The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Page 11

by Arthur Conan Doyle

  XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET

  "Holmes," said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window lookingdown the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rathersad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone."

  My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his handsin the pockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder. Itwas a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the daybefore still lay deep upon the ground, shimmering brightly in thewintry sun. Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughedinto a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side andon the heaped-up edges of the foot-paths it still lay as white aswhen it fell. The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, butwas still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewerpassengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of theMetropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentlemanwhose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention.

  He was a man of about fifty, tall, portly, and imposing, with amassive, strongly marked face and a commanding figure. He wasdressed in a sombre yet rich style, in black frock-coat, shininghat, neat brown gaiters, and well-cut pearl-grey trousers. Yethis actions were in absurd contrast to the dignity of his dressand features, for he was running hard, with occasional littlesprings, such as a weary man gives who is little accustomed toset any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up anddown, waggled his head, and writhed his face into the mostextraordinary contortions.

  "What on earth can be the matter with him?" I asked. "He islooking up at the numbers of the houses."

  "I believe that he is coming here," said Holmes, rubbing hishands.

  "Here?"

  "Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. Ithink that I recognise the symptoms. Ha! did I not tell you?" Ashe spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door andpulled at our bell until the whole house resounded with theclanging.

  A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, stillgesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair inhis eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror andpity. For a while he could not get his words out, but swayed hisbody and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to theextreme limits of his reason. Then, suddenly springing to hisfeet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that weboth rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room.Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sittingbeside him, patted his hand and chatted with him in the easy,soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ.

  "You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?" said he."You are fatigued with your haste. Pray wait until you haverecovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look intoany little problem which you may submit to me."

  The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fightingagainst his emotion. Then he passed his handkerchief over hisbrow, set his lips tight, and turned his face towards us.

  "No doubt you think me mad?" said he.

  "I see that you have had some great trouble," responded Holmes.

  "God knows I have!--a trouble which is enough to unseat myreason, so sudden and so terrible is it. Public disgrace I mighthave faced, although I am a man whose character has never yetborne a stain. Private affliction also is the lot of every man;but the two coming together, and in so frightful a form, havebeen enough to shake my very soul. Besides, it is not I alone.The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be foundout of this horrible affair."

  "Pray compose yourself, sir," said Holmes, "and let me have aclear account of who you are and what it is that has befallenyou."

  "My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to yourears. I am Alexander Holder, of the banking firm of Holder &Stevenson, of Threadneedle Street."

  The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the seniorpartner in the second largest private banking concern in the Cityof London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of theforemost citizens of London to this most pitiable pass? Wewaited, all curiosity, until with another effort he bracedhimself to tell his story.

  "I feel that time is of value," said he; "that is why I hastenedhere when the police inspector suggested that I should secureyour co-operation. I came to Baker Street by the Underground andhurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through thissnow. That is why I was so out of breath, for I am a man whotakes very little exercise. I feel better now, and I will put thefacts before you as shortly and yet as clearly as I can.

  "It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful bankingbusiness as much depends upon our being able to find remunerativeinvestments for our funds as upon our increasing our connectionand the number of our depositors. One of our most lucrative meansof laying out money is in the shape of loans, where the securityis unimpeachable. We have done a good deal in this directionduring the last few years, and there are many noble families towhom we have advanced large sums upon the security of theirpictures, libraries, or plate.

  "Yesterday morning I was seated in my office at the bank when acard was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when Isaw the name, for it was that of none other than--well, perhapseven to you I had better say no more than that it was a namewhich is a household word all over the earth--one of the highest,noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by thehonour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plungedat once into business with the air of a man who wishes to hurryquickly through a disagreeable task.

  "'Mr. Holder,' said he, 'I have been informed that you are in thehabit of advancing money.'

  "'The firm does so when the security is good.' I answered.

  "'It is absolutely essential to me,' said he, 'that I should have50,000 pounds at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling asum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make ita matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In myposition you can readily understand that it is unwise to placeone's self under obligations.'

  "'For how long, may I ask, do you want this sum?' I asked.

  "'Next Monday I have a large sum due to me, and I shall then mostcertainly repay what you advance, with whatever interest youthink it right to charge. But it is very essential to me that themoney should be paid at once.'

  "'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from myown private purse,' said I, 'were it not that the strain would berather more than it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to doit in the name of the firm, then in justice to my partner I mustinsist that, even in your case, every businesslike precautionshould be taken.'

  "'I should much prefer to have it so,' said he, raising up asquare, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair.'You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?'

  "'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,'said I.

  "'Precisely.' He opened the case, and there, imbedded in soft,flesh-coloured velvet, lay the magnificent piece of jewellerywhich he had named. 'There are thirty-nine enormous beryls,' saidhe, 'and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. Thelowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double thesum which I have asked. I am prepared to leave it with you as mysecurity.'

  "I took the precious case into my hands and looked in someperplexity from it to my illustrious client.

  "'You doubt its value?' he asked.

  "'Not at all. I only doubt--'

  "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at restabout that. I should not dream of doing so were it not absolutelycertain that I should be able in four days to reclaim it. It is apure matter of form. Is the security sufficient?'

  "'Ample.'

  "'You understand, Mr. Holder, that I am giving you a strong proofof the confidence which I have in you, founded upon all that Ihave heard of you. I rely upon you not only to be discreet and torefrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, topreserve this coronet with every possible precaution because Ineed not say that a great public scandal would be caused if anyharm were to befa
ll it. Any injury to it would be almost asserious as its complete loss, for there are no beryls in theworld to match these, and it would be impossible to replace them.I leave it with you, however, with every confidence, and I shallcall for it in person on Monday morning.'

  "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but,calling for my cashier, I ordered him to pay over fifty 1000pound notes. When I was alone once more, however, with theprecious case lying upon the table in front of me, I could notbut think with some misgivings of the immense responsibilitywhich it entailed upon me. There could be no doubt that, as itwas a national possession, a horrible scandal would ensue if anymisfortune should occur to it. I already regretted having everconsented to take charge of it. However, it was too late to alterthe matter now, so I locked it up in my private safe and turnedonce more to my work.

