The butler had given an exclamation of astonishment and was pointing at the dead man’s outstretched hand.

“They’ve taken his wedding ring!” he gasped.

“What!”

“Yes, indeed.  Master always wore his plain gold wedding ring on the little finger of his left hand.  That ring with the rough nugget on it was above it, and the twisted snake ring on the third finger.  There’s the nugget and there’s the snake, but the wedding ring is gone.”

“He’s right,” said Barker.

“Do you tell me,” said the sergeant, “that the wedding ring was below the other?”

“Always!”

“Then the murderer, or whoever it was, first took off this ring you call the nugget ring, then the wedding ring, and afterwards put the nugget ring back again.”

“That is so!”

The worthy country policeman shook his head.  “Seems to me the sooner we get London on to this case the better,” said he.  “White Mason is a smart man.  No local job has ever been too much for White Mason.  It won’t be long now before he is here to help us.  But I expect we’ll have to look to London before we are through.  Anyhow, I’m not ashamed to say that it is a deal too thick for the likes of me.”

Chapter 4 — Darkness

At three in the morning the chief Sussex detective, obeying the urgent call from Sergeant Wilson of Birlstone, arrived from headquarters in a light dog-cart behind a breathless trotter.  By the five-forty train in the morning he had sent his message to Scotland Yard, and he was at the Birlstone station at twelve o’clock to welcome us.  White Mason was a quiet, comfortable-looking person in a loose tweed suit, with a clean-shaved, ruddy face, a stoutish body, and powerful bandy legs adorned with gaiters, looking like a small farmer, a retired gamekeeper, or anything upon earth except a very favourable specimen of the provincial criminal officer.

“A real downright snorter, Mr. MacDonald!” he kept repeating.  “We’ll have the pressmen down like flies when they understand it.  I’m hoping we will get our work done before they get poking their noses into it and messing up all the trails.  There has been nothing like this that I can remember.  There are some bits that will come home to you, Mr. Holmes, or I am mistaken.  And you also, Dr. Watson; for the medicos will have a word to say before we finish.  Your room is at the Westville Arms.  There’s no other place; but I hear that it is clean and good.  The man will carry your bags.  This way, gentlemen, if you please.”

He was a very bustling and genial person, this Sussex detective.  In ten minutes we had all found our quarters.  In ten more we were seated in the parlour of the inn and being treated to a rapid sketch of those events which have been outlined in the previous chapter.  MacDonald made an occasional note; while Holmes sat absorbed, with the expression of surprised and reverent admiration with which the botanist surveys the rare and precious bloom.