adventures_sherlock_holmes_onlylettersandblanks.txt

                        THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

                               Arthur Conan Doyle



                                Table of contents

               A Scandal in Bohemia
               The RedHeaded League
               A Case of Identity
               The Boscombe Valley Mystery
               The Five Orange Pips
               The Man with the Twisted Lip
               The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
               The Adventure of the Speckled Band
               The Adventure of the Engineers Thumb
               The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
               The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
               The Adventure of the Copper Beeches










                              A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA





                                Table of contents
                                     Chapter 
                                     Chapter 
                                     Chapter 















          CHAPTER I



     To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman I have seldom heard him
     mention her under any other name In his eyes she eclipses and
     predominates the whole of her sex It was not that he felt any
     emotion akin to love for Irene Adler All emotions and that one
     particularly were abhorrent to his cold precise but admirably
     balanced mind He was I take it the most perfect reasoning and
     observing machine that the world has seen but as a lover he would
     have placed himself in a false position He never spoke of the softer
     passions save with a gibe and a sneer They were admirable things
     for the observerexcellent for drawing the veil from mens motives
     and actions But for the trained reasoner to admit such intrusions
     into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to
     introduce a distracting factor which might throw a doubt upon all his
     mental results Grit in a sensitive instrument or a crack in one of
     his own highpower lenses would not be more disturbing than a strong
     emotion in a nature such as his And yet there was but one woman to
     him and that woman was the late Irene Adler of dubious and
     questionable memory

     I had seen little of Holmes lately My marriage had drifted us away
     from each other My own complete happiness and the homecentred
     interests which rise up around the man who first finds himself master
     of his own establishment were sufficient to absorb all my attention
     while Holmes who loathed every form of society with his whole
     Bohemian soul remained in our lodgings in Baker Street buried among
     his old books and alternating from week to week between cocaine and
     ambition the drowsiness of the drug and the fierce energy of his
     own keen nature He was still as ever deeply attracted by the study
     of crime and occupied his immense faculties and extraordinary powers
     of observation in following out those clues and clearing up those
     mysteries which had been abandoned as hopeless by the official
     police From time to time I heard some vague account of his doings
     of his summons to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder of his
     clearing up of the singular tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at
     Trincomalee and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so
     delicately and successfully for the reigning family of Holland
     Beyond these signs of his activity however which I merely shared
     with all the readers of the daily press I knew little of my former
     friend and companion

     One nightit was on the twentieth of March I was returning
     from a journey to a patient for I had now returned to civil
     practice when my way led me through Baker Street As I passed the
     wellremembered door which must always be associated in my mind with
     my wooing and with the dark incidents of the Study in Scarlet I was
     seized with a keen desire to see Holmes again and to know how he was
     employing his extraordinary powers His rooms were brilliantly lit
     and even as I looked up I saw his tall spare figure pass twice in
     a dark silhouette against the blind He was pacing the room swiftly
     eagerly with his head sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped
     behind him To me who knew his every mood and habit his attitude
     and manner told their own story He was at work again He had risen
     out of his drugcreated dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new
     problem I rang the bell and was shown up to the chamber which had
     formerly been in part my own

     His manner was not effusive It seldom was but he was glad I think
     to see me With hardly a word spoken but with a kindly eye he waved
     me to an armchair threw across his case of cigars and indicated a
     spirit case and a gasogene in the corner Then he stood before the
     fire and looked me over in his singular introspective fashion

     Wedlock suits you he remarked I think Watson that you have put
     on seven and a half pounds since I saw you

     Seven I answered

     Indeed I should have thought a little more Just a trifle more I
     fancy Watson And in practice again I observe You did not tell me
     that you intended to go into harness

     Then how do you know

     I see it I deduce it How do I know that you have been getting
     yourself very wet lately and that you have a most clumsy and
     careless servant girl

     My dear Holmes said I this is too much You would certainly have
     been burned had you lived a few centuries ago It is true that I had
     a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful mess but as I
     have changed my clothes I cant imagine how you deduce it As to Mary
     Jane she is incorrigible and my wife has given her notice but
     there again I fail to see how you work it out

     He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long nervous hands together

     It is simplicity itself said he my eyes tell me that on the
     inside of your left shoe just where the firelight strikes it the
     leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts Obviously they have
     been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the
     edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it Hence you
     see my double deduction that you had been out in vile weather and
     that you had a particularly malignant bootslitting specimen of the
     London slavey As to your practice if a gentleman walks into my
     rooms smelling of iodoform with a black mark of nitrate of silver
     upon his right forefinger and a bulge on the right side of his
     tophat to show where he has secreted his stethoscope I must be
     dull indeed if I do not pronounce him to be an active member of the
     medical profession

     I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his
     process of deduction When I hear you give your reasons I
     remarked the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously
     simple that I could easily do it myself though at each successive
     instance of your reasoning I am baffled until you explain your
     process And yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours

     Quite so he answered lighting a cigarette and throwing himself
     down into an armchair You see but you do not observe The
     distinction is clear For example you have frequently seen the steps
     which lead up from the hall to this room

     Frequently

     How often

     Well some hundreds of times

     Then how many are there

     How many I dont know

     Quite so You have not observed And yet you have seen That is just
     my point Now I know that there are seventeen steps because I have
     both seen and observed Bytheway since you are interested in these
     little problems and since you are good enough to chronicle one or
     two of my trifling experiences you may be interested in this He
     threw over a sheet of thick pinktinted notepaper which had been
     lying open upon the table It came by the last post said he Read
     it aloud

     The note was undated and without either signature or address

     There will call upon you tonight at a quarter to eight oclock
     it said a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the
     very deepest moment Your recent services to one of the royal houses
     of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be trusted with
     matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated
     This account of you we have from all quarters received Be in your
     chamber then at that hour and do not take it amiss if your visitor
     wear a mask

     This is indeed a mystery I remarked What do you imagine that it
     means

     I have no data yet It is a capital mistake to theorize before one
     has data Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories
     instead of theories to suit facts But the note itself What do you
     deduce from it

     I carefully examined the writing and the paper upon which it was
     written

     The man who wrote it was presumably well to do I remarked
     endeavouring to imitate my companions processes Such paper could
     not be bought under half a crown a packet It is peculiarly strong
     and stiff

     Peculiarthat is the very word said Holmes It is not an English
     paper at all Hold it up to the light

     I did so and saw a large E with a small g a P and a large
     G with a small t woven into the texture of the paper

     What do you make of that asked Holmes

     The name of the maker no doubt or his monogram rather

     Not at all The G with the small t stands for Gesellschaft
     which is the German for Company It is a customary contraction like
     our Co P of course stands for Papier Now for the Eg Let
     us glance at our Continental Gazetteer He took down a heavy brown
     volume from his shelves Eglow Eglonitzhere we are Egria It is
     in a Germanspeaking countryin Bohemia not far from Carlsbad
     Remarkable as being the scene of the death of Wallenstein and for
     its numerous glassfactories and papermills Ha ha my boy what
     do you make of that His eyes sparkled and he sent up a great blue
     triumphant cloud from his cigarette

     The paper was made in Bohemia I said

     Precisely And the man who wrote the note is a German Do you note
     the peculiar construction of the sentenceThis account of you we
     have from all quarters received A Frenchman or Russian could not
     have written that It is the German who is so uncourteous to his
     verbs It only remains therefore to discover what is wanted by this
     German who writes upon Bohemian paper and prefers wearing a mask to
     showing his face And here he comes if I am not mistaken to resolve
     all our doubts

     As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses hoofs and grating
     wheels against the curb followed by a sharp pull at the bell Holmes
     whistled

     A pair by the sound said he Yes he continued glancing out of
     the window A nice little brougham and a pair of beauties A hundred
     and fifty guineas apiece Theres money in this case Watson if
     there is nothing else

     I think that I had better go Holmes

     Not a bit Doctor Stay where you are I am lost without my Boswell
     And this promises to be interesting It would be a pity to miss it

     But your client

     Never mind him I may want your help and so may he Here he comes
     Sit down in that armchair Doctor and give us your best attention

     A slow and heavy step which had been heard upon the stairs and in
     the passage paused immediately outside the door Then there was a
     loud and authoritative tap

     Come in said Holmes

     A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six
     inches in height with the chest and limbs of a Hercules His dress
     was rich with a richness which would in England be looked upon as
     akin to bad taste Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed across the
     sleeves and fronts of his doublebreasted coat while the deep blue
     cloak which was thrown over his shoulders was lined with
     flamecoloured silk and secured at the neck with a brooch which
     consisted of a single flaming beryl Boots which extended halfway up
     his calves and which were trimmed at the tops with rich brown fur
     completed the impression of barbaric opulence which was suggested by
     his whole appearance He carried a broadbrimmed hat in his hand
     while he wore across the upper part of his face extending down past
     the cheekbones a black vizard mask which he had apparently adjusted
     that very moment for his hand was still raised to it as he entered
     From the lower part of the face he appeared to be a man of strong
     character with a thick hanging lip and a long straight chin
     suggestive of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy

     You had my note he asked with a deep harsh voice and a strongly
     marked German accent I told you that I would call He looked from
     one to the other of us as if uncertain which to address

     Pray take a seat said Holmes This is my friend and colleague
     Dr Watson who is occasionally good enough to help me in my cases
     Whom have I the honour to address

     You may address me as the Count Von Kramm a Bohemian nobleman I
     understand that this gentleman your friend is a man of honour and
     discretion whom I may trust with a matter of the most extreme
     importance If not I should much prefer to communicate with you
     alone

     I rose to go but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me back
     into my chair It is both or none said he You may say before
     this gentleman anything which you may say to me

     The Count shrugged his broad shoulders Then I must begin said he
     by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years at the end of
     that time the matter will be of no importance At present it is not
     too much to say that it is of such weight it may have an influence
     upon European history

     I promise said Holmes

     And I

     You will excuse this mask continued our strange visitor The
     august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to you
     and I may confess at once that the title by which I have just called
     myself is not exactly my own

     I was aware of it said Holmes dryly

     The circumstances are of great delicacy and every precaution has to
     be taken to quench what might grow to be an immense scandal and
     seriously compromise one of the reigning families of Europe To speak
     plainly the matter implicates the great House of Ormstein
     hereditary kings of Bohemia

     I was also aware of that murmured Holmes settling himself down in
     his armchair and closing his eyes

     Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid
     lounging figure of the man who had been no doubt depicted to him as
     the most incisive reasoner and most energetic agent in Europe Holmes
     slowly reopened his eyes and looked impatiently at his gigantic
     client

     If your Majesty would condescend to state your case he remarked
     I should be better able to advise you

     The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in
     uncontrollable agitation Then with a gesture of desperation he
     tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon the ground You are
     right he cried I am the King Why should I attempt to conceal
     it

     Why indeed murmured Holmes Your Majesty had not spoken before I
     was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von
     Ormstein Grand Duke of CasselFelstein and hereditary King of
     Bohemia

     But you can understand said our strange visitor sitting down once
     more and passing his hand over his high white forehead you can
     understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in my own
     person Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not confide it to
     an agent without putting myself in his power I have come incognito
     from Prague for the purpose of consulting you

     Then pray consult said Holmes shutting his eyes once more

     The facts are briefly these Some five years ago during a lengthy
     visit to Warsaw I made the acquaintance of the wellknown
     adventuress Irene Adler The name is no doubt familiar to you

     Kindly look her up in my index Doctor murmured Holmes without
     opening his eyes For many years he had adopted a system of docketing
     all paragraphs concerning men and things so that it was difficult to
     name a subject or a person on which he could not at once furnish
     information In this case I found her biography sandwiched in between
     that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a staffcommander who had written
     a monograph upon the deepsea fishes

     Let me see said Holmes Hum Born in New Jersey in the year 
     Contraltohum La Scala hum Prima donna Imperial Opera of
     Warsawyes Retired from operatic stageha Living in Londonquite
     so Your Majesty as I understand became entangled with this young
     person wrote her some compromising letters and is now desirous of
     getting those letters back

     Precisely so But how

     Was there a secret marriage

     None

     No legal papers or certificates

     None

     Then I fail to follow your Majesty If this young person should
     produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes how is she to
     prove their authenticity

     There is the writing

     Pooh pooh Forgery

     My private notepaper

     Stolen

     My own seal

     Imitated

     My photograph

     Bought

     We were both in the photograph

     Oh dear That is very bad Your Majesty has indeed committed an
     indiscretion

     I was madinsane

     You have compromised yourself seriously

     I was only Crown Prince then I was young I am but thirty now

     It must be recovered

     We have tried and failed

     Your Majesty must pay It must be bought

     She will not sell

     Stolen then

     Five attempts have been made Twice burglars in my pay ransacked her
     house Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled Twice she has
     been waylaid There has been no result

     No sign of it

     Absolutely none

     Holmes laughed It is quite a pretty little problem said he

     But a very serious one to me returned the King reproachfully

     Very indeed And what does she propose to do with the photograph

     To ruin me

     But how

     I am about to be married

     So I have heard

     To Clotilde Lothman von SaxeMeningen second daughter of the King
     of Scandinavia You may know the strict principles of her family She
     is herself the very soul of delicacy A shadow of a doubt as to my
     conduct would bring the matter to an end

     And Irene Adler

     Threatens to send them the photograph And she will do it I know
     that she will do it You do not know her but she has a soul of
     steel She has the face of the most beautiful of women and the mind
     of the most resolute of men Rather than I should marry another
     woman there are no lengths to which she would not gonone

     You are sure that she has not sent it yet

     I am sure

     And why

     Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the
     betrothal was publicly proclaimed That will be next Monday

     Oh then we have three days yet said Holmes with a yawn That is
     very fortunate as I have one or two matters of importance to look
     into just at present Your Majesty will of course stay in London
     for the present

     Certainly You will find me at the Langham under the name of the
     Count Von Kramm

     Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress

     Pray do so I shall be all anxiety

     Then as to money

     You have carte blanche

     Absolutely

     I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of my kingdom to
     have that photograph

     And for present expenses

     The King took a heavy chamois leather bag from under his cloak and
     laid it on the table

     There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in notes
     he said

     Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his notebook and handed
     it to him

     And Mademoiselles address he asked

     Is Briony Lodge Serpentine Avenue St Johns Wood

     Holmes took a note of it One other question said he Was the
     photograph a cabinet

     It was

     Then goodnight your Majesty and I trust that we shall soon have
     some good news for you And goodnight Watson he added as the
     wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street If you will be
     good enough to call tomorrow afternoon at three oclock I should
     like to chat this little matter over with you





          CHAPTER II



     At three oclock precisely I was at Baker Street but Holmes had not
     yet returned The landlady informed me that he had left the house
     shortly after eight oclock in the morning I sat down beside the
     fire however with the intention of awaiting him however long he
     might be I was already deeply interested in his inquiry for though
     it was surrounded by none of the grim and strange features which were
     associated with the two crimes which I have already recorded still
     the nature of the case and the exalted station of his client gave it
     a character of its own Indeed apart from the nature of the
     investigation which my friend had on hand there was something in his
     masterly grasp of a situation and his keen incisive reasoning
     which made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work and to
     follow the quick subtle methods by which he disentangled the most
     inextricable mysteries So accustomed was I to his invariable success
     that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into my
     head

     It was close upon four before the door opened and a drunkenlooking
     groom illkempt and sidewhiskered with an inflamed face and
     disreputable clothes walked into the room Accustomed as I was to my
     friends amazing powers in the use of disguises I had to look three
     times before I was certain that it was indeed he With a nod he
     vanished into the bedroom whence he emerged in five minutes
     tweedsuited and respectable as of old Putting his hands into his
     pockets he stretched out his legs in front of the fire and laughed
     heartily for some minutes

     Well really he cried and then he choked and laughed again until
     he was obliged to lie back limp and helpless in the chair

     What is it

     Its quite too funny I am sure you could never guess how I employed
     my morning or what I ended by doing

     I cant imagine I suppose that you have been watching the habits
     and perhaps the house of Miss Irene Adler

     Quite so but the sequel was rather unusual I will tell you
     however I left the house a little after eight oclock this morning
     in the character of a groom out of work There is a wonderful
     sympathy and freemasonry among horsey men Be one of them and you
     will know all that there is to know I soon found Briony Lodge It is
     a bijou villa with a garden at the back but built out in front
     right up to the road two stories Chubb lock to the door Large
     sittingroom on the right side well furnished with long windows
     almost to the floor and those preposterous English window fasteners
     which a child could open Behind there was nothing remarkable save
     that the passage window could be reached from the top of the
     coachhouse I walked round it and examined it closely from every
     point of view but without noting anything else of interest

     I then lounged down the street and found as I expected that there
     was a mews in a lane which runs down by one wall of the garden I
     lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses and received in
     exchange twopence a glass of half and half two fills of shag
     tobacco and as much information as I could desire about Miss Adler
     to say nothing of half a dozen other people in the neighbourhood in
     whom I was not in the least interested but whose biographies I was
     compelled to listen to

     And what of Irene Adler I asked

     Oh she has turned all the mens heads down in that part She is the
     daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet So say the
     Serpentinemews to a man She lives quietly sings at concerts
     drives out at five every day and returns at seven sharp for dinner
     Seldom goes out at other times except when she sings Has only one
     male visitor but a good deal of him He is dark handsome and
     dashing never calls less than once a day and often twice He is a
     Mr Godfrey Norton of the Inner Temple See the advantages of a
     cabman as a confidant They had driven him home a dozen times from
     Serpentinemews and knew all about him When I had listened to all
     they had to tell I began to walk up and down near Briony Lodge once
     more and to think over my plan of campaign

     This Godfrey Norton was evidently an important factor in the matter
     He was a lawyer That sounded ominous What was the relation between
     them and what the object of his repeated visits Was she his client
     his friend or his mistress If the former she had probably
     transferred the photograph to his keeping If the latter it was less
     likely On the issue of this question depended whether I should
     continue my work at Briony Lodge or turn my attention to the
     gentlemans chambers in the Temple It was a delicate point and it
     widened the field of my inquiry I fear that I bore you with these
     details but I have to let you see my little difficulties if you are
     to understand the situation

     I am following you closely I answered

     I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansom cab drove
     up to Briony Lodge and a gentleman sprang out He was a remarkably
     handsome man dark aquiline and moustachedevidently the man of
     whom I had heard He appeared to be in a great hurry shouted to the
     cabman to wait and brushed past the maid who opened the door with
     the air of a man who was thoroughly at home

     He was in the house about half an hour and I could catch glimpses
     of him in the windows of the sittingroom pacing up and down
     talking excitedly and waving his arms Of her I could see nothing
     Presently he emerged looking even more flurried than before As he
     stepped up to the cab he pulled a gold watch from his pocket and
     looked at it earnestly Drive like the devil he shouted first to
     Gross  Hankeys in Regent Street and then to the Church of St
     Monica in the Edgeware Road Half a guinea if you do it in twenty
     minutes

     Away they went and I was just wondering whether I should not do
     well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau the
     coachman with his coat only halfbuttoned and his tie under his ear
     while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of the buckles
     It hadnt pulled up before she shot out of the hall door and into it
     I only caught a glimpse of her at the moment but she was a lovely
     woman with a face that a man might die for

     The Church of St Monica John she cried and half a sovereign
     if you reach it in twenty minutes

     This was quite too good to lose Watson I was just balancing
     whether I should run for it or whether I should perch behind her
     landau when a cab came through the street The driver looked twice at
     such a shabby fare but I jumped in before he could object The
     Church of St Monica said I and half a sovereign if you reach it
     in twenty minutes It was twentyfive minutes to twelve and of
     course it was clear enough what was in the wind

     My cabby drove fast I dont think I ever drove faster but the
     others were there before us The cab and the landau with their
     steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived I paid the
     man and hurried into the church There was not a soul there save the
     two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman who seemed to be
     expostulating with them They were all three standing in a knot in
     front of the altar I lounged up the side aisle like any other idler
     who has dropped into a church Suddenly to my surprise the three at
     the altar faced round to me and Godfrey Norton came running as hard
     as he could towards me

     Thank God he cried Youll do Come Come

     What then I asked

     Come man come only three minutes or it wont be legal

     I was halfdragged up to the altar and before I knew where I was I
     found myself mumbling responses which were whispered in my ear and
     vouching for things of which I knew nothing and generally assisting
     in the secure tying up of Irene Adler spinster to Godfrey Norton
     bachelor It was all done in an instant and there was the gentleman
     thanking me on the one side and the lady on the other while the
     clergyman beamed on me in front It was the most preposterous
     position in which I ever found myself in my life and it was the
     thought of it that started me laughing just now It seems that there
     had been some informality about their license that the clergyman
     absolutely refused to marry them without a witness of some sort and
     that my lucky appearance saved the bridegroom from having to sally
     out into the streets in search of a best man The bride gave me a
     sovereign and I mean to wear it on my watchchain in memory of the
     occasion

     This is a very unexpected turn of affairs said I and what then

     Well I found my plans very seriously menaced It looked as if the
     pair might take an immediate departure and so necessitate very
     prompt and energetic measures on my part At the church door
     however they separated he driving back to the Temple and she to
     her own house I shall drive out in the park at five as usual she
     said as she left him I heard no more They drove away in different
     directions and I went off to make my own arrangements

     Which are

     Some cold beef and a glass of beer he answered ringing the bell
     I have been too busy to think of food and I am likely to be busier
     still this evening By the way Doctor I shall want your
     cooperation

     I shall be delighted

     You dont mind breaking the law

     Not in the least

     Nor running a chance of arrest

     Not in a good cause

     Oh the cause is excellent

     Then I am your man

     I was sure that I might rely on you

     But what is it you wish

     When Mrs Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to
     you Now he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that our
     landlady had provided I must discuss it while I eat for I have not
     much time It is nearly five now In two hours we must be on the
     scene of action Miss Irene or Madame rather returns from her
     drive at seven We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her

     And what then

     You must leave that to me I have already arranged what is to occur
     There is only one point on which I must insist You must not
     interfere come what may You understand

     I am to be neutral

     To do nothing whatever There will probably be some small
     unpleasantness Do not join in it It will end in my being conveyed
     into the house Four or five minutes afterwards the sittingroom
     window will open You are to station yourself close to that open
     window

     Yes

     You are to watch me for I will be visible to you

     Yes

     And when I raise my handsoyou will throw into the room what I
     give you to throw and will at the same time raise the cry of fire
     You quite follow me

     Entirely

     It is nothing very formidable he said taking a long cigarshaped
     roll from his pocket It is an ordinary plumbers smokerocket
     fitted with a cap at either end to make it selflighting Your task
     is confined to that When you raise your cry of fire it will be
     taken up by quite a number of people You may then walk to the end of
     the street and I will rejoin you in ten minutes I hope that I have
     made myself clear

     I am to remain neutral to get near the window to watch you and at
     the signal to throw in this object then to raise the cry of fire
     and to wait you at the corner of the street

     Precisely

     Then you may entirely rely on me

     That is excellent I think perhaps it is almost time that I
     prepare for the new role I have to play

     He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few minutes in the
     character of an amiable and simpleminded Nonconformist clergyman
     His broad black hat his baggy trousers his white tie his
     sympathetic smile and general look of peering and benevolent
     curiosity were such as Mr John Hare alone could have equalled It
     was not merely that Holmes changed his costume His expression his
     manner his very soul seemed to vary with every fresh part that he
     assumed The stage lost a fine actor even as science lost an acute
     reasoner when he became a specialist in crime

     It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street and it still
     wanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves in Serpentine
     Avenue It was already dusk and the lamps were just being lighted as
     we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge waiting for the coming
     of its occupant The house was just such as I had pictured it from
     Sherlock Holmes succinct description but the locality appeared to
     be less private than I expected On the contrary for a small street
     in a quiet neighbourhood it was remarkably animated There was a
     group of shabbily dressed men smoking and laughing in a corner a
     scissorsgrinder with his wheel two guardsmen who were flirting with
     a nursegirl and several welldressed young men who were lounging up
     and down with cigars in their mouths

     You see remarked Holmes as we paced to and fro in front of the
     house this marriage rather simplifies matters The photograph
     becomes a doubleedged weapon now The chances are that she would be
     as averse to its being seen by Mr Godfrey Norton as our client is
     to its coming to the eyes of his princess Now the question isWhere
     are we to find the photograph

     Where indeed

     It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her It is
     cabinet size Too large for easy concealment about a womans dress
     She knows that the King is capable of having her waylaid and
     searched Two attempts of the sort have already been made We may
     take it then that she does not carry it about with her

     Where then

     Her banker or her lawyer There is that double possibility But I am
     inclined to think neither Women are naturally secretive and they
     like to do their own secreting Why should she hand it over to anyone
     else She could trust her own guardianship but she could not tell
     what indirect or political influence might be brought to bear upon a
     business man Besides remember that she had resolved to use it
     within a few days It must be where she can lay her hands upon it It
     must be in her own house

     But it has twice been burgled

     Pshaw They did not know how to look

     But how will you look

     I will not look

     What then

     I will get her to show me

     But she will refuse

     She will not be able to But I hear the rumble of wheels It is her
     carriage Now carry out my orders to the letter

     As he spoke the gleam of the sidelights of a carriage came round the
     curve of the avenue It was a smart little landau which rattled up to
     the door of Briony Lodge As it pulled up one of the loafing men at
     the corner dashed forward to open the door in the hope of earning a
     copper but was elbowed away by another loafer who had rushed up
     with the same intention A fierce quarrel broke out which was
     increased by the two guardsmen who took sides with one of the
     loungers and by the scissorsgrinder who was equally hot upon the
     other side A blow was struck and in an instant the lady who had
     stepped from her carriage was the centre of a little knot of flushed
     and struggling men who struck savagely at each other with their
     fists and sticks Holmes dashed into the crowd to protect the lady
     but just as he reached her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground
     with the blood running freely down his face At his fall the
     guardsmen took to their heels in one direction and the loungers in
     the other while a number of betterdressed people who had watched
     the scuffle without taking part in it crowded in to help the lady
     and to attend to the injured man Irene Adler as I will still call
     her had hurried up the steps but she stood at the top with her
     superb figure outlined against the lights of the hall looking back
     into the street

     Is the poor gentleman much hurt she asked

     He is dead cried several voices

     No no theres life in him shouted another But hell be gone
     before you can get him to hospital

     Hes a brave fellow said a woman They would have had the ladys
     purse and watch if it hadnt been for him They were a gang and a
     rough one too Ah hes breathing now

     He cant lie in the street May we bring him in marm

     Surely Bring him into the sittingroom There is a comfortable
     sofa This way please

     Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laid out in
     the principal room while I still observed the proceedings from my
     post by the window The lamps had been lit but the blinds had not
     been drawn so that I could see Holmes as he lay upon the couch I do
     not know whether he was seized with compunction at that moment for
     the part he was playing but I know that I never felt more heartily
     ashamed of myself in my life than when I saw the beautiful creature
     against whom I was conspiring or the grace and kindliness with which
     she waited upon the injured man And yet it would be the blackest
     treachery to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had
     intrusted to me I hardened my heart and took the smokerocket from
     under my ulster After all I thought we are not injuring her We
     are but preventing her from injuring another

     Holmes had sat up upon the couch and I saw him motion like a man who
     is in need of air A maid rushed across and threw open the window At
     the same instant I saw him raise his hand and at the signal I tossed
     my rocket into the room with a cry of Fire The word was no sooner
     out of my mouth than the whole crowd of spectators well dressed and
     illgentlemen ostlers and servantmaidsjoined in a general
     shriek of Fire Thick clouds of smoke curled through the room and
     out at the open window I caught a glimpse of rushing figures and a
     moment later the voice of Holmes from within assuring them that it
     was a false alarm Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my way
     to the corner of the street and in ten minutes was rejoiced to find
     my friends arm in mine and to get away from the scene of uproar He
     walked swiftly and in silence for some few minutes until we had
     turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the Edgeware
     Road

     You did it very nicely Doctor he remarked Nothing could have
     been better It is all right

     You have the photograph

     I know where it is

     And how did you find out

     She showed me as I told you she would

     I am still in the dark

     I do not wish to make a mystery said he laughing The matter was
     perfectly simple You of course saw that everyone in the street was
     an accomplice They were all engaged for the evening

     I guessed as much

     Then when the row broke out I had a little moist red paint in the
     palm of my hand I rushed forward fell down clapped my hand to my
     face and became a piteous spectacle It is an old trick

     That also I could fathom

     Then they carried me in She was bound to have me in What else
     could she do And into her sittingroom which was the very room
     which I suspected It lay between that and her bedroom and I was
     determined to see which They laid me on a couch I motioned for air
     they were compelled to open the window and you had your chance

     How did that help you

     It was allimportant When a woman thinks that her house is on fire
     her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which she values most
     It is a perfectly overpowering impulse and I have more than once
     taken advantage of it In the case of the Darlington substitution
     scandal it was of use to me and also in the Arnsworth Castle
     business A married woman grabs at her baby an unmarried one reaches
     for her jewelbox Now it was clear to me that our lady of today had
     nothing in the house more precious to her than what we are in quest
     of She would rush to secure it The alarm of fire was admirably
     done The smoke and shouting were enough to shake nerves of steel
     She responded beautifully The photograph is in a recess behind a
     sliding panel just above the right bellpull She was there in an
     instant and I caught a glimpse of it as she halfdrew it out When I
     cried out that it was a false alarm she replaced it glanced at the
     rocket rushed from the room and I have not seen her since I rose
     and making my excuses escaped from the house I hesitated whether
     to attempt to secure the photograph at once but the coachman had
     come in and as he was watching me narrowly it seemed safer to wait
     A little overprecipitance may ruin all

     And now I asked

     Our quest is practically finished I shall call with the King
     tomorrow and with you if you care to come with us We will be
     shown into the sittingroom to wait for the lady but it is probable
     that when she comes she may find neither us nor the photograph It
     might be a satisfaction to his Majesty to regain it with his own
     hands

     And when will you call

     At eight in the morning She will not be up so that we shall have a
     clear field Besides we must be prompt for this marriage may mean a
     complete change in her life and habits I must wire to the King
     without delay

     We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door He was
     searching his pockets for the key when someone passing said

     Goodnight Mister Sherlock Holmes

     There were several people on the pavement at the time but the
     greeting appeared to come from a slim youth in an ulster who had
     hurried by

     Ive heard that voice before said Holmes staring down the dimly
     lit street Now I wonder who the deuce that could have been





          CHAPTER III



     I slept at Baker Street that night and we were engaged upon our
     toast and coffee in the morning when the King of Bohemia rushed into
     the room

     You have really got it he cried grasping Sherlock Holmes by
     either shoulder and looking eagerly into his face

     Not yet

     But you have hopes

     I have hopes

     Then come I am all impatience to be gone

     We must have a cab

     No my brougham is waiting

     Then that will simplify matters We descended and started off once
     more for Briony Lodge

     Irene Adler is married remarked Holmes

     Married When

     Yesterday

     But to whom

     To an English lawyer named Norton

     But she could not love him

     I am in hopes that she does

     And why in hopes

     Because it would spare your Majesty all fear of future annoyance If
     the lady loves her husband she does not love your Majesty If she
     does not love your Majesty there is no reason why she should
     interfere with your Majestys plan

     It is true And yetWell I wish she had been of my own station
     What a queen she would have made He relapsed into a moody silence
     which was not broken until we drew up in Serpentine Avenue

     The door of Briony Lodge was open and an elderly woman stood upon
     the steps She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped from the
     brougham

     Mr Sherlock Holmes I believe said she

     I am Mr Holmes answered my companion looking at her with a
     questioning and rather startled gaze

     Indeed My mistress told me that you were likely to call She left
     this morning with her husband by the  train from Charing Cross
     for the Continent

     What Sherlock Holmes staggered back white with chagrin and
     surprise Do you mean that she has left England

     Never to return

     And the papers asked the King hoarsely All is lost

     We shall see He pushed past the servant and rushed into the
     drawingroom followed by the King and myself The furniture was
     scattered about in every direction with dismantled shelves and open
     drawers as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before her
     flight Holmes rushed at the bellpull tore back a small sliding
     shutter and plunging in his hand pulled out a photograph and a
     letter The photograph was of Irene Adler herself in evening dress
     the letter was superscribed to Sherlock Holmes Esq To be left till
     called for My friend tore it open and we all three read it
     together It was dated at midnight of the preceding night and ran in
     this way

     My dear Mr Sherlock Holmes
     You really did it very well You took me in completely Until after
     the alarm of fire I had not a suspicion But then when I found how
     I had betrayed myself I began to think I had been warned against
     you months ago I had been told that if the King employed an agent it
     would certainly be you And your address had been given me Yet with
     all this you made me reveal what you wanted to know Even after I
     became suspicious I found it hard to think evil of such a dear kind
     old clergyman But you know I have been trained as an actress
     myself Male costume is nothing new to me I often take advantage of
     the freedom which it gives I sent John the coachman to watch you
     ran up stairs got into my walkingclothes as I call them and came
     down just as you departed
     Well I followed you to your door and so made sure that I was
     really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr Sherlock Holmes
     Then I rather imprudently wished you goodnight and started for
     the Temple to see my husband
     We both thought the best resource was flight when pursued by so
     formidable an antagonist so you will find the nest empty when you
     call tomorrow As to the photograph your client may rest in peace
     I love and am loved by a better man than he The King may do what he
     will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly wronged I keep
     it only to safeguard myself and to preserve a weapon which will
     always secure me from any steps which he might take in the future I
     leave a photograph which he might care to possess and I remain dear
     Mr Sherlock Holmes
     Very truly yours
     Irene Norton nÃe Adler

     What a womanoh what a woman cried the King of Bohemia when we
     had all three read this epistle Did I not tell you how quick and
     resolute she was Would she not have made an admirable queen Is it
     not a pity that she was not on my level 

     From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a very
     different level to your Majesty said Holmes coldly I am sorry
     that I have not been able to bring your Majestys business to a more
     successful conclusion

     On the contrary my dear sir cried the King nothing could be
     more successful I know that her word is inviolate The photograph is
     now as safe as if it were in the fire

     I am glad to hear your Majesty say so

     I am immensely indebted to you Pray tell me in what way I can
     reward you This ring He slipped an emerald snake ring from his
     finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand

     Your Majesty has something which I should value even more highly
     said Holmes

     You have but to name it

     This photograph

     The King stared at him in amazement

     Irenes photograph he cried Certainly if you wish it

     I thank your Majesty Then there is no more to be done in the
     matter I have the honour to wish you a very goodmorning He bowed
     and turning away without observing the hand which the King had
     stretched out to him he set off in my company for his chambers

     And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom of
     Bohemia and how the best plans of Mr Sherlock Holmes were beaten by
     a womans wit He used to make merry over the cleverness of women
     but I have not heard him do it of late And when he speaks of Irene
     Adler or when he refers to her photograph it is always under the
     honourable title of the woman






                              THE REDHEADED LEAGUE

     I had called upon my friend Mr Sherlock Holmes one day in the
     autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a very
     stout floridfaced elderly gentleman with fiery red hair With an
     apology for my intrusion I was about to withdraw when Holmes pulled
     me abruptly into the room and closed the door behind me

     You could not possibly have come at a better time my dear Watson
     he said cordially

     I was afraid that you were engaged

     So I am Very much so

     Then I can wait in the next room

     Not at all This gentleman Mr Wilson has been my partner and
     helper in many of my most successful cases and I have no doubt that
     he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also

     The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of
     greeting with a quick little questioning glance from his small
     fatencircled eyes

     Try the settee said Holmes relapsing into his armchair and
     putting his fingertips together as was his custom when in judicial
     moods I know my dear Watson that you share my love of all that is
     bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday
     life You have shown your relish for it by the enthusiasm which has
     prompted you to chronicle and if you will excuse my saying so
     somewhat to embellish so many of my own little adventures

     Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me I
     observed

     You will remember that I remarked the other day just before we went
     into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary Sutherland that
     for strange effects and extraordinary combinations we must go to life
     itself which is always far more daring than any effort of the
     imagination

     A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting

     You did Doctor but none the less you must come round to my view
     for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you until your
     reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to be right Now
     Mr Jabez Wilson here has been good enough to call upon me this
     morning and to begin a narrative which promises to be one of the
     most singular which I have listened to for some time You have heard
     me remark that the strangest and most unique things are very often
     connected not with the larger but with the smaller crimes and
     occasionally indeed where there is room for doubt whether any
     positive crime has been committed As far as I have heard it is
     impossible for me to say whether the present case is an instance of
     crime or not but the course of events is certainly among the most
     singular that I have ever listened to Perhaps Mr Wilson you would
     have the great kindness to recommence your narrative I ask you not
     merely because my friend Dr Watson has not heard the opening part
     but also because the peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to
     have every possible detail from your lips As a rule when I have
     heard some slight indication of the course of events I am able to
     guide myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to
     my memory In the present instance I am forced to admit that the
     facts are to the best of my belief unique

     The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some
     little pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the
     inside pocket of his greatcoat As he glanced down the advertisement
     column with his head thrust forward and the paper flattened out upon
     his knee I took a good look at the man and endeavoured after the
     fashion of my companion to read the indications which might be
     presented by his dress or appearance

     I did not gain very much however by my inspection Our visitor bore
     every mark of being an average commonplace British tradesman obese
     pompous and slow He wore rather baggy grey shepherds check
     trousers a not overclean black frockcoat unbuttoned in the front
     and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy Albert chain and a square
     pierced bit of metal dangling down as an ornament A frayed tophat
     and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a
     chair beside him Altogether look as I would there was nothing
     remarkable about the man save his blazing red head and the
     expression of extreme chagrin and discontent upon his features

     Sherlock Holmes quick eye took in my occupation and he shook his
     head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances Beyond the
     obvious facts that he has at some time done manual labour that he
     takes snuff that he is a Freemason that he has been in China and
     that he has done a considerable amount of writing lately I can
     deduce nothing else

     Mr Jabez Wilson started up in his chair with his forefinger upon
     the paper but his eyes upon my companion

     How in the name of goodfortune did you know all that Mr
     Holmes he asked How did you know for example that I did manual
     labour Its as true as gospel for I began as a ships carpenter

     Your hands my dear sir Your right hand is quite a size larger than
     your left You have worked with it and the muscles are more
     developed

     Well the snuff then and the Freemasonry

     I wont insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that
     especially as rather against the strict rules of your order you use
     an arcandcompass breastpin

     Ah of course I forgot that But the writing

     What else can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for five
     inches and the left one with the smooth patch near the elbow where
     you rest it upon the desk

     Well but China

     The fish that you have tattooed immediately above your right wrist
     could only have been done in China I have made a small study of
     tattoo marks and have even contributed to the literature of the
     subject That trick of staining the fishes scales of a delicate pink
     is quite peculiar to China When in addition I see a Chinese coin
     hanging from your watchchain the matter becomes even more simple

     Mr Jabez Wilson laughed heavily Well I never said he I
     thought at first that you had done something clever but I see that
     there was nothing in it after all

     I begin to think Watson said Holmes that I make a mistake in
     explaining Omne ignotum pro magnifico you know and my poor
     little reputation such as it is will suffer shipwreck if I am so
     candid Can you not find the advertisement Mr Wilson

     Yes I have got it now he answered with his thick red finger
     planted halfway down the column Here it is This is what began it
     all You just read it for yourself sir

     I took the paper from him and read as follows

     To the Redheaded League On account of the bequest of the late
     Ezekiah Hopkins of Lebanon Pennsylvania U S A there is now
     another vacancy open which entitles a member of the League to a
     salary of  a week for purely nominal services All redheaded men
     who are sound in body and mind and above the age of twentyone years
     are eligible Apply in person on Monday at eleven oclock to Duncan
     Ross at the offices of the League  Popes Court Fleet Street

     What on earth does this mean I ejaculated after I had twice read
     over the extraordinary announcement

     Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his chair as was his habit when in
     high spirits It is a little off the beaten track isnt it said
     he And now Mr Wilson off you go at scratch and tell us all about
     yourself your household and the effect which this advertisement had
     upon your fortunes You will first make a note Doctor of the paper
     and the date

     It is The Morning Chronicle of April   Just two months ago

     Very good Now Mr Wilson

     Well it is just as I have been telling you Mr Sherlock Holmes
     said Jabez Wilson mopping his forehead I have a small pawnbrokers
     business at Coburg Square near the City Its not a very large
     affair and of late years it has not done more than just give me a
     living I used to be able to keep two assistants but now I only keep
     one and I would have a job to pay him but that he is willing to come
     for half wages so as to learn the business

     What is the name of this obliging youth asked Sherlock Holmes

     His name is Vincent Spaulding and hes not such a youth either
     Its hard to say his age I should not wish a smarter assistant Mr
     Holmes and I know very well that he could better himself and earn
     twice what I am able to give him But after all if he is satisfied
     why should I put ideas in his head

     Why indeed You seem most fortunate in having an employee who comes
     under the full market price It is not a common experience among
     employers in this age I dont know that your assistant is not as
     remarkable as your advertisement

     Oh he has his faults too said Mr Wilson Never was such a
     fellow for photography Snapping away with a camera when he ought to
     be improving his mind and then diving down into the cellar like a
     rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures That is his main fault
     but on the whole hes a good worker Theres no vice in him

     He is still with you I presume

     Yes sir He and a girl of fourteen who does a bit of simple
     cooking and keeps the place cleanthats all I have in the house
     for I am a widower and never had any family We live very quietly
     sir the three of us and we keep a roof over our heads and pay our
     debts if we do nothing more

     The first thing that put us out was that advertisement Spaulding
     he came down into the office just this day eight weeks with this
     very paper in his hand and he says

     I wish to the Lord Mr Wilson that I was a redheaded man

     Why that I asks

     Why says he heres another vacancy on the League of the
     Redheaded Men Its worth quite a little fortune to any man who gets
     it and I understand that there are more vacancies than there are
     men so that the trustees are at their wits end what to do with the
     money If my hair would only change colour heres a nice little crib
     all ready for me to step into

     Why what is it then I asked You see Mr Holmes I am a very
     stayathome man and as my business came to me instead of my having
     to go to it I was often weeks on end without putting my foot over
     the doormat In that way I didnt know much of what was going on
     outside and I was always glad of a bit of news

     Have you never heard of the League of the Redheaded Men he asked
     with his eyes open

     Never

     Why I wonder at that for you are eligible yourself for one of the
     vacancies

     And what are they worth I asked

     Oh merely a couple of hundred a year but the work is slight and
     it need not interfere very much with ones other occupations

     Well you can easily think that that made me prick up my ears for
     the business has not been overgood for some years and an extra
     couple of hundred would have been very handy

     Tell me all about it said I

     Well said he showing me the advertisement you can see for
     yourself that the League has a vacancy and there is the address
     where you should apply for particulars As far as I can make out the
     League was founded by an American millionaire Ezekiah Hopkins who
     was very peculiar in his ways He was himself redheaded and he had
     a great sympathy for all redheaded men so when he died it was found
     that he had left his enormous fortune in the hands of trustees with
     instructions to apply the interest to the providing of easy berths to
     men whose hair is of that colour From all I hear it is splendid pay
     and very little to do

     But said I there would be millions of redheaded men who would
     apply

     Not so many as you might think he answered You see it is really
     confined to Londoners and to grown men This American had started
     from London when he was young and he wanted to do the old town a
     good turn Then again I have heard it is no use your applying if
     your hair is light red or dark red or anything but real bright
     blazing fiery red Now if you cared to apply Mr Wilson you would
     just walk in but perhaps it would hardly be worth your while to put
     yourself out of the way for the sake of a few hundred pounds

     Now it is a fact gentlemen as you may see for yourselves that my
     hair is of a very full and rich tint so that it seemed to me that if
     there was to be any competition in the matter I stood as good a
     chance as any man that I had ever met Vincent Spaulding seemed to
     know so much about it that I thought he might prove useful so I just
     ordered him to put up the shutters for the day and to come right away
     with me He was very willing to have a holiday so we shut the
     business up and started off for the address that was given us in the
     advertisement

     I never hope to see such a sight as that again Mr Holmes From
     north south east and west every man who had a shade of red in his
     hair had tramped into the city to answer the advertisement Fleet
     Street was choked with redheaded folk and Popes Court looked like
     a costers orange barrow I should not have thought there were so
     many in the whole country as were brought together by that single
     advertisement Every shade of colour they werestraw lemon orange
     brick Irishsetter liver clay but as Spaulding said there were
     not many who had the real vivid flamecoloured tint When I saw how
     many were waiting I would have given it up in despair but Spaulding
     would not hear of it How he did it I could not imagine but he
     pushed and pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd and
     right up to the steps which led to the office There was a double
     stream upon the stair some going up in hope and some coming back
     dejected but we wedged in as well as we could and soon found
     ourselves in the office

     Your experience has been a most entertaining one remarked Holmes
     as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge pinch of
     snuff Pray continue your very interesting statement

     There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs and a
     deal table behind which sat a small man with a head that was even
     redder than mine He said a few words to each candidate as he came
     up and then he always managed to find some fault in them which would
     disqualify them Getting a vacancy did not seem to be such a very
     easy matter after all However when our turn came the little man
     was much more favourable to me than to any of the others and he
     closed the door as we entered so that he might have a private word
     with us

     This is Mr Jabez Wilson said my assistant and he is willing to
     fill a vacancy in the League

     And he is admirably suited for it the other answered He has
     every requirement I cannot recall when I have seen anything so
     fine He took a step backward cocked his head on one side and
     gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful Then suddenly he plunged
     forward wrung my hand and congratulated me warmly on my success

     It would be injustice to hesitate said he You will however I
     am sure excuse me for taking an obvious precaution With that he
     seized my hair in both his hands and tugged until I yelled with the
     pain There is water in your eyes said he as he released me I
     perceive that all is as it should be But we have to be careful for
     we have twice been deceived by wigs and once by paint I could tell
     you tales of cobblers wax which would disgust you with human
     nature He stepped over to the window and shouted through it at the
     top of his voice that the vacancy was filled A groan of
     disappointment came up from below and the folk all trooped away in
     different directions until there was not a redhead to be seen except
     my own and that of the manager

     My name said he is Mr Duncan Ross and I am myself one of the
     pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor Are you a
     married man Mr Wilson Have you a family

     I answered that I had not

     His face fell immediately

     Dear me he said gravely that is very serious indeed I am sorry
     to hear you say that The fund was of course for the propagation
     and spread of the redheads as well as for their maintenance It is
     exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a bachelor

     My face lengthened at this Mr Holmes for I thought that I was not
     to have the vacancy after all but after thinking it over for a few
     minutes he said that it would be all right

     In the case of another said he the objection might be fatal
     but we must stretch a point in favour of a man with such a head of
     hair as yours When shall you be able to enter upon your new duties

     Well it is a little awkward for I have a business already said
     I

     Oh never mind about that Mr Wilson said Vincent Spaulding I
     should be able to look after that for you

     What would be the hours I asked

     Ten to two

     Now a pawnbrokers business is mostly done of an evening Mr
     Holmes especially Thursday and Friday evening which is just before
     payday so it would suit me very well to earn a little in the
     mornings Besides I knew that my assistant was a good man and that
     he would see to anything that turned up

     That would suit me very well said I And the pay

     Is  a week

     And the work

     Is purely nominal

     What do you call purely nominal

     Well you have to be in the office or at least in the building
     the whole time If you leave you forfeit your whole position
     forever The will is very clear upon that point You dont comply
     with the conditions if you budge from the office during that time

     Its only four hours a day and I should not think of leaving
     said I

     No excuse will avail said Mr Duncan Ross neither sickness nor
     business nor anything else There you must stay or you lose your
     billet

     And the work

     Is to copy out the Encyclopaedia Britannica There is the first
     volume of it in that press You must find your own ink pens and
     blottingpaper but we provide this table and chair Will you be
     ready tomorrow

     Certainly I answered

     Then goodbye Mr Jabez Wilson and let me congratulate you once
     more on the important position which you have been fortunate enough
     to gain He bowed me out of the room and I went home with my
     assistant hardly knowing what to say or do I was so pleased at my
     own good fortune

     Well I thought over the matter all day and by evening I was in low
     spirits again for I had quite persuaded myself that the whole affair
     must be some great hoax or fraud though what its object might be I
     could not imagine It seemed altogether past belief that anyone could
     make such a will or that they would pay such a sum for doing
     anything so simple as copying out the Encyclopaedia Britannica
     Vincent Spaulding did what he could to cheer me up but by bedtime I
     had reasoned myself out of the whole thing However in the morning I
     determined to have a look at it anyhow so I bought a penny bottle of
     ink and with a quillpen and seven sheets of foolscap paper I
     started off for Popes Court

     Well to my surprise and delight everything was as right as
     possible The table was set out ready for me and Mr Duncan Ross was
     there to see that I got fairly to work He started me off upon the
     letter A and then he left me but he would drop in from time to time
     to see that all was right with me At two oclock he bade me
     goodday complimented me upon the amount that I had written and
     locked the door of the office after me

     This went on day after day Mr Holmes and on Saturday the manager
     came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my weeks work
     It was the same next week and the same the week after Every morning
     I was there at ten and every afternoon I left at two By degrees Mr
     Duncan Ross took to coming in only once of a morning and then after
     a time he did not come in at all Still of course I never dared to
     leave the room for an instant for I was not sure when he might come
     and the billet was such a good one and suited me so well that I
     would not risk the loss of it

     Eight weeks passed away like this and I had written about Abbots
     and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica and hoped with
     diligence that I might get on to the Bs before very long It cost me
     something in foolscap and I had pretty nearly filled a shelf with my
     writings And then suddenly the whole business came to an end

     To an end

     Yes sir And no later than this morning I went to my work as usual
     at ten oclock but the door was shut and locked with a little
     square of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the panel with a
     tack Here it is and you can read for yourself

     He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet of
     notepaper It read in this fashion

                              The Redheaded League
                                       is
                                    Dissolved
                                October  

     Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the rueful
     face behind it until the comical side of the affair so completely
     overtopped every other consideration that we both burst out into a
     roar of laughter

     I cannot see that there is anything very funny cried our client
     flushing up to the roots of his flaming head If you can do nothing
     better than laugh at me I can go elsewhere

     No no cried Holmes shoving him back into the chair from which he
     had half risen I really wouldnt miss your case for the world It
     is most refreshingly unusual But there is if you will excuse my
     saying so something just a little funny about it Pray what steps
     did you take when you found the card upon the door

     I was staggered sir I did not know what to do Then I called at
     the offices round but none of them seemed to know anything about it
     Finally I went to the landlord who is an accountant living on the
     groundfloor and I asked him if he could tell me what had become of
     the Redheaded League He said that he had never heard of any such
     body Then I asked him who Mr Duncan Ross was He answered that the
     name was new to him

     Well said I the gentleman at No 

     What the redheaded man

     Yes

     Oh said he his name was William Morris He was a solicitor and
     was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new premises
     were ready He moved out yesterday

     Where could I find him

     Oh at his new offices He did tell me the address Yes  King
     Edward Street near St Pauls

     I started off Mr Holmes but when I got to that address it was a
     manufactory of artificial kneecaps and no one in it had ever heard
     of either Mr William Morris or Mr Duncan Ross

     And what did you do then asked Holmes

     I went home to SaxeCoburg Square and I took the advice of my
     assistant But he could not help me in any way He could only say
     that if I waited I should hear by post But that was not quite good
     enough Mr Holmes I did not wish to lose such a place without a
     struggle so as I had heard that you were good enough to give advice
     to poor folk who were in need of it I came right away to you

     And you did very wisely said Holmes Your case is an exceedingly
     remarkable one and I shall be happy to look into it From what you
     have told me I think that it is possible that graver issues hang from
     it than might at first sight appear

     Grave enough said Mr Jabez Wilson Why I have lost four pound a
     week

     As far as you are personally concerned remarked Holmes I do not
     see that you have any grievance against this extraordinary league On
     the contrary you are as I understand richer by some  to say
     nothing of the minute knowledge which you have gained on every
     subject which comes under the letter A You have lost nothing by
     them

