Holmes held up a crumpled branch of flowering gorse.To my horror I perceived that the yellow blossoms were all dabbled with crimson.On the path, too, and among the heather were dark stains of clotted blood.
"Bad!" said Holmes."Bad! Stand clear, Watson! Not an unnecessary footstep! What do I read here? He fell wounded, he stood up, he remounted, he proceeded.But there is no other track.Cattle on this side path.He was surely not gored by a bull? Impossible! But I see no traces of anyone else.We must push on, Watson.Surely with stains as well as the track to guide us he cannot escape us now."Our search was not a very long one.The tracks of the tyre began to curve fantastically upon the wet and shining path.
Suddenly, as I looked ahead, the gleam of metal caught my eye from amid the thick gorse bushes.Out of them we dragged a bicycle, Palmer-tyred, one pedal bent, and the whole front of it horribly smeared and slobbered with blood.On the other side of the bushes a shoe was projecting.We ran round, and there lay the unfortunate rider.He was a tall man, full bearded, with spectacles, one glass of which had been knocked out.The cause of his death was a frightful blow upon the head, which had crushed in part of his skull.That he could have gone on after receiving such an injury said much for the vitality and courage of the man.He wore shoes, but no socks, and his open coat disclosed a night-shirt beneath it.It was undoubtedly the German master.
Holmes turned the body over reverently, and examined it with great attention.He then sat in deep thought for a time, and Icould see by his ruffled brow that this grim discovery had not, in his opinion, advanced us much in our inquiry.
"It is a little difficult to know what to do, Watson," said he, at last."My own inclinations are to push this inquiry on, for we have already lost so much time that we cannot afford to waste another hour.On the other hand, we are bound to inform the police of the discovery, and to see that this poor fellow's body is looked after.""I could take a note back."