One summer night , a few months after my marriage , I was seated by my own hearth smoking a last pipe and nodding over a novel , for my day's work had been an exhausting one . My wife had already gone upstairs , and the sound of the locking of the hall door some time before told me that the servants had also retired . I had risen from my seat and was knocking out the ashes of my pipe when I suddenly heard the clang of the bell .

I looked at the clock . It was a quarter to twelve . This could not be a visitor at so late an hour . A patient evidently , and possibly an all-night sitting . With a wry face I went out into the hall and opened the door . To my astonishment it was Sherlock Holmes who stood upon my step .

" Ah , Watson , " said he , " I hoped that I might not be too late to catch you . "

" My dear fellow , pray come in . "

" You look surprised , and no wonder ! Relieved , too , I fancy ! Hum ! You still smoke the Arcadia mixture of your bachelor days , then ! There's no mistaking that fluffy ash upon your coat . It's easy to tell that you have been accustomed to wear a uniform , Watson . You'll never pass as a pure-bred civilian as long as you keep that habit of carrying your handkerchief in your sleeve . Could you put me up to-night ? "

" With pleasure . "

" You told me that you had bachelor quarters for one , and I see that you have no gentleman visitor at present . Your hat-stand proclaims as much . "

" I shall be delighted if you will stay . "

" Thank you . I'll fill the vacant peg then . Sorry to see that you've had the British workman in the house . He's a token of evil . Not the drains , I hope ? "

" No , the gas . "

" Ah ! He has left two nail-marks from his boot upon your linoleum just where the light strikes it . No , thank you , I had some supper at Waterloo , but I'll smoke a pipe with you with pleasure . "

I handed him my pouch , and he seated himself opposite to me and smoked for some time , in silence . I was well aware that nothing but business of importance would have brought him to me at such an hour , so I waited patiently until he should come round to it .

" I see that you are professionally rather busy just now , " said he , glancing very keenly across at me .

" Yes , I've had a busy day , " I answered . " It may seem very foolish in your eyes , " I added , " but really I don't know how you deduced it . "

Holmes chuckled to himself .

" I have the advantage of knowing your habits , my dear Watson , " said he . " When your round is a short one you walk , and when it is a long one you use a hansom . As I perceive that your boots , although used , are by no means dirty , I cannot doubt that you are at present busy enough to justify the hansom . "

" Excellent ! " I cried .

" Elementary , " said he . " It is one of those instances where the reasoner can produce an effect which seems remarkable to his neighbour , because the latter has missed the one little point which is the basis of the deduction . The same may be said , my dear fellow , for the effect of some of these little sketches of yours , which is entirely meretricious , depending as it does upon your retaining in your own hands some factors in the problem which are never imparted to the reader . Now , at present I am in the position of these same readers , for I hold in this hand several threads of one of the strangest cases which ever perplexed a man's brain , and yet I lack the one or two which are needful to complete my theory . But I'll have them , Watson , I'll have them ! " His eyes kindled and a slight flush sprang into his thin cheeks . For an instant the veil had lifted upon his keen , intense nature , but for an instant only . When I glanced again his face had resumed that red-Indian composure which had made so many regard him as a machine rather than a man .

" The problem presents features of interest , " said he . " I may even say exceptional features of interest . I have already looked into the matter , and have come , as I think , within sight of my solution . If you could accompany me in that last step you might be of considerable service to me . "

" I should be delighted . "

" Could you go as far as Aldershot to-morrow ? "

" I have no doubt Jackson would take my practice . "

" Very good . I want to start by the 11:10 from Waterloo . "

" That would give me time . "

" Then , if you are not too sleepy , I will give you a sketch of what has happened , and of what remains to be done . "

" I was sleepy before you came . I am quite wakeful now . "

" I will compress the story as far as may be done without omitting anything vital to the case . It is conceivable that you may even have read some account of the matter . It is the supposed murder of Colonel Barclay , of the Royal Munsters , at Aldershot , which I am investigating . "

" I have heard nothing of it . "

" It has not excited much attention yet , except locally . The facts are only two days old . Briefly they are these :

" The Royal Munsters is , as you know , one of the most famous Irish regiments in the British Army . It did wonders both in the Crimea and the Mutiny , and has since that time distinguished itself upon every possible occasion . It was commanded up to Monday night by James Barclay , a gallant veteran , who started as a full private , was raised to commissioned rank for his bravery at the time of the Mutiny , and so lived to command the regiment in which he had once carried a musket .

" Colonel Barclay had married at the time when he was a sergeant , and his wife , whose maiden name was Miss Nancy Devoy , was the daughter of a former colour-sergeant in the same corps . There was , therefore , as can be imagined , some little social friction when the young couple ( for they were still young ) found themselves in their new surroundings . They appear , however , to have quickly adapted themselves , and Mrs. Barclay has always , I understand , been as popular with the ladies of the regiment as her husband was with his brother officers . I may add that she was a woman of great beauty , and that even now , when she has been married for upward of thirty years , she is still of a striking and queenly appearance .

" Colonel Barclay's family life appears to have been a uniformly happy one . Major Murphy , to whom I owe most of my facts , assures me that he has never heard of any misunderstanding between the pair . On the whole , he thinks that Barclay's devotion to his wife was greater than his wife's to Barclay . He was acutely uneasy if he were absent from her for a day . She , on the other hand , though devoted and faithful , was less obtrusively affectionate . But they were regarded in the regiment as the very model of a middle-aged couple . There was absolutely nothing in their mutual relations to prepare people for the tragedy which was to follow .

" Colonel Barclay himself seems to have had some singular traits in his character . He was a dashing , jovial old soldier in his usual mood , but there were occasions on which he seemed to show himself capable of considerable violence and vindictiveness . This side of his nature , however , appears never to have been turned towards his wife . Another fact which had struck Major Murphy and three out of five of the other officers with whom I conversed was the singular sort of depression which came upon him at times . As the major expressed it , the smile has often been struck from his mouth , as if by some invisible hand , when he has been joining in the gaieties and chaff of the mess-table . For days on end , when the mood was on him , he has been sunk in the deepest gloom . This and a certain tinge of superstition were the only unusual traits in his character which his brother officers had observed . The latter peculiarity took the form of a dislike to being left alone , especially after dark . This puerile feature in a nature which was conspicuously manly had often given rise to comment and conjecture .

" The first battalion of the Royal Munsters ( which is the old One Hundred and Seventeenth ) has been stationed at Aldershot for some years . The married officers live out of barracks , and the colonel has during all this time occupied a villa called ' Lachine , ' about half a mile from the north camp . The house stands in its own grounds , but the west side of it is not more than thirty yards from the highroad . A coachman and two maids form the staff of servants . These with their master and mistress were the sole occupants of Lachine , for the Barclays had no children , nor was it usual for them to have resident visitors .

" Now for the events at Lachine between nine and ten on the evening of last Monday .

" Mrs. Barclay was , it appears , a member of the Roman Catholic Church and had interested herself very much in the establishment of the Guild of St. George , which was formed in connection with the Watt Street Chapel for the purpose of supplying the poor with cast-off clothing . A meeting of the Guild had been held that evening at eight , and Mrs. Barclay had hurried over her dinner in order to be present at it . When leaving the house she was heard by the coachman to make some commonplace remark to her husband , and to assure him that she would be back before very long . She then called for Miss Morrison , a young lady who lives in the next villa and the two went off together to their meeting . It lasted forty minutes , and at a quarter-past nine Mrs. Barclay returned home , having left Miss Morrison at her door as she passed .

" There is a room which is used as a morning-room at Lachine . This faces the road and opens by a large glass folding-door on to the lawn . The lawn is thirty yards across and is only divided from the highway by a low wall with an iron rail above it . It was into this room that Mrs. Barclay went upon her return . The blinds were not down , for the room was seldom used in the evening , but Mrs. Barclay herself lit the lamp and then rang the bell , asking Jane Stewart , the housemaid , to bring her a cup of tea , which was quite contrary to her usual habits . The colonel had been sitting in the dining-room , but , hearing that his wife had returned , he joined her in the morning-room . The coachman saw him cross the hall and enter it . He was never seen again alive .

" The tea which had been ordered was brought up at the end of ten minutes ; but the maid , as she approached the door , was surprised to hear the voices of her master and mistress in furious altercation . She knocked without receiving any answer , and even turned the handle , but only to find that the door was locked upon the inside . Naturally enough she ran down to tell the cook , and the two women with the coachman came up into the hall and listened to the dispute which was still raging . They all agreed that only two voices were to be heard , those of Barclay and of his wife . Barclay's remarks were subdued and abrupt so that none of them were audible to the listeners . The lady's , on the other hand , were most bitter , and when she raised her voice could be plainly heard . ' You coward ! ' she repeated over and over again . ' What can be done now ? What can be done now ? Give me back my life . I will never so much as breathe the same air with you again ! You coward ! You coward ! ' Those were scraps of her conversation , ending in a sudden dreadful cry in the man's voice , with a crash , and a piercing scream from the woman . Convinced that some tragedy had occurred , the coachman rushed to the door and strove to force it , while scream after scream issued from within . He was unable , however , to make his way in , and the maids were too distracted with fear to be of any assistance to him . A sudden thought struck him , however , and he ran through the hall door and round to the lawn upon which the long French windows open . One side of the window was open , which I understand was quite usual in the summertime , and he passed without difficulty into the room . His mistress had ceased to scream and was stretched insensible upon a couch , while with his feet tilted over the side of an armchair , and his head upon the ground near the corner of the fender , was lying the unfortunate soldier stone dead in a pool of his own blood .

" Naturally , the coachman's first thought , on finding that he could do nothing for his master , was to open the door . But here an unexpected and singular difficulty presented itself . The key was not in the inner side of the door , nor could he find it anywhere in the room . He went out again , therefore , through the window , and , having obtained the help of a policeman and of a medical man , he returned . The lady , against whom naturally the strongest suspicion rested , was removed to her room , still in a state of insensibility . The colonel's body was then placed upon the sofa and a careful examination made of the scene of the tragedy .

" The injury from which the unfortunate veteran was suffering was found to be a jagged cut some two inches long at the back part of his head , which had evidently been caused by a violent blow from a blunt weapon . Nor was it difficult to guess what that weapon may have been . Upon the floor , close to the body , was lying a singular club of hard carved wood with a bone handle . The colonel possessed a varied collection of weapons brought from the different countries in which he had fought , and it is conjectured by the police that this club was among his trophies . The servants deny having seen it before , but among the numerous curiosities in the house it is possible that it may have been overlooked . Nothing else of importance was discovered in the room by the police , save the inexplicable fact that neither upon Mrs. Barclay's person nor upon that of the victim nor in any part of the room was the missing key to be found . The door had eventually to be opened by a locksmith from Aldershot .

" That was the state of things , Watson , when upon the Tuesday morning I , at the request of Major Murphy , went down to Aldershot to supplement the efforts of the police . I think that you will acknowledge that the problem was already one of interest , but my observations soon made me realize that it was in truth much more extraordinary than would at first sight appear .

" Before examining the room I cross-questioned the servants , but only succeeded in eliciting the facts which I have already stated . One other detail of interest was remembered by Jane Stewart , the housemaid . You will remember that on hearing the sound of the quarrel she descended and returned with the other servants . On that first occasion , when she was alone , she says that the voices of her master and mistress were sunk so low that she could hardly hear anything , and judged by their tones rather than their words that they had fallen out . On my pressing her , however , she remembered that she heard the word David uttered twice by the lady . The point is of the utmost importance as guiding us towards the reason of the sudden quarrel . The colonel's name , you remember , was James .

" There was one thing in the case which had made the deepest impression both upon the servants and the police . This was the contortion of the colonel's face . It had set , according to their account , into the most dreadful expression of fear and horror which a human countenance is capable of assuming . More than one person fainted at the mere sight of him , so terrible was the effect . It was quite certain that he had foreseen his fate , and that it had caused him the utmost horror . This , of course , fitted in well enough with the police theory , if the colonel could have seen his wife making a murderous attack upon him . Nor was the fact of the wound being on the back of his head a fatal objection to this , as he might have turned to avoid the blow . No information could be got from the lady herself , who was temporarily insane from an acute attack of brain-fever .

" From the police I learned that Miss Morrison , who you remember went out that evening with Mrs. Barclay , denied having any knowledge of what it was which had caused the ill-humour in which her companion had returned .

" Having gathered these facts , Watson , I smoked several pipes over them , trying to separate those which were crucial from others which were merely incidental . There could be no question that the most distinctive and suggestive point in the case was the singular disappearance of the door-key . A most careful search had failed to discover it in the room . Therefore it must have been taken from it . But neither the colonel nor the colonel's wife could have taken it . That was perfectly clear . Therefore a third person must have entered the room . And that third person could only have come in through the window . It seemed to me that a careful examination of the room and the lawn might possibly reveal some traces of this mysterious individual . You know my methods , Watson . There was not one of them which I did not apply to the inquiry . And it ended by my discovering traces , but very different ones from those which I had expected . There had been a man in the room , and he had crossed the lawn coming from the road . I was able to obtain five very clear impressions of his footmarks : one in the roadway itself , at the point where he had climbed the low wall , two on the lawn , and two very faint ones upon the stained boards near the window where he had entered . He had apparently rushed across the lawn , for his toe-marks were much deeper than his heels . But it was not the man who surprised me . It was his companion . "

" His companion ! "

Holmes pulled a large sheet of tissue-paper out of his pocket and carefully unfolded it upon his knee .

" What do you make of that ? " he asked .

The paper was covered with the tracings of the footmarks of some small animal . It had five well-marked footpads , an indication of long nails , and the whole print might be nearly as large as a dessert-spoon .

" It's a dog , " said I .

" Did you ever hear of a dog running up a curtain ? I found distinct traces that this creature had done so . "

" A monkey , then ? "

" But it is not the print of a monkey . "

" What can it be , then ? "

" Neither dog nor cat nor monkey nor any creature that we are familiar with . I have tried to reconstruct it from the measurements . Here are four prints where the beast has been standing motionless . You see that it is no less than fifteen inches from fore-foot to hind . Add to that the length of neck and head , and you get a creature not much less than two feet long -- probably more if there is any tail . But now observe this other measurement . The animal has been moving , and we have the length of its stride . In each case it is only about three inches . You have an indication , you see , of a long body with very short legs attached to it . It has not been considerate enough to leave any of its hair behind it . But its general shape must be what I have indicated , and it can run up a curtain , and it is carnivorous . "

" How do you deduce that ? "

" Because it ran up the curtain . A canary's cage was hanging in the window , and its aim seems to have been to get at the bird . "

" Then what was the beast ? "

" Ah , if I could give it a name it might go a long way towards solving the case . On the whole , it was probably some creature of the weasel and stoat tribe -- and yet it is larger than any of these that I have seen . "

" But what had it to do with the crime ? "

" That , also , is still obscure . But we have learned a good deal , you perceive . We know that a man stood in the road looking at the quarrel between the Barclays -- the blinds were up and the room lighted . We know , also , that he ran across the lawn , entered the room , accompanied by a strange animal , and that he either struck the colonel or , as is equally possible , that the colonel fell down from sheer fright at the sight of him , and cut his head on the corner of the fender . Finally we have the curious fact that the intruder carried away the key with him when he left . "

" Your discoveries seem to have left the business more obscure than it was before , " said I .

" Quite so . They undoubtedly showed that the affair was much deeper than was at first conjectured . I thought the matter over , and I came to the conclusion that I must approach the case from another aspect . But really , Watson , I am keeping you up , and I might just as well tell you all this on our way to Aldershot to-morrow . "

" Thank you , you have gone rather too far to stop . "

" It is quite certain that when Mrs. Barclay left the house at half-past seven she was on good terms with her husband . She was never , as I think I have said , ostentatiously affectionate , but she was heard by the coachman chatting with the colonel in a friendly fashion . Now , it was equally certain that , immediately on her return , she had gone to the room in which she was least likely to see her husband , had flown to tea as an agitated woman will , and finally , on his coming in to her , had broken into violent recriminations . Therefore something had occurred between seven-thirty and nine o'clock which had completely altered her feelings towards him . But Miss Morrison had been with her during the whole of that hour and a half . It was absolutely certain , therefore , in spite of her denial , that she must know something of the matter .

" My first conjecture was that possibly there had been some passages between this young lady and the old soldier , which the former had now confessed to the wife . That would account for the angry return , and also for the girl's denial that anything had occurred . Nor would it be entirely incompatible with most of the words overheard . But there was the reference to David , and there was the known affection of the colonel for his wife to weigh against it , to say nothing of the tragic intrusion of this other man , which might , of course , be entirely disconnected with what had gone before . It was not easy to pick one's steps , but , on the whole , I was inclined to dismiss the idea that there had been anything between the colonel and Miss Morrison , but more than ever convinced that the young lady held the clue as to what it was which had turned Mrs. Barclay to hatred of her husband . I took the obvious course , therefore , of calling upon Miss M. , of explaining to her that I was perfectly certain that she held the facts in her possession , and of assuring her that her friend , Mrs. Barclay , might find herself in the dock upon a capital charge unless the matter were cleared up .

" Miss Morrison is a little ethereal slip of a girl , with timid eyes and blond hair , but I found her by no means wanting in shrewdness and common sense . She sat thinking for some time after I had spoken , and then , turning to me with a brisk air of resolution , she broke into a remarkable statement which I will condense for your benefit .

" ' I promised my friend that I would say nothing of the matter , and a promise is a promise , ' said she ; ' but if I can really help her when so serious a charge is laid against her , and when her own mouth , poor darling , is closed by illness , then I think I am absolved from my promise . I will tell you exactly what happened upon Monday evening .

" ' We were returning from the Watt Street Mission about a quarter to nine o'clock . On our way we had to pass through Hudson Street , which is a very quiet thoroughfare . There is only one lamp in it , upon the left-hand side , and as we approached this lamp I saw a man coming towards us with his back very bent , and something like a box slung over one of his shoulders . He appeared to be deformed , for he carried his head low and walked with his knees bent . We were passing him when he raised his face to look at us in the circle of light thrown by the lamp , and as he did so he stopped and screamed out in a dreadful voice , " My God , it's Nancy ! " Mrs. Barclay turned as white as death and would have fallen down had the dreadful-looking creature not caught hold of her . I was going to call for the police , but she , to my surprise , spoke quite civilly to the fellow .

" ' " I thought you had been dead this thirty years , Henry , " said she in a shaking voice .

" ' " So I have , " said he , and it was awful to hear the tones that he said it in . He had a very dark , fearsome face , and a gleam in his eyes that comes back to me in my dreams . His hair and whiskers were shot with gray , and his face was all crinkled and puckered like a withered apple .

" ' " Just walk on a little way , dear , " said Mrs. Barclay ; " I want to have a word with this man . There is nothing to be afraid of . " She tried to speak boldly , but she was still deadly pale and could hardly get her words out for the trembling of her lips .

" ' I did as she asked me , and they talked together for a few minutes . Then she came down the street with her eyes blazing , and I saw the crippled wretch standing by the lamp-post and shaking his clenched fists in the air as if he were mad with rage . She never said a word until we were at the door here , when she took me by the hand and begged me to tell no one what had happened .

" ' " It's an old acquaintance of mine who has come down in the world , " said she . When I promised her I would say nothing she kissed me , and I have never seen her since . I have told you now the whole truth , and if I withheld it from the police it is because I did not realize then the danger in which my dear friend stood . I know that it can only be to her advantage that everything should be known . '

" There was her statement , Watson , and to me , as you can imagine , it was like a light on a dark night . Everything which had been disconnected before began at once to assume its true place , and I had a shadowy presentiment of the whole sequence of events . My next step obviously was to find the man who had produced such a remarkable impression upon Mrs. Barclay . If he were still in Aldershot it should not be a very difficult matter . There are not such a very great number of civilians , and a deformed man was sure to have attracted attention . I spent a day in the search , and by evening -- this very evening , Watson -- I had run him down . The man's name is Henry Wood , and he lives in lodgings in this same street in which the ladies met him . He has only been five days in the place . In the character of a registration-agent I had a most interesting gossip with his landlady . The man is by trade a conjurer and performer , going round the canteens after nightfall , and giving a little entertainment at each . He carries some creature about with him in that box , about which the landlady seemed to be in considerable trepidation , for she had never seen an animal like it . He uses it in some of his tricks according to her account . So much the woman was able to tell me , and also that it was a wonder the man lived , seeing how twisted he was , and that he spoke in a strange tongue sometimes , and that for the last two nights she had heard him groaning and weeping in his bedroom . He was all right , as far as money went , but in his deposit he had given her what looked like a bad florin . She showed it to me , Watson , and it was an Indian rupee .

" So now , my dear fellow , you see exactly how we stand and why it is I want you . It is perfectly plain that after the ladies parted from this man he followed them at a distance , that he saw the quarrel between husband and wife through the window , that he rushed in , and that the creature which he carried in his box got loose . That is all very certain . But he is the only person in this world who can tell us exactly what happened in that room . "

" And you intend to ask him ? "

" Most certainly -- but in the presence of a witness . "

" And I am the witness ? "

" If you will be so good . If he can clear the matter up , well and good . If he refuses , we have no alternative but to apply for a warrant . "

" But how do you know he'll be there when we return ? "

" You may be sure that I took some precautions . I have one of my Baker Street boys mounting guard over him who would stick to him like a burr , go where he might . We shall find him in Hudson Street to-morrow , Watson , and meanwhile I should be the criminal myself if I kept you out of bed any longer . "

It was midday when we found ourselves at the scene of the tragedy , and , under my companion's guidance , we made our way at once to Hudson Street . In spite of his capacity for concealing his emotions , I could easily see that Holmes was in a state of suppressed excitement , while I was myself tingling with that half-sporting , half-intellectual pleasure which I invariably experienced when I associated myself with him in his investigations .

" This is the street , " said he as we turned into a short thoroughfare lined with plain two-storied brick houses . " Ah , here is Simpson to report . "

" He's in all right , Mr. Holmes , " cried a small street Arab , running up to us .

" Good , Simpson ! " said Holmes , patting him on the head . " Come along , Watson . This is the house . " He sent in his card with a message that he had come on important business , and a moment later we were face to face with the man whom we had come to see . In spite of the warm weather he was crouching over a fire , and the little room was like an oven . The man sat all twisted and huddled in his chair in a way which gave an indescribable impression of deformity ; but the face which he turned towards us , though worn and swarthy , must at some time have been remarkable for its beauty . He looked suspiciously at us now out of yellow-shot , bilious eyes , and , without speaking or rising , he waved towards two chairs .

" Mr. Henry Wood , late of India , I believe , " said Holmes affably . " I've come over this little matter of Colonel Barclay's death . "

" What should I know about that ? "

" That's what I want to ascertain . You know , I suppose , that unless the matter is cleared up , Mrs. Barclay , who is an old friend of yours , will in all probability be tried for murder . "

The man gave a violent start .

" I don't know who you are , " he cried , " nor how you come to know what you do know , but will you swear that this is true that you tell me ? "

" Why , they are only waiting for her to come to her senses to arrest her . "

" My God ! Are you in the police yourself ? "

" No . "

" What business is it of yours , then ? "

" It's every man's business to see justice done . "

" You can take my word that she is innocent . "

" Then you are guilty . "

" No , I am not . "

" Who killed Colonel James Barclay , then ? "

" It was a just Providence that killed him . But , mind you this , that if I had knocked his brains out , as it was in my heart to do , he would have had no more than his due from my hands . If his own guilty conscience had not struck him down it is likely enough that I might have had his blood upon my soul . You want me to tell the story . Well , I don't know why I shouldn't , for there's no cause for me to be ashamed of it .

" It was in this way , sir . You see me now with my back like a camel and my ribs all awry , but there was a time when Corporal Henry Wood was the smartest man in the One Hundred and Seventeenth foot . We were in India , then , in cantonments , at a place we'll call Bhurtee . Barclay , who died the other day , was sergeant in the same company as myself , and the belle of the regiment , ay , and the finest girl that ever had the breath of life between her lips , was Nancy Devoy , the daughter of the colour-sergeant . There were two men that loved her , and one that she loved , and you'll smile when you look at this poor thing huddled before the fire and hear me say that it was for my good looks that she loved me .

" Well , though I had her heart , her father was set upon her marrying Barclay . I was a harum-scarum , reckless lad , and he had had an education and was already marked for the sword-belt . But the girl held true to me , and it seemed that I would have had her when the Mutiny broke out , and all hell was loose in the country .

" We were shut up in Bhurtee , the regiment of us with half a battery of artillery , a company of Sikhs , and a lot of civilians and women-folk . There were ten thousand rebels round us , and they were as keen as a set of terriers round a rat-cage . About the second week of it our water gave out , and it was a question whether we could communicate with General Neill's column , which was moving up-country . It was our only chance , for we could not hope to fight our way out with all the women and children , so I volunteered to go out and to warn General Neill of our danger . My offer was accepted , and I talked it over with Sergeant Barclay , who was supposed to know the ground better than any other man , and who drew up a route by which I might get through the rebel lines . At ten o'clock the same night I started off upon my journey . There were a thousand lives to save , but it was of only one that I was thinking when I dropped over the wall that night .

" My way ran down a dried-up watercourse , which we hoped would screen me from the enemy's sentries ; but as I crept round the corner of it I walked right into six of them , who were crouching down in the dark waiting for me . In an instant I was stunned with a blow and bound hand and foot . But the real blow was to my heart and not to my head , for as I came to and listened to as much as I could understand of their talk , I heard enough to tell me that my comrade , the very man who had arranged the way I was to take , had betrayed me by means of a native servant into the hands of the enemy .

" Well , there's no need for me to dwell on that part of it . You know now what James Barclay was capable of . Bhurtee was relieved by Neill next day , but the rebels took me away with them in their retreat , and it was many a long year before ever I saw a white face again . I was tortured and tried to get away , and was captured and tortured again . You can see for yourselves the state in which I was left . Some of them that fled into Nepal took me with them , and then afterwards I was up past Darjeeling . The hill-folk up there murdered the rebels who had me , and I became their slave for a time until I escaped ; but instead of going south I had to go north , until I found myself among the Afghans . There I wandered about for many a year , and at last came back to the Punjab , where I lived mostly among the natives and picked up a living by the conjuring tricks that I had learned . What use was it for me , a wretched cripple , to go back to England or to make myself known to my old comrades ? Even my wish for revenge would not make me do that . I had rather that Nancy and my old pals should think of Harry Wood as having died with a straight back , than see him living and crawling with a stick like a chimpanzee . They never doubted that I was dead , and I meant that they never should . I heard that Barclay had married Nancy , and that he was rising rapidly in the regiment , but even that did not make me speak .

" But when one gets old one has a longing for home . For years I've been dreaming of the bright green fields and the hedges of England . At last I determined to see them before I died . I saved enough to bring me across , and then I came here where the soldiers are , for I know their ways and how to amuse them and so earn enough to keep me . "

" Your narrative is most interesting , " said Sherlock Holmes . " I have already heard of your meeting with Mrs. Barclay , and your mutual recognition . You then , as I understand , followed her home and saw through the window an altercation between her husband and her , in which she doubtless cast his conduct to you in his teeth . Your own feelings overcame you , and you ran across the lawn and broke in upon them . "

" I did , sir , and at the sight of me he looked as I have never seen a man look before , and over he went with his head on the fender . But he was dead before he fell . I read death on his face as plain as I can read that text over the fire . The bare sight of me was like a bullet through his guilty heart . "

" And then ? "

" Then Nancy fainted , and I caught up the key of the door from her hand , intending to unlock it and get help . But as I was doing it it seemed to me better to leave it alone and get away , for the thing might look black against me , and anyway my secret would be out if I were taken . In my haste I thrust the key into my pocket , and dropped my stick while I was chasing Teddy , who had run up the curtain . When I got him into his box , from which he had slipped , I was off as fast as I could run . "

" Who's Teddy ? " asked Holmes .

The man leaned over and pulled up the front of a kind of hutch in the corner . In an instant out there slipped a beautiful reddish-brown creature , thin and lithe , with the legs of a stoat , a long , thin nose , and a pair of the finest red eyes that ever I saw in an animal's head .

" It's a mongoose , " I cried .

" Well , some call them that , and some call them ichneumon , " said the man . " Snake-catcher is what I call them , and Teddy is amazing quick on cobras . I have one here without the fangs , and Teddy catches it every night to please the folk in the canteen .

" Any other point , sir ? "

" Well , we may have to apply to you again if Mrs. Barclay should prove to be in serious trouble . "

" In that case , of course , I'd come forward . "

" But if not , there is no object in raking up this scandal against a dead man , foully as he has acted . You have at least the satisfaction of knowing that for thirty years of his life his conscience bitterly reproached him for his wicked deed . Ah , there goes Major Murphy on the other side of the street . Good-bye , Wood . I want to learn if anything has happened since yesterday . "

We were in time to overtake the major before he reached the corner .

" Ah , Holmes , " he said , " I suppose you have heard that all this fuss has come to nothing ? "

" What then ? "

" The inquest is just over . The medical evidence showed conclusively that death was due to apoplexy . You see it was quite a simple case , after all . "

" Oh , remarkably superficial , " said Holmes , smiling . " Come , Watson , I don't think we shall be wanted in Aldershot any more . "

" There's one thing , " said I as we walked down to the station . " If the husband's name was James , and the other was Henry , what was this talk about David ? "

" That one word , my dear Watson , should have told me the whole story had I been the ideal reasoner which you are so fond of depicting . It was evidently a term of reproach . "

" Of reproach ? "

" Yes ; David strayed a little occasionally , you know , and on one occasion in the same direction as Sergeant James Barclay . You remember the small affair of Uriah and Bathsheba ? My Biblical knowledge is a trifle rusty , I fear , but you will find the story in the first or second of Samuel . "

It is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to write these the last words in which I shall ever record the singular gifts by which my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes was distinguished . In an incoherent and , as I deeply feel , an entirely inadequate fashion , I have endeavoured to give some account of my strange experiences in his company from the chance which first brought us together at the period of the " Study in Scarlet , " up to the time of his interference in the matter of the " Naval Treaty " -- an interference which had the unquestionable effect of preventing a serious international complication . It was my intention to have stopped there , and to have said nothing of that event which has created a void in my life which the lapse of two years has done little to fill . My hand has been forced , however , by the recent letters in which Colonel James Moriarty defends the memory of his brother , and I have no choice but to lay the facts before the public exactly as they occurred . I alone know the absolute truth of the matter , and I am satisfied that the time has come when no good purpose is to be served by its suppression . As far as I know , there have been only three accounts in the public press : that in the Journal de Geneve on May 6th , 1891 , the Reuter's dispatch in the English papers on May 7th , and finally the recent letters to which I have alluded . Of these the first and second were extremely condensed , while the last is , as I shall now show , an absolute perversion of the facts . It lies with me to tell for the first time what really took place between Professor Moriarty and Mr. Sherlock Holmes .

It may be remembered that after my marriage , and my subsequent start in private practice , the very intimate relations which had existed between Holmes and myself became to some extent modified . He still came to me from time to time when he desired a companion in his investigations , but these occasions grew more and more seldom , until I find that in the year 1890 there were only three cases of which I retain any record . During the winter of that year and the early spring of 1891 , I saw in the papers that he had been engaged by the French government upon a matter of supreme importance , and I received two notes from Holmes , dated from Narbonne and from Nimes , from which I gathered that his stay in France was likely to be a long one . It was with some surprise , therefore , that I saw him walk into my consulting-room upon the evening of April 24th . It struck me that he was looking even paler and thinner than usual .

" Yes , I have been using myself up rather too freely , " he remarked , in answer to my look rather than to my words ; " I have been a little pressed of late . Have you any objection to my closing your shutters ? "

The only light in the room came from the lamp upon the table at which I had been reading . Holmes edged his way round the wall , and , flinging the shutters together , he bolted them securely .

" You are afraid of something ? " I asked .

" Well , I am . "

" Of what ? "

" Of air-guns . "

" My dear Holmes , what do you mean ? "

" I think that you know me well enough , Watson , to understand that I am by no means a nervous man . At the same time , it is stupidity rather than courage to refuse to recognize danger when it is close upon you . Might I trouble you for a match ? " He drew in the smoke of his cigarette as if the soothing influence was grateful to him .

" I must apologize for calling so late , " said he , " and I must further beg you to be so unconventional as to allow me to leave your house presently by scrambling over your back garden wall . "

" But what does it all mean ? " I asked .

He held out his hand , and I saw in the light of the lamp that two of his knuckles were burst and bleeding .

" It's not an airy nothing , you see , " said he , smiling . " On the contrary , it is solid enough for a man to break his hand over . Is Mrs. Watson in ? "

" She is away upon a visit . "

" Indeed ! You are alone ? "

" Quite . "

" Then it makes it the easier for me to propose that you should come away with me for a week to the Continent . "

" Where ? "

" Oh , anywhere . It's all the same to me . "

There was something very strange in all this . It was not Holmes's nature to take an aimless holiday , and something about his pale , worn face told me that his nerves were at their highest tension . He saw the question in my eyes , and , putting his finger-tips together and his elbows upon his knees , he explained the situation .

" You have probably never heard of Professor Moriarty ? " said he .

" Never . "

" Ay , there's the genius and the wonder of the thing ! " he cried . " The man pervades London , and no one has heard of him . That's what puts him on a pinnacle in the records of crime . I tell you Watson , in all seriousness , that if I could beat that man , if I could free society of him , I should feel that my own career had reached its summit , and I should be prepared to turn to some more placid line in life . Between ourselves , the recent cases in which I have been of assistance to the royal family of Scandinavia , and to the French republic , have left me in such a position that I could continue to live in the quiet fashion which is most congenial to me , and to concentrate my attention upon my chemical researches . But I could not rest . Watson , I could not sit quiet in my chair , if I thought that such a man as Professor Moriarty were walking the streets of London unchallenged . "

" What has he done , then ? "

" His career has been an extraordinary one . He is a man of good birth and excellent education , endowed by nature with a phenomenal mathematical faculty . At the age of twenty-one he wrote a treatise upon the binomial theorem , which has had a European vogue . On the strength of it he won the mathematical chair at one of our smaller universities , and had , to all appearances , a most brilliant career before him . But the man had hereditary tendencies of the most diabolical kind . A criminal strain ran in his blood , which , instead of being modified , was increased and rendered infinitely more dangerous by his extraordinary mental powers . Dark rumours gathered round him in the university town , and eventually he was compelled to resign his chair and to come down to London , where he set up as an army coach . So much is known to the world , but what I am telling you now is what I have myself discovered .

" As you are aware , Watson , there is no one who knows the higher criminal world of London so well as I do . For years past I have continually been conscious of some power behind the malefactor , some deep organizing power which forever stands in the way of the law , and throws its shield over the wrong-doer . Again and again in cases of the most varying sorts -- forgery cases , robberies , murders -- I have felt the presence of this force , and I have deduced its action in many of those undiscovered crimes in which I have not been personally consulted . For years I have endeavoured to break through the veil which shrouded it , and at last the time came when I seized my thread and followed it , until it led me , after a thousand cunning windings , to ex-Professor Moriarty , of mathematical celebrity .

" He is the Napoleon of crime , Watson . He is the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city . He is a genius , a philosopher , an abstract thinker . He has a brain of the first order . He sits motionless , like a spider in the centre of its web , but that web has a thousand radiations , and he knows well every quiver of each of them . He does little himself . He only plans . But his agents are numerous and splendidly organized . Is there a crime to be done , a paper to be abstracted , we will say , a house to be rifled , a man to be removed -- the word is passed to the professor , the matter is organized and carried out . The agent may be caught . In that case money is found for his bail or his detence . But the central power which uses the agent is never caught -- never so much as suspected . This was the organization which I deduced , Watson , and which I devoted my whole energy to exposing and breaking up .

" But the professor was fenced round with safeguards so cunningly devised that , do what I would , it seemed impossible to get evidence which would convict in a court of law . You know my powers , my dear Watson , and yet at the end of three months I was forced to confess that I had at last met an antagonist who was my intellectual equal . My horror at his crimes was lost in my admiration at his skill . But at last he made a trip -- only a little , little trip but it was more than he could afford , when I was so close upon him . I had my chance , and , starting from that point , I have woven my net round him until now it is all ready to close . In three days -- that is to say , on Monday next -- matters will be ripe , and the professor , with all the principal members of his gang , will be in the hands of the police . Then will come the greatest criminal trial of the century , the clearing up of over forty mysteries , and the rope for all of them ; but if we move at all prematurely , you understand , they may slip out of our hands even at the last moment .

" Now , if I could have done this without the knowledge of Professor Moriarty , all would have been well . But he was too wily for that . He saw every step which I took to draw my toils round him . Again and again he strove to break away , but I as often headed him off . I tell you , my friend , that if a detailed account of that silent contest could be written , it would take its place as the most brilliant bit of thrust-and-parry work in the history of detection . Never have I risen to such a height , and never have I been so hard pressed by an opponent . He cut deep , and yet I just undercut him . This morning the last steps were taken , and three days only were wanted to complete the business . I was sitting in my room thinking the matter over when the door opened and Professor Moriarty stood before me .

" My nerves are fairly proof , Watson , but I must confess to a start when I saw the very man who had been so much in my thoughts standing there on my threshold . His appearance was quite familiar to me . He is extremely tall and thin , his forehead domes out in a white curve , and his two eyes are deeply sunken in his head . He is clean-shaven , pale , and ascetic-looking , retaining something of the professor in his features . His shoulders are rounded from much study , and his face protrudes forward and is forever slowly oscillating from side to side in a curiously reptilian fashion . He peered at me with great curiosity in his puckered eyes .

" ' You have less frontal development than I should have expected , ' said he at last . ' It is a dangerous habit to finger loaded firearms in the pocket of one's dressing-gown . '

" The fact is that upon his entrance I had instantly recognized the extreme personal danger in which I lay . The only conceivable escape for him lay in silencing my tongue . In an instant I had slipped the revolver from the drawer into my pocket and was covering him through the cloth . At his remark I drew the weapon out and laid it cocked upon the table . He still smiled and blinked , but there was something about his eyes which made me feel very glad that I had it there .

" ' You evidently don't know me , ' said he .

" ' On the contrary , ' I answered , ' I think it is fairly evident that I do . Pray take a chair . I can spare you five minutes if you have anything to say . '

" ' All that I have to say has already crossed your mind , ' said he .

" ' Then possibly my answer has crossed yours , ' I replied .

" ' You stand fast ? '

" ' Absolutely . '

" He clapped his hand into his pocket , and I raised the pistol from the table . But he merely drew out a memorandum-book in which he had scribbled some dates .

" ' You crossed my path on the fourth of January , ' said he . ' On the twenty-third you incommoded me ; by the middle of February I was seriously inconvenienced by you ; at the end of March I was absolutely hampered in my plans ; and now , at the close of April , I find myself placed in such a position through your continual persecution that I am in positive danger of losing my liberty . The situation is becoming an impossible one . '

" ' Have you any suggestion to make ? ' I asked .

" ' You must drop it , Mr. Holmes , ' said he , swaying his face about . ' You really must , you know . '

" ' After Monday , ' said I .

" ' Tut , tut ! ' said he . ' I am quite sure that a man of your intelligence will see that there can be but one outcome to this affair . It is necessary that you should withdraw . You have worked things in such a fashion that we have only one resource left . It has been an intellectual treat to me to see the way in which you have grappled with this affair , and I say , unaffectedly , that it would be a grief to me to be forced to take any extreme measure . You smile , sir , but I assure you that it really would .

" ' Danger is part of my trade , ' I remarked .

" ' This is not danger , ' said he . ' It is inevitable destruction . You stand in the way not merely of an individual but of a mighty organization , the full extent of which you , with all your cleverness , have been unable to realize . You must stand clear , Mr. Holmes , or be trodden under foot . '

" ' I am afraid , ' said I , rising , ' that in the pleasure of this conversation I am neglecting business of importance which awaits me elsewhere . '

" He rose also and looked at me in silence , shaking his head sadly .

