I don't express anyone's mental and emotional state as a FACT. Just a supposition. Big difference.
Varina, I think you are splitting hairs. Not much that is posted here can be expressed as FACT. You are beating up a poster because they didn't structure their sentence properly. I'm sure if you would have asked Sherlock nicely he would have informed you that it was indeed not a known fact but only his opinion that Thurber was affraid. By the way I happen to be of the same opinion. I don't mean to be speaking for Sherlock but I have been offended at the badgering he has taken tonight.