  "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leaveso precious a thing in the office behind me. Bankers' safes hadbeen forced before now, and why should not mine be? If so, howterrible would be the position in which I should find myself! Idetermined, therefore, that for the next few days I would alwayscarry the case backward and forward with me, so that it mightnever be really out of my reach. With this intention, I called acab and drove out to my house at Streatham, carrying the jewelwith me. I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairsand locked it in the bureau of my dressing-room.

  "And now a word as to my household, Mr. Holmes, for I wish you tothoroughly understand the situation. My groom and my page sleepout of the house, and may be set aside altogether. I have threemaid-servants who have been with me a number of years and whoseabsolute reliability is quite above suspicion. Another, LucyParr, the second waiting-maid, has only been in my service a fewmonths. She came with an excellent character, however, and hasalways given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl and hasattracted admirers who have occasionally hung about the place.That is the only drawback which we have found to her, but webelieve her to be a thoroughly good girl in every way.

  "So much for the servants. My family itself is so small that itwill not take me long to describe it. I am a widower and have anonly son, Arthur. He has been a disappointment to me, Mr.Holmes--a grievous disappointment. I have no doubt that I ammyself to blame. People tell me that I have spoiled him. Verylikely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all Ihad to love. I could not bear to see the smile fade even for amoment from his face. I have never denied him a wish. Perhaps itwould have been better for both of us had I been sterner, but Imeant it for the best.

  "It was naturally my intention that he should succeed me in mybusiness, but he was not of a business turn. He was wild,wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in thehandling of large sums of money. When he was young he became amember of an aristocratic club, and there, having charmingmanners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with longpurses and expensive habits. He learned to play heavily at cardsand to squander money on the turf, until he had again and againto come to me and implore me to give him an advance upon hisallowance, that he might settle his debts of honour. He triedmore than once to break away from the dangerous company which hewas keeping, but each time the influence of his friend, SirGeorge Burnwell, was enough to draw him back again.

  "And, indeed, I could not wonder that such a man as Sir GeorgeBurnwell should gain an influence over him, for he has frequentlybrought him to my house, and I have found myself that I couldhardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older thanArthur, a man of the world to his finger-tips, one who had beeneverywhere, seen everything, a brilliant talker, and a man ofgreat personal beauty. Yet when I think of him in cold blood, faraway from the glamour of his presence, I am convinced from hiscynical speech and the look which I have caught in his eyes thathe is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so,too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight intocharacter.

  "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; butwhen my brother died five years ago and left her alone in theworld I adopted her, and have looked upon her ever since as mydaughter. She is a sunbeam in my house--sweet, loving, beautiful,a wonderful manager and housekeeper, yet as tender and quiet andgentle as a woman could be. She is my right hand. I do not knowwhat I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever goneagainst my wishes. Twice my boy has asked her to marry him, forhe loves her devotedly, but each time she has refused him. Ithink that if anyone could have drawn him into the right path itwould have been she, and that his marriage might have changed hiswhole life; but now, alas! it is too late--forever too late!

  "Now, Mr. Holmes, you know the people who live under my roof, andI shall continue with my miserable story.

  "When we were taking coffee in the drawing-room that night afterdinner, I told Arthur and Mary my experience, and of the precioustreasure which we had under our roof, suppressing only the nameof my client. Lucy Parr, who had brought in the coffee, had, I amsure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed.Mary and Arthur were much interested and wished to see the famouscoronet, but I thought it better not to disturb it.

  "'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur.

  "'In my own bureau.'

  "'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during thenight.' said he.

  "'It is locked up,' I answered.

  "'Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster Ihave opened it myself with the key of the box-room cupboard.'

  "He often had a wild way of talking, so that I thought little ofwhat he said. He followed me to my room, however, that night witha very grave face.

  "'Look here, dad,' said he with his eyes cast down, 'can you letme have 200 pounds?'

  "'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far toogenerous with you in money matters.'

  "'You have been very kind,' said he, 'but I must have this money,or else I can never show my face inside the club again.'

  "'And a very good thing, too!' I cried.

  "'Yes, but you would not have me leave it a dishonoured man,'said he. 'I could not bear the disgrace. I must raise the moneyin some way, and if you will not let me have it, then I must tryother means.'

  "I was very angry, for this was the third demand during themonth. 'You shall not have a farthing from me,' I cried, on whichhe bowed and left the room without another word.

  "When he was gone I unlocked my bureau, made sure that mytreasure was safe, and locked it again. Then I started to goround the house to see that all was secure--a duty which Iusually leave to Mary but which I thought it well to performmyself that night. As I came down the stairs I saw Mary herselfat the side window of the hall, which she closed and fastened asI approached.

  "'Tell me, dad,' said she, looking, I thought, a littledisturbed, 'did you give Lucy, the maid, leave to go outto-night?'

  "'Certainly not.'

  "'She came in just now by the back door. I have no doubt that shehas only been to the side gate to see someone, but I think thatit is hardly safe and should be stopped.'

  "'You must speak to her in the morning, or I will if you preferit. Are you sure that everything is fastened?'

  "'Quite sure, dad.'

  "'Then, good-night.' I kissed her and went up to my bedroomagain, where I was soon asleep.

  "I am endeavouring to tell you everything, Mr. Holmes, which mayhave any bearing upon the case, but I beg that you will questionme upon any point which I do not make clear."

  "On the contrary, your statement is singularly lucid."

  "I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to beparticularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxietyin my mind tended, no doubt, to make me even less so than usual.About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound inthe house. It had ceased ere I was wide awake, but it had left animpression behind it as though a window had gently closedsomewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to myhorror, there was a distinct sound of footsteps moving softly inthe next room. I slipped out of b
ed, all palpitating with fear,and peeped round the corner of my dressing-room door.

  "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare youtouch that coronet?'

  "The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy,dressed only in his shirt and trousers, was standing beside thelight, holding the coronet in his hands. He appeared to bewrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength. At my cryhe dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale as death. Isnatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, withthree of the beryls in it, was missing.

  "'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You havedestroyed it! You have dishonoured me forever! Where are thejewels which you have stolen?'

  "'Stolen!' he cried.

  "'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder.

  "'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he.

