? ? ? ? " 'Come, now, Mr. Holmes,' said he, laughing goodhumouredly. 'I'm an excellent subject, if you can deduce anything from me.'
? ? ? ? " 'I fear there is not very much,' I answered. 'I might suggest that you have gone about in fear of some personal attack within the last twelvemonth.'
? ? ? ? "The laugh faded from his lips, and he stared at me in great surprlse.
? ? ? ? " 'Well, that's true enough,' said he. 'You know, Victor,' turning to his son, 'when we broke up that poaching gang they swore to knife us, and Sir Edward Holly has actually been attacked. I've always been on my guard since then, though I have no idea how you know it.'
? ? ? ? " 'You have a very handsome stick,' I answered. 'By the inscription I observed that you had not had it more than a year. But you have taken some pains to bore the head of it and pour melted lead into the hole so as to make it a formidable weapon. I argued that you would not take such precautions unless you had some danger to fear.'
? ? ? ? " 'Anything else?' he asked, smiling.
? ? ? ? " 'You have boxed a good deal in your youth.
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