In this sixth story from The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson's account of the strange death of Captain Peter Carey begins one morning with Holmes returning to Baker Street with a "huge barbed-headed spear tucked like an umbrella under his arm." The instrument, Holmes' explanation reveals, duplicates the weapon which has been driven so violently through the victim's body, that the latter has been discovered pinned to the wall like an insect.

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