  "'There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must Icall you a liar as well as a thief? Did I not see you trying totear off another piece?'

  "'You have called me names enough,' said he, 'I will not stand itany longer. I shall not say another word about this business,since you have chosen to insult me. I will leave your house inthe morning and make my own way in the world.'

  "'You shall leave it in the hands of the police!' I criedhalf-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed tothe bottom.'

  "'You shall learn nothing from me,' said he with a passion suchas I should not have thought was in his nature. 'If you choose tocall the police, let the police find what they can.'

  "By this time the whole house was astir, for I had raised myvoice in my anger. Mary was the first to rush into my room, and,at the sight of the coronet and of Arthur's face, she read thewhole story and, with a scream, fell down senseless on theground. I sent the house-maid for the police and put theinvestigation into their hands at once. When the inspector and aconstable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly withhis arms folded, asked me whether it was my intention to chargehim with theft. I answered that it had ceased to be a privatematter, but had become a public one, since the ruined coronet wasnational property. I was determined that the law should have itsway in everything.

  "'At least,' said he, 'you will not have me arrested at once. Itwould be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave thehouse for five minutes.'

  "'That you may get away, or perhaps that you may conceal what youhave stolen,' said I. And then, realising the dreadful positionin which I was placed, I implored him to remember that not onlymy honour but that of one who was far greater than I was atstake; and that he threatened to raise a scandal which wouldconvulse the nation. He might avert it all if he would but tellme what he had done with the three missing stones.

  "'You may as well face the matter,' said I; 'you have been caughtin the act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous.If you but make such reparation as is in your power, by tellingus where the beryls are, all shall be forgiven and forgotten.'

  "'Keep your forgiveness for those who ask for it,' he answered,turning away from me with a sneer. I saw that he was too hardenedfor any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way forit. I called in the inspector and gave him into custody. A searchwas made at once not only of his person but of his room and ofevery portion of the house where he could possibly have concealedthe gems; but no trace of them could be found, nor would thewretched boy open his mouth for all our persuasions and ourthreats. This morning he was removed to a cell, and I, aftergoing through all the police formalities, have hurried round toyou to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter.The police have openly confessed that they can at present makenothing of it. You may go to any expense which you thinknecessary. I have already offered a reward of 1000 pounds. MyGod, what shall I do! I have lost my honour, my gems, and my sonin one night. Oh, what shall I do!"

  He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself toand fro, droning to himself like a child whose grief has gotbeyond words.

  Sherlock Holmes sat silent for some few minutes, with his browsknitted and his eyes fixed upon the fire.

  "Do you receive much company?" he asked.

  "None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend ofArthur's. Sir George Burnwell has been several times lately. Noone else, I think."

  "Do you go out much in society?"

  "Arthur does. Mary and I stay at home. We neither of us care forit."

  "That is unusual in a young girl."

  "She is of a quiet nature. Besides, she is not so very young. Sheis four-and-twenty."

  "This matter, from what you say, seems to have been a shock toher also."

  "Terrible! She is even more affected than I."

  "You have neither of you any doubt as to your son's guilt?"

  "How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronetin his hands."

  "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder ofthe coronet at all injured?"

  "Yes, it was twisted."

  "Do you not think, then, that he might have been trying tostraighten it?"

  "God bless you! You are doing what you can for him and for me.But it is too heavy a task. What was he doing there at all? Ifhis purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?"

  "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie?His silence appears to me to cut both ways. There are severalsingular points about the case. What did the police think of thenoise which awoke you from your sleep?"

  "They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing hisbedroom door."

  "A likely story! As if a man bent on felony would slam his doorso as to wake a household. What did they say, then, of thedisappearance of these gems?"

  "They are still sounding the planking and probing the furniturein the hope of finding them."

  "Have they thought of looking outside the house?"

  "Yes, they have shown extraordinary energy. The whole garden hasalready been minutely examined."

  "Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you nowthat this matter really strikes very much deeper than either youor the police were at first inclined to think? It appeared to youto be a simple case; to me it seems exceedingly complex. Considerwhat is involved by your theory. You suppose that your son camedown from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room,opened your bureau, took out your coronet, broke off by mainforce a small portion of it, went off to some other place,concealed three gems out of the thirty-nine, with such skill thatnobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-sixinto the room in which he exposed himself to the greatest dangerof being discovered. I ask you now, is such a theory tenable?"

  "But what other is there?" cried the banker with a gesture ofdespair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explainthem?"

  "It is our task to find that out," replied Holmes; "so now, ifyou please, Mr. Holder, we will set off for Streatham together,and devote an hour to glancing a little more closely intodetails."

  My friend insisted upon my accompanying them in their expedition,which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathywere deeply stirred by the story to which we had listened. Iconfess that the guilt of the banker's son appeared to me to beas obvious as it did to his unhappy father, but still I had suchfaith in Holmes' judgment that I felt that there must be somegrounds for hope as long as he was dissatisfied with the acceptedexplanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to thesouthern suburb, but sat with his chin upon his breast and hishat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our clientappeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hopewhich had been presented to him, and he even broke into adesultory chat with me over his business affairs. A short railwayjourney and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank, the modestresidence of the great financier.

  Fairbank was a good-sized square house of white stone, standingback a little from the road. A double carriage-sweep, with asnow-clad lawn, stretched down in front to two large i
ron gateswhich closed the entrance. On the right side was a small woodenthicket, which led into a narrow path between two neat hedgesstretching from the road to the kitchen door, and forming thetradesmen's entrance. On the left ran a lane which led to thestables, and was not itself within the grounds at all, being apublic, though little used, thoroughfare. Holmes left us standingat the door and walked slowly all round the house, across thefront, down the tradesmen's path, and so round by the gardenbehind into the stable lane. So long was he that Mr. Holder and Iwent into the dining-room and waited by the fire until he shouldreturn. We were sitting there in silence when the door opened anda young lady came in. She was rather above the middle height,slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed the darker againstthe absolute pallor of her skin. I do not think that I have everseen such deadly paleness in a woman's face. Her lips, too, werebloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she sweptsilently into the room she impressed me with a greater sense ofgrief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was themore striking in her as she was evidently a woman of strongcharacter, with immense capacity for self-restraint. Disregardingmy presence, she went straight to her uncle and passed her handover his head with a sweet womanly caress.