     No sir But I want to find out about them and who they are and
     what their object was in playing this prankif it was a prankupon
     me It was a pretty expensive joke for them for it cost them two and
     thirty pounds

     We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you And first one
     or two questions Mr Wilson This assistant of yours who first
     called your attention to the advertisementhow long had he been with
     you

     About a month then

     How did he come

     In answer to an advertisement

     Was he the only applicant

     No I had a dozen

     Why did you pick him

     Because he was handy and would come cheap

     At halfwages in fact

     Yes

     What is he like this Vincent Spaulding

     Small stoutbuilt very quick in his ways no hair on his face
     though hes not short of thirty Has a white splash of acid upon his
     forehead

     Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement I thought as
     much said he Have you ever observed that his ears are pierced for
     earrings

     Yes sir He told me that a gipsy had done it for him when he was a
     lad

     Hum said Holmes sinking back in deep thought He is still with
     you

     Oh yes sir I have only just left him

     And has your business been attended to in your absence

     Nothing to complain of sir Theres never very much to do of a
     morning

     That will do Mr Wilson I shall be happy to give you an opinion
     upon the subject in the course of a day or two Today is Saturday
     and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion

     Well Watson said Holmes when our visitor had left us what do
     you make of it all

     I make nothing of it I answered frankly It is a most mysterious
     business

     As a rule said Holmes the more bizarre a thing is the less
     mysterious it proves to be It is your commonplace featureless
     crimes which are really puzzling just as a commonplace face is the
     most difficult to identify But I must be prompt over this matter

     What are you going to do then I asked

     To smoke he answered It is quite a three pipe problem and I beg
     that you wont speak to me for fifty minutes He curled himself up
     in his chair with his thin knees drawn up to his hawklike nose and
     there he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe thrusting
     out like the bill of some strange bird I had come to the conclusion
     that he had dropped asleep and indeed was nodding myself when he
     suddenly sprang out of his chair with the gesture of a man who has
     made up his mind and put his pipe down upon the mantelpiece

     Sarasate plays at the St Jamess Hall this afternoon he remarked
     What do you think Watson Could your patients spare you for a few
     hours

     I have nothing to do today My practice is never very absorbing

     Then put on your hat and come I am going through the City first
     and we can have some lunch on the way I observe that there is a good
     deal of German music on the programme which is rather more to my
     taste than Italian or French It is introspective and I want to
     introspect Come along

     We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate and a short
     walk took us to SaxeCoburg Square the scene of the singular story
     which we had listened to in the morning It was a poky little
     shabbygenteel place where four lines of dingy twostoried brick
     houses looked out into a small railedin enclosure where a lawn of
     weedy grass and a few clumps of faded laurelbushes made a hard fight
     against a smokeladen and uncongenial atmosphere Three gilt balls
     and a brown board with Jabez Wilson in white letters upon a corner
     house announced the place where our redheaded client carried on his
     business Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with his head on one
     side and looked it all over with his eyes shining brightly between
     puckered lids Then he walked slowly up the street and then down
     again to the corner still looking keenly at the houses Finally he
     returned to the pawnbrokers and having thumped vigorously upon the
     pavement with his stick two or three times he went up to the door
     and knocked It was instantly opened by a brightlooking
     cleanshaven young fellow who asked him to step in

     Thank you said Holmes I only wished to ask you how you would go
     from here to the Strand

     Third right fourth left answered the assistant promptly closing
     the door

     Smart fellow that observed Holmes as we walked away He is in
     my judgment the fourth smartest man in London and for daring I am
     not sure that he has not a claim to be third I have known something
     of him before

     Evidently said I Mr Wilsons assistant counts for a good deal
     in this mystery of the Redheaded League I am sure that you inquired
     your way merely in order that you might see him

     Not him

     What then

     The knees of his trousers

     And what did you see

     What I expected to see

     Why did you beat the pavement

     My dear doctor this is a time for observation not for talk We are
     spies in an enemys country We know something of SaxeCoburg Square
     Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it

     The road in which we found ourselves as we turned round the corner
     from the retired SaxeCoburg Square presented as great a contrast to
     it as the front of a picture does to the back It was one of the main
     arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City to the north and
     west The roadway was blocked with the immense stream of commerce
     flowing in a double tide inward and outward while the footpaths were
     black with the hurrying swarm of pedestrians It was difficult to
     realise as we looked at the line of fine shops and stately business
     premises that they really abutted on the other side upon the faded
     and stagnant square which we had just quitted

     Let me see said Holmes standing at the corner and glancing along
     the line I should like just to remember the order of the houses
     here It is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of London
     There is Mortimers the tobacconist the little newspaper shop the
     Coburg branch of the City and Suburban Bank the Vegetarian
     Restaurant and McFarlanes carriagebuilding depot That carries us
     right on to the other block And now Doctor weve done our work so
     its time we had some play A sandwich and a cup of coffee and then
     off to violinland where all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony
     and there are no redheaded clients to vex us with their conundrums

     My friend was an enthusiastic musician being himself not only a very
     capable performer but a composer of no ordinary merit All the
     afternoon he sat in the stalls wrapped in the most perfect happiness
     gently waving his long thin fingers in time to the music while his
     gently smiling face and his languid dreamy eyes were as unlike those
     of Holmes the sleuthhound Holmes the relentless keenwitted
     readyhanded criminal agent as it was possible to conceive In his
     singular character the dual nature alternately asserted itself and
     his extreme exactness and astuteness represented as I have often
     thought the reaction against the poetic and contemplative mood which
     occasionally predominated in him The swing of his nature took him
     from extreme languor to devouring energy and as I knew well he was
     never so truly formidable as when for days on end he had been
     lounging in his armchair amid his improvisations and his blackletter
     editions Then it was that the lust of the chase would suddenly come
     upon him and that his brilliant reasoning power would rise to the
     level of intuition until those who were unacquainted with his
     methods would look askance at him as on a man whose knowledge was not
     that of other mortals When I saw him that afternoon so enwrapped in
     the music at St Jamess Hall I felt that an evil time might be
     coming upon those whom he had set himself to hunt down

     You want to go home no doubt Doctor he remarked as we emerged

     Yes it would be as well

     And I have some business to do which will take some hours This
     business at Coburg Square is serious

     Why serious

     A considerable crime is in contemplation I have every reason to
     believe that we shall be in time to stop it But today being
     Saturday rather complicates matters I shall want your help
     tonight

     At what time

     Ten will be early enough

     I shall be at Baker Street at ten

     Very well And I say Doctor there may be some little danger so
     kindly put your army revolver in your pocket He waved his hand
     turned on his heel and disappeared in an instant among the crowd

     I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbours but I was always
     oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings with
     Sherlock Holmes Here I had heard what he had heard I had seen what
     he had seen and yet from his words it was evident that he saw
     clearly not only what had happened but what was about to happen
     while to me the whole business was still confused and grotesque As I
     drove home to my house in Kensington I thought over it all from the
     extraordinary story of the redheaded copier of the Encyclopaedia
     down to the visit to SaxeCoburg Square and the ominous words with
     which he had parted from me What was this nocturnal expedition and
     why should I go armed  Where were we going and what were we to do
     I had the hint from Holmes that this smoothfaced pawnbrokers
     assistant was a formidable mana man who might play a deep game I
     tried to puzzle it out but gave it up in despair and set the matter
     aside until night should bring an explanation

     It was a quarterpast nine when I started from home and made my way
     across the Park and so through Oxford Street to Baker Street Two
     hansoms were standing at the door and as I entered the passage I
     heard the sound of voices from above On entering his room I found
     Holmes in animated conversation with two men one of whom I
     recognised as Peter Jones the official police agent while the other
     was a long thin sadfaced man with a very shiny hat and
     oppressively respectable frockcoat

     Ha Our party is complete said Holmes buttoning up his peajacket
     and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack Watson I think you
     know Mr Jones of Scotland Yard Let me introduce you to Mr
     Merryweather who is to be our companion in tonights adventure

     Were hunting in couples again Doctor you see said Jones in his
     consequential way Our friend here is a wonderful man for starting a
     chase All he wants is an old dog to help him to do the running
     down

     I hope a wild goose may not prove to be the end of our chase
     observed Mr Merryweather gloomily

     You may place considerable confidence in Mr Holmes sir said the
     police agent loftily He has his own little methods which are if
     he wont mind my saying so just a little too theoretical and
     fantastic but he has the makings of a detective in him It is not
     too much to say that once or twice as in that business of the Sholto
     murder and the Agra treasure he has been more nearly correct than
     the official force

     Oh if you say so Mr Jones it is all right said the stranger
     with deference Still I confess that I miss my rubber It is the
     first Saturday night for sevenandtwenty years that I have not had
     my rubber

     I think you will find said Sherlock Holmes that you will play
     for a higher stake tonight than you have ever done yet and that the
     play will be more exciting For you Mr Merryweather the stake will
     be some  and for you Jones it will be the man upon whom you
     wish to lay your hands

     John Clay the murderer thief smasher and forger Hes a young
     man Mr Merryweather but he is at the head of his profession and I
     would rather have my bracelets on him than on any criminal in London
     Hes a remarkable man is young John Clay His grandfather was a
     royal duke and he himself has been to Eton and Oxford His brain is
     as cunning as his fingers and though we meet signs of him at every
     turn we never know where to find the man himself Hell crack a crib
     in Scotland one week and be raising money to build an orphanage in
     Cornwall the next Ive been on his track for years and have never
     set eyes on him yet

     I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you tonight
     Ive had one or two little turns also with Mr John Clay and I agree
     with you that he is at the head of his profession It is past ten
     however and quite time that we started If you two will take the
     first hansom Watson and I will follow in the second

     Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive and
     lay back in the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in the
     afternoon We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gaslit streets
     until we emerged into Farrington Street

     We are close there now my friend remarked This fellow
     Merryweather is a bank director and personally interested in the
     matter I thought it as well to have Jones with us also He is not a
     bad fellow though an absolute imbecile in his profession He has one
     positive virtue He is as brave as a bulldog and as tenacious as a
     lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone Here we are and they are
     waiting for us

     We had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in which we had found
     ourselves in the morning Our cabs were dismissed and following the
     guidance of Mr Merryweather we passed down a narrow passage and
     through a side door which he opened for us Within there was a small
     corridor which ended in a very massive iron gate This also was
     opened and led down a flight of winding stone steps which
     terminated at another formidable gate Mr Merryweather stopped to
     light a lantern and then conducted us down a dark earthsmelling
     passage and so after opening a third door into a huge vault or
     cellar which was piled all round with crates and massive boxes

     You are not very vulnerable from above Holmes remarked as he held
     up the lantern and gazed about him

     Nor from below said Mr Merryweather striking his stick upon the
     flags which lined the floor Why dear me it sounds quite hollow
     he remarked looking up in surprise

     I must really ask you to be a little more quiet said Holmes
     severely You have already imperilled the whole success of our
     expedition Might I beg that you would have the goodness to sit down
     upon one of those boxes and not to interfere

     The solemn Mr Merryweather perched himself upon a crate with a very
     injured expression upon his face while Holmes fell upon his knees
     upon the floor and with the lantern and a magnifying lens began to
     examine minutely the cracks between the stones A few seconds
     sufficed to satisfy him for he sprang to his feet again and put his
     glass in his pocket

     We have at least an hour before us he remarked for they can
     hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed
     Then they will not lose a minute for the sooner they do their work
     the longer time they will have for their escape We are at present
     Doctoras no doubt you have divinedin the cellar of the City
     branch of one of the principal London banks Mr Merryweather is the
     chairman of directors and he will explain to you that there are
     reasons why the more daring criminals of London should take a
     considerable interest in this cellar at present

     It is our French gold whispered the director We have had several
     warnings that an attempt might be made upon it

     Your French gold

     Yes We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources and
     borrowed for that purpose  napoleons from the Bank of France
     It has become known that we have never had occasion to unpack the
     money and that it is still lying in our cellar The crate upon which
     I sit contains  napoleons packed between layers of lead foil
     Our reserve of bullion is much larger at present than is usually kept
     in a single branch office and the directors have had misgivings upon
     the subject

     Which were very well justified observed Holmes And now it is
     time that we arranged our little plans I expect that within an hour
     matters will come to a head In the meantime Mr Merryweather we
     must put the screen over that dark lantern

     And sit in the dark

     I am afraid so I had brought a pack of cards in my pocket and I
     thought that as we were a partie carrÃe you might have your rubber
     after all But I see that the enemys preparations have gone so far
     that we cannot risk the presence of a light And first of all we
     must choose our positions These are daring men and though we shall
     take them at a disadvantage they may do us some harm unless we are
     careful I shall stand behind this crate and do you conceal
     yourselves behind those Then when I flash a light upon them close
     in swiftly If they fire Watson have no compunction about shooting
     them down

     I placed my revolver cocked upon the top of the wooden case behind
     which I crouched Holmes shot the slide across the front of his
     lantern and left us in pitch darknesssuch an absolute darkness as I
     have never before experienced The smell of hot metal remained to
     assure us that the light was still there ready to flash out at a
     moments notice To me with my nerves worked up to a pitch of
     expectancy there was something depressing and subduing in the sudden
     gloom and in the cold dank air of the vault

     They have but one retreat whispered Holmes That is back through
     the house into SaxeCoburg Square I hope that you have done what I
     asked you Jones

     I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door

     Then we have stopped all the holes And now we must be silent and
     wait

     What a time it seemed From comparing notes afterwards it was but an
     hour and a quarter yet it appeared to me that the night must have
     almost gone and the dawn be breaking above us My limbs were weary
     and stiff for I feared to change my position yet my nerves were
     worked up to the highest pitch of tension and my hearing was so
     acute that I could not only hear the gentle breathing of my
     companions but I could distinguish the deeper heavier inbreath of
     the bulky Jones from the thin sighing note of the bank director
     From my position I could look over the case in the direction of the
     floor Suddenly my eyes caught the glint of a light

     At first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement Then it
     lengthened out until it became a yellow line and then without any
     warning or sound a gash seemed to open and a hand appeared a white
     almost womanly hand which felt about in the centre of the little
     area of light For a minute or more the hand with its writhing
     fingers protruded out of the floor Then it was withdrawn as
     suddenly as it appeared and all was dark again save the single lurid
     spark which marked a chink between the stones

     Its disappearance however was but momentary With a rending
     tearing sound one of the broad white stones turned over upon its
     side and left a square gaping hole through which streamed the light
     of a lantern Over the edge there peeped a cleancut boyish face
     which looked keenly about it and then with a hand on either side of
     the aperture drew itself shoulderhigh and waisthigh until one
     knee rested upon the edge In another instant he stood at the side of
     the hole and was hauling after him a companion lithe and small like
     himself with a pale face and a shock of very red hair

     Its all clear he whispered Have you the chisel and the bags
     Great Scott Jump Archie jump and Ill swing for it

     Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the collar
     The other dived down the hole and I heard the sound of rending cloth
     as Jones clutched at his skirts The light flashed upon the barrel of
     a revolver but Holmes hunting crop came down on the mans wrist
     and the pistol clinked upon the stone floor

     Its no use John Clay said Holmes blandly You have no chance at
     all

     So I see the other answered with the utmost coolness I fancy
     that my pal is all right though I see you have got his coattails

     There are three men waiting for him at the door said Holmes

     Oh indeed You seem to have done the thing very completely I must
     compliment you

     And I you Holmes answered Your redheaded idea was very new and
     effective

     Youll see your pal again presently said Jones Hes quicker at
     climbing down holes than I am Just hold out while I fix the
     derbies

     I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands remarked
     our prisoner as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists You may not
     be aware that I have royal blood in my veins Have the goodness
     also when you address me always to say sir and please

     All right said Jones with a stare and a snigger Well would you
     please sir march upstairs where we can get a cab to carry your
     Highness to the policestation

     That is better said John Clay serenely He made a sweeping bow to
     the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the
     detective

     Really Mr Holmes said Mr Merryweather as we followed them from
     the cellar I do not know how the bank can thank you or repay you
     There is no doubt that you have detected and defeated in the most
     complete manner one of the most determined attempts at bank robbery
     that have ever come within my experience

     I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr
     John Clay said Holmes I have been at some small expense over this
     matter which I shall expect the bank to refund but beyond that I am
     amply repaid by having had an experience which is in many ways
     unique and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of the
     Redheaded League

     You see Watson he explained in the early hours of the morning as
     we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street it was
     perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible object of
     this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of the League
     and the copying of the Encyclopaedia must be to get this not
     overbright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of hours every
     day It was a curious way of managing it but really it would be
     difficult to suggest a better The method was no doubt suggested to
     Clays ingenious mind by the colour of his accomplices hair The Â
     a week was a lure which must draw him and what was it to them who
     were playing for thousands They put in the advertisement one rogue
     has the temporary office the other rogue incites the man to apply
     for it and together they manage to secure his absence every morning
     in the week From the time that I heard of the assistant having come
     for half wages it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive
     for securing the situation

     But how could you guess what the motive was

     Had there been women in the house I should have suspected a mere
     vulgar intrigue That however was out of the question The mans
     business was a small one and there was nothing in his house which
     could account for such elaborate preparations and such an
     expenditure as they were at It must then be something out of the
     house What could it be I thought of the assistants fondness for
     photography and his trick of vanishing into the cellar The cellar
     There was the end of this tangled clue Then I made inquiries as to
     this mysterious assistant and found that I had to deal with one of
     the coolest and most daring criminals in London He was doing
     something in the cellarsomething which took many hours a day for
     months on end What could it be once more I could think of nothing
     save that he was running a tunnel to some other building

     So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action I
     surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick I was
     ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind It
     was not in front Then I rang the bell and as I hoped the
     assistant answered it We have had some skirmishes but we had never
     set eyes upon each other before I hardly looked at his face His
     knees were what I wished to see You must yourself have remarked how
     worn wrinkled and stained they were They spoke of those hours of
     burrowing The only remaining point was what they were burrowing for
     I walked round the corner saw the City and Suburban Bank abutted on
     our friends premises and felt that I had solved my problem When
     you drove home after the concert I called upon Scotland Yard and upon
     the chairman of the bank directors with the result that you have
     seen

     And how could you tell that they would make their attempt tonight
     I asked

     Well when they closed their League offices that was a sign that
     they cared no longer about Mr Jabez Wilsons presencein other
     words that they had completed their tunnel But it was essential
     that they should use it soon as it might be discovered or the
     bullion might be removed Saturday would suit them better than any
     other day as it would give them two days for their escape For all
     these reasons I expected them to come tonight

     You reasoned it out beautifully I exclaimed in unfeigned
     admiration It is so long a chain and yet every link rings true

     It saved me from ennui he answered yawning Alas I already feel
     it closing in upon me My life is spent in one long effort to escape
     from the commonplaces of existence These little problems help me to
     do so

     And you are a benefactor of the race said I

     He shrugged his shoulders Well perhaps after all it is of some
     little use he remarked Lhomme cest rienloeuvre cest tout
     as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand






                               A CASE OF IDENTITY

     My dear fellow said Sherlock Holmes as we sat on either side of
     the fire in his lodgings at Baker Street life is infinitely
     stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent We would
     not dare to conceive the things which are really mere commonplaces of
     existence If we could fly out of that window hand in hand hover
     over this great city gently remove the roofs and peep in at the
     queer things which are going on the strange coincidences the
     plannings the crosspurposes the wonderful chains of events
     working through generations and leading to the most outrà results
     it would make all fiction with its conventionalities and foreseen
     conclusions most stale and unprofitable

     And yet I am not convinced of it I answered The cases which come
     to light in the papers are as a rule bald enough and vulgar
     enough We have in our police reports realism pushed to its extreme
     limits and yet the result is it must be confessed neither
     fascinating nor artistic

     A certain selection and discretion must be used in producing a
     realistic effect remarked Holmes This is wanting in the police
     report where more stress is laid perhaps upon the platitudes of
     the magistrate than upon the details which to an observer contain
     the vital essence of the whole matter Depend upon it there is
     nothing so unnatural as the commonplace

     I smiled and shook my head I can quite understand your thinking
     so I said Of course in your position of unofficial adviser and
     helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled throughout three
     continents you are brought in contact with all that is strange and
     bizarre But hereI picked up the morning paper from the
     groundlet us put it to a practical test Here is the first heading
     upon which I come A husbands cruelty to his wife There is half a
     column of print but I know without reading it that it is all
     perfectly familiar to me There is of course the other woman the
     drink the push the blow the bruise the sympathetic sister or
     landlady The crudest of writers could invent nothing more crude

     Indeed your example is an unfortunate one for your argument said
     Holmes taking the paper and glancing his eye down it This is the
     Dundas separation case and as it happens I was engaged in clearing
     up some small points in connection with it The husband was a
     teetotaler there was no other woman and the conduct complained of
     was that he had drifted into the habit of winding up every meal by
     taking out his false teeth and hurling them at his wife which you
     will allow is not an action likely to occur to the imagination of
     the average storyteller Take a pinch of snuff Doctor and
     acknowledge that I have scored over you in your example

     He held out his snuffbox of old gold with a great amethyst in the
     centre of the lid Its splendour was in such contrast to his homely
     ways and simple life that I could not help commenting upon it

     Ah said he I forgot that I had not seen you for some weeks It
     is a little souvenir from the King of Bohemia in return for my
     assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers

     And the ring I asked glancing at a remarkable brilliant which
     sparkled upon his finger

     It was from the reigning family of Holland though the matter in
     which I served them was of such delicacy that I cannot confide it
     even to you who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of my
     little problems

     And have you any on hand just now I asked with interest

     Some ten or twelve but none which present any feature of interest
     They are important you understand without being interesting
     Indeed I have found that it is usually in unimportant matters that
     there is a field for the observation and for the quick analysis of
     cause and effect which gives the charm to an investigation The
     larger crimes are apt to be the simpler for the bigger the crime the
     more obvious as a rule is the motive In these cases save for one
     rather intricate matter which has been referred to me from
     Marseilles there is nothing which presents any features of interest
     It is possible however that I may have something better before very
     many minutes are over for this is one of my clients or I am much
     mistaken

     He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted
     blinds gazing down into the dull neutraltinted London street
     Looking over his shoulder I saw that on the pavement opposite there
     stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck and a large
     curling red feather in a broadbrimmed hat which was tilted in a
     coquettish Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her ear From under
     this great panoply she peeped up in a nervous hesitating fashion at
     our windows while her body oscillated backward and forward and her
     fingers fidgeted with her glove buttons Suddenly with a plunge as
     of the swimmer who leaves the bank she hurried across the road and
     we heard the sharp clang of the bell

     I have seen those symptoms before said Holmes throwing his
     cigarette into the fire Oscillation upon the pavement always means
     an affaire de coeur She would like advice but is not sure that the
     matter is not too delicate for communication And yet even here we
     may discriminate When a woman has been seriously wronged by a man
     she no longer oscillates and the usual symptom is a broken bell
     wire Here we may take it that there is a love matter but that the
     maiden is not so much angry as perplexed or grieved But here she
     comes in person to resolve our doubts

     As he spoke there was a tap at the door and the boy in buttons
     entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland while the lady herself
     loomed behind his small black figure like a fullsailed merchantman
     behind a tiny pilot boat Sherlock Holmes welcomed her with the easy
     courtesy for which he was remarkable and having closed the door and
     bowed her into an armchair he looked her over in the minute and yet
     abstracted fashion which was peculiar to him

     Do you not find he said that with your short sight it is a
     little trying to do so much typewriting

     I did at first she answered but now I know where the letters are
     without looking Then suddenly realising the full purport of his
     words she gave a violent start and looked up with fear and
     astonishment upon her broad goodhumoured face Youve heard about
     me Mr Holmes she cried else how could you know all that

     Never mind said Holmes laughing it is my business to know
     things Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others overlook If
     not why should you come to consult me

     I came to you sir because I heard of you from Mrs Etherege whose
     husband you found so easy when the police and everyone had given him
     up for dead Oh Mr Holmes I wish you would do as much for me Im
     not rich but still I have a hundred a year in my own right besides
     the little that I make by the machine and I would give it all to
     know what has become of Mr Hosmer Angel

     Why did you come away to consult me in such a hurry asked Sherlock
     Holmes with his fingertips together and his eyes to the ceiling

     Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss
     Mary Sutherland Yes I did bang out of the house she said for
     it made me angry to see the easy way in which Mr Windibankthat is
     my fathertook it all He would not go to the police and he would
     not go to you and so at last as he would do nothing and kept on
     saying that there was no harm done it made me mad and I just on
     with my things and came right away to you

     Your father said Holmes your stepfather surely since the name
     is different

     Yes my stepfather I call him father though it sounds funny too
     for he is only five years and two months older than myself

     And your mother is alive

     Oh yes mother is alive and well I wasnt best pleased Mr
     Holmes when she married again so soon after fathers death and a
     man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself Father was a
     plumber in the Tottenham Court Road and he left a tidy business
     behind him which mother carried on with Mr Hardy the foreman but
     when Mr Windibank came he made her sell the business for he was
     very superior being a traveller in wines They got  for the
     goodwill and interest which wasnt near as much as father could have
     got if he had been alive

     I had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient under this rambling
     and inconsequential narrative but on the contrary he had listened
     with the greatest concentration of attention

     Your own little income he asked does it come out of the
     business

     Oh no sir It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle Ned in
     Auckland It is in New Zealand stock paying  per cent Two
     thousand five hundred pounds was the amount but I can only touch the
     interest

     You interest me extremely said Holmes And since you draw so
     large a sum as a hundred a year with what you earn into the bargain
     you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in every way I
     believe that a single lady can get on very nicely upon an income of
     about Â

     I could do with much less than that Mr Holmes but you understand
     that as long as I live at home I dont wish to be a burden to them
     and so they have the use of the money just while I am staying with
     them Of course that is only just for the time Mr Windibank draws
     my interest every quarter and pays it over to mother and I find that
     I can do pretty well with what I earn at typewriting It brings me
     twopence a sheet and I can often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in
     a day

     You have made your position very clear to me said Holmes This is
     my friend Dr Watson before whom you can speak as freely as before
     myself Kindly tell us now all about your connection with Mr Hosmer
     Angel

     A flush stole over Miss Sutherlands face and she picked nervously
     at the fringe of her jacket I met him first at the gasfitters
     ball she said They used to send father tickets when he was alive
     and then afterwards they remembered us and sent them to mother Mr
     Windibank did not wish us to go He never did wish us to go anywhere
     He would get quite mad if I wanted so much as to join a Sundayschool
     treat But this time I was set on going and I would go for what
     right had he to prevent He said the folk were not fit for us to
     know when all fathers friends were to be there And he said that I
     had nothing fit to wear when I had my purple plush that I had never
     so much as taken out of the drawer At last when nothing else would
     do he went off to France upon the business of the firm but we went
     mother and I with Mr Hardy who used to be our foreman and it was
     there I met Mr Hosmer Angel

     I suppose said Holmes that when Mr Windibank came back from
     France he was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball

     Oh well he was very good about it He laughed I remember and
     shrugged his shoulders and said there was no use denying anything to
     a woman for she would have her way

     I see Then at the gasfitters ball you met as I understand a
     gentleman called Mr Hosmer Angel

     Yes sir I met him that night and he called next day to ask if we
     had got home all safe and after that we met himthat is to say Mr
     Holmes I met him twice for walks but after that father came back
     again and Mr Hosmer Angel could not come to the house any more

     No

     Well you know father didnt like anything of the sort He wouldnt
     have any visitors if he could help it and he used to say that a
     woman should be happy in her own family circle But then as I used
     to say to mother a woman wants her own circle to begin with and I
     had not got mine yet

     But how about Mr Hosmer Angel Did he make no attempt to see you

     Well father was going off to France again in a week and Hosmer
     wrote and said that it would be safer and better not to see each
     other until he had gone We could write in the meantime and he used
     to write every day I took the letters in in the morning so there
     was no need for father to know

     Were you engaged to the gentleman at this time

     Oh yes Mr Holmes We were engaged after the first walk that we
     took HosmerMr Angelwas a cashier in an office in Leadenhall
     Streetand

     What office

     Thats the worst of it Mr Holmes I dont know

     Where did he live then

     He slept on the premises

     And you dont know his address

     Noexcept that it was Leadenhall Street

     Where did you address your letters then

     To the Leadenhall Street Post Office to be left till called for He
     said that if they were sent to the office he would be chaffed by all
     the other clerks about having letters from a lady so I offered to
     typewrite them like he did his but he wouldnt have that for he
     said that when I wrote them they seemed to come from me but when
     they were typewritten he always felt that the machine had come
     between us That will just show you how fond he was of me Mr
     Holmes and the little things that he would think of

     It was most suggestive said Holmes It has long been an axiom of
     mine that the little things are infinitely the most important  Can
     you remember any other little things about Mr Hosmer Angel

     He was a very shy man Mr Holmes He would rather walk with me in
     the evening than in the daylight for he said that he hated to be
     conspicuous Very retiring and gentlemanly he was Even his voice was
     gentle Hed had the quinsy and swollen glands when he was young he
     told me and it had left him with a weak throat and a hesitating
     whispering fashion of speech He was always well dressed very neat
     and plain but his eyes were weak just as mine are and he wore
     tinted glasses against the glare

     Well and what happened when Mr Windibank your stepfather
     returned to France

     Mr Hosmer Angel came to the house again and proposed that we should
     marry before father came back He was in dreadful earnest and made me
     swear with my hands on the Testament that whatever happened I would
     always be true to him Mother said he was quite right to make me
     swear and that it was a sign of his passion Mother was all in his
     favour from the first and was even fonder of him than I was Then
     when they talked of marrying within the week I began to ask about
     father but they both said never to mind about father but just to
     tell him afterwards and mother said she would make it all right with
     him I didnt quite like that Mr Holmes It seemed funny that I
     should ask his leave as he was only a few years older than me but I
     didnt want to do anything on the sly so I wrote to father at
     Bordeaux where the company has its French offices but the letter
     came back to me on the very morning of the wedding

     It missed him then

     Yes sir for he had started to England just before it arrived

     Ha that was unfortunate Your wedding was arranged then for the
     Friday Was it to be in church

     Yes sir but very quietly It was to be at St Saviours near
     Kings Cross and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St
     Pancras Hotel Hosmer came for us in a hansom but as there were two
     of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a fourwheeler
     which happened to be the only other cab in the street We got to the
     church first and when the fourwheeler drove up we waited for him to
     step out but he never did and when the cabman got down from the box
     and looked there was no one there The cabman said that he could not
     imagine what had become of him for he had seen him get in with his
     own eyes That was last Friday Mr Holmes and I have never seen or
     heard anything since then to throw any light upon what became of
     him

     It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated said
     Holmes

     Oh no sir He was too good and kind to leave me so Why all the
     morning he was saying to me that whatever happened I was to be
     true and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to
     separate us I was always to remember that I was pledged to him and
     that he would claim his pledge sooner or later It seemed strange
     talk for a weddingmorning but what has happened since gives a
     meaning to it

     Most certainly it does Your own opinion is then that some
     unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him

     Yes sir I believe that he foresaw some danger or else he would
     not have talked so And then I think that what he foresaw happened

     But you have no notion as to what it could have been

     None

     One more question How did your mother take the matter

     She was angry and said that I was never to speak of the matter
     again

     And your father Did you tell him

     Yes and he seemed to think with me that something had happened
     and that I should hear of Hosmer again As he said what interest
     could anyone have in bringing me to the doors of the church and then
     leaving me Now if he had borrowed my money or if he had married me
     and got my money settled on him there might be some reason but
     Hosmer was very independent about money and never would look at a
     shilling of mine And yet what could have happened And why could he
     not write Oh it drives me halfmad to think of it and I cant
     sleep a wink at night She pulled a little handkerchief out of her
     muff and began to sob heavily into it

     I shall glance into the case for you said Holmes rising and I
     have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result Let the
     weight of the matter rest upon me now and do not let your mind dwell
     upon it further Above all try to let Mr Hosmer Angel vanish from
     your memory as he has done from your life

     Then you dont think Ill see him again

     I fear not

     Then what has happened to him

     You will leave that question in my hands I should like an accurate
     description of him and any letters of his which you can spare

     I advertised for him in last Saturdays Chronicle said she Here
     is the slip and here are four letters from him

     Thank you And your address

     No  Lyon Place Camberwell

     Mr Angels address you never had I understand Where is your
     fathers place of business

     He travels for Westhouse  Marbank the great claret importers of
     Fenchurch Street

     Thank you You have made your statement very clearly You will leave
     the papers here and remember the advice which I have given you Let
     the whole incident be a sealed book and do not allow it to affect
     your life

     You are very kind Mr Holmes but I cannot do that I shall be true
     to Hosmer He shall find me ready when he comes back

     For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face there was
     something noble in the simple faith of our visitor which compelled
     our respect She laid her little bundle of papers upon the table and
     went her way with a promise to come again whenever she might be
     summoned

     Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his fingertips
     still pressed together his legs stretched out in front of him and
     his gaze directed upward to the ceiling Then he took down from the
     rack the old and oily clay pipe which was to him as a counsellor
     and having lit it he leaned back in his chair with the thick blue
     cloudwreaths spinning up from him and a look of infinite languor in
     his face

     Quite an interesting study that maiden he observed I found her
     more interesting than her little problem which by the way is
     rather a trite one You will find parallel cases if you consult my
     index in Andover in  and there was something of the sort at The
     Hague last year Old as is the idea however there were one or two
     details which were new to me But the maiden herself was most
     instructive

     You appeared to read a good deal upon her which was quite invisible
     to me I remarked

     Not invisible but unnoticed Watson You did not know where to look
     and so you missed all that was important I can never bring you to
     realise the importance of sleeves the suggestiveness of thumbnails
     or the great issues that may hang from a bootlace Now what did you
     gather from that womans appearance Describe it

     Well she had a slatecoloured broadbrimmed straw hat with a
     feather of a brickish red Her jacket was black with black beads
     sewn upon it and a fringe of little black jet ornaments Her dress
     was brown rather darker than coffee colour with a little purple
     plush at the neck and sleeves Her gloves were greyish and were worn
     through at the right forefinger Her boots I didnt observe She had
     small round hanging gold earrings and a general air of being fairly
     welltodo in a vulgar comfortable easygoing way

     Sherlock Holmes clapped his hands softly together and chuckled

     Pon my word Watson you are coming along wonderfully You have
     really done very well indeed It is true that you have missed
     everything of importance but you have hit upon the method and you
     have a quick eye for colour Never trust to general impressions my
     boy but concentrate yourself upon details My first glance is always
     at a womans sleeve In a man it is perhaps better first to take the
     knee of the trouser As you observe this woman had plush upon her
     sleeves which is a most useful material for showing traces The
     double line a little above the wrist where the typewritist presses
     against the table was beautifully defined The sewingmachine of
     the hand type leaves a similar mark but only on the left arm and
     on the side of it farthest from the thumb instead of being right
     across the broadest part as this was I then glanced at her face
     and observing the dint of a pincenez at either side of her nose I
     ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting which seemed to
     surprise her

     It surprised me

     But surely it was obvious I was then much surprised and
     interested on glancing down to observe that though the boots which
     she was wearing were not unlike each other they were really odd
     ones the one having a slightly decorated toecap and the other a
     plain one One was buttoned only in the two lower buttons out of
     five and the other at the first third and fifth Now when you see
     that a young lady otherwise neatly dressed has come away from home
     with odd boots halfbuttoned it is no great deduction to say that
     she came away in a hurry

     And what else I asked keenly interested as I always was by my
     friends incisive reasoning

     I noted in passing that she had written a note before leaving home
     but after being fully dressed You observed that her right glove was
     torn at the forefinger but you did not apparently see that both
     glove and finger were stained with violet ink She had written in a
     hurry and dipped her pen too deep It must have been this morning or
     the mark would not remain clear upon the finger All this is amusing
     though rather elementary but I must go back to business Watson
     Would you mind reading me the advertised description of Mr Hosmer
     Angel

     I held the little printed slip to the light

     Missing it said on the morning of the fourteenth a gentleman
     named Hosmer Angel About five ft seven in in height strongly
     built sallow complexion black hair a little bald in the centre
     bushy black sidewhiskers and moustache tinted glasses slight
     infirmity of speech Was dressed when last seen in black frockcoat
     faced with silk black waistcoat gold Albert chain and grey Harris
     tweed trousers with brown gaiters over elasticsided boots Known to
     have been employed in an office in Leadenhall Street Anybody
     bringing

     That will do said Holmes As to the letters he continued
     glancing over them they are very commonplace Absolutely no clue in
     them to Mr Angel save that he quotes Balzac once There is one
     remarkable point however which will no doubt strike you

     They are typewritten I remarked

     Not only that but the signature is typewritten Look at the neat
     little Hosmer Angel at the bottom There is a date you see but no
     superscription except Leadenhall Street which is rather vague The
     point about the signature is very suggestivein fact we may call it
     conclusive

     Of what

     My dear fellow is it possible you do not see how strongly it bears
     upon the case

     I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be able to
     deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were
     instituted

     No that was not the point However I shall write two letters
     which should settle the matter One is to a firm in the City the
     other is to the young ladys stepfather Mr Windibank asking him
     whether he could meet us here at six oclock tomorrow evening It is
     just as well that we should do business with the male relatives And
     now Doctor we can do nothing until the answers to those letters
     come so we may put our little problem upon the shelf for the
     interim

     I had had so many reasons to believe in my friends subtle powers of
     reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that he must
     have some solid grounds for the assured and easy demeanour with which
     he treated the singular mystery which he had been called upon to
     fathom Once only had I known him to fail in the case of the King of
     Bohemia and of the Irene Adler photograph but when I looked back to
     the weird business of the Sign of Four and the extraordinary
     circumstances connected with the Study in Scarlet I felt that it
     would be a strange tangle indeed which he could not unravel

     I left him then still puffing at his black clay pipe with the
     conviction that when I came again on the next evening I would find
     that he held in his hands all the clues which would lead up to the
     identity of the disappearing bridegroom of Miss Mary Sutherland

     A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own attention at
     the time and the whole of next day I was busy at the bedside of the
     sufferer It was not until close upon six oclock that I found myself
     free and was able to spring into a hansom and drive to Baker Street
     half afraid that I might be too late to assist at the dÃnouement of
     the little mystery I found Sherlock Holmes alone however half
     asleep with his long thin form curled up in the recesses of his
     armchair A formidable array of bottles and testtubes with the
     pungent cleanly smell of hydrochloric acid told me that he had spent
     his day in the chemical work which was so dear to him

     Well have you solved it I asked as I entered

     Yes It was the bisulphate of baryta

     No no the mystery I cried

     Oh that I thought of the salt that I have been working upon There
     was never any mystery in the matter though as I said yesterday
     some of the details are of interest The only drawback is that there
     is no law I fear that can touch the scoundrel

     Who was he then and what was his object in deserting Miss
     Sutherland

     The question was hardly out of my mouth and Holmes had not yet
     opened his lips to reply when we heard a heavy footfall in the
     passage and a tap at the door

     This is the girls stepfather Mr James Windibank said Holmes
     He has written to me to say that he would be here at six Come in

     The man who entered was a sturdy middlesized fellow some thirty
     years of age cleanshaven and sallowskinned with a bland
     insinuating manner and a pair of wonderfully sharp and penetrating
     grey eyes He shot a questioning glance at each of us placed his
     shiny tophat upon the sideboard and with a slight bow sidled down
     into the nearest chair

     Goodevening Mr James Windibank said Holmes I think that this
     typewritten letter is from you in which you made an appointment with
     me for six oclock

     Yes sir I am afraid that I am a little late but I am not quite my
     own master you know I am sorry that Miss Sutherland has troubled
     you about this little matter for I think it is far better not to
     wash linen of the sort in public It was quite against my wishes that
     she came but she is a very excitable impulsive girl as you may
     have noticed and she is not easily controlled when she has made up
     her mind on a point Of course I did not mind you so much as you
     are not connected with the official police but it is not pleasant to
     have a family misfortune like this noised abroad Besides it is a
     useless expense for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel

     On the contrary said Holmes quietly I have every reason to
     believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr Hosmer Angel

     Mr Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves I am
     delighted to hear it he said

     It is a curious thing remarked Holmes that a typewriter has
     really quite as much individuality as a mans handwriting Unless
     they are quite new no two of them write exactly alike Some letters
     get more worn than others and some wear only on one side Now you
     remark in this note of yours Mr Windibank that in every case there
     is some little slurring over of the e and a slight defect in the
     tail of the r There are fourteen other characteristics but those
     are the more obvious

     We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office and no
     doubt it is a little worn our visitor answered glancing keenly at
     Holmes with his bright little eyes

     And now I will show you what is really a very interesting study Mr
     Windibank Holmes continued I think of writing another little
     monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its relation to
     crime It is a subject to which I have devoted some little attention
     I have here four letters which purport to come from the missing man
     They are all typewritten In each case not only are the es
     slurred and the rs tailless but you will observe if you care to
     use my magnifying lens that the fourteen other characteristics to
     which I have alluded are there as well

     Mr Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat I
     cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk Mr Holmes he
     said If you can catch the man catch him and let me know when you
     have done it

     Certainly said Holmes stepping over and turning the key in the
     door I let you know then that I have caught him

     What where shouted Mr Windibank turning white to his lips and
     glancing about him like a rat in a trap

     Oh it wont doreally it wont said Holmes suavely There is no
     possible getting out of it Mr Windibank It is quite too
     transparent and it was a very bad compliment when you said that it
     was impossible for me to solve so simple a question Thats right
     Sit down and let us talk it over

     Our visitor collapsed into a chair with a ghastly face and a glitter
     of moisture on his brow Itits not actionable he stammered

     I am very much afraid that it is not But between ourselves
     Windibank it was as cruel and selfish and heartless a trick in a
     petty way as ever came before me Now let me just run over the
     course of events and you will contradict me if I go wrong

     The man sat huddled up in his chair with his head sunk upon his
     breast like one who is utterly crushed Holmes stuck his feet up on
     the corner of the mantelpiece and leaning back with his hands in his
     pockets began talking rather to himself as it seemed than to us

     The man married a woman very much older than himself for her money
     said he and he enjoyed the use of the money of the daughter as long
     as she lived with them It was a considerable sum for people in
     their position and the loss of it would have made a serious
     difference It was worth an effort to preserve it The daughter was
     of a good amiable disposition but affectionate and warmhearted in
     her ways so that it was evident that with her fair personal
     advantages and her little income she would not be allowed to remain
     single long Now her marriage would mean of course the loss of a
     hundred a year so what does her stepfather do to prevent it He
     takes the obvious course of keeping her at home and forbidding her to
     seek the company of people of her own age But soon he found that
     that would not answer forever She became restive insisted upon her
     rights and finally announced her positive intention of going to a
     certain ball What does her clever stepfather do then He conceives
     an idea more creditable to his head than to his heart With the
     connivance and assistance of his wife he disguised himself covered
     those keen eyes with tinted glasses masked the face with a moustache
     and a pair of bushy whiskers sunk that clear voice into an
     insinuating whisper and doubly secure on account of the girls short
     sight he appears as Mr Hosmer Angel and keeps off other lovers by
     making love himself

     It was only a joke at first groaned our visitor We never thought
     that she would have been so carried away

     Very likely not However that may be the young lady was very
     decidedly carried away and having quite made up her mind that her
     stepfather was in France the suspicion of treachery never for an
     instant entered her mind She was flattered by the gentlemans
     attentions and the effect was increased by the loudly expressed
     admiration of her mother Then Mr Angel began to call for it was
     obvious that the matter should be pushed as far as it would go if a
     real effect were to be produced There were meetings and an
     engagement which would finally secure the girls affections from
     turning towards anyone else But the deception could not be kept up
     forever These pretended journeys to France were rather cumbrous The
     thing to do was clearly to bring the business to an end in such a
     dramatic manner that it would leave a permanent impression upon the
     young ladys mind and prevent her from looking upon any other suitor
     for some time to come Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a
     Testament and hence also the allusions to a possibility of something
     happening on the very morning of the wedding James Windibank wished
     Miss Sutherland to be so bound to Hosmer Angel and so uncertain as
     to his fate that for ten years to come at any rate she would not
     listen to another man As far as the church door he brought her and
     then as he could go no farther he conveniently vanished away by the
     old trick of stepping in at one door of a fourwheeler and out at the
     other I think that was the chain of events Mr Windibank

     Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes had
     been talking and he rose from his chair now with a cold sneer upon
     his pale face

     It may be so or it may not Mr Holmes said he but if you are
     so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is you who
     are breaking the law now and not me I have done nothing actionable
     from the first but as long as you keep that door locked you lay
     yourself open to an action for assault and illegal constraint

     The law cannot as you say touch you said Holmes unlocking and
     throwing open the door yet there never was a man who deserved
     punishment more If the young lady has a brother or a friend he
     ought to lay a whip across your shoulders By Jove he continued
     flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon the mans face it
     is not part of my duties to my client but heres a hunting crop
     handy and I think I shall just treat myself to He took two swift
     steps to the whip but before he could grasp it there was a wild
     clatter of steps upon the stairs the heavy hall door banged and
     from the window we could see Mr James Windibank running at the top
     of his speed down the road

     Theres a coldblooded scoundrel said Holmes laughing as he
     threw himself down into his chair once more That fellow will rise
     from crime to crime until he does something very bad and ends on a
     gallows The case has in some respects been not entirely devoid of
     interest

     I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning I
     remarked

     Well of course it was obvious from the first that this Mr Hosmer
     Angel must have some strong object for his curious conduct and it
     was equally clear that the only man who really profited by the
     incident as far as we could see was the stepfather Then the fact
     that the two men were never together but that the one always
     appeared when the other was away was suggestive So were the tinted
     spectacles and the curious voice which both hinted at a disguise as
     did the bushy whiskers My suspicions were all confirmed by his
     peculiar action in typewriting his signature which of course
     inferred that his handwriting was so familiar to her that she would
     recognise even the smallest sample of it You see all these isolated
     facts together with many minor ones all pointed in the same
     direction

     And how did you verify them

     Having once spotted my man it was easy to get corroboration I knew
     the firm for which this man worked Having taken the printed
     description I eliminated everything from it which could be the
     result of a disguisethe whiskers the glasses the voice and I
     sent it to the firm with a request that they would inform me whether
     it answered to the description of any of their travellers I had
     already noticed the peculiarities of the typewriter and I wrote to
     the man himself at his business address asking him if he would come
     here As I expected his reply was typewritten and revealed the same
     trivial but characteristic defects The same post brought me a letter
     from Westhouse  Marbank of Fenchurch Street to say that the
     description tallied in every respect with that of their employee
     James Windibank Voilà tout

     And Miss Sutherland

     If I tell her she will not believe me You may remember the old
     Persian saying There is danger for him who taketh the tiger cub
     and danger also for whoso snatches a delusion from a woman There is
     as much sense in Hafiz as in Horace and as much knowledge of the
     world






                           THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY

     We were seated at breakfast one morning my wife and I when the maid
     brought in a telegram It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran in this
     way

     Have you a couple of days to spare Have just been wired for from
     the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy Shall
     be glad if you will come with me Air and scenery perfect Leave
     Paddington by the 
     What do you say dear said my wife looking across at me Will
     you go 

     I really dont know what to say I have a fairly long list at
     present

     Oh Anstruther would do your work for you You have been looking a
     little pale lately I think that the change would do you good and
     you are always so interested in Mr Sherlock Holmes cases

     I should be ungrateful if I were not seeing what I gained through
     one of them I answered But if I am to go I must pack at once
     for I have only half an hour

     My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the effect
     of making me a prompt and ready traveller My wants were few and
     simple so that in less than the time stated I was in a cab with my
     valise rattling away to Paddington Station Sherlock Holmes was
     pacing up and down the platform his tall gaunt figure made even
     gaunter and taller by his long grey travellingcloak and
     closefitting cloth cap

     It is really very good of you to come Watson said he It makes a
     considerable difference to me having someone with me on whom I can
     thoroughly rely Local aid is always either worthless or else
     biassed If you will keep the two corner seats I shall get the
     tickets

     We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of papers
     which Holmes had brought with him Among these he rummaged and read
     with intervals of notetaking and of meditation until we were past
     Reading Then he suddenly rolled them all into a gigantic ball and
     tossed them up onto the rack

     Have you heard anything of the case he asked

     Not a word I have not seen a paper for some days

     The London press has not had very full accounts I have just been
     looking through all the recent papers in order to master the
     particulars It seems from what I gather to be one of those simple
     cases which are so extremely difficult

     That sounds a little paradoxical

     But it is profoundly true Singularity is almost invariably a clue
     The more featureless and commonplace a crime is the more difficult
     it is to bring it home In this case however they have established
     a very serious case against the son of the murdered man

     It is a murder then

     Well it is conjectured to be so I shall take nothing for granted
     until I have the opportunity of looking personally into it I will
     explain the state of things to you as far as I have been able to
     understand it in a very few words

     Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross in
     Herefordshire The largest landed proprietor in that part is a Mr
     John Turner who made his money in Australia and returned some years
     ago to the old country One of the farms which he held that of
     Hatherley was let to Mr Charles McCarthy who was also an
     exAustralian The men had known each other in the colonies so that
     it was not unnatural that when they came to settle down they should
     do so as near each other as possible Turner was apparently the
     richer man so McCarthy became his tenant but still remained it
     seems upon terms of perfect equality as they were frequently
     together McCarthy had one son a lad of eighteen and Turner had an
     only daughter of the same age but neither of them had wives living
     They appear to have avoided the society of the neighbouring English
     families and to have led retired lives though both the McCarthys
     were fond of sport and were frequently seen at the racemeetings of
     the neighbourhood McCarthy kept two servantsa man and a girl
     Turner had a considerable household some halfdozen at the least
     That is as much as I have been able to gather about the families Now
     for the facts

     On June rd that is on Monday last McCarthy left his house at
     Hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the
     Boscombe Pool which is a small lake formed by the spreading out of
     the stream which runs down the Boscombe Valley He had been out with
     his servingman in the morning at Ross and he had told the man that
     he must hurry as he had an appointment of importance to keep at
     three From that appointment he never came back alive

     From Hatherley Farmhouse to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a
     mile and two people saw him as he passed over this ground One was
     an old woman whose name is not mentioned and the other was William
     Crowder a gamekeeper in the employ of Mr Turner Both these
     witnesses depose that Mr McCarthy was walking alone The gamekeeper
     adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr McCarthy pass he had
     seen his son Mr James McCarthy going the same way with a gun under
     his arm To the best of his belief the father was actually in sight
     at the time and the son was following him He thought no more of the
     matter until he heard in the evening of the tragedy that had
     occurred

     The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder the
     gamekeeper lost sight of them The Boscombe Pool is thickly wooded
     round with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the edge A
     girl of fourteen Patience Moran who is the daughter of the
     lodgekeeper of the Boscombe Valley estate was in one of the woods
     picking flowers She states that while she was there she saw at the
     border of the wood and close by the lake Mr McCarthy and his son
     and that they appeared to be having a violent quarrel She heard Mr
     McCarthy the elder using very strong language to his son and she saw
     the latter raise up his hand as if to strike his father She was so
     frightened by their violence that she ran away and told her mother
     when she reached home that she had left the two McCarthys quarrelling
     near Boscombe Pool and that she was afraid that they were going to
     fight She had hardly said the words when young Mr McCarthy came
     running up to the lodge to say that he had found his father dead in
     the wood and to ask for the help of the lodgekeeper He was much
     excited without either his gun or his hat and his right hand and
     sleeve were observed to be stained with fresh blood On following him
     they found the dead body stretched out upon the grass beside the
     pool The head had been beaten in by repeated blows of some heavy and
     blunt weapon The injuries were such as might very well have been
     inflicted by the buttend of his sons gun which was found lying on
     the grass within a few paces of the body Under these circumstances
     the young man was instantly arrested and a verdict of wilful
     murder having been returned at the inquest on Tuesday he was on
     Wednesday brought before the magistrates at Ross who have referred
     the case to the next Assizes Those are the main facts of the case as
     they came out before the coroner and the policecourt

