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"When I arrived at the house," continued Holmes, "I at once went

very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in

the snow which might help me. I knew that none had fallen since

the evening before, and also that there had been a strong frost

to preserve impressions. I passed along the tradesmen's path, but

found it all trampled down and indistinguishable. Just beyond it,

however, at the far side of the kitchen door, a woman had stood

and talked with a man, whose round impressions on one side showed

that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been

disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was

shown by the deep toe and light heel marks, while Wooden-leg had

waited a little, and then had gone away. I thought at the time

that this might be the maid and her sweetheart, of whom you had

already spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so.