On the contrary, said Holmes quietly; I have every reason to believe
that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel.
Mr. Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves. I am
delighted to hear it, he said.
It is a curious thing, remarked Holmes, that a typewriter has really
quite as much individuality as a man s handwriting. Unless they are
quite new, no two of them write exactly alike. Some letters get more
worn than others, and some wear only on one side. Now, you remark in
this note of yours, Mr. Windibank, that in every case there is some
little slurring over of the e, and a slight defect in the tail of the
r. There are fourteen other characteristics, but those are the more
obvious.
We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office, and no
doubt it is a little worn, our visitor answered, glancing keenly at
Holmes with his bright little eyes.
And now I will show you what is really a very interesting study, Mr.
Windibank, Holmes continued. I think of writing another little
monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its relation to
crime. It is a subject to which I have devoted some little attention. I
have here four letters which purport to come from the missing man. They
are all typewritten. In each case, not only are the e s slurred and
the r s tailless, but you will observe, if you care to use my
magnifying lens, that the fourteen other characteristics to which I
have alluded are there as well.
Mr. Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat. I cannot
waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes, he said. If
you can catch the man, catch him, and let me know when you have done
it.
Certainly, said Holmes, stepping over and turning the key in the
door. I let you know, then, that I have caught him!
What! where? shouted Mr. Windibank, turning white to his lips and
glancing about him like a rat in a trap.
69