     I could hardly imagine a more damning case I remarked If ever
     circumstantial evidence pointed to a criminal it does so here

     Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing answered Holmes
     thoughtfully It may seem to point very straight to one thing but
     if you shift your own point of view a little you may find it
     pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something entirely
     different It must be confessed however that the case looks
     exceedingly grave against the young man and it is very possible that
     he is indeed the culprit There are several people in the
     neighbourhood however and among them Miss Turner the daughter of
     the neighbouring landowner who believe in his innocence and who
     have retained Lestrade whom you may recollect in connection with the
     Study in Scarlet to work out the case in his interest Lestrade
     being rather puzzled has referred the case to me and hence it is
     that two middleaged gentlemen are flying westward at fifty miles an
     hour instead of quietly digesting their breakfasts at home

     I am afraid said I that the facts are so obvious that you will
     find little credit to be gained out of this case

     There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact he answered
     laughing Besides we may chance to hit upon some other obvious
     facts which may have been by no means obvious to Mr Lestrade You
     know me too well to think that I am boasting when I say that I shall
     either confirm or destroy his theory by means which he is quite
     incapable of employing or even of understanding To take the first
     example to hand I very clearly perceive that in your bedroom the
     window is upon the righthand side and yet I question whether Mr
     Lestrade would have noted even so selfevident a thing as that

     How on earth

     My dear fellow I know you well I know the military neatness which
     characterises you You shave every morning and in this season you
     shave by the sunlight but since your shaving is less and less
     complete as we get farther back on the left side until it becomes
     positively slovenly as we get round the angle of the jaw it is
     surely very clear that that side is less illuminated than the other
     I could not imagine a man of your habits looking at himself in an
     equal light and being satisfied with such a result I only quote this
     as a trivial example of observation and inference Therein lies my
     mÃtier and it is just possible that it may be of some service in the
     investigation which lies before us There are one or two minor points
     which were brought out in the inquest and which are worth
     considering

     What are they

     It appears that his arrest did not take place at once but after the
     return to Hatherley Farm On the inspector of constabulary informing
     him that he was a prisoner he remarked that he was not surprised to
     hear it and that it was no more than his deserts This observation
     of his had the natural effect of removing any traces of doubt which
     might have remained in the minds of the coroners jury

     It was a confession I ejaculated

     No for it was followed by a protestation of innocence

     Coming on the top of such a damning series of events it was at
     least a most suspicious remark

     On the contrary said Holmes it is the brightest rift which I can
     at present see in the clouds However innocent he might be he could
     not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the circumstances
     were very black against him Had he appeared surprised at his own
     arrest or feigned indignation at it I should have looked upon it as
     highly suspicious because such surprise or anger would not be
     natural under the circumstances and yet might appear to be the best
     policy to a scheming man His frank acceptance of the situation marks
     him as either an innocent man or else as a man of considerable
     selfrestraint and firmness As to his remark about his deserts it
     was also not unnatural if you consider that he stood beside the dead
     body of his father and that there is no doubt that he had that very
     day so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him and
     even according to the little girl whose evidence is so important to
     raise his hand as if to strike him The selfreproach and contrition
     which are displayed in his remark appear to me to be the signs of a
     healthy mind rather than of a guilty one

     I shook my head Many men have been hanged on far slighter
     evidence I remarked

     So they have And many men have been wrongfully hanged

     What is the young mans own account of the matter

     It is I am afraid not very encouraging to his supporters though
     there are one or two points in it which are suggestive You will find
     it here and may read it for yourself

     He picked out from his bundle a copy of the local Herefordshire
     paper and having turned down the sheet he pointed out the paragraph
     in which the unfortunate young man had given his own statement of
     what had occurred I settled myself down in the corner of the
     carriage and read it very carefully It ran in this way

     Mr James McCarthy the only son of the deceased was then called
     and gave evidence as follows I had been away from home for three
     days at Bristol and had only just returned upon the morning of last
     Monday the rd My father was absent from home at the time of my
     arrival and I was informed by the maid that he had driven over to
     Ross with John Cobb the groom Shortly after my return I heard the
     wheels of his trap in the yard and looking out of my window I saw
     him get out and walk rapidly out of the yard though I was not aware
     in which direction he was going I then took my gun and strolled out
     in the direction of the Boscombe Pool with the intention of visiting
     the rabbit warren which is upon the other side On my way I saw
     William Crowder the gamekeeper as he had stated in his evidence
     but he is mistaken in thinking that I was following my father I had
     no idea that he was in front of me When about a hundred yards from
     the pool I heard a cry of Cooee which was a usual signal between
     my father and myself I then hurried forward and found him standing
     by the pool He appeared to be much surprised at seeing me and asked
     me rather roughly what I was doing there A conversation ensued which
     led to high words and almost to blows for my father was a man of a
     very violent temper Seeing that his passion was becoming
     ungovernable I left him and returned towards Hatherley Farm I had
     not gone more than  yards however when I heard a hideous outcry
     behind me which caused me to run back again I found my father
     expiring upon the ground with his head terribly injured I dropped
     my gun and held him in my arms but he almost instantly expired I
     knelt beside him for some minutes and then made my way to Mr
     Turners lodgekeeper his house being the nearest to ask for
     assistance I saw no one near my father when I returned and I have
     no idea how he came by his injuries He was not a popular man being
     somewhat cold and forbidding in his manners but he had as far as I
     know no active enemies I know nothing further of the matter
     The Coroner Did your father make any statement to you before he
     died
     Witness He mumbled a few words but I could only catch some
     allusion to a rat
     The Coroner What did you understand by that
     Witness It conveyed no meaning to me I thought that he was
     delirious
     The Coroner What was the point upon which you and your father had
     this final quarrel
     Witness I should prefer not to answer
     The Coroner I am afraid that I must press it
     Witness It is really impossible for me to tell you I can assure
     you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which followed
     The Coroner That is for the court to decide I need not point out
     to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case
     considerably in any future proceedings which may arise
     Witness I must still refuse
     The Coroner I understand that the cry of Cooee was a common
     signal between you and your father
     Witness It was
     The Coroner How was it then that he uttered it before he saw you
     and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol
     Witness with considerable confusion I do not know
     A Juryman Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions when
     you returned on hearing the cry and found your father fatally
     injured
     Witness Nothing definite
     The Coroner What do you mean
     Witness I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into the
     open that I could think of nothing except of my father Yet I have a
     vague impression that as I ran forward something lay upon the ground
     to the left of me It seemed to me to be something grey in colour a
     coat of some sort or a plaid perhaps When I rose from my father I
     looked round for it but it was gone
     Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help
     Yes it was gone
     You cannot say what it was
     No I had a feeling something was there
     How far from the body
     A dozen yards or so
     And how far from the edge of the wood
     About the same
     Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen yards
     of it
     Yes but with my back towards it
     This concluded the examination of the witness

     I see said I as I glanced down the column that the coroner in
     his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy He
     calls attention and with reason to the discrepancy about his father
     having signalled to him before seeing him also to his refusal to
     give details of his conversation with his father and his singular
     account of his fathers dying words They are all as he remarks
     very much against the son

     Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon the
     cushioned seat Both you and the coroner have been at some pains
     said he to single out the very strongest points in the young mans
     favour Dont you see that you alternately give him credit for having
     too much imagination and too little Too little if he could not
     invent a cause of quarrel which would give him the sympathy of the
     jury too much if he evolved from his own inner consciousness
     anything so outrà as a dying reference to a rat and the incident of
     the vanishing cloth No sir I shall approach this case from the
     point of view that what this young man says is true and we shall see
     whither that hypothesis will lead us And now here is my pocket
     Petrarch and not another word shall I say of this case until we are
     on the scene of action We lunch at Swindon and I see that we shall
     be there in twenty minutes

     It was nearly four oclock when we at last after passing through the
     beautiful Stroud Valley and over the broad gleaming Severn found
     ourselves at the pretty little countrytown of Ross A lean
     ferretlike man furtive and slylooking was waiting for us upon the
     platform In spite of the light brown dustcoat and leatherleggings
     which he wore in deference to his rustic surroundings I had no
     difficulty in recognising Lestrade of Scotland Yard With him we
     drove to the Hereford Arms where a room had already been engaged for
     us

     I have ordered a carriage said Lestrade as we sat over a cup of
     tea I knew your energetic nature and that you would not be happy
     until you had been on the scene of the crime

     It was very nice and complimentary of you Holmes answered It is
     entirely a question of barometric pressure

     Lestrade looked startled I do not quite follow he said

     How is the glass Twentynine I see No wind and not a cloud in
     the sky I have a caseful of cigarettes here which need smoking and
     the sofa is very much superior to the usual country hotel
     abomination I do not think that it is probable that I shall use the
     carriage tonight

     Lestrade laughed indulgently You have no doubt already formed
     your conclusions from the newspapers he said The case is as plain
     as a pikestaff and the more one goes into it the plainer it becomes
     Still of course one cant refuse a lady and such a very positive
     one too She has heard of you and would have your opinion though I
     repeatedly told her that there was nothing which you could do which I
     had not already done Why bless my soul here is her carriage at the
     door

     He had hardly spoken before there rushed into the room one of the
     most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life Her violet
     eyes shining her lips parted a pink flush upon her cheeks all
     thought of her natural reserve lost in her overpowering excitement
     and concern

     Oh Mr Sherlock Holmes she cried glancing from one to the other
     of us and finally with a womans quick intuition fastening upon my
     companion I am so glad that you have come I have driven down to
     tell you so I know that James didnt do it I know it and I want
     you to start upon your work knowing it too Never let yourself doubt
     upon that point We have known each other since we were little
     children and I know his faults as no one else does but he is too
     tenderhearted to hurt a fly Such a charge is absurd to anyone who
     really knows him

     I hope we may clear him Miss Turner said Sherlock Holmes  You
     may rely upon my doing all that I can

     But you have read the evidence You have formed some conclusion Do
     you not see some loophole some flaw Do you not yourself think that
     he is innocent

     I think that it is very probable

     There now she cried throwing back her head and looking defiantly
     at Lestrade You hear He gives me hopes

     Lestrade shrugged his shoulders I am afraid that my colleague has
     been a little quick in forming his conclusions he said

     But he is right Oh I know that he is right James never did it
     And about his quarrel with his father I am sure that the reason why
     he would not speak about it to the coroner was because I was
     concerned in it

     In what way asked Holmes

     It is no time for me to hide anything James and his father had many
     disagreements about me Mr McCarthy was very anxious that there
     should be a marriage between us James and I have always loved each
     other as brother and sister but of course he is young and has seen
     very little of life yet andandwell he naturally did not wish to
     do anything like that yet So there were quarrels and this I am
     sure was one of them

     And your father asked Holmes Was he in favour of such a union

     No he was averse to it also No one but Mr McCarthy was in favour
     of it A quick blush passed over her fresh young face as Holmes shot
     one of his keen questioning glances at her

     Thank you for this information said he May I see your father if
     I call tomorrow

     I am afraid the doctor wont allow it

     The doctor

     Yes have you not heard Poor father has never been strong for years
     back but this has broken him down completely He has taken to his
     bed and Dr Willows says that he is a wreck and that his nervous
     system is shattered Mr McCarthy was the only man alive who had
     known dad in the old days in Victoria

     Ha In Victoria That is important

     Yes at the mines

     Quite so at the goldmines where as I understand Mr Turner made
     his money

     Yes certainly

     Thank you Miss Turner You have been of material assistance to me

     You will tell me if you have any news tomorrow No doubt you will
     go to the prison to see James Oh if you do Mr Holmes do tell him
     that I know him to be innocent

     I will Miss Turner

     I must go home now for dad is very ill and he misses me so if I
     leave him Goodbye and God help you in your undertaking She
     hurried from the room as impulsively as she had entered and we heard
     the wheels of her carriage rattle off down the street

     I am ashamed of you Holmes said Lestrade with dignity after a few
     minutes silence Why should you raise up hopes which you are bound
     to disappoint I am not overtender of heart but I call it cruel

     I think that I see my way to clearing James McCarthy said Holmes
     Have you an order to see him in prison

     Yes but only for you and me

     Then I shall reconsider my resolution about going out We have still
     time to take a train to Hereford and see him tonight

     Ample

     Then let us do so Watson I fear that you will find it very slow
     but I shall only be away a couple of hours

     I walked down to the station with them and then wandered through the
     streets of the little town finally returning to the hotel where I
     lay upon the sofa and tried to interest myself in a yellowbacked
     novel The puny plot of the story was so thin however when compared
     to the deep mystery through which we were groping and I found my
     attention wander so continually from the action to the fact that I
     at last flung it across the room and gave myself up entirely to a
     consideration of the events of the day Supposing that this unhappy
     young mans story were absolutely true then what hellish thing what
     absolutely unforeseen and extraordinary calamity could have occurred
     between the time when he parted from his father and the moment when
     drawn back by his screams he rushed into the glade It was something
     terrible and deadly What could it be Might not the nature of the
     injuries reveal something to my medical instincts I rang the bell
     and called for the weekly county paper which contained a verbatim
     account of the inquest In the surgeons deposition it was stated
     that the posterior third of the left parietal bone and the left half
     of the occipital bone had been shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt
     weapon I marked the spot upon my own head Clearly such a blow must
     have been struck from behind That was to some extent in favour of
     the accused as when seen quarrelling he was face to face with his
     father Still it did not go for very much for the older man might
     have turned his back before the blow fell Still it might be worth
     while to call Holmes attention to it Then there was the peculiar
     dying reference to a rat What could that mean It could not be
     delirium A man dying from a sudden blow does not commonly become
     delirious No it was more likely to be an attempt to explain how he
     met his fate But what could it indicate I cudgelled my brains to
     find some possible explanation And then the incident of the grey
     cloth seen by young McCarthy If that were true the murderer must
     have dropped some part of his dress presumably his overcoat in his
     flight and must have had the hardihood to return and to carry it
     away at the instant when the son was kneeling with his back turned
     not a dozen paces off What a tissue of mysteries and improbabilities
     the whole thing was I did not wonder at Lestrades opinion and yet
     I had so much faith in Sherlock Holmes insight that I could not lose
     hope as long as every fresh fact seemed to strengthen his conviction
     of young McCarthys innocence

     It was late before Sherlock Holmes returned He came back alone for
     Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town

     The glass still keeps very high he remarked as he sat down It is
     of importance that it should not rain before we are able to go over
     the ground On the other hand a man should be at his very best and
     keenest for such nice work as that and I did not wish to do it when
     fagged by a long journey I have seen young McCarthy

     And what did you learn from him

     Nothing

     Could he throw no light

     None at all I was inclined to think at one time that he knew who
     had done it and was screening him or her but I am convinced now that
     he is as puzzled as everyone else He is not a very quickwitted
     youth though comely to look at and I should think sound at heart

     I cannot admire his taste I remarked if it is indeed a fact that
     he was averse to a marriage with so charming a young lady as this
     Miss Turner

     Ah thereby hangs a rather painful tale This fellow is madly
     insanely in love with her but some two years ago when he was only
     a lad and before he really knew her for she had been away five
     years at a boardingschool what does the idiot do but get into the
     clutches of a barmaid in Bristol and marry her at a registry office
     No one knows a word of the matter but you can imagine how maddening
     it must be to him to be upbraided for not doing what he would give
     his very eyes to do but what he knows to be absolutely impossible
     It was sheer frenzy of this sort which made him throw his hands up
     into the air when his father at their last interview was goading
     him on to propose to Miss Turner On the other hand he had no means
     of supporting himself and his father who was by all accounts a very
     hard man would have thrown him over utterly had he known the truth
     It was with his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in
     Bristol and his father did not know where he was Mark that point
     It is of importance Good has come out of evil however for the
     barmaid finding from the papers that he is in serious trouble and
     likely to be hanged has thrown him over utterly and has written to
     him to say that she has a husband already in the Bermuda Dockyard so
     that there is really no tie between them I think that that bit of
     news has consoled young McCarthy for all that he has suffered

     But if he is innocent who has done it

     Ah who I would call your attention very particularly to two
     points One is that the murdered man had an appointment with someone
     at the pool and that the someone could not have been his son for
     his son was away and he did not know when he would return The
     second is that the murdered man was heard to cry Cooee before he
     knew that his son had returned Those are the crucial points upon
     which the case depends And now let us talk about George Meredith if
     you please and we shall leave all minor matters until tomorrow

     There was no rain as Holmes had foretold and the morning broke
     bright and cloudless At nine oclock Lestrade called for us with the
     carriage and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe Pool

     There is serious news this morning Lestrade observed It is said
     that Mr Turner of the Hall is so ill that his life is despaired
     of

     An elderly man I presume said Holmes

     About sixty but his constitution has been shattered by his life
     abroad and he has been in failing health for some time This
     business has had a very bad effect upon him He was an old friend of
     McCarthys and I may add a great benefactor to him for I have
     learned that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent free

     Indeed That is interesting said Holmes

     Oh yes In a hundred other ways he has helped him Everybody about
     here speaks of his kindness to him

     Really Does it not strike you as a little singular that this
     McCarthy who appears to have had little of his own and to have been
     under such obligations to Turner should still talk of marrying his
     son to Turners daughter who is presumably heiress to the estate
     and that in such a very cocksure manner as if it were merely a case
     of a proposal and all else would follow It is the more strange
     since we know that Turner himself was averse to the idea The
     daughter told us as much Do you not deduce something from that

     We have got to the deductions and the inferences said Lestrade
     winking at me I find it hard enough to tackle facts Holmes
     without flying away after theories and fancies

     You are right said Holmes demurely you do find it very hard to
     tackle the facts

     Anyhow I have grasped one fact which you seem to find it difficult
     to get hold of replied Lestrade with some warmth

     And that is

     That McCarthy senior met his death from McCarthy junior and that all
     theories to the contrary are the merest moonshine

     Well moonshine is a brighter thing than fog said Holmes
     laughing But I am very much mistaken if this is not Hatherley Farm
     upon the left

     Yes that is it It was a widespread comfortablelooking building
     twostoried slateroofed with great yellow blotches of lichen upon
     the grey walls The drawn blinds and the smokeless chimneys however
     gave it a stricken look as though the weight of this horror still
     lay heavy upon it We called at the door when the maid at Holmes
     request showed us the boots which her master wore at the time of his
     death and also a pair of the sons though not the pair which he had
     then had Having measured these very carefully from seven or eight
     different points Holmes desired to be led to the courtyard from
     which we all followed the winding track which led to Boscombe Pool

     Sherlock Holmes was transformed when he was hot upon such a scent as
     this Men who had only known the quiet thinker and logician of Baker
     Street would have failed to recognise him His face flushed and
     darkened His brows were drawn into two hard black lines while his
     eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter His face was
     bent downward his shoulders bowed his lips compressed and the
     veins stood out like whipcord in his long sinewy neck His nostrils
     seemed to dilate with a purely animal lust for the chase and his
     mind was so absolutely concentrated upon the matter before him that a
     question or remark fell unheeded upon his ears or at the most only
     provoked a quick impatient snarl in reply Swiftly and silently he
     made his way along the track which ran through the meadows and so by
     way of the woods to the Boscombe Pool It was damp marshy ground as
     is all that district and there were marks of many feet both upon
     the path and amid the short grass which bounded it on either side
     Sometimes Holmes would hurry on sometimes stop dead and once he
     made quite a little detour into the meadow Lestrade and I walked
     behind him the detective indifferent and contemptuous while I
     watched my friend with the interest which sprang from the conviction
     that every one of his actions was directed towards a definite end

     The Boscombe Pool which is a little reedgirt sheet of water some
     fifty yards across is situated at the boundary between the Hatherley
     Farm and the private park of the wealthy Mr Turner Above the woods
     which lined it upon the farther side we could see the red jutting
     pinnacles which marked the site of the rich landowners dwelling On
     the Hatherley side of the pool the woods grew very thick and there
     was a narrow belt of sodden grass twenty paces across between the
     edge of the trees and the reeds which lined the lake Lestrade showed
     us the exact spot at which the body had been found and indeed so
     moist was the ground that I could plainly see the traces which had
     been left by the fall of the stricken man To Holmes as I could see
     by his eager face and peering eyes very many other things were to be
     read upon the trampled grass He ran round like a dog who is picking
     up a scent and then turned upon my companion

     What did you go into the pool for he asked

     I fished about with a rake I thought there might be some weapon or
     other trace But how on earth

     Oh tut tut I have no time That left foot of yours with its
     inward twist is all over the place A mole could trace it and there
     it vanishes among the reeds Oh how simple it would all have been
     had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo and wallowed
     all over it Here is where the party with the lodgekeeper came and
     they have covered all tracks for six or eight feet round the body
     But here are three separate tracks of the same feet He drew out a
     lens and lay down upon his waterproof to have a better view talking
     all the time rather to himself than to us These are young
     McCarthys feet Twice he was walking and once he ran swiftly so
     that the soles are deeply marked and the heels hardly visible That
     bears out his story He ran when he saw his father on the ground
     Then here are the fathers feet as he paced up and down What is
     this then It is the buttend of the gun as the son stood listening
     And this Ha ha What have we here Tiptoes tiptoes Square too
     quite unusual boots They come they go they come againof course
     that was for the cloak Now where did they come from He ran up and
     down sometimes losing sometimes finding the track until we were
     well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a great
     beech the largest tree in the neighbourhood Holmes traced his way
     to the farther side of this and lay down once more upon his face with
     a little cry of satisfaction For a long time he remained there
     turning over the leaves and dried sticks gathering up what seemed to
     me to be dust into an envelope and examining with his lens not only
     the ground but even the bark of the tree as far as he could reach A
     jagged stone was lying among the moss and this also he carefully
     examined and retained Then he followed a pathway through the wood
     until he came to the highroad where all traces were lost

     It has been a case of considerable interest he remarked returning
     to his natural manner I fancy that this grey house on the right
     must be the lodge I think that I will go in and have a word with
     Moran and perhaps write a little note Having done that we may
     drive back to our luncheon You may walk to the cab and I shall be
     with you presently

     It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove back
     into Ross Holmes still carrying with him the stone which he had
     picked up in the wood

     This may interest you Lestrade he remarked holding it out  The
     murder was done with it

     I see no marks

     There are none

     How do you know then

     The grass was growing under it It had only lain there a few days
     There was no sign of a place whence it had been taken It corresponds
     with the injuries There is no sign of any other weapon

     And the murderer

     Is a tall man lefthanded limps with the right leg wears
     thicksoled shootingboots and a grey cloak smokes Indian cigars
     uses a cigarholder and carries a blunt penknife in his pocket
     There are several other indications but these may be enough to aid
     us in our search

     Lestrade laughed I am afraid that I am still a sceptic he said
     Theories are all very well but we have to deal with a hardheaded
     British jury

     Nous verrons answered Holmes calmly You work your own method
     and I shall work mine I shall be busy this afternoon and shall
     probably return to London by the evening train

     And leave your case unfinished

     No finished

     But the mystery

     It is solved

     Who was the criminal then

     The gentleman I describe

     But who is he

     Surely it would not be difficult to find out This is not such a
     populous neighbourhood

     Lestrade shrugged his shoulders I am a practical man he said
     and I really cannot undertake to go about the country looking for a
     lefthanded gentleman with a game leg I should become the
     laughingstock of Scotland Yard

     All right said Holmes quietly I have given you the chance Here
     are your lodgings Goodbye I shall drop you a line before I leave

     Having left Lestrade at his rooms we drove to our hotel where we
     found lunch upon the table Holmes was silent and buried in thought
     with a pained expression upon his face as one who finds himself in a
     perplexing position

     Look here Watson he said when the cloth was cleared just sit
     down in this chair and let me preach to you for a little I dont
     know quite what to do and I should value your advice Light a cigar
     and let me expound

     Pray do so

     Well now in considering this case there are two points about young
     McCarthys narrative which struck us both instantly although they
     impressed me in his favour and you against him One was the fact that
     his father should according to his account cry Cooee before
     seeing him The other was his singular dying reference to a rat He
     mumbled several words you understand but that was all that caught
     the sons ear Now from this double point our research must commence
     and we will begin it by presuming that what the lad says is
     absolutely true

     What of this Cooee then

     Well obviously it could not have been meant for the son The son
     as far as he knew was in Bristol It was mere chance that he was
     within earshot The Cooee was meant to attract the attention of
     whoever it was that he had the appointment with But Cooee is a
     distinctly Australian cry and one which is used between Australians
     There is a strong presumption that the person whom McCarthy expected
     to meet him at Boscombe Pool was someone who had been in Australia

     What of the rat then

     Sherlock Holmes took a folded paper from his pocket and flattened it
     out on the table This is a map of the Colony of Victoria he said
     I wired to Bristol for it last night He put his hand over part of
     the map What do you read

     ARAT I read

     And now He raised his hand

     BALLARAT

     Quite so That was the word the man uttered and of which his son
     only caught the last two syllables He was trying to utter the name
     of his murderer So and so of Ballarat

     It is wonderful I exclaimed

     It is obvious And now you see I had narrowed the field down
     considerably The possession of a grey garment was a third point
     which granting the sons statement to be correct was a certainty
     We have come now out of mere vagueness to the definite conception of
     an Australian from Ballarat with a grey cloak

     Certainly

     And one who was at home in the district for the pool can only be
     approached by the farm or by the estate where strangers could hardly
     wander

     Quite so

     Then comes our expedition of today By an examination of the ground
     I gained the trifling details which I gave to that imbecile Lestrade
     as to the personality of the criminal

     But how did you gain them

     You know my method It is founded upon the observation of trifles

     His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length of
     his stride His boots too might be told from their traces

     Yes they were peculiar boots

     But his lameness

     The impression of his right foot was always less distinct than his
     left He put less weight upon it Why Because he limpedhe was
     lame

     But his lefthandedness

     You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded by
     the surgeon at the inquest The blow was struck from immediately
     behind and yet was upon the left side Now how can that be unless
     it were by a lefthanded man He had stood behind that tree during
     the interview between the father and son He had even smoked there I
     found the ash of a cigar which my special knowledge of tobacco ashes
     enables me to pronounce as an Indian cigar I have as you know
     devoted some attention to this and written a little monograph on the
     ashes of  different varieties of pipe cigar and cigarette
     tobacco Having found the ash I then looked round and discovered the
     stump among the moss where he had tossed it It was an Indian cigar
     of the variety which are rolled in Rotterdam

     And the cigarholder

     I could see that the end had not been in his mouth Therefore he
     used a holder The tip had been cut off not bitten off but the cut
     was not a clean one so I deduced a blunt penknife

     Holmes I said you have drawn a net round this man from which he
     cannot escape and you have saved an innocent human life as truly as
     if you had cut the cord which was hanging him I see the direction in
     which all this points The culprit is

     Mr John Turner cried the hotel waiter opening the door of our
     sittingroom and ushering in a visitor

     The man who entered was a strange and impressive figure His slow
     limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of decrepitude
     and yet his hard deeplined craggy features and his enormous limbs
     showed that he was possessed of unusual strength of body and of
     character His tangled beard grizzled hair and outstanding
     drooping eyebrows combined to give an air of dignity and power to his
     appearance but his face was of an ashen white while his lips and
     the corners of his nostrils were tinged with a shade of blue It was
     clear to me at a glance that he was in the grip of some deadly and
     chronic disease

     Pray sit down on the sofa said Holmes gently You had my note

     Yes the lodgekeeper brought it up You said that you wished to see
     me here to avoid scandal

     I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall

     And why did you wish to see me He looked across at my companion
     with despair in his weary eyes as though his question was already
     answered

     Yes said Holmes answering the look rather than the words It is
     so I know all about McCarthy

     The old man sank his face in his hands God help me he cried But
     I would not have let the young man come to harm I give you my word
     that I would have spoken out if it went against him at the Assizes

     I am glad to hear you say so said Holmes gravely

     I would have spoken now had it not been for my dear girl It would
     break her heartit will break her heart when she hears that I am
     arrested

     It may not come to that said Holmes

     What

     I am no official agent I understand that it was your daughter who
     required my presence here and I am acting in her interests Young
     McCarthy must be got off however

     I am a dying man said old Turner I have had diabetes for years
     My doctor says it is a question whether I shall live a month Yet I
     would rather die under my own roof than in a jail

     Holmes rose and sat down at the table with his pen in his hand and a
     bundle of paper before him Just tell us the truth he said I
     shall jot down the facts You will sign it and Watson here can
     witness it Then I could produce your confession at the last
     extremity to save young McCarthy I promise you that I shall not use
     it unless it is absolutely needed

     Its as well said the old man its a question whether I shall
     live to the Assizes so it matters little to me but I should wish to
     spare Alice the shock And now I will make the thing clear to you it
     has been a long time in the acting but will not take me long to
     tell

     You didnt know this dead man McCarthy He was a devil incarnate I
     tell you that God keep you out of the clutches of such a man as he
     His grip has been upon me these twenty years and he has blasted my
     life Ill tell you first how I came to be in his power

     It was in the early s at the diggings I was a young chap then
     hotblooded and reckless ready to turn my hand at anything I got
     among bad companions took to drink had no luck with my claim took
     to the bush and in a word became what you would call over here a
     highway robber There were six of us and we had a wild free life of
     it sticking up a station from time to time or stopping the wagons
     on the road to the diggings Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I
     went under and our party is still remembered in the colony as the
     Ballarat Gang

     One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne and we
     lay in wait for it and attacked it There were six troopers and six
     of us so it was a close thing but we emptied four of their saddles
     at the first volley Three of our boys were killed however before
     we got the swag I put my pistol to the head of the wagondriver who
     was this very man McCarthy I wish to the Lord that I had shot him
     then but I spared him though I saw his wicked little eyes fixed on
     my face as though to remember every feature We got away with the
     gold became wealthy men and made our way over to England without
     being suspected There I parted from my old pals and determined to
     settle down to a quiet and respectable life I bought this estate
     which chanced to be in the market and I set myself to do a little
     good with my money to make up for the way in which I had earned it
     I married too and though my wife died young she left me my dear
     little Alice Even when she was just a baby her wee hand seemed to
     lead me down the right path as nothing else had ever done In a word
     I turned over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past All
     was going well when McCarthy laid his grip upon me

     I had gone up to town about an investment and I met him in Regent
     Street with hardly a coat to his back or a boot to his foot

     Here we are Jack says he touching me on the arm well be as
     good as a family to you Theres two of us me and my son and you
     can have the keeping of us If you dontits a fine lawabiding
     country is England and theres always a policeman within hail

     Well down they came to the west country there was no shaking them
     off and there they have lived rent free on my best land ever since
     There was no rest for me no peace no forgetfulness turn where I
     would there was his cunning grinning face at my elbow It grew
     worse as Alice grew up for he soon saw I was more afraid of her
     knowing my past than of the police Whatever he wanted he must have
     and whatever it was I gave him without question land money houses
     until at last he asked a thing which I could not give He asked for
     Alice

     His son you see had grown up and so had my girl and as I was
     known to be in weak health it seemed a fine stroke to him that his
     lad should step into the whole property But there I was firm I
     would not have his cursed stock mixed with mine not that I had any
     dislike to the lad but his blood was in him and that was enough I
     stood firm McCarthy threatened I braved him to do his worst We
     were to meet at the pool midway between our houses to talk it over

     When I went down there I found him talking with his son so I smoked
     a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone But as I
     listened to his talk all that was black and bitter in me seemed to
     come uppermost He was urging his son to marry my daughter with as
     little regard for what she might think as if she were a slut from off
     the streets It drove me mad to think that I and all that I held most
     dear should be in the power of such a man as this Could I not snap
     the bond I was already a dying and a desperate man Though clear of
     mind and fairly strong of limb I knew that my own fate was sealed
     But my memory and my girl Both could be saved if I could but silence
     that foul tongue I did it Mr Holmes I would do it again Deeply
     as I have sinned I have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it But
     that my girl should be entangled in the same meshes which held me was
     more than I could suffer I struck him down with no more compunction
     than if he had been some foul and venomous beast His cry brought
     back his son but I had gained the cover of the wood though I was
     forced to go back to fetch the cloak which I had dropped in my
     flight That is the true story gentlemen of all that occurred

     Well it is not for me to judge you said Holmes as the old man
     signed the statement which had been drawn out I pray that we may
     never be exposed to such a temptation

     I pray not sir And what do you intend to do

     In view of your health nothing You are yourself aware that you
     will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than the
     Assizes I will keep your confession and if McCarthy is condemned I
     shall be forced to use it If not it shall never be seen by mortal
     eye and your secret whether you be alive or dead shall be safe
     with us

     Farewell then said the old man solemnly Your own deathbeds
     when they come will be the easier for the thought of the peace which
     you have given to mine Tottering and shaking in all his giant
     frame he stumbled slowly from the room

     God help us said Holmes after a long silence Why does fate play
     such tricks with poor helpless worms I never hear of such a case as
     this that I do not think of Baxters words and say There but for
     the grace of God goes Sherlock Holmes

     James McCarthy was acquitted at the Assizes on the strength of a
     number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and submitted
     to the defending counsel Old Turner lived for seven months after our
     interview but he is now dead and there is every prospect that the
     son and daughter may come to live happily together in ignorance of
     the black cloud which rests upon their past






                              THE FIVE ORANGE PIPS

     When I glance over my notes and records of the Sherlock Holmes cases
     between the years  and  I am faced by so many which present
     strange and interesting features that it is no easy matter to know
     which to choose and which to leave Some however have already
     gained publicity through the papers and others have not offered a
     field for those peculiar qualities which my friend possessed in so
     high a degree and which it is the object of these papers to
     illustrate Some too have baffled his analytical skill and would
     be as narratives beginnings without an ending while others have
     been but partially cleared up and have their explanations founded
     rather upon conjecture and surmise than on that absolute logical
     proof which was so dear to him There is however one of these last
     which was so remarkable in its details and so startling in its
     results that I am tempted to give some account of it in spite of the
     fact that there are points in connection with it which never have
     been and probably never will be entirely cleared up

     The year  furnished us with a long series of cases of greater or
     less interest of which I retain the records Among my headings under
     this one twelve months I find an account of the adventure of the
     Paradol Chamber of the Amateur Mendicant Society who held a
     luxurious club in the lower vault of a furniture warehouse of the
     facts connected with the loss of the British barque Sophy Anderson
     of the singular adventures of the Grice Patersons in the island of
     Uffa and finally of the Camberwell poisoning case In the latter as
     may be remembered Sherlock Holmes was able by winding up the dead
     mans watch to prove that it had been wound up two hours before and
     that therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that timea
     deduction which was of the greatest importance in clearing up the
     case All these I may sketch out at some future date but none of
     them present such singular features as the strange train of
     circumstances which I have now taken up my pen to describe

     It was in the latter days of September and the equinoctial gales had
     set in with exceptional violence All day the wind had screamed and
     the rain had beaten against the windows so that even here in the
     heart of great handmade London we were forced to raise our minds
     for the instant from the routine of life and to recognise the
     presence of those great elemental forces which shriek at mankind
     through the bars of his civilisation like untamed beasts in a cage
     As evening drew in the storm grew higher and louder and the wind
     cried and sobbed like a child in the chimney Sherlock Holmes sat
     moodily at one side of the fireplace crossindexing his records of
     crime while I at the other was deep in one of Clark Russells fine
     seastories until the howl of the gale from without seemed to blend
     with the text and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the
     long swash of the sea waves My wife was on a visit to her mothers
     and for a few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at
     Baker Street

     Why said I glancing up at my companion that was surely the
     bell Who could come tonight Some friend of yours perhaps

     Except yourself I have none he answered I do not encourage
     visitors

     A client then

     If so it is a serious case Nothing less would bring a man out on
     such a day and at such an hour But I take it that it is more likely
     to be some crony of the landladys

     Sherlock Holmes was wrong in his conjecture however for there came
     a step in the passage and a tapping at the door He stretched out his
     long arm to turn the lamp away from himself and towards the vacant
     chair upon which a newcomer must sit

     Come in said he

     The man who entered was young some twoandtwenty at the outside
     wellgroomed and trimly clad with something of refinement and
     delicacy in his bearing The streaming umbrella which he held in his
     hand and his long shining waterproof told of the fierce weather
     through which he had come He looked about him anxiously in the glare
     of the lamp and I could see that his face was pale and his eyes
     heavy like those of a man who is weighed down with some great
     anxiety

     I owe you an apology he said raising his golden pincenez to his
     eyes I trust that I am not intruding I fear that I have brought
     some traces of the storm and rain into your snug chamber

     Give me your coat and umbrella said Holmes They may rest here on
     the hook and will be dry presently You have come up from the
     southwest I see

     Yes from Horsham

     That clay and chalk mixture which I see upon your toe caps is quite
     distinctive

     I have come for advice

     That is easily got

     And help

     That is not always so easy

     I have heard of you Mr Holmes I heard from Major Prendergast how
     you saved him in the Tankerville Club scandal

     Ah of course He was wrongfully accused of cheating at cards

     He said that you could solve anything

     He said too much

     That you are never beaten

     I have been beaten four timesthree times by men and once by a
     woman

     But what is that compared with the number of your successes

     It is true that I have been generally successful

     Then you may be so with me

     I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me
     with some details as to your case

     It is no ordinary one

     None of those which come to me are I am the last court of appeal

     And yet I question sir whether in all your experience you have
     ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of events
     than those which have happened in my own family

     You fill me with interest said Holmes Pray give us the essential
     facts from the commencement and I can afterwards question you as to
     those details which seem to me to be most important

     The young man pulled his chair up and pushed his wet feet out towards
     the blaze

     My name said he is John Openshaw but my own affairs have as
     far as I can understand little to do with this awful business It is
     a hereditary matter so in order to give you an idea of the facts I
     must go back to the commencement of the affair

     You must know that my grandfather had two sonsmy uncle Elias and
     my father Joseph My father had a small factory at Coventry which he
     enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling He was a patentee
     of the Openshaw unbreakable tire and his business met with such
     success that he was able to sell it and to retire upon a handsome
     competence

     My uncle Elias emigrated to America when he was a young man and
     became a planter in Florida where he was reported to have done very
     well At the time of the war he fought in Jacksons army and
     afterwards under Hood where he rose to be a colonel When Lee laid
     down his arms my uncle returned to his plantation where he remained
     for three or four years About  or  he came back to Europe
     and took a small estate in Sussex near Horsham He had made a very
     considerable fortune in the States and his reason for leaving them
     was his aversion to the negroes and his dislike of the Republican
     policy in extending the franchise to them He was a singular man
     fierce and quicktempered very foulmouthed when he was angry and
     of a most retiring disposition During all the years that he lived at
     Horsham I doubt if ever he set foot in the town He had a garden and
     two or three fields round his house and there he would take his
     exercise though very often for weeks on end he would never leave his
     room He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked very heavily but he
     would see no society and did not want any friends not even his own
     brother

     He didnt mind me in fact he took a fancy to me for at the time
     when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so This would be
     in the year  after he had been eight or nine years in England
     He begged my father to let me live with him and he was very kind to
     me in his way When he was sober he used to be fond of playing
     backgammon and draughts with me and he would make me his
     representative both with the servants and with the tradespeople so
     that by the time that I was sixteen I was quite master of the house
     I kept all the keys and could go where I liked and do what I liked
     so long as I did not disturb him in his privacy There was one
     singular exception however for he had a single room a lumberroom
     up among the attics which was invariably locked and which he would
     never permit either me or anyone else to enter With a boys
     curiosity I have peeped through the keyhole but I was never able to
     see more than such a collection of old trunks and bundles as would be
     expected in such a room

     One dayit was in March a letter with a foreign stamp lay
     upon the table in front of the colonels plate It was not a common
     thing for him to receive letters for his bills were all paid in
     ready money and he had no friends of any sort From India said he
     as he took it up Pondicherry postmark What can this be Opening
     it hurriedly out there jumped five little dried orange pips which
     pattered down upon his plate I began to laugh at this but the laugh
     was struck from my lips at the sight of his face His lip had fallen
     his eyes were protruding his skin the colour of putty and he glared
     at the envelope which he still held in his trembling hand K K
     K he shrieked and then My God my God my sins have overtaken
     me

     What is it uncle I cried

     Death said he and rising from the table he retired to his room
     leaving me palpitating with horror I took up the envelope and saw
     scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap just above the gum the
     letter K three times repeated There was nothing else save the five
     dried pips What could be the reason of his overpowering terror I
     left the breakfasttable and as I ascended the stair I met him
     coming down with an old rusty key which must have belonged to the
     attic in one hand and a small brass box like a cashbox in the
     other

     They may do what they like but Ill checkmate them still said he
     with an oath Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my room today
     and send down to Fordham the Horsham lawyer

     I did as he ordered and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to step
     up to the room The fire was burning brightly and in the grate there
     was a mass of black fluffy ashes as of burned paper while the
     brass box stood open and empty beside it As I glanced at the box I
     noticed with a start that upon the lid was printed the treble K
     which I had read in the morning upon the envelope

     I wish you John said my uncle to witness my will I leave my
     estate with all its advantages and all its disadvantages to my
     brother your father whence it will no doubt descend to you If
     you can enjoy it in peace well and good If you find you cannot
     take my advice my boy and leave it to your deadliest enemy I am
     sorry to give you such a twoedged thing but I cant say what turn
     things are going to take Kindly sign the paper where Mr Fordham
     shows you

     I signed the paper as directed and the lawyer took it away with
     him The singular incident made as you may think the deepest
     impression upon me and I pondered over it and turned it every way in
     my mind without being able to make anything of it Yet I could not
     shake off the vague feeling of dread which it left behind though the
     sensation grew less keen as the weeks passed and nothing happened to
     disturb the usual routine of our lives I could see a change in my
     uncle however He drank more than ever and he was less inclined for
     any sort of society Most of his time he would spend in his room
     with the door locked upon the inside but sometimes he would emerge
     in a sort of drunken frenzy and would burst out of the house and tear
     about the garden with a revolver in his hand screaming out that he
     was afraid of no man and that he was not to be cooped up like a
     sheep in a pen by man or devil When these hot fits were over
     however he would rush tumultuously in at the door and lock and bar
     it behind him like a man who can brazen it out no longer against the
     terror which lies at the roots of his soul At such times I have seen
     his face even on a cold day glisten with moisture as though it
     were new raised from a basin

     Well to come to an end of the matter Mr Holmes and not to abuse
     your patience there came a night when he made one of those drunken
     sallies from which he never came back We found him when we went to
     search for him face downward in a little greenscummed pool which
     lay at the foot of the garden There was no sign of any violence and
     the water was but two feet deep so that the jury having regard to
     his known eccentricity brought in a verdict of suicide But I who
     knew how he winced from the very thought of death had much ado to
     persuade myself that he had gone out of his way to meet it The
     matter passed however and my father entered into possession of the
     estate and of some  which lay to his credit at the bank

     One moment Holmes interposed your statement is I foresee one
     of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened Let me have the
     date of the reception by your uncle of the letter and the date of
     his supposed suicide

     The letter arrived on March   His death was seven weeks
     later upon the night of May nd

     Thank you Pray proceed

     When my father took over the Horsham property he at my request
     made a careful examination of the attic which had been always locked
     up We found the brass box there although its contents had been
     destroyed On the inside of the cover was a paper label with the
     initials of K K K repeated upon it and Letters memoranda
     receipts and a register written beneath These we presume
     indicated the nature of the papers which had been destroyed by
     Colonel Openshaw For the rest there was nothing of much importance
     in the attic save a great many scattered papers and notebooks
     bearing upon my uncles life in America Some of them were of the war
     time and showed that he had done his duty well and had borne the
     repute of a brave soldier Others were of a date during the
     reconstruction of the Southern states and were mostly concerned with
     politics for he had evidently taken a strong part in opposing the
     carpetbag politicians who had been sent down from the North

     Well it was the beginning of  when my father came to live at
     Horsham and all went as well as possible with us until the January
     of  On the fourth day after the new year I heard my father give a
     sharp cry of surprise as we sat together at the breakfasttable
     There he was sitting with a newly opened envelope in one hand and
     five dried orange pips in the outstretched palm of the other one He
     had always laughed at what he called my cockandbull story about the
     colonel but he looked very scared and puzzled now that the same
     thing had come upon himself

     Why what on earth does this mean John he stammered

     My heart had turned to lead It is K K K said I

     He looked inside the envelope So it is he cried Here are the
     very letters But what is this written above them

     Put the papers on the sundial I read peeping over his shoulder

     What papers What sundial he asked

     The sundial in the garden There is no other said I but the
     papers must be those that are destroyed

     Pooh said he gripping hard at his courage We are in a
     civilised land here and we cant have tomfoolery of this kind Where
     does the thing come from

     From Dundee I answered glancing at the postmark

     Some preposterous practical joke said he What have I to do with
     sundials and papers I shall take no notice of such nonsense

     I should certainly speak to the police I said

     And be laughed at for my pains Nothing of the sort

     Then let me do so

     No I forbid you I wont have a fuss made about such nonsense

     It was in vain to argue with him for he was a very obstinate man I
     went about however with a heart which was full of forebodings

     On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went from
     home to visit an old friend of his Major Freebody who is in command
     of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill I was glad that he should
     go for it seemed to me that he was farther from danger when he was
     away from home In that however I was in error Upon the second day
     of his absence I received a telegram from the major imploring me to
     come at once My father had fallen over one of the deep chalkpits
     which abound in the neighbourhood and was lying senseless with a
     shattered skull I hurried to him but he passed away without having
     ever recovered his consciousness He had as it appears been
     returning from Fareham in the twilight and as the country was
     unknown to him and the chalkpit unfenced the jury had no
     hesitation in bringing in a verdict of death from accidental
     causes Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death
     I was unable to find anything which could suggest the idea of murder
     There were no signs of violence no footmarks no robbery no record
     of strangers having been seen upon the roads And yet I need not tell
     you that my mind was far from at ease and that I was wellnigh
     certain that some foul plot had been woven round him

     In this sinister way I came into my inheritance You will ask me why
     I did not dispose of it I answer because I was well convinced that
     our troubles were in some way dependent upon an incident in my
     uncles life and that the danger would be as pressing in one house
     as in another

     It was in January  that my poor father met his end and two
     years and eight months have elapsed since then During that time I
     have lived happily at Horsham and I had begun to hope that this
     curse had passed away from the family and that it had ended with the
     last generation I had begun to take comfort too soon however
     yesterday morning the blow fell in the very shape in which it had
     come upon my father

     The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope and
     turning to the table he shook out upon it five little dried orange
     pips

     This is the envelope he continued The postmark is
     Londoneastern division Within are the very words which were upon
     my fathers last message K K K and then Put the papers on the
     sundial

     What have you done asked Holmes

     Nothing

     Nothing

     To tell the truthhe sank his face into his thin white handsI
     have felt helpless I have felt like one of those poor rabbits when
     the snake is writhing towards it I seem to be in the grasp of some
     resistless inexorable evil which no foresight and no precautions
     can guard against

     Tut tut cried Sherlock Holmes You must act man or you are
     lost Nothing but energy can save you This is no time for despair

     I have seen the police

     Ah

     But they listened to my story with a smile I am convinced that the
     inspector has formed the opinion that the letters are all practical
     jokes and that the deaths of my relations were really accidents as
     the jury stated and were not to be connected with the warnings

     Holmes shook his clenched hands in the air Incredible imbecility
     he cried

     They have however allowed me a policeman who may remain in the
     house with me

     Has he come with you tonight

     No His orders were to stay in the house

     Again Holmes raved in the air

     Why did you come to me he cried and above all why did you not
     come at once

     I did not know It was only today that I spoke to Major Prendergast
     about my troubles and was advised by him to come to you

     It is really two days since you had the letter We should have acted
     before this You have no further evidence I suppose than that which
     you have placed before usno suggestive detail which might help us

     There is one thing said John Openshaw He rummaged in his coat
     pocket and drawing out a piece of discoloured bluetinted paper
     he laid it out upon the table I have some remembrance said he
     that on the day when my uncle burned the papers I observed that the
     small unburned margins which lay amid the ashes were of this
     particular colour I found this single sheet upon the floor of his
     room and I am inclined to think that it may be one of the papers
     which has perhaps fluttered out from among the others and in that
     way has escaped destruction Beyond the mention of pips I do not see
     that it helps us much I think myself that it is a page from some
     private diary The writing is undoubtedly my uncles

     Holmes moved the lamp and we both bent over the sheet of paper
     which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from a
     book It was headed March  and beneath were the following
     enigmatical notices


     th Hudson came Same old platform
     th Set the pips on McCauley Paramore and John Swain of St
     Augustine
     th McCauley cleared
     th John Swain cleared
     th Visited Paramore All well

     Thank you said Holmes folding up the paper and returning it to
     our visitor And now you must on no account lose another instant We
     cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told me You must get
     home instantly and act

     What shall I do

     There is but one thing to do It must be done at once You must put
     this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brass box which
     you have described You must also put in a note to say that all the
     other papers were burned by your uncle and that this is the only one
     which remains You must assert that in such words as will carry
     conviction with them Having done this you must at once put the box
     out upon the sundial as directed Do you understand

     Entirely

     Do not think of revenge or anything of the sort at present I
     think that we may gain that by means of the law but we have our web
     to weave while theirs is already woven The first consideration is
     to remove the pressing danger which threatens you The second is to
     clear up the mystery and to punish the guilty parties

     I thank you said the young man rising and pulling on his
     overcoat You have given me fresh life and hope I shall certainly
     do as you advise

     Do not lose an instant And above all take care of yourself in the
     meanwhile for I do not think that there can be a doubt that you are
     threatened by a very real and imminent danger How do you go back

     By train from Waterloo

     It is not yet nine The streets will be crowded so I trust that you
     may be in safety And yet you cannot guard yourself too closely

     I am armed

     That is well Tomorrow I shall set to work upon your case

     I shall see you at Horsham then

     No your secret lies in London It is there that I shall seek it

     Then I shall call upon you in a day or in two days with news as to
     the box and the papers I shall take your advice in every
     particular He shook hands with us and took his leave Outside the
     wind still screamed and the rain splashed and pattered against the
     windows This strange wild story seemed to have come to us from amid
     the mad elementsblown in upon us like a sheet of seaweed in a
     galeand now to have been reabsorbed by them once more

     Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence with his head sunk
     forward and his eyes bent upon the red glow of the fire Then he lit
     his pipe and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue
     smokerings as they chased each other up to the ceiling

     I think Watson he remarked at last that of all our cases we
     have had none more fantastic than this

     Save perhaps the Sign of Four

     Well yes Save perhaps that And yet this John Openshaw seems to
     me to be walking amid even greater perils than did the Sholtos

     But have you I asked formed any definite conception as to what
     these perils are

     There can be no question as to their nature he answered

     Then what are they Who is this K K K and why does he pursue
     this unhappy family

     Sherlock Holmes closed his eyes and placed his elbows upon the arms
     of his chair with his fingertips together The ideal reasoner he
     remarked would when he had once been shown a single fact in all
     its bearings deduce from it not only all the chain of events which
     led up to it but also all the results which would follow from it As
     Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation
     of a single bone so the observer who has thoroughly understood one
     link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all
     the other ones both before and after We have not yet grasped the
     results which the reason alone can attain to Problems may be solved
     in the study which have baffled all those who have sought a solution
     by the aid of their senses To carry the art however to its highest
     pitch it is necessary that the reasoner should be able to utilise
     all the facts which have come to his knowledge and this in itself
     implies as you will readily see a possession of all knowledge
     which even in these days of free education and encyclopaedias is a
     somewhat rare accomplishment It is not so impossible however that
     a man should possess all knowledge which is likely to be useful to
     him in his work and this I have endeavoured in my case to do If I
     remember rightly you on one occasion in the early days of our
     friendship defined my limits in a very precise fashion

