 "the adventure of the norwood builder", one of the 56 short sherlock holmes stories written by british author sir arthur conan doyle, is the second tale from the return of sherlock holmes. the story was first published in strand magazine in 1903 with original illustrations by sidney paget. ==plot== thumb|mcfarlane visiting holmes and watson. the norwood builder is jonas oldacre, 52, reclusive retired bachelor, who vanished the night before (july+ 1894) from his house, not found when the lumber in his yard caught fire in a tremendous conflagration. his bed was unused, his safe open, papers scattered, signs of struggle, a large object dragged from safe to woodpile then burned, and blood on an oak cane belonging to late-night visitor, junior lawyer john mcfarlane. the suspect bursts into baker street distraught, showing holmes the news article that diverted him from his homeward train, and begs holmes to help him. as mcfarlane relates his story, lestrade, accompanied by constables, suddenly arrests his man, but agrees to listen to his story for half an hour. yesterday at 3 pm, ferret-faced oldacre, his name known as an acquaintance of the youth's parents, bade mcfarlane turn scribbles into a legal will, with mcfarlane learning to his surprise that oldacre has made him his sole heir as oldacre lacks any other family and has heard good things about him due to his past connection to mcfarlane's parents. after witnessing and signing, the benefactor asked him for dinner at nine, to see essential paperwork details, and not tell his parents. around midnight they finished sorting paper into sealed envelopes, and, admonished not to disturb the housekeeper, he was ushered, without his cane, out of the french window, safe still ajar. after the constables leave with their prisoner, holmes explains the will's rough draft varies from clear to unreadable where the writer's train stopped at stations, then rumbled roughly. holmes investigates. at blackheath, fluffy little mother mcfarlane reveals oldacre to be a vicious vengeful ex-suitor, rejected after he loosed a cat in an aviary. at norwood trouser buttons from oldacre's tailor are found among charred organic remains, examination of the remaining documents reveals allusions to missing valuable deeds, and a low bank balance attributable to recent large cheques to mr. cornelius. defiant, guilty-eyed housekeeper mrs. lexington smelled burnt flesh the night before, and knows more than she says, that the visitor's hat and cane were both left in the front hall. next morning, lestrade telegrams holmes to come see mcfarlane's bloody right thumbprint below the hat-peg, pointed out by lexington. holmes knows the evidence was not there yesterday, and minutely examines the whole house. he asks lestrade for loud-voiced constables, a
1903_short_stories London_literature Sherlock_Holmes_short_stories_by_Arthur_Conan_Doyle