" ' Well , well , ' said he at last . ' It seems a pity , but I have done what I could . I know every move of your game . You can do nothing before Monday . It has been a duel between you and me , Mr. Holmes . You hope to place me in the dock . I tell you that I will never stand in the dock . You hope to beat me . I tell you that you will never beat me . If you are clever enough to bring destruction upon me , rest assured that I shall do as much to you . '

" ' You have paid me several compliments , Mr. Moriarty , ' said I . ' Let me pay you one in return when I say that if I were assured of the former eventuality I would , in the interests of the public , cheerfully accept the latter . '

" ' I can promise you the one , but not the other , ' he snarled , and so turned his rounded back upon me and went peering and blinking out of the room .

" That was my singular intervie with Professor Moriarty . I confess that it left an unpleasant effect upon my mind . His soft , precise fashion of speech leaves a conviction of sincerity which a mere bully could not produce . Of course , you will say : ' Why not take police precautions against him ? ' The reason is that I am well convinced that it is from his agents the blow would fall . I have the best of proofs that it would be so . "

" You have already been assaulted ? "

" My dear Watson , Professor Moriarty is not a man who lets the grass grow under his feet . I went out about midday to transact some business in Oxford Street . As I passed the corner which leads from Bentinck Street on to the Welbeck Street crossing a two-horse van furiously driven whizzed round and was on me like a flash . I sprang for the foot-path and saved myself by the fraction of a second . The van dashed round by Marylebone Lane and was gone in an instant . I kept to the pavement after that , Watson , but as I walked down Vere Street a brick came down from the roof of one of the houses and was shattered to fragments at my feet . I called the police and had the place examined . There were slates and bricks piled up on the roof preparatory to some repairs , and they would have me believe that the wind had toppled over one of these . Of course I knew better , but I could prove nothing . I took a cab after that and reached my brother's rooms in Pall Mall , where I spent the day . Now I have come round to you , and on my way I was attacked by a rough with a bludgeon . I knocked him down , and the police have him in custody ; but I can tell you with the most absolute confidence that no possible connection will ever be traced between the gentleman upon whose front teeth I have barked my knuckles and the retiring mathematical coach , who is , I daresay , working out problems upon a black-board ten miles away . You will not wonder , Watson , that my first act on entering your rooms was to close your shutters , and that I have been compelled to ask your permission to leave the house by some less conspicuous exit than the front door . "

I had often admired my friend's courage , but never more than now , as he sat quietly checking off a series of incidents which must have combined to make up a day of horror .

" You will spend the night here ? " I said .

" No , my friend , you might find me a dangerous guest . I have my plans laid , and all will be well . Matters have gone so far now that they can move without my help as far as the arrest goes , though my presence is necessary for a conviction . It is obvious , therefore , that I cannot do better than get away for the few days which remain before the police are at liberty to act . It would be a great pleasure to me , therefore , if you could come on to the Continent with me . "

" The practice is quiet , " said I , " and I have an accommodating neighbour . I should be glad to come . "

" And to start to-morrow morning ? "

" If necessary . "

" Oh , yes , it is most necessary . Then these are your instructions , and I beg , my dear Watson , that you will obey them to the letter , for you are now playing a double-handed game with me against the cleverest rogue and the most powerful syndicate of criminals in Europe . Now listen ! You will dispatch whatever luggage you intend to take by a trusty messenger unaddressed to Victoria to-night . In the morning you will send for a hansom , desiring your man to take neither the first nor the second which may present itself . Into this hansom you will jump , and you will drive to the Strand end of the Lowther Arcade , handing the address to the cabman upon a slip of paper , with a request that he will not throw it away . Have your fare ready , and the instant that your cab stops , dash through the Arcade , timing yourself to reach the other side at a quarter-past nine . You will find a small brougham waiting close to the curb , driven by a fellow with a heavy black cloak tipped at the collar with red . Into this you will step , and you will reach Victoria in time for the Continental express . "

" Where shall I meet you ? "

" At the station . The second first-class carriage from the front will be reserved for us . "

" The carriage is our rendezvous , then ? "

" Yes . "

It was in vain that I asked Holmes to remain for the evening . It was evident to me that he thought he might bring trouble to the roof he was under , and that that was the motive which impelled him to go . With a few hurried words as to our plans for the morrow he rose and came out with me into the garden , clambering over the wall which leads into Mortimer Street , and immediately whistling for a hansom , in which I heard him drive away .

In the morning I obeyed Holmes's injunctions to the letter . A hansom was procured with such precautions as would prevent its being one which was placed ready for us , and I drove immediately after breakfast to the Lowther Arcade , through which I hurried at the top of my speed . A brougham was waiting with a very massive driver wrapped in a dark cloak , who , the instant that I had stepped in , whipped up the horse and rattled off to Victoria Station . On my alighting there he turned the carrage , and dashed away again without so much as a look in my direction .

So far all had gone admirably . My luggage was waiting for me , and I had no difficulty in finding the carriage which Holmes had indicated , the less so as it was the only one in the train which was marked " Engaged . " My only source of anxiety now was the non-appearance of Holmes . The station clock marked only seven minutes from the time when we were due to start . In vain I searched among the groups of travellers and leave-takers for the lithe figure of my friend . There was no sign of him . I spent a few minutes in assisting a venerable Italian priest , who was endeavouring to make a porter understand , in his broken English , that his luggage was to be booked through to Paris . Then , having taken another look round , I returned to my carriage , where I found that the porter , in spite of the ticket , had given me my decrepit Italian friend as a travelling companion . It was useless for me to explain to him that his presence was an intrusion , for my Italian was even more limited than his English , so I shrugged my shoulders resignedly , and continued to look out anxiously for my friend . A chill of fear had come over me , as I thought that his absence might mean that some blow had fallen during the night . Already the doors had all been shut and the whistle blown , when --

" My dear Watson , " said a voice , " you have not even condescended to say good-morning . "

I turned in uncontrollable astonishment . The aged ecclesiastic had turned his face towards me . For an instant the wrinkles were smoothed away , the nose drew away from the chin , the lower lip ceased to protrude and the mouth to mumble , the dull eyes regained their fire , the drooping figure expanded . The next the whole frame collapsed again , and Holmes had gone as quickly as he had come .

" Good heavens ! " I cried , " how you startled me ! "

" Every precaution is still necessary , " he whispered . " I have reason to think that they are hot upon our trail . Ah , there is Moriarty himself . "

The train had already begun to move as Holmes spoke . Glancing back , I saw a tall man pushing his way furiously through the crowd , and waving his hand as if he desired to have the train stopped . It was too late , however , for we were rapidly gathering momentum , and an instant later had shot clear of the station .

" With all our precautions , you see that we have cut it rather fine , " said Holmes , laughing . He rose , and throwing off the black cassock and hat which had formed his disguise , he packed them away in a hand-bag .

" Have you seen the morning paper , Watson ? "

" No . "

" You haven't seen about Baker Street , then ? "

" Baker Street ? "

" They set fire to our rooms last night . No great harm was done . "

" Good heavens , Holmes , this is intolerable ! "

" They must have lost my track completely after their bludgeonman was arrested . Otherwise they could not have imagined that I had returned to my rooms . They have evidently taken the precaution of watching you , however , and that is what has brought Moriarty to Victoria . You could not have made any slip in coming ? "

" I did exactly what you advised . "

" Did you find your brougham ? "

" Yes , it was waiting . "

" Did you recognize your coachman ? "

" No . "

" It was my brother Mycroft . It is an advantage to get about in such a case without taking a mercenary into your confidence . But we must plan what we are to do about Moriarty now . "

" As this is an express , and as the boat runs in connection with it , I should think we have shaken him off very effectively . "

" My dear Watson , you evidently did not realize my meaning when I said that this man may be taken as being quite on the same intellectual plane as myself . You do not imagine that if I were the pursuer I should allow myself to be baffled by so slight an obstacle . Why , then , should you think so meanly of him ? "

" What will he do ? "

" What I should do . "

" What would you do , then ? "

" Engage a special . "

" But it must be late . "

" By no means . This train stops at Canterbury ; and there is always at least a quarter of an hour's delay at the boat . He will catch us there . "

" One would think that we were the criminals . Let us have him arrested on his arrival . "

" It would be to ruin the work of three months . We should get the big fish , but the smaller would dart right and left out of the net . On Monday we should have them all . No , an arrest is inadmissible . "

" What then ? "

" We shall get out at Canterbury . "

" And then ? "

" Well , then we must make a cross-country journey to Newhaven , and so over to Dieppe . Moriarty will again do what I should do . He will get on to Paris , mark down our luggage , and wait for two days at the depot . In the meantime we shall treat ourselves to a couple of carpet-bags , encourage the manufactures of the countries through which we travel , and make our way at our leisure into Switzerland , via Luxembourg and Basle . "

At Canterbury , therefore , we alighted , only to find that we should have to wait an hour before we could get a train to Newhaven .

I was still looking rather ruefully after the rapidly disappearing luggage-van which contained my wardrobe , when Holmes pulled my sleeve and pointed up the line .

" Already , you see , " said he .

Far away , from among the Kentish woods there rose a thin spray of smoke . A minute later a carriage and engine could be seen flying along the open curve which leads to the station . We had hardly time to take our place behind a pile of luggage when it passed with a rattle and a roar , beating a blast of hot air into our faces .

" There he goes , " said Holmes , as we watched the carriage swing and rock over the points . " There are limits , you see , to our friend's intelligence . It would have been a coup-de-maitre had he deduced what I would deduce and acted accordingly . "

" And what would he have done had he overtaken us ? "

" There cannot be the least doubt that he would have made a murderous attack upon me . It is , however , a game at which two may play . The question now is whether we should take a premature lunch here , or run our chance of starving before we reach the buffet at Newhaven . "

We made our way to Brussels that night and spent two days there , moving on upon the third day as far as Strasbourg . On the Monday morning Holmes had telegraphed to the London police , and in the evening we found a reply waiting for us at our hotel . Holmes tore it open , and then with a bitter curse hurled it into the grate .

" I might have known it ! " he groaned . " He has escaped ! "

" Moriarty ? "

" They have secured the whole gang with the exception of him . He has given them the slip . Of course , when I had left the country there was no one to cope with him . But I did think that I had put the game in their hands . I think that you had better return to England , Watson . "

" Why ? "

" Because you will find me a dangerous companion now . This man's occupation is gone . He is lost if he returns to London . If I read his character right he will devote his whole energies to revenging himself upon me . He said as much in our short interview , and I fancy that he meant it . I should certainly recommend you to return to your practice . "

It was hardly an appeal to be successful with one who was an old campaigner as well as an old friend . We sat in the Strasbourg salle-a-manger arguing the question for half an hour , but the same night we had resumed our journey and were well on our way to Geneva .

For a charming week we wandered up the valley of the Rhone , and then , branching off at Leuk , we made our way over the Gemmi Pass , still deep in snow , and so , by way of Interlaken , to Meiringen . It was a lovely trip , the dainty green of the spring below , the virgin white of the winter above ; but it was clear to me that never for one instant did Holmes forget the shadow which lay across him . In the homely Alpine villages or in the lonely mountain passes , I could still tell by his quick glancing eyes and his sharp scrutiny of every face that passed us , that he was well convinced that , walk where we would , we could not walk ourselves clear of the danger which was dogging our footsteps

Once , i remember , as we passed over the Gemmi , and walked along the border of the melancholy Daubensee , a large rock which had been dislodged from the ridge upon our right clattered down and roared into the lake behind us . In an instant Holmes had raced up on to the ridge , and , standing upon a lofty pinnacle , craned his neck in every direction . It was in vain that our guide assured him that a fall of stones was a common chance in the springtime at that spot . He said nothing , but he smiled at me with the air of a man who sees the fulfilment of that which he had expected .

And yet for all his watchfulness he was never depressed . On the contrary , I can never recollect having seen him in such exuberant spirits . Again and again he recurred to the fact that if he could be assured that society was freed from Professor Moriarty he would cheerfully bring his own career to a conclusion .

" I think that I may go so far as to say , Watson , that I have not lived wholly in vain , " he remarked . " If my record were closed to-night I could still survey it with equanimity . The air of London is the sweeter for my presence . In over a thousand cases I am not aware that I have ever used my powers upon the wrong side . Of late I have been tempted to look into the problems furnished by nature rather than those more superficial ones tor which our artificial state of society is responsible . Your memoirs will draw to an end , Watson , upon the day that I crown my career by the capture or extinction of the most dangerous and capable criminal in Europe . "

I shall be brief , and yet exact , in the little which remains for me to tell . It is not a subject on which I would willingly dwell , and yet I am conscious that a duty devolves upon me to omit no detail .

It was on the third of May that we reached the little village of Meiringen , where we put up at the Englischer Hof , then kept by Peter Steiler the elder . Our landlord was an intelligent man and spoke excellent English , having served for three years as waiter at the Grosvenor Hotel in London . At his advice , on the afternoon of the fourth we set off together , with the intention of crossing the hills and spending the night at the hamlet of Rosenlaui . We had strict injunctions , however , on no account to pass the falls of Reichenbach , which are about halfway up the hills , without making a small detour to see them .

It is , indeed , a fearful place . The torrent , swollen by the melting snow , plunges into a tremendous abyss , from which the spray rolls up like the smoke from a burning house . The shaft into which the river hurls itself is an immense chasm , lined by glistening coal-black rock , and narrowing into a creaming , boiling pit of incalculable depth , which brims over and shoots the stream onward over its jagged lip . The long sweep of green water roaring forever down , and the thick flickering curtain of spray hissing forever upward , turn a man giddy with their constant whirl and clamour . We stood near the edge peering down at the gleam of the breaking water far below us against the black rocks , and listening to the half-human shout which came booming up with the spray out of the abyss .

The path has been cut halfway round the fall to afford a complete view , but it ends abruptly , and the traveller has to return as he came . We had turned to do so , when we saw a Swiss lad come running along it with a letter in his hand . It bore the mark of the hotel which we had just left and was addressed to me by the landlord . It appeared that within a very few minutes of our leaving , an English lady had arrived who was in the last stage of consumption . She had wintered at Davos Platz and was journeying now to join her friends at Lucerne , when a sudden hemorrhage had overtaken her . It was thought that she could hardly live a few hours , but it would be a great consolation to her to see an English doctor , and , if I would only return , etc . The good Steiler assured me in a postscript that he would himself look upon my compliance as a very great favour , since the lady absolutely refused to see a Swiss physician , and he could not but feel that he was incurring a great responsibility .

The appeal was one which could not be ignored . It was impossible to refuse the request of a fellow-countrywoman dying in a strange land . Yet I had my scruples about leaving Holmes . It was finally agreed , however , that he should retain the young Swiss messenger with him as guide and companion while I returned to Meiringen . My friend would stay some little time at the fall , he said , and would then walk slowly over the hill to Rosenlaui , where I was to rejoin him in the evening . As I turned away I saw Holmes , with his back against a rock and his arms folded , gazing down at the rush of the waters . It was the last that I was ever destined to see of him in this world .

When I was near the bottom of the descent I looked back . It was impossible , from that position , to see the fall , but I could see the curving path which winds over the shoulder of the hills and leads to it . Along this a man was , I remember , walking very rapidly .

I could see his black figure clearly outlined against the green behind him . I noted him , and the energy with which he walked , but he passed from my mind again as I hurried on upon my errand .

It may have been a little over an hour before I reached Meiringen . Old Steiler was standing at the porch of his hotel .

" Well , " said I , as I came hurrying up , " I trust that she is no worse ? "

A look of surprise passed over his face , and at the first quiver of his eyebrows my heart turned to lead in my breast .

" You did not write this ? " I said , pulling the letter from my pocket . " There is no sick Englishwoman in the hotel ? "

" Certainly not ! " he cried . " But it has the hotel mark upon it ! Ha , it must have been written by that tall Englishman who came in after you had gone . He said -- "

But I waited for none of the landlord's explanation . In a tingle of fear I was already running down the village street , and making for the path which I had so lately descended . It had taken me an hour to come down . For all my efforts two more had passed before I found myself at the fall of Reichenbach once more . There was Holmes's Alpine-stock still leaning against the rock by which I had left him . But there was no sign of him , and it was in vain that I shouted . My only answer was my own voice reverberating in a rolling echo from the cliffs around me .

It was the sight of that Alpine-stock which turned me cold and sick . He had not gone to Rosenlaui , then . He had remained on that three-foot path , with sheer wall on one side and sheer drop on the other , until his enemy had overtaken him . The young Swiss had gone too . He had probably been in the pay of Moriarty and had left the two men together . And then what had happened ? Who was to tell us what had happened then ?

I stood for a minute or two to collect myself , for I was dazed with the horror of the thing . Then I began to think of Holmes's own methods and to try to practise them in reading this tragedy . It was , alas , only too easy to do . During our conversation we had not gone to the end of the path , and the Alpine-stock marked the place where we had stood . The blackish soil is kept forever soft by the incessant drift of spray , and a bird would leave its tread upon it . Two lines of footmarks were clearly marked along the farther end of the path , both leading away from me . There were none returning . A few yards from the end the soil was all ploughed up into a patch of mud , and the brambles and ferns which fringed the chasm were torn and bedraggled . I lay upon my face and peered over with the spray spouting up all around me . It had darkened since I left , and now I could only see here and there the glistening of moisture upon the black walls , and far away down at the end of the shaft the gleam of the broken water . I shouted ; but only that same half-human cry of the fall was borne back to my ears .

But it was destined that I should , after all , have a last word of greeting from my friend and comrade . I have said that his Alpine-stock had been left leaning against a rock which jutted on to the path . From the top of this boulder the gleam of something bright caught my eye , and raising my hand I found that it came from the silver cigarette-case which he used to carry . As I took it up a small square of paper upon which it had lain fluttered down on to the ground . Unfolding it , I found that it consisted of three pages torn from his notebook and addressed to me . It was characteristic of the man that the direction was as precise , and the writing as firm and clear , as though it had been written in his study .

MY DEAR WATSON [ it said ] : I write these few lines through the courtesy of Mr. Moriarty , who awaits my convenience for the final discussion of those questions which lie between us . He has been giving me a sketch of the methods by which he avoided the English police and kept himself informed of our movements . They certainly confirm the very high opinion which I had formed of his abilities . I am pleased to think that I shall be able to free society from any further effects of his presence , though I fear that it is at a cost which will give pain to my friends , and especially , my dear Watson , to you . I have already explained to you , however , that my career had in any case reached its crisis , and that no possible conclusion to it could be more congenial to me than this . Indeed , if I may make a full confession to you , I was quite convinced that the letter from Meiringen was a hoax , and I allowed you to depart on that errand under the persuasion that some development of this sort would follow . Tell Inspector Patterson that the papers which he needs to convict the gang are in pigeonhole M. , done up in a blue envelope and inscribed " Moriarty . " I made every disposition of my property before leaving England and handed it to my brother Mycroft . Pray give my greetings to Mrs. Watson , and believe me to be , my dear fellow Very sincerely yours , SHERLOCK HOLMES .

A few words may suffice to tell the little that remains . An examination by experts leaves little doubt that a personal contest between the two men ended , as it could hardly fail to end in such a situation , in their reeling over , locked in each other's arms . Any attempt at recovering the bodies was absolutely hopeless , and there , deep down in that dreadful cauldron of swirling water and seething foam , will lie for all time the most dangerous criminal and the foremost champion of the law of their generation . The Swiss youth was never found again , and there can be no doubt that he was one of the numerous agents whom Moriarty kept in his employ . As to the gang , it will be within the memory of the public how completely the evidence which Holmes had accumulated exposed their organization , and how heavily the hand of the dead man weighed upon them . Of their terrible chief few details came out during the proceedings , and if I have now been compelled to make a clear statement of his career , it is due to those injudicious champions who have endeavoured to clear his memory by attacks upon him whom I shall ever regard as the best and the wisest man whom I have ever known .

" I have some papers here , " said my friend Sherlock Holmes as we sat one winter's night on either side of the fire , " which I really think , Watson , that it would be worth your while to glance over . These are the documents in the extraordinary case of the Gloria Scott , and this is the message which struck Justice of the Peace Trevor dead with horror when he read it . "

He had picked from a drawer a little tarnished cylinder , and , undoing the tape , he handed me a short note scrawled upon a half-sheet of slate-gray paper .

The supply of game for London is going steadily up [ it ran ] . Head-keeper Hudson , we believe , has been now told to receive all orders for fly-paper and for preservation of your hen-pheasant's life .

As I glanced up from reading this enigmatical message , I saw Holmes chuckling at the expression upon my face .

" You look a little bewildered , " said he .

" I cannot see how such a message as this could inspire horror . It seems to me to be rather grotesque than otherwise . "

" Very likely . Yet the fact remains that the reader , who was a fine , robust old man , was knocked clean down by it as if it had been the butt end of a pistol . "

" You arouse my curiosity , " said I . " But why did you say just now that there were very particular reasons why I should study this case ? "

" Because it was the first in which I was ever engaged . "

I had often endeavoured to elicit from my companion what had first turned his mind in the direction of criminal research , but had never caught him before in a communicative humour . Now he sat forward in his armchair and spread out the documents upon his knees . Then he lit his pipe and sat for some time smoking and turning them over .

" You never heard me talk of Victor Trevor ? " he asked . " He was the only friend I made during the two years I was at college . I was never a very sociable fellow , Watson , always rather fond of moping in my rooms and working out my own little methods of thought , so that I never mixed much with the men of my year . Bar fencing and boxing I had few athletic tastes , and then my line of study was quite distinct from that of the other fellows , so that we had no points of contact at all . Trevor was the only man I knew , and that only through the accident of his bull terrier freezing on to my ankle one morning as I went down to chapel .

" It was a prosaic way of forming a friendship , but it was effective . I was laid by the heels for ten days , and Trevor used to come in to inquire after me . At first it was only a minute's chat but soon his visits lengthened , and before the end of the term we were close friends . He was a hearty , full-blooded fellow , full of spirits and energy , the very opposite to me in most respects , but we had some subjects in common , and it was a bond of union when I found that he was as friendless as I . Finally he invited me down to his father's place at Donnithorpe , in Norfolk , and I accepted his hospitality for a month of the long vacation .

" Old Trevor was evidently a man of some wealth and consideration , a J. P. , and a landed proprietor . Donnithorpe is a little hamlet just to the north of Langmere , in the country of the Broads . The house was an old-fashioned , widespread , oak-beamed brick building , with a fine lime-lined avenue leading up to it . There was excellent wild-duck shooting in the fens , remarkably good fishing , a small but select library , taken over , as I understood , from a former occupant , and a tolerable cook , so that he would be a fastidious man who could not put in a pleasant month there .

" Trevor senior was a widower , and my friend his only son .

" There had been a daughter , I heard , but she had died of diphtheria while on a visit to Birmingham . The father interested me extremely . He was a man of little culture , but with a considerable amount of rude strength , both physically and mentally . He knew hardly any books , but he had travelled far , had seen much of the world , and had remembered all that he had learned . In person he was a thick-set , burly man with a shock of grizzled hair , a brown , weather-beaten face , and blue eyes which were keen to the verge of fierceness . Yet he had a reputation for kindness and charity on the countryside , and was noted for the leniency of his sentences from the bench .

" One evening , shortly after my arrival , we were sitting over a glass of port after dinner , when young Trevor began to talk about those habits of observation and inference which I had already formed into a system , although I had not yet appreciated the part which they were to play in my life . The old man evidently thought that his son was exaggerating in his description of one or two trivial feats which I had performed .

" ' Come , now , Mr. Holmes , ' said he , laughing good-humouredly . ' I'm an excellent subject , if you can deduce anything from me . '

" ' I fear there is not very much , ' I answered . ' I might suggest that you have gone about in fear of some personal attack within the last twelvemonth . '

" The laugh faded from his lips , and he stared at me in great surprise .

" ' Well , that's true enough , ' said he . ' You know , Victor , ' turning to his son , ' when we broke up that poaching gang they swore to knife us , and Sir Edward Holly has actually been attacked . I've always been on my guard since then , though I have no idea how you know it . '

" ' You have a very handsome stick , ' I answered . ' By the inscription I observed that you had not had it more than a year . But you have taken some pains to bore the head of it and pour melted lead into the hole so as to make it a formidable weapon . I argued that you would not take such precautions unless you had some danger to fear . '

" ' Anything else ? ' he asked , smiling .

" ' You have boxed a good deal in your youth . '

" ' Right again . How did you know it ? Is my nose knocked a little out of the straight ? '

" ' No , ' said I . ' It is your ears . They have the peculiar flattening and thickening which marks the boxing man . '

" ' Anything else ? '

" ' You have done a good deal of digging by your callosities . '

" ' Made all my money at the gold fields . '

" ' You have been in New Zealand . '

" ' Right again . '

" ' You have visited Japan . '

" ' Quite true . '

" ' And you have been most intimately associated with someone whose initials were J. A. , and whom you afterwards were eager to entirely forget . '

" Mr. Trevor stood slowly up , fixed his large blue eyes upon me with a strange wild stare , and then pitched forward , with his face among the nutshells which strewed the cloth , in a dead faint .

" You can imagine , Watson , how shocked both his son and I were . His attack did not last long , however , -- for when we undid his collar and sprinkled the water from one of the finger-glasses over his face , he gave a gasp or two and sat up .

" ' Ah , boys , ' said he , forcing a smile , ' I hope I haven't frightened you . Strong as I look , there is a weak place in my heart , and it does not take much to knock me over . I don't know how you manage this , Mr. Holmes , but it seems to me that all the detectives of fact and of fancy would be children in your hands . That's your line of life , sir , and you may take the word of a man who has seen something of the world . '

" And that recommendation , with the exaggerated estimate of my ability with which he prefaced it , was , if you will believe me , Watson , the very first thing which ever made me feel that a profession might be made out of what had up to that time been the merest hobby . At the moment , however , I was too much concerned at the sudden illness of my host to think of anything else .

" ' I hope that I have said nothing to pain you ? ' said I .

" ' Well , you certainly touched upon rather a tender point . Might I ask how you know , and how much you know ? ' He spoke now in a half-jesting fashion , but a look of terror still lurked at the back of his eyes .

" ' It is simplicity itself , ' said I . ' When you bared your arm to draw that fish into the boat I saw that J. A. had been tattooed in the bend of the elbow . The letters were still legible , but it was perfectly clear from their blurred appearance , and from the staining of the skin round them , that efforts had been made to obliterate them . It was obvious , then , that those initials had once been very familiar to you , and that you had afterwards wished to forget them . '

" ' What an eye you have ! ' he cried with a sigh of relief . ' It is just as you say . But we won't talk of it . Of all ghosts the ghosts of our old loves are the worst . Come into the billiard-room and have a quiet cigar . '

" From that day , amid all his cordiality , there was always a touch of suspicion in Mr. Trevor's manner towards me . Even his son remarked it . ' You've given the governor such a turn , ' said he , ' that he'll never be sure again of what you know and what you don't know . ' He did not mean to show it , I am sure , but it was so strongly in his mind that it peeped out at every action . At last I became so convinced that I was causing him uneasiness that I drew my visit to a close . On the very day , however , before I left , an incident occurred which proved in the sequel to be of importance .

" We were sitting out upon the lawn on garden chairs , the three of us , basking in the sun and admiring the view across the Broads , when a maid came out to say that there was a man at the door who wanted to see Mr. Trevor .

" ' What is his name ? ' asked my host .

" ' He would not give any . '

" ' What does he want , then ? '

" ' He says that you know him , and that he only wants a moment's conversation . '

" ' Show him round here . ' An instant afterwards there appeared a little wizened fellow with a cringing manner and a shambling style of walking . He wore an open jacket , with a splotch of tar on the sleeve , a red-and-black check shirt , dungaree trousers , and heavy boots badly worn . His face was thin and brown and crafty , with a perpetual smile upon it , which showed an irregular line of yellow teeth , and his crinkled hands were half closed in a way that is distinctive of sailors . As he came slouching across the lawn I heard Mr. Trevor make a sort of hiccoughing noise in his throat , and , jumping out of his chair , he ran into the house . He was back in a moment , and I smelt a strong reek of brandy as he passed me .

" ' Well , my man , ' said he . ' What can I do for you ? '

" The sailor stood looking at him with puckered eyes , and with the same loose-lipped smile upon his face .

" ' You don't know me ? ' he asked .

" ' Why , dear me , it is surely Hudson , ' said Mr. Trevor in a tone of surprise .

" ' Hudson it is , sir , ' said the seaman . ' Why , it's thirty year and more since I saw you last . Here you are in your house , and me still picking my salt meat out of the harness cask . '

" ' Tut , you will find that I have not forgotten old times , ' cried Mr. Trevor , and , walking towards the sailor , he said something in a low voice . ' Go into the kitchen , ' he continued out loud , ' and you will get food and drink . I have no doubt that I shall find you a situation . '

" ' Thank you , sir , ' said the seaman , touching his forelock . ' I'm just off a two-yearer in an eight-knot tramp , short-handed at that , and I wants a rest . I thought I'd get it either with Mr. Beddoes or with you . '

" ' Ah ! ' cried Mr. Trevor . ' You know where Mr. Beddoes is ? '

" ' Bless you , sir , I know where all my old friends are , ' said the fellow with a sinister smile , and he slouched off after the maid to the kitchen . Mr. Trevor mumbled something to us about having been shipmate with the man when he was going back to the diggings , and then , leaving us on the lawn , he went indoors . An hour later , when we entered the house , we found him stretched dead drunk upon the dining-room sofa . The whole incident left a most ugly impression upon my mind , and I was not sorry next day to leave Donnithorpe behind me , for I felt that my presence must be a source of embarrassment to my friend .

" All this occurred during the first month of the long vacation . I went up to my London rooms , where I spent seven weeks working out a few experiments in organic chemistry . One day , however , when the autumn was far advanced and the vacation drawing to a close , I received a telegram from my friend imploring me to return to Donnithorpe , and saying that he was in great need of my advice and assistance . Of course I dropped everything and set out for the North once more .

" He met me with the dog-cart at the station , and I saw at a glance that the last two months had been very trying ones for him . He had grown thin and careworn , and had lost the loud , cheery manner for which he had been remarkable .

" ' The governor is dying , ' were the first words he said .

" ' Impossible ! ' I cried . ' What is the matter ? '

" ' Apoplexy . Nervous shock . He's been on the verge all day . I doubt if we shall find him alive . '

" I was , as you may think , Watson , horrified at this unexpected news .

" ' What has caused it ? ' I asked .

" ' Ah , that is the point . Jump in and we can talk it over while we drive . You remember that fellow who came upon the evening before you left us ? '

" ' Perfectly . '

" ' Do you know who it was that we let into the house that day ? '

" ' I have no idea . '

" ' It was the devil , Holmes , ' he cried .

" I stared at him in astonishment .

" ' Yes , it was the devil himself . We have not had a peaceful hour since -- not one . The governor has never held up his head from that evening , and now the life has been crushed out of him and his heart broken , all through this accursed Hudson . '

" ' What power had he , then ? '

" ' Ah , that is what I would give so much to know . The kindly , charitable good old governor -- how could he have fallen into the clutches of such a ruffian ! But I am so glad that you have come , Holmes . I trust very much to your judgment and discretion , and I know that you will advise me for the best . '

" We were dashing along the smooth white country road , with the long stretch of the Broads in front of us glimmering in the red light of the setting sun . From a grove upon our left I could already see the high chimneys and the flagstaff which marked the squire's dwelling .

" ' My father made the fellow gardener , ' -- said my companion , ' and then , as that did not satisfy him , he was promoted to be butler . The house seemed to be at his mercy , and he wandered about and did what he chose in it . The maids complained of his drunken habits and his vile language . The dad raised their wages all round to recompense them for the annoyance . The fellow would take the boat and my father's best gun and treat himself to little shooting trips . And all this with such a sneering , leering , insolent face that I would have knocked him down twenty times over if he had been a man of my own age . I tell you , Holmes , I have had to keep a tight hold upon myself all this time and now I am asking myself whether , if I had let myself go a little more , I might not have been a wiser man .

" ' Well , matters went from bad to worse with us , and this animal Hudson became more and more intrusive , until at last , on his making some insolent reply to my father in my presence one day , I took him by the shoulders and turned him out of the room . He slunk away with a livid face and two venomous eyes which uttered more threats than his tongue could do . I don't know what passed between the poor dad and him after that , but the dad came to me next day and asked me whether I would mind apologizing to Hudson . I refused , as you can imagine , and asked my father how he could allow such a wretch to take such liberties with himself and his household .

" ' " Ah , my boy , " said he , " it is all very well to talk , but you don't know how I am placed . But you shall know , Victor . I'll see that you shall know , come what may . You wouldn't believe harm of your poor old father , would you , lad ? " He was very much moved and shut himself up in the study all day , where I could see through the window that he was writing busily .

" ' That evening there came what seemed to me to be a grand release , for Hudson told us that he was going to leave us . He walked into the dining-room as we sat after dinner and announced his intention in the thick voice of a half-drunken man .

" ' " I've had enough of Norfolk , " said he . " I'll run down to Mr. Beddoes in Hampshire . He'll be as glad to see me as you were , I daresay . "

" ' " You're not going away in an unkind spirit , Hudson , I hope , " said my father with a tameness which made my blood boil .

" ' " I've not had my 'pology , " said he sulkily , glancing in my direction .

" ' " Victor , you will acknowledge that you have used this worthy fellow rather roughly , " said the dad , turning to me .

" ' " On the contrary , I think that we have both shown extraordinary patience towards him , " I answered .

" ' " Oh , you do , do you ? " he snarled . " Very good , mate . We'll see about that ! "

" ' He slouched out of the room and half an hour afterwards left the house , leaving my father in a state of pitiable nervousness . Night after night I heard him pacing his room , and it was just as he was recovering his confidence that the blow did at last fall . '

" ' And how ? ' I asked eagerly .

" ' In a most extraordinary fashion . A letter arrived for my father yesterday evening , bearing the Fordingham postmark . My father read it , clapped both his hands to his head , and began running round the room in little circles like a man who has been driven out of his senses . When I at last drew him down on to the sofa , his mouth and eyelids were all puckered on one side , and I saw that he had a stroke . Dr. Fordham came over at once . We put him to bed , but the paralysis has spread , he has shown no sign of returning consciousness , and I think that we shall hardly find him alive . '

" ' You horrify me , Trevor ! ' I cried . ' What then could have been in this letter to cause so dreadful a result ? '

" ' Nothing . There lies the inexplicable part of it . The message was absurd and trivial . Ah , my God , it is as I feared ! '

" As he spoke we came round the curve of the avenue and saw in the fading light that every blind in the house had been drawn down . As we dashed up to the door , my friend's face convulsed with grief , a gentleman in black emerged from it .

" ' When did it happen , doctor ? ' asked Trevor .

" ' Almost immediately after you left . '

" ' Did he recover consciousness ? '

" ' For an instant before the end . '

" ' Any message for me ? '

" ' Only that the papers were in the back drawer of the Japanese cabinet . '

" My friend ascended with the doctor to the chamber of death while I remained in the study , turning the whole matter over and over in my head , and feeling as sombre as ever I had done in my life . What was the past of this Trevor , pugilist , traveller , and gold-digger , and how had he placed himself in the power of this acid-faced seaman ? Why , too , should he faint at an allusion to the half-effaced initials upon his arm and die of fright when he had a letter from Fordingham ? Then I remembered that Fordingham was in Hampshire , and that this Mr. Beddoes , whom the seaman had gone to visit and presumably to blackmail , had also been mentioned as living in Hampshire . The letter , then , might either come from Hudson , the seaman , saying that he had betrayed the guilty secret which appeared to exist , or it might come from Beddoes , warning an old confederate that such a betrayal was imminent . So far it seemed clear enough . But then how could this letter be trivial and grotesque , as described by the son ? He must have misread it . If so , it must have been one of those ingenious secret codes which mean one thing while they seem to mean another . I must see this letter . If there was a hidden meaning in it , I was confident that I could pluck it forth . For an hour I sat pondering over it in the gloom , until at last a weeping maid brought in a lamp , and close at her heels came my friend Trevor , pale but composed , with these very papers which lie upon my knee held in his grasp . He sat down opposite to me , drew the lamp to the edge of the table , and handed me a short note scribbled , as you see , upon a single sheet of gray paper . ' The supply of game for London is going steadily up , ' it ran . ' Head-keeper Hudson , we believe , has been now told to receive all orders for fly-paper and for preservation of your hen-pheasant's life . '

" I daresay my face looked as bewildered as yours did just now when first I read this message . Then I reread it very carefully . It was evidently as I had thought , and some secret meaning must lie buried in this strange combination of words . Or could it be that there was a prearranged significance to such phrases as ' fly-paper ' and ' hen-pheasant ' ? Such a meaning would be arbitrary and could not be deduced in any way . And yet I was loath to believe that this was the case , and the presence of the word Hudson seemed to show that the subject of the message was as I had guessed , and that it was from Beddoes rather than the sailor . I tried it backward , but the combination ' life pheasant's hen ' was not encouraging . Then I tried alternate words , but neither ' the of for ' nor ' supply game London ' promised to throw any light upon it .

" And then in an instant the key of the riddle was in my hands , and I saw that every third word , beginning with the first , would give a message which might well drive old Trevor to despair .

" It was short and terse , the warning , as I now read it to my companion :

" ' The game is up . Hudson has told all . Fly for your life . '

" Victor Trevor sank his face into his shaking hands . ' It must be that , I suppose , ' said he . ' This is worse than death , for it means disgrace as well . But what is the meaning of these " headkeepers " and " hen-pheasants " ? '

" ' It means nothing to the message , but it might mean a good deal to us if we had no other means of discovering the sender . You see that he has begun by writing " The . . . game . . . is , " and so on . Afterwards he had , to fulfil the prearranged cipher , to fill in any two words in each space . He would naturally use the first words which came to his mind , and if there were so many which referred to sport among them , you may be tolerably sure that he is either an ardent shot or interested in breeding . Do you know anything of this Beddoes ? '

" ' Why , now that you mention it , ' said he , ' I remember that my poor father used to have an invitation from him to shoot over his preserves every autumn . '

" ' Then it is undoubtedly from him that the note comes , ' said I . ' It only remains for us to find out what this secret was which the sailor Hudson seems to have held over the heads of these two wealthy and respected men . '

" ' Alas , Holmes , I fear that it is one of sin and shame ! ' cried my friend . ' But from you I shall have no secrets . Here is the statement which was drawn up by my father when he knew that the danger from Hudson had become imminent . I found it in the Japanese cabinet , as he told the doctor . Take it and read it to me , for I have neither the strength nor the courage to do it myself . '

" These are the very papers , Watson , which he handed to me , and I will read them to you , as I read them in the old study that night to him . They are endorsed outside , as you see , ' Some particulars of the voyage of the bark Gloria Scott , from her leaving Falmouth on the 8th October , 1855 , to her destruction in N. Lat. 15 degrees 20' . W. Long. 25 degrees 14' , on Nov. 6th . ' It is in the form of a letter , and runs in this way .

" ' My dear , dear son , now that approaching disgrace begins to darken the closing years of my life , I can write with all truth and honesty that it is not the terror of the law , it is not the loss of my position in the county , nor is it my fall in the eyes of all who have known me , which cuts me to the heart ; but it is the thought that you should come to blush for me -- you who love me and who have seldom , I hope , had reason to do other than respect me . But if the blow falls which is forever hanging over me , then I should wish you to read this , that you may know straight from me how far I have been to blame . On the other hand , if all should go well ( which may kind God Almighty grant ! ) , then , if by any chance this paper should be still undestroyed and should fall into your hands , I conjure you , by all you hold sacred , by the memory of your dear mother , and by the love which has been between us , to hurl it into the fire and to never give one thought to it again .