  "You have given orders that Arthur should be liberated, have younot, dad?" she asked.

  "No, no, my girl, the matter must be probed to the bottom."

  "But I am so sure that he is innocent. You know what woman'sinstincts are. I know that he has done no harm and that you willbe sorry for having acted so harshly."

  "Why is he silent, then, if he is innocent?"

  "Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you shouldsuspect him."

  "How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him withthe coronet in his hand?"

  "Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do takemy word for it that he is innocent. Let the matter drop and sayno more. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur inprison!"

  "I shall never let it drop until the gems are found--never, Mary!Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequencesto me. Far from hushing the thing up, I have brought a gentlemandown from London to inquire more deeply into it."

  "This gentleman?" she asked, facing round to me.

  "No, his friend. He wished us to leave him alone. He is round inthe stable lane now."

  "The stable lane?" She raised her dark eyebrows. "What can hehope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir,that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth,that my cousin Arthur is innocent of this crime."

  "I fully share your opinion, and I trust, with you, that we mayprove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock thesnow from his shoes. "I believe I have the honour of addressingMiss Mary Holder. Might I ask you a question or two?"

  "Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up."

  "You heard nothing yourself last night?"

  "Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heardthat, and I came down."

  "You shut up the windows and doors the night before. Did youfasten all the windows?"

  "Yes."

  "Were they all fastened this morning?"

  "Yes."

  "You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarkedto your uncle last night that she had been out to see him?"

  "Yes, and she was the girl who waited in the drawing-room, andwho may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet."

  "I see. You infer that she may have gone out to tell hersweetheart, and that the two may have planned the robbery."

  "But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried thebanker impatiently, "when I have told you that I saw Arthur withthe coronet in his hands?"

  "Wait a little, Mr. Holder. We must come back to that. About thisgirl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, Ipresume?"

  "Yes; when I went to see if the door was fastened for the night Imet her slipping in. I saw the man, too, in the gloom."

  "Do you know him?"

  "Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round.His name is Francis Prosper."

  "He stood," said Holmes, "to the left of the door--that is tosay, farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door?"

  "Yes, he did."

  "And he is a man with a wooden leg?"

  Something like fear sprang up in the young lady's expressiveblack eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do youknow that?" She smiled, but there was no answering smile inHolmes' thin, eager face.

  "I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shallprobably wish to go over the outside of the house again. PerhapsI had better take a look at the lower windows before I go up."

  He walked swiftly round from one to the other, pausing only atthe large one which looked from the hall onto the stable lane.This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sillwith his powerful magnifying lens. "Now we shall go upstairs,"said he at last.

  The banker's dressing-room was a plainly furnished littlechamber, with a grey carpet, a large bureau, and a long mirror.Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock.

  "Which key was used to open it?" he asked.

  "That which my son himself indicated--that of the cupboard of thelumber-room."

  "Have you it here?"

  "That is it on the dressing-table."

  Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau.

  "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it didnot wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We musthave a look at it." He opened the case, and taking out the diademhe laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of thejeweller's art, and the thirty-six stones were the finest that Ihave ever seen. At one side of the coronet was a cracked edge,where a corner holding three gems had been torn away.

  "Now, Mr. Holder," said Holmes, "here is the corner whichcorresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might Ibeg that you will break it off."

  The banker recoiled in horror. "I should not dream of trying,"said he.

  "Then I will." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, butwithout result. "I feel it give a little," said he; "but, thoughI am exceptionally strong in the fingers, it would take me all mytime to break it. An ordinary man could not do it. Now, what doyou think would happen if I did break it, Mr. Holder? There wouldbe a noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell me that all thishappened within a few yards of your bed and that you heardnothing of it?"

  "I do not know what to think. It is all dark to me."

  "But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think,Miss Holder?"

  "I confess that I still share my uncle's perplexity."

  "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?"

  "He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt."

  "Thank you. We have certainly been favoured with extraordinaryluck during this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own faultif we do not succeed in clearing the matter up. With yourpermission, Mr. Holder, I shall now continue my investigationsoutside."

  He went alone, at his own request, for he explained that anyunnecessary footmarks might make his task more difficult. For anhour or more he was at work, returning at last with his feetheavy with snow and his features as inscrutable as ever.

  "I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr.Holder," said he; "I can serve you best by returning to myrooms."

  "But the gems, Mr. Holmes. Where are they?"

  "I cannot tell."

  The banker wrung his hands. "I shall never see them again!" hecried. "And my son? You give me hopes?"

  "My opinion is in no way altered."

  "Then, for God's sake, what was this dark business which wasacted in my house last night?"

  "If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms to-morrowmorning between nine and ten I shall be happy to do what I can tomake it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche toact for you, provided only that
I get back the gems, and that youplace no limit on the sum I may draw."

  "I would give my fortune to have them back."

  "Very good. I shall look into the matter between this and then.Good-bye; it is just possible that I may have to come over hereagain before evening."

  It was obvious to me that my companion's mind was now made upabout the case, although what his conclusions were was more thanI could even dimly imagine. Several times during our homewardjourney I endeavoured to sound him upon the point, but he alwaysglided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over indespair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in ourrooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again ina few minutes dressed as a common loafer. With his collar turnedup, his shiny, seedy coat, his red cravat, and his worn boots, hewas a perfect sample of the class.

  "I think that this should do," said he, glancing into the glassabove the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me,Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail inthis matter, or I may be following a will-o'-the-wisp, but Ishall soon know which it is. I hope that I may be back in a fewhours." He cut a slice of beef from the joint upon the sideboard,sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting thisrude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition.

  I had just finished my tea when he returned, evidently inexcellent spirits, swinging an old elastic-sided boot in hishand. He chucked it down into a corner and helped himself to acup of tea.

  "I only looked in as I passed," said he. "I am going right on."

  "Where to?"

  "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some timebefore I get back. Don't wait up for me in case I should belate."

  "How are you getting on?"