     Yes I answered laughing It was a singular document Philosophy
     astronomy and politics were marked at zero I remember Botany
     variable geology profound as regards the mudstains from any region
     within fifty miles of town chemistry eccentric anatomy
     unsystematic sensational literature and crime records unique
     violinplayer boxer swordsman lawyer and selfpoisoner by cocaine
     and tobacco Those I think were the main points of my analysis

     Holmes grinned at the last item Well he said I say now as I
     said then that a man should keep his little brainattic stocked with
     all the furniture that he is likely to use and the rest he can put
     away in the lumberroom of his library where he can get it if he
     wants it Now for such a case as the one which has been submitted to
     us tonight we need certainly to muster all our resources Kindly
     hand me down the letter K of the American Encyclopaedia which
     stands upon the shelf beside you Thank you Now let us consider the
     situation and see what may be deduced from it In the first place we
     may start with a strong presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some
     very strong reason for leaving America Men at his time of life do
     not change all their habits and exchange willingly the charming
     climate of Florida for the lonely life of an English provincial town
     His extreme love of solitude in England suggests the idea that he was
     in fear of someone or something so we may assume as a working
     hypothesis that it was fear of someone or something which drove him
     from America As to what it was he feared we can only deduce that by
     considering the formidable letters which were received by himself and
     his successors Did you remark the postmarks of those letters

     The first was from Pondicherry the second from Dundee and the
     third from London

     From East London What do you deduce from that

     They are all seaports That the writer was on board of a ship

     Excellent We have already a clue There can be no doubt that the
     probabilitythe strong probabilityis that the writer was on board
     of a ship And now let us consider another point In the case of
     Pondicherry seven weeks elapsed between the threat and its
     fulfilment in Dundee it was only some three or four days Does that
     suggest anything

     A greater distance to travel

     But the letter had also a greater distance to come

     Then I do not see the point

     There is at least a presumption that the vessel in which the man or
     men are is a sailingship It looks as if they always send their
     singular warning or token before them when starting upon their
     mission You see how quickly the deed followed the sign when it came
     from Dundee If they had come from Pondicherry in a steamer they
     would have arrived almost as soon as their letter But as a matter
     of fact seven weeks elapsed I think that those seven weeks
     represented the difference between the mailboat which brought the
     letter and the sailing vessel which brought the writer

     It is possible

     More than that It is probable And now you see the deadly urgency
     of this new case and why I urged young Openshaw to caution The blow
     has always fallen at the end of the time which it would take the
     senders to travel the distance But this one comes from London and
     therefore we cannot count upon delay

     Good God I cried What can it mean this relentless persecution

     The papers which Openshaw carried are obviously of vital importance
     to the person or persons in the sailingship I think that it is
     quite clear that there must be more than one of them A single man
     could not have carried out two deaths in such a way as to deceive a
     coroners jury There must have been several in it and they must
     have been men of resource and determination Their papers they mean
     to have be the holder of them who it may In this way you see K K
     K ceases to be the initials of an individual and becomes the badge
     of a society

     But of what society

     Have you never said Sherlock Holmes bending forward and sinking
     his voicehave you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan

     I never have

     Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee Here it
     is said he presently

     Ku Klux Klan A name derived from the fanciful resemblance to the
     sound produced by cocking a rifle This terrible secret society was
     formed by some exConfederate soldiers in the Southern states after
     the Civil War and it rapidly formed local branches in different
     parts of the country notably in Tennessee Louisiana the Carolinas
     Georgia and Florida Its power was used for political purposes
     principally for the terrorising of the negro voters and the murdering
     and driving from the country of those who were opposed to its views
     Its outrages were usually preceded by a warning sent to the marked
     man in some fantastic but generally recognised shapea sprig of
     oakleaves in some parts melon seeds or orange pips in others On
     receiving this the victim might either openly abjure his former ways
     or might fly from the country If he braved the matter out death
     would unfailingly come upon him and usually in some strange and
     unforeseen manner So perfect was the organisation of the society
     and so systematic its methods that there is hardly a case upon
     record where any man succeeded in braving it with impunity or in
     which any of its outrages were traced home to the perpetrators For
     some years the organisation flourished in spite of the efforts of the
     United States government and of the better classes of the community
     in the South Eventually in the year  the movement rather
     suddenly collapsed although there have been sporadic outbreaks of
     the same sort since that date

     You will observe said Holmes laying down the volume that the
     sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the
     disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers It may well
     have been cause and effect It is no wonder that he and his family
     have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track You can
     understand that this register and diary may implicate some of the
     first men in the South and that there may be many who will not sleep
     easy at night until it is recovered

     Then the page we have seen

     Is such as we might expect It ran if I remember right sent the
     pips to A B and Cthat is sent the societys warning to them
     Then there are successive entries that A and B cleared or left the
     country and finally that C was visited with I fear a sinister
     result for C Well I think Doctor that we may let some light into
     this dark place and I believe that the only chance young Openshaw
     has in the meantime is to do what I have told him There is nothing
     more to be said or to be done tonight so hand me over my violin and
     let us try to forget for half an hour the miserable weather and the
     still more miserable ways of our fellowmen

     It had cleared in the morning and the sun was shining with a subdued
     brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the great city
     Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came down

     You will excuse me for not waiting for you said he I have I
     foresee a very busy day before me in looking into this case of young
     Openshaws

     What steps will you take I asked

     It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries I
     may have to go down to Horsham after all

     You will not go there first

     No I shall commence with the City Just ring the bell and the maid
     will bring up your coffee

     As I waited I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and
     glanced my eye over it It rested upon a heading which sent a chill
     to my heart

     Holmes I cried you are too late

     Ah said he laying down his cup I feared as much How was it
     done He spoke calmly but I could see that he was deeply moved

     My eye caught the name of Openshaw and the heading Tragedy Near
     Waterloo Bridge Here is the account

     Between nine and ten last night PoliceConstable Cook of the H
     Division on duty near Waterloo Bridge heard a cry for help and a
     splash in the water The night however was extremely dark and
     stormy so that in spite of the help of several passersby it was
     quite impossible to effect a rescue The alarm however was given
     and by the aid of the waterpolice the body was eventually
     recovered It proved to be that of a young gentleman whose name as
     it appears from an envelope which was found in his pocket was John
     Openshaw and whose residence is near Horsham It is conjectured that
     he may have been hurrying down to catch the last train from Waterloo
     Station and that in his haste and the extreme darkness he missed his
     path and walked over the edge of one of the small landingplaces for
     river steamboats The body exhibited no traces of violence and there
     can be no doubt that the deceased had been the victim of an
     unfortunate accident which should have the effect of calling the
     attention of the authorities to the condition of the riverside
     landingstages

     We sat in silence for some minutes Holmes more depressed and shaken
     than I had ever seen him

     That hurts my pride Watson he said at last It is a petty
     feeling no doubt but it hurts my pride It becomes a personal
     matter with me now and if God sends me health I shall set my hand
     upon this gang That he should come to me for help and that I should
     send him away to his death He sprang from his chair and paced
     about the room in uncontrollable agitation with a flush upon his
     sallow cheeks and a nervous clasping and unclasping of his long thin
     hands

     They must be cunning devils he exclaimed at last How could they
     have decoyed him down there The Embankment is not on the direct line
     to the station The bridge no doubt was too crowded even on such a
     night for their purpose Well Watson we shall see who will win in
     the long run I am going out now

     To the police

     No I shall be my own police When I have spun the web they may take
     the flies but not before

     All day I was engaged in my professional work and it was late in the
     evening before I returned to Baker Street Sherlock Holmes had not
     come back yet It was nearly ten oclock before he entered looking
     pale and worn He walked up to the sideboard and tearing a piece
     from the loaf he devoured it voraciously washing it down with a long
     draught of water

     You are hungry I remarked

     Starving It had escaped my memory I have had nothing since
     breakfast

     Nothing

     Not a bite I had no time to think of it

     And how have you succeeded

     Well

     You have a clue

     I have them in the hollow of my hand Young Openshaw shall not long
     remain unavenged Why Watson let us put their own devilish
     trademark upon them It is well thought of

     What do you mean

     He took an orange from the cupboard and tearing it to pieces he
     squeezed out the pips upon the table Of these he took five and
     thrust them into an envelope On the inside of the flap he wrote S
     H for J O Then he sealed it and addressed it to Captain James
     Calhoun Barque Lone Star Savannah Georgia

     That will await him when he enters port said he chuckling It
     may give him a sleepless night He will find it as sure a precursor
     of his fate as Openshaw did before him

     And who is this Captain Calhoun

     The leader of the gang I shall have the others but he first

     How did you trace it then

     He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket all covered with
     dates and names

     I have spent the whole day said he over Lloyds registers and
     files of the old papers following the future career of every vessel
     which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in  There
     were thirtysix ships of fair tonnage which were reported there
     during those months Of these one the Lone Star instantly
     attracted my attention since although it was reported as having
     cleared from London the name is that which is given to one of the
     states of the Union

     Texas I think

     I was not and am not sure which but I knew that the ship must have
     an American origin

     What then

     I searched the Dundee records and when I found that the barque Lone
     Star was there in January  my suspicion became a certainty I
     then inquired as to the vessels which lay at present in the port of
     London

     Yes

     The Lone Star had arrived here last week I went down to the Albert
     Dock and found that she had been taken down the river by the early
     tide this morning homeward bound to Savannah I wired to Gravesend
     and learned that she had passed some time ago and as the wind is
     easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the Goodwins and not
     very far from the Isle of Wight

     What will you do then

     Oh I have my hand upon him He and the two mates are as I learn
     the only nativeborn Americans in the ship The others are Finns and
     Germans I know also that they were all three away from the ship
     last night I had it from the stevedore who has been loading their
     cargo By the time that their sailingship reaches Savannah the
     mailboat will have carried this letter and the cable will have
     informed the police of Savannah that these three gentlemen are badly
     wanted here upon a charge of murder

     There is ever a flaw however in the best laid of human plans and
     the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the orange pips
     which would show them that another as cunning and as resolute as
     themselves was upon their track Very long and very severe were the
     equinoctial gales that year We waited long for news of the Lone Star
     of Savannah but none ever reached us We did at last hear that
     somewhere far out in the Atlantic a shattered sternpost of a boat
     was seen swinging in the trough of a wave with the letters L S
     carved upon it and that is all which we shall ever know of the fate
     of the Lone Star






                          THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP

     Isa Whitney brother of the late Elias Whitney DD Principal of
     the Theological College of St Georges was much addicted to opium
     The habit grew upon him as I understand from some foolish freak
     when he was at college for having read De Quinceys description of
     his dreams and sensations he had drenched his tobacco with laudanum
     in an attempt to produce the same effects He found as so many more
     have done that the practice is easier to attain than to get rid of
     and for many years he continued to be a slave to the drug an object
     of mingled horror and pity to his friends and relatives I can see
     him now with yellow pasty face drooping lids and pinpoint
     pupils all huddled in a chair the wreck and ruin of a noble man

     One nightit was in June there came a ring to my bell about
     the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the clock I
     sat up in my chair and my wife laid her needlework down in her lap
     and made a little face of disappointment

     A patient said she Youll have to go out

     I groaned for I was newly come back from a weary day

     We heard the door open a few hurried words and then quick steps
     upon the linoleum Our own door flew open and a lady clad in some
     darkcoloured stuff with a black veil entered the room

     You will excuse my calling so late she began and then suddenly
     losing her selfcontrol she ran forward threw her arms about my
     wifes neck and sobbed upon her shoulder Oh Im in such trouble
     she cried I do so want a little help

     Why said my wife pulling up her veil it is Kate Whitney  How
     you startled me Kate I had not an idea who you were when you came
     in

     I didnt know what to do so I came straight to you That was
     always the way Folk who were in grief came to my wife like birds to
     a lighthouse

     It was very sweet of you to come Now you must have some wine and
     water and sit here comfortably and tell us all about it Or should
     you rather that I sent James off to bed

     Oh no no I want the doctors advice and help too Its about
     Isa He has not been home for two days I am so frightened about
     him

     It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her husbands
     trouble to me as a doctor to my wife as an old friend and school
     companion We soothed and comforted her by such words as we could
     find Did she know where her husband was Was it possible that we
     could bring him back to her

     It seems that it was She had the surest information that of late he
     had when the fit was on him made use of an opium den in the
     farthest east of the City Hitherto his orgies had always been
     confined to one day and he had come back twitching and shattered
     in the evening But now the spell had been upon him eightandforty
     hours and he lay there doubtless among the dregs of the docks
     breathing in the poison or sleeping off the effects There he was to
     be found she was sure of it at the Bar of Gold in Upper Swandam
     Lane But what was she to do How could she a young and timid woman
     make her way into such a place and pluck her husband out from among
     the ruffians who surrounded him

     There was the case and of course there was but one way out of it
     Might I not escort her to this place And then as a second thought
     why should she come at all I was Isa Whitneys medical adviser and
     as such I had influence over him I could manage it better if I were
     alone I promised her on my word that I would send him home in a cab
     within two hours if he were indeed at the address which she had given
     me And so in ten minutes I had left my armchair and cheery
     sittingroom behind me and was speeding eastward in a hansom on a
     strange errand as it seemed to me at the time though the future
     only could show how strange it was to be

     But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my adventure
     Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the high wharves
     which line the north side of the river to the east of London Bridge
     Between a slopshop and a ginshop approached by a steep flight of
     steps leading down to a black gap like the mouth of a cave I found
     the den of which I was in search Ordering my cab to wait I passed
     down the steps worn hollow in the centre by the ceaseless tread of
     drunken feet and by the light of a flickering oillamp above the
     door I found the latch and made my way into a long low room thick
     and heavy with the brown opium smoke and terraced with wooden
     berths like the forecastle of an emigrant ship

     Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying in
     strange fantastic poses bowed shoulders bent knees heads thrown
     back and chins pointing upward with here and there a dark
     lacklustre eye turned upon the newcomer Out of the black shadows
     there glimmered little red circles of light now bright now faint
     as the burning poison waxed or waned in the bowls of the metal pipes
     The most lay silent but some muttered to themselves and others
     talked together in a strange low monotonous voice their
     conversation coming in gushes and then suddenly tailing off into
     silence each mumbling out his own thoughts and paying little heed to
     the words of his neighbour At the farther end was a small brazier of
     burning charcoal beside which on a threelegged wooden stool there
     sat a tall thin old man with his jaw resting upon his two fists
     and his elbows upon his knees staring into the fire

     As I entered a sallow Malay attendant had hurried up with a pipe for
     me and a supply of the drug beckoning me to an empty berth

     Thank you I have not come to stay said I There is a friend of
     mine here Mr Isa Whitney and I wish to speak with him

     There was a movement and an exclamation from my right and peering
     through the gloom I saw Whitney pale haggard and unkempt staring
     out at me

     My God Its Watson said he He was in a pitiable state of
     reaction with every nerve in a twitter I say Watson what oclock
     is it

     Nearly eleven

     Of what day

     Of Friday June th

     Good heavens I thought it was Wednesday It is Wednesday What
     dyou want to frighten a chap for He sank his face onto his arms
     and began to sob in a high treble key

     I tell you that it is Friday man Your wife has been waiting this
     two days for you You should be ashamed of yourself

     So I am But youve got mixed Watson for I have only been here a
     few hours three pipes four pipesI forget how many But Ill go
     home with you I wouldnt frighten Katepoor little Kate Give me
     your hand Have you a cab

     Yes I have one waiting

     Then I shall go in it But I must owe something Find what I owe
     Watson I am all off colour I can do nothing for myself

     I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of sleepers
     holding my breath to keep out the vile stupefying fumes of the drug
     and looking about for the manager As I passed the tall man who sat
     by the brazier I felt a sudden pluck at my skirt and a low voice
     whispered Walk past me and then look back at me The words fell
     quite distinctly upon my ear I glanced down They could only have
     come from the old man at my side and yet he sat now as absorbed as
     ever very thin very wrinkled bent with age an opium pipe dangling
     down from between his knees as though it had dropped in sheer
     lassitude from his fingers I took two steps forward and looked back
     It took all my selfcontrol to prevent me from breaking out into a
     cry of astonishment He had turned his back so that none could see
     him but I His form had filled out his wrinkles were gone the dull
     eyes had regained their fire and there sitting by the fire and
     grinning at my surprise was none other than Sherlock Holmes He made
     a slight motion to me to approach him and instantly as he turned
     his face half round to the company once more subsided into a
     doddering looselipped senility

     Holmes I whispered what on earth are you doing in this den

     As low as you can he answered I have excellent ears If you
     would have the great kindness to get rid of that sottish friend of
     yours I should be exceedingly glad to have a little talk with you

     I have a cab outside

     Then pray send him home in it You may safely trust him for he
     appears to be too limp to get into any mischief I should recommend
     you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to say that you
     have thrown in your lot with me If you will wait outside I shall be
     with you in five minutes

           It was difficult to refuse any of Sherlock Holmes requests
     for they were always so exceedingly definite and put forward with
     such a quiet air of mastery I felt however that when Whitney was
     once confined in the cab my mission was practically accomplished and
     for the rest I could not wish anything better than to be associated
     with my friend in one of those singular adventures which were the
     normal condition of his existence In a few minutes I had written my
     note paid Whitneys bill led him out to the cab and seen him
     driven through the darkness In a very short time a decrepit figure
     had emerged from the opium den and I was walking down the street
     with Sherlock Holmes For two streets he shuffled along with a bent
     back and an uncertain foot Then glancing quickly round he
     straightened himself out and burst into a hearty fit of laughter

     I suppose Watson said he that you imagine that I have added
     opiumsmoking to cocaine injections and all the other little
     weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical views

     I was certainly surprised to find you there

     But not more so than I to find you

     I came to find a friend

     And I to find an enemy

     An enemy

     Yes one of my natural enemies or shall I say my natural prey
     Briefly Watson I am in the midst of a very remarkable inquiry and
     I have hoped to find a clue in the incoherent ramblings of these
     sots as I have done before now Had I been recognised in that den my
     life would not have been worth an hours purchase for I have used it
     before now for my own purposes and the rascally Lascar who runs it
     has sworn to have vengeance upon me There is a trapdoor at the back
     of that building near the corner of Pauls Wharf which could tell
     some strange tales of what has passed through it upon the moonless
     nights

     What You do not mean bodies

     Ay bodies Watson We should be rich men if we had  for every
     poor devil who has been done to death in that den It is the vilest
     murdertrap on the whole riverside and I fear that Neville St Clair
     has entered it never to leave it more But our trap should be here
     He put his two forefingers between his teeth and whistled shrillya
     signal which was answered by a similar whistle from the distance
     followed shortly by the rattle of wheels and the clink of horses
     hoofs

     Now Watson said Holmes as a tall dogcart dashed up through the
     gloom throwing out two golden tunnels of yellow light from its side
     lanterns Youll come with me wont you

     If I can be of use

     Oh a trusty comrade is always of use and a chronicler still more
     so My room at The Cedars is a doublebedded one

     The Cedars

     Yes that is Mr St Clairs house I am staying there while I
     conduct the inquiry

     Where is it then

     Near Lee in Kent We have a sevenmile drive before us

     But I am all in the dark

     Of course you are Youll know all about it presently Jump up here
     All right John we shall not need you Heres half a crown Look out
     for me tomorrow about eleven Give her her head So long then

     He flicked the horse with his whip and we dashed away through the
     endless succession of sombre and deserted streets which widened
     gradually until we were flying across a broad balustraded bridge
     with the murky river flowing sluggishly beneath us Beyond lay
     another dull wilderness of bricks and mortar its silence broken only
     by the heavy regular footfall of the policeman or the songs and
     shouts of some belated party of revellers A dull wrack was drifting
     slowly across the sky and a star or two twinkled dimly here and
     there through the rifts of the clouds Holmes drove in silence with
     his head sunk upon his breast and the air of a man who is lost in
     thought while I sat beside him curious to learn what this new quest
     might be which seemed to tax his powers so sorely and yet afraid to
     break in upon the current of his thoughts We had driven several
     miles and were beginning to get to the fringe of the belt of
     suburban villas when he shook himself shrugged his shoulders and
     lit up his pipe with the air of a man who has satisfied himself that
     he is acting for the best

     You have a grand gift of silence Watson said he It makes you
     quite invaluable as a companion Pon my word it is a great thing
     for me to have someone to talk to for my own thoughts are not
     overpleasant I was wondering what I should say to this dear little
     woman tonight when she meets me at the door

     You forget that I know nothing about it

     I shall just have time to tell you the facts of the case before we
     get to Lee It seems absurdly simple and yet somehow I can get
     nothing to go upon Theres plenty of thread no doubt but I cant
     get the end of it into my hand Now Ill state the case clearly and
     concisely to you Watson and maybe you can see a spark where all is
     dark to me

     Proceed then

     Some years agoto be definite in May there came to Lee a
     gentleman Neville St Clair by name who appeared to have plenty of
     money He took a large villa laid out the grounds very nicely and
     lived generally in good style By degrees he made friends in the
     neighbourhood and in  he married the daughter of a local brewer
     by whom he now has two children He had no occupation but was
     interested in several companies and went into town as a rule in the
     morning returning by the  from Cannon Street every night Mr
     St Clair is now thirtyseven years of age is a man of temperate
     habits a good husband a very affectionate father and a man who is
     popular with all who know him I may add that his whole debts at the
     present moment as far as we have been able to ascertain amount to
      s while he has  standing to his credit in the Capital and
     Counties Bank There is no reason therefore to think that money
     troubles have been weighing upon his mind

     Last Monday Mr Neville St Clair went into town rather earlier than
     usual remarking before he started that he had two important
     commissions to perform and that he would bring his little boy home a
     box of bricks Now by the merest chance his wife received a
     telegram upon this same Monday very shortly after his departure to
     the effect that a small parcel of considerable value which she had
     been expecting was waiting for her at the offices of the Aberdeen
     Shipping Company Now if you are well up in your London you will
     know that the office of the company is in Fresno Street which
     branches out of Upper Swandam Lane where you found me tonight Mrs
     St Clair had her lunch started for the City did some shopping
     proceeded to the companys office got her packet and found herself
     at exactly  walking through Swandam Lane on her way back to the
     station Have you followed me so far

     It is very clear

     If you remember Monday was an exceedingly hot day and Mrs St
     Clair walked slowly glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab as
     she did not like the neighbourhood in which she found herself While
     she was walking in this way down Swandam Lane she suddenly heard an
     ejaculation or cry and was struck cold to see her husband looking
     down at her and as it seemed to her beckoning to her from a
     secondfloor window The window was open and she distinctly saw his
     face which she describes as being terribly agitated He waved his
     hands frantically to her and then vanished from the window so
     suddenly that it seemed to her that he had been plucked back by some
     irresistible force from behind One singular point which struck her
     quick feminine eye was that although he wore some dark coat such as
     he had started to town in he had on neither collar nor necktie

     Convinced that something was amiss with him she rushed down the
     stepsfor the house was none other than the opium den in which you
     found me tonightand running through the front room she attempted
     to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor At the foot of the
     stairs however she met this Lascar scoundrel of whom I have spoken
     who thrust her back and aided by a Dane who acts as assistant
     there pushed her out into the street Filled with the most maddening
     doubts and fears she rushed down the lane and by rare goodfortune
     met in Fresno Street a number of constables with an inspector all on
     their way to their beat The inspector and two men accompanied her
     back and in spite of the continued resistance of the proprietor
     they made their way to the room in which Mr St Clair had last been
     seen There was no sign of him there In fact in the whole of that
     floor there was no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous
     aspect who it seems made his home there Both he and the Lascar
     stoutly swore that no one else had been in the front room during the
     afternoon So determined was their denial that the inspector was
     staggered and had almost come to believe that Mrs St Clair had
     been deluded when with a cry she sprang at a small deal box which
     lay upon the table and tore the lid from it Out there fell a cascade
     of childrens bricks It was the toy which he had promised to bring
     home

     This discovery and the evident confusion which the cripple showed
     made the inspector realise that the matter was serious The rooms
     were carefully examined and results all pointed to an abominable
     crime The front room was plainly furnished as a sittingroom and led
     into a small bedroom which looked out upon the back of one of the
     wharves Between the wharf and the bedroom window is a narrow strip
     which is dry at low tide but is covered at high tide with at least
     four and a half feet of water The bedroom window was a broad one and
     opened from below On examination traces of blood were to be seen
     upon the windowsill and several scattered drops were visible upon
     the wooden floor of the bedroom Thrust away behind a curtain in the
     front room were all the clothes of Mr Neville St Clair with the
     exception of his coat His boots his socks his hat and his
     watchall were there There were no signs of violence upon any of
     these garments and there were no other traces of Mr Neville St
     Clair Out of the window he must apparently have gone for no other
     exit could be discovered and the ominous bloodstains upon the sill
     gave little promise that he could save himself by swimming for the
     tide was at its very highest at the moment of the tragedy

     And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately implicated
     in the matter The Lascar was known to be a man of the vilest
     antecedents but as by Mrs St Clairs story he was known to have
     been at the foot of the stair within a very few seconds of her
     husbands appearance at the window he could hardly have been more
     than an accessory to the crime His defence was one of absolute
     ignorance and he protested that he had no knowledge as to the doings
     of Hugh Boone his lodger and that he could not account in any way
     for the presence of the missing gentlemans clothes

     So much for the Lascar manager Now for the sinister cripple who
     lives upon the second floor of the opium den and who was certainly
     the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St Clair His
     name is Hugh Boone and his hideous face is one which is familiar to
     every man who goes much to the City He is a professional beggar
     though in order to avoid the police regulations he pretends to a
     small trade in wax vestas Some little distance down Threadneedle
     Street upon the lefthand side there is as you may have remarked
     a small angle in the wall Here it is that this creature takes his
     daily seat crosslegged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap
     and as he is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends
     into the greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him
     I have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of
     making his professional acquaintance and I have been surprised at
     the harvest which he has reaped in a short time His appearance you
     see is so remarkable that no one can pass him without observing him
     A shock of orange hair a pale face disfigured by a horrible scar
     which by its contraction has turned up the outer edge of his upper
     lip a bulldog chin and a pair of very penetrating dark eyes which
     present a singular contrast to the colour of his hair all mark him
     out from amid the common crowd of mendicants and so too does his
     wit for he is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which
     may be thrown at him by the passersby This is the man whom we now
     learn to have been the lodger at the opium den and to have been the
     last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest

     But a cripple said I What could he have done singlehanded
     against a man in the prime of life

     He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp but in other
     respects he appears to be a powerful and wellnurtured man Surely
     your medical experience would tell you Watson that weakness in one
     limb is often compensated for by exceptional strength in the others

     Pray continue your narrative

     Mrs St Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the
     window and she was escorted home in a cab by the police as her
     presence could be of no help to them in their investigations
     Inspector Barton who had charge of the case made a very careful
     examination of the premises but without finding anything which threw
     any light upon the matter One mistake had been made in not arresting
     Boone instantly as he was allowed some few minutes during which he
     might have communicated with his friend the Lascar but this fault
     was soon remedied and he was seized and searched without anything
     being found which could incriminate him There were it is true some
     bloodstains upon his right shirtsleeve but he pointed to his
     ringfinger which had been cut near the nail and explained that the
     bleeding came from there adding that he had been to the window not
     long before and that the stains which had been observed there came
     doubtless from the same source He denied strenuously having ever
     seen Mr Neville St Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes
     in his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police As to Mrs
     St Clairs assertion that she had actually seen her husband at the
     window he declared that she must have been either mad or dreaming
     He was removed loudly protesting to the policestation while the
     inspector remained upon the premises in the hope that the ebbing tide
     might afford some fresh clue

     And it did though they hardly found upon the mudbank what they had
     feared to find It was Neville St Clairs coat and not Neville St
     Clair which lay uncovered as the tide receded And what do you think
     they found in the pockets

     I cannot imagine

     No I dont think you would guess Every pocket stuffed with pennies
     and halfpennies pennies and  halfpennies It was no wonder
     that it had not been swept away by the tide But a human body is a
     different matter There is a fierce eddy between the wharf and the
     house It seemed likely enough that the weighted coat had remained
     when the stripped body had been sucked away into the river

     But I understand that all the other clothes were found in the room
     Would the body be dressed in a coat alone

     No sir but the facts might be met speciously enough Suppose that
     this man Boone had thrust Neville St Clair through the window there
     is no human eye which could have seen the deed What would he do
     then It would of course instantly strike him that he must get rid of
     the telltale garments He would seize the coat then and be in the
     act of throwing it out when it would occur to him that it would swim
     and not sink He has little time for he has heard the scuffle
     downstairs when the wife tried to force her way up and perhaps he
     has already heard from his Lascar confederate that the police are
     hurrying up the street There is not an instant to be lost He rushes
     to some secret hoard where he has accumulated the fruits of his
     beggary and he stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands
     into the pockets to make sure of the coats sinking He throws it
     out and would have done the same with the other garments had not he
     heard the rush of steps below and only just had time to close the
     window when the police appeared

     It certainly sounds feasible

     Well we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a better
     Boone as I have told you was arrested and taken to the station but
     it could not be shown that there had ever before been anything
     against him He had for years been known as a professional beggar
     but his life appeared to have been a very quiet and innocent one
     There the matter stands at present and the questions which have to
     be solvedwhat Neville St Clair was doing in the opium den what
     happened to him when there where is he now and what Hugh Boone had
     to do with his disappearanceare all as far from a solution as ever
     I confess that I cannot recall any case within my experience which
     looked at the first glance so simple and yet which presented such
     difficulties

     While Sherlock Holmes had been detailing this singular series of
     events we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great town
     until the last straggling houses had been left behind and we rattled
     along with a country hedge upon either side of us Just as he
     finished however we drove through two scattered villages where a
     few lights still glimmered in the windows

     We are on the outskirts of Lee said my companion We have touched
     on three English counties in our short drive starting in Middlesex
     passing over an angle of Surrey and ending in Kent See that light
     among the trees That is The Cedars and beside that lamp sits a
     woman whose anxious ears have already I have little doubt caught
     the clink of our horses feet

     But why are you not conducting the case from Baker Street I asked

     Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here Mrs
     St Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal and you may
     rest assured that she will have nothing but a welcome for my friend
     and colleague I hate to meet her Watson when I have no news of her
     husband Here we are Whoa there whoa

     We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its own
     grounds A stableboy had run out to the horses head and springing
     down I followed Holmes up the small winding graveldrive which led
     to the house As we approached the door flew open and a little
     blonde woman stood in the opening clad in some sort of light
     mousseline de soie with a touch of fluffy pink chiffon at her neck
     and wrists She stood with her figure outlined against the flood of
     light one hand upon the door one halfraised in her eagerness her
     body slightly bent her head and face protruded with eager eyes and
     parted lips a standing question

     Well she cried well And then seeing that there were two of
     us she gave a cry of hope which sank into a groan as she saw that my
     companion shook his head and shrugged his shoulders

     No good news

     None

     No bad

     No

     Thank God for that But come in You must be weary for you have had
     a long day

     This is my friend Dr Watson He has been of most vital use to me
     in several of my cases and a lucky chance has made it possible for
     me to bring him out and associate him with this investigation

     I am delighted to see you said she pressing my hand warmly You
     will I am sure forgive anything that may be wanting in our
     arrangements when you consider the blow which has come so suddenly
     upon us

     My dear madam said I I am an old campaigner and if I were not I
     can very well see that no apology is needed If I can be of any
     assistance either to you or to my friend here I shall be indeed
     happy

     Now Mr Sherlock Holmes said the lady as we entered a welllit
     diningroom upon the table of which a cold supper had been laid out
     I should very much like to ask you one or two plain questions to
     which I beg that you will give a plain answer

     Certainly madam

     Do not trouble about my feelings I am not hysterical nor given to
     fainting I simply wish to hear your real real opinion

     Upon what point

     In your heart of hearts do you think that Neville is alive

     Sherlock Holmes seemed to be embarrassed by the question Frankly
     now she repeated standing upon the rug and looking keenly down at
     him as he leaned back in a basketchair

     Frankly then madam I do not

     You think that he is dead

     I do

     Murdered

     I dont say that Perhaps

     And on what day did he meet his death

     On Monday

     Then perhaps Mr Holmes you will be good enough to explain how it
     is that I have received a letter from him today

     Sherlock Holmes sprang out of his chair as if he had been galvanised

     What he roared

     Yes today She stood smiling holding up a little slip of paper
     in the air

     May I see it

     Certainly

     He snatched it from her in his eagerness and smoothing it out upon
     the table he drew over the lamp and examined it intently I had left
     my chair and was gazing at it over his shoulder The envelope was a
     very coarse one and was stamped with the Gravesend postmark and with
     the date of that very day or rather of the day before for it was
     considerably after midnight

     Coarse writing murmured Holmes Surely this is not your husbands
     writing madam

     No but the enclosure is

     I perceive also that whoever addressed the envelope had to go and
     inquire as to the address

     How can you tell that

     The name you see is in perfectly black ink which has dried
     itself The rest is of the greyish colour which shows that
     blottingpaper has been used If it had been written straight off
     and then blotted none would be of a deep black shade This man has
     written the name and there has then been a pause before he wrote the
     address which can only mean that he was not familiar with it It is
     of course a trifle but there is nothing so important as trifles
     Let us now see the letter Ha  there has been an enclosure here

     Yes there was a ring His signetring

     And you are sure that this is your husbands hand

     One of his hands

     One

     His hand when he wrote hurriedly It is very unlike his usual
     writing and yet I know it well

     Dearest do not be frightened All will come well There is a huge
     error which it may take some little time to rectify Wait in
     patience
     Neville

     Written in pencil upon the flyleaf of a book octavo size no
     watermark Hum Posted today in Gravesend by a man with a dirty
     thumb Ha And the flap has been gummed if I am not very much in
     error by a person who had been chewing tobacco And you have no
     doubt that it is your husbands hand madam

     None Neville wrote those words

     And they were posted today at Gravesend Well Mrs St Clair the
     clouds lighten though I should not venture to say that the danger is
     over

     But he must be alive Mr Holmes

     Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent The
     ring after all proves nothing It may have been taken from him

     No no it is it is his very own writing

     Very well It may however have been written on Monday and only
     posted today

     That is possible

     If so much may have happened between

     Oh you must not discourage me Mr Holmes I know that all is well
     with him There is so keen a sympathy between us that I should know
     if evil came upon him On the very day that I saw him last he cut
     himself in the bedroom and yet I in the diningroom rushed upstairs
     instantly with the utmost certainty that something had happened Do
     you think that I would respond to such a trifle and yet be ignorant
     of his death

     I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman may
     be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical reasoner And
     in this letter you certainly have a very strong piece of evidence to
     corroborate your view But if your husband is alive and able to write
     letters why should he remain away from you

     I cannot imagine It is unthinkable

     And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you

     No

     And you were surprised to see him in Swandam Lane

     Very much so

     Was the window open

     Yes

     Then he might have called to you

     He might

     He only as I understand gave an inarticulate cry

     Yes

     A call for help you thought

     Yes He waved his hands

     But it might have been a cry of surprise Astonishment at the
     unexpected sight of you might cause him to throw up his hands

     It is possible

     And you thought he was pulled back

     He disappeared so suddenly

     He might have leaped back You did not see anyone else in the room

     No but this horrible man confessed to having been there and the
     Lascar was at the foot of the stairs

     Quite so Your husband as far as you could see had his ordinary
     clothes on

     But without his collar or tie I distinctly saw his bare throat

     Had he ever spoken of Swandam Lane

     Never

     Had he ever showed any signs of having taken opium

     Never

     Thank you Mrs St Clair Those are the principal points about
     which I wished to be absolutely clear We shall now have a little
     supper and then retire for we may have a very busy day tomorrow

     A large and comfortable doublebedded room had been placed at our
     disposal and I was quickly between the sheets for I was weary after
     my night of adventure Sherlock Holmes was a man however who when
     he had an unsolved problem upon his mind would go for days and even
     for a week without rest turning it over rearranging his facts
     looking at it from every point of view until he had either fathomed
     it or convinced himself that his data were insufficient It was soon
     evident to me that he was now preparing for an allnight sitting He
     took off his coat and waistcoat put on a large blue dressinggown
     and then wandered about the room collecting pillows from his bed and
     cushions from the sofa and armchairs With these he constructed a
     sort of Eastern divan upon which he perched himself crosslegged
     with an ounce of shag tobacco and a box of matches laid out in front
     of him In the dim light of the lamp I saw him sitting there an old
     briar pipe between his lips his eyes fixed vacantly upon the corner
     of the ceiling the blue smoke curling up from him silent
     motionless with the light shining upon his strongset aquiline
     features So he sat as I dropped off to sleep and so he sat when a
     sudden ejaculation caused me to wake up and I found the summer sun
     shining into the apartment The pipe was still between his lips the
     smoke still curled upward and the room was full of a dense tobacco
     haze but nothing remained of the heap of shag which I had seen upon
     the previous night

     Awake Watson he asked

     Yes

     Game for a morning drive

     Certainly

     Then dress No one is stirring yet but I know where the stableboy
     sleeps and we shall soon have the trap out He chuckled to himself
     as he spoke his eyes twinkled and he seemed a different man to the
     sombre thinker of the previous night

     As I dressed I glanced at my watch It was no wonder that no one was
     stirring It was twentyfive minutes past four I had hardly finished
     when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was putting in the
     horse

     I want to test a little theory of mine said he pulling on his
     boots I think Watson that you are now standing in the presence of
     one of the most absolute fools in Europe I deserve to be kicked from
     here to Charing Cross But I think I have the key of the affair now

     And where is it I asked smiling

     In the bathroom he answered Oh yes I am not joking he
     continued seeing my look of incredulity I have just been there
     and I have taken it out and I have got it in this Gladstone bag
     Come on my boy and we shall see whether it will not fit the lock

     We made our way downstairs as quietly as possible and out into the
     bright morning sunshine In the road stood our horse and trap with
     the halfclad stableboy waiting at the head We both sprang in and
     away we dashed down the London Road A few country carts were
     stirring bearing in vegetables to the metropolis but the lines of
     villas on either side were as silent and lifeless as some city in a
     dream

     It has been in some points a singular case said Holmes flicking
     the horse on into a gallop I confess that I have been as blind as a
     mole but it is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at
     all

     In town the earliest risers were just beginning to look sleepily from
     their windows as we drove through the streets of the Surrey side
     Passing down the Waterloo Bridge Road we crossed over the river and
     dashing up Wellington Street wheeled sharply to the right and found
     ourselves in Bow Street Sherlock Holmes was well known to the force
     and the two constables at the door saluted him One of them held the
     horses head while the other led us in

     Who is on duty asked Holmes

     Inspector Bradstreet sir

     Ah Bradstreet how are you A tall stout official had come down
     the stoneflagged passage in a peaked cap and frogged jacket I
     wish to have a quiet word with you Bradstreet Certainly Mr
     Holmes Step into my room here It was a small officelike room
     with a huge ledger upon the table and a telephone projecting from
     the wall The inspector sat down at his desk

     What can I do for you Mr Holmes

     I called about that beggarman Boonethe one who was charged with
     being concerned in the disappearance of Mr Neville St Clair of
     Lee

     Yes He was brought up and remanded for further inquiries

     So I heard You have him here

     In the cells

     Is he quiet

     Oh he gives no trouble But he is a dirty scoundrel

     Dirty

     Yes it is all we can do to make him wash his hands and his face is
     as black as a tinkers Well when once his case has been settled he
     will have a regular prison bath and I think if you saw him you
     would agree with me that he needed it

     I should like to see him very much

     Would you That is easily done Come this way You can leave your
     bag

     No I think that Ill take it

     Very good Come this way if you please He led us down a passage
     opened a barred door passed down a winding stair and brought us to
     a whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each side

     The third on the right is his said the inspector Here it is He
     quietly shot back a panel in the upper part of the door and glanced
     through

     He is asleep said he You can see him very well

     We both put our eyes to the grating The prisoner lay with his face
     towards us in a very deep sleep breathing slowly and heavily He
     was a middlesized man coarsely clad as became his calling with a
     coloured shirt protruding through the rent in his tattered coat He
     was as the inspector had said extremely dirty but the grime which
     covered his face could not conceal its repulsive ugliness A broad
     wheal from an old scar ran right across it from eye to chin and by
     its contraction had turned up one side of the upper lip so that
     three teeth were exposed in a perpetual snarl A shock of very bright
     red hair grew low over his eyes and forehead

     Hes a beauty isnt he said the inspector

     He certainly needs a wash remarked Holmes I had an idea that he
     might and I took the liberty of bringing the tools with me He
     opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke and took out to my
     astonishment a very large bathsponge

     He he You are a funny one chuckled the inspector

     Now if you will have the great goodness to open that door very
     quietly we will soon make him cut a much more respectable figure

     Well I dont know why not said the inspector He doesnt look a
     credit to the Bow Street cells does he He slipped his key into the
     lock and we all very quietly entered the cell The sleeper half
     turned and then settled down once more into a deep slumber Holmes
     stooped to the waterjug moistened his sponge and then rubbed it
     twice vigorously across and down the prisoners face

     Let me introduce you he shouted to Mr Neville St Clair of
     Lee in the county of Kent

     Never in my life have I seen such a sight The mans face peeled off
     under the sponge like the bark from a tree Gone was the coarse brown
     tint Gone too was the horrid scar which had seamed it across and
     the twisted lip which had given the repulsive sneer to the face A
     twitch brought away the tangled red hair and there sitting up in
     his bed was a pale sadfaced refinedlooking man blackhaired and
     smoothskinned rubbing his eyes and staring about him with sleepy
     bewilderment Then suddenly realising the exposure he broke into a
     scream and threw himself down with his face to the pillow

     Great heavens cried the inspector it is indeed the missing
     man I know him from the photograph

     The prisoner turned with the reckless air of a man who abandons
     himself to his destiny Be it so said he And pray what am I
     charged with

     With making away with Mr Neville StOh come you cant be
     charged with that unless they make a case of attempted suicide of
     it said the inspector with a grin Well I have been twentyseven
     years in the force but this really takes the cake

     If I am Mr Neville St Clair then it is obvious that no crime has
     been committed and that therefore I am illegally detained

     No crime but a very great error has been committed said Holmes
     You would have done better to have trusted your wife

     It was not the wife it was the children groaned the prisoner
     God help me I would not have them ashamed of their father My God
     What an exposure What can I do

     Sherlock Holmes sat down beside him on the couch and patted him
     kindly on the shoulder

     If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up said he
     of course you can hardly avoid publicity On the other hand if you
     convince the police authorities that there is no possible case
     against you I do not know that there is any reason that the details
     should find their way into the papers Inspector Bradstreet would I
     am sure make notes upon anything which you might tell us and submit
     it to the proper authorities The case would then never go into court
     at all

     God bless you cried the prisoner passionately I would have
     endured imprisonment ay even execution rather than have left my
     miserable secret as a family blot to my children

     You are the first who have ever heard my story My father was a
     schoolmaster in Chesterfield where I received an excellent
     education I travelled in my youth took to the stage and finally
     became a reporter on an evening paper in London One day my editor
     wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the metropolis
     and I volunteered to supply them There was the point from which all
     my adventures started It was only by trying begging as an amateur
     that I could get the facts upon which to base my articles When an
     actor I had of course learned all the secrets of making up and had
     been famous in the greenroom for my skill I took advantage now of
     my attainments I painted my face and to make myself as pitiable as
     possible I made a good scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist
     by the aid of a small slip of fleshcoloured plaster Then with a red
     head of hair and an appropriate dress I took my station in the
     business part of the city ostensibly as a matchseller but really as
     a beggar For seven hours I plied my trade and when I returned home
     in the evening I found to my surprise that I had received no less
     than s d

     I wrote my articles and thought little more of the matter until
     some time later I backed a bill for a friend and had a writ served
     upon me for  I was at my wits end where to get the money but a
     sudden idea came to me I begged a fortnights grace from the
     creditor asked for a holiday from my employers and spent the time
     in begging in the City under my disguise In ten days I had the money
     and had paid the debt

     Well you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous work
     at  a week when I knew that I could earn as much in a day by
     smearing my face with a little paint laying my cap on the ground
     and sitting still It was a long fight between my pride and the
     money but the dollars won at last and I threw up reporting and sat
     day after day in the corner which I had first chosen inspiring pity
     by my ghastly face and filling my pockets with coppers Only one man
     knew my secret He was the keeper of a low den in which I used to
     lodge in Swandam Lane where I could every morning emerge as a
     squalid beggar and in the evenings transform myself into a
     welldressed man about town This fellow a Lascar was well paid by
     me for his rooms so that I knew that my secret was safe in his
     possession

     Well very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of
     money I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London could
     earn  a yearwhich is less than my average takingsbut I had
     exceptional advantages in my power of making up and also in a
     facility of repartee which improved by practice and made me quite a
     recognised character in the City All day a stream of pennies varied
     by silver poured in upon me and it was a very bad day in which I
     failed to take Â

     As I grew richer I grew more ambitious took a house in the country
     and eventually married without anyone having a suspicion as to my
     real occupation My dear wife knew that I had business in the City
     She little knew what

     Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my room
     above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw to my
     horror and astonishment that my wife was standing in the street
     with her eyes fixed full upon me I gave a cry of surprise threw up
     my arms to cover my face and rushing to my confidant the Lascar
     entreated him to prevent anyone from coming up to me I heard her
     voice downstairs but I knew that she could not ascend Swiftly I
     threw off my clothes pulled on those of a beggar and put on my
     pigments and wig Even a wifes eyes could not pierce so complete a
     disguise But then it occurred to me that there might be a search in
     the room and that the clothes might betray me I threw open the
     window reopening by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted
     upon myself in the bedroom that morning Then I seized my coat which
     was weighted by the coppers which I had just transferred to it from
     the leather bag in which I carried my takings I hurled it out of the
     window and it disappeared into the Thames The other clothes would
     have followed but at that moment there was a rush of constables up
     the stair and a few minutes after I found rather I confess to my
     relief that instead of being identified as Mr Neville St Clair I
     was arrested as his murderer

     I do not know that there is anything else for me to explain I was
     determined to preserve my disguise as long as possible and hence my
     preference for a dirty face Knowing that my wife would be terribly
     anxious I slipped off my ring and confided it to the Lascar at a
     moment when no constable was watching me together with a hurried
     scrawl telling her that she had no cause to fear

     That note only reached her yesterday said Holmes

     Good God What a week she must have spent

     The police have watched this Lascar said Inspector Bradstreet
     and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to post a
     letter unobserved Probably he handed it to some sailor customer of
     his who forgot all about it for some days

     That was it said Holmes nodding approvingly I have no doubt of
     it But have you never been prosecuted for begging

     Many times but what was a fine to me

     It must stop here however said Bradstreet If the police are to
     hush this thing up there must be no more of Hugh Boone

     I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take

     In that case I think that it is probable that no further steps may
     be taken But if you are found again then all must come out I am
     sure Mr Holmes that we are very much indebted to you for having
     cleared the matter up I wish I knew how you reach your results

     I reached this one said my friend by sitting upon five pillows
     and consuming an ounce of shag I think Watson that if we drive to
     Baker Street we shall just be in time for breakfast






                       THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE

     I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second morning
     after Christmas with the intention of wishing him the compliments of
     the season He was lounging upon the sofa in a purple dressinggown
     a piperack within his reach upon the right and a pile of crumpled
     morning papers evidently newly studied near at hand Beside the
     couch was a wooden chair and on the angle of the back hung a very
     seedy and disreputable hardfelt hat much the worse for wear and
     cracked in several places A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat
     of the chair suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner
     for the purpose of examination

     You are engaged said I perhaps I interrupt you

     Not at all I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss my
     results The matter is a perfectly trivial onehe jerked his thumb
     in the direction of the old hatbut there are points in connection
     with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and even of
     instruction

     I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his
     crackling fire for a sharp frost had set in and the windows were
     thick with the ice crystals I suppose I remarked that homely
     as it looks this thing has some deadly story linked on to itthat
     it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of some mystery
     and the punishment of some crime

     No no No crime said Sherlock Holmes laughing Only one of
     those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have four
     million human beings all jostling each other within the space of a
     few square miles Amid the action and reaction of so dense a swarm of
     humanity every possible combination of events may be expected to
     take place and many a little problem will be presented which may be
     striking and bizarre without being criminal We have already had
     experience of such

     So much so I remarked that of the last six cases which I have
     added to my notes three have been entirely free of any legal crime

     Precisely You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler
     papers to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland and to the
     adventure of the man with the twisted lip Well I have no doubt that
     this small matter will fall into the same innocent category You know
     Peterson the commissionaire 

     Yes

     It is to him that this trophy belongs

     It is his hat

     No no he found it Its owner is unknown I beg that you will look
     upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual problem
     And first as to how it came here It arrived upon Christmas
     morning in company with a good fat goose which is I have no doubt
     roasting at this moment in front of Petersons fire The facts are
     these about four oclock on Christmas morning Peterson who as you
     know is a very honest fellow was returning from some small
     jollification and was making his way homeward down Tottenham Court
     Road In front of him he saw in the gaslight a tallish man walking
     with a slight stagger and carrying a white goose slung over his
     shoulder As he reached the corner of Goodge Street a row broke out
     between this stranger and a little knot of roughs One of the latter
     knocked off the mans hat on which he raised his stick to defend
     himself and swinging it over his head smashed the shop window
     behind him Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from
     his assailants but the man shocked at having broken the window and
     seeing an officiallooking person in uniform rushing towards him
     dropped his goose took to his heels and vanished amid the labyrinth
     of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham Court Road The
     roughs had also fled at the appearance of Peterson so that he was
     left in possession of the field of battle and also of the spoils of
     victory in the shape of this battered hat and a most unimpeachable
     Christmas goose

     Which surely he restored to their owner

     My dear fellow there lies the problem It is true that For Mrs
     Henry Baker was printed upon a small card which was tied to the
     birds left leg and it is also true that the initials H B are
     legible upon the lining of this hat but as there are some thousands
     of Bakers and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in this city of ours it
     is not easy to restore lost property to any one of them

     What then did Peterson do

     He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning
     knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest to me The
     goose we retained until this morning when there were signs that in
     spite of the slight frost it would be well that it should be eaten
     without unnecessary delay Its finder has carried it off therefore
     to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose while I continue to retain
     the hat of the unknown gentleman who lost his Christmas dinner

     Did he not advertise

     No

     Then what clue could you have as to his identity

     Only as much as we can deduce

     From his hat

     Precisely

     But you are joking What can you gather from this old battered
     felt

     Here is my lens You know my methods What can you gather yourself
     as to the individuality of the man who has worn this article

     I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather
     ruefully It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round shape
     hard and much the worse for wear The lining had been of red silk
     but was a good deal discoloured There was no makers name but as
     Holmes had remarked the initials H B were scrawled upon one
     side It was pierced in the brim for a hatsecurer but the elastic
     was missing For the rest it was cracked exceedingly dusty and
     spotted in several places although there seemed to have been some
     attempt to hide the discoloured patches by smearing them with ink

     I can see nothing said I handing it back to my friend

     On the contrary Watson you can see everything You fail however
     to reason from what you see You are too timid in drawing your
     inferences

     Then pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat

     He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion
     which was characteristic of him It is perhaps less suggestive than
     it might have been he remarked and yet there are a few inferences
     which are very distinct and a few others which represent at least a
     strong balance of probability That the man was highly intellectual
     is of course obvious upon the face of it and also that he was fairly
     welltodo within the last three years although he has now fallen
     upon evil days He had foresight but has less now than formerly
     pointing to a moral retrogression which when taken with the decline
     of his fortunes seems to indicate some evil influence probably
     drink at work upon him This may account also for the obvious fact
     that his wife has ceased to love him

     My dear Holmes

     He has however retained some degree of selfrespect he
     continued disregarding my remonstrance He is a man who leads a
     sedentary life goes out little is out of training entirely is
     middleaged has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the last
     few days and which he anoints with limecream These are the more
     patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat Also by the way
     that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid on in his
     house