" ' If then your eye goes on to read this line , I know that I shall already have been exposed and dragged from my home , or , as is more likely , for you know that my heart is weak , be lying with my tongue sealed forever in death . In either case the time for suppression is past , and every word which I tell you is the naked truth , and this I swear as I hope for mercy .

" ' My name , dear lad , is not Trevor . I was James Armitage in my younger days , and you can understand now the shock that it was to me a few weeks ago when your college friend addressed me in words which seemed to imply that he had surprised my secret . As Armitage it was that I entered a London banking-house , and as Armitage I was convicted of breaking my country's laws , and was sentenced to transportation . Do not think very harshly of me , laddie . It was a debt of honour , so called , which I had to pay , and I used money which was not my own to do it , in the certainty that I could replace it before there could be any possibility of its being missed . But the most dreadful ill-luck pursued me . The money which I had reckoned upon never came to hand , and a premature examination of accounts exposed my deficit . The case might have been dealt leniently with , but the laws were more harshly administered thirty years ago than now , and on my twenty-third birthday I found myself chained as a felon with thirty-seven other convicts in the 'tween-decks of the bark Gloria Scott , bound for Australia .

" ' It was the year ' 55 , when the Crimean War was at its height , and the old convict ships had been largely used as transports in the Black Sea . The government was compelled , therefore , to use smaller and less suitable vessels for sending out their prisoners . The Gloria Scott had been in the Chinese tea-trade , but she was an old-fashioned , heavy-bowed , broad-beamed craft , and the new clippers had cut her out . She was a five-hundred-ton boat ; and besides her thirty-eight jail-birds , she carried twenty-six of a crew , eighteen soldiers , a captain , three mates , a doctor , a chaplain , and four warders . Nearly a hundred souls were in her , all told , when we set sail from Faltnouth .

" ' The partitions between the cells of the convicts instead of being of thick oak , as is usual in convict-ships , were quite thin and frail . The man next to me , upon the aft side , was one whom I had particularly noticed when we were led down the quay . He was a young man with a clear , hairless face , a long , thin nose , and rather nut-cracker jaws . He carried his head very jauntily in the air , had a swaggering style of walking , and was above all else , remarkable for his extraordinary height . I don't think any of our heads would have come up to his shoulder , and I am sure that he could not have measured less than six and a half feet . It was strange among so many sad and weary faces to see one which was full of energy and resolution . The sight of it was to me like a fire in a snowstorm . I was glad , then , to find that he was my neighbour , and gladder still when , in the dead of the night , I heard a whisper close to my ear and found that he had managed to cut an opening in the board which separated us .

" ' " Hullo , chummy ! " said he , " what's your name , and what are you here for ? "

" ' I answered him , and asked in turn who I was talking with .

" ' " I'm Jack Prendergast , " said he , " and by God ! you'll learn to bless my name before you've done with me . "

" ' I remembered hearing of his case , for it was one which had made an immense sensation throughout the country some time before my own arrest . He was a man of good family and of great ability , but of incurably vicious habits , who had by an ingenious system of fraud obtained huge sums of money from the leading London merchants .

" ' " Ha , ha ! You remember my case ! " said he proudly .

" ' " Very well ' , indeed . "

" ' " Then maybe you remember something queer about it ? "

" ' " What was that , then ? "

" ' " I'd had nearly a quarter of a million , hadn't I ? "

" ' " So it was said . "

" ' " But none was recovered , eh ? "

" ' " No . "

" ' " Well , where d'ye suppose the balance is ? " he asked .

" ' " I have no idea , " said I .

" ' " Right between my finger and thumb , " he cried . " By God ! I've got mare pounds to my name than you've hairs on your head . And if you've money , my son , and know how to handle it and spread it , you can do anything . Now , you don't think it likely that a man who could do anything is going to wear his breeches out sitting in the stinking hold of a rat-gutted beetle-ridden , mouldy old coffin of a Chin China coaster . No , sir , such a man will look after himself and will look after his chums . You may lay to that ! You hold on to him , and you may kiss the Book that he'll haul you through . "

" ' That was his style of talk , and at first I thought it meant nothing ; but after a while , when he had tested me and sworn me in with all possible solemnity , he let me understand that there really was a plot to gain command of the vessel . A dozen of the prisoners had hatched it before they came aboard , Prendergast was the leader , and his money was the motive power .

" ' " I'd a partner , " said he , " a rare good man , as true as a stock to a barrel . He's got the dibbs , he has , and where do you think he is at this moment ? Why , he's the chaplain of this ship -- the chaplain , no less ! He came aboard with a black coat , and his papers right , and money enough in his box to buy the thing right up from keel to main-truck . The crew are his , body and soul . He could buy ' em at so much a gross with a cash discount , and he did it before ever they signed on . He's got two of the warders and Mereer , the second mate , and he'd get the captain himself , if he thought him worth it . "

" ' " What are we to do , then ? " I asked .

" ' " What do you think ? " said he . " We'll make the coats of some of these soldiers redder than ever the tailor did . "

" ' " But they are armed , " said I .

" ' " And so shall we be , my boy . There's a brace of pistols for every mother's son of us ; and if we can't carry this ship , with the crew at our back , it's time we were all sent to a young misses' boarding-school . You speak to your mate upon the left to-night , and see if he is to be trusted . "

" ' I did so and found my other neighbour to be a young fellow in much the same position as myself , whose crime had been forgery . His name was Evans , but he afterwards changed it , like myself , and he is now a rich and prosperous man in the south of England . He was ready enough to join the conspiracy , as the only means of saving ourselves , and before we had crossed the bay there were only two of the prisoners who were not in the secret . One of these was of weak mind , and we did not dare to trust him , and the other was suffering from jaundice and could not be of any use to us .

" ' From the beginning there was really nothing to prevent us from taking possession of the ship . The crew were a set of ruffians , specially picked for the job . The sham chaplain came into our cells to exhort us , carrying a black bag , supposed to be full of tracts , and so often did he come that by the third day we had each stowed away at the foot of our beds a file , a brace of pistols , a pound of powder , and twenty slugs . Two of the warders were agents of Prendergast , and the second mate was his right-hand man . The captain , the two mates , two warders , Lieutenant Martin , his eighteen soldiers , and the doctor were all that we had against us . Yet , safe as it was , we determined to neglect no precaution , and to make our attack suddenly by night . It came , however , more quickly than we expected , and in this way .

" ' One evening , about the third week after our start , the doctor had come down to see one of the prisoners who was ill , and putting his hand down on the bottom of his bunk , he felt the outline of the pistols . If he had been silent he might have blown the whole thing , but he was a nervous little chap , so he gave a cry of surprise and turned so pale that the man knew what was up in an instant and seized him . He was gagged before he could give the alarm and tied down upon the bed . He had unlocked the door that led to the deck , and we were through it in a rush . The two sentries were shot down , and so was a corporal who came running to see what was the matter . There were two more soldiers at the door of the stateroom , and their muskets seemed not to be loaded , for they never fired upon us , and they were shot while trying to fix their bayonets . Then we rushed on into the captain's cabin , but as we pushed open the door there was an explosion from within , and there he lay with his brains smeared over the chart of the Atlantic which was pinned upon the table , while the chaplain stood with a smoking pistol in his hand at his elbow . The two mates had both been seized by the crew , and the whole business seemed to be settled .

" ' The stateroom was next the cabin , and we flocked in there and flopped down on the settees , all speaking together , for we were just mad with the feeling that we were free once more . There were lockers all round , and Wilson , the sham chaplain , knocked one of them in , and pulled out a dozen of brown sherry . We cracked off the necks of the bottles , poured the stuff out into tumblers , and were just tossing them off when in an instant without warning there came the roar of muskets in our ears , and the saloon was so full of smoke that we could not see across the table . When it cleared again the place was a shambles . Wilson and eight others were wriggling on the top of each other on the floor , and the blood and the brown sherry on that table turn me sick now when I think of it . We were so cowed by the sight that I think we should have given the job up if it had not been for Prendergast . He bellowed like a bull and rushed for the door with all that were left alive at his heels . Out we ran , and there on the poop were the lieutenant and ten of his men . The swing skylights above the saloon table had been a bit open , and they had fired on us through the slit . We got on them before they could load , and they stood to it like men ; but we had the upper hand of them , and in five minutes it was all over . My God ! was there ever a slaughter-house like that ship ! Prendergast was like a raging devil , and he picked the soldiers up as if they had been children and threw them overboard alive or dead . There was one sergeant that was horribly wounded and yet kept on swimming for a surprising time until someone in mercy blew out his brains . When the fighting was over there was no one left of our enemies except just the warders , the mates , and the doctor .

" ' It was over them that the great quarrel arose . There were many of us who were glad enough to win back our freedom , and yet who had no wish to have murder on our souls . It was one thing to knock the soldiers over with their muskets in their hands , and it was another to stand by while men were being killed in cold blood . Eight of us , five convicts and three sailors , said that we would not see it done . But there was no moving Prendergast and those who were with him . Our only chance of safety lay in making a clean job of it , said he , and he would not leave a tongue with power to wag in a witness-box . It nearly came to our sharing the fate of the prisoners , but at last he said that if we wished we might take a boat and go . We jumped at the offer , for we were already sick of these blood-thirsty doings , and we saw that there would be worse before it was done . We were given a suit of sailor togs each , a barrel of water , two casks , one of junk and one of biscuits , and a compass . Prendergast threw us over a chart , told us that we were shiprecked mariners whose ship had foundered in Lat. 15 degrees and Long. 25 degrees west , and then cut the painter and let us go .

" ' And now I come to the most surprising part of my story , my dear son . The seamen had hauled the fore-yard aback during the rising , but now as we left them they brought it square again , and as there was a light wind from the north and east the bark began to draw slowly away from us . Our boat lay , rising and falling , upon the long , smooth rollers , and Evans and I , who were the most educated of the party , were sitting in the sheets working out our position and planning what coast we should make for . It was a nice question , for the Cape Verdes were about five hundred miles to the north of us , and the African coast about seven hundred to the east . On the whole , as the wind was coming round to the north , we thought hat Sierra Leone might be best and turned our head in that direction , the bark being at that time nearly hull down on our starboard quarter . Suddenly as we looked at her we saw a dense black cloud of smoke shoot up from her , which hung like a monstrous tree upon the sky-line . A few seconds later a roar like thunder burst upon our ears , and as the smoke thinned away there was no sign left of the Gloria Scott . In an instant we swept the boat's head round again and pulled with all our strength for the place where the haze still trailing over the water marked the scene of this catastrophe .

" ' It was a long hour before we reached it , and at first we feared that we had come too late to save anyone . A splintered boat and a number of crates and fragments of spars rising and falling on the waves showed us where the vessel had foundered ; but there was no sign of life , and we had turned away in despair , when we heard a cry for help and saw at some distance a piece of wreckage with a man lying stretched across it . When we pulled him aboard the boat he proved to be a young seaman of the name of Hudson , who was so burned and exhausted that he could give us no account of what had happened until the following morning .

" ' It seemed that after we had left , Prendergast and his gang had proceeded to put to death the five remaining prisoners . The two warders had been shot and thrown overboard , and so also had the third mate . Prendergast then descended into the 'tweendecks and with his own hands cut the throat of the unfortunate surgeon . There only remained the first mate , who was a bold and active man . When he saw the convict approaching him with the bloody knife in his hand he kicked off his bonds , which he had somehow contrived to loosen , and rushing down the deck he plunged into the after-hold . A dozen convicts , who descended with their pistols in search of him , found him with a match-box in his hand seated beside an open powder-barrel , which was one of the hundred carried on board , and swearing that he would blow all hands up if he were in any way molested . An instant later the explosion occurred , though Hudson thought it was caused by the misdirected bullet of one of the convicts rather than the mate's match . Be the cause what it may , it was the end of the Gloria Scott and of the rabble who held command of her .

" ' Such , in a few words , my dear boy , is the history of this terrible business in which I was involved . Next day we were picked up by the brig Hotspur , bound for Australia , whose captain found no difficulty in believing that we were the survivors of a passenger ship which had foundered . The transport ship Gloria Scott was set down by the Admiralty as being lost at sea , and no word has ever leaked out as to her true fate . After an excellent voyage the Hotspur landed us at Sydney , where Evans and I changed our names and made our way to the diggings , where , among the crowds who were gathered from all nations , we had no difficulty in losing our former identities . The rest I need not relate . We prospered , we travelled , we came back as rich colonials to England , and we bought country estates . For more than twenty years we have led peaceful and useful lives , and we hoped that our past was forever buried . Imagine , then , my feelings when in the seaman who came to us I recognized instantly the man who had been picked off the wreck . He had tracked us down somehow and had set himself to live upon our fears . You will understand now how it was that I strove to keep the peace with him , and you will in some measure sympathize with me in the fears which fill me , now that he has gone from me to his other victim with threats upon his tongue . '

" Underneath is written in a hand so shaky as to be hardly legible , ' Beddoes writes in cipher to say H. has told all . Sweet Lord , have mercy on our souls ! '

" That was the narrative which I read that night to young Trevor , and I think , Watson , that under the circumstances it was a dramatic one . The good fellow was heart-broken at it , and went out to the Terai tea planting , where I hear that he is doing well . As to the sailor and Beddoes , neither of them was ever heard of again after that day on which the letter of warning was written . They both disappeared utterly and completely . No complaint had been lodged with the police , so that Beddoes had mistaken a threat for a deed . Hudson had been seen lurking about , and it was believed by the police that he had done away with Beddoes and had fled . For myself I believe that the truth was exactly the opposite . I think that it is most probable that Beddoes , pushed to desperation and believing himself to have been already betrayed , had revenged himself upon Hudson , and had fled from the country with as much money as he could lay his hands on . Those are the facts of the case , Doctor , and if they are of any use to your collection , I am sure that they are very heartily at your service . "

During my long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Sherlock Holmes I had never heard him refer to his relations , and hardly ever to his own early life . This reticence upon his part had increased the somewhat inhuman effect which he produced upon me , until sometimes I found myself regarding him as an isolated phenomenon , a brain without a heart , as deficient in human sympathy as he was preeminent in intelligence . His aversion to women and his disinclination to form new friendships were both typical of his unemotional character , but not more so than his complete suppression of every reference to his own people . I had come to believe that he was an orphan with no relatives living ; but one day , to my very great surprise , he began to talk to me about his brother .

It was after tea on a summer evening , and the conversation , which had roamed in a desultory , spasmodic fashion from golf clubs to the causes of the change in the obliquity of the ecliptic , came round at last to the question of atavism and hereditary aptitudes . The point under discussion was , how far any singular gift in an individual was due to his ancestry and how far to his own early training .

" In your own case , " said I , " from all that you have told me , it seems obvious that your faculty of observation and your peculiar facility for deduction are due to your own systematic training . "

" To some extent , " he answered thoughtfully . " My ancestors were country squires , who appear to have led much the same life as is natural to their class . But , none the less , my turn that way is in my veins , and may have come with my grandmother , who was the sister of Vernet , the French artist . Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms . "

" But how do you know that it is hereditary ? "

" Because my brother Mycroft possesses it in a larger degree than I do . "

This was news to me indeed . If there were another man with such singular powers in England , how was it that neither police nor public had heard of him ? I put the question , with a hint that it was my companion's modesty which made him acknowledge his brother as his superior . Holmes laughed at my suggestion .

" My dear Watson , " said he , " I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues . To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are , and to underestimate one's self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one's own powers . When I say , therefore , that Mycroft has better powers of observation than I , you may take it that I am speaking the exact and literal truth . "

" Is he your junior ? "

" Seven years my senior . "

" How comes it that he is unknown ? "

" Oh , he is very well known in his own circle . "

" Where , then ? "

" Well , in the Diogenes Club , for example . "

I had never heard of the institution , and my face must have proclaimed as much , for Sherlock Homes pulled out his watch .

" The Diogenes Club is the queerest club in London , and Mycroft one of the queerest men . He's always there from quarter to five to twenty to eight . It's six now , so if you care for a stroll this beautiful evening I shall be very happy to introduce you to two curiosities . "

Five minutes later we were in the street , walking towards Regent's Circus .

" You wonder , " said my companion , " why it is that Mycroft does not use his powers for detective work . He is incapable of it . "

" But I thought you said -- "

" I said that he was my superior in observation and deduction . If the art of the detective began and ended in reasoning from an armchair , my brother would be the greatest criminal agent that ever lived . But he has no ambition and no energy . He will not even go out of his way to verify his own solutions , and would rather be considered wrong than take the trouble to prove himself right . Again and again I have taken a problem to him , and have received an explanation which has afterwards proved to be the correct one . And yet he was absolutely incapable of working out the practical points which must be gone into before a case could be laid before a judge or jury . "

" It is not his profession , then ? "

" By no means . What is to me a means of livelihood is to him the merest hobby of a dilettante . He has an extraordinary faculty for figures , and audits the books in some of the government departments . Mycroft lodges in Pall Mall , and he walks round the corner into Whitehall every morning and back every evening . From year's end to year's end he takes no other exercise , and is seen nowhere else , except only in the Diogenes Club , which is just opposite his rooms . "

" I cannot recall the name . "

" Very likely not . There are many men in London , you know , who , some from shyness , some from misanthropy , have no wish for the company of their fellows . Yet they are not averse to comfortable chairs and the latest periodicals . It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started , and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubable men in town . No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one . Save in the Stranger's Room , no talking is , under any circumstances , allowed , and three offences , if brought to the notice of the committee , render the talker liable to expulsion . My brother was one of the founders , and I have myself found it a very soothing atmosphere . "

We had reached Pall Mall as we talked , and were walking down it from the St. James's end . Sherlock Holmes stopped at a door some little distance from the Carlton , and , cautioning me not to speak , he led the way into the hall . Through the glass panelling I caught a glimpse of a large and luxurious room , in which a considerable number of men were sitting about and reading papers , each in his own little nook . Holmes showed me into a small chamber which looked out into Pall Mall , and then , leaving me for a minute , he came back with a companion whom I knew could only be his brother .

Mycroft Holmes was a much larger and stouter man than Sherlock . His body was absolutely corpulent , but his face , though massive , had preserved something of the sharpness of expression which was so remarkable in that of his brother . His eyes , which were of a peculiarly light , watery gray , seemed to always retain that far-away , introspective look which I had only observed in Sherlock's when he was exerting his full powers .

" I am glad to meet you , sir , " said he , putting out a broad , fat hand like the flipper of a seal . " I hear of Sherlock everywhere since you became his chronicler . By the way , Sherlock , I expected to see you round last week to consult me over that Manor House case . I thought you might be a little out of your depth . "

" No , I solved it , " said my friend , smiling .

" It was Adams , of course . "

" Yes , it was Adams . "

" I was sure of it from the first . " The two sat down together in the bow-window of the club . " To anyone who wishes to study mankind this is the spot , " said Mycroft . " Look at the magnificent types ! Look at these two men who are coming towards us , for example . "

" The billiard-marker and the other ? "

" Precisely . What do you make of the other ? "

The two men had stopped opposite the window . Some chalk marks over the waistcoat pocket were the only signs of billiards which I could see in one of them . The other was a very small , dark fellow , with his hat pushed back and several packages under his arm .

" An old soldier , I perceive , " said Sherlock .

" And very recently discharged , " remarked the brother .

" Served in India , I see . "

" And a non-commissioned officer . "

" Royal Artillery , I fancy , " said Sherlock .

" And a widower . "

" But with a child . "

" Children , my dear boy , children . "

" Come , " said I , laughing , " this is a little too much . "

" Surely , " answered Holmes , " it is not hard to say that a man with that bearing , expression of authority , and sun-baked skin , is a soldier , is more than a private , and is not long from India . "

" That he has not left the service long is shown by his still wearing his ammunition boots , as they are called , " observed Mycroft .

" He had not the cavalry stride , yet he wore his hat on one side , as is shown by the lighter skin on that side of his brow . His weight is against his being a sapper . He is in the artillery . "

" Then , of course , his complete mourning shows that he has lost someone very dear . The fact that he is doing his own shopping looks as though it were his wife . He has been buying things for children , you perceive . There is a rattle , which shows that one of them is very young . The wife probably died in childbed . The fact that he has a picture-book under his arm shows that there is another child to be thought of . "

I began to understand what my friend meant when he said that his brother possessed even keener faculties than he did himself . He glanced across at me and smiled . Mycroft took snuff from a tortoise-shell box and brushed away the wandering grains from his coat front with a large , red silk handkerchief .

" By the way , Sherlock , " said he , " I have had something quite after your own heart -- a most singular problem -- submitted to my judgment . I really had not the energy to follow it up save in a very incomplete fashion , but it gave me a basis for some pleasing speculations . If you would care to hear the facts -- "

" My dear Mycroft , I should be delighted . "

The brother scribbled a note upon a leaf of his pocket-book , and , ringing the bell , he handed it to the waiter .

" I have asked Mr. Melas to step across , " said he . " He lodges on the floor above me , and I have some slight acquaintance with him , which led him to come to me in his perplexity . Mr. Melas is a Greek by extraction , as I understand , and he is a remarkable linguist . He earns his living partly as interpreter in the law courts and partly by acting as guide to any wealthy Orientals who may visit the Northumberland Avenue hotels . I think I will leave him to tell his very remarkable experience in his own fashion . "

A few minutes later we were joined by a short , stout man whose olive face and coal black hair proclaimed his Southern origin , though his speech was that of an educated Englishman . He shook hands eagerly with Sherlock Holmes , and his dark eyes sparkled with pleasure when he understood that the specialist was anxious to hear his story .

" I do not believe that the police credit me -- on my word , I do not , " said he in a wailing voice . " Just because they have never heard of it before , they think that such a thing cannot be . But I know that I shall never be easy in my mind until I know what has become of my poor man with the sticking-plaster upon his face . "

" I am all attention , " said Sherlock Holmes .

" This is Wednesday evening , " said Mr. Melas . " Well , then , it was Monday night -- only two days ago , you understand -- that all this happened . I am an interpreter , as perhaps my neighbour there has told you . I interpret all languages -- or nearly all -- but as I am a Greek by birth and with a Grecian name , it is with that particular tongue that I am principally associated . For many years I have been the chief Greek interpreter in London , and my name is very well known in the hotels .

" It happens not unfrequently that I am sent for at strange hours by foreigners who get into difficulties , or by travellers who arrive late and wish my services . I was not surprised , therefore , on Monday night when a Mr. Latimer , a very fashionably dressed young man , came up to my rooms and asked me to accompany him in a cab which was waiting at the door . A Greek friend had come to see him upon business , he said , and as he could speak nothing but his own tongue , the services of an interpreter were indispensable . He gave me to understand that his house was some little distance off , in Kensington , and he seemed to be in a great hurry , bustling me rapidly into the cab when we had descended to the street .

" I say into the cab , but I soon became doubtful as to whether tt was not a carriage in which I found myself . It was certainly more roomy than the ordinary four-wheeled disgrace to London , and the fittings , though frayed , were of rich quality . Mr. Latimer seated himself opposite to me and we started off through Charing Cross and up the Shaftesbury Avenue . We had come out upon Oxford Street and I had ventured some remark as to this being a roundabout way to Kensington , when my words were arrested by the extraordinary conduct of my companion .

" He began by drawing a most formidable-looking bludgeon loaded with lead from his pocket , and switching it backward and forward several times , as if to test its weight and strength . Then he placed it without a word upon the seat beside him . Having done this , he drew up the windows on each side , and I found to my astonishment that they were covered with paper so as to prevent my seeing through them .

" ' I am sorry to cut off your view , Mr. Melas , ' said he . ' The fact is that I have no intention that you should see what the place is to which we are driving . It might possibly be inconvenient to me if you could find your way there again . '

" As you can imagine , I was utterly taken aback by such an address . My companion was a powerful , broad-shouldered young fellow , and , apart from the weapon , I should not have had the slightest chance in a struggle with him .

" ' This is very extraordinary conduct , Mr. Latimer , ' I stammered . ' You must be aware that what you are doing is quite illegal . '

" ' It is somewhat of a liberty , no doubt , ' said he , ' but we'll make it up to you . I must warn you , however , Mr. Melas , that if at any time to-night you attempt to raise an alarm or do anything which is against my interest , you will find it a very serious thing . I beg you to remember that no one knows where you are , and that , whether you are in this carriage or in my house , you are equally in my power . '

" His words were quiet , but he had a rasping way of saying them , which was very menacing . I sat in silence wondering what on earth could be his reason for kidnapping me in this extraordinary fashion . Whatever it might be , it was perfectly clear that there was no possible use in my resisting , and that I could only wait to see what might befall .

" For nearly two hours we drove without my having the least clue as to where we were going . Sometimes the rattle of the stones told of a paved causeway , and at others our smooth , silent course suggested asphalt ; but , save by this variation in sound , there was nothing at all which could in the remotest way help me to form a guess as to where we were . The paper over each window was impenetrable to light , and a blue curtain was drawn across the glasswork in front . It was a quarter-past seven when we left Pall Mall , and my watch showed me that it was ten minutes to nine when we at last came to a standstill . My companion let down the window , and I caught a glimpse of a low , arched doorway with a lamp burning above it . As I was hurried from the carriage it swung open , and I found myself inside the house , with a vague impression of a lawn and trees on each side of me as I entered . Whether these were private grounds , however , or bona-fide country was more than I could possibly venture to say .

" There was a coloured gas-lamp inside which was turned so low that I could see little save that the hall was of some size and hung with pictures . In the dim light I could make out that the person who had opened the door was a small , mean-looking , middle-aged man with rounded shoulders . As he turned towards us the glint of the light showed me that he was wearing glasses .

" ' Is this Mr. Melas , Harold ? ' said he .

" ' Yes . '

" ' Well done , well done ! No ill-will , Mr. Melas , I hope , but we could not get on without you . If you deal fair with us you'll not regret it , but if you try any tricks , God help you ! ' He spoke in a nervous , jerky fashion , and with little giggling laughs in between , but somehow he impressed me with fear more than the other .

" ' What do you want with me ? ' I asked .

" ' Only to ask a few questions of a Greek gentleman who is visiting us , and to let us have the answers . But say no more than you are told to say , or -- ' here came the nervous giggle again -- ' you had better never have been born . '

" As he spoke he opened a door and showed the way into a room which appeared to be very richly furnished , but again the only light was afforded by a single lamp half-turned down . The chamber was certainly large , and the way in which my feet sank into the carpet as I stepped across it told me of its richness . I caught glimpses of velvet chairs , a high white marble mantelpiece , and what seemed to be a suit of Japanese armour at one side of it . There was a chair just under the lamp , and the elderly man motioned that I should sit in it . The younger had left us , but he suddenly returned through another door , leading with him a gentleman clad in some sort of loose dressing-gown who moved slowly towards us . As he came into the circle of dim light which enabled me to see him more clearly I was thrilled with horror at his appearance . He was deadly pale and terribly emaciated , with the protruding , brilliant eyes of a man whose spirit was greater than his strength . But what shocked me more than any signs of physical weakness was that his face was grotesquely criss-crossed with sticking-plaster , and that one large pad of it was fastened over his mouth .

" ' Have you the slate , Harold ? ' cried the older man , as this strange being fell rather than sat down into a chair . ' Are his hands loose ? Now , then , give him the pencil . You are to ask the questions , Mr. Melas , and he will write the answers . Ask him first of all whether he is prepared to sign the papers ? "

" The man's eyes flashed fire .

" ' Never ! ' he wrote in Greek upon the slate .

" ' On no conditions ? ' I asked at the bidding of our tyrant .

" ' Only if I see her married in my presence by a Greek priest whom I know . '

" The man giggled in his venomous way .

" ' You know what awaits you , then ? '

" ' I care nothing for myself . '

" These are samples of the questions and answers which made up our strange half-spoken , half-written conversation . Again and again I had to ask him whether he would give in and sign the documents . Again and again I had the same indignant reply . But soon a happy thought came to me . I took to adding on little sentences of my own to each question , innocent ones at first , to test whether either of our companions knew anything of the matter , and then , as I found that they showed no sign I played a more dangerous game . Our conversation ran something like this :

" ' You can do no good by this obstinacy . Who are you ? '

" ' I care not . I am a stranger in London . '

" ' Your fate will be on your own head . How long have you been here ? '

" ' Let it be so . Three weeks . '

" ' The property can never be yours . What ails you ? '

" ' It shall not go to villains . They are starving me . '

" ' You shall go free if you sign . What house is this ? '

" ' I will never sign . I do not know . '

" ' You are not doing her any service . What is your name ? '

" ' Let me hear her say so . Kratides . '

" ' You shall see her if you sign . Where are you from ? '

" ' Then I shall never see her . Athens . '

" Another five minutes , Mr. Holmes , and I should have wormed out the whole story under their very noses . My very next question might have cleared the matter up , but at that instant the door opened and a woman stepped into the room . I could not see her clearly enough to know more than that she was tall and graceful , with black hair , and clad in some sort of loose white gown .

" ' Harold , ' said she , speaking English with a broken accent . ' I could not stay away longer . It is so lonely up there with only -- Oh , my God , it is Paul ! '

" These last words were in Greek , and at the same instant the man with a convulsive effort tore the plaster from his lips , and screaming out ' Sophy ! Sophy ! ' rushed into the woman's arms . Their embrace was but for an instant , however , for the younger man seized the woman and pushed her out of the room , while the elder easily overpowered his emaciated victim and dragged him away through the other door . For a moment I was left alone in the room , and I sprang to my feet with some vague idea that I might in some way get a clue to what this house was in which I found myself . Fortunately , however , I took no steps , for looking up I saw that the older man was standing in the doorway , with his eyes fixed upon me .

" ' That will do , Mr. Melas , ' said he . ' You perceive that we have taken you into our confidence over some very private business . We should not have troubled you , only that our friend who speaks Greek and who began these negotiations has been forced to return to the East . It was quite necessary for us to find someone to take his place , and we were fortunate in hearing of your powers . '

" I bowed .

" ' There are five sovereigns here , ' said he , walking up to me , ' which will , I hope , be a sufficient fee . But remember , ' he added , tapping me lightly on the chest and giggling , ' if you speak to a human soul about this -- one human soul , mind -- well , may God have mercy upon your soul ! '

" I cannot tell you the loathing and horror with which this insignificant-looking man inspired me . I could see him better now as the lamp-light shone upon him . His features were peaky and sallow , and his little pointed beard was thready and ill-nourished . He pushed his face forward as he spoke and his lips and eyelids were continually twitching like a man with St. Vitus's dance . I could not help thinking that his strange , catchy little laugh was also a symptom of some nervous malady . The terror of his face lay in his eyes , however , steel gray , and glistening coldly with a malignant , inexorable cruelty in their depths .

" ' We shall know if you speak of this , ' said he . ' We have our own means of information . Now you will find the carriage waiting , and my friend will see you on your way . '

" I was hurried through the hall and into the vehicle , again obtaining that momentary glimpse of trees and a garden . Mr. Latimer followed closely at my heels and took his place opposite to me without a word . In silence we again drove for an interminable distance with the windows raised , until at last , just after midnight , the carriage pulled up .

" ' You will get down here , Mr. Melas , ' said my companion . ' I am sorry to leave you so far from your house , but there is no alternative . Any attempt upon your part to follow the carriage can only end in injury to yourself . '

" He opened the door as he spoke , and I had hardly time to spring out when the coachman lashed the horse and the carriage rattled away . I looked around me in astonishment . I was on some sort of a heathy common mottled over with dark clumps of furze-bushes . Far away stretched a line of houses , with a light here and there in the upper windows . On the other side I saw the red signal-lamps of a railway .

" The carriage which had brought me was already out of sight . I stood gazing round and wondering where on earth I might be , when I saw someone coming towards me in the darkness . As he came up to me I made out that he was a railway porter .

" ' Can you tell me what place this is ? ' I asked .

" ' Wandsworth Common , ' said he .

" ' Can I get a train into town ? '

" ' If you walk on a mile or so to Clapham Junction , ' said he , ' you'll just be in time for the last to Victoria . '

" So that was the end of my adventure , Mr. Holmes . I do not know where I was , nor whom I spoke with , nor anything save what I have told you . But I know that there is foul play going on , and I want to help that unhappy man if I can . I told the whole story to Mr. Mycroft Holmes next morning , and subsequently to the police . "

We all sat in silence for some little time after listening to this extraordinary narrative . Then Sherlock looked across at his brother .

" Any steps ? " he asked .

Mycroft picked up the Daily News , which was lying on the side-table .

" Anybody supplying any information as to the whereabouts of a Greek gentleman named Paul Kratides , from Athens , who is unable to speak English , will be rewarded . A similar reward paid to anyone giving information about a Greek lady whose first name is Sophy . X 2473 .

" That was in all the dailies . No answer . "

" How about the Greek legation ? "

" I have inquired . They know nothing . "

" A wire to the head of the Athens police , then ? "

" Sherlock has all the energy of the family , " said Mycroft , turning to me . " Well , you take the case up by all means and let me know if you do any good . "

" Certainly , " answered my friend , rising from his chair . " I'll let you know , and Mr. Melas also . In the meantime , Mr. Melas , I should certainly be on my guard if I were you , for of course they must know through these advertisements that you have betrayed them . "

As we walked home together , Holmes stopped at a telegraph office and sent off several wires .

" You see , Watson , " he remarked , " our evening has been by no means wasted . Some of my most interesting cases have come to me in this way through Mycroft . The problem which we have just listened to , although it can admit of but one explanation , has still some distinguishing features . "

" You have hopes of solving it ? "

" Well , knowing as much as we do , it will be singular indeed if we fail to discover the rest . You must yourself have formed some theory which will explain the facts to which we have listened . "

" In a vague way , yes . "

" What was your idea , then ? "

" It seemed to me to be obvious that this Greek girl had been carried off by the young Englishman named Harold Latimer . "

" Carried off from where ? "

" Athens , perhaps . "

Sherlock Holmes shook his head . " This young man could not talk a word of Greek . The lady could talk English fairly well . Inference -- that she had been in England some little time , but he had not been in Greece . "

" Well , then , we will presume that she had once come on a visit to England , and that this Harold had persuaded her to fly with him . "

" That is more probable . "

" Then the brother -- for that , I fancy , must be the relationship -- comes over from Greece to interfere . He imprudently puts himself into the power of the young man and his older associate . They seize him and use violence towards him in order to make him sign some papers to make over the girl's fortune of which he may be trustee -- to them . This he refuses to do . In order to negotiate with him they have to get an interpreter , and they pitch upon this Mr. Melas , having used some other one before . The girl is not told of the arrival of her brother and finds it out by the merest accident . "

" Excellent , Watson ! " cried Holmes . " I really fancy that you are not far from the truth . You see that we hold all the cards , and we have only to fear some sudden act of violence on their part . If they give us time we must have them . "

" But how can we find where this house lies ? "

" Well , if our conjecture is correct and the girl's name is or was Sophy Kratides , we should have no difficulty in tracing her . That must be our main hope , for the brother is , of course , a complete stranger . It is clear that some time has elapsed since this Harold established these relations with the girl -- some weeks at any rate -- since the brother in Greece has had time to hear of it and come across . If they have been living in the same place during this time , it is probable that we shall have some answer to Mycroft's advertisement . "

We had reached our house in Baker Street while we had been talking . Holmes ascended the stair first , and as he opened the door of our room he gave a start of surprise . Looking over his shoulder , I was equally astonished . His brother Mycroft was sitting smoking in the armchair .

" Come in , Sherlock ! Come in , sir , " said he blandly , smiling at our surprised faces . " You don't expect such energy from me do you , Sherlock ? But somehow this case attracts me . "

" How did you get here ? "

" I passed you in a hansom . "

" There has been some new development ? "

" I had an answer to my advertisement . "

" Ah ! "

" Yes , it came within a few minutes of your leaving . "

" And to what effect ? "

Mycroft Holmes took out a sheet of paper .

" Here it is , " said he , " written with a J pen on royal cream paper by a middle-aged man with a weak constitution .

" Sir [ he says ] : " In answer to your advertisement of to-day's date , I beg to inform you that I know the young lady in question very well . If you should care to call upon me I could give you some particulars as to her painful history . She is living at present at The Myrtles , Beckenham . " Yours faithfully , " J. DAVENPORT .

" He writes from Lower Brixton , " said Mycroft Holmes . " Do you not think that we might drive to him now , Sherlock , and learn these particulars ? "

" My dear Mycroft , the brother's life is more valuable than the sister's story . I think we should call at Scotland Yard for Inspector Gregson and go straight out to Beckenham . We know that a man is being done to death , and every hour may be vital . "

" Better pick up Mr. Melas on our way , " I suggested . " We may need an interpreter . "

" Excellent , " said Sherlock Holmes . " Send the boy for a four-wheeler , and we shall be off at once . " He opened the table-drawer as he spoke , and I noticed that he slipped his revolver into his pocket . " Yes , " said he in answer to my glance , " I should say , from what we have heard , that we are dealing with a particularly dangerous gang . "

It was almost dark before we found ourselves in Pall Mall , at the rooms of Mr. Melas . A gentleman had just called for him , and he was gone .

" Can you tell me where ? " asked Mycroft Holmes .

" I don't know , sir , " answered the woman who had opened the door ; " I only know that he drove away with the gentleman in a carriage . "

" Did the gentleman give a name ? "

" No , sir . "

" He wasn't a tall , handsome , dark young man ? "

" Oh , no , sir . He was a little gentleman , with glasses , thin in the face , but very pleasant in his ways , for he was laughing all the time that he was talking . "

" Come along ! " cried Sherlock Holmes abruptly . " This grows serious , " he observed as we drove to Scotland Yard . " These men have got hold of Melas again . He is a man of no physical courage , as they are well aware from their experience the other night . This villain was able to terrorize him the instant that he got into his presence . No doubt they want his professional services , but , having used him , they may be inclined to punish him for what they will regard as his treachery . "

Our hope was that , by taking train , we might get to Beckenham as soon as or sooner than the carriage . On reaching Scotland Yard , however , it was more than an hour before we could get Inspector Gregson and comply with the legal formalities which would enable us to enter the house . It was a quarter to ten before we reached London Bridge , and half past before the four of us alighted on the Beckenham platform . A drive of half a mile brought us to The Myrtles -- a large , dark house standing back from the road in its own grounds . Here we dismissed our cab and made our way up the drive together .

" The windows are all dark , " remarked the inspector . " The house seems deserted . "

" Our birds are flown and the nest empty , " said Holmes .

" Why do you say so ? "

" A carriage heavily loaded with luggage has passed out during the last hour . "

The inspector laughed . " I saw the wheel-tracks in the light of the gate-lamp , but where does the luggage come in ? "

" You may have observed the same wheel-tracks going the other way . But the outward-bound ones were very much deeper -- so much so that we can say for a certainty that there was a very considerable weight on the carriage . "

" You get a trifle beyond me there , " said the inspector , shrugging his shoulders . " It will not be an easy door to force , but we will try if we cannot make someone hear us . "

He hammered loudly at the knocker and pulled at the bell , but without any success . Holmes had slipped away , but he came back in a few minutes .

" I have a window open , " said he .

" It is a mercy that you are on the side of the force , and not against it , Mr. Holmes , " remarked the inspector as he noted the clever way in which my friend had forced back the catch . " Well , I think that under the circumstances we may enter without an invitation . "

One after the other we made our way into a large apartment , which was evidently that in which Mr. Melas had found himself . The inspector had lit his lantern , and by its light we could see the two doors , the curtain , the lamp , and the suit of Japanese mail as he had described them . On the table lay two glasses , an empty brandy-bottle , and the remains of a meal .

" What is that ? " asked Holmes suddenly .

We all stood still and listened . A low moaning sound was coming from somewhere over our heads . Holmes rushed to the door and out into the hall . The dismal noise came from upstairs . He dashed up , the inspector and I at his heels , while his brother Mycroft followed as quickly as his great bulk would permit .

Three doors faced us upon the second floor , and it was from the central of these that the sinister sounds were issuing , sinking sometimes into a dull mumble and rising again into a shrill whine . It was locked , but the key had been left on the outside . Holmes flung open the door and rushed in , but he was out again in an instant , with his hand to his throat .