  "Oh, so so. Nothing to complain of. I have been out to Streathamsince I saw you last, but I did not call at the house. It is avery sweet little problem, and I would not have missed it for agood deal. However, I must not sit gossiping here, but must getthese disreputable clothes off and return to my highlyrespectable self."

  I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons forsatisfaction than his words alone would imply. His eyes twinkled,and there was even a touch of colour upon his sallow cheeks. Hehastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam ofthe hall door, which told me that he was off once more upon hiscongenial hunt.

  I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, soI retired to my room. It was no uncommon thing for him to be awayfor days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent, so thathis lateness caused me no surprise. I do not know at what hour hecame in, but when I came down to breakfast in the morning therehe was with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in theother, as fresh and trim as possible.

  "You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "butyou remember that our client has rather an early appointment thismorning."

  "Why, it is after nine now," I answered. "I should not besurprised if that were he. I thought I heard a ring."

  It was, indeed, our friend the financier. I was shocked by thechange which had come over him, for his face which was naturallyof a broad and massive mould, was now pinched and fallen in,while his hair seemed to me at least a shade whiter. He enteredwith a weariness and lethargy which was even more painful thanhis violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily intothe armchair which I pushed forward for him.

  "I do not know what I have done to be so severely tried," saidhe. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, withouta care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonouredage. One sorrow comes close upon the heels of another. My niece,Mary, has deserted me."

  "Deserted you?"

  "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room wasempty, and a note for me lay upon the hall table. I had said toher last night, in sorrow and not in anger, that if she hadmarried my boy all might have been well with him. Perhaps it wasthoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refersin this note:

  "'MY DEAREST UNCLE:--I feel that I have brought trouble upon you,and that if I had acted differently this terrible misfortunemight never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in mymind, ever again be happy under your roof, and I feel that I mustleave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that isprovided for; and, above all, do not search for me, for it willbe fruitless labour and an ill-service to me. In life or indeath, I am ever your loving,--MARY.'

  "What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think itpoints to suicide?"

  "No, no, nothing of the kind. It is perhaps the best possiblesolution. I trust, Mr. Holder, that you are nearing the end ofyour troubles."

  "Ha! You say so! You have heard something, Mr. Holmes; you havelearned something! Where are the gems?"

  "You would not think 1000 pounds apiece an excessive sum forthem?"

  "I would pay ten."

  "That would be unnecessary. Three thousand will cover the matter.And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book?Here is a pen. Better make it out for 4000 pounds."

  With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmeswalked over to his desk, took out a little triangular piece ofgold with three gems in it, and threw it down upon the table.

  With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up.

  "You have it!" he gasped. "I am saved! I am saved!"

  The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, andhe hugged his recovered gems to his bosom.

  "There is one other thing you owe, Mr. Holder," said SherlockHolmes rather sternly.

  "Owe!" He caught up a pen. "Name the sum, and I will pay it."

  "No, the debt is not to me. You owe a very humble apology to thatnoble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as Ishould be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance tohave one."

  "Then it was not Arthur who took them?"

  "I told you yesterday, and I repeat to-day, that it was not."

  "You are sure of it! Then let us hurry to him at once to let himknow that the truth is known."

  "He knows it already. When I had cleared it all up I had aninterview with him, and finding that he would not tell me thestory, I told it to him, on which he had to confess that I wasright and to add the very few details which were not yet quiteclear to me. Your news of this morning, however, may open hislips."

  "For heaven's sake, tell me, then, what is this extraordinarymystery!"

  "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reachedit. And let me say to you, first, that which it is hardest for meto say and for you to hear: there has been an understandingbetween Sir George Burnwell and your niece Mary. They have nowfled together."

  "My Mary? Impossible!"

  "It is unfortunately more than possible; it is certain. Neitheryou nor your son knew the true character of this man when youadmitted him into your family circle. He is one of the mostdangerous men in England--a ruined gambler, an absolutelydesperate villain, a man without heart or conscience. Your nieceknew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as hehad done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that shealone had touched his heart. The devil knows best what he said,but at least she became his tool and was in the habit of seeinghim nearly every evening."

  "I cannot, and I will not, believe it!" cried the banker with anashen face.

  "I will tell you, then, what occurred in your house last night.Your niece, when you had, as she thought, gone to your room,slipped down and talked to her lover through the window whichleads into the stable lane. His footmarks had pressed rightthrough the snow, so long had he stood there. She told him of thecoronet. His wicked lust for gold kindled at the news, and hebent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, butthere are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes allother loves, and I think that she must have been one. She hadhardly listened to his instructions when she saw you comingdownstairs, on which she closed the window rapidly and told youabout one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-
legged lover,which was all perfectly true.

  "Your boy, Arthur, went to bed after his interview with you buthe slept badly on account of his uneasiness about his club debts.In the middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door,so he rose and, looking out, was surprised to see his cousinwalking very stealthily along the passage until she disappearedinto your dressing-room. Petrified with astonishment, the ladslipped on some clothes and waited there in the dark to see whatwould come of this strange affair. Presently she emerged from theroom again, and in the light of the passage-lamp your son sawthat she carried the precious coronet in her hands. She passeddown the stairs, and he, thrilling with horror, ran along andslipped behind the curtain near your door, whence he could seewhat passed in the hall beneath. He saw her stealthily open thewindow, hand out the coronet to someone in the gloom, and thenclosing it once more hurry back to her room, passing quite closeto where he stood hid behind the curtain.

  "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any actionwithout a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But theinstant that she was gone he realised how crushing a misfortunethis would be for you, and how all-important it was to set itright. He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, openedthe window, sprang out into the snow, and ran down the lane,where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight. Sir GeorgeBurnwell tried to get away, but Arthur caught him, and there wasa struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of thecoronet, and his opponent at the other. In the scuffle, your sonstruck Sir George and cut him over the eye. Then somethingsuddenly snapped, and your son, finding that he had the coronetin his hands, rushed back, closed the window, ascended to yourroom, and had just observed that the coronet had been twisted inthe struggle and was endeavouring to straighten it when youappeared upon the scene."

  "Is it possible?" gasped the banker.

