“Well, as to that,” said Holmes airily, “I can’t be sure of all the facts myself, for of course I’ve never looked properly into the case. But they are pretty easy to conjecture, and I shall be most happy to give you my idea of Booth’s trip to New York on some future occasion when you have more time to spare. “By the way,” called out Holmes, as Lestrade was leaving the room, “I shouldn’t be surprised if you find Mr Jabez Booth, alias Mr Archibald Winter, a slight acquaintance of yours, for he would undoubtedly be a fellow passenger of yours, on your homeward journey from America. He reached Sheffield a few hours before you arrived in London and, as he has certainly just returned from New York, like yourself, it’s evident you must have crossed on the same boat. He would be wearing smoked glasses and have a heavy dark moustache.” “Ah!” said Lestrade, “there was a man called Winter on board who answered to that description. I believe it must have been he, and I’ll lose no more time,” and Lestrade hurried off.
“Well, Watson, my boy, you look nearly as bewildered as our friend Lestrade,” said Holmes, leaning back in his chair and looking roguishly across at me, as he lighted his old brier pipe. “I must confess that none of the problems you have had to solve in the past, seemed more inexplicable to me than Lestrade’s account of Booth’s disappearance from the Empress Queen.” “Yes, that part of the story is decidedly neat,” chuckled Holmes, “but I’ll tell you how I got at the solution of the mystery. I see you are ready to listen. “The first thing to do in any case is to gauge the intelligence and cunning of the criminal. Now, Mr Booth was undoubtedly a clever man. Mr Jervis himself, you remember, assured us as much. The fact that he opened banking accounts in preparation for the crime twelve months before he committed it proves it to have been a long-premeditated one. I began the case, therefore, with the knowledge that I had a clever man to catch, who had had twelve months in which to plan his escape. “My first real clues came from Mrs Purnell,” said Holmes. “Most important were her remarks about Booth’s auditing work which kept him from home so many days and nights, often consecutively. I felt certain at once, and inquiry confirmed, that Mr Booth had had no such extra work at all. Why then had he invented lies to explain these absences to his landlady? Probably because they were in some way connected, either with the crime, or with his plans for escaping after he had committed it. It was inconceivable that so much mysterious outdoor occupation could be directly connected with the forgery, and I at once deduced that this time had been spent by Booth in paving the way for his escape. “Almost at once the idea that he had been living a double life occurred to me, his intention doubtless being to quietly drop one individuality after committing the crime and permanently take up the other—a far safer and less clumsy expedient than the usual one of assuming a new disguise just at the moment when everybody is expecting and looking for you to do so.
“Then there were the interesting facts relating to Booth’s picture and books. I tried to put myself in his place. He valued these possessions highly; they were light and portable, and there was really no reason whatever why he should part with them. Doubtless, then, he had taken them away by degrees and put them someplace where he could lay hands on them again. If I could find out where this place was, I felt sure there would be every chance I could catch him when he attempted to recover them. “The picture couldn’t have gone far for he had taken it out with him on the very day of the crime … I needn’t bore you with details … I was two hours making inquiries before I found the house at which he had called and left it—which was none other than Mrs Thackary’s in Glossop Road.
“I made a pretext for calling there and found Mrs T one of the most easy mortals in the world to pump. In less than half an hour I knew that she had a boarder named Winter, that he professed to be a commercial traveler and was from home most of the time. His description resembled Booth’s save that he had a mustache and wore glasses. “As I’ve often tried to impress upon you before, Watson, details are the most important things of all, and it gave me a real thrill of pleasure to learn that Mr. Winter had a cup of chocolate brought up to his bedroom every morning. A gentleman called on the Wednesday morning and left a parcel, saying it was a picture he had promised for Mr Winter, and asking Mrs Thackary to give it to Winter when he returned. Mr. Winter had taken the rooms the previous December. He had a good many books which he had brought in from time to time. All these facts taken in conjunction made me certain that I was on the right scent. Winter and Booth were one and the same person, and as soon as Booth had put all his pursuers off the track he would return, as Winter, and repossess his treasures.