" It's charcoal , " he cried . " Give it time . It will clear . "

Peering in , we could see that the only light in the room came from a dull blue flame which flickered from a small brass tripod in the centre . It threw a livid unnatural circle upon the floor , while in the shadows beyond we saw the vague loom of two figures which crouched against the wall . From the open door there reeked a horrible poisonous exhalation which set us gasping and coughing . Holmes rushed to the top of the stairs to draw in the fresh air , and then , dashing into the room , he threw up the window and hurled the brazen tripod out into the garden .

" We can enter in a minute , " he gasped , darting out again . " Where is a candle ? I doubt if we could strike a match in that atmosphere . Hold the light at the door and we shall get them out , Mycroft , now ! "

With a rush we got to the poisoned men and dragged them out into the well-lit hall . Both of them were blue-lipped and insensible , with swollen , congested faces and protruding eyes . Indeed , so distorted were their features that , save for his black beard and stout figure , we might have failed to recognize in one of them the Greek interpreter who had parted from us only a few hours before at the Diogenes Club . His hands and feet were securely strapped together , and he bore over one eye the marks of a violent blow . The other , who was secured in a similar fashion was a tall man in the last stage of emaciation , with several strips of sticking-plaster arranged in a grotesque pattern over his face . He had ceased to moan as we laid him down , and a glance showed me that for him at least our aid had come too late . Mr. Melas , however , still lived , and in less than an hour , with the aid of ammonia and brandy , I had the satisfaction of seeing him open his eyes , and of knowing that my hand had drawn him back from that dark valley in which all paths meet .

It was a simple story which he had to tell , and one which did but confirm our own deductions . His visitor , on entering his rooms , had drawn a life-preserver from his sleeve , and had so impressed him with the fear of instant and inevitable death that he had kidnapped him for the second time . Indeed , it was almost mesmeric , the effect which this giggling ruffian had produced upon the unfortunate linguist , for he could not speak of him save with trembling hands and a blanched cheek . He had been taken swiftly to Beckenham , and had acted as interpreter in a second interview , even more dramatic than the first , in which the two Englishmen had menaced their prisoner with instant death if he did not comply with their demands . Finally , finding him proof against every threat , they had hurled him back into his prison and after reproaching Melas with his treachery , which appeared from the newspaper advertisement , they had stunned him with a blow from a stick , and he remembered nothing more until he found us bending over him .

And this was the singular case of the Grecian Interpreter , the explanation of which is still involved in some mystery . We were able to find out , by communicating with the gentleman who had answered the advertisement , that the unfortunate young lady came of a wealthy Grecian family , and that she had been on a visit to some friends in England . While there she had met a young man named Harold Latimer , who had acquired an ascendency over her and had eventually persuaded her to fly with him . Her friends , shocked at the event , had contented themselves with informing her brother at Athens , and had then washed their hands of the matter . The brother , on his arrival in England , had imprudently placed himself in the power of Latimer and of his associate , whose name was Wilson Kemp -- a man of the foulest antecedents . These two , finding that through his ignorance of the language he was helpless in their hands , had kept him a prisoner , and had endeavoured by cruelty and starvation to make him sign away his own and his sister's property . They had kept him in the house without the girl's knowledge , and the plaster over the face had been for the purpose of making recognition difficult in case she should ever catch a glimpse of him . Her feminine perceptions , however , had instantly seen through the disguise when , on the occasion of the interpreter's visit , she had seen him for the first time . The poor girl , however , was herself a prisoner , for there was no one about the house except the man who acted as coachman , and his wife , both of whom were tools of the conspirators . Finding that their secret was out , and that their prisoner was not to be coerced , the two villains with the girl had fled away at a few hours' notice from the furnished house which they had hired , having first , as they thought , taken vengeance both upon the man who had defied and the one who had betrayed them .

Months afterwards a curious newspaper cutting reached us from Buda-Pesth . It told how two Englishmen who had been travelling with a woman had met with a tragic end . They had each been stabbed , it seems , and the Hungarian police were of opinion that they had quarrelled and had inflicted mortal injuries upon each other . Holmes , however , is , I fancy , of a different way of thinking , and he holds to this day that , if one could find the Grecian girl , one might learn how the wrongs of herself and her brother came to be avenged .

An anomaly which often struck me in the character of my friend Sherlock Holmes was that , although in his methods of thought he was the neatest and most methodical of mankind , and although also he affected a certain quiet primness of dress , he was none the less in his personal habits one of the most untidy men that ever drove a fellow-lodger to distraction . Not that I am in the least conventional in that respect myself . The rough-and-tumble work in Afghanistan , coming on the top of natural Bohemianism of disposition , has made me rather more lax than befits a medical man . But with me there is a limit , and when I find a man who keeps his cigars in the coal-scuttle , his tobacco in the toe end of a Persian slipper , and his unanswered correspondence transfixed by a jack-knife into the very centre of his wooden mantelpiece , then I begin to give myself virtuous airs . I have always held , too , that pistol practice should be distinctly an open-air pastime ; and when Holmes , in one of his queer humours , would sit in an armchair with his hair-trigger and a hundred Boxer cartridges and proceed to adorn the opposite wall with a patriotic V. R. done in bullet-pocks , I felt strongly that neither the atmosphere nor the appearance of our room was improved by it .

Our chambers were always full of chemicals and of criminal relics which had a way of wandering into unlikely positions , and of turning up in the butter-dish or in even less desirable places . But his papers were my great crux . He had a horror of destroying documents , especially those which were connected with his past cases , and yet it was only once in every year or two that he would muster energy to docket and arrange them ; for , as I have mentioned somewhere in these incoherent memoirs , the outbursts of passionate energy when he performed the remarkable feats with which his name is associated were followed by reactions of lethargy during which he would lie about with his violin and his books , hardly moving save from the sofa to the table . Thus month after month his papers accumulated until every corner of the room was stacked with bundles of manuscript which were on no account to be burned , and which could not be put away save by their owner . One winter's night , as we sat together by the fire , I ventured to suggest to him that , as he had finished pasting extracts into his commonplace book , he might employ the next two hours in making our room a little more habitable . He could not deny the justice of my request , so with a rather rueful face he went off to his bedroom , from which he returned presently pulling a large tin box behind him . This he placed in the middle of the floor , and , squatting down upon a stool in front of it , he threw back the lid . I could see that it was already a third full of bundles of paper tied up with red tape into separate packages .

" There are cases enough here , Watson , " said he , looking at me with mischievous eyes . " I think that if you knew all that I had in this box you would ask me to pull some out instead of putting others in . "

" These are the records of your early work , then ? " I asked . " I have often wished that I had notes of those cases . "

" Yes , my boy , these were all done prematurely before my biographer had come to glorify me . " He lifted bundle after bundle in a tender , caressing sort of way . " They are not all successes , Watson , " said he . " But there are some pretty little problems among them . Here's the record of the Tarleton murders , and the case of Vamberry , the wine merchant , and the adventure of the old Russian woman , and the singular affair of the aluminum crutch , as well as a full account of Ricoletti of the club-foot , and his abominable wife . And here -- ah , now , this really is something a little recherche . "

He dived his arm down to the bottom of the chest and brought up a small wooden box with a sliding lid such as children's toys are kept in . From within he produced a crumpled piece of paper , an old-fashioned brass key , a peg of wood with a ball of string attached to it , and three rusty old discs of metal .

" Well , my boy , what do you make of this lot ? " he asked , smiling at my expression .

" It is a curious collection . "

" Very curious , and the story that hangs round it will strike you as being more curious still . "

" These relics have a history , then ? "

" So much so that they are history . "

" What do you mean by that ? "

Sherlock Holmes picked them up one by one and laid them along the edge of the table . Then he reseated himself in his chair and looked them over with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes .

" These , " said he , " are all that I have left to remind me of the adventure of the Musgrave Ritual . "

I had heard him mention the case more than once , though I had never been able to gather the details . " I should be so glad , " said I , " if you would give me an account of it . "

" And leave the litter as it is ? " he cried mischievously . " Your tidiness won't bear much strain , after all , Watson . But I should be glad that you should add this case to your annals , for there are points in it which make it quite unique in the criminal records of this or , I believe , of any other country . A collection of my trifling achievements would certainly be incomplete which contained no account of this very singular business .

" You may remember how the affair of the Gloria Scott , and my conversation with the unhappy man whose fate I told you of , first turned my attention in the direction of the profession which has become my life's work . You see me now when my name has become known far and wide , and when I am generally recognized both by the public and by the official force as being a final court of appeal in doubtful cases . Even when you knew me first , at the time of the affair which you have commemorated in ' A Study in Scarlet , ' I had already established a considerable , though not a very lucrative , connection . You can hardly realize , then , how difficult I found it at first , and how long I had to wait before I succeeded in making any headway .

" When I first came up to London I had rooms in Montague Street , just round the corner from the British Museum , and there I waited , filling in my too abundant leisure time by studying all those branches of science which might make me more efficient . Now and again cases came in my way , principally through the introduction of old fellow-students , for during my last years at the university there was a good deal of talk there about myself and my methods . The third of these cases was that of the Musgrave Ritual , and it is to the interest which was aroused by that singular chain of events , and the large issues which proved to be at stake , that I trace my first stride towards the position which I now hold .

" Reginald Musgrave had been in the same college as myself , and I had some slight acquaintance with him . He was not generally popular among the undergraduates , though it always seemed to me that what was set down as pride was really an attempt to cover extreme natural diffidence . In appearance he was a man of an exceedingly aristocratic type , thin , high-nosed , and large-eyed , with languid and yet courtly manners . He was indeed a scion of one of the very oldest families in the kingdom though his branch was a cadet one which had separated from the northern Musgraves some time in the sixteenth century and had established itself in western Sussex , where the Manor House of Hurlstone is perhaps the oldest inhabited building in the county . Something of his birth-place seemed to cling to the man , and I never looked at his pale , keen face or the poise of his head without associating him with gray archways and mullioned windows and all the venerable wreckage of a feudal keep . Once or twice we drifted into talk , and I can remember that more than once he expressed a keen interest in my methods of observation and inference .

" For four years I had seen nothing of him until one morning he walked into my room in Montague Street . He had changed little , was dressed like a young man of fashion -- he was always a bit of a dandy -- and preserved the same quiet , suave manner which had formerly distinguished him .

" ' How has all gone with you , Musgrave ? ' I asked after we had cordially shaken hands .

" ' You probably heard of my poor father's death , ' said he ; ' he was carried off about two years ago . Since then I have of course had the Hurlstone estate to manage , and as I am member for my district as well , my life has been a busy one . But I understand , Holmes , that you are turning to practical ends those powers with which you used to amaze us ? '

" ' Yes , ' said I , ' I have taken to living by my wits . '

" ' I am delighted to hear it , for your advice at present would be exceedingly valuable to me . We have had some very strange doings at Hurlstone , and the police have been able to throw no light upon the matter . It is really the most extraordinary and inexplicable business . '

" You can imagine with what eagerness I listened to him , Watson , for the very chance for which I had been panting during all those months of inaction seemed to have come within my reach . In my inmost heart I believed that I could succeed where others failed , and now I had the opportunity to test myself .

" ' Pray let me have the details , ' I cried .

" Reginald Musgrave sat down opposite to me and lit the cigarette which I had pushed towards him .

" ' You must know , ' said he , ' that though I am a bachelor , I have to keep up a considerable staff of servants at Hurlstone , for it is a rambling old place and takes a good deal of looking after . I preserve , too , and in the pheasant months I usually have a house-party , so that it would not do to be short-handed . Altogether there are eight maids , the cook , the butler , two footmen , and a boy . The garden and the stables of course have a separate staff .

" ' Of these servants the one who had been longest in our service was Brunton , the butler . He was a young schoolmaster out of place when he was first taken up by my father , but he was a man of great energy and character , and he soon became quite invaluable in the household . He was a well-grown , handsome man , with a splendid forehead , and though he has been with us for twenty years he cannot be more than forty now . With his personal advantages and his extraordinary gifts -- for he can speak several languages and play nearly every musical instrument -- it is wonderful that he should have been satisfied so long in such a position , but I suppose that he was comfortable and lacked energy to make any change . The butler of Hurlstone is always a thing that is remembered by all who visit us .

" ' But this paragon has one fault . He is a bit of a Don Juan , and you can imagine that for a man like him it is not a very difficult part to play in a quiet country district . When he was married it was all right , but since he has been a widower we have had no end of trouble with him . A few months ago we were in hopes that he was about to settle down again , for he became engaged to Rachel Howells , our second housemaid ; but he has thrown her over since then and taken up with Janet Tregellis , the daughter of the head game-keeper . Rachel -- who is a very good girl , but of an excitable Welsh temperament -- had a sharp touch of brain-fever and goes about the house now -- or did until yesterday -- like a black-eyed shadow of her former self . That was our first drama at Hurlstone ; but a second one came to drive it from our minds , and it was prefaced by the disgrace and dismissal of butler Brunton .

" ' This was how it came about . I have said that the man was intelligent , and this very intelligence has caused his ruin , for it seems to have led to an insatiable curiosity about things which did not in the least concern him . I had no idea of the lengths to which this would carry him until the merest accident opened my eyes to it .

" ' I have said that the house is a rambling one . One day last week -- on Thursday night , to be more exact -- I found that I could not sleep , having foolishly taken a cup of strong cafe ' noir after my dinner . After struggling against it until two in the morning , I felt that it was quite hopeless , so I rose and lit the candle with the intention of continuing a novel which I was reading . The book , however , had been left in the billiard-room , so I pulled on my dressing-gown and started off to get it .

" ' In order to reach the billiard-room I had to descend a flight of stairs and then to cross the head of a passage which led to the library and the gun-room . You can imagine my surprise when , as I looked down this corridor . I saw a glimmer of light coming from the open door of the library . I had myself extinguished the lamp and closed the door before coming to bed . Naturally my first thought was of burglar . The corridors at Hurlstone have their walls largely decorated with trophies of old weapons . From one of these I picked a battle-axe , and then , leaving my candle behind me , I crept on tiptoe down the passage and peeped in at the open door .

" ' Brunton , the butler , was in the library . He was sitting fully dressed , in an easy-chair , with a slip of paper which looked like a map upon his knee , and his forehead sunk forward upon his hand in deep thought . I stood dumb with astonishment , watching him from the darkness . A small taper on the edge of the table shed a feeble light which sufficed to show me that he was fully dressed . Suddenly , as I looked , he rose from his chair , and , walking over to a bureau at the side , he unlocked it and drew out one of the drawers . From this he took a paper , and , returning to his seat , he flattened it out beside the taper on the edge of the table and began to study it with minute attention . My indignation at this calm examination of our family documents overcame me so far that I took a step forward , and Brunton , looking up , saw me standing in the doorway . He sprang to his feet , his face turned livid with fear , and he thrust into his breast the chart-like paper which he had been originally studying .

" ' " So ! " said I . " This is how you repay the trust which we have reposed in you . You will leave my service to-morrow . "

" ' He bowed with the look of a man who is utterly crushed and slunk past me without a word . The taper was still on the table , and by its light I glanced to see what the paper was which Brunton had taken from the bureau . To my surprise it was nothing of any importance at all , but simply a copy of the questions and answers in the singular old observance called the Musgrave Ritual . It is a sort of ceremony peculiar to our family , which each Musgrave for centuries past has gone through on his coming of age -- a thing of private interest , and perhaps of some little importance to the archaeologist , like our own blazonings and charges , but of no practical use whatever . '

" ' We had better come back to the paper afterwards , ' said I .

" ' If you think it really necessary , ' he answered with some hesitation . ' To continue my statement , however : I relocked the bureau , using the key which Brunton had left , and I had turned to go when I was surprised to find that the butler had returned , and was standing before me .

" ' " Mr. Musgrave , sir , " he cried in a voice which was hoarse with emotion , " I can't bear disgrace , sir . I've always been proud above my station in life , and disgrace would kill me . My blood will be on your head , sir -- it will , indeed -- if you drive me to despair . If you cannot keep me after what has passed , then for God's sake let me give you notice and leave in a month , as if of my own free will . I could stand that , Mr. Musgrave , but not to be cast out before all the folk that I know so well . "

" ' " You don't deserve much consideration , Brunton , " I answered . " Your conduct has been most infamous . However , as you have been a long time in the family , I have no wish to bring public disgrace upon you . A month , however , is too long . Take yourself away in a week , and give what reason you like for going . "

" ' " Only a week , sir ? " he cried in a despairing voice . " A fortnight -- say at least a fortnight ! "

" ' " A week , " I repeated , " and you may consider yourself to have been very leniently dealt with . "

" ' He crept away , his face sunk upon his breast , like a broken man , while I put out the light and returned to my room .

" ' For two days after this Brunton was most assiduous in his attention to his duties . I made no allusion to what had passed and waited with some curiosity to see how he would cover his disgrace . On the third morning , however , he did not appear , as was his custom , after breakfast to receive my instructions for the day . As I left the dining-room I happened to meet Rachel Howells , the maid . I have told you that she had only recently recovered from an illness and was looking so wretchedly pale and wan that I remonstrated with her for being at work .

" ' " You should be in bed , " I said . " Come back to your duties when you are stronger . "

" ' She looked at me with so strange an expression that I began to suspect that her brain was affected .

" ' " I am strong enough , Mr. Musgrave , " said she .

" ' " We will see what the doctor says , " I answered . " You must stop work now , and when you go downstairs just say that I wish to see Brunton . "

" ' " The butler is gone , " said she .

" ' " Gone ! Gone where ? "

" ' " He is gone . No one has seen him . He is not in his room . Oh , yes , he is gone , he is gone ! " She fell back against the wall with shriek after shriek of laughter , while I , horrified at this sudden hysterical attack , rushed to the bell to summon help . The girl was taken to her room , still screaming and sobbing , while I made inquiries about Brunton . There was no doubt about it that he had disappeared . His bed had not been slept in , he had been seen by no one since he had retired to his room the night before , and yet it was difficult to see how he could have left the house , as both windows and doors were found to be fastened in the morning . His clothes , his watch , and even his money were in his room , but the black suit which he usually wore was missing . His slippers , too , were gone , but his boots were left behind . Where then could butler Brunton have gone in the night , and what could have become of him now ?

" ' Of course we searched the house from cellar to garret , but there was no trace of him . It is , as I have said , a labyrinth of an old house , especially the original wing , which is now practically uninhabited ; but we ransacked every room and cellar without discovering the least sign of the missing man . It was incredible to me that he could have gone away leaving all his property behind him , and yet where could he be ? I called in the local police , but without success . Rain had fallen on the night before , and we examined the lawn and the paths all round the house , but in vain . Matters were in this state , when a new development quite drew our attention away from the original mystery .

" ' For two days Rachel Howells had been so ill , sometimes delirious , sometimes hysterical , that a nurse had been employed to sit up with her at night . On the third night after Brunton's disappearance , the nurse , finding her patient sleeping nicely , had dropped into a nap in the armchair , when she woke in the early morning to find the bed empty , the window open , and no signs of the invalid . I was instantly aroused , and , with the two footmen , started off at once in search of the missing girl . It was not difficult to tell the direction which she had taken , for , starting from under her window , we could follow her footmarks easily across the lawn to the edge of the mere , where they vanished close to the gravel path which leads out of the grounds . The lake there is eight feet deep , and you can imagine our feelings when we saw that the trail of the poor demented girl came to an end at the edge of it .

" ' Of course , we had the drags at once and set to work to recover the remains , but no trace of the body could we find . On the other hand , we brought to the surface an object of a most unexpected kind . It was a linen bag which contained within it a mass of old rusted , and discoloured metal and several dull-coloured pieces of pebble or glass . This strange find was all that we could get from the mere , and , although we made every possible search and inquiry yesterday , we know nothing of the fate either of Rachel Howells or of Richard Brunton . The county police are at their wit's end , and I have come up to you as a last resource . '

" You can imagine , Watson , with what eagerness I listened to this extraordinary sequence of events , and endeavoured to piece them together , and to devise some common thread upon which they might all hang . The butler was gone . The maid was gone . The maid had loved the butler , but had afterwards had cause to hate him . She was of Welsh blood , fiery and passionate . She had been terribly excited immediately after his disappearance . She had flung into the lake a bag containing some curious contents . These were all factors which had to be taken into consideration , and yet none of them got quite to the heart of the matter . What was the starting-point of this chain of events ? There lay the end of this tangled line .

" ' I must see that paper , Musgrave , ' said I , ' which this butler of yours thought it worth his while to consult , even at the risk of the loss of his place . '

" ' It is rather an absurd business , this ritual of ours , ' he answered . ' But it has at least the saving grace of antiquity to excuse it . I have a copy of the questions and answers here if you care to run your eye over them . '

" He handed me the very paper which I have here , Watson , and this is the strange catechism to which each Musgrave had to submit when he came to man's estate . I will read you the questions and answers as they stand .

" ' Whose was it ? '

" ' His who is gone . '

" ' Who shall have it ? '

" ' He who will come . '

" ' Where was the sun ? '

" ' Over the oak . '

" ' Where was the shadow ? '

" ' Under the elm . '

" ' How was it stepped ? '

" ' North by ten and by ten , east by five and by five , south by two and by two , west by one and by one , and so under . '

" ' What shall we give for it ? '

" ' All that is ours . '

" ' Why should we give it ? '

" ' For the sake of the trust . '

" ' The original has no date , but is in the spelling of the middle of the seventeenth century , ' remarked Musgrave . ' I am afraid , however , that it can be of little help to you in solving this mystery . '

" ' At least , ' said I , ' it gives us another mystery , and one which is even more interesting than the first . It may be that the solution of the one may prove to be the solution of the other . You will excuse me , Musgrave , if I say that your butler appears to me to have been a very clever man , and to have had a clearer insight than ten generations of his masters . '

" ' I hardly follow you , ' said Musgrave . ' The paper seems to me to be of no practical importance . '

" ' But to me it seems immensely practical , and I fancy that Brunton took the same view . He had probably seen it before that night on which you caught him . '

" ' It is very possible . We took no pains to hide it . '

" ' He simply wished , I should imagine , to refresh his memory upon that last occasion . He had , as I understand , some sort of map or chart which he was comparing with the manuscript , and which he thrust into his pocket when you appeared . '

" ' That is true . But what could he have to do with this old family custom of ours , and what does this rigmarole mean ? '

" ' I don't think that we should have much difficulty in determining that , ' said I ; ' with your permission we will take the first train down to Sussex and go a little more deeply into the matter upon the spot .

" The same afternoon saw us both at Hurlstone . Possibly you have seen pictures and read descriptions of the famous old building , so I will confine my account of it to saying that it is built in the shape of an L , the long arm being the more modern portion , and the shorter the ancient nucleus from which the other has developed . Over the low , heavy-lintelled door , in the centre of this old part , is chiselled the date , 1607 , but experts are agreed that the beams and stonework are really much older than this . The enormously thick walls and tiny windows of this part had in the last century driven the family into building the new wing , and the old one was used now as a storehouse and a cellar , when it was used at all . A splendid park with fine old timber surrounds the house , and the lake , to which my client , had referred , lay close to the avenue , about two hundred yards from the building .

" I was already firmly convinced , Watson , that there were not three separate mysteries here , but one only , and that if I could read the Musgrave Ritual aright I should hold in my hand the clue which would lead me to the truth concerning both the butler Brunton and the maid Howells . To that then I turned all my energies . Why should this servant be so anxious to master this old formula ? Evidently because he saw something in it which had escaped all those generations of country squires , and from which he expected some personal advantage . What was it then , and how had it affected his fate ?

" It was perfectly obvious to me , on reading the Ritual , that the measurements must refer to some spot to which the rest of the document alluded , and that if we could find that spot we should be in a fair way towards finding what the secret was which the old Musgraves had thought it necessary to embalm in so curious a fashion . There were two guides given us to start with , an oak and an elm . As to the oak there could be no question at all . Right in front of the house , upon the left-hand side of the drive , there stood a patriarch among oaks , one of the most magnificent trees that I have ever seen .

" ' That was there when your Ritual was drawn up , ' said I as we drove past it .

" ' It was there at the Norman Conquest in all probability , ' he answered . ' It has a girth of twenty-three feet . '

" Here was one of my fixed points secured .

" ' Have you any old elms ? ' I asked .

" ' There used to be a very old one over yonder , but it was struck by lightning ten years ago , and we cut down the stump . '

" ' You can see where it used to be ? '

" ' Oh , yes . '

" ' There are no other elms ? '

" ' No old ones , but plenty of beeches . '

" ' I should like to see where it grew . '

" We had driven up in a dog-cart , and my client led me away at once , without our entering the house , to the scar on the lawn where the elm had stood . It was nearly midway between the oak and the house . My investigation seemed to be progressing .

" ' I suppose it is impossible to find out how high the elm was ? ' I asked .

" ' I can give you it at once . It was sixty-four feet . '

" ' How do you come to know it ? ' I asked in surprise .

" ' When my old tutor used to give me an exercise in trigonometry , it always took the shape of measuring heights . When I was a lad I worked out every tree and building in the estate . '

" This was an unexpected piece of luck . My data were coming more quickly than I could have reasonably hoped .

" ' Tell me , ' I asked , ' did your butler ever ask you such a question ? '

" Reginald Musgrave looked at me in astonishment . ' Now that you call it to my mind , ' he answered , ' Brunton did ask me about the height of the tree some months ago in connection with some little argument with the groom . '

" This was excellent news , Watson , for it showed me that I was on the right road . I looked up at the sun . It was low in the heavens , and I calculated that in less than an hour it would lie just above the topmost branches of the old oak . One condition mentioned in the Ritual would then be fulfilled . And the shadow of the elm must mean the farther end of the shadow , otherwise the trunk would have been chosen as the guide . I had , then , to find where the far end of the shadow would fall when the sun was just clear of the oak . "

" That must have been difficult , Holmes , when the elm was no longer there . "

" Well , at least I knew that if Brunton could do it , I could also . Besides , there was no real difficulty . I went with Musgrave to his study and whittled myself this peg , to which I tied this long string with a knot at each yard . Then I took two lengths of a fishing-rod , which came to just six feet , and I went back with my client to where the elm had been . The sun was just grazing the top of the oak . I fastened the rod on end , marked out the direction of the shadow , and measured it . It was nine feet in length .

" Of course the calculation now was a simple one . If a rod of six feet threw a shadow of nine , a tree of sixty-four feet would throw one of ninety-six , and the line of the one would of course be the line of the other . I measured out the distance , which brought me almost to the wall of the house , and I thrust a peg into the spot . You can imagine my exultation , Watson , when within two inches of my peg I saw a conical depression in the ground . I knew that it was the mark made by Brunton in his measurements , and that I was still upon his trail .

" From this starting-point I proceeded to step , having first taken the cardinal points by my pocket-compass . Ten steps with each foot took me along parallel with the wall of the house , and again I marked my spot with a peg . Then I carefully paced off five to the east and two to the south . It brought me to the very threshold of the old door . Two steps to the west meant now that I was to go two paces down the stone-flagged passage , and this was the place indicated by the Ritual .

" Never have I felt such a cold chill of disappointment , Watson . For a moment it seemed to me that there must be some radical mistake in my calculations . The setting sun shone full upon the passage floor , and I could see that the old , foot-worn gray stones with which it was paved were firmly cemented together , and had certainly not been moved for many a long year . Brunton had not been at work here . I tapped upon the floor , but it sounded the same all over , and there was no sign of any crack or crevice . But , fortunately , Musgrave , who had begun to appreciate the meaning of my proceedings , and who was now as excited as myself , took out his manuscript to check my calculations .

" ' And under , ' he cried . ' You have omitted the " and under . " '

" I had thought that it meant that we were to dig , but now , of course , I saw at once that I was wrong . ' There is a cellar under this then ? ' I cried .

" ' Yes , and as old as the house . Down here , through this door . '

" We went down a winding stone stair , and my companion , striking a match , lit a large lantern which stood on a barrel in the corner . In an instant it was obvious that we had at last come upon the true place , and that we had not been the only people to visit the spot recently .

" It had been used for the storage of wood , but the billets , which had evidently been littered over the floor , were now piled at the sides , so as to leave a clear space in the middle . In this space lay a large and heavy flagstone with a rusted iron ring in the centre to which a thick shepherd's-check muffler was attached .

" ' By Jove ! ' cried my client . ' That's Brunton's muffler . I have seen it on him and could swear to it . What has the villain been doing here ? '

" At my suggestion a couple of the county police were summoned to be present , and I then endeavoured to raise the stone by pulling on the cravat . I could only move it slightly , and it was with the aid of one of the constables that I succeeded at last in carrying it to one side . A black hole yawned beneath into which we all peered , while Musgrave , kneeling at the side , pushed down the lantern .

" A small chamber about seven feet deep and four feet square lay open to us . At one side of this was a squat , brass-bound wooden box , the lid of which was hinged upward , with this curious old-fashioned key projecting from the lock . It was furred outside by a thick layer of dust , and damp and worms had eaten through the wood , so that a crop of livid fungi was growing on the inside of it . Several discs of metal , old coins apparently , such as I hold here , were scattered over the bottom of the box , but it contained nothing else .

" At the moment , however , we had no thought for the old chest , for our eyes were riveted upon that which crouched beside it . It was the figure of a man , clad in a suit of black , who squatted down upon his hams with his forehead sunk upon the edge of the box and his two arms thrown out on each side of it . The attitude had drawn all the stagnant blood to the face , and no man could have recognized that distorted liver-coloured countenance ; but his height , his dress , and his hair were all sufficient to show my client , when we had drawn the body up , that it was indeed his missing butler . He had been dead some days , but there was no wound or bruise upon his person to show how he had met his dreadful end . When his body had been carried from the cellar we found ourselves still confronted with a problem which was almost as formidable as that with which we had started .

" I confess that so far , Watson , I had been disappointed in my investigation . I had reckoned upon solving the matter when once I had found the place referred to in the Ritual ; but now I was there , and was apparently as far as ever from knowing what it was which the family had concealed with such elaborate precautions . It is true that I had thrown a light upon the fate of Brunton , but now I had to ascertain how that fate had come upon him , and what part had been played in the matter by the woman who had disappeared . I sat down upon a keg in the corner and thought the whole matter carefully over .

" You know my methods in such cases , Watson . I put myself in the man's place , and , having first gauged his intelligence , I try to imagine how I should myself have proceeded under the same circumstances . In this case the matter was simplified by Brunton's intelligence being quite first-rate , so that it was unnecessary to make any allowance for the personal equation , as the astronomers have dubbed it . He knew that something valuable was concealed . He had spotted the place . He found that the stone which covered it was just too heavy for a man to move unaided . What would he do next ? He could not get help from outside , even if he had someone whom he could trust , without the unbarring of doors and considerable risk of detection . It was better , if he could , to have his helpmate inside the house . But whom could he ask ? This girl had been devoted to him . A man always finds it hard to realize that he may have finally lost a woman's love , however badly he may have treated her . He would try by a few attentions to make his peace with the girl Howells , and then would engage her as his accomplice . Together they would come at night to the cellar , and their united force would suffice to raise the stone . So far I could follow their actions as if I had actually seen them .

" But for two of them , and one a woman , it must have been heavy work , the raising of that stone . A burly Sussex policeman and I had found it no light job . What would they do to assist them ? Probably what I should have done myself . I rose and examined carefully the different billets of wood which were scattered round the floor . Almost at once I came upon what I expected . One piece , about three feet in length , had a very marked indentation at one end , while several were flattened at the sides as if they had been compressed by some considerable weight . Evidently , as they had dragged the stone up , they had thrust the chunks of wood into the chink until at last when the opening was large enough to crawl through , they would hold it open by a billet placed lengthwise , which might very well become indented at the lower end , since the whole weight of the stone would press it down on to the edge of this other slab . So far I was still on safe ground .

" And now how was I to proceed to reconstruct this midnight drama ? Clearly , only one could fit into the hole , and that one was Brunton . The girl must have waited above . Brunton then unlocked the box , handed up the contents presumably -- since they were not to be found -- and then -- and then what happened ?

" What smouldering fire of vengeance had suddenly sprung into flame in this passionate Celtic woman's soul when she saw the man who had wronged her -- wronged her , perhaps , far more than we suspected -- in her power ? Was it a chance that the wood had slipped and that the stone had shut Brunton into what had become his sepulchre ? Had she only been guilty of silence as to his fate ? Or had some sudden blow from her hand dashed the support away and sent the slab crashing down into its place ? Be that as it might , I seemed to see that woman's figure still clutching at her treasure trove and flying wildly up the winding stair , with her ears ringing perhaps with the muffled screams from behind her and with the drumming of frenzied hands against the slab of stone which was choking her faithless lover's life out .

" Here was the secret of her blanched face , her shaken nerves , her peals of hysterical laughter on the next morning . But what had been in the box ? What had she done with that ? Of course , it must have been the old metal and pebbles which my client had dragged from the mere . She had thrown them in there at the first opportunity to remove the last trace of her crime .

" For twenty minutes I had sat motionless , thinking the matter out . Musgrave still stood with a very pale face , swinging his lantern and peering down into the hole .

" ' These are coins of Charles the First , ' said he , holding out the few which had been in the box ; ' you see we were right in fixing our date for the Ritual . '

" ' We may find something else of Charles the First , ' I cried , as the probable meaning of the first two questions of the Ritual broke suddenly upon me . ' Let me see the contents of the bag which you fished from the mere . '

" We ascended to his study , and he laid the debris before me . I could understand his regarding it as of small importance when I looked at it , for the metal was almost black and the stones lustreless and dull . I rubbed one of them on my sleeve , however , and it glowed afterwards like a spark in the dark hollow of my hand . The metal work was in the form of a double ring , but it had been bent and twisted out of its original shape .

" ' You must bear in mind , ' said I , ' that the royal party made head in England even after the death of the king , and that when they at last fled they probably left many of their most precious possessions buried behind them , with the intention of returning for them in more peaceful times . '

" ' My ancestor , Sir Ralph Musgrave , was a prominent cavalier and the right-hand man of Charles the Second in his wanderings , ' said my friend .

" ' Ah , indeed ! ' I answered . ' Well now , I think that really should give us the last link that we wanted . I must congratulate you on coming into the possession , though in rather a tragic manner , of a relic which is of great intrinsic value , but of even greater importance as a historical curiosity . '

" ' What is it , then ? ' he gasped in astonishment .

" ' It is nothing less than the ancient crown of the kings of England . '

" ' The crown ! '

" ' Precisely . Consider what the Ritual says . How does it run ? " Whose was it ? " " His who is gone . " That was after the execution of Charles . Then , " Who shall have it ? " " He who will come . " That was Charles the Second , whose advent was already foreseen . There can , I think , be no doubt that this battered and shapeless diadem once encircled the brows of the royal Stuarts . '

" ' And how came it in the pond ? '

" ' Ah , that is a question that will take some time to answer . ' And with that I sketched out to him the whole long chain of surmise and of proof which I had constructed . The twilight had closed in and the moon was shining brightly in the sky before my narrative was finished .

" ' And how was it then that Charles did not get his crown when he returned ? ' asked Musgrave , pushing back the relic into its linen bag .

" ' Ah , there you lay your finger upon the one point which we shall probably never be able to clear up . It is likely that the Musgrave who held the secret died in the interval , and by some oversight left this guide to his descendant without explaining the meaning of it . From that day to this it has been handed down from father to son , until at last it came within reach of a man who tore its secret out of it and lost his life in the venture . '

" And that's the story of the Musgrave Ritual , Watson . They have the crown down at Hurlstone -- though they had some legal bother and a considerable sum to pay before they were allowed to retain it . I am sure that if you mentioned my name they would be happy to show it to you . Of the woman nothing was ever heard , and the probability is that she got away out of England and carried herself and the memory of her crime to some land beyond the seas . "

It was some time before the health of my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes recovered from the strain caused by his immense exertions in the spring of ' 87 . The whole question of the Netherland-Sumatra Company and of the colossal schemes of Baron Maupertuis are too recent in the minds of the public , and are too intimately concerned with politics and finance to be fitting subjects for this series of sketches . They led , however , in an indirect fashion to a singular and complex problem which gave my friend an opportunity of demonstrating the value of a fresh weapon among the many with which he waged his lifelong battle against crime .

On referring to my notes I see that it was upon the fourteenth of April that I received a telegram from Lyons which informed me that Holmes was lying ill in the Hotel Dulong . Within twenty-four hours I was in his sick-room and was relieved to find that there was nothing formidable in his symptoms . Even his iron constitution , however , had broken down under the strain of an investigation which had extended over two months , during which period he had never worked less than fifteen hours a day and had more than once , as he assured me , kept to his task for five days at a stretch . Even the triumphant issue of his labours could not save him from reaction after so terrible an exertion , and at a time when Europe was ringing with his name and when his room was literally ankle-deep with congratulatory telegrams I found him a prey to the blackest depression . Even the knowledge that he had succeeded where the police of three countries had failed , and that he had outmanoeuvred at every point the most accomplished swindler in Europe , was insufficient to rouse him from his nervous prostration .

Three days later we were back in Baker Street together ; but it was evident that my friend would be much the better for a change , and the thought of a week of springtime in the country was full of attractions to me also . My old friend , Colonel Hayter , who had come under my professional care in Afghanistan , had now taken a house near Reigate in Surrey and had frequently asked me to come down to him upon a visit . On the last occasion he had remarked that if my friend would only come with me he would be glad to extend his hospitality to him also . A little diplomacy was needed , but when Holmes understood that the establishment was a bachelor one , and that he would be allowed the fullest freedom , he fell in with my plans and a week after our return from Lyons we were under the colonel's roof . Hayter was a fine old soldier who had seen much of the world , and he soon found , as I had expected , that Holmes and he had much in common .

On the evening of our arrival we were sitting in the colonel's gun-room after dinner , Holmes stretched upon the sofa , while Hayter and I looked over his little armory of Eastern weapons .

" By the way , " said he suddenly , " I think I'll take one of these pistols upstairs with me in case we have an alarm . "

" An alarm ! " said I .

" Yes , we've had a scare in this part lately . Old Acton , who is one of our county magnates , had his house broken into last Monday . No great damage done , but the fellows are still at large . "

" No clue ? " asked Holmes , cocking his eye at the colonel .

" None as yet . But the affair is a petty one , one of our little country crimes , which must seem too small for your attention , Mr. Holmes , after this great international affair . "

Holmes waved away the compliment , though his smile showed that it had pleased him .

" Was there any feature of interest ? "

" I fancy not . The thieves ransacked he library and got very little for their pains . The whole place was turned upside down , drawers burst open , and presses ransacked , with the result that an odd volume of Pope's Homer , two plated candlesticks , an ivory letter-weight , a small oak barometer , and a ball of twine are all that have vanished . "

" What an extraordinary assortment ! " I exclaimed .

" Oh , the fellows evidently grabbed hold of everything they could get . "

Holmes grunted from the sofa .

" The county police ought to make something of that , " said he ; " why , it is surely obvious that -- "

But I held up a warning finger .

" You are here for a rest , my dear fellow . For heaven's sake don't get started on a new problem when your nerves are all in shreds . "

Holmes shrugged his shoulders with a glance of comic resignation towards the colonel , and the talk drifted away into less dangerous channels .

It was destined , however , that all my professional caution should be wasted , for next morning the problem obtruded itself upon us in such a way that it was impossible to ignore it , and our country visit took a turn which neither of us could have anticipated . We were at breakfast when the colonel's butler rushed in with all his propriety shaken out of him .

" Have you heard the news , sir ? " he gasped . " At the Cunningham's , sir ! "

" Burglary ! " cried the colonel , with his coffee-cup in mid-air .

