "You don't seriously mean that you think someone--some fiend of hell--deliberately blinded her?" "Not deliberately," my companion replied. "But I believe it was through some human agency that she was blinded. I think some person or persons were anxious that Miss McLeod should remain blind, in case we should, in the process of recovering her sight, hit upon the cause of her losing it." In silence I sat for a few moments, thinking over this extraordinary new outlook. I must certainly wire for Dennis in the morning. "Mr. Garnesk," I said presently, "you are bringing a very terrible charge against some human monster whom we have yet to discover. But I must admit that you seem to have logic on your side. It remains for me to discover who these people are--if there are more than one." "Yes," he mused; "that is what we must discover." "We!" I exclaimed. "Then you're not going away?" "Yes," he said. "I think it would be fairer to you all if I left you. I think my arrival has done some good--my departure may do more. But I assure you, Mr. Ewart, I shall not give up this case till Miss McLeod recovers her sight. I give you my hand on that." I shook hands with him warmly.