     You are certainly joking Holmes

     Not in the least Is it possible that even now when I give you
     these results you are unable to see how they are attained

     I have no doubt that I am very stupid but I must confess that I am
     unable to follow you For example how did you deduce that this man
     was intellectual

     For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head It came right over
     the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose It is a
     question of cubic capacity said he a man with so large a brain
     must have something in it

     The decline of his fortunes then

     This hat is three years old These flat brims curled at the edge
     came in then It is a hat of the very best quality Look at the band
     of ribbed silk and the excellent lining If this man could afford to
     buy so expensive a hat three years ago and has had no hat since
     then he has assuredly gone down in the world

     Well that is clear enough certainly But how about the foresight
     and the moral retrogression

     Sherlock Holmes laughed Here is the foresight said he putting his
     finger upon the little disc and loop of the hatsecurer  They are
     never sold upon hats If this man ordered one it is a sign of a
     certain amount of foresight since he went out of his way to take
     this precaution against the wind But since we see that he has broken
     the elastic and has not troubled to replace it it is obvious that he
     has less foresight now than formerly which is a distinct proof of a
     weakening nature On the other hand he has endeavoured to conceal
     some of these stains upon the felt by daubing them with ink which is
     a sign that he has not entirely lost his selfrespect

     Your reasoning is certainly plausible

     The further points that he is middleaged that his hair is
     grizzled that it has been recently cut and that he uses limecream
     are all to be gathered from a close examination of the lower part of
     the lining The lens discloses a large number of hairends clean cut
     by the scissors of the barber They all appear to be adhesive and
     there is a distinct odour of limecream This dust you will observe
     is not the gritty grey dust of the street but the fluffy brown dust
     of the house showing that it has been hung up indoors most of the
     time while the marks of moisture upon the inside are proof positive
     that the wearer perspired very freely and could therefore hardly be
     in the best of training

     But his wifeyou said that she had ceased to love him

     This hat has not been brushed for weeks When I see you my dear
     Watson with a weeks accumulation of dust upon your hat and when
     your wife allows you to go out in such a state I shall fear that you
     also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wifes affection

     But he might be a bachelor

     Nay he was bringing home the goose as a peaceoffering to his wife
     Remember the card upon the birds leg

     You have an answer to everything But how on earth do you deduce
     that the gas is not laid on in his house

     One tallow stain or even two might come by chance but when I see
     no less than five I think that there can be little doubt that the
     individual must be brought into frequent contact with burning
     tallowwalks upstairs at night probably with his hat in one hand and
     a guttering candle in the other Anyhow he never got tallowstains
     from a gasjet Are you satisfied

     Well it is very ingenious said I laughing but since as you
     said just now there has been no crime committed and no harm done
     save the loss of a goose all this seems to be rather a waste of
     energy

     Sherlock Holmes had opened his mouth to reply when the door flew
     open and Peterson the commissionaire rushed into the apartment
     with flushed cheeks and the face of a man who is dazed with
     astonishment

     The goose Mr Holmes The goose sir he gasped

     Eh What of it then Has it returned to life and flapped off
     through the kitchen window Holmes twisted himself round upon the
     sofa to get a fairer view of the mans excited face

     See here sir See what my wife found in its crop He held out his
     hand and displayed upon the centre of the palm a brilliantly
     scintillating blue stone rather smaller than a bean in size but of
     such purity and radiance that it twinkled like an electric point in
     the dark hollow of his hand

     Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle By Jove Peterson said he
     this is treasure trove indeed I suppose you know what you have
     got

     A diamond sir A precious stone It cuts into glass as though it
     were putty

     Its more than a precious stone It is the precious stone

     Not the Countess of Morcars blue carbuncle I ejaculated

     Precisely so I ought to know its size and shape seeing that I have
     read the advertisement about it in The Times every day lately It is
     absolutely unique and its value can only be conjectured but the
     reward offered of  is certainly not within a twentieth part of
     the market price

     A thousand pounds Great Lord of mercy The commissionaire plumped
     down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us

     That is the reward and I have reason to know that there are
     sentimental considerations in the background which would induce the
     Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but recover the
     gem

     It was lost if I remember aright at the Hotel Cosmopolitan I
     remarked

     Precisely so on December nd just five days ago John Horner a
     plumber was accused of having abstracted it from the ladys
     jewelcase The evidence against him was so strong that the case has
     been referred to the Assizes I have some account of the matter here
     I believe He rummaged amid his newspapers glancing over the dates
     until at last he smoothed one out doubled it over and read the
     following paragraph

     Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery John Horner  plumber was
     brought up upon the charge of having upon the nd inst abstracted
     from the jewelcase of the Countess of Morcar the valuable gem known
     as the blue carbuncle James Ryder upperattendant at the hotel
     gave his evidence to the effect that he had shown Horner up to the
     dressingroom of the Countess of Morcar upon the day of the robbery
     in order that he might solder the second bar of the grate which was
     loose He had remained with Horner some little time but had finally
     been called away On returning he found that Horner had disappeared
     that the bureau had been forced open and that the small morocco
     casket in which as it afterwards transpired the Countess was
     accustomed to keep her jewel was lying empty upon the
     dressingtable Ryder instantly gave the alarm and Horner was
     arrested the same evening but the stone could not be found either
     upon his person or in his rooms Catherine Cusack maid to the
     Countess deposed to having heard Ryders cry of dismay on
     discovering the robbery and to having rushed into the room where
     she found matters as described by the last witness Inspector
     Bradstreet B division gave evidence as to the arrest of Horner who
     struggled frantically and protested his innocence in the strongest
     terms Evidence of a previous conviction for robbery having been
     given against the prisoner the magistrate refused to deal summarily
     with the offence but referred it to the Assizes Horner who had
     shown signs of intense emotion during the proceedings fainted away
     at the conclusion and was carried out of court

     Hum So much for the policecourt said Holmes thoughtfully
     tossing aside the paper The question for us now to solve is the
     sequence of events leading from a rifled jewelcase at one end to the
     crop of a goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other You see
     Watson our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much more
     important and less innocent aspect Here is the stone the stone came
     from the goose and the goose came from Mr Henry Baker the
     gentleman with the bad hat and all the other characteristics with
     which I have bored you So now we must set ourselves very seriously
     to finding this gentleman and ascertaining what part he has played in
     this little mystery To do this we must try the simplest means
     first and these lie undoubtedly in an advertisement in all the
     evening papers If this fail I shall have recourse to other
     methods

     What will you say

     Give me a pencil and that slip of paper Now then Found at the
     corner of Goodge Street a goose and a black felt hat Mr Henry
     Baker can have the same by applying at  this evening at b
     Baker Street That is clear and concise

     Very But will he see it

     Well he is sure to keep an eye on the papers since to a poor man
     the loss was a heavy one He was clearly so scared by his mischance
     in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson that he
     thought of nothing but flight but since then he must have bitterly
     regretted the impulse which caused him to drop his bird Then again
     the introduction of his name will cause him to see it for everyone
     who knows him will direct his attention to it Here you are
     Peterson run down to the advertising agency and have this put in the
     evening papers

     In which sir

     Oh in the Globe Star Pall Mall St Jamess Evening News
     Standard Echo and any others that occur to you

     Very well sir And this stone

     Ah yes I shall keep the stone Thank you And I say Peterson
     just buy a goose on your way back and leave it here with me for we
     must have one to give to this gentleman in place of the one which
     your family is now devouring

     When the commissionaire had gone Holmes took up the stone and held
     it against the light Its a bonny thing said he Just see how it
     glints and sparkles Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime
     Every good stone is They are the devils pet baits In the larger
     and older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed This stone
     is not yet twenty years old It was found in the banks of the Amoy
     River in southern China and is remarkable in having every
     characteristic of the carbuncle save that it is blue in shade
     instead of ruby red In spite of its youth it has already a sinister
     history There have been two murders a vitriolthrowing a suicide
     and several robberies brought about for the sake of this fortygrain
     weight of crystallised charcoal Who would think that so pretty a toy
     would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison Ill lock it up in
     my strong box now and drop a line to the Countess to say that we have
     it

     Do you think that this man Horner is innocent

     I cannot tell

     Well then do you imagine that this other one Henry Baker had
     anything to do with the matter

     It is I think much more likely that Henry Baker is an absolutely
     innocent man who had no idea that the bird which he was carrying was
     of considerably more value than if it were made of solid gold That
     however I shall determine by a very simple test if we have an answer
     to our advertisement

     And you can do nothing until then

     Nothing

     In that case I shall continue my professional round But I shall
     come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned for I should
     like to see the solution of so tangled a business

     Very glad to see you I dine at seven There is a woodcock I
     believe By the way in view of recent occurrences perhaps I ought
     to ask Mrs Hudson to examine its crop

     I had been delayed at a case and it was a little after halfpast six
     when I found myself in Baker Street once more As I approached the
     house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a coat which was
     buttoned up to his chin waiting outside in the bright semicircle
     which was thrown from the fanlight Just as I arrived the door was
     opened and we were shown up together to Holmes room

     Mr Henry Baker I believe said he rising from his armchair and
     greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which he could so
     readily assume Pray take this chair by the fire Mr Baker It is a
     cold night and I observe that your circulation is more adapted for
     summer than for winter Ah Watson you have just come at the right
     time Is that your hat Mr Baker

     Yes sir that is undoubtedly my hat

     He was a large man with rounded shoulders a massive head and a
     broad intelligent face sloping down to a pointed beard of grizzled
     brown A touch of red in nose and cheeks with a slight tremor of his
     extended hand recalled Holmes surmise as to his habits His rusty
     black frockcoat was buttoned right up in front with the collar
     turned up and his lank wrists protruded from his sleeves without a
     sign of cuff or shirt He spoke in a slow staccato fashion choosing
     his words with care and gave the impression generally of a man of
     learning and letters who had had illusage at the hands of fortune

     We have retained these things for some days said Holmes because
     we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your address I
     am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise

     Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh Shillings have not been
     so plentiful with me as they once were he remarked I had no doubt
     that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off both my hat
     and the bird I did not care to spend more money in a hopeless
     attempt at recovering them

     Very naturally By the way about the bird we were compelled to eat
     it

     To eat it Our visitor half rose from his chair in his excitement

     Yes it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so But
     I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard which is about
     the same weight and perfectly fresh will answer your purpose equally
     well

     Oh certainly certainly answered Mr Baker with a sigh of relief

     Of course we still have the feathers legs crop and so on of your
     own bird so if you wish

     The man burst into a hearty laugh They might be useful to me as
     relics of my adventure said he but beyond that I can hardly see
     what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are going to be
     to me No sir I think that with your permission I will confine my
     attentions to the excellent bird which I perceive upon the
     sideboard

     Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug of
     his shoulders

     There is your hat then and there your bird said he By the way
     would it bore you to tell me where you got the other one from I am
     somewhat of a fowl fancier and I have seldom seen a better grown
     goose

     Certainly sir said Baker who had risen and tucked his newly
     gained property under his arm There are a few of us who frequent
     the Alpha Inn near the Museumwe are to be found in the Museum
     itself during the day you understand This year our good host
     Windigate by name instituted a goose club by which on
     consideration of some few pence every week we were each to receive a
     bird at Christmas My pence were duly paid and the rest is familiar
     to you I am much indebted to you sir for a Scotch bonnet is fitted
     neither to my years nor my gravity With a comical pomposity of
     manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and strode off upon his way

     So much for Mr Henry Baker said Holmes when he had closed the
     door behind him It is quite certain that he knows nothing whatever
     about the matter Are you hungry Watson

     Not particularly

     Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and follow up
     this clue while it is still hot

     By all means

     It was a bitter night so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped cravats
     about our throats Outside the stars were shining coldly in a
     cloudless sky and the breath of the passersby blew out into smoke
     like so many pistol shots Our footfalls rang out crisply and loudly
     as we swung through the doctors quarter Wimpole Street Harley
     Street and so through Wigmore Street into Oxford Street In a
     quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at the Alpha Inn which is a
     small publichouse at the corner of one of the streets which runs
     down into Holborn Holmes pushed open the door of the private bar and
     ordered two glasses of beer from the ruddyfaced whiteaproned
     landlord

     Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your geese said
     he

     My geese The man seemed surprised

     Yes I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr Henry Baker who
     was a member of your goose club

     Ah yes I see But you see sir thems not our geese

     Indeed Whose then

     Well I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden

     Indeed I know some of them Which was it

     Breckinridge is his name

     Ah I dont know him Well heres your good health landlord and
     prosperity to your house Goodnight

     Now for Mr Breckinridge he continued buttoning up his coat as we
     came out into the frosty air Remember Watson that though we have
     so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain we have at the
     other a man who will certainly get seven years penal servitude
     unless we can establish his innocence It is possible that our
     inquiry may but confirm his guilt but in any case we have a line
     of investigation which has been missed by the police and which a
     singular chance has placed in our hands Let us follow it out to the
     bitter end Faces to the south then and quick march

     We passed across Holborn down Endell Street and so through a zigzag
     of slums to Covent Garden Market One of the largest stalls bore the
     name of Breckinridge upon it and the proprietor a horseylooking
     man with a sharp face and trim sidewhiskers was helping a boy to
     put up the shutters

     Goodevening Its a cold night said Holmes

     The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my companion

     Sold out of geese I see continued Holmes pointing at the bare
     slabs of marble

     Let you have five hundred tomorrow morning

     Thats no good

     Well there are some on the stall with the gasflare

     Ah but I was recommended to you

     Who by

     The landlord of the Alpha

     Oh yes I sent him a couple of dozen

     Fine birds they were too Now where did you get them from

     To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the
     salesman

     Now then mister said he with his head cocked and his arms
     akimbo what are you driving at Lets have it straight now

     It is straight enough I should like to know who sold you the geese
     which you supplied to the Alpha

     Well then I shant tell you So now

     Oh it is a matter of no importance but I dont know why you should
     be so warm over such a trifle

     Warm Youd be as warm maybe if you were as pestered as I am When
     I pay good money for a good article there should be an end of the
     business but its Where are the geese and Who did you sell the
     geese to and What will you take for the geese One would think
     they were the only geese in the world to hear the fuss that is made
     over them

     Well I have no connection with any other people who have been
     making inquiries said Holmes carelessly If you wont tell us the
     bet is off that is all But Im always ready to back my opinion on a
     matter of fowls and I have a fiver on it that the bird I ate is
     country bred

     Well then youve lost your fiver for its town bred snapped the
     salesman

     Its nothing of the kind

     I say it is

     I dont believe it

     Dyou think you know more about fowls than I who have handled them
     ever since I was a nipper I tell you all those birds that went to
     the Alpha were town bred

     Youll never persuade me to believe that

     Will you bet then

     Its merely taking your money for I know that I am right But Ill
     have a sovereign on with you just to teach you not to be obstinate

     The salesman chuckled grimly Bring me the books Bill said he

     The small boy brought round a small thin volume and a great
     greasybacked one laying them out together beneath the hanging lamp

     Now then Mr Cocksure said the salesman I thought that I was
     out of geese but before I finish youll find that there is still one
     left in my shop You see this little book

     Well

     Thats the list of the folk from whom I buy Dyou see Well then
     here on this page are the country folk and the numbers after their
     names are where their accounts are in the big ledger Now then You
     see this other page in red ink Well that is a list of my town
     suppliers Now look at that third name Just read it out to me

     Mrs Oakshott  Brixton Road read Holmes

     Quite so Now turn that up in the ledger

     Holmes turned to the page indicated Here you are Mrs Oakshott
      Brixton Road egg and poultry supplier

     Now then whats the last entry

     December nd Twentyfour geese at s d

     Quite so There you are And underneath

     Sold to Mr Windigate of the Alpha at s

     What have you to say now

     Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined He drew a sovereign from his
     pocket and threw it down upon the slab turning away with the air of
     a man whose disgust is too deep for words A few yards off he stopped
     under a lamppost and laughed in the hearty noiseless fashion which
     was peculiar to him

     When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the Pink un
     protruding out of his pocket you can always draw him by a bet said
     he I daresay that if I had put  down in front of him that man
     would not have given me such complete information as was drawn from
     him by the idea that he was doing me on a wager Well Watson we
     are I fancy nearing the end of our quest and the only point which
     remains to be determined is whether we should go on to this Mrs
     Oakshott tonight or whether we should reserve it for tomorrow It
     is clear from what that surly fellow said that there are others
     besides ourselves who are anxious about the matter and I should

     His remarks were suddenly cut short by a loud hubbub which broke out
     from the stall which we had just left Turning round we saw a little
     ratfaced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of yellow light
     which was thrown by the swinging lamp while Breckinridge the
     salesman framed in the door of his stall was shaking his fists
     fiercely at the cringing figure

     Ive had enough of you and your geese he shouted I wish you were
     all at the devil together If you come pestering me any more with
     your silly talk Ill set the dog at you You bring Mrs Oakshott here
     and Ill answer her but what have you to do with it Did I buy the
     geese off you

     No but one of them was mine all the same whined the little man

     Well then ask Mrs Oakshott for it

     She told me to ask you

     Well you can ask the King of Proosia for all I care Ive had
     enough of it Get out of this He rushed fiercely forward and the
     inquirer flitted away into the darkness

     Ha this may save us a visit to Brixton Road whispered Holmes
     Come with me and we will see what is to be made of this fellow
     Striding through the scattered knots of people who lounged round the
     flaring stalls my companion speedily overtook the little man and
     touched him upon the shoulder He sprang round and I could see in
     the gaslight that every vestige of colour had been driven from his
     face

     Who are you then What do you want he asked in a quavering voice

     You will excuse me said Holmes blandly but I could not help
     overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now I
     think that I could be of assistance to you

     You Who are you How could you know anything of the matter

     My name is Sherlock Holmes It is my business to know what other
     people dont know

     But you can know nothing of this

     Excuse me I know everything of it You are endeavouring to trace
     some geese which were sold by Mrs Oakshott of Brixton Road to a
     salesman named Breckinridge by him in turn to Mr Windigate of the
     Alpha and by him to his club of which Mr Henry Baker is a member

     Oh sir you are the very man whom I have longed to meet cried the
     little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering fingers I can
     hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter

     Sherlock Holmes hailed a fourwheeler which was passing In that
     case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this
     windswept marketplace said he But pray tell me before we go
     farther who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting

     The man hesitated for an instant My name is John Robinson he
     answered with a sidelong glance

     No no the real name said Holmes sweetly It is always awkward
     doing business with an alias

     A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger Well then said
     he my real name is James Ryder

     Precisely so Head attendant at the Hotel Cosmopolitan Pray step
     into the cab and I shall soon be able to tell you everything which
     you would wish to know

     The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with
     halffrightened halfhopeful eyes as one who is not sure whether he
     is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe Then he stepped
     into the cab and in half an hour we were back in the sittingroom at
     Baker Street Nothing had been said during our drive but the high
     thin breathing of our new companion and the claspings and
     unclaspings of his hands spoke of the nervous tension within him

     Here we are said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room The
     fire looks very seasonable in this weather You look cold Mr Ryder
     Pray take the basketchair I will just put on my slippers before we
     settle this little matter of yours Now then You want to know what
     became of those geese

     Yes sir

     Or rather I fancy of that goose It was one bird I imagine in
     which you were interestedwhite with a black bar across the tail

     Ryder quivered with emotion Oh sir he cried can you tell me
     where it went to

     It came here

     Here

     Yes and a most remarkable bird it proved I dont wonder that you
     should take an interest in it It laid an egg after it was deadthe
     bonniest brightest little blue egg that ever was seen I have it
     here in my museum

     Our visitor staggered to his feet and clutched the mantelpiece with
     his right hand Holmes unlocked his strongbox and held up the blue
     carbuncle which shone out like a star with a cold brilliant
     manypointed radiance Ryder stood glaring with a drawn face
     uncertain whether to claim or to disown it

     The games up Ryder said Holmes quietly Hold up man or youll
     be into the fire Give him an arm back into his chair Watson Hes
     not got blood enough to go in for felony with impunity Give him a
     dash of brandy So Now he looks a little more human What a shrimp
     it is to be sure

     For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen but the brandy
     brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks and he sat staring with
     frightened eyes at his accuser

     I have almost every link in my hands and all the proofs which I
     could possibly need so there is little which you need tell me
     Still that little may as well be cleared up to make the case
     complete You had heard Ryder of this blue stone of the Countess of
     Morcars

     It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it said he in a crackling
     voice

     I seeher ladyships waitingmaid Well the temptation of sudden
     wealth so easily acquired was too much for you as it has been for
     better men before you but you were not very scrupulous in the means
     you used It seems to me Ryder that there is the making of a very
     pretty villain in you You knew that this man Horner the plumber
     had been concerned in some such matter before and that suspicion
     would rest the more readily upon him What did you do then You made
     some small job in my ladys roomyou and your confederate
     Cusackand you managed that he should be the man sent for Then
     when he had left you rifled the jewelcase raised the alarm and
     had this unfortunate man arrested You then

     Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my
     companions knees For Gods sake have mercy he shrieked Think
     of my father Of my mother It would break their hearts I never went
     wrong before I never will again I swear it Ill swear it on a
     Bible Oh dont bring it into court For Christs sake dont

     Get back into your chair said Holmes sternly It is very well to
     cringe and crawl now but you thought little enough of this poor
     Horner in the dock for a crime of which he knew nothing

     I will fly Mr Holmes I will leave the country sir Then the
     charge against him will break down

     Hum We will talk about that And now let us hear a true account of
     the next act How came the stone into the goose and how came the
     goose into the open market Tell us the truth for there lies your
     only hope of safety

     Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips I will tell you it
     just as it happened sir said he When Horner had been arrested
     it seemed to me that it would be best for me to get away with the
     stone at once for I did not know at what moment the police might not
     take it into their heads to search me and my room There was no place
     about the hotel where it would be safe I went out as if on some
     commission and I made for my sisters house She had married a man
     named Oakshott and lived in Brixton Road where she fattened fowls
     for the market All the way there every man I met seemed to me to be
     a policeman or a detective and for all that it was a cold night
     the sweat was pouring down my face before I came to the Brixton Road
     My sister asked me what was the matter and why I was so pale but I
     told her that I had been upset by the jewel robbery at the hotel
     Then I went into the back yard and smoked a pipe and wondered what it
     would be best to do

     I had a friend once called Maudsley who went to the bad and has
     just been serving his time in Pentonville One day he had met me and
     fell into talk about the ways of thieves and how they could get rid
     of what they stole I knew that he would be true to me for I knew
     one or two things about him so I made up my mind to go right on to
     Kilburn where he lived and take him into my confidence He would
     show me how to turn the stone into money But how to get to him in
     safety I thought of the agonies I had gone through in coming from
     the hotel I might at any moment be seized and searched and there
     would be the stone in my waistcoat pocket I was leaning against the
     wall at the time and looking at the geese which were waddling about
     round my feet and suddenly an idea came into my head which showed me
     how I could beat the best detective that ever lived

     My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the pick
     of her geese for a Christmas present and I knew that she was always
     as good as her word I would take my goose now and in it I would
     carry my stone to Kilburn There was a little shed in the yard and
     behind this I drove one of the birdsa fine big one white with a
     barred tail I caught it and prying its bill open I thrust the
     stone down its throat as far as my finger could reach The bird gave
     a gulp and I felt the stone pass along its gullet and down into its
     crop But the creature flapped and struggled and out came my sister
     to know what was the matter As I turned to speak to her the brute
     broke loose and fluttered off among the others

     Whatever were you doing with that bird Jem says she

     Well said I you said youd give me one for Christmas and I was
     feeling which was the fattest

     Oh says she weve set yours aside for youJems bird we call
     it Its the big white one over yonder Theres twentysix of them
     which makes one for you and one for us and two dozen for the
     market

     Thank you Maggie says I but if it is all the same to you Id
     rather have that one I was handling just now

     The other is a good three pound heavier said she and we
     fattened it expressly for you

     Never mind Ill have the other and Ill take it now said I

     Oh just as you like said she a little huffed Which is it you
     want then

     That white one with the barred tail right in the middle of the
     flock

     Oh very well Kill it and take it with you

     Well I did what she said Mr Holmes and I carried the bird all
     the way to Kilburn I told my pal what I had done for he was a man
     that it was easy to tell a thing like that to He laughed until he
     choked and we got a knife and opened the goose My heart turned to
     water for there was no sign of the stone and I knew that some
     terrible mistake had occurred I left the bird rushed back to my
     sisters and hurried into the back yard There was not a bird to be
     seen there

     Where are they all Maggie I cried

     Gone to the dealers Jem

     Which dealers

     Breckinridge of Covent Garden

     But was there another with a barred tail I asked the same as
     the one I chose

     Yes Jem there were two barredtailed ones and I could never tell
     them apart

     Well then of course I saw it all and I ran off as hard as my feet
     would carry me to this man Breckinridge but he had sold the lot at
     once and not one word would he tell me as to where they had gone
     You heard him yourselves tonight Well he has always answered me
     like that My sister thinks that I am going mad Sometimes I think
     that I am myself And nowand now I am myself a branded thief
     without ever having touched the wealth for which I sold my character
     God help me God help me He burst into convulsive sobbing with his
     face buried in his hands

     There was a long silence broken only by his heavy breathing and by
     the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes fingertips upon the edge of
     the table Then my friend rose and threw open the door

     Get out said he

     What sir Oh Heaven bless you

     No more words Get out

     And no more words were needed There was a rush a clatter upon the
     stairs the bang of a door and the crisp rattle of running footfalls
     from the street

     After all Watson said Holmes reaching up his hand for his clay
     pipe I am not retained by the police to supply their deficiencies
     If Horner were in danger it would be another thing but this fellow
     will not appear against him and the case must collapse I suppose
     that I am commuting a felony but it is just possible that I am
     saving a soul This fellow will not go wrong again he is too
     terribly frightened Send him to jail now and you make him a
     jailbird for life Besides it is the season of forgiveness Chance
     has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem and its
     solution is its own reward If you will have the goodness to touch
     the bell Doctor we will begin another investigation in which also
     a bird will be the chief feature






                       THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND

     On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases in which I have
     during the last eight years studied the methods of my friend Sherlock
     Holmes I find many tragic some comic a large number merely
     strange but none commonplace for working as he did rather for the
     love of his art than for the acquirement of wealth he refused to
     associate himself with any investigation which did not tend towards
     the unusual and even the fantastic Of all these varied cases
     however I cannot recall any which presented more singular features
     than that which was associated with the wellknown Surrey family of
     the Roylotts of Stoke Moran The events in question occurred in the
     early days of my association with Holmes when we were sharing rooms
     as bachelors in Baker Street It is possible that I might have placed
     them upon record before but a promise of secrecy was made at the
     time from which I have only been freed during the last month by the
     untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given It is
     perhaps as well that the facts should now come to light for I have
     reasons to know that there are widespread rumours as to the death of
     Dr Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even more terrible
     than the truth

     It was early in April in the year  that I woke one morning to find
     Sherlock Holmes standing fully dressed by the side of my bed He
     was a late riser as a rule and as the clock on the mantelpiece
     showed me that it was only a quarterpast seven I blinked up at him
     in some surprise and perhaps just a little resentment for I was
     myself regular in my habits

     Very sorry to knock you up Watson said he but its the common
     lot this morning Mrs Hudson has been knocked up she retorted upon
     me and I on you

     What is it thena fire

     No a client It seems that a young lady has arrived in a
     considerable state of excitement who insists upon seeing me She is
     waiting now in the sittingroom Now when young ladies wander about
     the metropolis at this hour of the morning and knock sleepy people
     up out of their beds I presume that it is something very pressing
     which they have to communicate Should it prove to be an interesting
     case you would I am sure wish to follow it from the outset I
     thought at any rate that I should call you and give you the
     chance

     My dear fellow I would not miss it for anything

     I had no keener pleasure than in following Holmes in his professional
     investigations and in admiring the rapid deductions as swift as
     intuitions and yet always founded on a logical basis with which he
     unravelled the problems which were submitted to him I rapidly threw
     on my clothes and was ready in a few minutes to accompany my friend
     down to the sittingroom A lady dressed in black and heavily veiled
     who had been sitting in the window rose as we entered

     Goodmorning madam said Holmes cheerily My name is Sherlock
     Holmes This is my intimate friend and associate Dr Watson before
     whom you can speak as freely as before myself Ha I am glad to see
     that Mrs Hudson has had the good sense to light the fire Pray draw
     up to it and I shall order you a cup of hot coffee for I observe
     that you are shivering

     It is not cold which makes me shiver said the woman in a low
     voice changing her seat as requested

     What then

     It is fear Mr Holmes It is terror She raised her veil as she
     spoke and we could see that she was indeed in a pitiable state of
     agitation her face all drawn and grey with restless frightened
     eyes like those of some hunted animal Her features and figure were
     those of a woman of thirty but her hair was shot with premature
     grey and her expression was weary and haggard Sherlock Holmes ran
     her over with one of his quick allcomprehensive glances

     You must not fear said he soothingly bending forward and patting
     her forearm We shall soon set matters right I have no doubt You
     have come in by train this morning I see

     You know me then

     No but I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm of
     your left glove You must have started early and yet you had a good
     drive in a dogcart along heavy roads before you reached the
     station

     The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my
     companion

     There is no mystery my dear madam said he smiling The left arm
     of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven places
     The marks are perfectly fresh There is no vehicle save a dogcart
     which throws up mud in that way and then only when you sit on the
     lefthand side of the driver

     Whatever your reasons may be you are perfectly correct said she
     I started from home before six reached Leatherhead at twenty past
     and came in by the first train to Waterloo Sir I can stand this
     strain no longer I shall go mad if it continues I have no one to
     turn tonone save only one who cares for me and he poor fellow
     can be of little aid I have heard of you Mr Holmes I have heard
     of you from Mrs Farintosh whom you helped in the hour of her sore
     need It was from her that I had your address Oh sir do you not
     think that you could help me too and at least throw a little light
     through the dense darkness which surrounds me At present it is out
     of my power to reward you for your services but in a month or six
     weeks I shall be married with the control of my own income and then
     at least you shall not find me ungrateful

     Holmes turned to his desk and unlocking it drew out a small
     casebook which he consulted

     Farintosh said he Ah yes I recall the case it was concerned
     with an opal tiara I think it was before your time Watson I can
     only say madam that I shall be happy to devote the same care to
     your case as I did to that of your friend As to reward my
     profession is its own reward but you are at liberty to defray
     whatever expenses I may be put to at the time which suits you best
     And now I beg that you will lay before us everything that may help us
     in forming an opinion upon the matter

     Alas replied our visitor the very horror of my situation lies in
     the fact that my fears are so vague and my suspicions depend so
     entirely upon small points which might seem trivial to another that
     even he to whom of all others I have a right to look for help and
     advice looks upon all that I tell him about it as the fancies of a
     nervous woman He does not say so but I can read it from his
     soothing answers and averted eyes But I have heard Mr Holmes that
     you can see deeply into the manifold wickedness of the human heart
     You may advise me how to walk amid the dangers which encompass me

     I am all attention madam

     My name is Helen Stoner and I am living with my stepfather who is
     the last survivor of one of the oldest Saxon families in England the
     Roylotts of Stoke Moran on the western border of Surrey

     Holmes nodded his head The name is familiar to me said he

     The family was at one time among the richest in England and the
     estates extended over the borders into Berkshire in the north and
     Hampshire in the west In the last century however four successive
     heirs were of a dissolute and wasteful disposition and the family
     ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the days of the
     Regency Nothing was left save a few acres of ground and the
     twohundredyearold house which is itself crushed under a heavy
     mortgage The last squire dragged out his existence there living the
     horrible life of an aristocratic pauper but his only son my
     stepfather seeing that he must adapt himself to the new conditions
     obtained an advance from a relative which enabled him to take a
     medical degree and went out to Calcutta where by his professional
     skill and his force of character he established a large practice In
     a fit of anger however caused by some robberies which had been
     perpetrated in the house he beat his native butler to death and
     narrowly escaped a capital sentence As it was he suffered a long
     term of imprisonment and afterwards returned to England a morose and
     disappointed man

     When Dr Roylott was in India he married my mother Mrs Stoner the
     young widow of MajorGeneral Stoner of the Bengal Artillery My
     sister Julia and I were twins and we were only two years old at the
     time of my mothers remarriage She had a considerable sum of
     moneynot less than  a yearand this she bequeathed to Dr
     Roylott entirely while we resided with him with a provision that a
     certain annual sum should be allowed to each of us in the event of
     our marriage Shortly after our return to England my mother diedshe
     was killed eight years ago in a railway accident near Crewe Dr
     Roylott then abandoned his attempts to establish himself in practice
     in London and took us to live with him in the old ancestral house at
     Stoke Moran The money which my mother had left was enough for all
     our wants and there seemed to be no obstacle to our happiness

     But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time
     Instead of making friends and exchanging visits with our neighbours
     who had at first been overjoyed to see a Roylott of Stoke Moran back
     in the old family seat he shut himself up in his house and seldom
     came out save to indulge in ferocious quarrels with whoever might
     cross his path Violence of temper approaching to mania has been
     hereditary in the men of the family and in my stepfathers case it
     had I believe been intensified by his long residence in the
     tropics A series of disgraceful brawls took place two of which
     ended in the policecourt until at last he became the terror of the
     village and the folks would fly at his approach for he is a man of
     immense strength and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger

     Last week he hurled the local blacksmith over a parapet into a
     stream and it was only by paying over all the money which I could
     gather together that I was able to avert another public exposure He
     had no friends at all save the wandering gypsies and he would give
     these vagabonds leave to encamp upon the few acres of bramblecovered
     land which represent the family estate and would accept in return
     the hospitality of their tents wandering away with them sometimes
     for weeks on end He has a passion also for Indian animals which are
     sent over to him by a correspondent and he has at this moment a
     cheetah and a baboon which wander freely over his grounds and are
     feared by the villagers almost as much as their master

     You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I had
     no great pleasure in our lives No servant would stay with us and
     for a long time we did all the work of the house She was but thirty
     at the time of her death and yet her hair had already begun to
     whiten even as mine has

     Your sister is dead then

     She died just two years ago and it is of her death that I wish to
     speak to you You can understand that living the life which I have
     described we were little likely to see anyone of our own age and
     position We had however an aunt my mothers maiden sister Miss
     Honoria Westphail who lives near Harrow and we were occasionally
     allowed to pay short visits at this ladys house Julia went there at
     Christmas two years ago and met there a halfpay major of marines
     to whom she became engaged My stepfather learned of the engagement
     when my sister returned and offered no objection to the marriage but
     within a fortnight of the day which had been fixed for the wedding
     the terrible event occurred which has deprived me of my only
     companion

     Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes
     closed and his head sunk in a cushion but he half opened his lids
     now and glanced across at his visitor

     Pray be precise as to details said he

     It is easy for me to be so for every event of that dreadful time is
     seared into my memory The manorhouse is as I have already said
     very old and only one wing is now inhabited The bedrooms in this
     wing are on the ground floor the sittingrooms being in the central
     block of the buildings Of these bedrooms the first is Dr Roylotts
     the second my sisters and the third my own There is no
     communication between them but they all open out into the same
     corridor Do I make myself plain

     Perfectly so

     The windows of the three rooms open out upon the lawn That fatal
     night Dr Roylott had gone to his room early though we knew that he
     had not retired to rest for my sister was troubled by the smell of
     the strong Indian cigars which it was his custom to smoke She left
     her room therefore and came into mine where she sat for some time
     chatting about her approaching wedding At eleven oclock she rose to
     leave me but she paused at the door and looked back

     Tell me Helen said she have you ever heard anyone whistle in
     the dead of the night

     Never said I

     I suppose that you could not possibly whistle yourself in your
     sleep

     Certainly not But why

     Because during the last few nights I have always about three in
     the morning heard a low clear whistle I am a light sleeper and it
     has awakened me I cannot tell where it came fromperhaps from the
     next room perhaps from the lawn I thought that I would just ask you
     whether you had heard it

     No I have not It must be those wretched gipsies in the
     plantation

     Very likely And yet if it were on the lawn I wonder that you did
     not hear it also

     Ah but I sleep more heavily than you

     Well it is of no great consequence at any rate She smiled back
     at me closed my door and a few moments later I heard her key turn
     in the lock

     Indeed said Holmes Was it your custom always to lock yourselves
     in at night

     Always

     And why

     I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah and a
     baboon We had no feeling of security unless our doors were locked

     Quite so Pray proceed with your statement

     I could not sleep that night A vague feeling of impending
     misfortune impressed me My sister and I you will recollect were
     twins and you know how subtle are the links which bind two souls
     which are so closely allied It was a wild night The wind was
     howling outside and the rain was beating and splashing against the
     windows Suddenly amid all the hubbub of the gale there burst forth
     the wild scream of a terrified woman I knew that it was my sisters
     voice I sprang from my bed wrapped a shawl round me and rushed
     into the corridor As I opened my door I seemed to hear a low
     whistle such as my sister described and a few moments later a
     clanging sound as if a mass of metal had fallen As I ran down the
     passage my sisters door was unlocked and revolved slowly upon its
     hinges I stared at it horrorstricken not knowing what was about to
     issue from it By the light of the corridorlamp I saw my sister
     appear at the opening her face blanched with terror her hands
     groping for help her whole figure swaying to and fro like that of a
     drunkard I ran to her and threw my arms round her but at that
     moment her knees seemed to give way and she fell to the ground  She
     writhed as one who is in terrible pain and her limbs were dreadfully
     convulsed At first I thought that she had not recognised me but as
     I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out in a voice which I shall
     never forget Oh my God Helen It was the band The speckled
     band There was something else which she would fain have said and
     she stabbed with her finger into the air in the direction of the
     doctors room but a fresh convulsion seized her and choked her
     words I rushed out calling loudly for my stepfather and I met him
     hastening from his room in his dressinggown When he reached my
     sisters side she was unconscious and though he poured brandy down
     her throat and sent for medical aid from the village all efforts
     were in vain for she slowly sank and died without having recovered
     her consciousness Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister

     One moment said Holmes are you sure about this whistle and
     metallic sound Could you swear to it

     That was what the county coroner asked me at the inquiry It is my
     strong impression that I heard it and yet among the crash of the
     gale and the creaking of an old house I may possibly have been
     deceived

     Was your sister dressed

     No she was in her nightdress In her right hand was found the
     charred stump of a match and in her left a matchbox

     Showing that she had struck a light and looked about her when the
     alarm took place That is important And what conclusions did the
     coroner come to

     He investigated the case with great care for Dr Roylotts conduct
     had long been notorious in the county but he was unable to find any
     satisfactory cause of death My evidence showed that the door had
     been fastened upon the inner side and the windows were blocked by
     oldfashioned shutters with broad iron bars which were secured every
     night The walls were carefully sounded and were shown to be quite
     solid all round and the flooring was also thoroughly examined with
     the same result The chimney is wide but is barred up by four large
     staples It is certain therefore that my sister was quite alone
     when she met her end Besides there were no marks of any violence
     upon her

     How about poison

     The doctors examined her for it but without success

     What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of then

     It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock though
     what it was that frightened her I cannot imagine

     Were there gipsies in the plantation at the time

     Yes there are nearly always some there

     Ah and what did you gather from this allusion to a banda speckled
     band

     Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of
     delirium sometimes that it may have referred to some band of people
     perhaps to these very gipsies in the plantation I do not know
     whether the spotted handkerchiefs which so many of them wear over
     their heads might have suggested the strange adjective which she
     used

     Holmes shook his head like a man who is far from being satisfied

     These are very deep waters said he pray go on with your
     narrative

     Two years have passed since then and my life has been until lately
     lonelier than ever A month ago however a dear friend whom I have
     known for many years has done me the honour to ask my hand in
     marriage His name is ArmitagePercy Armitagethe second son of Mr
     Armitage of Crane Water near Reading My stepfather has offered no
     opposition to the match and we are to be married in the course of
     the spring Two days ago some repairs were started in the west wing
     of the building and my bedroom wall has been pierced so that I have
     had to move into the chamber in which my sister died and to sleep in
     the very bed in which she slept Imagine then my thrill of terror
     when last night as I lay awake thinking over her terrible fate I
     suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which had
     been the herald of her own death I sprang up and lit the lamp but
     nothing was to be seen in the room I was too shaken to go to bed
     again however so I dressed and as soon as it was daylight I
     slipped down got a dogcart at the Crown Inn which is opposite and
     drove to Leatherhead from whence I have come on this morning with
     the one object of seeing you and asking your advice

     You have done wisely said my friend But have you told me all

     Yes all

     Miss Roylott you have not You are screening your stepfather

     Why what do you mean

     For answer Holmes pushed back the frill of black lace which fringed
     the hand that lay upon our visitors knee Five little livid spots
     the marks of four fingers and a thumb were printed upon the white
     wrist

     You have been cruelly used said Holmes

     The lady coloured deeply and covered over her injured wrist He is a
     hard man she said and perhaps he hardly knows his own strength

     There was a long silence during which Holmes leaned his chin upon
     his hands and stared into the crackling fire

     This is a very deep business he said at last There are a
     thousand details which I should desire to know before I decide upon
     our course of action Yet we have not a moment to lose If we were to
     come to Stoke Moran today would it be possible for us to see over
     these rooms without the knowledge of your stepfather

     As it happens he spoke of coming into town today upon some most
     important business It is probable that he will be away all day and
     that there would be nothing to disturb you We have a housekeeper
     now but she is old and foolish and I could easily get her out of
     the way

     Excellent You are not averse to this trip Watson

     By no means

     Then we shall both come What are you going to do yourself

     I have one or two things which I would wish to do now that I am in
     town But I shall return by the twelve oclock train so as to be
     there in time for your coming

     And you may expect us early in the afternoon I have myself some
     small business matters to attend to Will you not wait and
     breakfast

     No I must go My heart is lightened already since I have confided
     my trouble to you I shall look forward to seeing you again this
     afternoon She dropped her thick black veil over her face and glided
     from the room

     And what do you think of it all Watson asked Sherlock Holmes
     leaning back in his chair

     It seems to me to be a most dark and sinister business

     Dark enough and sinister enough

     Yet if the lady is correct in saying that the flooring and walls are
     sound and that the door window and chimney are impassable then
     her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her
     mysterious end

     What becomes then of these nocturnal whistles and what of the
     very peculiar words of the dying woman

     I cannot think

     When you combine the ideas of whistles at night the presence of a
     band of gipsies who are on intimate terms with this old doctor the
     fact that we have every reason to believe that the doctor has an
     interest in preventing his stepdaughters marriage the dying
     allusion to a band and finally the fact that Miss Helen Stoner
     heard a metallic clang which might have been caused by one of those
     metal bars that secured the shutters falling back into its place I
     think that there is good ground to think that the mystery may be
     cleared along those lines

     But what then did the gipsies do

     I cannot imagine

     I see many objections to any such theory

     And so do I It is precisely for that reason that we are going to
     Stoke Moran this day I want to see whether the objections are fatal
     or if they may be explained away But what in the name of the devil

     The ejaculation had been drawn from my companion by the fact that our
     door had been suddenly dashed open and that a huge man had framed
     himself in the aperture His costume was a peculiar mixture of the
     professional and of the agricultural having a black tophat a long
     frockcoat and a pair of high gaiters with a huntingcrop swinging
     in his hand So tall was he that his hat actually brushed the cross
     bar of the doorway and his breadth seemed to span it across from
     side to side A large face seared with a thousand wrinkles burned
     yellow with the sun and marked with every evil passion was turned
     from one to the other of us while his deepset bileshot eyes and
     his high thin fleshless nose gave him somewhat the resemblance to
     a fierce old bird of prey

     Which of you is Holmes asked this apparition

     My name sir but you have the advantage of me said my companion
     quietly

     I am Dr Grimesby Roylott of Stoke Moran

     Indeed Doctor said Holmes blandly Pray take a seat

     I will do nothing of the kind My stepdaughter has been here I have
     traced her What has she been saying to you

     It is a little cold for the time of the year said Holmes

     What has she been saying to you screamed the old man furiously

     But I have heard that the crocuses promise well continued my
     companion imperturbably

     Ha You put me off do you said our new visitor taking a step
     forward and shaking his huntingcrop I know you you scoundrel  I
     have heard of you before You are Holmes the meddler

     My friend smiled

     Holmes the busybody

     His smile broadened

     Holmes the Scotland Yard Jackinoffice

     Holmes chuckled heartily Your conversation is most entertaining
     said he When you go out close the door for there is a decided
     draught

     I will go when I have said my say Dont you dare to meddle with my
     affairs I know that Miss Stoner has been here I traced her I am a
     dangerous man to fall foul of See here He stepped swiftly forward
     seized the poker and bent it into a curve with his huge brown hands

     See that you keep yourself out of my grip he snarled and hurling
     the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the room

     He seems a very amiable person said Holmes laughing I am not
     quite so bulky but if he had remained I might have shown him that my
     grip was not much more feeble than his own As he spoke he picked up
     the steel poker and with a sudden effort straightened it out again

     Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official
     detective force This incident gives zest to our investigation
     however and I only trust that our little friend will not suffer from
     her imprudence in allowing this brute to trace her And now Watson
     we shall order breakfast and afterwards I shall walk down to
     Doctors Commons where I hope to get some data which may help us in
     this matter

     It was nearly one oclock when Sherlock Holmes returned from his
     excursion He held in his hand a sheet of blue paper scrawled over
     with notes and figures

     I have seen the will of the deceased wife said he To determine
     its exact meaning I have been obliged to work out the present prices
     of the investments with which it is concerned The total income
     which at the time of the wifes death was little short of  is
     now through the fall in agricultural prices not more than Â
     Each daughter can claim an income of  in case of marriage It is
     evident therefore that if both girls had married this beauty would
     have had a mere pittance while even one of them would cripple him to
     a very serious extent My mornings work has not been wasted since
     it has proved that he has the very strongest motives for standing in
     the way of anything of the sort And now Watson this is too serious
     for dawdling especially as the old man is aware that we are
     interesting ourselves in his affairs so if you are ready we shall
     call a cab and drive to Waterloo I should be very much obliged if
     you would slip your revolver into your pocket An Eleys No  is an
     excellent argument with gentlemen who can twist steel pokers into
     knots That and a toothbrush are I think all that we need

     At Waterloo we were fortunate in catching a train for Leatherhead
     where we hired a trap at the station inn and drove for four or five
     miles through the lovely Surrey lanes It was a perfect day with a
     bright sun and a few fleecy clouds in the heavens The trees and
     wayside hedges were just throwing out their first green shoots and
     the air was full of the pleasant smell of the moist earth To me at
     least there was a strange contrast between the sweet promise of the
     spring and this sinister quest upon which we were engaged My
     companion sat in the front of the trap his arms folded his hat
     pulled down over his eyes and his chin sunk upon his breast buried
     in the deepest thought Suddenly however he started tapped me on
     the shoulder and pointed over the meadows

     Look there said he

     A heavily timbered park stretched up in a gentle slope thickening
     into a grove at the highest point From amid the branches there
     jutted out the grey gables and high rooftree of a very old mansion

     Stoke Moran said he

     Yes sir that be the house of Dr Grimesby Roylott remarked the
     driver

     There is some building going on there said Holmes that is where
     we are going

     Theres the village said the driver pointing to a cluster of
     roofs some distance to the left but if you want to get to the
     house youll find it shorter to get over this stile and so by the
     footpath over the fields There it is where the lady is walking

     And the lady I fancy is Miss Stoner observed Holmes shading his
     eyes Yes I think we had better do as you suggest

     We got off paid our fare and the trap rattled back on its way to
     Leatherhead

     I thought it as well said Holmes as we climbed the stile that
     this fellow should think we had come here as architects or on some
     definite business It may stop his gossip Goodafternoon Miss
     Stoner You see that we have been as good as our word

     Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a face
     which spoke her joy I have been waiting so eagerly for you she
     cried shaking hands with us warmly All has turned out splendidly
     Dr Roylott has gone to town and it is unlikely that he will be back
     before evening

     We have had the pleasure of making the doctors acquaintance said
     Holmes and in a few words he sketched out what had occurred Miss
     Stoner turned white to the lips as she listened

     Good heavens she cried he has followed me then

     So it appears

     He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him What
     will he say when he returns

     He must guard himself for he may find that there is someone more
     cunning than himself upon his track You must lock yourself up from
     him tonight If he is violent we shall take you away to your aunts
     at Harrow Now we must make the best use of our time so kindly take
     us at once to the rooms which we are to examine

     The building was of grey lichenblotched stone with a high central
     portion and two curving wings like the claws of a crab thrown out
     on each side In one of these wings the windows were broken and
     blocked with wooden boards while the roof was partly caved in a
     picture of ruin The central portion was in little better repair but
     the righthand block was comparatively modern and the blinds in the
     windows with the blue smoke curling up from the chimneys showed
     that this was where the family resided Some scaffolding had been
     erected against the end wall and the stonework had been broken
     into but there were no signs of any workmen at the moment of our
     visit Holmes walked slowly up and down the illtrimmed lawn and
     examined with deep attention the outsides of the windows

     This I take it belongs to the room in which you used to sleep the
     centre one to your sisters and the one next to the main building to
     Dr Roylotts chamber

     Exactly so But I am now sleeping in the middle one

     Pending the alterations as I understand By the way there does not
     seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end wall

     There were none I believe that it was an excuse to move me from my
     room

     Ah that is suggestive Now on the other side of this narrow wing
     runs the corridor from which these three rooms open There are
     windows in it of course

     Yes but very small ones Too narrow for anyone to pass through

     As you both locked your doors at night your rooms were
     unapproachable from that side Now would you have the kindness to go
     into your room and bar your shutters

     Miss Stoner did so and Holmes after a careful examination through
     the open window endeavoured in every way to force the shutter open
     but without success There was no slit through which a knife could be
     passed to raise the bar Then with his lens he tested the hinges but
     they were of solid iron built firmly into the massive masonry
     Hum said he scratching his chin in some perplexity my theory
     certainly presents some difficulties No one could pass these
     shutters if they were bolted Well we shall see if the inside throws
     any light upon the matter

     A small side door led into the whitewashed corridor from which the
     three bedrooms opened Holmes refused to examine the third chamber
     so we passed at once to the second that in which Miss Stoner was now
     sleeping and in which her sister had met with her fate It was a
     homely little room with a low ceiling and a gaping fireplace after
     the fashion of old countryhouses A brown chest of drawers stood in
     one corner a narrow whitecounterpaned bed in another and a
     dressingtable on the lefthand side of the window These articles
     with two small wickerwork chairs made up all the furniture in the
     room save for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre The boards
     round and the panelling of the walls were of brown wormeaten oak
     so old and discoloured that it may have dated from the original
     building of the house Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner
     and sat silent while his eyes travelled round and round and up and
     down taking in every detail of the apartment

     Where does that bell communicate with he asked at last pointing to
     a thick bellrope which hung down beside the bed the tassel actually
     lying upon the pillow

     It goes to the housekeepers room

     It looks newer than the other things

     Yes it was only put there a couple of years ago

     Your sister asked for it I suppose

     No I never heard of her using it We used always to get what we
     wanted for ourselves

     Indeed it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bellpull there You
     will excuse me for a few minutes while I satisfy myself as to this
     floor He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in his hand
     and crawled swiftly backward and forward examining minutely the
     cracks between the boards Then he did the same with the woodwork
     with which the chamber was panelled Finally he walked over to the
     bed and spent some time in staring at it and in running his eye up
     and down the wall Finally he took the bellrope in his hand and gave
     it a brisk tug

     Why its a dummy said he

     Wont it ring

     No it is not even attached to a wire This is very interesting You
     can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where the little
     opening for the ventilator is

     How very absurd I never noticed that before

     Very strange muttered Holmes pulling at the rope There are one
     or two very singular points about this room For example what a fool
     a builder must be to open a ventilator into another room when with
     the same trouble he might have communicated with the outside air