  "You then roused his anger by calling him names at a moment whenhe felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could notexplain the true state of affairs without betraying one whocertainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands. Hetook the more chivalrous view, however, and preserved hersecret."

  "And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw thecoronet," cried Mr. Holder. "Oh, my God! what a blind fool I havebeen! And his asking to be allowed to go out for five minutes!The dear fellow wanted to see if the missing piece were at thescene of the struggle. How cruelly I have misjudged him!"

  "When I arrived at the house," continued Holmes, "I at once wentvery carefully round it to observe if there were any traces inthe snow which might help me. I knew that none had fallen sincethe evening before, and also that there had been a strong frostto preserve impressions. I passed along the tradesmen's path, butfound it all trampled down and indistinguishable. Just beyond it,however, at the far side of the kitchen door, a woman had stoodand talked with a man, whose round impressions on one side showedthat he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had beendisturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as wasshown by the deep toe and light heel marks, while Wooden-leg hadwaited a little, and then had gone away. I thought at the timethat this might be the maid and her sweetheart, of whom you hadalready spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so. I passedround the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks,which I took to be the police; but when I got into the stablelane a very long and complex story was written in the snow infront of me.

  "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a seconddouble line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with nakedfeet. I was at once convinced from what you had told me that thelatter was your son. The first had walked both ways, but theother had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places overthe depression of the boot, it was obvious that he had passedafter the other. I followed them up and found they led to thehall window, where Boots had worn all the snow away whilewaiting. Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundredyards or more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round,where the snow was cut up as though there had been a struggle,and, finally, where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show methat I was not mistaken. Boots had then run down the lane, andanother little smudge of blood showed that it was he who had beenhurt. When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found thatthe pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue.

  "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, thesill and framework of the hall window with my lens, and I couldat once see that someone had passed out. I could distinguish theoutline of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in comingin. I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to whathad occurred. A man had waited outside the window; someone hadbrought the gems; the deed had been overseen by your son; he hadpursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tuggedat the coronet, their united strength causing injuries whichneither alone could have effected. He had returned with theprize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. Sofar I was clear. The question now was, who was the man and whowas it brought him the coronet?

  "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded theimpossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be thetruth. Now, I knew that it was not you who had brought it down,so there only remained your niece and the maids. But if it werethe maids, why should your son allow himself to be accused intheir place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved hiscousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he shouldretain her secret--the more so as the secret was a disgracefulone. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, andhow she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecturebecame a certainty.

  "And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover evidently,for who else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she mustfeel to you? I knew that you went out little, and that yourcircle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was SirGeorge Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evilreputation among women. It must have been he who wore those bootsand retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthurhad discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he wassafe, for the lad could not say a word without compromising hisown family.

  "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I tooknext. I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house,managed to pick up an acquaintance with his valet, learned thathis master had cut his head the night before, and, finally, atthe expense of six shillings, made all sure by buying a pair ofhis cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down to Streatham andsaw that they exactly fitted the tracks."

  "I saw an ill-dressed vagabond in the lane yesterday evening,"said Mr. Holder.

  "Precisely. It was I. I found that I had my man, so I came homeand changed my clothes. It was a delicate part which I had toplay then, for I saw that a prosecution must be avoided to avertscandal, and I knew that so astute a villain would see that ourhands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, ofcourse, he denied everything. But when I gave him everyparticular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down alife-preserver from the wall. I knew my man, however, and Iclapped a pistol to his head before he could strike. Then hebecame a little more reasonable. I told him that we would givehim a price for the stones he held--1000 pounds apiece. Thatbrought out the first signs of grief that he had shown. 'Why,dash it all!' said he, 'I've let them go at six hundred for thethree!' I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who hadthem, on promising him that there would be no prosecution. Off Iset to him, and after much chaffering I got our stones at 1000pounds apiece. Then I looked in upon your son, told him that allwas right, and eventually got to my bed about two o'clock, afterwhat I may call a really hard day's work."

  "A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," saidthe banker, rising. "Sir, I cannot find words to thank you, butyou shall not find me ungrateful for what you have done. Yourskill has indeed exceeded all that I have heard of it. And now Imust fly to my dear boy to apologise to him for the wrong which Ihave done him. As to what you
tell me of poor Mary, it goes to myvery heart. Not even your skill can inform me where she is now."

  "I think that we may safely say," returned Holmes, "that she iswherever Sir George Burnwell is. It is equally certain, too, thatwhatever her sins are, they will soon receive a more thansufficient punishment."

  XII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES

  "To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked SherlockHolmes, tossing aside the advertisement sheet of the DailyTelegraph, "it is frequently in its least important and lowliestmanifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived. It ispleasant to me to observe, Watson, that you have so far graspedthis truth that in these little records of our cases which youhave been good enough to draw up, and, I am bound to say,occasionally to embellish, you have given prominence not so muchto the many causes celebres and sensational trials in which Ihave figured but rather to those incidents which may have beentrivial in themselves, but which have given room for thosefaculties of deduction and of logical synthesis which I have mademy special province."

  "And yet," said I, smiling, "I cannot quite hold myself absolvedfrom the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against myrecords."

  "You have erred, perhaps," he observed, taking up a glowingcinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-woodpipe which was wont to replace his clay when he was in adisputatious rather than a meditative mood--"you have erredperhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of yourstatements instead of confining yourself to the task of placingupon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which isreally the only notable feature about the thing."

  "It seems to me that I have done you full justice in the matter,"I remarked with some coldness, for I was repelled by the egotismwhich I had more than once observed to be a strong factor in myfriend's singular character.

  "No, it is not selfishness or conceit," said he, answering, aswas his wont, my thoughts rather than my words. "If I claim fulljustice for my art, it is because it is an impersonal thing--athing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore itis upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you shoulddwell. You have degraded what should have been a course oflectures into a series of tales."

  It was a cold morning of the early spring, and we sat afterbreakfast on either side of a cheery fire in the old room atBaker Street. A thick fog rolled down between the lines ofdun-coloured houses, and the opposing windows loomed like dark,shapeless blurs through the heavy yellow wreaths. Our gas was litand shone on the white cloth and glimmer of china and metal, forthe table had not been cleared yet. Sherlock Holmes had beensilent all the morning, dipping continuously into theadvertisement columns of a succession of papers until at last,having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no verysweet temper to lecture me upon my literary shortcomings.