" Murder ! "

The colonel whistled . " By Jove ! " said he . " Who's killed , then ? The J. P. or his son ? "

" Neither , sir . It was William the coachman . Shot through the heart , sir , and never spoke again . "

" Who shot him , then ? "

" The burglar , sir . He was off like a shot and got clean away . He'd just broke in at the pantry window when William came on him and met his end in saving his master's property . "

" What time ? "

" It was last night , sir , somewhere about twelve . "

" Ah , then , we'll step over afterwards , " said the colonel coolly settling down to his breakfast again . " It's a baddish business , " he added when the butler had gone ; " he's our leading man about here , is old Cunningham , and a very decent fellow too . He'll be cut up over this , for the man has been in his service for years and was a good servant . It's evidently the same villains who broke into Acton's . "

" And stole that very singular collection , " said Holmes thoughtfully .

" Precisely . "

" Hum ! It may prove the simplest matter in the world , but all the same at first glance this is just a little curious , is it not ? A gang of burglars acting in the country might be expected to vary the scene of their operations , and not to crack two cribs in the same district within a few days . When you spoke last night of taking precautions I remember that it passed through my mind that this was probably the last parish in England to which the thief or thieves would be likely to turn their attention -- which shows that I have still much to learn . "

" I fancy it's some local practitioner , " said the colonel . " In that case , of course , Acton's and Cunningham's are just the places he would go for , since they are far the largest about here . "

" And richest ? "

" Well , they ought to be , but they've had a lawsuit for some years which has sucked the blood out of both of them , I fancy . Old Acton has some claim on half Cunningham's estate , and the lawyers have been at it with both hands . "

" If it's a local villain there should not be much difficulty in running him down , " said Holmes with a yawn . " All right , Watson , I don't intend to meddle . "

" Inspector Forrester , sir , " said the butler , throwing open the door .

The official , a smart , keen-faced young fellow , stepped into the room . " Good-morning , Colonel , " said he . " I hope I don't intrude , but we hear that Mr. Holmes of Baker Street is here . "

The colonel waved his hand towards my friend , and the inspector bowed .

" We thought that perhaps you would care to step across , Mr. Holmes . "

" The fates are against you , Watson , " said he , laughing . " We were chatting about the matter when you came in , Inspector . Perhaps you can let us have a few details . " As he leaned back in his chair in the familiar attitude I knew that the case was hopeless .

" We had no clue in the Acton affair . But here we have plenty to go on , and there's no doubt it is the same party in each case . The man was seen . "

" Ah ! "

" Yes , sir . But he was off like a deer after the shot that killed poor William Kirwan was fired . Mr. Cunningham saw him from the bedroom window , and Mr. Alec Cunningham saw him from the back passage . It was quarter to twelve when the alarm broke out . Mr. Cunningham had just got into bed , and Mr. Alec was smoking a pipe in his dressing-gown . They both heard William , the coachman , calling for help , and Mr. Alec ran down to see what was the matter . The back door was open , and as he came to the foot of the stairs he saw two men wrestling together outside . One of them fired a shot , the other dropped , and the murderer rushed across the garden and over the hedge . Mr. Cunningham , looking out of his bedroom , saw the fellow as he gained the road , but lost sight of him at once . Mr. Alec stopped to see if he could help the dying man , and so the villain got clean away . Beyond the fact that he was a middle-sized man and dressed in some dark stuff , we have no personal clue ; but we are making energetic inquiries , and if he is a stranger we shall soon find him out . "

" What was this William doing there ? Did he say anything before he died ? "

" Not a word . He lives at the lodge with his mother , and as he was a very faithful fellow we imagine that he walked up to the house with the intention of seeing that all was right there . Of course this Acton business has put everyone on their guard . The robber must have just burst open the door -- the lock has been forced -- when William came upon him . "

" Did William say anything to his mother before going out ? "

" She is very old and deaf , and we can get no information from her . The shock has made her half-witted , but I understand that she was never very bright . There is one very important circumstance , however . Look at this ! "

He took a small piece of torn paper from a notebook and spread it out upon his knee .

" This was found between the finger and thumb of the dead man . It appears to be a fragment torn from a larger sheet . You will observe that the hour mentioned upon it is the very time at which the poor fellow met his fate . You see that his murderer might have torn the rest of the sheet from him or he might have taken this fragment from the murderer . It reads almost as though it were an appointment . "

Holmes took up the scrap of paper , a facsimile of which is here reproduced .

AT QUARTER TO TWELVE LEARN WHAT MAY

" Presuming that it is an appointment , " continued the inspector , " it is of course a conceivable theory that this William Kirwan , though he had the reputation of being an honest man , may have been in league with the thief . He may have met him there , may even have helped him to break in the door , and then they may have fallen out between themselves . "

" This writing is of extraordinary interest , " said Holmes , who had been examining it with intense concentration . " These are much deeper waters than I had thought . " He sank his head upon his hands , while the inspector smiled at the effect which his case had had upon the famous London specialist .

" Your last remark , " said Holmes presently , " as to the possibility of there being an understanding between the burglar and the servant , and this being a note of appointment from one to the other , is an ingenious and not entirely impossible supposition . But this writing opens up -- " He sank his head into his hands again and remained for some minutes in the deepest thought . When he raised his face again I was surprised to see that his cheek was tinged with colour , and his eyes as bright as before his illness . He sprang to his feet with all his old energy .

" I'll tell you what , " said he , " I should like to have a quiet little glance into the details of this case . There is something in it which fascinates me extremely . If you will permit me , Colonel , I will leave my friend Watson and you , and I will step round with the inspector to test the truth of one or two little fancies of mine . I will be with you again in half an hour . "

An hour and a half had elapsed before the inspector returned alone .

" Mr. Holmes is walking up and down in the field outside , said he . " He wants us all four to go up to the house together . "

" To Mr. Cunningham's ? "

" Yes , sir . "

" What for ? "

The inspector shrugged his shoulders . " I don't quite know sir . Between ourselves , I think Mr. Holmes has not quite got over his illness yet . He's been behaving very queerly , and he is very much excited . "

" I don't think you need alarm yourself , " said I . " I have usually found that there was method in his madness . "

" Some folk might say there was madness in his method , " muttered the inspector . " But he's all on fire to start , Colonel , so we had best go out if you are ready . "

We found Holmes pacing up and down in the field , his chin sunk upon his breast , and his hands thrust into his trousers pockets .

" The matter grows in interest , " said he . " Watson , your country trip has been a distinct success . I have had a charming morning . "

" You have been up to the scene of the crime , I understand , " said the colonel .

" Yes , the inspector and I have made quite a little reconnaissance together . "

" Any success ? "

" Well , we have seen some very interesting things . I'll tell you what we did as we walk . First of all , we saw the body of this unfortunate man . He certainly died from a revolver wound as reported . "

" Had you doubted it , then ? "

" Oh , it is as well to test everything . Our inspection was not wasted . We then had an interview with Mr. Cunningham and his son , who were able to point out the exact spot where the murderer had broken through the garden-hedge in his flight . That was of great interest . "

" Naturally . "

" Then we had a look at this poor fellow's mother . We could get no information from her , however , as she is very old and feeble . "

" And what is the result of your investigations ? "

" The conviction that the crime is a very peculiar one . Perhaps our visit now may do something to make it less obscure . I think that we are both agreed , Inspector , that the fragment of paper in the dead man's hand , bearing , as it does , the very hour of his death written upon it , is of extreme importance . "

" It should give a clue , Mr. Holmes . "

" It does give a clue . Whoever wrote that note was the man who brought William Kirwan out of his bed at that hour . But where is the rest of that sheet of paper ? "

" I examined the ground carefully in the hope of finding it . " said the inspector .

" It was torn out of the dead man's hand . Why was someone so anxious to get possession of it ? Because it incriminated him . And what would he do with it ? Thrust it into his pocket , most likely , never noticing that a corner of it had been left in the grip of the corpse . If we could get the rest of that sheet it is obvious that we should have gone a long way towards solving the mystery . "

" Yes , but how can we get at the criminal's pocket before we catch the criminal ? "

" Well , well , it was worth thinking over . Then there is another obvious point . The note was sent to William . The man who wrote it could not have taken it ; otherwise , of course , he might have delivered his own message by word of mouth . Who brought the note , then ? Or did it come through the post ? "

" I have made inquiries , " said the inspector . " William received a letter by the afternoon post yesterday . The envelope was destroyed by him . "

" Excellent ! " cried Holmes , clapping the inspector on the back . " You've seen the postman . It is a pleasure to work with you . Well , here is the lodge , and if you will come up , Colonel , I will show you the scene of the crime . "

We passed the pretty cottage where the murdered man had lived and walked up an oak-lined avenue to the fine old Queen Anne house , which bears the date of Malplaquet upon the lintel of the door . Holmes and the inspector led us round it until we came to the side gate , which is separated by a stretch of garden from the hedge which lines the road . A constable was standing at the kitchen door .

" Throw the door open , officer , " said Holmes . " Now , it was on those stairs that young Mr. Cunningham stood and saw the two men struggling just where we are . Old Mr. Cunningham was at that window -- the second on the left -- and he saw the fellow get away just to the left of that bush . So did the son . They are both sure of it on account of the bush . Then Mr. Alec ran out and knelt beside the wounded man . The ground is very hard , you see , and there are no marks to guide us . " As he spoke two men came down the garden path , from round the angle of the house . The one was an elderly man , with a strong , deep-lined , heavy-eyed face ; the other a dashing young fellow , whose bright , smiling expression and showy dress were in strange contrast with the business which had brought us there .

" Still at it , then ? " said he to Holmes . " I thought you Londoners were never at fault . You don't seem to be so very quick , after all . "

" Ah , you must give us a little time , " said Holmes good-humouredly .

" You'll want it , " said young Alec Cunningham . " Why , I don't see that we have any clue at all . "

" There's only one , " answered the inspector . " We thought that if we could only find -- Good heavens . Mr. Holmes ! what is the matter ? "

My poor friend's face had suddenly assumed the most dreadful expression . His eyes rolled upward , his features writhed in agony , and with a suppressed groan he dropped on his face upon the ground . Horrified at the suddenness and severity of the attack , we carried him into the kitchen , where he lay back in a large chair and breathed heavily for some minutes . Finally , with a shamefaced apology for his weakness , he rose once more .

" Watson would tell you that I have only just recovered from a severe illness , " he explained . " I am liable to these sudden nervous attacks . "

" Shall I send you home in my trap ? " asked old Cunningham .

" Well , since I am here , there is one point on which I should like to feel sure . We can very easily verify it . "

" What is it ? "

" Well , it seems to me that it is just possible that the arrival of this poor fellow William was not before , but after , the entrance of the burglar into the house . You appear to take it for granted that although the door was forced the robber never got in . "

" I fancy that is quite obvious , " said Mr. Cunningham gravely . " Why , my son Alec had not yet gone to bed , and he would certainly have heard anyone moving about . "

" Where was he sitting ? "

" I was smoking in my dressing-room . "

" Which window is that ? "

" The last on the left , next my father's . "

" Both of your lamps were lit , of course ? "

" Undoubtedly . "

" There are some very singular points here , " said Holmes , smiling . " Is it not extraordinary that a burglar -- and a burglar who had some previous experience -- should deliberately break into a house at a time when he could see from the lights that two of the family were still afoot ? "

" He must have been a cool hand . "

" Well , of course , if the case were not an odd one we should not have been driven to ask you for an explanation , " said young Mr. Alec . " But as to your ideas that the man had robbed the house before William tackled him , I think it a most absurd notion . Wouldn't we have found the place disarranged and missed the things which he had taken ? "

" It depends on what the things were , " said Holmes . " You must remember that we are dealing with a burglar who is a very peculiar fellow , and who appears to work on lines of his own . Look , for example , at the queer lot of things which he took from Acton's -- what was it ? -- a ball of string , a letter-weight , and I don't know what other odds and ends . "

" Well , we are quite in your hands , Mr. Holmes , " said old Cunningham . " Anything which you or the inspector may suggest will most certainly be done . "

" In the first place , " said Holmes , " I should like you to offer a reward -- coming from yourself , for the officials may take a little time before they would agree upon the sum , and these things cannot be done too promptly . I have jotted down the form here , if you would not mind signing it . Fifty pounds was quite enough , I thought . "

" I would willingly give five hundred , " said the J. P. , taking the slip of paper and the pencil which Holmes handed to him . " This is not quite correct , however , " he added , glancing over the document .

" I wrote it rather hurriedly . "

" You see you begin , ' Whereas , at about a quarter to one on Tuesday morning an attempt was made , ' and so on . It was at a quarter to twelve , as a matter of fact . "

I was pained at the mistake , for I knew how keenly Holmes would feel any slip of the kind . It was his specialty to be accurate as to fact , but his recent illness had shaken him , and this one little incident was enough to show me that he was still far from being himself . He was obviously embarrassed for an instant , while the inspector raised his eyebrows , and Alec Cunningham burst into a laugh . The old gentleman corrected the mistake , however , and handed the paper back to Holmes .

" Get it printed as soon as possible , " he said ; " I think your idea is an excellent one . "

Holmes put the slip of paper carefully away into his pocketbook .

" And now , " said he , " it really would be a good thing that we should all go over the house together and make certain that this rather erratic burglar did not , after all , carry anything away with him . "

Before entering , Holmes made an examination of the door which had been forced . It was evident that a chisel or strong knife had been thrust in , and the lock forced back with it . We could see the marks in the wood where it had been pushed in .

" You don't use bars , then ? " he asked .

" We have never found it necessary . "

" You don't keep a dog ? "

" Yes , but he is chained on the other side of the house . "

" When do the servants go to bed ? "

" About ten . "

" I understand that William was usually in bed also at that hour ? "

" Yes . "

" It is singular that on this particular night he should have been up . Now , I should be very glad if you would have the kindness to show us over the house , Mr. Cunningham . "

A stone-flagged passage , with the kitchens branching away from it , led by a wooden staircase directly to the first floor of the house . It came out upon the landing opposite to a second more ornamental stair which came up from the front hall . Out of this landing opened the drawing-room and several bedrooms , including those of Mr. Cunningham and his son . Holmes walked slowly , taking keen note of the architecture of the house . I could tell from his expression that he was on a hot scent , and yet I could not in the least imagine in what direction his inferences were leading him .

" My good sir , " said Mr. Cunningham , with some impatience , " this is surely very unnecessary . That is my room at the end of the stairs , and my son's is the one beyond it . I leave it to your judgment whether it was possible for the thief to have come up here without disturbing us . "

" You must try round and get on a fresh scent , I fancy , " said the son with a rather malicious smile .

" Still , I must ask you to humour me a little further . I should like , for example , to see how far the windows of the bedrooms command the front . This , I understand , is your son's room " -- he pushed open the door -- " and that , I presume is the dressing-room in which he sat smoking when the alarm was given . Where does the window of that look out to ? " He stepped across the bedroom , pushed open the door , and glanced round the other chamber .

" I hope that you are satisfied now ? " said Mr. Cunningham tartly .

" Thank you , I think I have seen all that I wished . "

" Then if it is really necessary we can go into my room . "

" If it is not too much trouble . "

The J. P. shrugged his shoulders and led the way into his own chamber , which was a plainly furnished and commonplace room . As we moved across it in the direction of the window , Holmes fell back until he and I were the last of the group . Near the foot of the bed stood a dish of oranges and a carafe of water . As we passed it Holmes , to my unutterable astonishment , leaned over in front of me and deliberately knocked the whole thing over . The glass smashed into a thousand pieces and the fruit rolled about into every corner of the room .

" You've done it now , Watson , " said he coolly . " A pretty mess you've made of the carpet . "

I stooped in some confusion and began to pick up the fruit , understanding for some reason my companion desired me to take the blame upon myself . The others did the same and set the table on its legs again .

" Hullo ! " cried the inspector , " where's he got to ? "

Holmes had disappeared .

" Wait here an instant , " said young Alec Cunningham . " The fellow is off his head , in my opinion . Come with me , father , and see where he has got to ! "

They rushed out of the room , leaving the inspector , the colonel , and me staring at each other .

" 'Pon my word , I am inclined to agree with Master Alec , " said the official . " It may be the effect of this illness , but it seems to me that -- "

His words were cut short by a sudden scream of " Help ! Help ! Murder ! " With a thrill I recognized the voice as that of my friend . I rushed madly from the room on to the landing . The cries which had sunk down into a hoarse , inarticulate shouting , came from the room which we had first visited . I dashed in , and on into the dressing-room beyond . The two Cunninghams were bending over the prostrate figure of Sherlock Holmes , the younger clutching his throat with both hands , while the elder seemed to be twisting one of his wrists . In an instant the three of us had torn them away from him , and Holmes staggered to his feet , very pale and evidently greatly exhausted .

" Arrest these men , Inspector , " he gasped .

" On what charge ? "

" That of murdering their coachman , William Kirwan . "

The inspector stared about him in bewilderment . " Oh , come now , Mr. Holmes , " said he at last , " I'm sure you don't really mean to -- "

" Tut , man , look at their faces ! " cried Holmes curtly .

Never certainly have I seen a plainer confession of guilt upon human countenances . The older man seemed numbed and dazed , with a heavy , sullen expression upon his strongly marked face . The son , on the other hand , had dropped all that jaunty , dashing style which had characterized him , and the ferocity of a dangerous wild beast gleamed in his dark eyes and distorted his handsome features . The inspector said nothing , but , stepping to the door , he blew his whistle . Two of his constables came at the call .

" I have no alternative , Mr. Cunningham , " said he . " I trust that this may all prove to be an absurd mistake , but you can see that Ah , would you ? Drop it ! " He struck out with his hand , and a revolver which the younger man was in the act of cocking clattered down upon the floor .

" Keep that , " said Holmes , quietly putting his foot upon it ; " you will find it useful at the trial . But this is what we really wanted . " He held up a little crumpled piece of paper .

" The remainder of the sheet ! " cried the inspector .

" Precisely . "

" And where was it ? "

" Where I was sure it must be . I'll make the whole matter clear to you presently . I think , Colonel , that you and Watson might return now , and I will be with you again in an hour at the furthest . The inspector and I must have a word with the prisoners , but you will certainly see me back at luncheon time . "

Sherlock Holmes was as good as his word , for about one o'clock he rejoined us in the colonel's smoking-room . He was accompanied by a little elderly gentleman , who was introduced to me as the Mr. Acton whose house had been the scene of the original burglary .

" I wished Mr. Acton to be present while I demonstrated this small matter to you , " said Holmes , " for it is natural that he should take a keen interest in the details . I am afraid , my dear Colonel , that you must regret the hour that you took in such a stormy petrel as I am . "

" On the contrary , " answered the colonel warmly , " I consider it the greatest privilege to have been permitted to study your methods of working . I confess that they quite surpass my expectations , and that I am utterly unable to account for your result . I have not yet seen the vestige of a clue . "

" I am afraid that my explanation may disillusion you , but it has always been my habit to hide none of my methods , either from my friend Watson or from anyone who might take an intelligent interest in them . But , first , as I am rather shaken by the knocking about which I had in the dressing-room . I think that I shall help myself to a dash of your brandy , Colonel . My strength has been rather tried of late . "

" I trust you had no more of those nervous attacks . "

Sherlock Holmes laughed heartily . " We will come to that in its turn , " said he . " I will lay an account of the case before you in its due order , showing you the various points which guided me in my decision . Pray interrupt me if there is any inference which is not perfectly clear to you .

" It is of the highest importance in the art of detection to be able to recognize , out of a number of facts , which are incidental and which vital . Otherwise your energy and attention must be dissipated instead of being concentrated . Now , in this case there was not the slightest doubt in my mind from the first that the key of the whole matter must be looked for in the scrap of paper in the dead man's hand .

" Before going into this , I would draw your attention to the fact that , if Alec Cunningham's narrative was correct , and if the assailant , after shooting William Kirwan , had instantly fled , then it obviously could not be he who tore the paper from the dead man's hand . But if it was not he , it must have been Alec Cunningham himself , for by the time that the old man had descended several servants were upon the scene . The point is a simple one , but the inspector had overlooked it because he had started with the supposition that these county magnates had had nothing to do with the matter . Now , I make a point of never having any prejudices , and of following docilely wherever fact may lead me , and so , in the very first stage of the investigation , I found myself looking a little askance at the part which had been played by Mr. Alec Cunningham .

" And now I made a very careful examination of the corner of paper which the inspector had submitted to us . It was at once clear to me that it formed part of a very remarkable document . Here it is . Do you not now observe something very suggestive about it ? "

" It has a very irregular look , " said the colonel .

" My dear sir , " cried Holmes , " there cannot be the least doubt in the world that it has been written by two persons doing alternate words . When I draw your attention to the strong t's of ' at ' and ' to , ' and ask you to compare them with the weak ones of ' quarter ' and ' twelve , ' you will instantly recognize the fact . A very brief analysis of these four words would enable you to say with the utmost confidence that the ' learn ' and the ' maybe ' are written in the stronger hand , and the ' what ' in the weaker . "

" By Jove , it's as clear as day ! " cried the colonel . " Why on earth should two men write a letter in such a fashion ? "

" Obviously the business was a bad one , and one of the men who distrusted the other was determined that , whatever was done , each should have an equal hand in it . Now , of the two men , it is clear that the one who wrote the ' at ' and ' to ' was the ringleader . "

" How do you get at that ? "

" We might deduce it from the mere character of the one hand as compared with the other . But we have more assured reasons than that for supposing it . If you examine this scrap with attention you will come to the conclusion that the man with the stronger hand wrote all his words first , leaving blanks for the other to fill up . These blanks were not always sufficient , and you can see that the second man had a squeeze to fit his ' quarter ' in between the ' at ' and the ' to , ' showing that the latter were already written . The man who wrote all his words first is undoubtedly the man who planned the affair . "

" Excellent ! " cried Mr. Acton .

" But very superficial , " said Holmes . " We come now , however , to a point which is of importance . You may not be aware that the deduction of a man's age from his writing is one which has been brought to considerable accuracy by experts . In normal cases one can place a man in his true decade with tolerable confidence . I say normal cases , because ill-health and physical weakness reproduce the signs of old age , even when the invalid is a youth . In this case , looking at the bold , strong hand of the one , and the rather broken-backed appearance of the other , which still retains its legibility although the t's have begun to lose their crossing , we can say that the one was a young man and the other was advanced in years without being positively decrepit . "

" Excellent ! " cried Mr. Acton again .

" There is a further point , however , which is subtler and of greater interest . There is something in common between these hands . They belong to men who are blood-relatives . It may be most obvious to you in the Greek e's , but to me there are many small points which indicate the same thing . I have no doubt at all that a family mannerism can be traced in these two specimens of writing . I am only , of course , giving you the leading results now of my examination of the paper . There were twenty-three other deductions which would be of more interest to experts than to you . They all tend to deepen the impression upon my mind that the Cunninghams , father and son , had written this letter .

" Having got so far , my next step was , of course , to examine into the details of the crime , and to see how far they would help us . I went up to the house with the inspector and saw all that was to be seen . The wound upon the dead man was , as I was able to determine with absolute confidence , fired from a revolver at the distance of something over four yards . There was no powder-blackening on the clothes . Evidently , therefore , Alec Cunningham had lied when he said that the two men were struggling when the shot was fired . Again , both father and son agreed as to the place where the man escaped into the road . At that point , however , as it happens , there is a broadish ditch , moist at the bottom . As there were no indications of boot-marks about this ditch , I was absolutely sure not only that the Cunninghams had again lied but that there had never been any unknown man upon the scene at all .

" And now I have to consider the motive of this singular crime . To get at this , I endeavoured first of all to solve the reason of the original burglary at Mr. Acton's . I understood , from something which the colonel told us , that a lawsuit had been going on between you , Mr. Acton , and the Cunninghams . Of course , it instantly occurred to me that they had broken into your library with the intention of getting at some document which might be of importance in the case . "

" Precisely so , " said Mr. Acton . " There can be no possible doubt as to their intentions . I have the clearest claim upon half of their present estate , and if they could have found a single paper -- which , fortunately , was in the strong-box of my solicitors -- they would undoubtedly have crippled our case . "

" There you are , " said Holmes , smiling . " It was a dangerous , reckless attempt in which I seem to trace the influence of young Alec . Having found nothing , they tried to divert suspicion by making it appear to be an ordinary burglary , to which end they carried off whatever they could lay their hands upon . That is all clear enough , but there was much that was still obscure . What I wanted , above all , was to get the missing part of that note . I was certain that Alec had torn it out of the dead man's hand , and almost certain that he must have thrust it into the pocket of his dressing-gown . Where else could he have put it ? The only question was whether it was still there . It was worth an effort to find out , and for that object we all went up to the house .

" The Cunninghams joined us , as you doubtless remember outside the kitchen door . It was , of course , of the very first importance that they should not be reminded of the existence of this paper otherwise they would naturally destroy it without delay . The inspector was about to tell them the importance which we attached to it when , by the luckiest chance in the world , I tumbled down in a sort of fit and so changed the conversation . "

" Good heavens ! " cried the colonel , laughing , " do you mean to say all our sympathy was wasted and your fit an imposture ? "

" Speaking professionally , it was admirably done , " cried I , looking in amazement at this man who was forever confounding me with some new phase of his astuteness .

" It is an art which is often useful , " said he . " When I recovered I managed , by a device which had perhaps some little merit of ingenuity , to get old Cunningham to write the word ' twelve , ' so that I might compare it with the ' twelve ' upon the paper . "

" Oh , what an ass I have been ! " I exclaimed .

" I could see that you were commiserating me over my weakness , " said Holmes , laughing . " I was sorry to cause you the sympathetic pain which I know that you felt . We then went upstairs together , and , having entered the room and seen the dressing-gown hanging up behind the door , I contrived , by upsetting a table , to engage their attention for the moment and slipped back to examine the pockets . I had hardly got the paper , however -- which was , as I had expected , in one of them -- when the two Cunninghams were on me , and would , I verily believe , have murdered me then and there but for your prompt and friendly aid . As it is , I feel that young man's grip on my throat now , and the father has twisted my wrist round in the effort to get the paper out of my hand . They saw that I must know all about it , you see , and the sudden change from absolute security to complete despair made them perfectly desperate .

" I had a little talk with old Cunningham afterwards as to the motive of the crime . He was tractable enough , though his son was a perfect demon , ready to blow out his own or anybody else's brains if he could have got to his revolver . When Cunningham saw that the case against him was so strong he lost all heart and made a clean breast of everything . It seems that William had secretly followed his two masters on the night when they made their raid upon Mr. Acton's and , having thus got them into his power , proceeded , under threats of exposure , to levy blackmail upon them . Mr. Alec , however , was a dangerous man to play games of that sort with . It was a stroke of positive genius on his part to see in the burglary scare which was convulsing the countryside an opportunity of plausibly getting rid of the man whom he feared . William was decoyed up and shot , and had they only got the whole of the note and paid a little more attention to detail in their accessories , it is very possible that suspicion might never have been aroused . "

" And the note ? " I asked .

Sherlock Holmes placed the subjoined paper before us .

IF YOU WILL ONLY COME AROUND TO THE EAST GATE YOU WILL WILL VERY MUCH SURPRISE YOU AND BE OF THE GREATEST SERVICE TO YOU AND ALSO TO ANNIE MORRISON . BUT SAY NOTHING TO ANYONE UPON THE MATTER .

" It is very much the sort of thing that I expected , " said he . " Of course , we do not yet know what the relations may have been between Alec Cunningham , William Kirwan , and Annie Morrison . The result shows that the trap was skilfully baited . I am sure that you cannot fail to be delighted with the traces of heredity shown in the p's and in the tails of the g's . The absence of the i-dots in the old man's writing is also most characteristic . Watson , I think our quiet rest in the country has been a distinct success , and I shall certainly return much invigorated to Baker Street to-morrow . "

In glancing over the somewhat incoherent series of Memoirs with which I have endeavoured to illustrate a few of the mental peculiarities of my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes , I have been struck by the difficulty which I have experienced in picking out examples which shall in every way answer my purpose . For in those cases in which Holmes has performed some tour de force of analytical reasoning , and has demonstrated the value of his peculiar methods of investigation , the facts themselves have often been so slight or so commonplace that I could not feel justified in laying them before the public . On the other hand , it has frequently happened that he has been concerned in some research where the facts have been of the most remarkable and dramatic character , but where the share which he has himself taken in determining their causes has been less pronounced than I , as his biographer , could wish . The small matter which I have chronicled under the heading of " A Study in Scarlet , " and that other later one connected with the loss of the Gloria Scott , may serve as examples of this Scylla and Charybdis which are forever threatening the historian . It may be that in the business of which I am now about to write the part which my friend played is not sufficiently accentuated ; and yet the whole train of circumstances is so remarkable that I cannot bring myself to omit it entirely from this series .

It had been a close , rainy day in October . Our blinds were half-drawn , and Holmes lay curled upon the sofa , reading and re-reading a letter which he had received by the morning post . For myself , my term of service in India had trained me to stand heat better than cold , and a thermometer of ninety was no hardship . But the paper was uninteresting . Parliament had risen . Everybody was out of town , and I yearned for the glades of the New Forest or the shingle of Southsea . A depleted bank account had caused me to postpone my holiday , and as to my companion , neither the country nor the sea presented the slightest attraction to him . He loved to lie in the very centre of five millions of people , with his filaments stretching out and running through them , responsive to every little rumour or suspicion of unsolved crime . Appreciation of nature found no place among his many gifts , and his only change was when he turned his mind from the evildoer of the town to track down his brother of the country .

Finding that Holmes was too absorbed for conversation , I had tossed aside the barren paper , and , leaning back in my chair I fell into a brown study . Suddenly my companion's voice broke in upon my thoughts .

" You are right , Watson , " said he . " It does seem a very preposterous way of settling a dispute . "

" Most preposterous ! " I exclaimed , and then , suddenly realizing how he had echoed the inmost thought of my soul , I sat up in my chair and stared at him in blank amazement .

" What is this , Holmes ? " I cried . " This is beyond anything which I could have imagined . "

He laughed heartily at my perplexity .

" You remember , " said he , " that some little time ago , when I read you the passage in one of Poe's sketches , in which a close reasoner follows the unspoken thoughts of his companion , you were inclined to treat the matter as a mere tour de force of the author . On my remarking that I was constantly in the habit of doing the same thing you expressed incredulity . "

" Oh , no ! "

" Perhaps not with your tongue , my dear Watson , but certainly with your eyebrows . So when I saw you throw down your paper and enter upon a train of thought , I was very happy to have the opportunity of reading it off , and eventually of breaking into it , as a proof that I had been in rapport with you . "

But I was still far from satisfied . " In the example which you read to me , " said I , " the reasoner drew his conclusions from the actions of the man whom he observed . If I remember right , he stumbled over a heap of stones , looked up at the stars , and so on . But I have been seated quietly in my chair , and what clues can I have given you ? "

" You do yourself an injustice . The features are given to man as the means by which he shall express his emotions , and yours are faithful servants . "

" Do you mean to say that you read my train of thoughts from my features ? "

" Your features , and especially your eyes . Perhaps you cannot yourself recall how your reverie commenced ? "

" No , I cannot . "

" Then I will tell you . After throwing down your paper , which was the action which drew my attention to you , you sat for half a minute with a vacant expression . Then your eyes fixed themselves upon your newly framed picture of General Gordon , and I saw by the alteration in your face that a train of thought had been started . But it did not lead very far . Your eyes turned across to the unframed portrait of Henry Ward Beecher , which stands upon the top of your books . You then glanced up at the wall , and of course your meaning was obvious . You were thinking that if the portrait were framed it would just cover that bare space and correspond with Gordon's picture over there . "

" You have followed me wonderfully ! " I exclaimed .

" So far I could hardly have gone astray . But now your thoughts went back to Beecher , and you looked hard across as if you were studying the character in his features . Then your eyes ceased to pucker , but you continued to look across , and your face was thoughtful . You were recalling the incidents of Beecher's career . I was well aware that you could not do this without thinking of the mission which he undertook on behalf of the North at the time of the Civil War , for I remember you expressing your passionate indignation at the way in which he was received by the more turbulent of our people . You felt so strongly about it that I knew you could not think of Beecher without thinking of that also . When a moment later I saw your eyes wander away from the picture , I suspected that your mind had now turned to the Civil War , and when I observed that your lips set , your eyes sparkled , and your hands clinched , I was positive that you were indeed thinking of the gallantry which was shown by both sides in that desperate struggle . But then , again , your face grew sadder ; you shook your head . You were dwelling upon the sadness and horror and useless waste of life . Your hand stole towards your own old wound , and a smile quivered on your lips , which showed me that the ridiculous side of this method of settling international questions had forced itself upon your mind . At this point I agreed with you that it was preposterous , and was glad to find that all my deductions had been correct .

" Absolutely ! " said I . " And now that you have explained it , I confess that I am as amazed as before . "

" It was very superficial , my dear Watson , I assure you . I should not have intruded it upon your attention had you not shown some incredulity the other day . But the evening has brought a breeze with it . What do you say to a ramble through London ? "

I was weary of our little sitting-room and gladly acquiesced . For three hours we strolled about together , watching the everchanging kaleidoscope of life as it ebbs and flows through Fleet Street and the Strand . His characteristic talk , with its keen observance of detail and subtle power of inference , held me amused and enthralled . It was ten o'clock before we reached Baker Street again . A brougham was waiting at our door .

" Hum ! A doctor's -- general practitioner , I perceive , " said Holmes . " Not been long in practice , but has a good deal to do . Come to consult us , I fancy ! Lucky we came back ! "

I was sufficiently conversant with Holmes's methods to be able to follow his reasoning , and to see that the nature and state of the various medical instruments in the wicker basket which hung in the lamp-light inside the brougham had given him the data for his swift deduction . The light in our window above showed that this late visit was indeed intended for us . With some curiosity as to what could have sent a brother medico to us at such an hour , I followed Holmes into our sanctum .

A pale , taper-faced man with sandy whiskers rose up from a chair by the fire as we entered . His age may not have been more than three or four and thirty , but his haggard expression and unhealthy hue told of a life which had sapped his strength and robbed him of his youth . His manner was nervous and shy , like that of a sensitive gentleman , and the thin white hand which he laid on the mantelpiece as he rose was that of an artist rather than of a surgeon . His dress was quiet and sombre -- a black frockcoat , dark trousers , and a touch of colour about his necktie .

" Good-evening , Doctor , " said Holmes cheerily . " I am glad to see that you have only been waiting a very few minutes . "

" You spoke to my coachman , then ? "

" No , it was the candle on the side-table that told me . Pray resume your seat and let me know how I can serve you . "

" My name is Dr. Percy Trevelyan , " said our visitor , " and I live at 403 Brook Street . "

" Are you not the author of a monograph upon obscure nervous lesions ? " I asked .

His pale cheeks flushed with pleasure at hearing that his work was known to me .

" I so seldom hear of the work that I thought it was quite dead , " said he . " My publishers gave me a most discouraging account of its sale . You are yourself , I presume , a medical man . "

" A retired army surgeon . "

" My own hobby has always been nervous disease . I should wish to make it an absolute specialty , but of course a man must take what he can get at first . This , however , is beside the question , Mr. Sherlock Holmes , and I quite appreciate how valuable your time is . The fact is that a very singular train of events has occurred recently at my house in Brook Street , and to-night they came to such a head that I felt it was quite impossible for me to wait another hour before asking for your advice and assistance . "

Sherlock Holmes sat down and lit his pipe . " You are very welcome to both , " said he . " Pray let me have a detailed account of what the circumstances are which have disturbed you . "

" One or two of them are so trivial , " said Dr. Trevelyan " that really I am almost ashamed to mention them . But the matter is so inexplicable , and the recent turn which it has taken is so elaborate , that I shall lay it all before you , and you shall judge what is essential and what is not .

" I am compelled , to begin with , to say something of my own college career . I am a London University man , you know , and I am sure that you will not think that I am unduly singing my own praises if I say that my student career was considered by my professors to be a very promising one . After I had graduated I continued to devote myself to research , occupying a minor position in King's College Hospital , and I was fortunate enough to excite considerable interest by my research into the pathology of catalepsy , and finally to win the Bruce Pinkerton prize and medal by the monograph on nervous lesions to which your friend has just alluded . I should not go too far if I were to say that there was a general impression at that time that a distinguished career lay before me .

" But the one great stumbling-block lay in my want of capital . As you will readily understand , a specialist who aims high is compelled to start in one of a dozen streets in the Cavendish Square quarter , all of which entail enormous rents and furnishing expenses . Besides this preliminary outlay , he must be prepared to keep himself for some years , and to hire a presentable carriage and horse . To do this was quite beyond my power , and I could only hope that by economy I might in ten years' time save enough to enable me to put up my plate . Suddenly , however , an unexpected incident opened up quite a new prospect to me .

" This was a visit from a gentleman of the name of Blessington , who was a complete stranger to me . He came up into my room one morning , and plunged into business in an instant .

" ' You are the same Percy Trevelyan who has had so distinguished a career and won a great prize lately ? ' said he .

" I bowed .

" ' Answer me frankly , ' he continued , ' for you will find it to your interest to do so . You have all the cleverness which makes a successful man . Have you the tact ? '

" I could not help smiling at the abruptness of the question .

" ' I trust that I have my share , ' I said .

" ' Any bad habits ? Not drawn towards drink , eh ? '

" ' Really , sir ! ' I cried .

" ' Quite right ! That's all right ! But I was bound to ask . With all these qualities , why are you not in practice ? '

" I shrugged my shoulders .

" ' Come , come ! ' said he in his bustling way . ' It's the old story . More in your brains than in your pocket , eh ? What would you say if I were to start you in Brook Street ? '

" I stared at him in astonishment .

" ' Oh , it's for my sake , not for yours , ' he cried . ' I'll be perfectly frank with you , and if it suits you it will suit me very well . I have a few thousands to invest , d'ye see , and I think I'll sink them in you . '

" ' But why ? ' I gasped .

" ' Well , it's just like any other speculation , and safer than most . '

" ' What am I to do , then ? '

" ' I'll tell you . I'll take the house , furnish it , pay the maids , and run the whole place . All you have to do is just to wear out your chair in the consulting-room . I'll let you have pocket-money and everything . Then you hand over to me three quarters of what you earn , and you keep the other quarter for yourself . '

" This was the strange proposal , Mr. Holmes , with which the man Blessington approached me . I won't weary you with the account of how we bargained and negotiated . It ended in my moving into the house next Lady Day , and starting in-practice on very much the same conditions as he had suggested . He came himself to live with me in the character of a resident patient . His heart was weak , it appears , and he needed constant medical supervision . He turned the two best rooms of the first floor into a sitting-room and bedroom for himself . He was a man of singular habits , shunning company and very seldom going out . His life was irregular , but in one respect he was regularity itself . Every evening , at the same hour , he walked into the consulting-room , examined the books , put down five and three-pence for every guinea that I had earned , and carried the rest off to the strong-box in his own room .

" I may say with confidence that he never had occasion to regret his speculation . From the first it was a success . A few good cases and the reputation which I had won in the hospital brought me rapidly to the front , and during the last few years I have made him a rich man .

" So much , Mr. Holmes , for my past history and my relations with Mr. Blessington . It only remains for me now to tell you what has occurred to bring me here tonight .

" Some weeks ago Mr. Blessington came down to me in , as it seemed to me , a state of considerable agitation . He spoke of some burglary which , he said , had been committed in the West End , and he appeared , I remember , to be quite unnecessarily excited about it , declaring that a day should not pass before we should add stronger bolts to our windows and doors . For a week he continued to be in a peculiar state of restlessness , peering continually out of the windows , and ceasing to take the short walk which had usually been the prelude to his dinner . From his manner it struck me that he was in mortal dread of something or somebody , but when I questioned him upon the point he became so offensive that I was compelled to drop the subject . Gradually , as time passed , his fears appeared to die away , and he renewed his former habits , when a fresh event reduced him to the pitiable state of prostration in which he now lies .

" What happened was this . Two days ago I received the letter which I now read to you . Neither address nor date is attached to it .