     That is also quite modern said the lady

     Done about the same time as the bellrope remarked Holmes

     Yes there were several little changes carried out about that time

     They seem to have been of a most interesting characterdummy
     bellropes and ventilators which do not ventilate With your
     permission Miss Stoner we shall now carry our researches into the
     inner apartment

     Dr Grimesby Roylotts chamber was larger than that of his
     stepdaughter but was as plainly furnished A campbed a small
     wooden shelf full of books mostly of a technical character an
     armchair beside the bed a plain wooden chair against the wall a
     round table and a large iron safe were the principal things which
     met the eye Holmes walked slowly round and examined each and all of
     them with the keenest interest

     Whats in here he asked tapping the safe

     My stepfathers business papers

     Oh you have seen inside then

     Only once some years ago I remember that it was full of papers

     There isnt a cat in it for example

     No What a strange idea

     Well look at this He took up a small saucer of milk which stood
     on the top of it

     No we dont keep a cat But there is a cheetah and a baboon

     Ah yes of course Well a cheetah is just a big cat and yet a
     saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants I
     daresay There is one point which I should wish to determine He
     squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat of
     it with the greatest attention

     Thank you That is quite settled said he rising and putting his
     lens in his pocket Hullo Here is something interesting

     The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on one
     corner of the bed The lash however was curled upon itself and tied
     so as to make a loop of whipcord

     What do you make of that Watson

     Its a common enough lash But I dont know why it should be tied

     That is not quite so common is it Ah me its a wicked world and
     when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst of all I
     think that I have seen enough now Miss Stoner and with your
     permission we shall walk out upon the lawn

     I had never seen my friends face so grim or his brow so dark as it
     was when we turned from the scene of this investigation We had
     walked several times up and down the lawn neither Miss Stoner nor
     myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he roused himself
     from his reverie

     It is very essential Miss Stoner said he that you should
     absolutely follow my advice in every respect

     I shall most certainly do so

     The matter is too serious for any hesitation Your life may depend
     upon your compliance

     I assure you that I am in your hands

     In the first place both my friend and I must spend the night in
     your room

     Both Miss Stoner and I gazed at him in astonishment

     Yes it must be so Let me explain I believe that that is the
     village inn over there

     Yes that is the Crown

     Very good Your windows would be visible from there

     Certainly

     You must confine yourself to your room on pretence of a headache
     when your stepfather comes back Then when you hear him retire for
     the night you must open the shutters of your window undo the hasp
     put your lamp there as a signal to us and then withdraw quietly with
     everything which you are likely to want into the room which you used
     to occupy I have no doubt that in spite of the repairs you could
     manage there for one night

     Oh yes easily

     The rest you will leave in our hands

     But what will you do

     We shall spend the night in your room and we shall investigate the
     cause of this noise which has disturbed you

     I believe Mr Holmes that you have already made up your mind
     said Miss Stoner laying her hand upon my companions sleeve

     Perhaps I have

     Then for pitys sake tell me what was the cause of my sisters
     death

     I should prefer to have clearer proofs before I speak

     You can at least tell me whether my own thought is correct and if
     she died from some sudden fright

     No I do not think so I think that there was probably some more
     tangible cause And now Miss Stoner we must leave you for if Dr
     Roylott returned and saw us our journey would be in vain  Goodbye
     and be brave for if you will do what I have told you you may rest
     assured that we shall soon drive away the dangers that threaten you

     Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and
     sittingroom at the Crown Inn They were on the upper floor and from
     our window we could command a view of the avenue gate and of the
     inhabited wing of Stoke Moran Manor House At dusk we saw Dr
     Grimesby Roylott drive past his huge form looming up beside the
     little figure of the lad who drove him The boy had some slight
     difficulty in undoing the heavy iron gates and we heard the hoarse
     roar of the doctors voice and saw the fury with which he shook his
     clinched fists at him The trap drove on and a few minutes later we
     saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as the lamp was lit in
     one of the sittingrooms

     Do you know Watson said Holmes as we sat together in the
     gathering darkness I have really some scruples as to taking you
     tonight There is a distinct element of danger

     Can I be of assistance

     Your presence might be invaluable

     Then I shall certainly come

     It is very kind of you

     You speak of danger You have evidently seen more in these rooms
     than was visible to me

     No but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more I imagine
     that you saw all that I did

     I saw nothing remarkable save the bellrope and what purpose that
     could answer I confess is more than I can imagine

     You saw the ventilator too

     Yes but I do not think that it is such a very unusual thing to have
     a small opening between two rooms It was so small that a rat could
     hardly pass through

     I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to Stoke
     Moran

     My dear Holmes

     Oh yes I did You remember in her statement she said that her
     sister could smell Dr Roylotts cigar Now of course that suggested
     at once that there must be a communication between the two rooms It
     could only be a small one or it would have been remarked upon at the
     coroners inquiry I deduced a ventilator

     But what harm can there be in that

     Well there is at least a curious coincidence of dates A ventilator
     is made a cord is hung and a lady who sleeps in the bed dies Does
     not that strike you

     I cannot as yet see any connection

     Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed

     No

     It was clamped to the floor Did you ever see a bed fastened like
     that before

     I cannot say that I have

     The lady could not move her bed It must always be in the same
     relative position to the ventilator and to the ropeor so we may
     call it since it was clearly never meant for a bellpull

     Holmes I cried I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at We
     are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horrible crime

     Subtle enough and horrible enough When a doctor does go wrong he is
     the first of criminals He has nerve and he has knowledge Palmer and
     Pritchard were among the heads of their profession This man strikes
     even deeper but I think Watson that we shall be able to strike
     deeper still But we shall have horrors enough before the night is
     over for goodness sake let us have a quiet pipe and turn our minds
     for a few hours to something more cheerful

     About nine oclock the light among the trees was extinguished and
     all was dark in the direction of the Manor House Two hours passed
     slowly away and then suddenly just at the stroke of eleven a
     single bright light shone out right in front of us

     That is our signal said Holmes springing to his feet it comes
     from the middle window

     As we passed out he exchanged a few words with the landlord
     explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance and
     that it was possible that we might spend the night there A moment
     later we were out on the dark road a chill wind blowing in our
     faces and one yellow light twinkling in front of us through the
     gloom to guide us on our sombre errand

     There was little difficulty in entering the grounds for unrepaired
     breaches gaped in the old park wall Making our way among the trees
     we reached the lawn crossed it and were about to enter through the
     window when out from a clump of laurel bushes there darted what
     seemed to be a hideous and distorted child who threw itself upon the
     grass with writhing limbs and then ran swiftly across the lawn into
     the darkness

     My God I whispered did you see it

     Holmes was for the moment as startled as I His hand closed like a
     vice upon my wrist in his agitation Then he broke into a low laugh
     and put his lips to my ear

     It is a nice household he murmured That is the baboon

     I had forgotten the strange pets which the doctor affected There was
     a cheetah too perhaps we might find it upon our shoulders at any
     moment I confess that I felt easier in my mind when after following
     Holmes example and slipping off my shoes I found myself inside the
     bedroom My companion noiselessly closed the shutters moved the lamp
     onto the table and cast his eyes round the room All was as we had
     seen it in the daytime Then creeping up to me and making a trumpet
     of his hand he whispered into my ear again so gently that it was all
     that I could do to distinguish the words

     The least sound would be fatal to our plans

     I nodded to show that I had heard

     We must sit without light He would see it through the ventilator

     I nodded again

     Do not go asleep your very life may depend upon it Have your
     pistol ready in case we should need it I will sit on the side of the
     bed and you in that chair

     I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table

     Holmes had brought up a long thin cane and this he placed upon the
     bed beside him By it he laid the box of matches and the stump of a
     candle Then he turned down the lamp and we were left in darkness

     How shall I ever forget that dreadful vigil I could not hear a
     sound not even the drawing of a breath and yet I knew that my
     companion sat openeyed within a few feet of me in the same state
     of nervous tension in which I was myself The shutters cut off the
     least ray of light and we waited in absolute darkness

     From outside came the occasional cry of a nightbird and once at our
     very window a long drawn catlike whine which told us that the
     cheetah was indeed at liberty Far away we could hear the deep tones
     of the parish clock which boomed out every quarter of an hour How
     long they seemed those quarters Twelve struck and one and two and
     three and still we sat waiting silently for whatever might befall

     Suddenly there was the momentary gleam of a light up in the direction
     of the ventilator which vanished immediately but was succeeded by a
     strong smell of burning oil and heated metal Someone in the next
     room had lit a darklantern I heard a gentle sound of movement and
     then all was silent once more though the smell grew stronger For
     half an hour I sat with straining ears Then suddenly another sound
     became audiblea very gentle soothing sound like that of a small
     jet of steam escaping continually from a kettle The instant that we
     heard it Holmes sprang from the bed struck a match and lashed
     furiously with his cane at the bellpull

     You see it Watson he yelled You see it

     But I saw nothing At the moment when Holmes struck the light I heard
     a low clear whistle but the sudden glare flashing into my weary
     eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which my friend
     lashed so savagely I could however see that his face was deadly
     pale and filled with horror and loathing He had ceased to strike and
     was gazing up at the ventilator when suddenly there broke from the
     silence of the night the most horrible cry to which I have ever
     listened It swelled up louder and louder a hoarse yell of pain and
     fear and anger all mingled in the one dreadful shriek They say that
     away down in the village and even in the distant parsonage that cry
     raised the sleepers from their beds It struck cold to our hearts
     and I stood gazing at Holmes and he at me until the last echoes of
     it had died away into the silence from which it rose

     What can it mean I gasped

     It means that it is all over Holmes answered And perhaps after
     all it is for the best Take your pistol and we will enter Dr
     Roylotts room

     With a grave face he lit the lamp and led the way down the corridor
     Twice he struck at the chamber door without any reply from within
     Then he turned the handle and entered I at his heels with the
     cocked pistol in my hand

     It was a singular sight which met our eyes On the table stood a
     darklantern with the shutter half open throwing a brilliant beam of
     light upon the iron safe the door of which was ajar Beside this
     table on the wooden chair sat Dr Grimesby Roylott clad in a long
     grey dressinggown his bare ankles protruding beneath and his feet
     thrust into red heelless Turkish slippers Across his lap lay the
     short stock with the long lash which we had noticed during the day
     His chin was cocked upward and his eyes were fixed in a dreadful
     rigid stare at the corner of the ceiling Round his brow he had a
     peculiar yellow band with brownish speckles which seemed to be
     bound tightly round his head As we entered he made neither sound nor
     motion

     The band the speckled band whispered Holmes

     I took a step forward In an instant his strange headgear began to
     move and there reared itself from among his hair the squat
     diamondshaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent

     It is a swamp adder cried Holmes the deadliest snake in India
     He has died within ten seconds of being bitten Violence does in
     truth recoil upon the violent and the schemer falls into the pit
     which he digs for another Let us thrust this creature back into its
     den and we can then remove Miss Stoner to some place of shelter and
     let the county police know what has happened

     As he spoke he drew the dogwhip swiftly from the dead mans lap and
     throwing the noose round the reptiles neck he drew it from its
     horrid perch and carrying it at arms length threw it into the iron
     safe which he closed upon it

     Such are the true facts of the death of Dr Grimesby Roylott of
     Stoke Moran It is not necessary that I should prolong a narrative
     which has already run to too great a length by telling how we broke
     the sad news to the terrified girl how we conveyed her by the
     morning train to the care of her good aunt at Harrow of how the slow
     process of official inquiry came to the conclusion that the doctor
     met his fate while indiscreetly playing with a dangerous pet The
     little which I had yet to learn of the case was told me by Sherlock
     Holmes as we travelled back next day

     I had said he come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which
     shows my dear Watson how dangerous it always is to reason from
     insufficient data The presence of the gipsies and the use of the
     word band which was used by the poor girl no doubt to explain
     the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of by the light
     of her match were sufficient to put me upon an entirely wrong scent
     I can only claim the merit that I instantly reconsidered my position
     when however it became clear to me that whatever danger threatened
     an occupant of the room could not come either from the window or the
     door My attention was speedily drawn as I have already remarked to
     you to this ventilator and to the bellrope which hung down to the
     bed The discovery that this was a dummy and that the bed was
     clamped to the floor instantly gave rise to the suspicion that the
     rope was there as a bridge for something passing through the hole and
     coming to the bed The idea of a snake instantly occurred to me and
     when I coupled it with my knowledge that the doctor was furnished
     with a supply of creatures from India I felt that I was probably on
     the right track The idea of using a form of poison which could not
     possibly be discovered by any chemical test was just such a one as
     would occur to a clever and ruthless man who had had an Eastern
     training The rapidity with which such a poison would take effect
     would also from his point of view be an advantage It would be a
     sharpeyed coroner indeed who could distinguish the two little dark
     punctures which would show where the poison fangs had done their
     work Then I thought of the whistle Of course he must recall the
     snake before the morning light revealed it to the victim He had
     trained it probably by the use of the milk which we saw to return
     to him when summoned He would put it through this ventilator at the
     hour that he thought best with the certainty that it would crawl
     down the rope and land on the bed It might or might not bite the
     occupant perhaps she might escape every night for a week but sooner
     or later she must fall a victim

     I had come to these conclusions before ever I had entered his room
     An inspection of his chair showed me that he had been in the habit of
     standing on it which of course would be necessary in order that he
     should reach the ventilator The sight of the safe the saucer of
     milk and the loop of whipcord were enough to finally dispel any
     doubts which may have remained The metallic clang heard by Miss
     Stoner was obviously caused by her stepfather hastily closing the
     door of his safe upon its terrible occupant Having once made up my
     mind you know the steps which I took in order to put the matter to
     the proof I heard the creature hiss as I have no doubt that you did
     also and I instantly lit the light and attacked it

     With the result of driving it through the ventilator

     And also with the result of causing it to turn upon its master at
     the other side Some of the blows of my cane came home and roused its
     snakish temper so that it flew upon the first person it saw In this
     way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr Grimesby Roylotts
     death and I cannot say that it is likely to weigh very heavily upon
     my conscience






                      THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEERS THUMB

     Of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend Mr
     Sherlock Holmes for solution during the years of our intimacy there
     were only two which I was the means of introducing to his
     noticethat of Mr Hatherleys thumb and that of Colonel
     Warburtons madness Of these the latter may have afforded a finer
     field for an acute and original observer but the other was so
     strange in its inception and so dramatic in its details that it may
     be the more worthy of being placed upon record even if it gave my
     friend fewer openings for those deductive methods of reasoning by
     which he achieved such remarkable results The story has I believe
     been told more than once in the newspapers but like all such
     narratives its effect is much less striking when set forth en bloc
     in a single halfcolumn of print than when the facts slowly evolve
     before your own eyes and the mystery clears gradually away as each
     new discovery furnishes a step which leads on to the complete truth
     At the time the circumstances made a deep impression upon me and the
     lapse of two years has hardly served to weaken the effect

     It was in the summer of  not long after my marriage that the
     events occurred which I am now about to summarise I had returned to
     civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker Street
     rooms although I continually visited him and occasionally even
     persuaded him to forgo his Bohemian habits so far as to come and
     visit us My practice had steadily increased and as I happened to
     live at no very great distance from Paddington Station I got a few
     patients from among the officials One of these whom I had cured of
     a painful and lingering disease was never weary of advertising my
     virtues and of endeavouring to send me on every sufferer over whom he
     might have any influence

     One morning at a little before seven oclock I was awakened by the
     maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come from
     Paddington and were waiting in the consultingroom I dressed
     hurriedly for I knew by experience that railway cases were seldom
     trivial and hastened downstairs As I descended my old ally the
     guard came out of the room and closed the door tightly behind him

     Ive got him here he whispered jerking his thumb over his
     shoulder hes all right

     What is it then I asked for his manner suggested that it was
     some strange creature which he had caged up in my room

     Its a new patient he whispered I thought Id bring him round
     myself then he couldnt slip away There he is all safe and sound
     I must go now Doctor I have my dooties just the same as you And
     off he went this trusty tout without even giving me time to thank
     him

     I entered my consultingroom and found a gentleman seated by the
     table He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a soft
     cloth cap which he had laid down upon my books Round one of his
     hands he had a handkerchief wrapped which was mottled all over with
     bloodstains He was young not more than fiveandtwenty I should
     say with a strong masculine face but he was exceedingly pale and
     gave me the impression of a man who was suffering from some strong
     agitation which it took all his strength of mind to control

     I am sorry to knock you up so early Doctor said he but I have
     had a very serious accident during the night I came in by train this
     morning and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I might find a
     doctor a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me here I gave the maid
     a card but I see that she has left it upon the sidetable

     I took it up and glanced at it Mr Victor Hatherley hydraulic
     engineer A Victoria Street rd floor That was the name
     style and abode of my morning visitor I regret that I have kept
     you waiting said I sitting down in my librarychair You are
     fresh from a night journey I understand which is in itself a
     monotonous occupation

     Oh my night could not be called monotonous said he and laughed
     He laughed very heartily with a high ringing note leaning back in
     his chair and shaking his sides All my medical instincts rose up
     against that laugh

     Stop it I cried pull yourself together and I poured out some
     water from a caraffe

     It was useless however He was off in one of those hysterical
     outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis is
     over and gone Presently he came to himself once more very weary and
     palelooking

     I have been making a fool of myself he gasped

     Not at all Drink this I dashed some brandy into the water and
     the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks

     Thats better said he And now Doctor perhaps you would kindly
     attend to my thumb or rather to the place where my thumb used to
     be

     He unwound the handkerchief and held out his hand It gave even my
     hardened nerves a shudder to look at it There were four protruding
     fingers and a horrid red spongy surface where the thumb should have
     been It had been hacked or torn right out from the roots

     Good heavens I cried this is a terrible injury It must have
     bled considerably

     Yes it did I fainted when it was done and I think that I must
     have been senseless for a long time When I came to I found that it
     was still bleeding so I tied one end of my handkerchief very tightly
     round the wrist and braced it up with a twig

     Excellent You should have been a surgeon

     It is a question of hydraulics you see and came within my own
     province

     This has been done said I examining the wound by a very heavy
     and sharp instrument

     A thing like a cleaver said he

     An accident I presume

     By no means

     What a murderous attack

     Very murderous indeed

     You horrify me

     I sponged the wound cleaned it dressed it and finally covered it
     over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages He lay back without
     wincing though he bit his lip from time to time

     How is that I asked when I had finished

     Capital Between your brandy and your bandage I feel a new man I
     was very weak but I have had a good deal to go through

     Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter It is evidently
     trying to your nerves

     Oh no not now I shall have to tell my tale to the police but
     between ourselves if it were not for the convincing evidence of this
     wound of mine I should be surprised if they believed my statement
     for it is a very extraordinary one and I have not much in the way of
     proof with which to back it up and even if they believe me the
     clues which I can give them are so vague that it is a question
     whether justice will be done

     Ha cried I if it is anything in the nature of a problem which
     you desire to see solved I should strongly recommend you to come to
     my friend Mr Sherlock Holmes before you go to the official
     police

     Oh I have heard of that fellow answered my visitor and I should
     be very glad if he would take the matter up though of course I must
     use the official police as well Would you give me an introduction to
     him

     Ill do better Ill take you round to him myself

     I should be immensely obliged to you

     Well call a cab and go together We shall just be in time to have a
     little breakfast with him Do you feel equal to it

     Yes I shall not feel easy until I have told my story

     Then my servant will call a cab and I shall be with you in an
     instant I rushed upstairs explained the matter shortly to my wife
     and in five minutes was inside a hansom driving with my new
     acquaintance to Baker Street

     Sherlock Holmes was as I expected lounging about his sittingroom
     in his dressinggown reading the agony column of The Times and
     smoking his beforebreakfast pipe which was composed of all the
     plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day before all
     carefully dried and collected on the corner of the mantelpiece He
     received us in his quietly genial fashion ordered fresh rashers and
     eggs and joined us in a hearty meal When it was concluded he
     settled our new acquaintance upon the sofa placed a pillow beneath
     his head and laid a glass of brandy and water within his reach

     It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one Mr
     Hatherley said he Pray lie down there and make yourself
     absolutely at home Tell us what you can but stop when you are tired
     and keep up your strength with a little stimulant

     Thank you said my patient but I have felt another man since the
     doctor bandaged me and I think that your breakfast has completed the
     cure I shall take up as little of your valuable time as possible so
     I shall start at once upon my peculiar experiences

     Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary heavylidded
     expression which veiled his keen and eager nature while I sat
     opposite to him and we listened in silence to the strange story
     which our visitor detailed to us

     You must know said he that I am an orphan and a bachelor
     residing alone in lodgings in London By profession I am a hydraulic
     engineer and I have had considerable experience of my work during
     the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner  Matheson the
     wellknown firm of Greenwich Two years ago having served my time
     and having also come into a fair sum of money through my poor
     fathers death I determined to start in business for myself and took
     professional chambers in Victoria Street

     I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in
     business a dreary experience To me it has been exceptionally so
     During two years I have had three consultations and one small job
     and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought me My
     gross takings amount to  s Every day from nine in the morning
     until four in the afternoon I waited in my little den until at last
     my heart began to sink and I came to believe that I should never
     have any practice at all

     Yesterday however just as I was thinking of leaving the office my
     clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who wished to see
     me upon business He brought up a card too with the name of
     Colonel Lysander Stark engraved upon it Close at his heels came
     the colonel himself a man rather over the middle size but of an
     exceeding thinness I do not think that I have ever seen so thin a
     man His whole face sharpened away into nose and chin and the skin
     of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over his outstanding bones Yet
     this emaciation seemed to be his natural habit and due to no
     disease for his eye was bright his step brisk and his bearing
     assured He was plainly but neatly dressed and his age I should
     judge would be nearer forty than thirty

     Mr Hatherley said he with something of a German accent You
     have been recommended to me Mr Hatherley as being a man who is not
     only proficient in his profession but is also discreet and capable of
     preserving a secret

     I bowed feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an
     address May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character 

     Well perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just at
     this moment I have it from the same source that you are both an
     orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London

     That is quite correct I answered but you will excuse me if I
     say that I cannot see how all this bears upon my professional
     qualifications I understand that it was on a professional matter
     that you wished to speak to me

     Undoubtedly so But you will find that all I say is really to the
     point I have a professional commission for you but absolute secrecy
     is quite essentialabsolute secrecy you understand and of course
     we may expect that more from a man who is alone than from one who
     lives in the bosom of his family

     If I promise to keep a secret said I you may absolutely depend
     upon my doing so

     He looked very hard at me as I spoke and it seemed to me that I had
     never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye

     Do you promise then said he at last

     Yes I promise

     Absolute and complete silence before during and after No
     reference to the matter at all either in word or writing

     I have already given you my word

     Very good He suddenly sprang up and darting like lightning
     across the room he flung open the door The passage outside was
     empty

     Thats all right said he coming back I know that clerks are
     sometimes curious as to their masters affairs Now we can talk in
     safety He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to stare
     at me again with the same questioning and thoughtful look

     A feeling of repulsion and of something akin to fear had begun to
     rise within me at the strange antics of this fleshless man Even my
     dread of losing a client could not restrain me from showing my
     impatience

     I beg that you will state your business sir said I my time is
     of value Heaven forgive me for that last sentence but the words
     came to my lips

     How would fifty guineas for a nights work suit you he asked

     Most admirably

     I say a nights work but an hours would be nearer the mark I
     simply want your opinion about a hydraulic stamping machine which has
     got out of gear If you show us what is wrong we shall soon set it
     right ourselves What do you think of such a commission as that

     The work appears to be light and the pay munificent

     Precisely so We shall want you to come tonight by the last
     train

     Where to

     To Eyford in Berkshire It is a little place near the borders of
     Oxfordshire and within seven miles of Reading There is a train from
     Paddington which would bring you there at about 

     Very good

     I shall come down in a carriage to meet you

     There is a drive then

     Yes our little place is quite out in the country It is a good
     seven miles from Eyford Station

     Then we can hardly get there before midnight I suppose there would
     be no chance of a train back I should be compelled to stop the
     night

     Yes we could easily give you a shakedown

     That is very awkward Could I not come at some more convenient
     hour

     We have judged it best that you should come late It is to
     recompense you for any inconvenience that we are paying to you a
     young and unknown man a fee which would buy an opinion from the very
     heads of your profession Still of course if you would like to draw
     out of the business there is plenty of time to do so

     I thought of the fifty guineas and of how very useful they would be
     to me Not at all said I I shall be very happy to accommodate
     myself to your wishes I should like however to understand a little
     more clearly what it is that you wish me to do

     Quite so It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which we
     have exacted from you should have aroused your curiosity I have no
     wish to commit you to anything without your having it all laid before
     you I suppose that we are absolutely safe from eavesdroppers

     Entirely

     Then the matter stands thus You are probably aware that
     fullersearth is a valuable product and that it is only found in
     one or two places in England

     I have heard so

     Some little time ago I bought a small placea very small
     placewithin ten miles of Reading I was fortunate enough to
     discover that there was a deposit of fullersearth in one of my
     fields On examining it however I found that this deposit was a
     comparatively small one and that it formed a link between two very
     much larger ones upon the right and leftboth of them however in
     the grounds of my neighbours These good people were absolutely
     ignorant that their land contained that which was quite as valuable
     as a goldmine Naturally it was to my interest to buy their land
     before they discovered its true value but unfortunately I had no
     capital by which I could do this I took a few of my friends into the
     secret however and they suggested that we should quietly and
     secretly work our own little deposit and that in this way we should
     earn the money which would enable us to buy the neighbouring fields
     This we have now been doing for some time and in order to help us in
     our operations we erected a hydraulic press This press as I have
     already explained has got out of order and we wish your advice upon
     the subject We guard our secret very jealously however and if it
     once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our
     little house it would soon rouse inquiry and then if the facts
     came out it would be goodbye to any chance of getting these fields
     and carrying out our plans That is why I have made you promise me
     that you will not tell a human being that you are going to Eyford
     tonight I hope that I make it all plain

     I quite follow you said I The only point which I could not
     quite understand was what use you could make of a hydraulic press in
     excavating fullersearth which as I understand is dug out like
     gravel from a pit

     Ah said he carelessly we have our own process We compress the
     earth into bricks so as to remove them without revealing what they
     are But that is a mere detail I have taken you fully into my
     confidence now Mr Hatherley and I have shown you how I trust you
     He rose as he spoke I shall expect you then at Eyford at 

     I shall certainly be there

     And not a word to a soul He looked at me with a last long
     questioning gaze and then pressing my hand in a cold dank grasp
     he hurried from the room

     Well when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very much
     astonished as you may both think at this sudden commission which
     had been intrusted to me On the one hand of course I was glad for
     the fee was at least tenfold what I should have asked had I set a
     price upon my own services and it was possible that this order might
     lead to other ones On the other hand the face and manner of my
     patron had made an unpleasant impression upon me and I could not
     think that his explanation of the fullersearth was sufficient to
     explain the necessity for my coming at midnight and his extreme
     anxiety lest I should tell anyone of my errand However I threw all
     fears to the winds ate a hearty supper drove to Paddington and
     started off having obeyed to the letter the injunction as to holding
     my tongue

     At Reading I had to change not only my carriage but my station
     However I was in time for the last train to Eyford and I reached
     the little dimlit station after eleven oclock I was the only
     passenger who got out there and there was no one upon the platform
     save a single sleepy porter with a lantern As I passed out through
     the wicket gate however I found my acquaintance of the morning
     waiting in the shadow upon the other side Without a word he grasped
     my arm and hurried me into a carriage the door of which was standing
     open He drew up the windows on either side tapped on the woodwork
     and away we went as fast as the horse could go

     One horse interjected Holmes

     Yes only one

     Did you observe the colour

     Yes I saw it by the sidelights when I was stepping into the
     carriage It was a chestnut

     Tiredlooking or fresh

     Oh fresh and glossy

     Thank you I am sorry to have interrupted you Pray continue your
     most interesting statement

     Away we went then and we drove for at least an hour Colonel
     Lysander Stark had said that it was only seven miles but I should
     think from the rate that we seemed to go and from the time that we
     took that it must have been nearer twelve He sat at my side in
     silence all the time and I was aware more than once when I glanced
     in his direction that he was looking at me with great intensity The
     country roads seem to be not very good in that part of the world for
     we lurched and jolted terribly I tried to look out of the windows to
     see something of where we were but they were made of frosted glass
     and I could make out nothing save the occasional bright blur of a
     passing light Now and then I hazarded some remark to break the
     monotony of the journey but the colonel answered only in
     monosyllables and the conversation soon flagged At last however
     the bumping of the road was exchanged for the crisp smoothness of a
     graveldrive and the carriage came to a stand Colonel Lysander
     Stark sprang out and as I followed after him pulled me swiftly
     into a porch which gaped in front of us We stepped as it were
     right out of the carriage and into the hall so that I failed to
     catch the most fleeting glance of the front of the house The instant
     that I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us
     and I heard faintly the rattle of the wheels as the carriage drove
     away

     It was pitch dark inside the house and the colonel fumbled about
     looking for matches and muttering under his breath Suddenly a door
     opened at the other end of the passage and a long golden bar of
     light shot out in our direction It grew broader and a woman
     appeared with a lamp in her hand which she held above her head
     pushing her face forward and peering at us I could see that she was
     pretty and from the gloss with which the light shone upon her dark
     dress I knew that it was a rich material She spoke a few words in a
     foreign tongue in a tone as though asking a question and when my
     companion answered in a gruff monosyllable she gave such a start that
     the lamp nearly fell from her hand Colonel Stark went up to her
     whispered something in her ear and then pushing her back into the
     room from whence she had come he walked towards me again with the
     lamp in his hand

     Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a few
     minutes said he throwing open another door It was a quiet
     little plainly furnished room with a round table in the centre on
     which several German books were scattered Colonel Stark laid down
     the lamp on the top of a harmonium beside the door I shall not keep
     you waiting an instant said he and vanished into the darkness

     I glanced at the books upon the table and in spite of my ignorance
     of German I could see that two of them were treatises on science the
     others being volumes of poetry Then I walked across to the window
     hoping that I might catch some glimpse of the countryside but an
     oak shutter heavily barred was folded across it It was a
     wonderfully silent house There was an old clock ticking loudly
     somewhere in the passage but otherwise everything was deadly still
     A vague feeling of uneasiness began to steal over me Who were these
     German people and what were they doing living in this strange
     outoftheway place And where was the place I was ten miles or so
     from Eyford that was all I knew but whether north south east or
     west I had no idea For that matter Reading and possibly other
     large towns were within that radius so the place might not be so
     secluded after all Yet it was quite certain from the absolute
     stillness that we were in the country I paced up and down the room
     humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling that
     I was thoroughly earning my fiftyguinea fee

     Suddenly without any preliminary sound in the midst of the utter
     stillness the door of my room swung slowly open The woman was
     standing in the aperture the darkness of the hall behind her the
     yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and beautiful face
     I could see at a glance that she was sick with fear and the sight
     sent a chill to my own heart She held up one shaking finger to warn
     me to be silent and she shot a few whispered words of broken English
     at me her eyes glancing back like those of a frightened horse into
     the gloom behind her

     I would go said she trying hard as it seemed to me to speak
     calmly I would go I should not stay here There is no good for you
     to do

     But madam said I I have not yet done what I came for I cannot
     possibly leave until I have seen the machine

     It is not worth your while to wait she went on You can pass
     through the door no one hinders And then seeing that I smiled and
     shook my head she suddenly threw aside her constraint and made a
     step forward with her hands wrung together For the love of
     Heaven she whispered get away from here before it is too late

     But I am somewhat headstrong by nature and the more ready to engage
     in an affair when there is some obstacle in the way I thought of my
     fiftyguinea fee of my wearisome journey and of the unpleasant
     night which seemed to be before me Was it all to go for nothing Why
     should I slink away without having carried out my commission and
     without the payment which was my due This woman might for all I
     knew be a monomaniac With a stout bearing therefore though her
     manner had shaken me more than I cared to confess I still shook my
     head and declared my intention of remaining where I was She was
     about to renew her entreaties when a door slammed overhead and the
     sound of several footsteps was heard upon the stairs She listened
     for an instant threw up her hands with a despairing gesture and
     vanished as suddenly and as noiselessly as she had come

     The newcomers were Colonel Lysander Stark and a short thick man with
     a chinchilla beard growing out of the creases of his double chin who
     was introduced to me as Mr Ferguson

     This is my secretary and manager said the colonel By the way I
     was under the impression that I left this door shut just now I fear
     that you have felt the draught

     On the contrary said I I opened the door myself because I felt
     the room to be a little close

     He shot one of his suspicious looks at me Perhaps we had better
     proceed to business then said he Mr Ferguson and I will take
     you up to see the machine

     I had better put my hat on I suppose

     Oh no it is in the house

     What you dig fullersearth in the house

     No no This is only where we compress it But never mind that All
     we wish you to do is to examine the machine and to let us know what
     is wrong with it

     We went upstairs together the colonel first with the lamp the fat
     manager and I behind him It was a labyrinth of an old house with
     corridors passages narrow winding staircases and little low doors
     the thresholds of which were hollowed out by the generations who had
     crossed them There were no carpets and no signs of any furniture
     above the ground floor while the plaster was peeling off the walls
     and the damp was breaking through in green unhealthy blotches I
     tried to put on as unconcerned an air as possible but I had not
     forgotten the warnings of the lady even though I disregarded them
     and I kept a keen eye upon my two companions Ferguson appeared to be
     a morose and silent man but I could see from the little that he said
     that he was at least a fellowcountryman

     Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at last before a low door which he
     unlocked Within was a small square room in which the three of us
     could hardly get at one time Ferguson remained outside and the
     colonel ushered me in

     We are now said he actually within the hydraulic press and it
     would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were to
     turn it on The ceiling of this small chamber is really the end of
     the descending piston and it comes down with the force of many tons
     upon this metal floor There are small lateral columns of water
     outside which receive the force and which transmit and multiply it
     in the manner which is familiar to you The machine goes readily
     enough but there is some stiffness in the working of it and it has
     lost a little of its force Perhaps you will have the goodness to
     look it over and to show us how we can set it right

     I took the lamp from him and I examined the machine very
     thoroughly It was indeed a gigantic one and capable of exercising
     enormous pressure When I passed outside however and pressed down
     the levers which controlled it I knew at once by the whishing sound
     that there was a slight leakage which allowed a regurgitation of
     water through one of the side cylinders An examination showed that
     one of the indiarubber bands which was round the head of a
     drivingrod had shrunk so as not quite to fill the socket along which
     it worked This was clearly the cause of the loss of power and I
     pointed it out to my companions who followed my remarks very
     carefully and asked several practical questions as to how they should
     proceed to set it right When I had made it clear to them I returned
     to the main chamber of the machine and took a good look at it to
     satisfy my own curiosity It was obvious at a glance that the story
     of the fullersearth was the merest fabrication for it would be
     absurd to suppose that so powerful an engine could be designed for so
     inadequate a purpose The walls were of wood but the floor consisted
     of a large iron trough and when I came to examine it I could see a
     crust of metallic deposit all over it I had stooped and was scraping
     at this to see exactly what it was when I heard a muttered
     exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the colonel
     looking down at me

     What are you doing there he asked

     I felt angry at having been tricked by so elaborate a story as that
     which he had told me I was admiring your fullersearth said I
     I think that I should be better able to advise you as to your
     machine if I knew what the exact purpose was for which it was used

     The instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of my
     speech His face set hard and a baleful light sprang up in his grey
     eyes

     Very well said he you shall know all about the machine He
     took a step backward slammed the little door and turned the key in
     the lock I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle but it was
     quite secure and did not give in the least to my kicks and shoves
     Hullo I yelled Hullo Colonel Let me out

     And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my heart
     into my mouth It was the clank of the levers and the swish of the
     leaking cylinder He had set the engine at work The lamp still stood
     upon the floor where I had placed it when examining the trough By
     its light I saw that the black ceiling was coming down upon me
     slowly jerkily but as none knew better than myself with a force
     which must within a minute grind me to a shapeless pulp I threw
     myself screaming against the door and dragged with my nails at the
     lock I implored the colonel to let me out but the remorseless
     clanking of the levers drowned my cries The ceiling was only a foot
     or two above my head and with my hand upraised I could feel its
     hard rough surface Then it flashed through my mind that the pain of
     my death would depend very much upon the position in which I met it
     If I lay on my face the weight would come upon my spine and I
     shuddered to think of that dreadful snap Easier the other way
     perhaps and yet had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly
     black shadow wavering down upon me Already I was unable to stand
     erect when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope back
     to my heart

     I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron the
     walls were of wood As I gave a last hurried glance around I saw a
     thin line of yellow light between two of the boards which broadened
     and broadened as a small panel was pushed backward For an instant I
     could hardly believe that here was indeed a door which led away from
     death The next instant I threw myself through and lay halffainting
     upon the other side The panel had closed again behind me but the
     crash of the lamp and a few moments afterwards the clang of the two
     slabs of metal told me how narrow had been my escape

     I was recalled to myself by a frantic plucking at my wrist and I
     found myself lying upon the stone floor of a narrow corridor while a
     woman bent over me and tugged at me with her left hand while she
     held a candle in her right It was the same good friend whose warning
     I had so foolishly rejected

     Come come she cried breathlessly They will be here in a
     moment They will see that you are not there Oh do not waste the
     soprecious time but come

     This time at least I did not scorn her advice I staggered to my
     feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding stair
     The latter led to another broad passage and just as we reached it we
     heard the sound of running feet and the shouting of two voices one
     answering the other from the floor on which  we were and from the one
     beneath My guide stopped and looked about her like one  who is at
     her wits end Then she threw open a door which led into a bedroom
     through the window of which the moon was shining brightly

     It is your only chance said she It is high but it may be that
     you can jump it

     As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the
     passage and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark rushing
     forward with a lantern in one hand and a weapon like a butchers
     cleaver in the other I rushed across the bedroom flung open the
     window and looked out How quiet and sweet and wholesome the garden
     looked in the moonlight and it could not be more than thirty feet
     down I clambered out upon the sill but I hesitated to jump until I
     should have heard what passed between my saviour and the ruffian who
     pursued me If she were illused then at any risks I was determined
     to go back to her assistance The thought had hardly flashed through
     my mind before he was at the door pushing his way past her but she
     threw her arms round him and tried to hold him back

     Fritz Fritz she cried in English remember your promise after
     the last time You said it should not be again He will be silent
     Oh he will be silent

     You are mad Elise he shouted struggling to break away from her
     You will be the ruin of us He has seen too much Let me pass I
     say He dashed her to one side and rushing to the window cut at
     me with his heavy weapon I had let myself go and was hanging by the
     hands to the sill when his blow fell I was conscious of a dull
     pain my grip loosened and I fell into the garden below

     I was shaken but not hurt by the fall so I picked myself up and
     rushed off among the bushes as hard as I could run for I understood
     that I was far from being out of danger yet Suddenly however as I
     ran a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me I glanced down at
     my hand which was throbbing painfully and then for the first time
     saw that my thumb had been cut off and that the blood was pouring
     from my wound I endeavoured to tie my handkerchief round it but
     there came a sudden buzzing in my ears and next moment I fell in a
     dead faint among the rosebushes

     How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell It must have been a
     very long time for the moon had sunk and a bright morning was
     breaking when I came to myself My clothes were all sodden with dew
     and my coatsleeve was drenched with blood from my wounded thumb The
     smarting of it recalled in an instant all the particulars of my
     nights adventure and I sprang to my feet with the feeling that I
     might hardly yet be safe from my pursuers But to my astonishment
     when I came to look round me neither house nor garden were to be
     seen I had been lying in an angle of the hedge close by the
     highroad and just a little lower down was a long building which
     proved upon my approaching it to be the very station at which I had
     arrived upon the previous night Were it not for the ugly wound upon
     my hand all that had passed during those dreadful hours might have
     been an evil dream

     Half dazed I went into the station and asked about the morning
     train There would be one to Reading in less than an hour The same
     porter was on duty I found as had been there when I arrived I
     inquired of him whether he had ever heard of Colonel Lysander Stark
     The name was strange to him Had he observed a carriage the night
     before waiting for me No he had not Was there a policestation
     anywhere near There was one about three miles off

     It was too far for me to go weak and ill as I was I determined to
     wait until I got back to town before telling my story to the police
     It was a little past six when I arrived so I went first to have my
     wound dressed and then the doctor was kind enough to bring me along
     here I put the case into your hands and shall do exactly what you
     advise

     We both sat in silence for some little time after listening to this
     extraordinary narrative Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down from the
     shelf one of the ponderous commonplace books in which he placed his
     cuttings

     Here is an advertisement which will interest you said he It
     appeared in all the papers about a year ago Listen to this

     Lost on the th inst Mr Jeremiah Hayling aged twentysix a
     hydraulic engineer Left his lodgings at ten oclock at night and
     has not been heard of since Was dressed in

     etc etc Ha That represents the last time that the colonel needed
     to have his machine overhauled I fancy

     Good heavens cried my patient Then that explains what the girl
     said

     Undoubtedly It is quite clear that the colonel was a cool and
     desperate man who was absolutely determined that nothing should
     stand in the way of his little game like those outandout pirates
     who will leave no survivor from a captured ship Well every moment
     now is precious so if you feel equal to it we shall go down to
     Scotland Yard at once as a preliminary to starting for Eyford

     Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train together
     bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village There were
     Sherlock Holmes the hydraulic engineer Inspector Bradstreet of
     Scotland Yard a plainclothes man and myself Bradstreet had spread
     an ordnance map of the county out upon the seat and was busy with his
     compasses drawing a circle with Eyford for its centre

     There you are said he That circle is drawn at a radius of ten
     miles from the village The place we want must be somewhere near that
     line You said ten miles I think sir

     It was an hours good drive

     And you think that they brought you back all that way when you were
     unconscious

     They must have done so I have a confused memory too of having
     been lifted and conveyed somewhere

     What I cannot understand said I is why they should have spared
     you when they found you lying fainting in the garden Perhaps the
     villain was softened by the womans entreaties

     I hardly think that likely I never saw a more inexorable face in my
     life

     Oh we shall soon clear up all that said Bradstreet Well I have
     drawn my circle and I only wish I knew at what point upon it the
     folk that we are in search of are to be found

     I think I could lay my finger on it said Holmes quietly

     Really now cried the inspector you have formed your opinion
     Come now we shall see who agrees with you I say it is south for
     the country is more deserted there

     And I say east said my patient

     I am for west remarked the plainclothes man There are several
     quiet little villages up there

     And I am for north said I because there are no hills there and
     our friend says that he did not notice the carriage go up any

     Come cried the inspector laughing its a very pretty diversity
     of opinion We have boxed the compass among us Who do you give your
     casting vote to

     You are all wrong

     But we cant all be

     Oh yes you can This is my point He placed his finger in the
     centre of the circle This is where we shall find them

     But the twelvemile drive gasped Hatherley

     Six out and six back Nothing simpler You say yourself that the
     horse was fresh and glossy when you got in How could it be that if
     it had gone twelve miles over heavy roads

     Indeed it is a likely ruse enough observed Bradstreet
     thoughtfully Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature of
     this gang

     None at all said Holmes They are coiners on a large scale and
     have used the machine to form the amalgam which has taken the place
     of silver

     We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work said
     the inspector They have been turning out halfcrowns by the
     thousand We even traced them as far as Reading but could get no
     farther for they had covered their traces in a way that showed that
     they were very old hands But now thanks to this lucky chance I
     think that we have got them right enough

     But the inspector was mistaken for those criminals were not destined
     to fall into the hands of justice As we rolled into Eyford Station
     we saw a gigantic column of smoke which streamed up from behind a
     small clump of trees in the neighbourhood and hung like an immense
     ostrich feather over the landscape

     A house on fire asked Bradstreet as the train steamed off again on
     its way

     Yes sir said the stationmaster

     When did it break out

     I hear that it was during the night sir but it has got worse and
     the whole place is in a blaze

     Whose house is it

     Dr Bechers

     Tell me broke in the engineer is Dr Becher a German very thin
     with a long sharp nose

     The stationmaster laughed heartily No sir Dr Becher is an
     Englishman and there isnt a man in the parish who has a
     betterlined waistcoat But he has a gentleman staying with him a
     patient as I understand who is a foreigner and he looks as if a
     little good Berkshire beef would do him no harm

     The stationmaster had not finished his speech before we were all
     hastening in the direction of the fire The road topped a low hill
     and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in front of us
     spouting fire at every chink and window while in the garden in front
     three fireengines were vainly striving to keep the flames under

     Thats it cried Hatherley in intense excitement There is the
     graveldrive and there are the rosebushes where I lay That second
     window is the one that I jumped from

     Well at least said Holmes you have had your revenge upon them
     There can be no question that it was your oillamp which when it was
     crushed in the press set fire to the wooden walls though no doubt
     they were too excited in the chase after you to observe it at the
     time Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for your friends of last
     night though I very much fear that they are a good hundred miles off
     by now

     And Holmes fears came to be realised for from that day to this no
     word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman the sinister
     German or the morose Englishman Early that morning a peasant had
     met a cart containing several people and some very bulky boxes
     driving rapidly in the direction of Reading but there all traces of
     the fugitives disappeared and even Holmes ingenuity failed ever to
     discover the least clue as to their whereabouts

     The firemen had been much perturbed at the strange arrangements which
     they had found within and still more so by discovering a newly
     severed human thumb upon a windowsill of the second floor About
     sunset however their efforts were at last successful and they
     subdued the flames but not before the roof had fallen in and the
     whole place been reduced to such absolute ruin that save some
     twisted cylinders and iron piping not a trace remained of the
     machinery which had cost our unfortunate acquaintance so dearly
     Large masses of nickel and of tin were discovered stored in an
     outhouse but no coins were to be found which may have explained
     the presence of those bulky boxes which have been already referred
     to

     How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to the
     spot where he recovered his senses might have remained forever a
     mystery were it not for the soft mould which told us a very plain
     tale He had evidently been carried down by two persons one of whom
     had remarkably small feet and the other unusually large ones On the
     whole it was most probable that the silent Englishman being less
     bold or less murderous than his companion had assisted the woman to
     bear the unconscious man out of the way of danger

     Well said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to return
     once more to London it has been a pretty business for me I have
     lost my thumb and I have lost a fiftyguinea fee and what have I
     gained

     Experience said Holmes laughing Indirectly it may be of value
     you know you have only to put it into words to gain the reputation
     of being excellent company for the remainder of your existence






                       THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR

     The Lord St Simon marriage and its curious termination have long
     ceased to be a subject of interest in those exalted circles in which
     the unfortunate bridegroom moves Fresh scandals have eclipsed it
     and their more piquant details have drawn the gossips away from this
     fouryearold drama As I have reason to believe however that the
     full facts have never been revealed to the general public and as my
     friend Sherlock Holmes had a considerable share in clearing the
     matter up I feel that no memoir of him would be complete without
     some little sketch of this remarkable episode

     It was a few weeks before my own marriage during the days when I was
     still sharing rooms with Holmes in Baker Street that he came home
     from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table waiting for
     him I had remained indoors all day for the weather had taken a
     sudden turn to rain with high autumnal winds and the Jezail bullet
     which I had brought back in one of my limbs as a relic of my Afghan
     campaign throbbed with dull persistence With my body in one
     easychair and my legs upon another I had surrounded myself with a
     cloud of newspapers until at last saturated with the news of the
     day I tossed them all aside and lay listless watching the huge
     crest and monogram upon the envelope upon the table and wondering
     lazily who my friends noble correspondent could be

     Here is a very fashionable epistle I remarked as he entered Your
     morning letters if I remember right were from a fishmonger and a
     tidewaiter

     Yes my correspondence has certainly the charm of variety he
     answered smiling and the humbler are usually the more interesting
     This looks like one of those unwelcome social summonses which call
     upon a man either to be bored or to lie

     He broke the seal and glanced over the contents

     Oh come it may prove to be something of interest after all

     Not social then

     No distinctly professional

     And from a noble client

     One of the highest in England

     My dear fellow I congratulate you

     I assure you Watson without affectation that the status of my
     client is a matter of less moment to me than the interest of his
     case It is just possible however that that also may not be wanting
     in this new investigation You have been reading the papers
     diligently of late have you not

     It looks like it said I ruefully pointing to a huge bundle in the
     corner I have had nothing else to do

     It is fortunate for you will perhaps be able to post me up I read
     nothing except the criminal news and the agony column The latter is
     always instructive But if you have followed recent events so closely
     you must have read about Lord St Simon and his wedding

     Oh yes with the deepest interest

     That is well The letter which I hold in my hand is from Lord St
     Simon I will read it to you and in return you must turn over these
     papers and let me have whatever bears upon the matter This is what
     he says

     My dear Mr Sherlock Holmes
     Lord Backwater tells me that I may place implicit reliance upon
     your judgment and discretion I have determined therefore to call
     upon you and to consult you in reference to the very painful event
     which has occurred in connection with my wedding Mr Lestrade of
     Scotland Yard is acting already in the matter but he assures me
     that he sees no objection to your cooperation and that he even
     thinks that it might be of some assistance I will call at four
     oclock in the afternoon and should you have any other engagement
     at that time I hope that you will postpone it as this matter is of
     paramount importance
     Yours faithfully
     St Simon

     It is dated from Grosvenor Mansions written with a quill pen and
     the noble lord has had the misfortune to get a smear of ink upon the
     outer side of his right little finger remarked Holmes as he folded
     up the epistle

     He says four oclock It is three now He will be here in an hour

     Then I have just time with your assistance to get clear upon the
     subject Turn over those papers and arrange the extracts in their
     order of time while I take a glance as to who our client is He
     picked a redcovered volume from a line of books of reference beside
     the mantelpiece Here he is said he sitting down and flattening
     it out upon his knee Lord Robert Walsingham de Vere St Simon
     second son of the Duke of Balmoral Hum Arms Azure three
     caltrops in chief over a fess sable Born in  Hes fortyone
     years of age which is mature for marriage Was UnderSecretary for
     the colonies in a late administration The Duke his father was at
     one time Secretary for Foreign Affairs They inherit Plantagenet
     blood by direct descent and Tudor on the distaff side Ha Well
     there is nothing very instructive in all this I think that I must
     turn to you Watson for something more solid

     I have very little difficulty in finding what I want said I for
     the facts are quite recent and the matter struck me as remarkable I
     feared to refer them to you however as I knew that you had an
     inquiry on hand and that you disliked the intrusion of other
     matters

     Oh you mean the little problem of the Grosvenor Square furniture
     van That is quite cleared up nowthough indeed it was obvious
     from the first Pray give me the results of your newspaper
     selections

     Here is the first notice which I can find It is in the personal
     column of the Morning Post and dates as you see some weeks back

     A marriage has been arranged it says and will if rumour is
     correct very shortly take place between Lord Robert St Simon
     second son of the Duke of Balmoral and Miss Hatty Doran the only
     daughter of Aloysius Doran Esq of San Francisco Cal USA

     That is all

     Terse and to the point remarked Holmes stretching his long thin
     legs towards the fire

     There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society papers
     of the same week Ah here it is

     There will soon be a call for protection in the marriage market
     for the present freetrade principle appears to tell heavily against
     our home product One by one the management of the noble houses of
     Great Britain is passing into the hands of our fair cousins from
     across the Atlantic An important addition has been made during the
     last week to the list of the prizes which have been borne away by
     these charming invaders Lord St Simon who has shown himself for
     over twenty years proof against the little gods arrows has now
     definitely announced his approaching marriage with Miss Hatty Doran
     the fascinating daughter of a California millionaire Miss Doran
     whose graceful figure and striking face attracted much attention at
     the Westbury House festivities is an only child and it is currently
     reported that her dowry will run to considerably over the six
     figures with expectancies for the future As it is an open secret
     that the Duke of Balmoral has been compelled to sell his pictures
     within the last few years and as Lord St Simon has no property of
     his own save the small estate of Birchmoor it is obvious that the
     Californian heiress is not the only gainer by an alliance which will
     enable her to make the easy and common transition from a Republican
     lady to a British peeress