  "At the same time," he remarked after a pause, during which hehad sat puffing at his long pipe and gazing down into the fire,"you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out ofthese cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourselfin, a fair proportion do not treat of crime, in its legal sense,at all. The small matter in which I endeavoured to help the Kingof Bohemia, the singular experience of Miss Mary Sutherland, theproblem connected with the man with the twisted lip, and theincident of the noble bachelor, were all matters which areoutside the pale of the law. But in avoiding the sensational, Ifear that you may have bordered on the trivial."

  "The end may have been so," I answered, "but the methods I holdto have been novel and of interest."

  "Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservantpublic, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or acompositor by his left thumb, care about the finer shades ofanalysis and deduction! But, indeed, if you are trivial, I cannotblame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or atleast criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. Asto my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into anagency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice toyoung ladies from boarding-schools. I think that I have touchedbottom at last, however. This note I had this morning marks myzero-point, I fancy. Read it!" He tossed a crumpled letter acrossto me.

  It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, andran thus:

  "DEAR MR. HOLMES:--I am very anxious to consult you as to whetherI should or should not accept a situation which has been offeredto me as governess. I shall call at half-past ten to-morrow if Ido not inconvenience you. Yours faithfully, "VIOLET HUNTER."

  "Do you know the young lady?" I asked.

  "Not I."

  "It is half-past ten now."

  "Yes, and I have no doubt that is her ring."

  "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. Youremember that the affair of the blue carbuncle, which appeared tobe a mere whim at first, developed into a serious investigation.It may be so in this case, also."

  "Well, let us hope so. But our doubts will very soon be solved,for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question."

  As he spoke the door opened and a young lady entered the room.She was plainly but neatly dressed, with a bright, quick face,freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of awoman who has had her own way to make in the world.

  "You will excuse my troubling you, I am sure," said she, as mycompanion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strangeexperience, and as I have no parents or relations of any sortfrom whom I could ask advice, I thought that perhaps you would bekind enough to tell me what I should do."

  "Pray take a seat, Miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anythingthat I can to serve you."

  I could see that Holmes was favourably impressed by the mannerand speech of his new client. He looked her over in his searchingfashion, and then composed himself, with his lids drooping andhis finger-tips together, to listen to her story.

  "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in thefamily of Colonel Spence Munro, but two months ago the colonelreceived an appointment at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and took hischildren over to America with him, so that I found myself withouta situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, butwithout success. At last the little money which I had saved beganto run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do.

  "There is a well-known agency for governesses in the West Endcalled Westaway's, and there I used to call about once a week inorder to see whether anything had turned up which might suit me.Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it isreally managed by Miss Stoper. She sits in her own little office,and the ladies who are seeking employment wait in an anteroom,and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgersand sees whether she has anything which would suit them.

  "Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little officeas usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. Aprodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavychin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat ather elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking veryearnestly at the ladies who entered. As I came in he gave quite ajump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper.

  "'That will do,' said he; 'I could not ask for anything better.Capital! capital!' He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed hishands together in the most genial fashion. He was such acomfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look athim.

  "'You are looking for a situation, miss?' he asked.

  "'Yes, sir.'

  "'As governess?'

  "'Yes, sir.'

  "'And what salary do you ask?'

  "'I had 4 pounds a month in my last place with Colonel SpenceMunro.'

  "'Oh, tut, tut! sweating--rank sweating!' he cried, throwing hisfat hands out into the air like a man who is in a boilingpassion. 'How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady withsuch attractions and accomplishments?'

  "'My accomplishments, sir, may be less than you imagine,' said I.'A little French, a little German, music, and drawing--'r />
  "'Tut, tut!' he cried. 'This is all quite beside the question.The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and deportmentof a lady? There it is in a nutshell. If you have not, you arenot fitted for the rearing of a child who may some day play aconsiderable part in the history of the country. But if you havewhy, then, how could any gentleman ask you to condescend toaccept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me,madam, would commence at 100 pounds a year.'

  "You may imagine, Mr. Holmes, that to me, destitute as I was,such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman,however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face,opened a pocket-book and took out a note.

  "'It is also my custom,' said he, smiling in the most pleasantfashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits amidthe white creases of his face, 'to advance to my young ladieshalf their salary beforehand, so that they may meet any littleexpenses of their journey and their wardrobe.'

  "It seemed to me that I had never met so fascinating and sothoughtful a man. As I was already in debt to my tradesmen, theadvance was a great convenience, and yet there was somethingunnatural about the whole transaction which made me wish to knowa little more before I quite committed myself.

  "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I.

  "'Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five mileson the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, mydear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.'

  "'And my duties, sir? I should be glad to know what they wouldbe.'

  "'One child--one dear little romper just six years old. Oh, ifyou could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack!smack! smack! Three gone before you could wink!' He leaned backin his chair and laughed his eyes into his head again.

  "I was a little startled at the nature of the child's amusement,but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he wasjoking.

  "'My sole duties, then,' I asked, 'are to take charge of a singlechild?'

  "'No, no, not the sole, not the sole, my dear young lady,' hecried. 'Your duty would be, as I am sure your good sense wouldsuggest, to obey any little commands my wife might give, providedalways that they were such commands as a lady might withpropriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?'

  "'I should be happy to make myself useful.'

  "'Quite so. In dress now, for example. We are faddy people, youknow--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dresswhich we might give you, you would not object to our little whim.Heh?'

  "'No,' said I, considerably astonished at his words.

  "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive toyou?'

  "'Oh, no.'

  "'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?'

  "I could hardly believe my ears. As you may observe, Mr. Holmes,my hair is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint ofchestnut. It has been considered artistic. I could not dream ofsacrificing it in this offhand fashion.

  "'I am afraid that that is quite impossible,' said I. He had beenwatching me eagerly out of his small eyes, and I could see ashadow pass over his face as I spoke.

  "'I am afraid that it is quite essential,' said he. 'It is alittle fancy of my wife's, and ladies' fancies, you know, madam,ladies' fancies must be consulted. And so you won't cut yourhair?'