" A Russian nobleman who is now resident in England [ it runs ] , would be glad to avail himself of the professional assistance of Dr. Percy Trevelyan . He has been for some years a victim to cataleptic attacks , on which , as is well known , Dr. Trevelyan is an authority . He proposes to call at about a quarter-past six to-morrow evening , if Dr. Trevelyan will make it convenient to be at home .

" This letter interested me deeply , because the chief difficulty in the study of catalepsy is the rareness of the disease . You may believe , then , that I was in my consulting-room when , at the appointed hour , the page showed in the patient .

" He was an elderly man , thin , demure , and commonplace -- by no means the conception one forms of a Russian nobleman . I was much more struck by the appearance of his companion . This was a tall young man , surprisingly handsome , with a dark , fierce face , and the limbs and chest of a Hercules . He had his hand under the other's arm as they entered , and helped him to a chair with a tenderness which one would hardly have expected from his appearance .

" ' You will excuse my coming in , Doctor , ' said he to me , speaking English with a slight lisp . ' This is my father , and his health is a matter of the most overwhelming importance to me . '

" I was touched by this filial anxiety . ' You would , perhaps , care to remain during the consultation ? ' said I .

" ' Not for the world , ' he cried with a gesture of horror . ' It is more painful to me than I can express . If I were to see my father in one of these dreadful seizures I am convinced that I should never survive it . My own nervous system is an exceptionally sensitive one . With your permission , I will remain in the waiting-room while you go into my father's case . '

" To this , of course , I assented , and the young man withdrew . The patient and I then plunged into a discussion of his case , of which I took exhaustive notes . He was not remarkable for intelligence , and his answers were frequently obscure , which I attributed to his limited acquaintance with our language . Suddenly , however , as I sat writing , he ceased to give any answer at all to my inquiries , and on my turning towards him I was shocked to see that he was sitting bolt upright in his chair , staring at me with a perfectly blank and rigid face . He was again in the grip of his mysterious malady .

" My first feeling , as I have just said , was one of pity and horror . My second , I fear , was rather one of professional satisfaction . I made notes of my patient's pulse and temperature , tested the rigidity of his muscles , and examined his reflexes . There was nothing markedly abnormal in any of these conditions , which harmonized with my former experiences . I had obtained good results in such cases by the inhalation of nitrite of amyl , and the present seemed an admirable opportunity of testing its virtues . The bottle was downstairs in my laboratory , so , leaving my patient seated in his chair , I ran down to get it . There was some little delay in finding it -- five minutes , let us say -- and then I returned . Imagine my amazement to find the room empty and the patient gone .

" Of course , my first act was to run into the waiting-room . The son had gone also . The hall door had been closed , but not shut . My page who admits patients is a new boy and by no means quick . He waits downstairs and runs up to show patients out when I ring the consulting-room bell . He had heard nothing , and the affair remained a complete mystery . Mr. Blessington came in from his walk shortly afterwards , but I did not say anything to him upon the subject , for , to tell the truth , I have got in the way of late of holding as little communication with him as possible .

" Well , I never thought that I should see anything more of the Russian and his son , so you can imagine my amazement when , at the very same hour this evening , they both came marching into my consulting-room , just as they had done before .

" ' I feel that I owe you a great many apologies for my abrupt departure yesterday , Doctor , ' said my patient .

" ' I confess that I was very much surprised at it , ' said I .

" ' Well , the fact is , ' he remarked , ' that when I recover from these attacks my mind is always very clouded as to all that has gone before . I woke up in a strange room , as it seemed to me , and made my way out into the street in a sort of dazed way when you were absent . '

" ' And I , ' said the son , ' seeing my father pass the door of the waiting-room , naturally thought that the consultation had come to an end . It was not until we had reached home that I began to realize the true state of affairs . '

" ' Well , ' said I , laughing , ' there is no harm done except that you puzzled me terribly ; so if you , sir , would kindly step into the waiting-room I shall be happy to continue our consultation which was brought to so abrupt an ending . '

" For half an hour or so I discussed the old gentleman's symptoms with him , and then , having prescribed for him , I saw him go off upon the arm of his son .

" I have told you that Mr. Blessington generally chose this hour of the day for his exercise . He came in shortly afterwards and passed upstairs . An instant later I heard him running down , and he burst into my consulting-room like a man who is mad with panic .

" ' Who has been in my room ? ' he cried .

" ' No one , ' said I .

" ' It's a lie ! ' he yelled . ' Come up and look ! '

" I passed over the grossness of his language , as he seemed half out of his mind with fear . When I went upstairs with him he pointed to several footprints upon the light carpet .

" ' Do you mean to say those are mine ? ' he cried .

" They were certainly very much larger than any which he could have made , and were evidently quite fresh . It rained hard this afternoon , as you know , and my patients were the only people who called . It must have been the case , then , that the man in the waiting-room had , for some unknown reason , while I was busy with the other , ascended to the room of my resident patient . Nothing had been touched or taken , but there were the footprints to prove that the intrusion was an undoubted fact .

" Mr. Blessington seemed more excited over the matter than I should have thought possible , though of course it was enough to disturb anybody's peace of mind . He actually sat crying in an armchair , and I could hardly get him to speak coherently . It was his suggestion that I should come round to you , and of course I at once saw the propriety of it , for certainly the incident is a very singular one , though he appears to completely overrate its importance . If you would only come back with me in my brougham , you would at least be able to soothe him , though I can hardly hope that you will be able to explain this remarkable occurrence . "

Sherlock Holmes had listened to this long narrative with an intentness which showed me that his interest was keenly aroused . His face was as impassive as ever , but his lids had drooped more heavily over his eyes , and his smoke had curled up more thickly from his pipe to emphasize each curious episode in the doctor's tale . As our visitor concluded , Holmes sprang up without a word , handed me my hat , picked his own from the table , and followed Dr. Trevelyan to the door . Within a quarter of an hour we had been dropped at the door of the physician's residence in Brook Street , one of those sombre , flat-faced houses which one associates with a West End practice . A small page admitted us , and we began at once to ascend the broad , well-carpeted stair .

But a singular interruption brought us to a standstill . The light at the top was suddenly whisked out , and from the darkness came a reedy , quavering voice .

" I have a pistol , " it cried . " I give you my word that I'll fire if you come any nearer . "

" This really grows outrageous , Mr. Blessington , " cried Dr. Trevelyan .

" Oh , then it is you , Doctor . " said the voice with a great heave of relief . " But those other gentlemen , are they what they pretend to be ? "

We were conscious of a long scrutiny out of the darkness .

" Yes , yes , it's all right , " said the voice at last . " You can come up , and I am sorry if my precautions have annoyed you . "

He relit the stair gas as he spoke , and we saw before us a singular-looking man , whose appearance , as well as his voice , testified to his jangled nerves . He was very fat , but had apparently at some time been much fatter , so that the skin hung about his face in loose pouches , like the cheeks of a bloodhound . He was of a sickly colour , and his thin , sandy hair seemed to bristle up with the intensity of his emotion . In his hand he held a pistol , but he thrust it into his pocket as we advanced .

" Good-evening , Mr. Holmes , " said he . " I am sure I am very much obliged to you for coming round . No one ever needed your advice more than I do . I suppose that Dr. Trevelyan has told you of this most unwarrantable intrusion into my rooms . "

" Quite so , " said Holmes . " Who are these two men , Mr. Blessington , and why do they wish to molest you ? "

" Well , well , " said the resident patient in a nervous fashion , " of course it is hard to say that . You can hardly expect me to answer that , Mr. Holmes . "

" Do you mean that you don't know ? "

" Come in here , if you please . Just have the kindness to step in here . "

He led the way into his bedroom , which was large and comfortably furnished .

" You see that , " said he , pointing to a big black box at the end of his bed . " I have never been a very rich man , Mr. Holmes -- never made but one investment in my life , as Dr. Trevelyan would tell you . But I don't believe in bankers . I would never trust a banker , Mr. Holmes . Between ourselves , what little I have is in that box , so you can understand what it means to me when unknown people force themselves into my rooms . "

Holmes looked at Blessington in his questioning way and shook his head .

" I cannot possibly advise you if you try to deceive me , " said he .

" But I have told you everything . "

Holmes turned on his heel with a gesture of disgust . " Good-night , Dr. Trevelyan , " said he .

" And no advice for me ? " cried Blessington in a breaking voice .

" My advice to you , sir , is to speak the truth . "

A minute later we were in the street and walking for home . We had crossed Oxford Street and were halfway down Harley Street before I could get a word from my companion .

" Sorry to bring you out on such a fool's errand , Watson , " he said at last . " It is an interesting case , too , at the bottom of it . "

" I can make little of it , " I confessed .

" Well , it is quite evident that there are two men -- more perhaps , but at least two -- who are determined for some reason to get at this fellow Blessington . I have no doubt in my mind that both on the first and on the second occasion that young man penetrated to Blessington's room , while his confederate , by an ingenious device , kept the doctor from interfering . "

" And the catalepsy ? "

" A fraudulent imitation , Watson , though I should hardly dare to hint as much to our specialist . It is a very easy complaint to imitate . I have done it myself . "

" And then ? "

" By the purest chance Blessington was out on each occasion . Their reason for choosing so unusual an hour for a consultation was obviously to insure that there should be no other patient in the waiting-room . It just happened , however , that this hour coincided with Blessington's constitutional , which seems to show that they were not very well acquainted with his daily routine . Of course , if they had been merely after plunder they would at least have made some attempt to search for it . Besides , I can read in a man's eye when it is his own skin that he is frightened for . It is inconceivable that this fellow could have made two such vindictive enemies as these appear to be without knowing of it . I hold it , therefore , to be certain that he does know who these men are , and that for reasons of his own he suppresses it . It is just possible that to-morrow may find him in a more communicative mood . "

" Is there not one alternative , " I suggested , " grotesquely improbable , no doubt , but still just conceivable ? Might the whole story of the cataleptic Russian and his son be a concoction of Dr. Trevelyan's , who has , for his own purposes , been in Blessington's rooms ? "

I saw in the gas-light that Holmes wore an amused smile at this brilliant departure of mine .

" My dear fellow , " said he , " it was one of the first solutions which occurred to me , but I was soon able to corroborate the doctor's tale . This young man has left prints upon the stair-carpet which made it quite superfluous for me to ask to see those which he had made in the room . When I tell you that his shoes were square-toed instead of being pointed like Blessington's , and were quite an inch and a third longer than the doctor's , you will acknowledge that there can be no doubt as to his individuality . But we may sleep on it now , for I shall be surprised if we do not hear something further from Brook Street in the morning . "

Sherlock Holmes's prophecy was soon fulfilled , and in a dramatic fashion . At half-past seven next morning , in the first dim glimmer of daylight , I found him standing by my bedside in his dressing-gown .

" There's a brougham waiting for us , Watson , " said he .

" What's the matter , then ? "

" The Brook Street business . "

" Any fresh news ? "

" Tragic , but ambiguous , " said he , pulling up the blind . " Look at this -- a sheet from a notebook , with ' For God's sake come at once . P. T. , ' scrawled upon it in pencil . Our friend , the doctor , was hard put to it when he wrote this . Come along , my dear fellow , for it's an urgent call . "

In a quarter of an hour or so we were back at the physician's house . He came running out to meet us with a face of horror .

" Oh , such a business ! " he cried with his hands to his temples .

" What then ? "

" Blessington has committed suicide ! "

Holmes whistled .

" Yes , he hanged himself during the night . "

We had entered , and the doctor had preceded us into what was evidently his waiting-room .

" I really hardly know what I am doing , " he cried . " The police are already upstairs . It has shaken me most dreadfully . "

" When did you find it out ? "

" He has a cup of tea taken in to him early every morning . When the maid entered , about seven , there the unfortunate fellow was hanging in the middle of the room . He had tied his cord to the hook on which the heavy lamp used to hang , and he had jumped off from the top of the very box that he showed us yesterday . "

Holmes stood for a moment in deep thought .

" With your permission , " said he at last , " I should like to go upstairs and look into the matter . "

We both ascended , followed by the doctor .

It was a dreadful sight which met us as we entered the bedroom door . I have spoken of the impression of flabbiness which this man Blessington conveyed . As he dangled from the hook it was exaggerated and intensified until he was scarce human in his appearance . The neck was drawn out like a plucked chicken's , making the rest of him seem the more obese and unnatural by the contrast . He was clad only in his long nightdress , and his swollen ankles and ungainly feet protruded starkly from beneath it . Beside him stood a smart-looking police-inspector , who was taking notes in a pocketbook

" Ah , Mr. Holmes , " said he heartily as my friend entered , " I am delighted to see you . "

" Good-morning , Lanner , " answered Holmes , " you won't think me an intruder , I am sure . Have you heard of the events which led up to this affair ? "

" Yes , I heard something of them . "

" Have you formed any opinion ? "

" As far as I can see , the man has been driven out of his senses by fright . The bed has been well slept in , you see . There's his impression , deep enough . It's about five in the morning , you know , that suicides are most common . That would be about his time for hanging himself . It seems to have been a very deliberate affair . "

" I should say that he has been dead about three hours , judging by the rigidity of the muscles , " said I .

" Noticed anything peculiar about the room ? " asked Holmes .

" Found a screw-driver and some screws on the wash-hand stand . Seems to have smoked heavily during the night , too . Here are four cigar-ends that I picked out of the fireplace . "

" Hum ! " said Holmes , " have you got his cigar-holder ? "

" No , I have seen none . "

" His cigar-case , then ? "

" Yes , it was in his coat-pocket . "

Holmes opened it and smelled the single cigar which it contained .

" Oh , this is a Havana , and these others are cigars of the peculiar sort which are imported by the Dutch from their East Indian colonies . They are usually wrapped in straw , you know , and are thinner for their length than any other brand . " He picked up the four ends and examined them with his pocket-lens .

" Two of these have been smoked from a holder and two without , " said he . " Two have been cut by a not very sharp knife , and two have had the ends bitten off by a set of excellent teeth . This is no suicide , Mr. Lanner . It is a very deeply planned and cold-blooded murder . "

" Impossible ! " cried the inspector .

" And why ? "

" Why should anyone murder a man in so clumsy a fashion as by hanging him ? "

" That is what we have to find out . "

" How could they get in ? "

" Through the front door . "

" It was barred in the morning . "

" Then it was barred after them . "

" How do you know ? "

" I saw their traces . Excuse me a moment , and I may be able to give you some further information about it . "

He went over to the door , and turning the lock he examined it in his methodical way . Then he took out the key , which was on the inside , and inspected that also . The bed , the carpet , the chairs , the mantelpiece , the dead body , and the rope were each in turn examined , until at last he professed himself satisfied , and with my aid and that of the inspector cut down the wretched object and laid it reverently under a sheet .

" How about this rope ? " he asked .

" It is cut off this , " said Dr. Trevelyan , drawing a large coil from under the bed . " He was morbidly nervous of fire , and always kept this beside him , so that he might escape by the window in case the stairs were burning . "

" That must have saved them trouble , " said Holmes thoughtfully . " Yes , the actual facts are very plain , and I shall be surprised if by the afternoon I cannot give you the reasons for them as well . I will take this photograph of Blessington , which I see upon the mantelpiece , as it may help me in my inquiries . "

" But you have told us nothing ! " cried the doctor .

" Oh , there can be no doubt as to the sequence of events , " said Holmes . " There were three of them in it : the young man , the old man , and a third , to whose identity I have no clue . The first two , I need hardly remark , are the same who masqueraded as the Russian count and his son , so we can give a very full description of them . They were admitted by a confederate inside the house . If I might offer you a word of advice . Inspector , it would be to arrest the page , who , as I understand , has only recently come into your service , Doctor . "

" The young imp cannot be found , " said Dr. Trevelyan ; " the maid and the cook have just been searching for him . "

Holmes shrugged his shoulders .

" He has played a not unimportant part in this drama , " said he . " The three men having ascended the stairs , which they did on tiptoe , the elder man first , the younger man second , and the unknown man in the rear -- "

" My dear Holmes ! " I ejaculated .

" Oh , there could be no question as to the superimposing of the footmarks . I had the advantage of learning which was which last night . They ascended , then , to Mr. Blessington's room , the door of which they found to be locked . With the help of a wire , however , they forced round the key . Even without the lens you will perceive , by the scratches on this ward , where the pressure was applied .

" On entering the room their first proceeding must have been to gag Mr. Blessington . He may have been asleep , or he may have been so paralyzed with terror as to have been unable to cry out . These walls are thick , and it is conceivable that his shriek , if he had time to utter one , was unheard .

" Having secured him , it is evident to me that a consultation of some sort was held . Probably it was something in the nature of a judicial proceeding . It must have lasted for some time , for it was then that these cigars were smoked . The older man sat in that wicker chair ; it was he who used the cigar-holder . The younger man sat over yonder ; he knocked his ash off against the chest of drawers . The third follow paced up and down . Blessington , I think , sat upright in the bed , but of that I cannot be absolutely certain .

" Well , it ended by their taking Blessington and hanging him . The matter was so prearranged that it is my belief that they brought with them some sort of block or pulley which might serve as a gallows . That screw-driver and those screws were , as I conceive , for fixing it up . Seeing the hook , however , they naturally saved themselves the trouble . Having finished their work they made off , and the door was barred behind them by their confederate . "

We had all listened with the deepest interest to this sketch of the night's doings , which Holmes had deduced from signs so subtle and minute that , even when he had pointed them out to us , we could scarcely follow him in his reasonings . The inspector hurried away on the instant to make inquiries about the page , while Holmes and I returned to Baker Street for breakfast .

" I'll be back by three , " said he when we had finished our meal . " Both the inspector and the doctor will meet me here at that hour , and I hope by that time to have cleared up any little obscurity which the case may still present . "

Our visitors arrived at the appointed time , but it was a quarter to four before my friend put in an appearance . From his expression as he entered , however , I could see that all had gone well with him .

" Any news , Inspector ? "

" We have got the boy , sir . "

" Excellent , and I have got the men . "

" You have got them ! " we cried , all three .

" Well , at least I have got their identity . This so-called Blessington is , as I expected , well known at headquarters , and so are his assailants . Their names are Biddle , Hayward , and Moffat . "

" The Worthingdon bank gang , " cried the inspector .

" Precisely , " said Holmes .

" Then Blessington must have been Sutton . "

" Exactly , " said Holmes .

" Why , that makes it as clear as crystal , " said the inspector .

But Trevelyan and I looked at each other in bewilderment .

" You must surely remember the great Worthingdon bank business , " said Holmes . " Five men were in it -- these four and a fifth called Cartwright . Tobin , the caretaker , was murdered , and the thieves got away with seven thousand pounds . This was in 1875 . They were all five arrested , but the evidence against them was by no means conclusive . This Blessington or Sutton , who was the worst of the gang , turned informer . On his evidence Cartwright was hanged and the other three got fifteen years apiece . When they got out the other day , which was some years before their full term , they set themselves , as you perceive , to hunt down the traitor and to avenge the death of their comrade upon him . Twice they tried to get at him and failed ; a third time you see , it came off . Is there anything further which I can explain , Dr. Trevelyan ? "

" I think you have made it all remarkably clear , " said the doctor . " No doubt the day on which he was so perturbed was the day when he had seen of their release in the newspapers . "

" Quite so . His talk about a burglary was the merest blind . "

" But why could he not tell you this ? "

" Well , my dear sir , knowing the vindictive character of his old associates , he was trying to hide his own identity from everybody as long as he could . His secret was a shameful one and he could not bring himself to divulge it . However , wretch as he was , he was still living under the shield of British law , and I have no doubt , Inspector , that you will see that , though that shield may fail to guard , the sword of justice is still there to avenge . "

Such were the singular circumstances in connection with the Resident Patient and the Brook Street Doctor . From that night nothing has been seen of the three murderers by the police , and it is surmised at Scotland Yard that they were among the passengers of the ill-fated steamer Norah Creina , which was lost some years ago with all hands upon the Portuguese coast , some leagues to the north of Oporto . The proceedings against the page broke down for want of evidence , and the Brook Street Mystery , as it was called , has never until now been fully dealt with in any public print .

" I am afraid , Watson that I shall have to go , " said Holmes as we sat down together to our breakfast one morning .

" Go ! Where to ? "

" To Dartmoor ; to King's Pyland . "

I was not surprised . Indeed , my only wonder was that he had not already been mixed up in this extraordinary case , which was the one topic of conversation through the length and breadth of England . For a whole day my companion had rambled about the room with his chin upon his chest and his brows knitted , charging and recharging his pipe with the strongest black tobacco , and absolutely deaf to any of my questions or remarks . Fresh editions of every paper had been sent up by our news agent , only to be glanced over and tossed down into a corner . Yet , silent as he was , I knew perfectly well what it was over which he was brooding . There was but one problem before the public which could challenge his powers of analysis , and that was the singular disappearance of the favourite for the Wessex Cup , and the tragic murder of its trainer . When , therefore , he suddenly announced his intention of setting out for the scene of the drama , it was only what I had both expected and hoped for .

" I should be most happy to go down with you if I should not be in the way , " said I .

" My dear Watson , you would confer a great favour upon me by coming . And I think that your time will not be misspent , for there are points about the case which promise to make it an absolutely unique one . We have , I think , just time to catch our train at Paddington , and I will go further into the matter upon our journey . You would oblige me by bringing with you your very excellent field-glass . "

And so it happened that an hour or so later I found myself in the corner of a first-class carriage flying along en route for Exeter , while Sherlock Holmes , with his sharp , eager face framed in his ear-flapped travelling-cap , dipped rapidly into the bundle of fresh papers which he had procured at Paddington . We had left Reading far behind us before he thrust the last one of them under the seat and offered me his cigar-case .

" We are going well , " said he , looking out of the window and glancing at his watch . " Our rate at present is fifty-three and a half miles an hour . "

" I have not observed the quarter-mile posts , " said I .

" Nor have I . But the telegraph posts upon this line are sixty yards apart , and the calculation is a simple one . I presume that you have looked into this matter of the murder of John Straker and the disappearance of Silver Blaze ? "

" I have seen what the Telegraph and the Chronicle have to say . "

" It is one of those cases where the art of the reasoner should be used rather for the sifting of details than for the acquiring of fresh evidence . The tragedy has been so uncommon , so complete , and of such personal importance to so many people that we are suffering from a plethora of surmise , conjecture , and hypothesis . The difficulty is to detach the framework of fact -- of absolute undeniable fact -- from the embellishments of theorists and reporters . Then , having established ourselves upon this sound basis , it is our duty to see what inferences may be drawn and what are the special points upon which the whole mystery turns . On Tuesday evening I received telegrams from both Colonel Ross , the owner of the horse , and from Inspector Gregory , who is looking after the case , inviting my cooperation . "

" Tuesday evening ! " I exclaimed . " And this is Thursday morning . Why didn't you go down yesterday ? "

" Because I made a blunder , my dear Watson -- which is , I am afraid , a more common occurrence than anyone would think who only knew me through your memoirs . The fact is that I could not believe it possible that the most remarkable horse in England could long remain concealed , especially in so sparsely inhabited a place as the north of Dartmoor . From hour to hour yesterday I expected to hear that he had been found , and that his abductor was the murderer of John Straker . When , however , another morning had come and I found that beyond the arrest of young Fitzroy Simpson nothing had been done , I felt that it was time for me to take action . Yet in some ways I feel that yesterday has not been wasted . "

" You have formed a theory , then ? "

" At least I have got a grip of the essential facts of the case . I shall enumerate them to you , for nothing clears up a case so much as stating it to another person , and I can hardly expect your cooperation if I do not show you the position from which we start . "

I lay back against the cushions , puffing at my cigar , while Holmes , leaning forward , with his long , thin forefinger checking off the points upon the palm of his left hand , gave me a sketch of the events which had led to our journey .

" Silver Blaze , " said he , " is from the Somomy stock and holds as brilliant a record as his famous ancestor . He is now in his fifth year and has brought in turn each of the prizes of the turf to Colonel Ross , his fortunate owner . Up to the time of the catastrophe he was the first favourite for the Wessex Cup , the betting being three to one on him . He has always , however , been a prime favourite with the racing public and has never yet disappointed them , so that even at those odds enormous sums of money have been laid upon him . It is obvious , therefore , that there were many people who had the strongest interest in preventing Silver Blaze from being there at the fall of the flag next Tuesday .

" The fact was , of course , appreciated at King's Pyland , where the colonel's training-stable is situated . Every precaution was taken to guard the favourite . The trainer , John Straker , is a retired jockey who rode in Colonel Ross's colours before he became too heavy for the weighing-chair . He has served the colonel for five years as jockey and for seven as trainer , and has always shown himself to be a zealous and honest servant . Under him were three lads , for the establishment was a small one , containing only four horses in all . One of these lads sat up each night in the stable , while the others slept in the loft . All three bore excellent characters . John Straker , who is a married man lived in a small villa about two hundred yards from the stables . He has no children , keeps one maidservant , and is comfortably off . The country round is very lonely , but about half a mile to the north there is a small cluster of villas which have been built by a Tavistock contractor for the use of invalids and others who may wish to enjoy the pure Dartmoor air . Tavistock itself lies two miles to the west , while across the moor , also about two miles distant , is the larger training establishment of Mapleton , which belongs to Lord Backwater and is managed by Silas Brown . In every other direction the moor is a complete wilderness , inhabited only by a few roaming gypsies . Such was the general situation last Monday night when the catastrophe occurred .

" On that evening the horses had been exercised and watered as usual , and the stables were locked up at nine o'clock . Two of the lads walked up to the trainer's house , where they had supper in the kitchen , while the third , Ned Hunter , remained on guard . At a few minutes after nine the maid , Edith Baxter , carried down to the stables his supper , which consisted of a dish of curried mutton . She took no liquid , as there was a water-tap in the stables , and it was the rule that the lad on duty should drink nothing else . The maid carried a lantern with her , as it was very dark and the path ran across the open moor .

" Edith Baxter was within thirty yards of the stables when a man appeared out of the darkness and called to her to stop . As she stepped into the circle of yellow light thrown by the lantern she saw that he was a person of gentlemanly bearing , dressed in a gray suit of tweeds , with a cloth cap . He wore gaiters and carried a heavy stick with a knob to it . She was most impressed , however , by the extreme pallor of his face and by the nervousness of his manner . His age , she thought , would be rather over thirty than under it .

" ' Can you tell me where I am ? ' he asked . ' I had almost made up my mind to sleep on the moor when I saw the light of your lantern . '

" ' You are close to the King's Pyland training stables , ' said she .

" ' Oh , indeed ! What a stroke of luck ! ' he cried . ' I understand that a stable-boy sleeps there alone every night . Perhaps that is his supper which you are carrying to him . Now I am sure that you would not be too proud to earn the price of a new dress , would you ? ' He took a piece of white paper folded up out of his waistcoat pocket . ' See that the boy has this to-night , and you shall have the prettiest frock that money can buy . '

" She was frightened by the earnestness of his manner and ran past him to the window through which she was accustomed to hand the meals . It was already opened , and Hunter was seated at the small table inside . She had begun to tell him of what had happened when the stranger came up again .

" ' Good-evening , ' said he , looking through the window . ' I wanted to have a word with you . ' The girl has sworn that as he spoke she noticed the corner of the little paper packet protruding from his closed hand .

" ' What business have you here ? ' asked the lad .

" ' It's business that may put something into your pocket , ' said the other . ' You've two horses in for the Wessex Cup -- Silver Blaze and Bayard . Let me have the straight tip and you won't be a loser . Is it a fact that at the weights Bayard could give the other a hundred yards in five furlongs , and that the stable have put their money on him ? '

" ' So , you're one of those damned touts ! ' cried the lad . ' I'll show you how we serve them in King's Pyland . ' He sprang up and rushed across the stable to unloose the dog . The girl fled away to the house , but as she ran she looked back and saw that the stranger was leaning through the window . A minute later , however , when Hunter rushed out with the hound he was gone , and though he ran all round the buildings he failed to find any trace of him . "

" One moment , " I asked . " Did the stable-boy , when he ran out with the dog , leave the door unlocked behind him ? "

" Excellent , Watson , excellent ! " murmured my companion . " The importance of the point struck me so forcibly that I sent a special wire to Dartmoor yesterday to clear the matter up . The boy locked the door before he left it . The window , I may add , was not large enough for a man to get through .

" Hunter waited until his fellow-grooms had returned , when he sent a message to the trainer and told him what had occurred . Straker was excited at hearing the account , although he does not seem to have quite realized its true significance . It left him , however , vaguely uneasy , and Mrs. Straker , waking at one in the morning , found that he was dressing . In reply to her inquiries , he said that he could not sleep on account of his anxiety about the horses , and that he intended to walk down to the stables to see that all was well . She begged him to remain at home , as she could hear the rain pattering against the window , but in spite of her entreaties he pulled on his large mackintosh and left the house .

" Mrs. Straker awoke at seven in the morning to find that her husband had not yet returned . She dressed herself hastily , called the maid , and set off for the stables . The door was open ; inside , huddled together upon a chair , Hunter was sunk in a state of absolute stupor , the favourite's stall was empty , and there were no signs of his trainer .

" The two lads who slept in the chaff-cutting loft above the harness-room were quickly aroused . They had heard nothing during the night , for they are both sound sleepers . Hunter was obviously under the influence of some powerful drug , and as no sense could be got out of him , he was left to sleep it off while the two lads and the two women ran out in search of the absentees . They still had hopes that the trainer had for some reason taken out the horse for early exercise , but on ascending the knoll near the house , from which all the neighbouring moors were visible , they not only could see no signs of the missing favourite , but they perceived something which warned them that they were in the presence of a tragedy .

" About a quarter of a mile from the stables John Straker's overcoat was flapping from a furze-bush . Immediately beyond there was a bowl-shaped depression in the moor , and at the bottom of this was found the dead body of the unfortunate trainer . His head had been shattered by a savage blow from some heavy weapon , and he was wounded on the thigh , where there was a long , clean cut , inflicted evidently by some very sharp instrument . It was clear , however , that Straker had defended himself vigorously against his assailants , for in his right hand he held a small knife , which was clotted with blood up to the handle , while in his left he clasped a red and black silk cravat , which was recognized by the maid as having been worn on the preceding evening by the stranger who had visited the stables . Hunter , on recovering from his stupor , was also quite positive as to the ownership of the cravat . He was equally certain that the same stranger had , while standing at the window , drugged his curried mutton , and so deprived the stables of their watchman . As to the missing horse , there were abundant proofs in the mud which lay at the bottom of the fatal hollow that he had been there at the time of the struggle . But from that morning he has disappeared , and although a large reward has been offered , and all the gypsies of Dartmoor are on the alert , no news has come of him . Finally , an analysis has shown that the remains of his supper left by the stable-lad contained an appreciable quantity of powdered opium , while the people at the house partook of the same dish on the same night without any ill effect .

" Those are the main facts of the case , stripped of all surmise , and stated as baldly as possible . I shall now recapitulate what the police have done in the matter .

" Inspector Gregory , to whom the case has been committed , is an extremely competent officer . Were he but gifted with imagination he might rise to great heights in his profession . On his arrival he promptly found and arrested the man upon whom suspicion naturally rested . There was little difficulty in finding him , for he inhabited one of those villas which I have mentioned . His name , it appears , was Fitzroy Simpson . He was a man of excellent birth and education , who had squandered a fortune upon the turf , and who lived now by doing a little quiet and genteel book-making in the sporting clubs of London . An examination of his betting-book shows that bets to the amount of five thousand pounds had been registered by him against the favourite . On being arrested he volunteered the statement that he had come down to Dartmoor in the hope of getting some information about the King's Pyland horses , and also about Desborough , the second favourite , which was in charge of Silas Brown at the Mapleton stables . He did not attempt to deny that he had acted as described upon the evening before , but declared that he had no sinister designs and had simply wished to obtain first-hand information . When confronted with his cravat he turned very pale and was utterly unable to account for its presence in the hand of the murdered man . His wet clothing showed that he had been out in the storm of the night before , and his stick , which was a penang-lawyer weighted with lead , was just such a weapon as might , by repeated blows , have inflicted the terrible injuries to which the trainer had succumbed . On the other hand , there was no wound upon his person , while the state of Straker's knife would show that one at least of his assailants must bear his mark upon him . There you have it all in a nutshell , Watson , and if you can give me any light I shall be infinitely obliged to you . "

I had listened with the greatest interest to the statement which Holmes , with characteristic clearness , had laid before me . Though most of the facts were familiar to me , I had not sufficiently appreciated their relative importance , nor their connection to each other .

" Is it not possible , " I suggested , " that the incised wound upon Straker may have been caused by his own knife in the convulsive struggles which follow any brain injury ? "

" It is more than possible ; it is probable , " said Holmes . " In that case one of the main points in favour of the accused disappears . "

" And yet , " said I , " even now I fail to understand what the theory of the police can be . "

" I am afraid that whatever theory we state has very grave objections to it , " returned my companion . " The police imagine , I take it , that this Fitzroy Simpson , having drugged the lad , and having in some way obtained a duplicate key , opened the stable door and took out the horse , with the intention , apparently , of kidnapping him altogether . His bridle is missing , so that Simpson must have put this on . Then , having left the door open behind him , he was leading the horse away over the moor when he was either met or overtaken by the trainer . A row naturally ensued . Simpson beat out the trainer's brains with his heavy stick without receiving any injury from the small knife which Straker used in self-defence , and then the thief either led the horse on to some secret hiding-place , or else it may have bolted during the struggle , and be now wandering out on the moors . That is the case as it appears to the police , and improbable as it is , all other explanations are more improbable still . However , I shall very quickly test the matter when I am once upon the spot , and until then I cannot really see how we can get much further than our present position . "

It was evening before we reached the little town of Tavistock , which lies , like the boss of a shield , in the middle of the huge circle of Dartmoor . Two gentlemen were awaiting us in the station -- the one a tall , fair man with lion-like hair and beard and curiously penetrating light blue eyes ; the other a small , alert person , very neat and dapper , in a frock-coat and gaiters , with trim little side-whiskers and an eyeglass . The latter was Colonel Ross , the well-known sportsman ; the other , Inspector Gregory ; a man who was rapidly making his name in the English detective service .

" I am delighted that you have come down , Mr. Holmes , " said the colonel . " The inspector here has done all that could possibly be suggested , but I wish to leave no stone unturned in trying to avenge poor Straker and in recovering my horse . "

" Have there been any fresh developments ? " asked Holmes .

" I am sorry to say that we have made very little progress , " said the inspector . " We have an open carriage outside , and as you would no doubt like to see the place before the light fails , we might talk it over as we drive . "

A minute later we were all seated in a comfortable landau and were rattling through the quaint old Devonshire city . Inspector Gregory was full of his case and poured out a stream of remarks , while Holmes threw in an occasional question or interjection . Colonel Ross leaned back with his arms folded and his hat tilted over his eyes , while I listened with interest to the dialogue of the two detectives . Gregory was formulating his theory , which was almost exactly what Holmes had foretold in the train .

" The net is drawn pretty close round Fitzroy Simpson , " he remarked , " and I believe myself that he is our man . At the same time I recognize that the evidence is purely circumstantial , and that some new development may upset it . "

" How about Straker's knife ? "

" We have quite come to the conclusion that he wounded himself in his fall . "

" My friend Dr. Watson made that suggestion to me as we came down . If so , it would tell against this man Simpson . "

" Undoubtedly . He has neither a knife nor any sign of a wound . The evidence against him is certainly very strong . He had a great interest in the disappearance of the favourite . He lies under suspicion of having poisoned the stable-boy ; he was undoubtedly out in the storm ; he was armed with a heavy stick , and his cravat was found in the dead man's hand . I really think we have enough to go before a jury . "

Holmes shook his head . " A clever counsel would tear it all to rags , " said he . " Why should he take the horse out of the stable ? If he wished to injure it , why could he not do it there ? Has a duplicate key been found in his possession ? What chemist sold him the powdered opium ? Above all , where could he , a stranger to the district , hide a horse , and such a horse as this ? What is his own explanation as to the paper which he wished the maid to give to the stable-boy ? "

" He says that it was a ten-pound note . One was found in his purse . But your other difficulties are not so formidable as they seem . He is not a stranger to the district . He has twice lodged at Tavistock in the summer . The opium was probably brought from London . The key , having served its purpose , would be hurled away . The horse may be at the bottom of one of the pits or old mines upon the moor . "

" What does he say about the cravat ? "

" He acknowledges that it is his and declares that he had lost it . But a new element has been introduced into the case which may account for his leading the horse from the stable . "

Holmes pricked up his ears .

" We have found traces which show that a party of gypsies encamped on Monday night within a mile of the spot where the murder took place . On Tuesday they were gone . Now , presuming that there was some understanding between Simpson and these gypsies , might he not have been leading the horse to them when he was overtaken , and may they not have him now ? "

" It is certainly possible . "

" The moor is being scoured for these gypsies . I have also examined every stable and outhouse in Tavistock , and for a radius of ten miles . "

" There is another training-stable quite close , I understand ? "

" Yes , and that is a factor which we must certainly not neglect . As Desborough , their horse , was second in the betting , they had an interest in the disappearance of the favourite . Silas Brown , the trainer , is known to have had large bets upon the event , and he was no friend to poor Straker . We have , however , examined the stables , and there is nothing to connect him with the affair . "

" And nothing to connect this man Simpson with the interests of the Mapleton stables ? "

" Nothing at all . "

Holmes leaned back in the carriage , and the conversation ceased . A few minutes later our driver pulled up at a neat little red-brick villa with overhanging eaves which stood by the road . Some distance off , across a paddock , lay a long gray-tiled outbuilding . In every other direction the low curves of the moor , bronze-coloured from the fading ferns , stretched away to the sky-line , broken only by the steeples of Tavistock , and by a cluster of houses away to the westward which marked the Mapleton stables . We all sprang out with the exception of Holmes , who continued to lean back with his eyes fixed upon the sky in front of him , entirely absorbed in his own thoughts . It was only when I touched his arm that he roused himself with a violent start and stepped out of the carriage .

" Excuse me , " said he , turning to Colonel Ross , who had looked at him in some surprise . " I was day-dreaming . " There was a gleam in his eyes and a suppressed excitement in his manner which convinced me , used as I was to his ways , that his hand was upon a clue , though I could not imagine where he had found it .

" Perhaps you would prefer at once to go on to the scene of the crime , Mr. Holmes ? " said Gregory .

" I think that I should prefer to stay here a little and go into one or two questions of detail . Straker was brought back here , I presume ? "

" Yes , he lies upstairs . The inquest is to-morrow . "

" He has been in your service some years , Colonel Ross ? "

" I have always found him an excellent servant . "

" I presume that you made an inventory of what he had in his pockets at the time of his death , Inspector ? "

" I have the things themselves in the sitting-room if you would care to see them . "

" I should be very glad . " We all filed into the front room and sat round the central table while the inspector unlocked a square tin box and laid a small heap of things before us . There was a box of vestas , two inches of tallow candle , an A D P brier-root pipe , a pouch of sealskin with half an ounce of long-cut Cavendish , a silver watch with a gold chain , five sovereigns in gold , an aluminum pencil-case , a few papers , and an ivory-handled knife with a very delicate , inflexible blade marked Weiss & Co. , London .

" This is a very singular knife , " said Holmes , lifting it up and examining it minutely . " I presume , as I see blood-stains upon it , that it is the one which was found in the dead man's grasp . Watson , this knife is surely in your line ? "

" It is what we call a cataract knife , " said I .

" I thought so . A very delicate blade devised for very delicate work . A strange thing for a man to carry with him upon a rough expedition , especially as it would not shut in his pocket . "

" The tip was guarded by a disc of cork which we found beside his body , " said the inspector . " His wife tells us that the knife had lain upon the dressing-table , and that he had picked it up as he left the room . It was a poor weapon , but perhaps the best that he could lay his hands on at the moment . "

" Very possibly . How about these papers ? "

" Three of them are receipted hay-dealers' accounts . One of them is a letter of instructions from Colonel Ross . This other is a milliner's account for thirty-seven pounds fifteen made out by Madame Lesurier , of Bond Street , to William Derbyshire . Mrs. Straker tells us that Derbyshire was a friend of her husband's and that occasionally his letters were addressed here . "

" Madame Derbyshire had somewhat expensive tastes , " remarked Holmes , glancing down the account . " Twenty-two guineas is rather heavy for a single costume . However , there appears to be nothing more to learn , and we may now go down to the scene of the crime . "

As we emerged from the sitting-room a woman , who had been waiting in the passage , took a step forward and laid her hand upon the inspector's sleeve . Her face was haggard and thin and eager , stamped with the print of a recent horror .