     Anything else asked Holmes yawning

     Oh yes plenty Then there is another note in the Morning Post to
     say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one that it would
     be at St Georges Hanover Square that only half a dozen intimate
     friends would be invited and that the party would return to the
     furnished house at Lancaster Gate which has been taken by Mr
     Aloysius Doran Two days laterthat is on Wednesday lastthere is
     a curt announcement that the wedding had taken place and that the
     honeymoon would be passed at Lord Backwaters place near
     Petersfield Those are all the notices which appeared before the
     disappearance of the bride

     Before the what asked Holmes with a start

     The vanishing of the lady

     When did she vanish then

     At the wedding breakfast

     Indeed This is more interesting than it promised to be quite
     dramatic in fact

     Yes it struck me as being a little out of the common

     They often vanish before the ceremony and occasionally during the
     honeymoon but I cannot call to mind anything quite so prompt as
     this Pray let me have the details

     I warn you that they are very incomplete

     Perhaps we may make them less so

     Such as they are they are set forth in a single article of a
     morning paper of yesterday which I will read to you It is headed
     Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding

     The family of Lord Robert St Simon has been thrown into the
     greatest consternation by the strange and painful episodes which have
     taken place in connection with his wedding The ceremony as shortly
     announced in the papers of yesterday occurred on the previous
     morning but it is only now that it has been possible to confirm the
     strange rumours which have been so persistently floating about In
     spite of the attempts of the friends to hush the matter up so much
     public attention has now been drawn to it that no good purpose can be
     served by affecting to disregard what is a common subject for
     conversation
     The ceremony which was performed at St Georges Hanover Square
     was a very quiet one no one being present save the father of the
     bride Mr Aloysius Doran the Duchess of Balmoral Lord Backwater
     Lord Eustace and Lady Clara St Simon the younger brother and sister
     of the bridegroom and Lady Alicia Whittington The whole party
     proceeded afterwards to the house of Mr Aloysius Doran at Lancaster
     Gate where breakfast had been prepared It appears that some little
     trouble was caused by a woman whose name has not been ascertained
     who endeavoured to force her way into the house after the bridal
     party alleging that she had some claim upon Lord St Simon It was
     only after a painful and prolonged scene that she was ejected by the
     butler and the footman The bride who had fortunately entered the
     house before this unpleasant interruption had sat down to breakfast
     with the rest when she complained of a sudden indisposition and
     retired to her room Her prolonged absence having caused some
     comment her father followed her but learned from her maid that she
     had only come up to her chamber for an instant caught up an ulster
     and bonnet and hurried down to the passage One of the footmen
     declared that he had seen a lady leave the house thus apparelled but
     had refused to credit that it was his mistress believing her to be
     with the company On ascertaining that his daughter had disappeared
     Mr Aloysius Doran in conjunction with the bridegroom instantly put
     themselves in communication with the police and very energetic
     inquiries are being made which will probably result in a speedy
     clearing up of this very singular business Up to a late hour last
     night however nothing had transpired as to the whereabouts of the
     missing lady There are rumours of foul play in the matter and it is
     said that the police have caused the arrest of the woman who had
     caused the original disturbance in the belief that from jealousy or
     some other motive she may have been concerned in the strange
     disappearance of the bride

     And is that all

     Only one little item in another of the morning papers but it is a
     suggestive one

     And it is

     That Miss Flora Millar the lady who had caused the disturbance has
     actually been arrested It appears that she was formerly a danseuse
     at the Allegro and that she has known the bridegroom for some years
     There are no further particulars and the whole case is in your hands
     nowso far as it has been set forth in the public press

     And an exceedingly interesting case it appears to be I would not
     have missed it for worlds But there is a ring at the bell Watson
     and as the clock makes it a few minutes after four I have no doubt
     that this will prove to be our noble client Do not dream of going
     Watson for I very much prefer having a witness if only as a check
     to my own memory

     Lord Robert St Simon announced our pageboy throwing open the
     door A gentleman entered with a pleasant cultured face highnosed
     and pale with something perhaps of petulance about the mouth and
     with the steady wellopened eye of a man whose pleasant lot it had
     ever been to command and to be obeyed His manner was brisk and yet
     his general appearance gave an undue impression of age for he had a
     slight forward stoop and a little bend of the knees as he walked His
     hair too as he swept off his very curlybrimmed hat was grizzled
     round the edges and thin upon the top As to his dress it was
     careful to the verge of foppishness with high collar black
     frockcoat white waistcoat yellow gloves patentleather shoes and
     lightcoloured gaiters He advanced slowly into the room turning his
     head from left to right and swinging in his right hand the cord
     which held his golden eyeglasses

     Goodday Lord St Simon said Holmes rising and bowing Pray
     take the basketchair This is my friend and colleague Dr Watson
     Draw up a little to the fire and we will talk this matter over

     A most painful matter to me as you can most readily imagine Mr
     Holmes I have been cut to the quick I understand that you have
     already managed several delicate cases of this sort sir though I
     presume that they were hardly from the same class of society

     No I am descending

     I beg pardon

     My last client of the sort was a king

     Oh really I had no idea And which king

     The King of Scandinavia

     What Had he lost his wife

     You can understand said Holmes suavely that I extend to the
     affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to you
     in yours

     Of course Very right very right Im sure I beg pardon As to my
     own case I am ready to give you any information which may assist you
     in forming an opinion

     Thank you I have already learned all that is in the public prints
     nothing more I presume that I may take it as correctthis article
     for example as to the disappearance of the bride

     Lord St Simon glanced over it Yes it is correct as far as it
     goes

     But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could offer
     an opinion I think that I may arrive at my facts most directly by
     questioning you

     Pray do so

     When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran

     In San Francisco a year ago

     You were travelling in the States

     Yes

     Did you become engaged then

     No

     But you were on a friendly footing

     I was amused by her society and she could see that I was amused

     Her father is very rich

     He is said to be the richest man on the Pacific slope

     And how did he make his money

     In mining He had nothing a few years ago Then he struck gold
     invested it and came up by leaps and bounds

     Now what is your own impression as to the young ladysyour wifes
     character

     The nobleman swung his glasses a little faster and stared down into
     the fire You see Mr Holmes said he my wife was twenty before
     her father became a rich man During that time she ran free in a
     mining camp and wandered through woods or mountains so that her
     education has come from Nature rather than from the schoolmaster She
     is what we call in England a tomboy with a strong nature wild and
     free unfettered by any sort of traditions She is
     impetuousvolcanic I was about to say She is swift in making up
     her mind and fearless in carrying out her resolutions On the other
     hand I would not have given her the name which I have the honour to
     bearhe gave a little stately coughhad not I thought her to be
     at bottom a noble woman I believe that she is capable of heroic
     selfsacrifice and that anything dishonourable would be repugnant to
     her

     Have you her photograph

     I brought this with me He opened a locket and showed us the full
     face of a very lovely woman It was not a photograph but an ivory
     miniature and the artist had brought out the full effect of the
     lustrous black hair the large dark eyes and the exquisite mouth
     Holmes gazed long and earnestly at it Then he closed the locket and
     handed it back to Lord St Simon

     The young lady came to London then and you renewed your
     acquaintance

     Yes her father brought her over for this last London season I met
     her several times became engaged to her and have now married her

     She brought I understand a considerable dowry

     A fair dowry Not more than is usual in my family

     And this of course remains to you since the marriage is a fait
     accompli

     I really have made no inquiries on the subject

     Very naturally not Did you see Miss Doran on the day before the
     wedding

     Yes

     Was she in good spirits

     Never better She kept talking of what we should do in our future
     lives

     Indeed That is very interesting And on the morning of the
     wedding

     She was as bright as possibleat least until after the ceremony

     And did you observe any change in her then

     Well to tell the truth I saw then the first signs that I had ever
     seen that her temper was just a little sharp The incident however
     was too trivial to relate and can have no possible bearing upon the
     case

     Pray let us have it for all that

     Oh it is childish She dropped her bouquet as we went towards the
     vestry She was passing the front pew at the time and it fell over
     into the pew There was a moments delay but the gentleman in the
     pew handed it up to her again and it did not appear to be the worse
     for the fall Yet when I spoke to her of the matter she answered me
     abruptly and in the carriage on our way home she seemed absurdly
     agitated over this trifling cause

     Indeed You say that there was a gentleman in the pew Some of the
     general public were present then

     Oh yes It is impossible to exclude them when the church is open

     This gentleman was not one of your wifes friends

     No no I call him a gentleman by courtesy but he was quite a
     commonlooking person I hardly noticed his appearance But really I
     think that we are wandering rather far from the point

     Lady St Simon then returned from the wedding in a less cheerful
     frame of mind than she had gone to it What did she do on reentering
     her fathers house

     I saw her in conversation with her maid

     And who is her maid

     Alice is her name She is an American and came from California with
     her

     A confidential servant

     A little too much so It seemed to me that her mistress allowed her
     to take great liberties Still of course in America they look upon
     these things in a different way

     How long did she speak to this Alice

     Oh a few minutes I had something else to think of

     You did not overhear what they said

     Lady St Simon said something about jumping a claim She was
     accustomed to use slang of the kind I have no idea what she meant

     American slang is very expressive sometimes And what did your wife
     do when she finished speaking to her maid

     She walked into the breakfastroom

     On your arm

     No alone She was very independent in little matters like that
     Then after we had sat down for ten minutes or so she rose
     hurriedly muttered some words of apology and left the room She
     never came back

     But this maid Alice as I understand deposes that she went to her
     room covered her brides dress with a long ulster put on a bonnet
     and went out

     Quite so And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in
     company with Flora Millar a woman who is now in custody and who had
     already made a disturbance at Mr Dorans house that morning

     Ah yes I should like a few particulars as to this young lady and
     your relations to her

     Lord St Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows We
     have been on a friendly footing for some yearsI may say on a very
     friendly footing She used to be at the Allegro I have not treated
     her ungenerously and she had no just cause of complaint against me
     but you know what women are Mr Holmes Flora was a dear little
     thing but exceedingly hotheaded and devotedly attached to me She
     wrote me dreadful letters when she heard that I was about to be
     married and to tell the truth the reason why I had the marriage
     celebrated so quietly was that I feared lest there might be a scandal
     in the church She came to Mr Dorans door just after we returned
     and she endeavoured to push her way in uttering very abusive
     expressions towards my wife and even threatening her but I had
     foreseen the possibility of something of the sort and I had two
     police fellows there in private clothes who soon pushed her out
     again She was quiet when she saw that there was no good in making a
     row

     Did your wife hear all this

     No thank goodness she did not

     And she was seen walking with this very woman afterwards

     Yes That is what Mr Lestrade of Scotland Yard looks upon as so
     serious It is thought that Flora decoyed my wife out and laid some
     terrible trap for her

     Well it is a possible supposition

     You think so too

     I did not say a probable one But you do not yourself look upon this
     as likely

     I do not think Flora would hurt a fly

     Still jealousy is a strange transformer of characters Pray what is
     your own theory as to what took place

     Well really I came to seek a theory not to propound one I have
     given you all the facts Since you ask me however I may say that it
     has occurred to me as possible that the excitement of this affair
     the consciousness that she had made so immense a social stride had
     the effect of causing some little nervous disturbance in my wife

     In short that she had become suddenly deranged

     Well really when I consider that she has turned her backI will
     not say upon me but upon so much that many have aspired to without
     successI can hardly explain it in any other fashion

     Well certainly that is also a conceivable hypothesis said Holmes
     smiling And now Lord St Simon I think that I have nearly all my
     data May I ask whether you were seated at the breakfasttable so
     that you could see out of the window

     We could see the other side of the road and the Park

     Quite so Then I do not think that I need to detain you longer I
     shall communicate with you

     Should you be fortunate enough to solve this problem said our
     client rising

     I have solved it

     Eh What was that

     I say that I have solved it

     Where then is my wife

     That is a detail which I shall speedily supply

     Lord St Simon shook his head I am afraid that it will take wiser
     heads than yours or mine he remarked and bowing in a stately
     oldfashioned manner he departed

     It is very good of Lord St Simon to honour my head by putting it on
     a level with his own said Sherlock Holmes laughing I think that
     I shall have a whisky and soda and a cigar after all this
     crossquestioning I had formed my conclusions as to the case before
     our client came into the room

     My dear Holmes

     I have notes of several similar cases though none as I remarked
     before which were quite as prompt My whole examination served to
     turn my conjecture into a certainty Circumstantial evidence is
     occasionally very convincing as when you find a trout in the milk
     to quote Thoreaus example

     But I have heard all that you have heard

     Without however the knowledge of preexisting cases which serves
     me so well There was a parallel instance in Aberdeen some years
     back and something on very much the same lines at Munich the year
     after the FrancoPrussian War It is one of these casesbut hullo
     here is Lestrade Goodafternoon Lestrade You will find an extra
     tumbler upon the sideboard and there are cigars in the box

     The official detective was attired in a peajacket and cravat which
     gave him a decidedly nautical appearance and he carried a black
     canvas bag in his hand With a short greeting he seated himself and
     lit the cigar which had been offered to him

     Whats up then asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye You look
     dissatisfied

     And I feel dissatisfied It is this infernal St Simon marriage
     case I can make neither head nor tail of the business

     Really You surprise me

     Who ever heard of such a mixed affair Every clue seems to slip
     through my fingers I have been at work upon it all day

     And very wet it seems to have made you said Holmes laying his hand
     upon the arm of the peajacket

     Yes I have been dragging the Serpentine

     In heavens name what for

     In search of the body of Lady St Simon

     Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily

     Have you dragged the basin of Trafalgar Square fountain he asked

     Why What do you mean

     Because you have just as good a chance of finding this lady in the
     one as in the other

     Lestrade shot an angry glance at my companion I suppose you know
     all about it he snarled

     Well I have only just heard the facts but my mind is made up

     Oh indeed Then you think that the Serpentine plays no part in the
     matter

     I think it very unlikely

     Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we found this in
     it He opened his bag as he spoke and tumbled onto the floor a
     weddingdress of watered silk a pair of white satin shoes and a
     brides wreath and veil all discoloured and soaked in water
     There said he putting a new weddingring upon the top of the
     pile There is a little nut for you to crack Master Holmes

     Oh indeed said my friend blowing blue rings into the air  You
     dragged them from the Serpentine

     No They were found floating near the margin by a parkkeeper They
     have been identified as her clothes and it seemed to me that if the
     clothes were there the body would not be far off

     By the same brilliant reasoning every mans body is to be found in
     the neighbourhood of his wardrobe And pray what did you hope to
     arrive at through this

     At some evidence implicating Flora Millar in the disappearance

     I am afraid that you will find it difficult

     Are you indeed now cried Lestrade with some bitterness I am
     afraid Holmes that you are not very practical with your deductions
     and your inferences You have made two blunders in as many minutes
     This dress does implicate Miss Flora Millar

     And how

     In the dress is a pocket In the pocket is a cardcase In the
     cardcase is a note And here is the very note He slapped it down
     upon the table in front of him Listen to this

     You will see me when all is ready Come at once
     FHM

     Now my theory all along has been that Lady St Simon was decoyed away
     by Flora Millar and that she with confederates no doubt was
     responsible for her disappearance Here signed with her initials is
     the very note which was no doubt quietly slipped into her hand at the
     door and which lured her within their reach

     Very good Lestrade said Holmes laughing You really are very
     fine indeed Let me see it He took up the paper in a listless way
     but his attention instantly became riveted and he gave a little cry
     of satisfaction This is indeed important said he

     Ha you find it so

     Extremely so I congratulate you warmly

     Lestrade rose in his triumph and bent his head to look Why he
     shrieked youre looking at the wrong side

     On the contrary this is the right side

     The right side Youre mad Here is the note written in pencil over
     here

     And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel bill
     which interests me deeply

     Theres nothing in it I looked at it before said Lestrade

     Oct th rooms s breakfast s d cocktail s lunch s
     d glass sherry d I see nothing in that

     Very likely not It is most important all the same As to the note
     it is important also or at least the initials are so I congratulate
     you again

     Ive wasted time enough said Lestrade rising I believe in hard
     work and not in sitting by the fire spinning fine theories Goodday
     Mr Holmes and we shall see which gets to the bottom of the matter
     first He gathered up the garments thrust them into the bag and
     made for the door

     Just one hint to you Lestrade drawled Holmes before his rival
     vanished I will tell you the true solution of the matter Lady St
     Simon is a myth There is not and there never has been any such
     person

     Lestrade looked sadly at my companion Then he turned to me tapped
     his forehead three times shook his head solemnly and hurried away

     He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on his
     overcoat There is something in what the fellow says about outdoor
     work he remarked so I think Watson that I must leave you to
     your papers for a little

     It was after five oclock when Sherlock Holmes left me but I had no
     time to be lonely for within an hour there arrived a confectioners
     man with a very large flat box This he unpacked with the help of a
     youth whom he had brought with him and presently to my very great
     astonishment a quite epicurean little cold supper began to be laid
     out upon our humble lodginghouse mahogany There were a couple of
     brace of cold woodcock a pheasant a pÃtà de foie gras pie with a
     group of ancient and cobwebby bottles Having laid out all these
     luxuries my two visitors vanished away like the genii of the
     Arabian Nights with no explanation save that the things had been
     paid for and were ordered to this address

     Just before nine oclock Sherlock Holmes stepped briskly into the
     room His features were gravely set but there was a light in his eye
     which made me think that he had not been disappointed in his
     conclusions

     They have laid the supper then he said rubbing his hands

     You seem to expect company They have laid for five

     Yes I fancy we may have some company dropping in said he I am
     surprised that Lord St Simon has not already arrived Ha I fancy
     that I hear his step now upon the stairs

     It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in
     dangling his glasses more vigorously than ever and with a very
     perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features

     My messenger reached you then asked Holmes

     Yes and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure
     Have you good authority for what you say 

     The best possible

     Lord St Simon sank into a chair and passed his hand over his
     forehead

     What will the Duke say he murmured when he hears that one of the
     family has been subjected to such humiliation

     It is the purest accident I cannot allow that there is any
     humiliation

     Ah you look on these things from another standpoint

     I fail to see that anyone is to blame I can hardly see how the lady
     could have acted otherwise though her abrupt method of doing it was
     undoubtedly to be regretted Having no mother she had no one to
     advise her at such a crisis

     It was a slight sir a public slight said Lord St Simon tapping
     his fingers upon the table

     You must make allowance for this poor girl placed in so
     unprecedented a position

     I will make no allowance I am very angry indeed and I have been
     shamefully used

     I think that I heard a ring said Holmes Yes there are steps on
     the landing If I cannot persuade you to take a lenient view of the
     matter Lord St Simon I have brought an advocate here who may be
     more successful He opened the door and ushered in a lady and
     gentleman Lord St Simon said he allow me to introduce you to
     Mr and Mrs Francis Hay Moulton The lady I think you have already
     met

     At the sight of these newcomers our client had sprung from his seat
     and stood very erect with his eyes cast down and his hand thrust
     into the breast of his frockcoat a picture of offended dignity The
     lady had taken a quick step forward and had held out her hand to him
     but he still refused to raise his eyes It was as well for his
     resolution perhaps for her pleading face was one which it was hard
     to resist

     Youre angry Robert said she Well I guess you have every cause
     to be

     Pray make no apology to me said Lord St Simon bitterly

     Oh yes I know that I have treated you real bad and that I should
     have spoken to you before I went but I was kind of rattled and from
     the time when I saw Frank here again I just didnt know what I was
     doing or saying I only wonder I didnt fall down and do a faint
     right there before the altar

     Perhaps Mrs Moulton you would like my friend and me to leave the
     room while you explain this matter

     If I may give an opinion remarked the strange gentleman weve
     had just a little too much secrecy over this business already For my
     part I should like all Europe and America to hear the rights of it
     He was a small wiry sunburnt man cleanshaven with a sharp face
     and alert manner

     Then Ill tell our story right away said the lady Frank here and
     I met in  in McQuires camp near the Rockies where pa was
     working a claim We were engaged to each other Frank and I but then
     one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile while poor Frank
     here had a claim that petered out and came to nothing The richer pa
     grew the poorer was Frank so at last pa wouldnt hear of our
     engagement lasting any longer and he took me away to Frisco Frank
     wouldnt throw up his hand though so he followed me there and he
     saw me without pa knowing anything about it It would only have made
     him mad to know so we just fixed it all up for ourselves Frank said
     that he would go and make his pile too and never come back to claim
     me until he had as much as pa So then I promised to wait for him to
     the end of time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he
     lived Why shouldnt we be married right away then said he and
     then I will feel sure of you and I wont claim to be your husband
     until I come back Well we talked it over and he had fixed it all
     up so nicely with a clergyman all ready in waiting that we just did
     it right there and then Frank went off to seek his fortune and I
     went back to pa

     The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana and then he
     went prospecting in Arizona and then I heard of him from New Mexico
     After that came a long newspaper story about how a miners camp had
     been attacked by Apache Indians and there was my Franks name among
     the killed I fainted dead away and I was very sick for months
     after Pa thought I had a decline and took me to half the doctors in
     Frisco Not a word of news came for a year and more so that I never
     doubted that Frank was really dead Then Lord St Simon came to
     Frisco and we came to London and a marriage was arranged and pa
     was very pleased but I felt all the time that no man on this earth
     would ever take the place in my heart that had been given to my poor
     Frank

     Still if I had married Lord St Simon of course Id have done my
     duty by him We cant command our love but we can our actions I
     went to the altar with him with the intention to make him just as
     good a wife as it was in me to be But you may imagine what I felt
     when just as I came to the altar rails I glanced back and saw Frank
     standing and looking at me out of the first pew I thought it was his
     ghost at first but when I looked again there he was still with a
     kind of question in his eyes as if to ask me whether I were glad or
     sorry to see him I wonder I didnt drop I know that everything was
     turning round and the words of the clergyman were just like the buzz
     of a bee in my ear I didnt know what to do Should I stop the
     service and make a scene in the church I glanced at him again and
     he seemed to know what I was thinking for he raised his finger to
     his lips to tell me to be still Then I saw him scribble on a piece
     of paper and I knew that he was writing me a note As I passed his
     pew on the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him and he slipped
     the note into my hand when he returned me the flowers It was only a
     line asking me to join him when he made the sign to me to do so Of
     course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now to
     him and I determined to do just whatever he might direct

     When I got back I told my maid who had known him in California and
     had always been his friend I ordered her to say nothing but to get
     a few things packed and my ulster ready I know I ought to have
     spoken to Lord St Simon but it was dreadful hard before his mother
     and all those great people I just made up my mind to run away and
     explain afterwards I hadnt been at the table ten minutes before I
     saw Frank out of the window at the other side of the road He
     beckoned to me and then began walking into the Park I slipped out
     put on my things and followed him Some woman came talking something
     or other about Lord St Simon to meseemed to me from the little I
     heard as if he had a little secret of his own before marriage
     alsobut I managed to get away from her and soon overtook Frank We
     got into a cab together and away we drove to some lodgings he had
     taken in Gordon Square and that was my true wedding after all those
     years of waiting Frank had been a prisoner among the Apaches had
     escaped came on to Frisco found that I had given him up for dead
     and had gone to England followed me there and had come upon me at
     last on the very morning of my second wedding

     I saw it in a paper explained the American It gave the name and
     the church but not where the lady lived

     Then we had a talk as to what we should do and Frank was all for
     openness but I was so ashamed of it all that I felt as if I should
     like to vanish away and never see any of them againjust sending a
     line to pa perhaps to show him that I was alive It was awful to me
     to think of all those lords and ladies sitting round that
     breakfasttable and waiting for me to come back So Frank took my
     weddingclothes and things and made a bundle of them so that I
     should not be traced and dropped them away somewhere where no one
     could find them It is likely that we should have gone on to Paris
     tomorrow only that this good gentleman Mr Holmes came round to
     us this evening though how he found us is more than I can think and
     he showed us very clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank
     was right and that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we
     were so secret Then he offered to give us a chance of talking to
     Lord St Simon alone and so we came right away round to his rooms at
     once Now Robert you have heard it all and I am very sorry if I
     have given you pain and I hope that you do not think very meanly of
     me

     Lord St Simon had by no means relaxed his rigid attitude but had
     listened with a frowning brow and a compressed lip to this long
     narrative

     Excuse me he said but it is not my custom to discuss my most
     intimate personal affairs in this public manner

     Then you wont forgive me You wont shake hands before I go

     Oh certainly if it would give you any pleasure He put out his
     hand and coldly grasped that which she extended to him

     I had hoped suggested Holmes that you would have joined us in a
     friendly supper

     I think that there you ask a little too much responded his
     Lordship I may be forced to acquiesce in these recent developments
     but I can hardly be expected to make merry over them I think that
     with your permission I will now wish you all a very goodnight He
     included us all in a sweeping bow and stalked out of the room

     Then I trust that you at least will honour me with your company
     said Sherlock Holmes It is always a joy to meet an American Mr
     Moulton for I am one of those who believe that the folly of a
     monarch and the blundering of a minister in fargone years will not
     prevent our children from being some day citizens of the same
     worldwide country under a flag which shall be a quartering of the
     Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes

     The case has been an interesting one remarked Holmes when our
     visitors had left us because it serves to show very clearly how
     simple the explanation may be of an affair which at first sight seems
     to be almost inexplicable Nothing could be more natural than the
     sequence of events as narrated by this lady and nothing stranger
     than the result when viewed for instance by Mr Lestrade of
     Scotland Yard

     You were not yourself at fault at all then

     From the first two facts were very obvious to me the one that the
     lady had been quite willing to undergo the wedding ceremony the
     other that she had repented of it within a few minutes of returning
     home Obviously something had occurred during the morning then to
     cause her to change her mind What could that something be She could
     not have spoken to anyone when she was out for she had been in the
     company of the bridegroom Had she seen someone then If she had it
     must be someone from America because she had spent so short a time in
     this country that she could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so
     deep an influence over her that the mere sight of him would induce
     her to change her plans so completely You see we have already
     arrived by a process of exclusion at the idea that she might have
     seen an American Then who could this American be and why should he
     possess so much influence over her It might be a lover it might be
     a husband Her young womanhood had I knew been spent in rough
     scenes and under strange conditions So far I had got before I ever
     heard Lord St Simons narrative When he told us of a man in a pew
     of the change in the brides manner of so transparent a device for
     obtaining a note as the dropping of a bouquet of her resort to her
     confidential maid and of her very significant allusion to
     claimjumpingwhich in miners parlance means taking possession of
     that which another person has a prior claim tothe whole situation
     became absolutely clear She had gone off with a man and the man was
     either a lover or was a previous husbandthe chances being in favour
     of the latter

     And how in the world did you find them

     It might have been difficult but friend Lestrade held information
     in his hands the value of which he did not himself know The initials
     were of course of the highest importance but more valuable still
     was it to know that within a week he had settled his bill at one of
     the most select London hotels

     How did you deduce the select

     By the select prices Eight shillings for a bed and eightpence for a
     glass of sherry pointed to one of the most expensive hotels There
     are not many in London which charge at that rate In the second one
     which I visited in Northumberland Avenue I learned by an inspection
     of the book that Francis H Moulton an American gentleman had left
     only the day before and on looking over the entries against him I
     came upon the very items which I had seen in the duplicate bill His
     letters were to be forwarded to  Gordon Square so thither I
     travelled and being fortunate enough to find the loving couple at
     home I ventured to give them some paternal advice and to point out
     to them that it would be better in every way that they should make
     their position a little clearer both to the general public and to
     Lord St Simon in particular I invited them to meet him here and
     as you see I made him keep the appointment

     But with no very good result I remarked His conduct was
     certainly not very gracious

     Ah Watson said Holmes smiling perhaps you would not be very
     gracious either if after all the trouble of wooing and wedding you
     found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of fortune I think
     that we may judge Lord St Simon very mercifully and thank our stars
     that we are never likely to find ourselves in the same position Draw
     your chair up and hand me my violin for the only problem we have
     still to solve is how to while away these bleak autumnal evenings






                       THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET

     Holmes said I as I stood one morning in our bowwindow looking
     down the street here is a madman coming along It seems rather sad
     that his relatives should allow him to come out alone

     My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands in
     the pockets of his dressinggown looking over my shoulder It was a
     bright crisp February morning and the snow of the day before still
     lay deep upon the ground shimmering brightly in the wintry sun Down
     the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughed into a brown crumbly
     band by the traffic but at either side and on the heapedup edges of
     the footpaths it still lay as white as when it fell The grey
     pavement had been cleaned and scraped but was still dangerously
     slippery so that there were fewer passengers than usual Indeed
     from the direction of the Metropolitan Station no one was coming save
     the single gentleman whose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention

     He was a man of about fifty tall portly and imposing with a
     massive strongly marked face and a commanding figure He was dressed
     in a sombre yet rich style in black frockcoat shining hat neat
     brown gaiters and wellcut pearlgrey trousers Yet his actions were
     in absurd contrast to the dignity of his dress and features for he
     was running hard with occasional little springs such as a weary man
     gives who is little accustomed to set any tax upon his legs As he
     ran he jerked his hands up and down waggled his head and writhed
     his face into the most extraordinary contortions

     What on earth can be the matter with him I asked He is looking
     up at the numbers of the houses

     I believe that he is coming here said Holmes rubbing his hands

     Here

     Yes I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally I
     think that I recognise the symptoms Ha did I not tell you As he
     spoke the man puffing and blowing rushed at our door and pulled at
     our bell until the whole house resounded with the clanging

     A few moments later he was in our room still puffing still
     gesticulating but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in his
     eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and pity
     For a while he could not get his words out but swayed his body and
     plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the extreme
     limits of his reason Then suddenly springing to his feet he beat
     his head against the wall with such force that we both rushed upon
     him and tore him away to the centre of the room Sherlock Holmes
     pushed him down into the easychair and sitting beside him patted
     his hand and chatted with him in the easy soothing tones which he
     knew so well how to employ

     You have come to me to tell your story have you not said he You
     are fatigued with your haste Pray wait until you have recovered
     yourself and then I shall be most happy to look into any little
     problem which you may submit to me

     The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest fighting
     against his emotion Then he passed his handkerchief over his brow
     set his lips tight and turned his face towards us

     No doubt you think me mad said he

     I see that you have had some great trouble responded Holmes

     God knows I havea trouble which is enough to unseat my reason so
     sudden and so terrible is it Public disgrace I might have faced
     although I am a man whose character has never yet borne a stain
     Private affliction also is the lot of every man but the two coming
     together and in so frightful a form have been enough to shake my
     very soul Besides it is not I alone The very noblest in the land
     may suffer unless some way be found out of this horrible affair

     Pray compose yourself sir said Holmes and let me have a clear
     account of who you are and what it is that has befallen you

     My name answered our visitor is probably familiar to your ears
     I am Alexander Holder of the banking firm of Holder  Stevenson of
     Threadneedle Street

     The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior
     partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City of
     London What could have happened then to bring one of the foremost
     citizens of London to this most pitiable pass We waited all
     curiosity until with another effort he braced himself to tell his
     story

     I feel that time is of value said he that is why I hastened here
     when the police inspector suggested that I should secure your
     cooperation I came to Baker Street by the Underground and hurried
     from there on foot for the cabs go slowly through this snow That is
     why I was so out of breath for I am a man who takes very little
     exercise I feel better now and I will put the facts before you as
     shortly and yet as clearly as I can

     It is of course well known to you that in a successful banking
     business as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative
     investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection and
     the number of our depositors One of our most lucrative means of
     laying out money is in the shape of loans where the security is
     unimpeachable We have done a good deal in this direction during the
     last few years and there are many noble families to whom we have
     advanced large sums upon the security of their pictures libraries
     or plate

     Yesterday morning I was seated in my office at the bank when a card
     was brought in to me by one of the clerks I started when I saw the
     name for it was that of none other thanwell perhaps even to you I
     had better say no more than that it was a name which is a household
     word all over the earthone of the highest noblest most exalted
     names in England I was overwhelmed by the honour and attempted when
     he entered to say so but he plunged at once into business with the
     air of a man who wishes to hurry quickly through a disagreeable task

     Mr Holder said he I have been informed that you are in the
     habit of advancing money

     The firm does so when the security is good I answered

     It is absolutely essential to me said he that I should have
     Â at once I could of course borrow so trifling a sum ten
     times over from my friends but I much prefer to make it a matter of
     business and to carry out that business myself In my position you
     can readily understand that it is unwise to place ones self under
     obligations

     For how long may I ask do you want this sum I asked

     Next Monday I have a large sum due to me and I shall then most
     certainly repay what you advance with whatever interest you think it
     right to charge But it is very essential to me that the money should
     be paid at once

     I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my own
     private purse said I were it not that the strain would be rather
     more than it could bear If on the other hand I am to do it in the
     name of the firm then in justice to my partner I must insist that
     even in your case every businesslike precaution should be taken

     I should much prefer to have it so said he raising up a square
     black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair  You have
     doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet

     One of the most precious public possessions of the empire said I

     Precisely He opened the case and there imbedded in soft
     fleshcoloured velvet lay the magnificent piece of jewellery which
     he had named There are thirtynine enormous beryls said he and
     the price of the gold chasing is incalculable The lowest estimate
     would put the worth of the coronet at double the sum which I have
     asked I am prepared to leave it with you as my security

     I took the precious case into my hands and looked in some perplexity
     from it to my illustrious client

     You doubt its value he asked

     Not at all I only doubt

     The propriety of my leaving it You may set your mind at rest about
     that I should not dream of doing so were it not absolutely certain
     that I should be able in four days to reclaim it It is a pure matter
     of form Is the security sufficient

     Ample

     You understand Mr Holder that I am giving you a strong proof of
     the confidence which I have in you founded upon all that I have
     heard of you I rely upon you not only to be discreet and to refrain
     from all gossip upon the matter but above all to preserve this
     coronet with every possible precaution because I need not say that a
     great public scandal would be caused if any harm were to befall it
     Any injury to it would be almost as serious as its complete loss for
     there are no beryls in the world to match these and it would be
     impossible to replace them I leave it with you however with every
     confidence and I shall call for it in person on Monday morning

     Seeing that my client was anxious to leave I said no more but
     calling for my cashier I ordered him to pay over fifty  notes
     When I was alone once more however with the precious case lying
     upon the table in front of me I could not but think with some
     misgivings of the immense responsibility which it entailed upon me
     There could be no doubt that as it was a national possession a
     horrible scandal would ensue if any misfortune should occur to it I
     already regretted having ever consented to take charge of it
     However it was too late to alter the matter now so I locked it up
     in my private safe and turned once more to my work

     When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave so
     precious a thing in the office behind me Bankers safes had been
     forced before now and why should not mine be If so how terrible
     would be the position in which I should find myself I determined
     therefore that for the next few days I would always carry the case
     backward and forward with me so that it might never be really out of
     my reach With this intention I called a cab and drove out to my
     house at Streatham carrying the jewel with me I did not breathe
     freely until I had taken it upstairs and locked it in the bureau of
     my dressingroom

     And now a word as to my household Mr Holmes for I wish you to
     thoroughly understand the situation My groom and my page sleep out
     of the house and may be set aside altogether I have three
     maidservants who have been with me a number of years and whose
     absolute reliability is quite above suspicion Another Lucy Parr
     the second waitingmaid has only been in my service a few months
     She came with an excellent character however and has always given
     me satisfaction She is a very pretty girl and has attracted admirers
     who have occasionally hung about the place That is the only drawback
     which we have found to her but we believe her to be a thoroughly
     good girl in every way

     So much for the servants My family itself is so small that it will
     not take me long to describe it I am a widower and have an only son
     Arthur He has been a disappointment to me Mr Holmesa grievous
     disappointment I have no doubt that I am myself to blame People
     tell me that I have spoiled him Very likely I have When my dear
     wife died I felt that he was all I had to love I could not bear to
     see the smile fade even for a moment from his face I have never
     denied him a wish Perhaps it would have been better for both of us
     had I been sterner but I meant it for the best

     It was naturally my intention that he should succeed me in my
     business but he was not of a business turn He was wild wayward
     and to speak the truth I could not trust him in the handling of
     large sums of money When he was young he became a member of an
     aristocratic club and there having charming manners he was soon
     the intimate of a number of men with long purses and expensive
     habits He learned to play heavily at cards and to squander money on
     the turf until he had again and again to come to me and implore me
     to give him an advance upon his allowance that he might settle his
     debts of honour He tried more than once to break away from the
     dangerous company which he was keeping but each time the influence
     of his friend Sir George Burnwell was enough to draw him back
     again

     And indeed I could not wonder that such a man as Sir George
     Burnwell should gain an influence over him for he has frequently
     brought him to my house and I have found myself that I could hardly
     resist the fascination of his manner He is older than Arthur a man
     of the world to his fingertips one who had been everywhere seen
     everything a brilliant talker and a man of great personal beauty
     Yet when I think of him in cold blood far away from the glamour of
     his presence I am convinced from his cynical speech and the look
     which I have caught in his eyes that he is one who should be deeply
     distrusted So I think and so too thinks my little Mary who has a
     womans quick insight into character

     And now there is only she to be described She is my niece but when
     my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the world I
     adopted her and have looked upon her ever since as my daughter She
     is a sunbeam in my housesweet loving beautiful a wonderful
     manager and housekeeper yet as tender and quiet and gentle as a
     woman could be She is my right hand I do not know what I could do
     without her In only one matter has she ever gone against my wishes
     Twice my boy has asked her to marry him for he loves her devotedly
     but each time she has refused him I think that if anyone could have
     drawn him into the right path it would have been she and that his
     marriage might have changed his whole life but now alas it is too
     lateforever too late

     Now Mr Holmes you know the people who live under my roof and I
     shall continue with my miserable story

     When we were taking coffee in the drawingroom that night after
     dinner I told Arthur and Mary my experience and of the precious
     treasure which we had under our roof suppressing only the name of my
     client Lucy Parr who had brought in the coffee had I am sure
     left the room but I cannot swear that the door was closed Mary and
     Arthur were much interested and wished to see the famous coronet but
     I thought it better not to disturb it

     Where have you put it asked Arthur

     In my own bureau

     Well I hope to goodness the house wont be burgled during the
     night said he

     It is locked up I answered

     Oh any old key will fit that bureau When I was a youngster I have
     opened it myself with the key of the boxroom cupboard

     He often had a wild way of talking so that I thought little of what
     he said He followed me to my room however that night with a very
     grave face

     Look here dad said he with his eyes cast down can you let me
     have Â

     No I cannot I answered sharply I have been far too generous
     with you in money matters

     You have been very kind said he but I must have this money or
     else I can never show my face inside the club again

     And a very good thing too I cried

     Yes but you would not have me leave it a dishonoured man said
     he I could not bear the disgrace I must raise the money in some
     way and if you will not let me have it then I must try other
     means

     I was very angry for this was the third demand during the month
     You shall not have a farthing from me I cried on which he bowed
     and left the room without another word

     When he was gone I unlocked my bureau made sure that my treasure
     was safe and locked it again Then I started to go round the house
     to see that all was securea duty which I usually leave to Mary but
     which I thought it well to perform myself that night As I came down
     the stairs I saw Mary herself at the side window of the hall which
     she closed and fastened as I approached

     Tell me dad said she looking I thought a little disturbed
     did you give Lucy the maid leave to go out tonight

     Certainly not

     She came in just now by the back door I have no doubt that she has
     only been to the side gate to see someone but I think that it is
     hardly safe and should be stopped

     You must speak to her in the morning or I will if you prefer it
     Are you sure that everything is fastened

     Quite sure dad

     Then goodnight I kissed her and went up to my bedroom again
     where I was soon asleep

     I am endeavouring to tell you everything Mr Holmes which may have
     any bearing upon the case but I beg that you will question me upon
     any point which I do not make clear

     On the contrary your statement is singularly lucid

     I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be
     particularly so I am not a very heavy sleeper and the anxiety in my
     mind tended no doubt to make me even less so than usual About two
     in the morning then I was awakened by some sound in the house It
     had ceased ere I was wide awake but it had left an impression behind
     it as though a window had gently closed somewhere I lay listening
     with all my ears Suddenly to my horror there was a distinct sound
     of footsteps moving softly in the next room I slipped out of bed
     all palpitating with fear and peeped round the corner of my
     dressingroom door

     Arthur I screamed you villain you thief How dare you touch
     that coronet

     The gas was half up as I had left it and my unhappy boy dressed
     only in his shirt and trousers was standing beside the light
     holding the coronet in his hands He appeared to be wrenching at it
     or bending it with all his strength At my cry he dropped it from his
     grasp and turned as pale as death I snatched it up and examined it
     One of the gold corners with three of the beryls in it was missing

     You blackguard I shouted beside myself with rage You have
     destroyed it You have dishonoured me forever Where are the jewels
     which you have stolen

     Stolen he cried

     Yes thief I roared shaking him by the shoulder

     There are none missing There cannot be any missing said he

     There are three missing And you know where they are Must I call
     you a liar as well as a thief Did I not see you trying to tear off
     another piece

     You have called me names enough said he I will not stand it any
     longer I shall not say another word about this business since you
     have chosen to insult me I will leave your house in the morning and
     make my own way in the world

     You shall leave it in the hands of the police I cried halfmad
     with grief and rage I shall have this matter probed to the bottom

     You shall learn nothing from me said he with a passion such as I
     should not have thought was in his nature If you choose to call the
     police let the police find what they can

     By this time the whole house was astir for I had raised my voice in
     my anger Mary was the first to rush into my room and at the sight
     of the coronet and of Arthurs face she read the whole story and
     with a scream fell down senseless on the ground I sent the
     housemaid for the police and put the investigation into their hands
     at once When the inspector and a constable entered the house
     Arthur who had stood sullenly with his arms folded asked me whether
     it was my intention to charge him with theft I answered that it had
     ceased to be a private matter but had become a public one since the
     ruined coronet was national property I was determined that the law
     should have its way in everything

     At least said he you will not have me arrested at once It
     would be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the house
     for five minutes

     That you may get away or perhaps that you may conceal what you
     have stolen said I And then realising the dreadful position in
     which I was placed I implored him to remember that not only my
     honour but that of one who was far greater than I was at stake and
     that he threatened to raise a scandal which would convulse the
     nation He might avert it all if he would but tell me what he had
     done with the three missing stones

     You may as well face the matter said I you have been caught in
     the act and no confession could make your guilt more heinous If you
     but make such reparation as is in your power by telling us where the
     beryls are all shall be forgiven and forgotten

     Keep your forgiveness for those who ask for it he answered
     turning away from me with a sneer I saw that he was too hardened for
     any words of mine to influence him There was but one way for it I
     called in the inspector and gave him into custody A search was made
     at once not only of his person but of his room and of every portion
     of the house where he could possibly have concealed the gems but no
     trace of them could be found nor would the wretched boy open his
     mouth for all our persuasions and our threats This morning he was
     removed to a cell and I after going through all the police
     formalities have hurried round to you to implore you to use your
     skill in unravelling the matter The police have openly confessed
     that they can at present make nothing of it You may go to any
     expense which you think necessary I have already offered a reward of
     Â My God what shall I do I have lost my honour my gems and
     my son in one night Oh what shall I do

     He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to and
     fro droning to himself like a child whose grief has got beyond
     words

     Sherlock Holmes sat silent for some few minutes with his brows
     knitted and his eyes fixed upon the fire

     Do you receive much company he asked

     None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend of
     Arthurs Sir George Burnwell has been several times lately No one
     else I think

     Do you go out much in society

     Arthur does Mary and I stay at home We neither of us care for it

     That is unusual in a young girl

     She is of a quiet nature Besides she is not so very young She is
     fourandtwenty

     This matter from what you say seems to have been a shock to her
     also

     Terrible She is even more affected than I

     You have neither of you any doubt as to your sons guilt

     How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronet in
     his hands

     I hardly consider that a conclusive proof Was the remainder of the
     coronet at all injured

     Yes it was twisted

     Do you not think then that he might have been trying to straighten
     it

     God bless you You are doing what you can for him and for me But it
     is too heavy a task What was he doing there at all If his purpose
     were innocent why did he not say so

     Precisely And if it were guilty why did he not invent a lie His
     silence appears to me to cut both ways There are several singular
     points about the case What did the police think of the noise which
     awoke you from your sleep

     They considered that it might be caused by Arthurs closing his
     bedroom door

     A likely story As if a man bent on felony would slam his door so as
     to wake a household What did they say then of the disappearance of
     these gems

     They are still sounding the planking and probing the furniture in
     the hope of finding them

     Have they thought of looking outside the house

     Yes they have shown extraordinary energy The whole garden has
     already been minutely examined

     Now my dear sir said Holmes is it not obvious to you now that
     this matter really strikes very much deeper than either you or the
     police were at first inclined to think It appeared to you to be a
     simple case to me it seems exceedingly complex Consider what is
     involved by your theory You suppose that your son came down from his
     bed went at great risk to your dressingroom opened your bureau
     took out your coronet broke off by main force a small portion of it
     went off to some other place concealed three gems out of the
     thirtynine with such skill that nobody can find them and then
     returned with the other thirtysix into the room in which he exposed
     himself to the greatest danger of being discovered I ask you now is
     such a theory tenable

     But what other is there cried the banker with a gesture of
     despair If his motives were innocent why does he not explain
     them

     It is our task to find that out replied Holmes so now if you
     please Mr Holder we will set off for Streatham together and
     devote an hour to glancing a little more closely into details

     My friend insisted upon my accompanying them in their expedition
     which I was eager enough to do for my curiosity and sympathy were
     deeply stirred by the story to which we had listened I confess that
     the guilt of the bankers son appeared to me to be as obvious as it
     did to his unhappy father but still I had such faith in Holmes
     judgment that I felt that there must be some grounds for hope as long
     as he was dissatisfied with the accepted explanation He hardly spoke
     a word the whole way out to the southern suburb but sat with his
     chin upon his breast and his hat drawn over his eyes sunk in the
     deepest thought Our client appeared to have taken fresh heart at the
     little glimpse of hope which had been presented to him and he even
     broke into a desultory chat with me over his business affairs A
     short railway journey and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank the
     modest residence of the great financier

     Fairbank was a goodsized square house of white stone standing back
     a little from the road A double carriagesweep with a snowclad
     lawn stretched down in front to two large iron gates which closed
     the entrance On the right side was a small wooden thicket which led
     into a narrow path between two neat hedges stretching from the road
     to the kitchen door and forming the tradesmens entrance On the
     left ran a lane which led to the stables and was not itself within
     the grounds at all being a public though little used thoroughfare
     Holmes left us standing at the door and walked slowly all round the
     house across the front down the tradesmens path and so round by
     the garden behind into the stable lane So long was he that Mr
     Holder and I went into the diningroom and waited by the fire until
     he should return We were sitting there in silence when the door
     opened and a young lady came in She was rather above the middle
     height slim with dark hair and eyes which seemed the darker
     against the absolute pallor of her skin I do not think that I have
     ever seen such deadly paleness in a womans face Her lips too were
     bloodless but her eyes were flushed with crying As she swept
     silently into the room she impressed me with a greater sense of grief
     than the banker had done in the morning and it was the more striking
     in her as she was evidently a woman of strong character with immense
     capacity for selfrestraint Disregarding my presence she went
     straight to her uncle and passed her hand over his head with a sweet
     womanly caress

     You have given orders that Arthur should be liberated have you not
     dad she asked

     No no my girl the matter must be probed to the bottom

     But I am so sure that he is innocent You know what womans
     instincts are I know that he has done no harm and that you will be
     sorry for having acted so harshly

     Why is he silent then if he is innocent

     Who knows Perhaps because he was so angry that you should suspect
     him

     How could I help suspecting him when I actually saw him with the
     coronet in his hand

     Oh but he had only picked it up to look at it Oh do do take my
     word for it that he is innocent Let the matter drop and say no more
     It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in a prison

     I shall never let it drop until the gems are foundnever Mary
     Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences to
     me Far from hushing the thing up I have brought a gentleman down
     from London to inquire more deeply into it

     This gentleman she asked facing round to me

     No his friend He wished us to leave him alone He is round in the
     stable lane now

     The stable lane She raised her dark eyebrows What can he hope to
     find there Ah this I suppose is he I trust sir that you will
     succeed in proving what I feel sure is the truth that my cousin
     Arthur is innocent of this crime

     I fully share your opinion and I trust with you that we may prove
     it returned Holmes going back to the mat to knock the snow from
     his shoes I believe I have the honour of addressing Miss Mary
     Holder Might I ask you a question or two

     Pray do sir if it may help to clear this horrible affair up

     You heard nothing yourself last night

     Nothing until my uncle here began to speak loudly I heard that
     and I came down

     You shut up the windows and doors the night before Did you fasten
     all the windows

     Yes

     Were they all fastened this morning

     Yes

     You have a maid who has a sweetheart I think that you remarked to
     your uncle last night that she had been out to see him

     Yes and she was the girl who waited in the drawingroom and who
     may have heard uncles remarks about the coronet

     I see You infer that she may have gone out to tell her sweetheart
     and that the two may have planned the robbery

     But what is the good of all these vague theories cried the banker
     impatiently when I have told you that I saw Arthur with the coronet
     in his hands

     Wait a little Mr Holder We must come back to that About this
     girl Miss Holder You saw her return by the kitchen door I
     presume

     Yes when I went to see if the door was fastened for the night I met
     her slipping in I saw the man too in the gloom

     Do you know him

     Oh yes he is the greengrocer who brings our vegetables round 
     His name is Francis Prosper

     He stood said Holmes to the left of the doorthat is to say
     farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door

     Yes he did

     And he is a man with a wooden leg

     Something like fear sprang up in the young ladys expressive black
     eyes Why you are like a magician said she How do you know
     that She smiled but there was no answering smile in Holmes thin
     eager face

     I should be very glad now to go upstairs said he I shall
     probably wish to go over the outside of the house again Perhaps I
     had better take a look at the lower windows before I go up

     He walked swiftly round from one to the other pausing only at the
     large one which looked from the hall onto the stable lane This he
     opened and made a very careful examination of the sill with his
     powerful magnifying lens Now we shall go upstairs said he at
     last

     The bankers dressingroom was a plainly furnished little chamber
     with a grey carpet a large bureau and a long mirror Holmes went to
     the bureau first and looked hard at the lock

     Which key was used to open it he asked

     That which my son himself indicatedthat of the cupboard of the
     lumberroom

     Have you it here

     That is it on the dressingtable

     Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau

     It is a noiseless lock said he It is no wonder that it did not
     wake you This case I presume contains the coronet We must have a
     look at it He opened the case and taking out the diadem he laid it
     upon the table It was a magnificent specimen of the jewellers art
     and the thirtysix stones were the finest that I have ever seen At
     one side of the coronet was a cracked edge where a corner holding
     three gems had been torn away

     Now Mr Holder said Holmes here is the corner which corresponds
     to that which has been so unfortunately lost Might I beg that you
     will break it off

     The banker recoiled in horror I should not dream of trying said
     he

     Then I will Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it but without
     result I feel it give a little said he but though I am
     exceptionally strong in the fingers it would take me all my time to
     break it An ordinary man could not do it Now what do you think
     would happen if I did break it Mr Holder There would be a noise
     like a pistol shot Do you tell me that all this happened within a
     few yards of your bed and that you heard nothing of it

     I do not know what to think It is all dark to me

     But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go What do you think Miss
     Holder

     I confess that I still share my uncles perplexity

     Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him

     He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt

     Thank you We have certainly been favoured with extraordinary luck
     during this inquiry and it will be entirely our own fault if we do
     not succeed in clearing the matter up With your permission Mr
     Holder I shall now continue my investigations outside

     He went alone at his own request for he explained that any
     unnecessary footmarks might make his task more difficult For an hour
     or more he was at work returning at last with his feet heavy with
     snow and his features as inscrutable as ever

     I think that I have seen now all that there is to see Mr Holder
     said he I can serve you best by returning to my rooms

     But the gems Mr Holmes Where are they

     I cannot tell

     The banker wrung his hands I shall never see them again he cried
     And my son You give me hopes

     My opinion is in no way altered

     Then for Gods sake what was this dark business which was acted in
     my house last night

     If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms tomorrow morning
     between nine and ten I shall be happy to do what I can to make it
     clearer I understand that you give me carte blanche to act for you
     provided only that I get back the gems and that you place no limit
     on the sum I may draw

     I would give my fortune to have them back

     Very good I shall look into the matter between this and then 
     Goodbye it is just possible that I may have to come over here again
     before evening

     It was obvious to me that my companions mind was now made up about
     the case although what his conclusions were was more than I could
     even dimly imagine Several times during our homeward journey I
     endeavoured to sound him upon the point but he always glided away to
     some other topic until at last I gave it over in despair It was not
     yet three when we found ourselves in our rooms once more He hurried
     to his chamber and was down again in a few minutes dressed as a
     common loafer With his collar turned up his shiny seedy coat his
     red cravat and his worn boots he was a perfect sample of the class

     I think that this should do said he glancing into the glass above
     the fireplace I only wish that you could come with me Watson but
     I fear that it wont do I may be on the trail in this matter or I
     may be following a willothewisp but I shall soon know which it
     is I hope that I may be back in a few hours He cut a slice of beef
     from the joint upon the sideboard sandwiched it between two rounds
     of bread and thrusting this rude meal into his pocket he started off
     upon his expedition

     I had just finished my tea when he returned evidently in excellent
     spirits swinging an old elasticsided boot in his hand He chucked
     it down into a corner and helped himself to a cup of tea

     I only looked in as I passed said he I am going right on

     Where to

     Oh to the other side of the West End It may be some time before I
     get back Dont wait up for me in case I should be late

     How are you getting on

     Oh so so Nothing to complain of I have been out to Streatham
     since I saw you last but I did not call at the house It is a very
     sweet little problem and I would not have missed it for a good deal
     However I must not sit gossiping here but must get these
     disreputable clothes off and return to my highly respectable self

     I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for
     satisfaction than his words alone would imply His eyes twinkled and
     there was even a touch of colour upon his sallow cheeks He hastened
     upstairs and a few minutes later I heard the slam of the hall door
     which told me that he was off once more upon his congenial hunt

     I waited until midnight but there was no sign of his return so I
     retired to my room It was no uncommon thing for him to be away for
     days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent so that his
     lateness caused me no surprise I do not know at what hour he came
     in but when I came down to breakfast in the morning there he was
     with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the other as fresh
     and trim as possible

     You will excuse my beginning without you Watson said he but you
     remember that our client has rather an early appointment this
     morning

     Why it is after nine now I answered I should not be surprised
     if that were he I thought I heard a ring

     It was indeed our friend the financier I was shocked by the change
     which had come over him for his face which was naturally of a broad
     and massive mould was now pinched and fallen in while his hair
     seemed to me at least a shade whiter He entered with a weariness and
     lethargy which was even more painful than his violence of the morning
     before and he dropped heavily into the armchair which I pushed
     forward for him

     I do not know what I have done to be so severely tried said he
     Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man without a care
     in the world Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured age One
     sorrow comes close upon the heels of another My niece Mary has
     deserted me

     Deserted you

     Yes Her bed this morning had not been slept in her room was empty
     and a note for me lay upon the hall table I had said to her last
     night in sorrow and not in anger that if she had married my boy all
     might have been well with him Perhaps it was thoughtless of me to
     say so It is to that remark that she refers in this note

     My dearest Uncle
     I feel that I have brought trouble upon you and that if I had
     acted differently this terrible misfortune might never have occurred
     I cannot with this thought in my mind ever again be happy under
     your roof and I feel that I must leave you forever Do not worry
     about my future for that is provided for and above all do not
     search for me for it will be fruitless labour and an illservice to
     me In life or in death I am ever
     Your loving
     Mary

     What could she mean by that note Mr Holmes Do you think it points
     to suicide

     No no nothing of the kind It is perhaps the best possible
     solution I trust Mr Holder that you are nearing the end of your
     troubles

     Ha You say so You have heard something Mr Holmes you have
     learned something Where are the gems

     You would not think  pounds apiece an excessive sum for them

     I would pay ten

     That would be unnecessary Three thousand will cover the matter And
     there is a little reward I fancy Have you your checkbook  Here is
     a pen Better make it out for Â

     With a dazed face the banker made out the required check Holmes
     walked over to his desk took out a little triangular piece of gold
     with three gems in it and threw it down upon the table

     With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up

     You have it he gasped I am saved I am saved

     The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been and he
     hugged his recovered gems to his bosom

     There is one other thing you owe Mr Holder said Sherlock Holmes
     rather sternly

     Owe He caught up a pen Name the sum and I will pay it

     No the debt is not to me You owe a very humble apology to that
     noble lad your son who has carried himself in this matter as I
     should be proud to see my own son do should I ever chance to have
     one

     Then it was not Arthur who took them

     I told you yesterday and I repeat today that it was not

     You are sure of it Then let us hurry to him at once to let him know
     that the truth is known

     He knows it already When I had cleared it all up I had an interview
     with him and finding that he would not tell me the story I told it
     to him on which he had to confess that I was right and to add the
     very few details which were not yet quite clear to me Your news of
     this morning however may open his lips

     For heavens sake tell me then what is this extraordinary
     mystery

     I will do so and I will show you the steps by which I reached it
     And let me say to you first that which it is hardest for me to say
     and for you to hear there has been an understanding between Sir
     George Burnwell and your niece Mary They have now fled together

     My Mary Impossible

     It is unfortunately more than possible it is certain Neither you
     nor your son knew the true character of this man when you admitted
     him into your family circle He is one of the most dangerous men in
     Englanda ruined gambler an absolutely desperate villain a man
     without heart or conscience Your niece knew nothing of such men
     When he breathed his vows to her as he had done to a hundred before
     her she flattered herself that she alone had touched his heart The
     devil knows best what he said but at least she became his tool and
     was in the habit of seeing him nearly every evening

     I cannot and I will not believe it cried the banker with an
     ashen face

     I will tell you then what occurred in your house last night Your
     niece when you had as she thought gone to your room slipped down
     and talked to her lover through the window which leads into the
     stable lane His footmarks had pressed right through the snow so
     long had he stood there She told him of the coronet His wicked lust
     for gold kindled at the news and he bent her to his will I have no
     doubt that she loved you but there are women in whom the love of a
     lover extinguishes all other loves and I think that she must have
     been one She had hardly listened to his instructions when she saw
     you coming downstairs on which she closed the window rapidly and
     told you about one of the servants escapade with her woodenlegged
     lover which was all perfectly true

     Your boy Arthur went to bed after his interview with you but he
     slept badly on account of his uneasiness about his club debts In the
     middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door so he rose
     and looking out was surprised to see his cousin walking very
     stealthily along the passage until she disappeared into your
     dressingroom Petrified with astonishment the lad slipped on some
     clothes and waited there in the dark to see what would come of this
     strange affair Presently she emerged from the room again and in the
     light of the passagelamp your son saw that she carried the precious
     coronet in her hands She passed down the stairs and he thrilling
     with horror ran along and slipped behind the curtain near your door
     whence he could see what passed in the hall beneath He saw her
     stealthily open the window hand out the coronet to someone in the
     gloom and then closing it once more hurry back to her room passing
     quite close to where he stood hid behind the curtain

     As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action without
     a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved But the instant that
     she was gone he realised how crushing a misfortune this would be for
     you and how allimportant it was to set it right He rushed down
     just as he was in his bare feet opened the window sprang out into
     the snow and ran down the lane where he could see a dark figure in
     the moonlight Sir George Burnwell tried to get away but Arthur
     caught him and there was a struggle between them your lad tugging
     at one side of the coronet and his opponent at the other In the
     scuffle your son struck Sir George and cut him over the eye Then
     something suddenly snapped and your son finding that he had the
     coronet in his hands rushed back closed the window ascended to
     your room and had just observed that the coronet had been twisted in
     the struggle and was endeavouring to straighten it when you appeared
     upon the scene

     Is it possible gasped the banker

     You then roused his anger by calling him names at a moment when he
     felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks He could not explain
     the true state of affairs without betraying one who certainly
     deserved little enough consideration at his hands He took the more
     chivalrous view however and preserved her secret

     And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw the coronet
     cried Mr Holder Oh my God what a blind fool I have been And his
     asking to be allowed to go out for five minutes The dear fellow
     wanted to see if the missing piece were at the scene of the struggle
     How cruelly I have misjudged him

     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 tradesmens 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 Woodenleg 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 I passed round the garden without seeing anything more
     than random tracks which I took to be the police but when I got
     into the stable lane a very long and complex story was written in the
     snow in front of me

     There was a double line of tracks of a booted man and a second
     double line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked
     feet I was at once convinced from what you had told me that the
     latter was your son The first had walked both ways but the other
     had run swiftly and as his tread was marked in places over the
     depression of the boot it was obvious that he had passed after the
     other I followed them up and found they led to the hall window
     where Boots had worn all the snow away while waiting Then I walked
     to the other end which was a hundred yards or more down the lane I
     saw where Boots had faced round where the snow was cut up as though
     there had been a struggle and finally where a few drops of blood
     had fallen to show me that I was not mistaken Boots had then run
     down the lane and another little smudge of blood showed that it was
     he who had been hurt When he came to the highroad at the other end
     I found that the pavement had been cleared so there was an end to
     that clue

     On entering the house however I examined as you remember the
     sill and framework of the hall window with my lens and I could at
     once see that someone had passed out I could distinguish the outline
     of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in coming in I was
     then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what had occurred
     A man had waited outside the window someone had brought the gems
     the deed had been overseen by your son he had pursued the thief had
     struggled with him they had each tugged at the coronet their united
     strength causing injuries which neither alone could have effected He
     had returned with the prize but had left a fragment in the grasp of
     his opponent So far I was clear The question now was who was the
     man and who was it brought him the coronet

     It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the
     impossible whatever remains however improbable must be the truth
     Now I knew that it was not you who had brought it down so there
     only remained your niece and the maids But if it were the maids why
     should your son allow himself to be accused in their place There
     could be no possible reason As he loved his cousin however there
     was an excellent explanation why he should retain her secretthe
     more so as the secret was a disgraceful one When I remembered that
     you had seen her at that window and how she had fainted on seeing
     the coronet again my conjecture became a certainty

     And who could it be who was her confederate A lover evidently for
     who else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she must feel to
     you I knew that you went out little and that your circle of friends
     was a very limited one But among them was Sir George Burnwell I had
     heard of him before as being a man of evil reputation among women It
     must have been he who wore those boots and retained the missing gems
     Even though he knew that Arthur had discovered him he might still
     flatter himself that he was safe for the lad could not say a word
     without compromising his own family

     Well your own good sense will suggest what measures I took next I
     went in the shape of a loafer to Sir Georges house managed to pick
     up an acquaintance with his valet learned that his master had cut
     his head the night before and finally at the expense of six
     shillings made all sure by buying a pair of his castoff shoes With
     these I journeyed down to Streatham and saw that they exactly fitted
     the tracks

     I saw an illdressed vagabond in the lane yesterday evening said
     Mr Holder

     Precisely It was I I found that I had my man so I came home and
     changed my clothes It was a delicate part which I had to play then
     for I saw that a prosecution must be avoided to avert scandal and I
     knew that so astute a villain would see that our hands were tied in
     the matter I went and saw him At first of course he denied
     everything But when I gave him every particular that had occurred
     he tried to bluster and took down a lifepreserver from the wall I
     knew my man however and I clapped a pistol to his head before he
     could strike Then he became a little more reasonable I told him
     that we would give him a price for the stones he held apiece
     That brought out the first signs of grief that he had shown Why
     dash it all said he Ive let them go at six hundred for the
     three I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had
     them on promising him that there would be no prosecution Off I set
     to him and after much chaffering I got our stones at  pounds
     apiece Then I looked in upon your son told him that all was right
     and eventually got to my bed about two oclock after what I may call
     a really hard days work

     A day which has saved England from a great public scandal said the
     banker rising Sir I cannot find words to thank you but you shall
     not find me ungrateful for what you have done Your skill has indeed
     exceeded all that I have heard of it And now I must fly to my dear
     boy to apologise to him for the wrong which I have done him As to
     what you tell me of poor Mary it goes to my very heart Not even
     your skill can inform me where she is now

     I think that we may safely say returned Holmes that she is
     wherever Sir George Burnwell is It is equally certain too that
     whatever her sins are they will soon receive a more than sufficient
     punishment






                       THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES

     To the man who loves art for its own sake remarked Sherlock
     Holmes tossing aside the advertisement sheet of the Daily Telegraph
     it is frequently in its least important and lowliest manifestations
     that the keenest pleasure is to be derived It is pleasant to me to
     observe Watson that you have so far grasped this truth that in
     these little records of our cases which you have been good enough to
     draw up and I am bound to say occasionally to embellish you have
     given prominence not so much to the many causes cÃlÃbres and
     sensational trials in which I have figured but rather to those
     incidents which may have been trivial in themselves but which have
     given room for those faculties of deduction and of logical synthesis
     which I have made my special province

     And yet said I smiling I cannot quite hold myself absolved from
     the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my
     records

     You have erred perhaps he observed taking up a glowing cinder
     with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherrywood pipe which
     was wont to replace his clay when he was in a disputatious rather
     than a meditative moodyou have erred perhaps in attempting to put
     colour and life into each of your statements instead of confining
     yourself to the task of placing upon record that severe reasoning
     from cause to effect which is really the only notable feature about
     the thing

     It seems to me that I have done you full justice in the matter I
     remarked with some coldness for I was repelled by the egotism which
     I had more than once observed to be a strong factor in my friends
     singular character

     No it is not selfishness or conceit said he answering as was
     his wont my thoughts rather than my words If I claim full justice
     for my art it is because it is an impersonal thinga thing beyond
     myself Crime is common Logic is rare Therefore it is upon the
     logic rather than upon the crime that you should dwell You have
     degraded what should have been a course of lectures into a series of
     tales

     It was a cold morning of the early spring and we sat after breakfast
     on either side of a cheery fire in the old room at Baker Street A
     thick fog rolled down between the lines of duncoloured houses and
     the opposing windows loomed like dark shapeless blurs through the
     heavy yellow wreaths Our gas was lit and shone on the white cloth
     and glimmer of china and metal for the table had not been cleared
     yet Sherlock Holmes had been silent all the morning dipping
     continuously into the advertisement columns of a succession of papers
     until at last having apparently given up his search he had emerged
     in no very sweet temper to lecture me upon my literary shortcomings

     At the same time he remarked after a pause during which he had
     sat puffing at his long pipe and gazing down into the fire you can
     hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism for out of these cases
     which you have been so kind as to interest yourself in a fair
     proportion do not treat of crime in its legal sense at all The
     small matter in which I endeavoured to help the King of Bohemia the
     singular experience of Miss Mary Sutherland the problem connected
     with the man with the twisted lip and the incident of the noble
     bachelor were all matters which are outside the pale of the law But
     in avoiding the sensational I fear that you may have bordered on the
     trivial

     The end may have been so I answered but the methods I hold to
     have been novel and of interest

     Pshaw my dear fellow what do the public the great unobservant
     public who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a compositor
     by his left thumb care about the finer shades of analysis and
     deduction But indeed if you are trivial I cannot blame you for
     the days of the great cases are past Man or at least criminal man
     has lost all enterprise and originality As to my own little
     practice it seems to be degenerating into an agency for recovering
     lost lead pencils and giving advice to young ladies from
     boardingschools I think that I have touched bottom at last
     however This note I had this morning marks my zeropoint I fancy
     Read it He tossed a crumpled letter across to me

     It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening and ran
     thus

     Dear Mr Holmes
     I am very anxious to consult you as to whether I should or should not
     accept a situation which has been offered to me as governess I shall
     call at halfpast ten tomorrow if I do not inconvenience you
     Yours faithfully
     Violet Hunter

     Do you know the young lady I asked

     Not I

     It is halfpast ten now

     Yes and I have no doubt that is her ring

     It may turn out to be of more interest than you think You remember
     that the affair of the blue carbuncle which appeared to be a mere
     whim at first developed into a serious investigation It may be so
     in this case also

     Well let us hope so But our doubts will very soon be solved for
     here unless I am much mistaken is the person in question

     As he spoke the door opened and a young lady entered the room She
     was plainly but neatly dressed with a bright quick face freckled
     like a plovers egg and with the brisk manner of a woman who has had
     her own way to make in the world

     You will excuse my troubling you I am sure said she as my
     companion rose to greet her but I have had a very strange
     experience and as I have no parents or relations of any sort from
     whom I could ask advice I thought that perhaps you would be kind
     enough to tell me what I should do

     Pray take a seat Miss Hunter I shall be happy to do anything that
     I can to serve you

     I could see that Holmes was favourably impressed by the manner and
     speech of his new client He looked her over in his searching
     fashion and then composed himself with his lids drooping and his
     fingertips together to listen to her story

     I have been a governess for five years said she in the family of
     Colonel Spence Munro but two months ago the colonel received an
     appointment at Halifax in Nova Scotia and took his children over to
     America with him so that I found myself without a situation I
     advertised and I answered advertisements but without success At
     last the little money which I had saved began to run short and I was
     at my wits end as to what I should do

     There is a wellknown agency for governesses in the West End called
     Westaways and there I used to call about once a week in order to
     see whether anything had turned up which might suit me Westaway was
     the name of the founder of the business but it is really managed by
     Miss Stoper She sits in her own little office and the ladies who
     are seeking employment wait in an anteroom and are then shown in one
     by one when she consults her ledgers and sees whether she has
     anything which would suit them

     Well when I called last week I was shown into the little office as
     usual but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone A prodigiously
     stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavy chin which
     rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at her elbow with a
     pair of glasses on his nose looking very earnestly at the ladies who
     entered As I came in he gave quite a jump in his chair and turned
     quickly to Miss Stoper

     That will do said he I could not ask for anything better
     Capital capital He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed his hands
     together in the most genial fashion He was such a
     comfortablelooking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at him

     You are looking for a situation miss he asked

     Yes sir

     As governess

     Yes sir

     And what salary do you ask

     I had  a month in my last place with Colonel Spence Munro

     Oh tut tut sweatingrank sweating he cried throwing his fat
     hands out into the air like a man who is in a boiling passion How
     could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with such attractions
     and accomplishments

     My accomplishments sir may be less than you imagine said I A
     little French a little German music and drawing

     Tut tut he cried This is all quite beside the question The
     point is have you or have you not the bearing and deportment of a
     lady There it is in a nutshell If you have not you are not fitted
     for the rearing of a child who may some day play a considerable part
     in the history of the country But if you have why then how could
     any gentleman ask you to condescend to accept anything under the
     three figures Your salary with me madam would commence at  a
     year

     You may imagine Mr Holmes that to me destitute as I was such an
     offer seemed almost too good to be true The gentleman however
     seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face opened a
     pocketbook and took out a note

     It is also my custom said he smiling in the most pleasant
     fashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits amid the
     white creases of his face to advance to my young ladies half their
     salary beforehand so that they may meet any little expenses of their
     journey and their wardrobe

     It seemed to me that I had never met so fascinating and so
     thoughtful a man As I was already in debt to my tradesmen the
     advance was a great convenience and yet there was something
     unnatural about the whole transaction which made me wish to know a
     little more before I quite committed myself

     May I ask where you live sir said I

     Hampshire Charming rural place The Copper Beeches five miles on
     the far side of Winchester It is the most lovely country my dear
     young lady and the dearest old countryhouse

     And my duties sir I should be glad to know what they would be

     One childone dear little romper just six years old Oh if you
     could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper Smack smack
     smack Three gone before you could wink He leaned back in his chair
     and laughed his eyes into his head again

     I was a little startled at the nature of the childs amusement but
     the fathers laughter made me think that perhaps he was joking

     My sole duties then I asked are to take charge of a single
     child

     No no not the sole not the sole my dear young lady he cried
     Your duty would be as I am sure your good sense would suggest to
     obey any little commands my wife might give provided always that
     they were such commands as a lady might with propriety obey You see
     no difficulty heh

     I should be happy to make myself useful

     Quite so In dress now for example We are faddy people you
     knowfaddy but kindhearted If you were asked to wear any dress
     which we might give you you would not object to our little whim
     Heh

     No said I considerably astonished at his words

     Or to sit here or sit there that would not be offensive to you

     Oh no

     Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us

     I could hardly believe my ears As you may observe Mr Holmes my
     hair is somewhat luxuriant and of a rather peculiar tint of
     chestnut It has been considered artistic I could not dream of
     sacrificing it in this offhand fashion

     I am afraid that that is quite impossible said I He had been
     watching me eagerly out of his small eyes and I could see a shadow
     pass over his face as I spoke

     I am afraid that it is quite essential said he It is a little
     fancy of my wifes and ladies fancies you know madam ladies
     fancies must be consulted And so you wont cut your hair

     No sir I really could not I answered firmly

     Ah very well then that quite settles the matter It is a pity
     because in other respects you would really have done very nicely In
     that case Miss Stoper I had best inspect a few more of your young
     ladies

     The manageress had sat all this while busy with her papers without a
     word to either of us but she glanced at me now with so much
     annoyance upon her face that I could not help suspecting that she had
     lost a handsome commission through my refusal

     Do you desire your name to be kept upon the books she asked

     If you please Miss Stoper

     Well really it seems rather useless since you refuse the most
     excellent offers in this fashion said she sharply You can hardly
     expect us to exert ourselves to find another such opening for you
     Goodday to you Miss Hunter She struck a gong upon the table and
     I was shown out by the page

     Well Mr Holmes when I got back to my lodgings and found little
     enough in the cupboard and two or three bills upon the table I
     began to ask myself whether I had not done a very foolish thing
     After all if these people had strange fads and expected obedience on
     the most extraordinary matters they were at least ready to pay for
     their eccentricity Very few governesses in England are getting Â
     a year Besides what use was my hair to me Many people are improved
     by wearing it short and perhaps I should be among the number Next
     day I was inclined to think that I had made a mistake and by the day
     after I was sure of it I had almost overcome my pride so far as to
     go back to the agency and inquire whether the place was still open
     when I received this letter from the gentleman himself I have it
     here and I will read it to you

     The Copper Beeches near Winchester
     Dear Miss Hunter
     Miss Stoper has very kindly given me your address and I write from
     here to ask you whether you have reconsidered your decision My wife
     is very anxious that you should come for she has been much attracted
     by my description of you We are willing to give  a quarter or
     Â a year so as to recompense you for any little inconvenience
     which our fads may cause you They are not very exacting after all
     My wife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue and would like
     you to wear such a dress indoors in the morning You need not
     however go to the expense of purchasing one as we have one
     belonging to my dear daughter Alice now in Philadelphia which
     would I should think fit you very well Then as to sitting here or
     there or amusing yourself in any manner indicated that need cause
     you no inconvenience As regards your hair it is no doubt a pity
     especially as I could not help remarking its beauty during our short
     interview but I am afraid that I must remain firm upon this point
     and I only hope that the increased salary may recompense you for the
     loss Your duties as far as the child is concerned are very light
     Now do try to come and I shall meet you with the dogcart at
     Winchester Let me know your train
     Yours faithfully
     Jephro Rucastle

     That is the letter which I have just received Mr Holmes and my
     mind is made up that I will accept it I thought however that
     before taking the final step I should like to submit the whole matter
     to your consideration

     Well Miss Hunter if your mind is made up that settles the
     question said Holmes smiling

     But you would not advise me to refuse

     I confess that it is not the situation which I should like to see a
     sister of mine apply for

     What is the meaning of it all Mr Holmes

     Ah I have no data I cannot tell Perhaps you have yourself formed
     some opinion

     Well there seems to me to be only one possible solution Mr
     Rucastle seemed to be a very kind goodnatured man Is it not
     possible that his wife is a lunatic that he desires to keep the
     matter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum and that he
     humours her fancies in every way in order to prevent an outbreak

     That is a possible solutionin fact as matters stand it is the
     most probable one But in any case it does not seem to be a nice
     household for a young lady

     But the money Mr Holmes the money

     Well yes of course the pay is goodtoo good That is what makes
     me uneasy Why should they give you  a year when they could have
     their pick for  There must be some strong reason behind

     I thought that if I told you the circumstances you would understand
     afterwards if I wanted your help I should feel so much stronger if I
     felt that you were at the back of me

     Oh you may carry that feeling away with you I assure you that your
     little problem promises to be the most interesting which has come my
     way for some months There is something distinctly novel about some
     of the features If you should find yourself in doubt or in danger

     Danger What danger do you foresee

     Holmes shook his head gravely It would cease to be a danger if we
     could define it said he But at any time day or night a telegram
     would bring me down to your help

     That is enough She rose briskly from her chair with the anxiety
     all swept from her face I shall go down to Hampshire quite easy in
     my mind now I shall write to Mr Rucastle at once sacrifice my poor
     hair tonight and start for Winchester tomorrow With a few
     grateful words to Holmes she bade us both goodnight and bustled off
     upon her way

     At least said I as we heard her quick firm steps descending the
     stairs she seems to be a young lady who is very well able to take
     care of herself

     And she would need to be said Holmes gravely I am much mistaken
     if we do not hear from her before many days are past

     It was not very long before my friends prediction was fulfilled A
     fortnight went by during which I frequently found my thoughts
     turning in her direction and wondering what strange sidealley of
     human experience this lonely woman had strayed into The unusual
     salary the curious conditions the light duties all pointed to
     something abnormal though whether a fad or a plot or whether the
     man were a philanthropist or a villain it was quite beyond my powers
     to determine As to Holmes I observed that he sat frequently for
     half an hour on end with knitted brows and an abstracted air but he
     swept the matter away with a wave of his hand when I mentioned it
     Data data data he cried impatiently I cant make bricks
     without clay And yet he would always wind up by muttering that no
     sister of his should ever have accepted such a situation

     The telegram which we eventually received came late one night just as
     I was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down to one of
     those allnight chemical researches which he frequently indulged in
     when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a testtube at
     night and find him in the same position when I came down to breakfast
     in the morning He opened the yellow envelope and then glancing at
     the message threw it across to me

     Just look up the trains in Bradshaw said he and turned back to
     his chemical studies

     The summons was a brief and urgent one

     Please be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester at midday tomorrow
     it said Do come I am at my wits end
     Hunter

     Will you come with me asked Holmes glancing up

     I should wish to

     Just look it up then

     There is a train at halfpast nine said I glancing over my
     Bradshaw It is due at Winchester at 

     That will do very nicely Then perhaps I had better postpone my
     analysis of the acetones as we may need to be at our best in the
     morning

     By eleven oclock the next day we were well upon our way to the old
     English capital Holmes had been buried in the morning papers all the
     way down but after we had passed the Hampshire border he threw them
     down and began to admire the scenery It was an ideal spring day a
     light blue sky flecked with little fleecy white clouds drifting
     across from west to east The sun was shining very brightly and yet
     there was an exhilarating nip in the air which set an edge to a
     mans energy All over the countryside away to the rolling hills
     around Aldershot the little red and grey roofs of the farmsteadings
     peeped out from amid the light green of the new foliage

     Are they not fresh and beautiful I cried with all the enthusiasm
     of a man fresh from the fogs of Baker Street

     But Holmes shook his head gravely

     Do you know Watson said he that it is one of the curses of a
     mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything with
     reference to my own special subject You look at these scattered
     houses and you are impressed by their beauty I look at them and
     the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their isolation
     and of the impunity with which crime may be committed there

     Good heavens I cried Who would associate crime with these dear
     old homesteads

     They always fill me with a certain horror It is my belief Watson
     founded upon my experience that the lowest and vilest alleys in
     London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the
     smiling and beautiful countryside

     You horrify me

     But the reason is very obvious The pressure of public opinion can
     do in the town what the law cannot accomplish There is no lane so
     vile that the scream of a tortured child or the thud of a drunkards
     blow does not beget sympathy and indignation among the neighbours
     and then the whole machinery of justice is ever so close that a word
     of complaint can set it going and there is but a step between the
     crime and the dock But look at these lonely houses each in its own
     fields filled for the most part with poor ignorant folk who know
     little of the law Think of the deeds of hellish cruelty the hidden
     wickedness which may go on year in year out in such places and
     none the wiser Had this lady who appeals to us for help gone to live
     in Winchester I should never have had a fear for her It is the five
     miles of country which makes the danger Still it is clear that she
     is not personally threatened

     No If she can come to Winchester to meet us she can get away

     Quite so She has her freedom

     What can be the matter then Can you suggest no explanation

     I have devised seven separate explanations each of which would
     cover the facts as far as we know them But which of these is correct
     can only be determined by the fresh information which we shall no
     doubt find waiting for us Well there is the tower of the cathedral
     and we shall soon learn all that Miss Hunter has to tell

     The Black Swan is an inn of repute in the High Street at no distance
     from the station and there we found the young lady waiting for us
     She had engaged a sittingroom and our lunch awaited us upon the
     table

     I am so delighted that you have come she said earnestly It is so
     very kind of you both but indeed I do not know what I should do
     Your advice will be altogether invaluable to me

     Pray tell us what has happened to you

     I will do so and I must be quick for I have promised Mr Rucastle
     to be back before three I got his leave to come into town this
     morning though he little knew for what purpose

     Let us have everything in its due order Holmes thrust his long
     thin legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen

     In the first place I may say that I have met on the whole with no
     actual illtreatment from Mr and Mrs Rucastle It is only fair to
     them to say that But I cannot understand them and I am not easy in
     my mind about them

     What can you not understand

     Their reasons for their conduct But you shall have it all just as
     it occurred When I came down Mr Rucastle met me here and drove me
     in his dogcart to the Copper Beeches It is as he said beautifully
     situated but it is not beautiful in itself for it is a large square
     block of a house whitewashed but all stained and streaked with damp
     and bad weather There are grounds round it woods on three sides
     and on the fourth a field which slopes down to the Southampton
     highroad which curves past about a hundred yards from the front
     door This ground in front belongs to the house but the woods all
     round are part of Lord Southertons preserves A clump of copper
     beeches immediately in front of the hall door has given its name to
     the place

     I was driven over by my employer who was as amiable as ever and
     was introduced by him that evening to his wife and the child There
     was no truth Mr Holmes in the conjecture which seemed to us to be
     probable in your rooms at Baker Street Mrs Rucastle is not mad I
     found her to be a silent palefaced woman much younger than her
     husband not more than thirty I should think while he can hardly be
     less than fortyfive From their conversation I have gathered that
     they have been married about seven years that he was a widower and
     that his only child by the first wife was the daughter who has gone
     to Philadelphia Mr Rucastle told me in private that the reason why
     she had left them was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her
     stepmother As the daughter could not have been less than twenty I
     can quite imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with
     her fathers young wife

     Mrs Rucastle seemed to me to be colourless in mind as well as in
     feature She impressed me neither favourably nor the reverse She was
     a nonentity It was easy to see that she was passionately devoted
     both to her husband and to her little son Her light grey eyes
     wandered continually from one to the other noting every little want
     and forestalling it if possible He was kind to her also in his
     bluff boisterous fashion and on the whole they seemed to be a happy
     couple And yet she had some secret sorrow this woman She would
     often be lost in deep thought with the saddest look upon her face
     More than once I have surprised her in tears I have thought
     sometimes that it was the disposition of her child which weighed upon
     her mind for I have never met so utterly spoiled and so illnatured
     a little creature He is small for his age with a head which is
     quite disproportionately large His whole life appears to be spent in
     an alternation between savage fits of passion and gloomy intervals of
     sulking Giving pain to any creature weaker than himself seems to be
     his one idea of amusement and he shows quite remarkable talent in
     planning the capture of mice little birds and insects But I would
     rather not talk about the creature Mr Holmes and indeed he has
     little to do with my story

     I am glad of all details remarked my friend whether they seem to
     you to be relevant or not

     I shall try not to miss anything of importance The one unpleasant
     thing about the house which struck me at once was the appearance
     and conduct of the servants There are only two a man and his wife
     Toller for that is his name is a rough uncouth man with grizzled
     hair and whiskers and a perpetual smell of drink Twice since I have
     been with them he has been quite drunk and yet Mr Rucastle seemed
     to take no notice of it His wife is a very tall and strong woman
     with a sour face as silent as Mrs Rucastle and much less amiable
     They are a most unpleasant couple but fortunately I spend most of my
     time in the nursery and my own room which are next to each other in
     one corner of the building

     For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life was very
     quiet on the third Mrs Rucastle came down just after breakfast and
     whispered something to her husband

     Oh yes said he turning to me we are very much obliged to you
     Miss Hunter for falling in with our whims so far as to cut your
     hair I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniest iota from
     your appearance We shall now see how the electricblue dress will
     become you You will find it laid out upon the bed in your room and
     if you would be so good as to put it on we should both be extremely
     obliged

     The dress which I found waiting for me was of a peculiar shade of
     blue It was of excellent material a sort of beige but it bore
     unmistakable signs of having been worn before It could not have been
     a better fit if I had been measured for it Both Mr and Mrs
     Rucastle expressed a delight at the look of it which seemed quite
     exaggerated in its vehemence They were waiting for me in the
     drawingroom which is a very large room stretching along the entire
     front of the house with three long windows reaching down to the
     floor A chair had been placed close to the central window with its
     back turned towards it In this I was asked to sit and then Mr
     Rucastle walking up and down on the other side of the room began to
     tell me a series of the funniest stories that I have ever listened
     to You cannot imagine how comical he was and I laughed until I was
     quite weary Mrs Rucastle however who has evidently no sense of
     humour never so much as smiled but sat with her hands in her lap
     and a sad anxious look upon her face After an hour or so Mr
     Rucastle suddenly remarked that it was time to commence the duties of
     the day and that I might change my dress and go to little Edward in
     the nursery

     Two days later this same performance was gone through under exactly
     similar circumstances Again I changed my dress again I sat in the
     window and again I laughed very heartily at the funny stories of
     which my employer had an immense rÃpertoire and which he told
     inimitably Then he handed me a yellowbacked novel and moving my
     chair a little sideways that my own shadow might not fall upon the
     page he begged me to read aloud to him I read for about ten
     minutes beginning in the heart of a chapter and then suddenly in
     the middle of a sentence he ordered me to cease and to change my
     dress

     You can easily imagine Mr Holmes how curious I became as to what
     the meaning of this extraordinary performance could possibly be They
     were always very careful I observed to turn my face away from the
     window so that I became consumed with the desire to see what was
     going on behind my back At first it seemed to be impossible but I
     soon devised a means My handmirror had been broken so a happy
     thought seized me and I concealed a piece of the glass in my
     handkerchief On the next occasion in the midst of my laughter I
     put my handkerchief up to my eyes and was able with a little
     management to see all that there was behind me I confess that I was
     disappointed There was nothing At least that was my first
     impression At the second glance however I perceived that there was
     a man standing in the Southampton Road a small bearded man in a grey
     suit who seemed to be looking in my direction The road is an
     important highway and there are usually people there This man
     however was leaning against the railings which bordered our field
     and was looking earnestly up I lowered my handkerchief and glanced
     at Mrs Rucastle to find her eyes fixed upon me with a most searching
     gaze She said nothing but I am convinced that she had divined that
     I had a mirror in my hand and had seen what was behind me She rose
     at once

     Jephro said she there is an impertinent fellow upon the road
     there who stares up at Miss Hunter

     No friend of yours Miss Hunter he asked

     No I know no one in these parts

     Dear me How very impertinent Kindly turn round and motion to him
     to go away

     Surely it would be better to take no notice

     No no we should have him loitering here always Kindly turn round
     and wave him away like that

     I did as I was told and at the same instant Mrs Rucastle drew down
     the blind That was a week ago and from that time I have not sat
     again in the window nor have I worn the blue dress nor seen the man
     in the road

     Pray continue said Holmes Your narrative promises to be a most
     interesting one

     You will find it rather disconnected I fear and there may prove to
     be little relation between the different incidents of which I speak
     On the very first day that I was at the Copper Beeches Mr Rucastle
     took me to a small outhouse which stands near the kitchen door As we
     approached it I heard the sharp rattling of a chain and the sound as
     of a large animal moving about

     Look in here said Mr Rucastle showing me a slit between two
     planks Is he not a beauty

     I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes and of a
     vague figure huddled up in the darkness

     Dont be frightened said my employer laughing at the start which
     I had given Its only Carlo my mastiff I call him mine but
     really old Toller my groom is the only man who can do anything with
     him We feed him once a day and not too much then so that he is
     always as keen as mustard Toller lets him loose every night and God
     help the trespasser whom he lays his fangs upon For goodness sake
     dont you ever on any pretext set your foot over the threshold at
     night for its as much as your life is worth

     The warning was no idle one for two nights later I happened to look
     out of my bedroom window about two oclock in the morning It was a
     beautiful moonlight night and the lawn in front of the house was
     silvered over and almost as bright as day I was standing rapt in
     the peaceful beauty of the scene when I was aware that something was
     moving under the shadow of the copper beeches As it emerged into the
     moonshine I saw what it was It was a giant dog as large as a calf
     tawny tinted with hanging jowl black muzzle and huge projecting
     bones It walked slowly across the lawn and vanished into the shadow
     upon the other side That dreadful sentinel sent a chill to my heart
     which I do not think that any burglar could have done

     And now I have a very strange experience to tell you I had as you
     know cut off my hair in London and I had placed it in a great coil
     at the bottom of my trunk One evening after the child was in bed I
     began to amuse myself by examining the furniture of my room and by
     rearranging my own little things There was an old chest of drawers
     in the room the two upper ones empty and open the lower one locked
     I had filled the first two with my linen and as I had still much to
     pack away I was naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third
     drawer It struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere
     oversight so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it The
     very first key fitted to perfection and I drew the drawer open
     There was only one thing in it but I am sure that you would never
     guess what it was It was my coil of hair

     I took it up and examined it It was of the same peculiar tint and
     the same thickness But then the impossibility of the thing obtruded
     itself upon me How could my hair have been locked in the drawer
     With trembling hands I undid my trunk turned out the contents and
     drew from the bottom my own hair I laid the two tresses together
     and I assure you that they were identical Was it not extraordinary
     Puzzle as I would I could make nothing at all of what it meant I
     returned the strange hair to the drawer and I said nothing of the
     matter to the Rucastles as I felt that I had put myself in the wrong
     by opening a drawer which they had locked

     I am naturally observant as you may have remarked Mr Holmes and
     I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head There
     was one wing however which appeared not to be inhabited at all A
     door which faced that which led into the quarters of the Tollers
     opened into this suite but it was invariably locked One day
     however as I ascended the stair I met Mr Rucastle coming out
     through this door his keys in his hand and a look on his face which
     made him a very different person to the round jovial man to whom I
     was accustomed His cheeks were red his brow was all crinkled with
     anger and the veins stood out at his temples with passion He locked
     the door and hurried past me without a word or a look

     This aroused my curiosity so when I went out for a walk in the
     grounds with my charge I strolled round to the side from which I
     could see the windows of this part of the house There were four of
     them in a row three of which were simply dirty while the fourth was
     shuttered up They were evidently all deserted As I strolled up and
     down glancing at them occasionally Mr Rucastle came out to me
     looking as merry and jovial as ever

     Ah said he you must not think me rude if I passed you without a
     word my dear young lady I was preoccupied with business matters

     I assured him that I was not offended By the way said I you
     seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there and one of them
     has the shutters up

     He looked surprised and as it seemed to me a little startled at my
     remark

     Photography is one of my hobbies said he I have made my dark
     room up there But dear me what an observant young lady we have
     come upon Who would have believed it Who would have ever believed
     it He spoke in a jesting tone but there was no jest in his eyes as
     he looked at me I read suspicion there and annoyance but no jest

     Well Mr Holmes from the moment that I understood that there was
     something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know I was
     all on fire to go over them It was not mere curiosity though I have
     my share of that It was more a feeling of dutya feeling that some
     good might come from my penetrating to this place They talk of
     womans instinct perhaps it was womans instinct which gave me that
     feeling At any rate it was there and I was keenly on the lookout
     for any chance to pass the forbidden door

     It was only yesterday that the chance came I may tell you that
     besides Mr Rucastle both Toller and his wife find something to do
     in these deserted rooms and I once saw him carrying a large black
     linen bag with him through the door Recently he has been drinking
     hard and yesterday evening he was very drunk and when I came
     upstairs there was the key in the door I have no doubt at all that
     he had left it there Mr and Mrs Rucastle were both downstairs and
     the child was with them so that I had an admirable opportunity I
     turned the key gently in the lock opened the door and slipped
     through

     There was a little passage in front of me unpapered and uncarpeted
     which turned at a right angle at the farther end Round this corner
     were three doors in a line the first and third of which were open
     They each led into an empty room dusty and cheerless with two
     windows in the one and one in the other so thick with dirt that the
     evening light glimmered dimly through them The centre door was
     closed and across the outside of it had been fastened one of the
     broad bars of an iron bed padlocked at one end to a ring in the
     wall and fastened at the other with stout cord The door itself was
     locked as well and the key was not there This barricaded door
     corresponded clearly with the shuttered window outside and yet I
     could see by the glimmer from beneath it that the room was not in
     darkness Evidently there was a skylight which let in light from
     above As I stood in the passage gazing at the sinister door and
     wondering what secret it might veil I suddenly heard the sound of
     steps within the room and saw a shadow pass backward and forward
     against the little slit of dim light which shone out from under the
     door A mad unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight Mr
     Holmes My overstrung nerves failed me suddenly and I turned and
     ranran as though some dreadful hand were behind me clutching at the
     skirt of my dress I rushed down the passage through the door and
     straight into the arms of Mr Rucastle who was waiting outside

     So said he smiling it was you then I thought that it must be
     when I saw the door open

     Oh I am so frightened I panted

     My dear young lady my dear young ladyyou cannot think how
     caressing and soothing his manner wasand what has frightened you
     my dear young lady

     But his voice was just a little too coaxing He overdid it I was
     keenly on my guard against him

     I was foolish enough to go into the empty wing I answered But
     it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I was frightened and
     ran out again Oh it is so dreadfully still in there

     Only that said he looking at me keenly

     Why what did you think I asked

     Why do you think that I lock this door

     I am sure that I do not know

     It is to keep people out who have no business there Do you see
     He was still smiling in the most amiable manner

     I am sure if I had known

     Well then you know now And if you ever put your foot over that
     threshold againhere in an instant the smile hardened into a grin
     of rage and he glared down at me with the face of a demonIll
     throw you to the mastiff

     I was so terrified that I do not know what I did I suppose that I
     must have rushed past him into my room I remember nothing until I
     found myself lying on my bed trembling all over Then I thought of
     you Mr Holmes I could not live there longer without some advice I
     was frightened of the house of the man of the woman of the
     servants even of the child They were all horrible to me If I could
     only bring you down all would be well Of course I might have fled
     from the house but my curiosity was almost as strong as my fears My
     mind was soon made up I would send you a wire I put on my hat and
     cloak went down to the office which is about half a mile from the
     house and then returned feeling very much easier A horrible doubt
     came into my mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be
     loose but I remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of
     insensibility that evening and I knew that he was the only one in
     the household who had any influence with the savage creature or who
     would venture to set him free I slipped in in safety and lay awake
     half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you I had no
     difficulty in getting leave to come into Winchester this morning but
     I must be back before three oclock for Mr and Mrs Rucastle are
     going on a visit and will be away all the evening so that I must
     look after the child Now I have told you all my adventures Mr
     Holmes and I should be very glad if you could tell me what it all
     means and above all what I should do

     Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story My
     friend rose now and paced up and down the room his hands in his
     pockets and an expression of the most profound gravity upon his
     face

     Is Toller still drunk he asked

     Yes I heard his wife tell Mrs Rucastle that she could do nothing
     with him

     That is well And the Rucastles go out tonight

     Yes

     Is there a cellar with a good strong lock

     Yes the winecellar

     You seem to me to have acted all through this matter like a very
     brave and sensible girl Miss Hunter Do you think that you could
     perform one more feat I should not ask it of you if I did not think
     you a quite exceptional woman

     I will try What is it

     We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven oclock my friend and I
     The Rucastles will be gone by that time and Toller will we hope be
     incapable There only remains Mrs Toller who might give the alarm
     If you could send her into the cellar on some errand and then turn
     the key upon her you would facilitate matters immensely

     I will do it

     Excellent We shall then look thoroughly into the affair Of course
     there is only one feasible explanation You have been brought there
     to personate someone and the real person is imprisoned in this
     chamber That is obvious As to who this prisoner is I have no doubt
     that it is the daughter Miss Alice Rucastle if I remember right
     who was said to have gone to America You were chosen doubtless as
     resembling her in height figure and the colour of your hair Hers
     had been cut off very possibly in some illness through which she has
     passed and so of course yours had to be sacrificed also By a
     curious chance you came upon her tresses The man in the road was
     undoubtedly some friend of herspossibly her fiancÃand no doubt
     as you wore the girls dress and were so like her he was convinced
     from your laughter whenever he saw you and afterwards from your
     gesture that Miss Rucastle was perfectly happy and that she no
     longer desired his attentions The dog is let loose at night to
     prevent him from endeavouring to communicate with her So much is
     fairly clear The most serious point in the case is the disposition
     of the child

     What on earth has that to do with it I ejaculated

     My dear Watson you as a medical man are continually gaining light
     as to the tendencies of a child by the study of the parents Dont
     you see that the converse is equally valid I have frequently gained
     my first real insight into the character of parents by studying their
     children This childs disposition is abnormally cruel merely for
     crueltys sake and whether he derives this from his smiling father
     as I should suspect or from his mother it bodes evil for the poor
     girl who is in their power

     I am sure that you are right Mr Holmes cried our client A
     thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you have
     hit it Oh let us lose not an instant in bringing help to this poor
     creature

     We must be circumspect for we are dealing with a very cunning man
     We can do nothing until seven oclock At that hour we shall be with
     you and it will not be long before we solve the mystery

     We were as good as our word for it was just seven when we reached
     the Copper Beeches having put up our trap at a wayside publichouse
     The group of trees with their dark leaves shining like burnished
     metal in the light of the setting sun were sufficient to mark the
     house even had Miss Hunter not been standing smiling on the
     doorstep

     Have you managed it asked Holmes

     A loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs That is Mrs
     Toller in the cellar said she Her husband lies snoring on the
     kitchen rug Here are his keys which are the duplicates of Mr
     Rucastles

     You have done well indeed cried Holmes with enthusiasm Now lead
     the way and we shall soon see the end of this black business

     We passed up the stair unlocked the door followed on down a
     passage and found ourselves in front of the barricade which Miss
     Hunter had described Holmes cut the cord and removed the transverse
     bar Then he tried the various keys in the lock but without success
     No sound came from within and at the silence Holmes face clouded
     over

     I trust that we are not too late said he I think Miss Hunter
     that we had better go in without you Now Watson put your shoulder
     to it and we shall see whether we cannot make our way in

     It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united
     strength Together we rushed into the room It was empty There was
     no furniture save a little pallet bed a small table and a basketful
     of linen The skylight above was open and the prisoner gone

     There has been some villainy here said Holmes this beauty has
     guessed Miss Hunters intentions and has carried his victim off

     But how

     Through the skylight We shall soon see how he managed it He swung
     himself up onto the roof Ah yes he cried heres the end of a
     long light ladder against the eaves That is how he did it

     But it is impossible said Miss Hunter the ladder was not there
     when the Rucastles went away

     He has come back and done it I tell you that he is a clever and
     dangerous man I should not be very much surprised if this were he
     whose step I hear now upon the stair I think Watson that it would
     be as well for you to have your pistol ready

     The words were hardly out of his mouth before a man appeared at the
     door of the room a very fat and burly man with a heavy stick in his
     hand Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against the wall at the sight
     of him but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and confronted him

     You villain said he wheres your daughter

     The fat man cast his eyes round and then up at the open skylight

     It is for me to ask you that he shrieked you thieves Spies and
     thieves I have caught you have I You are in my power Ill serve
     you He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he could go

     Hes gone for the dog cried Miss Hunter

     I have my revolver said I

     Better close the front door cried Holmes and we all rushed down
     the stairs together We had hardly reached the hall when we heard the
     baying of a hound and then a scream of agony with a horrible
     worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to An elderly man
     with a red face and shaking limbs came staggering out at a side door

     My God he cried Someone has loosed the dog Its not been fed
     for two days Quick quick or itll be too late

     Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house with Toller
     hurrying behind us There was the huge famished brute its black
     muzzle buried in Rucastles throat while he writhed and screamed
     upon the ground Running up I blew its brains out and it fell over
     with its keen white teeth still meeting in the great creases of his
     neck With much labour we separated them and carried him living but
     horribly mangled into the house We laid him upon the drawingroom
     sofa and having dispatched the sobered Toller to bear the news to
     his wife I did what I could to relieve his pain We were all
     assembled round him when the door opened and a tall gaunt woman
     entered the room

     Mrs Toller cried Miss Hunter

     Yes miss Mr Rucastle let me out when he came back before he went
     up to you Ah miss it is a pity you didnt let me know what you
     were planning for I would have told you that your pains were
     wasted

     Ha said Holmes looking keenly at her It is clear that Mrs
     Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else

     Yes sir I do and I am ready enough to tell what I know

     Then pray sit down and let us hear it for there are several
     points on which I must confess that I am still in the dark

     I will soon make it clear to you said she and Id have done so
     before now if I could ha got out from the cellar If theres
     policecourt business over this youll remember that I was the one
     that stood your friend and that I was Miss Alices friend too

     She was never happy at home Miss Alice wasnt from the time that
     her father married again She was slighted like and had no say in
     anything but it never really became bad for her until after she met
     Mr Fowler at a friends house As well as I could learn Miss Alice
     had rights of her own by will but she was so quiet and patient she
     was that she never said a word about them but just left everything
     in Mr Rucastles hands He knew he was safe with her but when there
     was a chance of a husband coming forward who would ask for all that
     the law would give him then her father thought it time to put a stop
     on it He wanted her to sign a paper so that whether she married or
     not he could use her money When she wouldnt do it he kept on
     worrying her until she got brainfever and for six weeks was at
     deaths door Then she got better at last all worn to a shadow and
     with her beautiful hair cut off but that didnt make no change in
     her young man and he stuck to her as true as man could be

     Ah said Holmes I think that what you have been good enough to
     tell us makes the matter fairly clear and that I can deduce all that
     remains Mr Rucastle then I presume took to this system of
     imprisonment

     Yes sir

     And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of the
     disagreeable persistence of Mr Fowler

     That was it sir

     But Mr Fowler being a persevering man as a good seaman should be
     blockaded the house and having met you succeeded by certain
     arguments metallic or otherwise in convincing you that your
     interests were the same as his

     Mr Fowler was a very kindspoken freehanded gentleman said Mrs
     Toller serenely

     And in this way he managed that your good man should have no want of
     drink and that a ladder should be ready at the moment when your
     master had gone out

     You have it sir just as it happened

     I am sure we owe you an apology Mrs Toller said Holmes for you
     have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us And here comes
     the country surgeon and Mrs Rucastle so I think Watson that we
     had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester as it seems to me
     that our locus standi now is rather a questionable one

     And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the copper
     beeches in front of the door Mr Rucastle survived but was always a
     broken man kept alive solely through the care of his devoted wife
     They still live with their old servants who probably know so much of
     Rucastles past life that he finds it difficult to part from them
     Mr Fowler and Miss Rucastle were married by special license in
     Southampton the day after their flight and he is now the holder of a
     government appointment in the island of Mauritius As to Miss Violet
     Hunter my friend Holmes rather to my disappointment manifested no
     further interest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of
     one of his problems and she is now the head of a private school at
     Walsall where I believe that she has met with considerable success









     
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