" Have you got them ? Have you found them ? " she panted .

" No , Mrs. Straker . But Mr. Holmes here has come from London to help us , and we shall do all that is possible . "

" Surely I met you in Plymouth at a garden-party some little time ago , Mrs. Straker ? " said Holmes .

" No , sir ; you are mistaken . "

" Dear me ! Why , I could have sworn to it . You wore a costume of dove-coloured silk with ostrich-feather trimming . "

" I never had such a dress , sir , " answered the lady .

" Ah , that quite settles it , " said Holmes . And with an apology he followed the inspector outside . A short walk across the moor took us to the hollow in which the body had been found . At the brink of it was the furze-bush upon which the coat had been hung .

" There was no wind that night , I understand , " said Holmes .

" None , but very heavy rain . "

" In that case the overcoat was not blown against the furze-bush , but placed there . "

" Yes , it was laid across the bush . "

" You fill me with interest . I perceive that the ground has been trampled up a good deal . No doubt many feet have been here since Monday night . "

" A piece of matting has been laid here at the side , and we have all stood upon that . "

" Excellent . "

" In this bag I have one of the boots which Straker wore , one of Fitzroy Simpson's shoes , and a cast horseshoe of Silver Blaze . "

" My dear Inspector , you surpass yourself ! " Holmes took the bag , and , descending into the hollow , he pushed the matting into a more central position . Then stretching himself upon his face and leaning his chin upon his hands , he made a careful study of the trampled mud in front of him . " Hullo ! " said he suddenly . " What's this ? " It was a wax vesta , half burned , which was so coated with mud that it looked at first like a little chip of wood .

" I cannot think how I came to overlook it , " said the inspector with an expression of annoyance .

" It was invisible , buried in the mud . I only saw it because I was looking for it . "

" What ! you expected to find it ? "

" I thought it not unlikely . "

He took the boots from the bag and compared the impressions of each of them with marks upon the ground . Then he clambered up to the rim of the hollow and crawled about among the ferns and bushes .

" I am afraid that there are no more tracks , " said the inspector . " I have examined the ground very carefully for a hundred yards in each direction . "

" Indeed ! " said Holmes , rising . " I should not have the impertinence to do it again after what you say . But I should like to take a little walk over the moor before it grows dark that I may know my ground to-morrow , and I think that I shall put this horseshoe into my pocket for luck . "

Colonel Ross , who had shown some signs of impatience at my companion's quiet and systematic method of work , glanced at his watch . " I wish you would come back with me , Inspector , " said he . " There are several points on which I should like your advice , and especially as to whether we do not owe it to the public to remove our horse's name from the entries for the cup . "

" Certainly not , " cried Holmes with decision . " I should let the name stand . "

The colonel bowed . " I am very glad to have had your opinion , sir , " said he . " You will find us at poor Straker's house when you have finished your walk , and we can drive together into Tavistock . "

He turned back with the inspector , while Holmes and I walked slowly across the moor . The sun was beginning to sink behind the stable of Mapleton , and the long sloping plain in front of us was tinged with gold , deepening into rich , ruddy browns where the faded ferns and brambles caught the evening light . But the glories of the landscape were all wasted upon my companion , who was sunk in the deepest thought .

" It's this way , Watson , " said he at last . " We may leave the question of who killed John Straker for the instant and confine ourselves to finding out what has become of the horse . Now , supposing that he broke away during or after the tragedy , where could he have gone to ? The horse is a very gregarious creature . If left to himself his instincts would have been either to return to King's Pyland or go over to Mapleton . Why should he run wild upon the moor ? He would surely have been seen by now . And why should gypsies kidnap him ? These people always clear out when they hear of trouble , for they do not wish to be pestered by the police . They could not hope to sell such a horse . They would run a great risk and gain nothing by taking him . Surely that is clear . "

" Where is he , then ? "

" I have already said that he must have gone to King's Pyland or to Mapleton . He is not at King's Pyland . Therefore he is at Mapleton . Let us take that as a working hypothesis and see what it leads us to . This part of the moor , as the inspector remarked , is very hard and dry . But it falls away towards Mapleton , and you can see from here that there is a long hollow over yonder , which must have been very wet on Monday night . If our supposition is correct , then the horse must have crossed that , and there is the point where we should look for his tracks . "

We had been walking briskly during this conversation , and a few more minutes brought us to the hollow in question . At Holmes's request I walked down the bank to the right , and he to the left , but I had not taken fifty paces before I heard him give a shout and saw him waving his hand to me . The track of a horse was plainly outlined in the soft earth in front of him , and the shoe which he took from his pocket exactly fitted the impression .

" See the value of imagination , " said Holmes . " It is the one quality which Gregory lacks . We imagined what might have happened , acted upon the supposition , and find ourselves justified . Let us proceed . "

We crossed the marshy bottom and passed over a quarter of a mile of dry , hard turf . Again the ground sloped , and again we came on the tracks . Then we lost them for half a mile , but only to pick them up once more quite close to Mapleton . It was Holmes who saw them first , and he stood pointing with a look of triumph upon his face . A man's track was visible beside the horse's .

" The horse was alone before , " I cried .

" Quite so . It was alone before . Hullo , what is this ? "

The double track turned sharp off and took the direction of King's Pyland . Holmes whistled , and we both followed along after it . His eyes were on the trail , but I happened to look a little to one side and saw to my surprise the same tracks coming back again in the opposite direction .

" One for you , Watson , " said Holmes when I pointed it out . " You have saved us a long walk , which would have brought us back on our own traces . Let us follow the return track . "

We had not to go far . It ended at the paving of asphalt which led up to the gates of the Mapleton stables . As we approached , a groom ran out from them .

" We don't want any loiterers about here , " said he .

" I only wished to ask a question , " said Holmes , with his finger and thumb in his waistcoat pocket . " Should I be too early to see your master , Mr. Silas Brown , if I were to call at five o'clock to-morrow morning ? "

" Bless you , sir , if anyone is about he will be , for he is always the first stirring . But here he is , sir , to answer your questions for himself . No , sir , no , it is as much as my place is worth to let him see me touch your money . Afterwards , if you like . "

As Sherlock Holmes replaced the half-crown which he had drawn from his pocket , a fierce-looking elderly man strode out from the gate with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand .

" What's this , Dawson ! " he cried . " No gossiping ! Go about your business ! And you , what the devil do you want here ? "

" Ten minutes' talk with you , my good sir , " said Holmes in the sweetest of voices .

" I've no time to talk to every gadabout . We want no strangers here . Be off , or you may find a dog at your heels . "

Holmes leaned forward and whispered something in the trainer's ear . He started violently and flushed to the temples .

" It's a lie ! " he shouted . " An infernal lie ! "

" Very good . Shall we argue about it here in public or talk it over in your parlour ? "

" Oh , come in if you wish to . "

Holmes smiled . " I shall not keep you more than a few minutes , Watson . " said he . " Now . Mr. Brown . I am quite at your disposal . "

It was twenty minutes , and the reds had all faded into grays before Holmes and the trainer reappeared . Never have I seen such a change as had been brought about in Silas Brown in that short time . His face was ashy pale , beads of perspiration shone upon his brow , and his hands shook until the hunting-crop wagged like a branch in the wind . His bullying , overbearing manner was all gone too , and he cringed along at my companion's side like a dog with its master .

" Your instructions will be done . It shall all be done , " said he .

" There must be no mistake , " said Holmes , looking round at him . The other winced as he read the menace in his eyes .

" Oh , no , there shall be no mistake . It shall be there . Should I change it first or not ? "

Holmes thought a little and then burst out laughing . " No , don't , " said he , " I shall write to you about it . No tricks , now , or -- "

" Oh , you can trust me , you can trust me ! "

" Yes , I think I can . Well , you shall hear from me to-morrow . " He turned upon his heel , disregarding the trembling hand which the other held out to him , and we set off for King's Pyland .

" A more perfect compound of the bully , coward , and sneak than Master Silas Brown I have seldom met with , " remarked Holmes as we trudged along together .

" He has the horse , then ? "

" He tried to bluster out of it , but I described to him so exactly what his actions had been upon that morning that he is convinced that I was watching him . Of course you observed the peculiarly square toes in the impressions , and that his own boots exactly corresponded to them . Again , of course no subordinate would have dared to do such a thing . I described to him how , when according to his custom he was the first down , he perceived a strange horse wandering over the moor . How he went out to it , and his astonishment at recognizing , from the white forehead which has given the favourite its name , that chance had put in his power the only horse which could beat the one upon which he had put his money . Then I described how his first impulse had been to lead him back to King's Pyland , and how the devil had shown him how he could hide the horse until the race was over , and how he had led it back and concealed it at Mapleton . When I told him every detail he gave it up and thought only of saving his own skin . "

" But his stables had been searched ? "

" Oh , an old horse-faker like him has many a dodge . "

" But are you not afraid to leave the horse in his power now since he has every interest in injuring it ? "

" My dear fellow , he will guard it as the apple of his eye . He knows that his only hope of mercy is to produce it safe . "

" Colonel Ross did not impress me as a man who would be likely to show much mercy in any case . "

" The matter does not rest with Colonel Ross . I follow my own methods and tell as much or as little as I choose . That is the advantage of being unofficial . I don't know whether you observed it , Watson , but the colonel's manner has been just a trifle cavalier to me . I am inclined now to have a little amusement at his expense . Say nothing to him about the horse . "

" Certainly not without your permission . "

" And of course this is all quite a minor point compared to the question of who killed John Straker . "

" And you will devote yourself to that ? "

" On the contrary , we both go back to London by the night train . "

I was thunderstruck by my friend's words . We had only been a few hours in Devonshire , and that he should give up an investigation which he had begun so brilliantly was quite incomprehensible to me . Not a word more could I draw from him until we were back at the trainer's house . The colonel and the inspector were awaiting us in the parlour .

" My friend and I return to town by the night-express , " said Holmes . " We have had a charming little breath of your beautiful Dartmoor air . "

The inspector opened his eyes , and the colonel's lip curled in a sneer .

" So you despair of arresting the murderer of poor Straker , " said he .

Holmes shrugged his shoulders . " There are certainly grave difficulties in the way , " said he . " I have every hope , however , that your horse will start upon Tuesday , and I beg that you will have your jockey in readiness . Might I ask for a photograph of Mr. John Straker ? "

The inspector took one from an envelope and handed it to him .

" My dear Gregory , you anticipate all my wants . If I might ask you to wait here for an instant , I have a question which I should like to put to the maid . "

" I must say that I am rather disappointed in our London consultant , " said Colonel Ross bluntly as my friend left the room . " I do not see that we are any further than when he came . "

" At least you have his assurance that your horse will run , " said I .

" Yes , I have his assurance , " said the colonel with a shrug of his shoulders . " I should prefer to have the horse . "

I was about to make some reply in defence of my friend when he entered the room again .

" Now , gentlemen , " said he , " I am quite ready for Tavistock . "

As we stepped into the carriage one of the stable-lads held the door open for us . A sudden idea seemed to occur to Holmes , for he leaned forward and touched the lad upon the sleeve .

" You have a few sheep in the paddock , " he said . " Who attends to them ? "

" I do , sir . "

" Have you noticed anything amiss with them of late ? "

" Well , sir , not of much account , but three of them have gone lame , sir . "

I could see that Holmes was extremely pleased , for he chuckled and rubbed his hands together .

" A long shot , Watson , a very long shot , " said he , pinching my arm . " Gregory , let me recommend to your attention this singular epidemic among the sheep . Drive on , coachman ! "

Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the poor opinion which he had formed of my companion's ability , but I saw by the inspector's face that his attention had been keenly aroused .

" You consider that to be important ? " he asked .

" Exceedingly so . "

" Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention ? "

" To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time . "

" The dog did nothing in the night-time . "

" That was the curious incident , " remarked Sherlock Holmes .

Four days later Holmes and I were again in the train , bound for Winchester to see the race for the Wessex Cup . Colonel Ross met us by appointment outside the station , and we drove in his drag to the course beyond the town . His face was grave , and his manner was cold in the extreme .

" I have seen nothing of my horse , " said he .

" I suppose that you would know him when you saw him ? " asked Holmes .

The colonel was very angry . " I have been on the turf for twenty years and never was asked such a question as that before , " said he . " A child would know Silver Blaze with his white forehead and his mottled off-foreleg . "

" How is the betting ? "

" Well , that is the curious part of it . You could have got fifteen to one yesterday , but the price has become shorter and shorter , until you can hardly get three to one now . "

" Hum ! " said Holmes . " Somebody knows something , that is clear . "

As the drag drew up in the enclosure near the grandstand I glanced at the card to see the entries .

Wessex Plate [ it ran ] 50 sovs. each h ft with 1000 sovs. added , for four and five year olds . Second , 300 pounds . Third , 200 pounds . New course ( one mile and five furlongs ) . 1. Mr. Heath Newton's The Negro . Red cap . Cinnamon jacket . 2. Colonel Wardlaw's Pugilist . Pink cap . Blue and black jacket . 3. Lord Backwater's Desborough . Yellow cap and sleeves . 4. Colonel Ross's Silver Blaze . Black cap . Red jacket . 5. Duke of Balmoral's Iris . Yellow and black stripes . 6. Lord Singleford's Rasper . Purple cap . Black sleeves .

" We scratched our other one and put all hopes on your word , " said the colonel . " Why , what is that ? Silver Blaze favourite ? "

" Five to four against Silver Blaze ! " roared the ring . " Five to four against Silver Blaze ! Five to fifteen against Desborough ! Five to four on the field ! "

" There are the numbers up , " I cried . " They are all six there . "

" All six there ? Then my horse is running , " cried the colonel in great agitation . " But I don't see him . My colours have not passed . "

" Only five have passed . This must be he . "

As I spoke a powerful bay horse swept out from the weighing enclosure and cantered past us , bearing on its back the well-known black and red of the colonel .

" That's not my horse , " cried the owner . " That beast has not a white hair upon its body . What is this that you have done , Mr. Holmes ? "

" Well , well , let us see how he gets on , " said my friend imperturbably . For a few minutes he gazed through my field-glass . " Capital ! An excellent start ! " he cried suddenly . " There they are , coming round the curve ! "

From our drag we had a superb view as they came up the straight . The six horses were so close together that a carpet could have covered them , but halfway up the yellow of the Mapleton stable showed to the front . Before they reached us , however , Desborough's bolt was shot , and the colonel's horse , coming away with a rush , passed the post a good six lengths before its rival , the Duke of Balmoral's Iris making a bad third .

" It's my race , anyhow , " gasped the colonel , passing his hand over his eyes . " I confess that I can make neither head nor tail of it . Don't you think that you have kept up your mystery long enough , Mr. Holmes ? "

" Certainly , Colonel , you shall know everything . Let us all go round and have a look at the horse together . Here he is , " he continued as we made our way into the weighing enclosure , where only owners and their friends find admittance . " You have only to wash his face and his leg in spirits of wine , and you will find that he is the same old Silver Blaze as ever . "

" You take my breath away ! "

" I found him in the hands of a faker and took the liberty of running him just as he was sent over . "

" My dear sir , you have done wonders . The horse looks very fit and well . It never went better in its life . I owe you a thousand apologies for having doubted your ability . You have done me a great service by recovering my horse . You would do me a greater still if you could lay your hands on the murderer of John Straker . "

" I have done so , " said Holmes quietly .

The colonel and I stared at him in amazement . " You have got him ! Where is he , then ? "

" He is here . "

" Here ! Where ? "

" In my company at the present moment . "

The colonel flushed angrily . " I quite recognize that I am under obligations to you , Mr. Holmes , " said he , " but I must regard what you have just said as either a very bad joke or an insult . "

Sherlock Holmes laughed . " I assure you that I have not associated you with the crime , Colonel , " said he . " The real murderer is standing immediately behind you . " He stepped past and laid his hand upon the glossy neck of the thoroughbred .

" The horse ! " cried both the colonel and myself .

" Yes , the horse . And it may lessen his guilt if I say that it was done in self-defence , and that John Straker was a man who was entirely unworthy of your confidence . But there goes the bell , and as I stand to win a little on this next race , I shall defer a lengthy explanation until a more fitting time . "

We had the corner of a Pullman car to ourselves that evening as we whirled back to London , and I fancy that the journey was a short one to Colonel Ross as well as to myself as we listened to our companion's narrative of the events which had occurred at the Dartmoor training-stables upon that Monday night , and the means by which he had unravelled them .

" I confess , " said he , " that any theories which I had formed from the newspaper reports were entirely erroneous . And yet there were indications there , had they not been overlaid by other details which concealed their true import . I went to Devonshire with the conviction that Fitzroy Simpson was the true culprit , although , of course , I saw that the evidence against him was by no means complete . It was while I was in the carriage , just as we reached the trainer's house , that the immense significance of the curried mutton occurred to me . You may remember that I was distrait and remained sitting after you had all alighted . I was marvelling in my own mind how I could possibly have overlooked so obvious a clue . "

" I confess , " said the colonel , " that even now I cannot see how it helps us . "

" It was the first link in my chain of reasoning . Powdered opium is by no means tasteless . The flavour is not disagreeable , but it is perceptible . Were it mixed with any ordinary dish the eater would undoubtedly detect it and would probably eat no more . A curry was exactly the medium which would disguise this taste . By no possible supposition could this stranger , Fitzroy Simpson , have caused curry to be served in the trainer's family that night , and it is surely too monstrous a coincidence to suppose that he happened to come along with powdered opium upon the very night when a dish happened to be served which would disguise the flavour . That is unthinkable . Therefore Simpson becomes eliminated from the case , and our attention centres upon Straker and his wife , the only two people who could have chosen curried mutton for supper that night . The opium was added after the dish was set aside for the stable-boy , for the others had the same for supper with no ill effects . Which of them , then , had access to that dish without the maid seeing them ?

" Before deciding that question I had grasped the significance of the silence of the dog , for one true inference invariably suggests others . The Simpson incident had shown me that a dog was kept in the stables , and yet , though someone had been in and had fetched out a horse , he had not barked enough to arouse the two lads in the loft . Obviously the midnight visitor was someone whom the dog knew well .

" I was already convinced , or almost convinced , that John Straker went down to the stables in the dead of the night and took out Silver Blaze . For what purpose ? For a dishonest one , obviously , or why should he drug his own stable-boy ? And yet I was at a loss to know why . There have been cases before now where trainers have made sure of great sums of money by laying against their own horses through agents and then preventing them from winning by fraud . Sometimes it is a pulling jockey . Sometimes it is some surer and subtler means . What was it here ? I hoped that the contents of his pockets might help me to form a conclusion .

" And they did so . You cannot have forgotten the singular knife which was found in the dead man's hand , a knife which certainly no sane man would choose for a weapon . It was , as Dr. Watson told us , a form of knife which is used for the most delicate operations known in surgery . And it was to be used for a delicate operation that night . You must know , with your wide experience of turf matters , Colonel Ross , that it is possible to make a slight nick upon the tendons of a horse's ham , and to do it subcutaneously , so as to leave absolutely no trace . A horse so treated would develop a slight lameness , which would be put down to a strain in exercise or a touch of rheumatism , but never to foul play . "

" Villain ! Scoundrel ! " cried the colonel .

" We have here the explanation of why John Straker wished to take the horse out on to the moor . So spirited a creature would have certainly roused the soundest of sleepers when it felt the prick of the knife . It was absolutely necessary to do it in the open air . "

" I have been blind ! " cried the colonel . " Of course that was why he needed the candle and struck the match . "

" Undoubtedly . But in examining his belongings I was fortunate enough to discover not only the method of the crime but even its motives . As a man of the world , Colonel , you know that men do not carry other people's bills about in their pockets . We have most of us quite enough to do to settle our own . I at once concluded that Straker was leading a double life and keeping a second establishment . The nature of the bill showed that there was a lady in the case , and one who had expensive tastes . Liberal as you are with your servants , one can hardly expect that they can buy twenty-guinea walking dresses for their ladies . I questioned Mrs. Straker as to the dress without her knowing it , and , having satisfied myself that it had never reached her , I made a note of the milliner's address and felt that by calling there with Straker's photograph I could easily dispose of the mythical Derbyshire .

" From that time on all was plain . Straker had led out the horse to a hollow where his light would be invisible . Simpson in his flight had dropped his cravat , and Straker had picked it up -- with some idea , perhaps , that he might use it in securing the horse's leg . Once in the hollow , he had got behind the horse and had struck a light ; but the creature , frightened at the sudden glare , and with the strange instinct of animals feeling that some mischief was intended , had lashed out , and the steel shoe had struck Straker full on the forehead . He had already , in spite of the rain , taken off his overcoat in order to do his delicate task , and so , as he fell , his knife gashed his thigh . Do I make it clear ? "

" Wonderful ! " cried the colonel . " Wonderful ! You might have been there ! "

" My final shot was , I confess , a very long one . It struck me that so astute a man as Straker would not undertake this delicate tendon-nicking without a little practise . What could he practise on ? My eyes fell upon the sheep , and I asked a question which , rather to my surprise , showed that my surmise was correct .

" When I returned to London I called upon the milliner , who had recognized Straker as an excellent customer of the name of Derbyshire , who had a very dashing wife , with a strong partiality for expensive dresses . I have no doubt that this woman had plunged him over head and ears in debt , and so led him into this miserable plot . "

" You have explained all but one thing , " cried the colonel . " Where was the horse ? "

" Ah , it bolted , and was cared for by one of your neighbours . We must have an amnesty in that direction , I think . This is Clapham Junction , if I am not mistaken , and we shall be in Victoria in less than ten minutes . If you care to smoke a cigar in our rooms , Colonel , I shall be happy to give you any other details which might interest you . "

Shortly after my marriage I had bought a connection in the Paddington district . Old Mr. Farquhar , from whom I purchased it , had at one time an excellent general practice ; but his age , and an affliction of the nature of St. Vitus's dance from which he suffered , had very much thinned it . The public not unnaturally goes on the principle that he who would heal others must himself be whole , and looks askance at the curative powers of the man whose own case is beyond the reach of his drugs . Thus as my predecessor weakened his practice declined , until when I purchased it from him it had sunk from twelve hundred to little more than three hundred a year . I had confidence , however , in my own youth and energy and was convinced that in a very few years the concern would be as flourishing as ever .

For three months after taking over the practice I was kept very closely at work and saw little of my friend Sherlock Holmes , for I was too busy to visit Baker Street , and he seldom went anywhere himself save upon professional business . I was surprised , therefore , when , one morning in June , as I sat reading the British Medical Journal after breakfast , I heard a ring at the bell , followed by the high , somewhat strident tones of my old companion's voice .

" Ah , my dear Watson , " said he , striding into the room , " I am very delighted to see you ! I trust that Mrs. Watson has entirely recovered from all the little excitements connected with our adventure of the Sign of Four . "

" Thank you , we are both very well , " said I , shaking him warmly by the hand .

" And I hope , also , " he continued , sitting down in the rocking-chair , " that the cares of medical practice have not entirely obliterated the interest which you used to take in our little deductive problems . "

" On the contrary , " I answered , " it was only last night that I was looking over my old notes , and classifying some of our past results . "

" I trust that you don't consider your collection closed . "

" Not at all . I should wish nothing better than to have some more of such experiences . "

" To-day , for example ? "

" Yes , to-day , if you like . "

" And as far off as Birmingham ? "

" Certainly , if you wish it . "

" And the practice ? "

" I do my neighbour's when he goes . He is always ready to work off the debt . "

" Ha ! nothing could be better , " said Holmes , leaning back in his chair and looking keenly at me from under his half-closed lids . " I perceive that you have been unwell lately . Summer colds are always a little trying . "

" I was confined to the house by a severe chill for three days last week . I thought , however , that I had cast off every trace of it . "

" So you have . You look remarkably robust . "

" How , then , did you know of it ? "

" My dear fellow , you know my methods . "

" You deduced it , then ? "

" Certainly . "

" And from what ? "

" From your slippers . "

I glanced down at the new patent-leathers which I was wearing . " How on earth -- " I began , but Holmes answered my question before it was asked .

" Your slippers are new , " he said . " You could not have had them more than a few weeks . The soles which you are at this moment presenting to me are slightly scorched . For a moment I thought they might have got wet and been burned in the drying . But near the instep there is a small circular wafer of paper with the shopman's hieroglyphics upon it . Damp would of course have removed this . You had , then , been sitting with your feet outstretched to the fire , which a man would hardly do even in so wet a June as this if he were in his full health . "

Like all Holmes's reasoning the thing seemed simplicity itself when it was once explained . He read the thought upon my features , and his smile had a tinge of bitterness .

" I am afraid that I rather give myself away when I explain . " said he . " Results without causes are much more impressive . You are ready to come to Birmingham , then ? "

" Certainly . What is the case ? "

" You shall hear it all in the train . My client is outside in a four-wheeler . Can you come at once ? "

" In an instant . " I scribbled a note to my neighbour , rushed upstairs to explain the matter to my wife , and joined Holmes upon the doorstep .

" Your neighbour is a doctor . " said he , nodding at the brass plate .

" Yes , he bought a practice as I did . "

" An old-established one ? "

" Just the same as mine . Both have been ever since the houses were built . "

" Ah ! then you got hold of the best of the two . "

" I think I did . But how do you know ? "

" By the steps , my boy . Yours are worn three inches deeper than his . But this gentleman in the cab is my client , Mr. Hall Pycroft . Allow me to introduce you to him . Whip your horse up , cabby , for we have only just time to catch our train . "

The man whom I found myself facing was a well-built , fresh-complexioned young fellow , with a frank , honest face and a slight , crisp , yellow moustache . He wore a very shiny top-hat and a neat suit of sober black , which made him look what he was -- a smart young City man , of the class who have been labelled cockneys , but who give us our crack volunteer regiments , and who turn out more fine athletes and sportsmen than any body of men in these islands . His round , ruddy face was naturally full of cheeriness , but the corners of his mouth seemed to me to be pulled down in a half-comical distress . It was not , however , until we were in a first-class carriage and well started upon our journey to Birmingham that I was able to learn what the trouble was which had driven him to Sherlock Holmes .

" We have a clear run here of seventy minutes , " Holmes remarked . " I want you , Mr. Hall Pycroft , to tell my friend your very interesting experience exactly as you have told it to me , or with more detail if possible . It will be of use to me to hear the succession of events again . It is a case , Watson , which may prove to have something in it , or may prove to have nothing , but which , at least , presents those unusual and outre features which are as dear to you as they are to me . Now , Mr. Pycroft . I shall not interrupt you again . "

Our young companion looked at me with a twinkle in his eye .

" The worst of the story is , " said he , " that I show myself up as such a confounded fool . Of course it may work out all right , and I don't see that I could have done otherwise ; but if I have lost my crib and get nothing in exchange I shall feel what a soft Johnny I have been . I'm not very good at telling a story , Dr. Watson , but it is like this with me :

" I used to have a billet at Coxon & Woodhouse's , of Draper Gardens , but they were let in early in the spring through the Venezuelan loan , as no doubt you remember , and came a nasty cropper . I have been with them five years , and old Coxon gave me a ripping good testimonial when the smash came , but of course we clerks were all turned adrift , the twenty-seven of us . I tried here and tried there , but there were lots of other chaps on the same lay as myself , and it was a perfect frost for a long time . I had been taking three pounds a week at Coxon's , and I had saved about seventy of them , but I soon worked my way through that and out at the other end . I was fairly at the end of my tether at last , and could hardly find the stamps to answer the advertisements or the envelopes to stick them to . I had worn out my boots paddling up office stairs , and I seemed just as far from getting a billet as ever .

" At last I saw a vacancy at Mawson & Williams's , the great stock-broking firm in Lombard Street . I dare say E. C. is not much in your line , but I can tell you that this is about the richest house in London . The advertisement was to be answered by letter only . I sent in my testimonial and application , but without the least hope of getting it . Back came an answer by return , saying that if I would appear next Monday I might take over my new duties at once , provided that my appearance was satisfactory . No one knows how these things are worked . Some people say that the manager just plunges his hand into the heap and takes the first that comes . Anyhow it was my innings that time , and I don't ever wish to feel better pleased . The screw was a pound a week rise , and the duties just about the same as at Coxon's .

" And now I come to the queer part of the business . I was in diggings out Hampstead way , 17 Potter's Terrace . Well , I was sitting doing a smoke that very evening after I had been promised the appointment , when up came my landlady with a card which had ' Arthur Pinner , Financial Agent , ' printed upon it . I had never heard the name before and could not imagine what he wanted with me , but of course I asked her to show him up . In he walked , a middle-sized dark-haired , dark-eyed , black-bearded man , with a touch of the sheeny about his nose . He had a brisk kind of way with him and spoke sharply , like a man who knew the value of time .

" ' Mr. Hall Pycroft , I believe ? ' said he .

" ' Yes , sir , ' I answered , pushing a chair towards him .

" ' Lately engaged at Coxon & Woodhouse's ? '

" ' Yes , sir . '

" ' And now on the staff of Mawson's . '

" ' Quite so . '

" ' Well , ' said he , ' the fact is that I have heard some really extraordinary stories about your financial ability . You remember Parker , who used to be Coxon's manager . He can never say enough about it . '

" Of course I was pleased to hear this . I had always been pretty sharp in the office , but I had never dreamed that I was talked about in the City in this fashion .

" ' You have a good memory ? ' said he .

" ' Pretty fair , ' I answered modestly .

" ' Have you kept in touch with the market while you have been out of work ? ' he asked .

" ' Yes . I read the stock-exchange list every morning . '

" ' Now that shows real application ! ' he cried . ' That is the way to prosper ! You won't mind my testing you , will you ? Let me see . How are Ayrshires ? '

" ' A hundred and six and a quarter to a hundred and five and seven-eighths . '

" ' And New Zealand consolidated ? '

" ' A hundred and four . '

" ' And British Broken Hills ? '

" ' Seven to seven-and-six . '

" ' Wonderful ! ' he cried with his hands up . ' This quite fits in with all that I had heard . My boy , my boy , you are very much too good to be a clerk at Mawson's ! '

" This outburst rather astonished me , as you can think . ' Well , ' said I , ' other people don't think quite so much of me as you seem to do , Mr. Pinner . I had a hard enough fight to get this berth , and I am very glad to have it . '

" ' Pooh , man ; you should soar above it . You are not in your true sphere . Now , I'll tell you how it stands with me . What I have to offer is little enough when measured by your ability , but when compared with Mawson's it's light to dark . Let me see . When do you go to Mawson's ? '

" ' On Monday . '

" ' Ha , ha ! I think I would risk a little sporting flutter that you don't go there at all . '

" ' Not go to Mawson's ' ? '

" ' No , sir . By that day you will be the business manager of the Franco-Midland Hardware Company , Limited , with a hundred and thirty-four branches in the towns and villages of France , not counting one in Brussels and one in San Remo . '

" This took my breath away . ' I never heard of it . ' said I .

" ' Very likely not . It has been kept very quiet , for the capital was all privately subscribed , and it's too good a thing to let the public into . My brother , Harry Pinner , is promoter , and joins the board after allotment as managing director . He knew I was in the swim down here and asked me to pick up a good man cheap . A young , pushing man with plenty of snap about him . Parker spoke of you , and that brought me here to-night . We can only offer you a beggarly five hundred to start with . '

" ' Five hundred a year ! ' I shouted .

" ' Only that at the beginning ; but you are to have an overriding commission of one per cent on all business done by your agents , and you may take my word for it that this will come to more than your salary . '

" ' But I know nothing about hardware . '

" ' Tut , my boy , you know about figures . '

" My head buzzed , and I could hardly sit still in my chair . But suddenly a little chill of doubt came upon me .

" ' I must be frank with you , ' said I . ' Mawson only gives me two hundred , but Mawson is safe . Now , really , I know so little about your company that -- '

" ' Ah , smart , smart ! ' he cried in a kind of ecstasy of delight . ' You are the very man for us . You are not to be talked over , and quite right , too . Now , here's a note for a hundred pounds , and if you think that we can do business you may just slip it into your pocket as an advance upon your salary . '

" ' That is very handsome , ' said I . ' When should I take over my new duties ? '

" ' Be in Birmingham to-morrow at one , ' said he . ' I have a note in my pocket here which you will take to my brother . You will find him at 126B Corporation Street , where the temporary offices of the company are situated . Of course he must confirm your engagement , but between ourselves it will be all right . '

" ' Really , I hardly know how to express my gratitude , Mr. Pinner , ' said I .

" ' Not at all , my boy . You have only got your deserts . There are one or two small things -- mere formalities -- which I must arrange with you . You have a bit of paper beside you there . Kindly write upon it " I am perfectly willing to act as business manager to the Franco-Midland Hardware Company , Limited , at a minimum salary of 500 pounds . " '

" I did as he asked , and he put the paper in his pocket .

" ' There is one other detail , ' said he . ' What do you intend to do about Mawson's ? '

" I had forgotten all about Mawson's in my joy . ' I'll write and resign , ' said I .

" ' Precisely what I don't want you to do . I had a row over you with Mawson's manager . I had gone up to ask him about you , and he was very offensive ; accused me of coaxing you away from the service of the firm , and that sort of thing . At last I fairly lost my temper . " If you want good men you should pay them a good price , " said I .

" ' " He would rather have our small price than your big one , " said he .

" ' " I'll lay you a fiver , " said I , " that when he has my offer you'll never so much as hear from him again . "

" ' " Done ! " said he . " We picked him out of the gutter , and he won't leave us so easily . " Those were his very words . '

" ' The impudent scoundrel ! ' I cried . ' I've never so much as seen him in my life . Why should I consider him in any way ? I shall certainly not write if you would rather I didn't . '

" ' Good ! That's a promise , ' said he , rising from his chair . ' Well , I'm delighted to have got so good a man for my brother . Here's your advance of a hundred pounds , and here is the letter . Make a note of the address , 126B Corporation Street , and remember that one o'clock to-morrow is your appointment . Good-night , and may you have all the fortune that you deserve ! '

" That's just about all that passed between us , as near as I can remember . You can imagine , Dr. Watson , how pleased I was at such an extraordinary bit of good fortune . I sat up half the night hugging myself over it , and next day I was off to Birmingham in a train that would take me in plenty time for my appointment . I took my things to a hotel in New Street , and then I made my way to the address which had been given me .

" It was a quarter of an hour before my time , but I thought that would make no difference , 126B was a passage between two large shops , which led to a winding stone stair , from which there were many flats , let as offices to companies or professional men . The names of the occupants were painted at the bottom on the wall , but there was no such name as the Franco-Midland Hardware Company , Limited . I stood for a few minutes with my heart in my boots , wondering whether the whole thing was an elaborate hoax or not , when up came a man and addressed me . He was very like the chap I had seen the night before , the same figure and voice , but he was clean-shaven and his hair was lighter .

" ' Are you Mr. Hall Pycroft ? ' he asked .

" ' Yes , ' said I .

" ' Oh ! I was expecting you , but you are a trifle before your time . I had a note from my brother this morning in which he sang your praises very loudly . '

" ' I was just looking for the offices when you came . '

" ' We have not got our name up yet , for we only secured these temporary premises last week . Come up with me , and we will talk the matter over . '

" I followed him to the top of a very lofty stair , and there , right under the slates , were a couple of empty , dusty little rooms , uncarpeted and uncurtained , into which he led me . I had thought of a great office with shining tables and rows of clerks , such as I was used to , and I daresay I stared rather straight at the two deal chairs and one little table , which with a ledger and a waste-paper basket , made up the whole furniture .

" ' Don't be disheartened , Mr. Pycroft , ' said my new acquaintance , seeing the length of my face . ' Rome was not built in a day , and we have lots of money at our backs , though we don't cut much dash yet in offices . Pray sit down , and let me have your letter . '

" I gave it to him , and he read it over very carefully .

" ' You seem to have made a vast impression upon my brother Arthur , ' said he , ' and I know that he is a pretty shrewd judge . He swears by London , you know ; and I by Birmingham ; but this time I shall follow his advice . Pray consider yourself definitely engaged . '

" ' What are my duties ? ' I asked .

" ' You will eventually manage the great depot in Paris , which will pour a flood of English crockery into the shops of a hundred and thirty-four agents in France . The purchase will be completed in a week , and meanwhile you will remain in Birmingham and make yourself useful . '

" ' How ? '

" For answer , he took a big red book out of a drawer .

" ' This is a directory of Paris , ' said he , ' with the trades after the names of the people . I want you to take it home with you and to mark off all the hardware-sellers , with their addresses . It would be of the greatest use to me to have them . '

" ' Surely , there are classified lists ? ' I suggested .

" ' Not reliable ones . Their system is different from ours . Stick at it , and let me have the lists by Monday , at twelve . Good-day , Mr. Pycroft . If you continue to show zeal and intelligence you will find the company a good master . '

" I went back to the hotel with the big book under my arm , and with very conflicting feelings in my breast . On the one hand , I was definitely engaged and had a hundred pounds in my pocket ; on the other , the look of the offices , the absence of name on the wall , and other of the points which would strike a business man had left a bad impression as to the position of my employers . However , come what might , I had my money , so I settled down to my task . All Sunday I was kept hard at work , and yet by Monday I had only got as far as H . I went round to my employer , found him in the same dismantled kind of room , and was told to keep at it until Wednesday , and then come again . On Wednesday it was still unfinished , so I hammered away until Friday -- that is , yesterday . Then I brought it round to Mr. Harry Pinner .

" ' Thank you very much , ' said he , ' I fear that I underrated the difficulty of the task . This list will be of very material assistance to me . '

" ' It took some time , ' said I .

" ' And now , ' said he , ' I want you to make a list of the furniture shops , for they all sell crockery . '

" ' Very good . '

" ' And you can come up to-morrow evening at seven and let me know how you are getting on . Don't overwork yourself . A couple of hours at Day's Music Hall in the evening would do you no harm after your labours . ' He laughed as he spoke , and I saw with a thrill that his second tooth upon the left-hand side had been very badly stuffed with gold . "

Sherlock Holmes rubbed his hands with delight , and I stared with astonishment at our client .

" You may well look surprised , Dr. Watson , but it is this way , " said he : " When I was speaking to the other chap in London , at the time that he laughed at my not going to Mawson's , I happened to notice that his tooth was stuffed in this very identical fashion . The glint of the gold in each case caught my eye , you see . When I put that with the voice and figure being the same , and only those things altered which might be changed by a razor or a wig , I could not doubt that it was the same man . Of course you expect two brothers to be alike , but not that they should have the same tooth stuffed in the same way . He bowed me out , and I found myself in the street , hardly knowing whether I was on my head or my heels . Back I went to my hotel , put my head in a basin of cold water , and tried to think it out . Why had he sent me from London to Birmingham ? Why had he got there before me ? And why had he written a letter from himself to himself ? It was altogether too much for me , and I could make no sense of it . And then suddenly it struck me that what was dark to me might be very light to Mr. Sherlock Holmes . I had just time to get up to town by the night train to see him this morning , and to bring you both back with me to Birmingham . "

There was a pause after the stock-broker's clerk had concluded his surprising experience . Then Sherlock Holmes cocked his eye at me , leaning back on the cushions with a pleased and yet critical face , like a connoisseur who has just taken his first sip of a comet vintage .

" Rather fine , Watson , is it not ? " said he . " There are points in it which please me . I think that you will agree with me that an interview with Mr. Arthur Harry Pinner in the temporary offices of the Franco-Midland Hardware Company , Limited , would be a rather interesting experience for both of us . "

" But how can we do it ? " I asked .

" Oh , easily enough , " said Hall Pycroft cheerily . " You are two friends of mine who are in want of a billet , and what could be more natural than that I should bring you both round to the managing director ? "

" Quite so , of course , " said Holmes . " I should like to have a look at the gentleman and see if I can make anything of his little game . What qualities have you , my friend , which would make your services so valuable ? Or is it possible that -- " He began biting his nails and staring blankly out of the window , and we hardly drew another word from him until we were in New Street .

At seven o'clock that evening we were walking , the three of us , down Corporation Street to the company's offices .

" It is no use our being at all before our time , " said our client . " He only comes there to see me , apparently , for the place is deserted up to the very hour he names . "

" That is suggestive , " remarked Holmes .

" By Jove , I told you so ! " cried the clerk . " That's he walking ahead of us there . "

He pointed to a smallish , dark , well-dressed man who was bustling along the other side of the road . As we watched him he looked across at a boy who was bawling out the latest edition of the evening paper , and , running over among the cabs and busses , he bought one from him . Then , clutching it in his hand , he vanished through a doorway .

" There he goes ! " cried Hall Pycroft . " These are the company's offices into which he has gone . Come with me , and I'll fix it up as easily as possible . "

Following his lead , we ascended five stories , until we found ourselves outside a half-opened door , at which our client tapped . A voice within bade us enter , and we entered a bare , unfurnished room such as Hall Pycroft had described . At the single table sat the man whom we had seen in the street , with his evening paper spread out in front of him , and as he looked up at us it seemed to me that I had never looked upon a face which bore such marks of grief , and of something beyond grief -- of a horror such as comes to few men in a lifetime . His brow glistened with perspiration , his cheeks were of the dull , dead white of a fish's belly , and his eyes were wild and staring . He looked at his clerk as though he failed to recognize him , and I could see by the astonishment depicted upon our conductor's face that this was by no means the usual appearance of his employer .

" You look ill , Mr. Pinner ! " he exclaimed .

" Yes , I am not very well , " answered the other , making obvious efforts to pull himself together and licking his dry lips before he spoke . " Who are these gentlemen whom you have brought with you ? "

" One is Mr. Harris , of Bermondsey , and the other is Mr. Price , of this town , " said our clerk glibly . " They are friends of mine and gentlemen of experience , but they have been out of a place for some little time , and they hoped that perhaps you might find an opening for them in the company's employment . "

" Very possibly ! very possibly ! " cried Mr. Pinner with a ghastly smile . " Yes , I have no doubt that we shall be able to do something for you . What is your particular line , Mr. Harris ? "

" I am an accountant , " said Holmes .

" Ah , yes , we shall want something of the sort . And you . Mr. Price ? "

" A clerk , " said I .

" I have every hope that the company may accommodate you . I will let you know about it as soon as we come to any conclusion . And now I beg that you will go . For God's sake leave me to myself ! "

These last words were shot out of him , as though the constraint which he was evidently setting upon himself had suddenly and utterly burst asunder . Holmes and I glanced at each other , and Hall Pycroft took a step towards the table .

" You forget , Mr. Pinner , that I am here by appointment to receive some directions from you , " said he .

" Certainly , Mr. Pycroft , certainly , " the other resumed in a calmer tone . " You may wait here a moment and there is no reason why your friends should not wait with you . I will be entirely at your service in three minutes , if I might trespass upon your patience so far . " He rose with a very courteous air , and , bowing to us , he passed out through a door at the farther end of the room , which he closed behind him .

" What now ? " whispered Holmes . " Is he giving us the slip ? "

" Impossible , " answered Pycroft .

" Why so ? "

" That door leads into an inner room . "

" There is no exit ? "

" None . "

" Is it furnished ? "

" It was empty yesterday . "

" Then what on earth can he be doing ? There is something which I don't understand in this matter . If ever a man was three parts mad with terror , that man's name is Pinner . What can have put the shivers on him ? "

" He suspects that we are detectives , " I suggested .

" That's it , " cried Pycroft .

Holmes shook his head . " He did not turn pale . He was pale when we entered the room , " said he . " It is just possible that -- "

His words were interrupted by a sharp rat-tat from the direction of the inner door .

" What the deuce is he knocking at his own door for ? " cried the clerk .

Again and much louder came the rat-tat-tat . We all gazed expectantly at the closed door . Glancing at Holmes , I saw his face turn rigid , and he leaned forward in intense excitement . Then suddenly came a low guggling , gargling sound , and a brisk drumming upon woodwork . Holmes sprang frantically across the room and pushed at the door . It was fastened on the inner side . Following his example , we threw ourselves upon it with all our weight . One hinge snapped , then the other , and down came the door with a crash . Rushing over it , we found ourselves in the inner room . It was empty .

But it was only for a moment that we were at fault . At one corner , the corner nearest the room which we had left , there was a second door . Holmes sprang to it and pulled it open . A coat and waistcoat were lying on the floor , and from a hook behind the door , with his own braces round his neck , was hanging the managing director of the Franco-Midland Hardware Company . His knees were drawn up , his head hung at a dreadful angle to his body , and the clatter of his heels against the door made the noise which had broken in upon our conversation . In an instant I had caught him round the waist , and held him up while Holmes and Pycroft untied the elastic bands which had disappeared between the livid creases of skin . Then we carried him into the other room , where he lay with a clay-coloured face , puffing his purple lips in and out with every breath -- a dreadful wreck of all that he had been but five minutes before .

" What do you think of him , Watson ? " asked Holmes .

I stooped over him and examined him . His pulse was feeble and intermittent , but his breathing grew longer , and there was a little shivering of his eyelids , which showed a thin white slit of ball beneath .

" It has been touch and go with him , " said I , " but he'll live now . Just open that window , and hand me the water carafe . " I undid his collar , poured the cold water over his face , and raised and sank his arms until he drew a long , natural breath . " It's only a question of time now , " said I as I turned away from him .

Holmes stood by the table , with his hands deep in his trousers' pockets and his chin upon his breast .

" I suppose we ought to call the police in now , " said he . " And yet I confess that I'd like to give them a complete case when they come . "

" It's a blessed mystery to me , " cried Pycroft , scratching his head . " Whatever they wanted to bring me all the way up here for , and then -- "

" Pooh ! All that is clear enough , " said Holmes impatiently . " It is this last sudden move . "

" You understand the rest , then ? "

" I think that it is fairly obvious . What do you say , Watson ? "

I shrugged my shoulders . " I must confess that I am out of my depths , " said I .

" Oh , surely if you consider the events at first they can only point to one conclusion . "

" What do you make of them ? "

" Well , the whole thing hinges upon two points . The first is the making of Pycroft write a declaration by which he entered the service of this preposterous company . Do you not see how very suggestive that is ? "

" I am afraid I miss the point . "

" Well , why did they want him to do it ? Not as a business matter , for these arrangements are usually verbal , and there was no earthly business reason why this should be an exception . Don't you see , my young friend , that they were very anxious to obtain a specimen of your handwriting , and had no other way of doing it ? "

" And why ? "

" Quite so . Why ? When we answer that we have made some progress with our little problem . Why ? There can be only one adequate reason . Someone wanted to learn to imitate your writing and had to procure a specimen of it first . And now if we pass on to the second point we find that each throws light upon the other . That point is the request made by Pinner that you should not resign your place , but should leave the manager of this important business in the full expectation that a Mr. Hall Pycroft , whom he had never seen , was about to enter the office upon the Monday morning . "

" My God ! " cried our client , " what a blind beetle I have been ! "

" Now you see the point about the handwriting . Suppose that someone turned up in your place who wrote a completely different hand from that in which you had applied for the vacancy , of course the game would have been up . But in the interval the rogue had learned to imitate you , and his position was therefore secure , as I presume that nobody in the office had ever set eyes upon you .

" Not a soul , " groaned Hall Pycroft .

" Very good . Of course it was of the utmost importance to prevent you from thinking better of it , and also to keep you from coming into contact with anyone who might tell you that your double was at work in Mawson's office . Therefore they gave you a handsome advance on your salary , and ran you off to the Midlands , where they gave you enough work to do to prevent your going to London , where you might have burst their little game up . That is all plain enough . "

" But why should this man pretend to be his own brother ? "

" Well , that is pretty clear also . There are evidently only two of them in it . The other is impersonating you at the office . This one acted as your engager , and then found that he could not find you an employer without admitting a third person into his plot . That he was most unwilling to do . He changed his appearance as far as he could , and trusted that the likeness , which you could not fail to observe , would be put down to a family resemblance . But for the happy chance of the gold stuffing , your suspicions would probably never have been aroused . "

Hall Pycroft shook his clenched hands in the air . " Good Lord ! " he cried , " while I have been fooled in this way , what has this other Hall Pycroft been doing at Mawson's ? What should we do , Mr. Holmes ? Tell me what to do . "

" We must wire to Mawson's . "

" They shut at twelve on Saturdays . "

" Never mind . There may be some door-keeper or attendant -- "

" Ah , yes , they keep a permanent guard there on account of the value of the securities that they hold . I remember hearing it talked of in the City . "

" Very good , we shall wire to him and see if all is well , and if a clerk of your name is working there . That is clear enough , but what is not so clear is why at sight of us one of the rogues should instantly walk out of the room and hang himself . "

" The paper ! " croaked a voice behind us . The man was sitting up , blanched and ghastly , with returning reason in his eyes , and hands which rubbed nervously at the broad red band which still encircled his throat .

" The paper ! Of course ! " yelled Holmes in a paroxysm of excitement . " Idiot that I was ! I thought so much of our visit that the paper never entered my head for an instant . To be sure , the secret must lie there . " He flattened it out upon the table , and a cry of triumph burst from his lips . " Look at this , Watson , " he cried . " It is a London paper , an early edition of the Evening Standard . Here is what we want . Look at the headlines : ' Crime in the City . Murder at Mawson & Williams's . Gigantic Attempted Robbery . Capture of the Criminal . ' Here , Watson , we are all equally anxious to hear it , so kindly read it aloud to us . "

It appeared from its position in the paper to have been the one event of importance in town , and the account of it ran in this way :

" A desperate attempt at robbery , culminating in the death of one man and the capture of the criminal , occurred this afternoon in the City . For some time back Mawson & Williams , the famous financial house , have been the guardians of securities which amount in the aggregate to a sum of considerably over a million sterling . So conscious was the manager of the responsibility which devolved upon him in consequence of the great interests at stake that safes of the very latest construction have been employed , and an armed watchman has been left day and night in the building . It appears that last week a new clerk named Hall Pycroft was engaged by the firm . This person appears to have been none other than Beddington , the famous forger and cracksman , who , with his brother , has only recently emerged from a five years' spell of penal servitude . By some means , which are not yet clear , he succeeded in winning , under a false name , this official position in the office , which he utilized in order to obtain mouldings of various locks , and a thorough knowledge of the position of the strongroom and the safes .

" It is customary at Mawson's for the clerks to leave at midday on Saturday . Sergeant Tuson , of the City police , was somewhat surprised , therefore , to see a gentleman with a carpet-bag come down the steps at twenty minutes past one . His suspicions being aroused , the sergeant followed the man , and with the aid of Constable Pollock succeeded , after a most desperate resistance , in arresting him . It was at once clear that , a daring and gigantic robbery had been committed . Nearly a hundred thousand pounds' worth of American railway bonds , with a large amount of scrip in mines and other companies , was discovered in the bag . On examining the premises the body of the unfortunate watchman was found doubled up and thrust into the largest of the safes , where it would not have been discovered until Monday morning had it not been for the prompt action of Sergeant Tuson . The man's-skull had been shattered by a blow from a poker delivered from behind . There could be no doubt that Beddington had obtained entrance by pretending that he had left something behind him , and having murdered the watchman , rapidly rifled the large safe , and then made off with his booty . His brother , who usually works with him , has not appeared in this job as far as can at present be ascertained , although the police are making energetic inquiries as to his whereabouts . "

" Well , we may save the police some little trouble in that direction , " said Holmes , glancing at the haggard figure huddled up by the window . " Human nature is a strange mixture , Watson . You see that even a villain and murderer can inspire such affection that his brother turns to suicide when he learns that his neck is forfeited . However , we have no choice as to our action . The doctor and I will remain on guard , Mr. Pycroft , if you will have the kindness to step out for the police . "

[ In publishing these short sketches based upon the numerous cases in which my companion's singular gifts have made us the listeners to , and eventually the actors in , some strange drama , it is only natural that I should dwell rather upon his successes than upon his failures . And this not so much for the sake of his reputation -- for , indeed , it was when he was at his wit's end that his energy and his versatility were most admirable -- but because where he failed it happened too often that no one else succeeded , and that the tale was left forever without a conclusion . Now and again , however , it chanced that even when he erred the truth was still discovered . I have notes of some half-dozen cases of the kind , the adventure of the Musgrave Ritual and that which I am about to recount are the two which present the strongest features of interest . ]

Sherlock Holmes was a man who seldom took exercise for exercise's sake . Few men were capable of greater muscular effort , and he was undoubtedly one of the finest boxers of his weight that I have ever seen ; but he looked upon aimless bodily exertion as a waste of energy , and he seldom bestirred himself save where there was some professional object to be served . Then he was absolutely untiring and indefatigable . That he should have kept himself in training under such circumstances is remarkable , but his diet was usually of the sparest , and his habits were simple to the verge of austerity . Save for the occasional use of cocaine , he had no vices , and he only turned to the drug as a protest against the monotony of existence when cases were scanty and the papers uninteresting .

One day in early spring he had so far relaxed as to go for a walk with me in the Park , where the first faint shoots of green were breaking out upon the elms , and the sticky spear-heads of the chestnuts were just beginning to burst into their five-fold leaves . For two hours we rambled about together , in silence for the most part , as befits two men who know each other intimately . It was nearly five before we were back in Baker Street once more .

" Beg pardon , sir , " said our page-boy as he opened the door . " There's been a gentleman here asking for you , sir . "

Holmes glanced reproachfully at me . " So much for afternoon walks ! " said he . " Has this gentleman gone , then ? "

" Yes , sir . "

" Didn't you ask him in ? "

" Yes , sir , he came in . "

" How long did he wait ? "

" Half an hour , sir . He was a very restless gentleman , sir a-walkin' and a-stampin' all the time he was here . I was waitin' outside the door , sir , and I could hear him . At last he outs into the passage , and he cries , ' Is that man never goin' to come ? ' Those were his very words , sir . ' You'll only need to wait a little longer , ' says I . ' Then I'll wait in the open air , for I feel half choked , ' says he . ' I'll be back before long . ' And with that he ups and he outs , and all I could say wouldn't hold him back . "

" Well , well , you did your best , " said Holmes as we walked into our room . " It's very annoying , though , Watson . I was badly in need of a case , and this looks , from the man's impatience , as if it were of importance . Hullo ! that's not your pipe on the table . He must have left his behind him . A nice old brier with a good long stem of what the tobacconists call amber . I wonder how many real amber mouthpieces there are in London ? Some people think that a fly in it is a sign . Well , he must have been disturbed in his mind to leave a pipe behind him which he evidently values highly . "

" How do you know that he values it highly ? " I asked .

" Well , I should put the original cost of the pipe at seven and sixpence . Now it has , you see , been twice mended , once in the wooden stem and once in the amber . Each of these mends , done , as you observe , with silver bands , must have cost more than the pipe did originally . The man must value the pipe highly when he prefers to patch it up rather than buy a new one with the same money . " " Anything else ? " I asked , for Holmes was turning the pipe about in his hand and staring at it in his peculiar pensive way . He held it up and tapped on it with his long , thin forefinger , as a professor might who was lecturing on a bone .

" Pipes are occasionally of extraordinary interest , " said he . " Nothing has more individuality , save perhaps watches and bootlaces . The indications here , however , are neither very marked nor very important . The owner is obviously a muscular man , left-handed , with an excellent set of teeth , careless in his habits , and with no need to practise economy . "

My friend threw out the information in a very offhand way , but I saw that he cocked his eye at me to see if I had followed his reasoning .

" You think a man must be well-to-do if he smokes a seven-shilling pipe ? " said I .

" This is Grosvenor mixture at eightpence an ounce , " Holmes answered , knocking a little out on his palm . " As he might get an excellent smoke for half the price , he has no need to practise economy . "

" And the other points ? "

" He has been in the habit of lighting his pipe at lamps and gasjets . You can see that it is quite charred all down one side . Of course a match could not have done that . Why should a man hold a match to the side of his pipe ? But you cannot light it at a lamp without getting the bowl charred . And it is all on the right side of the pipe . From that I gather that he is a left-handed man . You hold your own pipe to the lamp and see how naturally you , being right-handed , hold the left side to the flame . You might do it once the other way , but not as a constancy . This has always been held so . Then he has bitten through his amber . It takes a muscular , energetic fellow , and one with a good set of teeth , to do that . But if I am not mistaken I hear him upon the stair , so we shall have something more interesting than his pipe to study . "

An instant later our door opened , and a tall young man entered the room . He was well but quietly dressed in a dark gray suit and carried a brown wideawake in his hand . I should have put him at about thirty , though he was really some years older .

" I beg your pardon , " said he with some embarrassment , " I suppose I should have knocked . Yes , of course I should have knocked . The fact is that I am a little upset , and you must put it all down to that . " He passed his hand over his forehead like a man who is half dazed , and then fell rather than sat down upon a chair .

" I can see that you have not slept for a night or two , " said Holmes in his easy , genial way . " That tries a man's nerves more than work , and more even than pleasure . May I ask how I can help you ? "

" I wanted your advice , sir . I don't know what to do , and my whole life seems to have gone to pieces . "

" You wish to employ me as a consulting detective ? "

" Not that only . I want your opinion as a judicious man -- as a man of the world . I want to know what I ought to do next . I hope to God you'll be able to tell me . "

He spoke in little , sharp , jerky outbursts , and it seemed to me that to speak at all was very painful to him , and that his will all through was overriding his inclinations .

" It's a very delicate thing , " said he . " One does not like to speak of one's domestic affairs to strangers . It seems dreadful to discuss the conduct of one's wife with two men whom I have never seen before . It's horrible to have to do it . But I've got to the end of my tether , and I must have advice . "

" My dear Mr. Grant Munro -- " began Holmes .

Our visitor sprang from his chair . " What ! " he cried , " you know my name ? "

" If you wish to preserve your incognito , " said Holmes , smiling , " I would suggest that you cease to write your name upon the lining of your hat , or else that you turn the crown towards the person whom you are addressing . I was about to say that my friend and I have listened to a good many strange secrets in this room , and that we have had the good fortune to bring peace to many troubled souls . I trust that we may do as much for you . Might I beg you , as time may prove to be of importance , to furnish me with the facts of your case without further delay ? "

Our visitor again passed his hand over his forehead , as if he found it bitterly hard . From every gesture and expression I could see that he was a reserved , self-contained man , with a dash of pride in his nature , more likely to hide his wounds than to expose them . Then suddenly , with a fierce gesture of his closed hand , like one who throws reserve to the winds , he began :

" The facts are these , Mr. Holmes , " said he . " I am a married man and have been so for three years . During that time my wife and I have loved each other as fondly and lived as happily as any two that ever were joined . We have not had a difference , not one , in thought or word or deed . And now , since last Monday , there has suddenly sprung up a barrier between us , and I find that there is something in her life and in her thoughts of which I know as little as if she were the woman who brushes by me in the street . We are estranged , and I want to know why .

" Now there is one thing that I want to impress upon you before I go any further , Mr. Holmes . Effie loves me . Don't let there be any mistake about that . She loves me with her whole heart and soul , and never more than now . I know it . I feel it . I don't want to argue about that . A man can tell easily enough when a woman loves him . But there's this secret between us , and we can never be the same until it is cleared . "

" Kindly let me have the facts , Mr. Munro , " said Holmes with some impatience .

" I'll tell you what I know about Effie's history . She was a widow when I met her first , though quite young -- only twenty-five . Her name then was Mrs. Hebron . She went out to America when she was young and lived in the town of Atlanta , where she married this Hebron , who was a lawyer with a good practice . They had one child , but the yellow fever broke out badly in the place , and both husband and child died of it . I have seen his death certificate . This sickened her of America , and she came back to live with a maiden aunt at Pinner , in Middlesex . I may mention that her husband had left her comfortably off , and that she had a capital of about four thousand five hundred pounds , which had been so well invested by him that it returned an average of seven per cent . She had only been six months at Pinner when I met her ; we fell in love with each other , and we married a few weeks afterwards .

" I am a hop merchant myself , and as I have an income of seven or eight hundred , we found ourselves comfortably off and took a nice eighty-pound-a-year villa at Norbury . Our little place was very countrified , considering that it is so close to town . We had an inn and two houses a little above us , and a single cottage at the other side of the field which faces us , and except those there were no houses until you got halfway to the station . My business took me into town at certain seasons , but in summer I had less to do , and then in our country home my wife and I were just as happy as could be wished . I tell you that there never was a shadow between us until this accursed affair began .

" There's one thing I ought to tell you before I go further . When we married , my wife made over all her property to me -- rather against my will , for I saw how awkward it would be if my business affairs went wrong . However , she would have it so , and it was done . Well , about six weeks ago she came to me .

" ' Jack , ' said she , ' when you took my money you said that if ever I wanted any I was to ask you for it . '

" ' Certainly ' said I . ' It's all your own . '

" ' Well , ' said she , ' I want a hundred pounds . '

" I was a bit staggered at this , for I had imagined it was simply a new dress or something of the kind that she was after .

" ' What on earth for ? ' I asked .

" ' Oh , ' said she in her playful way , ' you said that you were only my banker , and bankers never ask questions , you know . '

" ' If you really mean it , of course you shall have the money , ' said I .

" ' Oh , yes , I really mean it . '

" ' And you won't tell me what you want it for ? '

" ' Some day , perhaps , but not just at present , Jack . '

" So I had to be content with that , though it was the first time that there had ever been any secret between us . I gave her a check , and I never thought any more of the matter . It may have nothing to do with what came afterwards , but I thought it only right to mention it .

" Well , I told you just now that there is a cottage not far from our house . There is just a field between us , but to reach it you have to go along the road and then turn down a lane . Just beyond it is a nice little grove of Scotch firs , and I used to be very fond of strolling down there , for trees are always a neighbourly kind of thing . The cottage had been standing empty this eight months , and it was a pity , for it was a pretty two-storied place , with an old-fashioned porch and a honeysuckle about it . I have stood many a time and thought what a neat little homestead it would make .

" Well , last Monday evening I was taking a stroll down that way when I met an empty van coming up the lane and saw a pile of carpets and things lying about on the grass-plot beside the porch . It was clear that the cottage had at last been let . I walked past it , and then stopping , as an idle man might , I ran my eye over it and wondered what sort of folk they were who had come to live so near us . And as I looked I suddenly became aware that a face was watching me out of one of the upper windows .

" I don't know what there was about that face , Mr. Holmes , but it seemed to send a chill right down my back . I was some little way off , so that I could not make out the features , but there was something unnatural and inhuman about the face . That was the impression that I had , and I moved quickly forward to get a nearer view of the person who was watching me . But as I did so the face suddenly disappeared , so suddenly that it seemed to have been plucked away into the darkness of the room . I stood for five minutes thinking the business over and trying to analyze my impressions . I could not tell if the face was that of a man or a woman . It had been too far from me for that . But its colour was what had impressed me most . It was of a livid chalky white , and with something set and rigid about it which was shockingly unnatural . So disturbed was I that I determined to see a little more of the new inmates of the cottage . I approached and knocked at the door , which was instantly opened by a tall , gaunt woman with a harsh , forbidding face .

" ' What may you be wantin' ? ' she asked in a Northern accent .

" I am your neighbour over yonder , ' said I , nodding towards my house . ' I see that you have only just moved in , so I thought that if I could be of any help to you in any -- '

" ' Ay , We'll just ask ye when we want ye , ' said she , and shut the door in my face . Annoyed at the churlish rebuff , I turned my back and walked home . All evening , though I tried to think of other things , my mind would still turn to the apparition at the window and the rudeness of the woman . I determined to say nothing about the former to my wife , for she is a nervous , highly strung woman , and I had no wish that she should share the unpleasant impression which had been produced upon myself . I remarked to her , however , before I fell asleep , that the cottage was now occupied , to which she returned no reply .

" I am usually an extremely sound sleeper . It has been a standing jest in the family that nothing could ever wake me during the night . And yet somehow on that particular night , whether it may have been the slight excitement produced by my little adventure or not I know not , but I slept much more lightly than usual . Half in my dreams I was dimly conscious that something was going on in the room , and gradually became aware that my wife had dressed herself and was slipping on her mantle and her bonnet . My lips were parted to murmur out some sleepy words of surprise or remonstrance at this untimely preparation , when suddenly my half-opened eyes fell upon her face , illuminated by the candle-light , and astonishment held me dumb . She wore an expression such as I had never seen before -- such as I should have thought her incapable of assuming . She was deadly pale and breathing fast , glancing furtively towards the bed as she fastened her mantle to see if she had disturbed me . Then thinking that I was still asleep , she slipped noiselessly from the room , and an instant later I heard a sharp creaking which could only come from the hinges of the front door . I sat up in bed and rapped my knuckles against the rail to make certain that I was truly awake . Then I took my watch from under the pillow . It was three in the morning . What on this earth could my wife be doing out on the country road at three in the morning ?

" I had sat for about twenty minutes turning the thing over in my mind and trying to find some possible explanation . The more I thought , the more extraordinary and inexplicable did it appear . I was still puzzling over it when I heard the door gently close again , and her footsteps coming up the stairs .

" ' Where in the world have you been , Effie ? ' I asked as she entered .

" She gave a violent start and a kind of gasping cry when I spoke , and that cry and start troubled me more than all the rest , for there was something indescribably guilty about them . My wife had always been a woman of a frank , open nature , and it gave me a chill to see her slinking into her own room and crying out and wincing when her own husband spoke to her .

" ' You awake , Jack ! ' she cried with a nervous laugh . ' Why , I thought that nothing could awake you . '

" ' Where have you been ? ' I asked , more sternly .

" ' I don't wonder that you are surprised , ' said she , and I could see that her fingers were trembling as she undid the fastenings of her mantle . ' Why , I never remember having done such a thing in my life before . The fact is that I felt as though I were choking and had a perfect longing for a breath of fresh air . I really think that I should have fainted if I had not gone out . I stood at the door for a few minutes , and now I am quite myself again . '

" All the time that she was telling me this story she never once looked in my direction , and her voice was quite unlike her usual tones . It was evident to me that she was saying what was false . I said nothing in reply , but turned my face to the wall , sick at heart , with my mind filled with a thousand venomous doubts and suspicions . What was it that my wife was concealing from me ? Where had she been during that strange expedition ? I felt that I should have no peace until I knew , and yet I shrank from asking her again after once she had told me what was false . All the rest of the night I tossed and tumbled , framing theory after theory , each more unlikely than the last .

" I should have gone to the City that day , but I was too disturbed in my mind to be able to pay attention to business matters . My wife seemed to be as upset as myself , and I could see from the little questioning glances which she kept shooting at me that she understood that I disbelieved her statement , and that she was at her wit's end what to do . We hardly exchanged a word during breakfast , and immediately afterwards I went out for a walk that I might think the matter out in the fresh morning air .

" I went as far as the Crystal Palace , spent an hour in the grounds , and was back in Norbury by one o'clock . It happened that my way took me past the cottage , and I stopped for an instant to look at the windows and to see if I could catch a glimpse of the strange face which had looked out at me on the day before . As I stood there , imagine my surprise , Mr. Holmes , when the door suddenly opened and my wife walked out .

" I was struck dumb with astonishment at the sight of her , but my emotions were nothing to those which showed themselves upon her face when our eyes met . She seemed for an instant to wish to shrink back inside the house again ; and then , seeing how useless all concealment must be , she came forward , with a very white face and frightened eyes which belied the smile upon her lips .

" ' Ah , Jack , ' she said , ' I have just been in to see if I can be of any assistance to our new neighbours . Why do you look at me like that , Jack ? You are not angry with me ? '

" ' So , ' said I , ' this is where you went during the night . '

" ' What do you mean ? ' she cried .

" ' You came here . I am sure of it . Who are these people that you should visit them at such an hour ? '

" ' I have not been here before . '

" ' How can you tell me what you know is false ? ' I cried . ' Your very voice changes as you speak . When have I ever had a secret from you ? I shall enter that cottage , and I shall probe the matter to the bottom . '

" ' No , no , Jack , for God's sake ! ' she gasped in uncontrollable emotion . Then , as I approached the door , she seized my sleeve and pulled me back with convulsive strength .

" ' I implore you not to do this , Jack , ' she cried . ' I swear that I will tell you everything some day , but nothing but misery can come of it if you enter that cottage . ' Then , as I tried to shake her off , she clung to me in a frenzy of entreaty .

" ' Trust me , Jack ! ' she cried . ' Trust me only this once . You will never have cause to regret it . You know that I would not have a secret from you if it were not for your own sake . Our whole lives are at stake in this . If you come home with me all will be well . If you force your way into that cottage all is over between us . '

" There was such earnestness , such despair , in her manner that her words arrested me , and I stood irresolute before the door .

" ' I will trust you on one condition , and on one condition only , ' said I at last . ' It is that this mystery comes to an end from now . You are at liberty to preserve your secret , but you must promise me that there shall be no more nightly visits , no more doings which are kept from my knowledge . I am willing to forget those which are past if you will promise that there shall be no more in the future . '

" ' I was sure that you would trust me , ' she cried with a great sigh of relief . ' It shall be just as you wish . Come away -- oh , come away up to the house . '

" Still pulling at my sleeve , she led me away from the cottage . As we went I glanced back , and there was that yellow livid face watching us out of the upper window . What link could there be between that creature and my wife ? Or how could the coarse , rough woman whom I had seen the day before be connected with her ? It was a strange puzzle , and yet I knew that my mind could never know ease again until I had solved it .

" For two days after this I stayed at home , and my wife appeared to abide loyally by our engagement , for , as far as I know , she never stirred out of the house . On the third day however , I had ample evidence that her solemn promise was not enough to hold her back from this secret influence which drew her away from her husband and her duty .

" I had gone into town on that day , but I returned by the 2:40 instead of the 3:36 , which is my usual train . As I entered the house the maid ran into the hall with a startled face .

" ' Where is your mistress ? ' I asked .

" ' I think that she has gone out for a walk , ' she answered .

" My mind was instantly filled with suspicion . I rushed upstairs to make sure that she was not in the house . As I did so I happened to glance out of one of the upper windows and saw the maid with whom I had just been speaking running across the field in the direction of the cottage . Then of course I saw exactly what it all meant . My wife had gone over there and had asked the servant to call her if I should return . Tingling with anger , I rushed down and hurried across , determined to end the matter once and forever . I saw my wife and the maid hurrying back along the lane , but I did not stop to speak with them . In the cottage lay the secret which was casting a shadow over my life . I vowed that , come what might , it should be a secret no longer . I did not even knock when I reached it , but turned the handle and rushed into the passage .

" It was all still and quiet upon the ground floor . In the kitchen a kettle was singing on the fire , and a large black cat lay coiled up in the basket ; but there was no sign of the woman whom I had seen before . I ran into the other room , but it was equally deserted . Then I rushed up the stairs only to find two other rooms empty and deserted at the top . There was no one at all in the whole house . The furniture and pictures were of the most common and vulgar description , save in the one chamber at the window of which I had seen the strange face . That was comfortable and elegant , and all my suspicions rose into a fierce , bitter flame when I saw that on the mantelpiece stood a copy of a full-length photograph of my wife , which had been taken at my request only three months ago .

" I stayed long enough to make certain that the house was absolutely empty . Then I left it , feeling a weight at my heart such as I had never had before . My wife came out into the hall as I entered my house ; but I was too hurt and angry to speak with her , and , pushing past her , I made my way into my study . She followed me , however , before I could close the door .

" ' I am sorry that I broke my promise , Jack , ' said she , ' but if you knew all the circumstances I am sure that you would forgive me . '

" ' Tell me everything , then , ' said I .

" ' I cannot , Jack , I cannot , ' she cried .

" ' Until you tell me who it is that has been living in that cottage , and who it is to whom you have given that photograph , there can never be any confidence between us , ' said I , and breaking away from her I left the house . That was yesterday , Mr. Holmes , and I have not seen her since , nor do I know anything more about this strange business . It is the first shadow that has come between us , and it has so shaken me that I do not know what I should do for the best . Suddenly this morning it occurred to me that you were the man to advise me , so I have hurried to you now , and I place myself unreservedly in your hands . If there is any point which I have not made clear , pray question me about it . But , above all , tell me quickly what I am to do , for this misery is more than I can bear . "

Holmes and I had listened with the utmost interest to this extraordinary statement , which had been delivered in the jerky , broken fashion of a man who is under the influence of extreme emotion . My companion sat silent now for some time , with his chin upon his hand , lost in thought .

" Tell me , " said he at last , " could you swear that this was a man's face which you saw at the window ? "

" Each time that I saw it I was some distance away from it so that it is impossible for me to say . "

" You appear , however , to have been disagreeably impressed by it . "

" It seemed to be of an unusual colour and to have a strange rigidity about the features . When I approached it vanished with a jerk . "

" How long is it since your wife asked you for a hundred pounds ? "

" Nearly two months . "

" Have you ever seen a photograph of her first husband ? "

" No , there was a great fire at Atlanta very shortly after his death , and all her papers were destroyed . "

" And yet she had a certificate of death . You say that you saw it . "

" Yes , she got a duplicate after the fire . "

" Did you ever meet anyone who knew her in America ? "

" No . "

" Did she ever talk of revisiting the place ? "

" No . "

" Or get letters from it ? "

" No . "

" Thank you . I should like to think over the matter a little now . If the cottage is now permanently deserted we may have some difficulty . If , on the other hand , as I fancy is more likely the inmates were warned of your coming and left before you entered yesterday , then they may be back now , and we should clear it all up easily . Let me advise you , then , to return to Norbury and to examine the windows of the cottage again . If you have reason to believe that it is inhabited , do not force your way in , but send a wire to my friend and me . We shall be with you within an hour of receiving it , and we shall then very soon get to the bottom of the business . "

" And if it is still empty ? "

" In that case I shall come out to-morrow and talk it over with you . Good-bye , and , above all , do not fret until you know that you really have a cause for it . "

" I am afraid that this is a bad business , Watson , " said my companion as he returned after accompanying Mr. Grant Munro to the door . " What do you make of it ? "

" It had an ugly sound , " I answered .

" Yes . There's blackmail in it , or I am much mistaken . "

" And who is the blackmailer ? "

" Well , it must be the creature who lives in the only comfortable room in the place and has her photograph above his fireplace . Upon my word , Watson , there is something very attractive about that livid face at the window , and I would not have missed the case for worlds . "

" You have a theory ? "

" Yes , a provisional one . But I shall be surprised if it does not turn out to be correct . This woman's first husband is in that cottage . "

" Why do you think so ? "

" How else can we explain her frenzied anxiety that her second one should not enter it ? The facts , as I read them , are something like this : This woman was married in America . Her husband developed some hateful qualities , or shall we say he contracted some loathsome disease and became a leper or an imbecile ? She flies from him at last , returns to England , changes her name , and starts her life , as she thinks , afresh . She has been married three years and believes that her position is quite secure , having shown her husband the death certificate of some man whose name she has assumed , when suddenly her whereabouts is discovered by her first husband , or , we may suppose , by some unscrupulous woman who has attached herself to the invalid . They write to the wife and threaten to come and expose her . She asks for a hundred pounds and endeavours to buy them off . They come in spite of it , and when the husband mentions casually to the wife that there are newcomers in the cottage , she knows in some way that they are her pursuers . She waits until her husband is asleep and then she rushes down to endeavour to persuade them to leave her in peace . Having no success , she goes again next morning , and her husband meets her , as he has told us , as she comes out . She promises him then not to go there again , but two days afterwards the hope of getting rid of those dreadful neighbours was too strong for her , and she made another attempt , taking down with her the photograph which had probably been demanded from her . In the midst of this interview the maid rushed in to say that the master had come home , on which the wife , knowing that he would come straight down to the cottage , hurried the inmates out at the back door , into the grove of fir-trees , probably , which was mentioned as standing near . In this way he found the place deserted . I shall be very much surprised , however , if it is still so when he reconnoitres it this evening . What do you think of my theory ? "

" It is all surmise . "

" But at least it covers all the facts . When new facts come to our knowledge which cannot be covered by it , it will be time enough to reconsider it . We can do nothing more until we have a message from our friend at Norbury . "

But we had not a very long time to wait for that . It came just as we had finished our tea .

The cottage is still tenanted [ it said ] . Have seen the face again at the window . Will meet the seven-o'clock train and will take no steps until you arrive .

He was waiting on the platform when we stepped out , and we could see in the light of the station lamps that he was very pale , and quivering with agitation .

" They are still there , Mr. Holmes , " said he , laying his hand hard upon my friend's sleeve . " I saw lights in the cottage as I came down . We shall settle it now once and for all . "

" What is your plan , then ? " asked Holmes as he walked down the dark tree-lined road .

" I am going to force my way in and see for myself who is in the house . I wish you both to be there as witnesses . "

" You are quite determined to do this in spite of your wife's warning that it is better that you should not solve the mystery ? "

" Yes , I am determined . "

" Well , I think that you are in the right . Any truth is better than indefinite doubt . We had better go up at once . Of course , legally , we are putting ourselves hopelessly in the wrong ; but I think that it is worth it . "

It was a very dark night , and a thin rain began to fall as we turned from the highroad into a narrow lane , deeply rutted , with hedges on either side . Mr. Grant Munro pushed impatiently forward , however , and we stumbled after him as best we could .

" There are the lights of my house , " he murmured , pointing to a glimmer among the trees . " And here is the cottage which I am going to enter . "

We turned a corner in the lane as he spoke , and there was the building close beside us . A yellow bar falling across the black foreground showed that the door was not quite closed , and one window in the upper story was brightly illuminated . As we looked , we saw a dark blur moving across the blind .

" There is that creature ! " cried Grant Munro . " You can see for yourselves that someone is there . Now follow me , and we shall soon know all . "

We approached the door , but suddenly a woman appeared out of the shadow and stood in the golden track of the lamplight . I could not see her face in the darkness , but her arms were thrown out in an attitude of entreaty .

" For God's sake , don't , Jack ! " she cried . " I had a presentiment that you would come this evening . Think better of it , dear ! Trust me again , and you will never have cause to regret it . "

" I have trusted you too long , Effie , " he cried sternly . " Leave go of me ! I must pass you . My friends and I are going to settle this matter once and forever ! " He pushed her to one side , and we followed closely after him . As he threw the door open an old woman ran out in front of him and tried to bar his passage , but he thrust her back , and an instant afterwards we were all upon the stairs . Grant Munro rushed into the lighted room at the top , and we entered at his heels .

It was a cosy , well-furnished apartment , with two candles burning upon the table and two upon the mantelpiece . In the corner , stooping over a desk , there sat what appeared to be a little girl . Her face was turned away as we entered , but we could see that she was dressed in a red frock , and that she had long white gloves on . As she whisked round to us , I gave a cry of surprise and horror . The face which she turned towards us was of the strangest livid tint , and the features were absolutely devoid of any expression . An instant later the mystery was explained . Holmes , with a laugh , passed his hand behind the child's ear , a mask peeled off from her countenance , and there was a little coal-black negress , with all her white teeth flashing in amusement at our amazed faces . I burst out laughing , out of sympathy with her merriment ; but Grant Munro stood staring , with his hand clutching his throat .

" My God ! " he cried . " What can be the meaning of this ? "

" I will tell you the meaning of it , " cried the lady , sweeping into the room with a proud , set face . " You have forced me , against my own judgment , to tell you , and now we must both make the best of it . My husband died at Atlanta . My child survived . "

" Your child ? "

She drew a large silver locket from her bosom . " You have never seen this open . "