  "'No, sir, I really could not,' I answered firmly.

  "'Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is apity, because in other respects you would really have done verynicely. In that case, Miss Stoper, I had best inspect a few moreof your young ladies.'

  "The manageress had sat all this while busy with her paperswithout a word to either of us, but she glanced at me now with somuch annoyance upon her face that I could not help suspectingthat she had lost a handsome commission through my refusal.

  "'Do you desire your name to be kept upon the books?' she asked.

  "'If you please, Miss Stoper.'

  "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse themost excellent offers in this fashion,' said she sharply. 'Youcan hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another suchopening for you. Good-day to you, Miss Hunter.' She struck a gongupon the table, and I was shown out by the page.

  "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and foundlittle enough in the cupboard, and two or three bills upon thetable, I began to ask myself whether I had not done a veryfoolish thing. After all, if these people had strange fads andexpected obedience on the most extraordinary matters, they wereat least ready to pay for their eccentricity. Very fewgovernesses in England are getting 100 pounds a year. Besides,what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearingit short and perhaps I should be among the number. Next day I wasinclined to think that I had made a mistake, and by the day afterI was sure of it. I had almost overcome my pride so far as to goback to the agency and inquire whether the place was still openwhen I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have ithere and I will read it to you:

  "'The Copper Beeches, near Winchester."'DEAR MISS HUNTER:--Miss Stoper has very kindly given me youraddress, and I write from here to ask you whether you havereconsidered your decision. My wife is very anxious that youshould come, for she has been much attracted by my description ofyou. We are willing to give 30 pounds a quarter, or 120 pounds ayear, so as to recompense you for any little inconvenience whichour fads may cause you. They are not very exacting, after all. Mywife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue and wouldlike you to wear such a dress indoors in the morning. You neednot, however, go to the expense of purchasing one, as we have onebelonging to my dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), whichwould, I should think, fit you very well. Then, as to sittinghere or there, or amusing yourself in any manner indicated, thatneed cause you no inconvenience. As regards your hair, it is nodoubt a pity, especially as I could not help remarking its beautyduring our short interview, but I am afraid that I must remainfirm upon this point, and I only hope that the increased salarymay recompense you for the loss. Your duties, as far as the childis concerned, are very light. Now do try to come, and I shallmeet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train.Yours faithfully, JEPHRO RUCASTLE.'

  "That is the letter which I have just received, Mr. Holmes, andmy mind is made up that I will accept it. I thought, however,that before taking the final step I should like to submit thewhole matter to your consideration."

  "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles thequestion," said Holmes, smiling.

  "But you would not advise me to refuse?"

  "I confess that it is not the situation which I should like tosee a sister of mine apply for."

  "What is the meaning of it all, Mr. Holmes?"

  "Ah, I have no data. I cannot tell. Perhaps you have yourselfformed some opinion?"

  "Well, there seems to me to be only one possible solution. Mr.Rucastle seemed to be a very kind, good-natured man. Is it notpossible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep thematter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum, and thathe humours her fancies in every way in order to prevent anoutbreak?"

  "That is a possible solution--in fact, as matters stand, it isthe most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be anice household for a young lady."

  "But the money, Mr. Holmes, the money!"

  "Well, yes, of course the pay is good--too good. That is whatmakes me uneasy. Why should they give you 120 pounds a year, whenthey could have their pick for 40 pounds? There must be somestrong reason behind."

  "I thought that if I told you the circumstances you wouldunderstand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel somuch stronger if I felt that you were at the back of me."

  "Oh, you may carry that feeling away with you. I assure you thatyour little problem promises to be the most interesting which hascome my way for some months. There is something distinctly novelabout some of the features. If you should find yourself in doubtor in danger--"

  "Danger! What danger do you foresee?"<
br />
  Holmes shook his head gravely. "It would cease to be a danger ifwe could define it," said he. "But at any time, day or night, atelegram would bring me down to your help."

  "That is enough." She rose briskly from her chair with theanxiety all swept from her face. "I shall go down to Hampshirequite easy in my mind now. I shall write to Mr. Rucastle at once,sacrifice my poor hair to-night, and start for Winchesterto-morrow." With a few grateful words to Holmes she bade us bothgood-night and bustled off upon her way.

  "At least," said I as we heard her quick, firm steps descendingthe stairs, "she seems to be a young lady who is very well ableto take care of herself."

  "And she would need to be," said Holmes gravely. "I am muchmistaken if we do not hear from her before many days are past."

  It was not very long before my friend's prediction was fulfilled.A fortnight went by, during which I frequently found my thoughtsturning in her direction and wondering what strange side-alley ofhuman experience this lonely woman had strayed into. The unusualsalary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed tosomething abnormal, though whether a fad or a plot, or whetherthe man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyondmy powers to determine. As to Holmes, I observed that he satfrequently for half an hour on end, with knitted brows and anabstracted air, but he swept the matter away with a wave of hishand when I mentioned it. "Data! data! data!" he criedimpatiently. "I can't make bricks without clay." And yet he wouldalways wind up by muttering that no sister of his should everhave accepted such a situation.

  The telegram which we eventually received came late one nightjust as I was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling downto one of those all-night chemical researches which he frequentlyindulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and atest-tube at night and find him in the same position when I camedown to breakfast in the morning. He opened the yellow envelope,and then, glancing at the message, threw it across to me.

  "Just look up the trains in Bradshaw," said he, and turned backto his chemical studies.

  The summons was a brief and urgent one.

  "Please be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester at middayto-morrow," it said. "Do come! I am at my wit's end. HUNTER."

  "Will you come with me?" asked Holmes, glancing up.

  "I should wish to."

  "Just look it up, then."

  "There is a train at half-past nine," said I, glancing over myBradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30."

  "That will do very nicely. Then perhaps I had better postpone myanalysis of the acetones, as we may need to be at our best in themorning."

  By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to theold English capital. Holmes had been buried in the morning papersall the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border hethrew them down and began to admire the scenery. It was an idealspring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy whiteclouds drifting across from west to east. The sun was shiningvery brightly, and yet there was an exhilarating nip in the air,which set an edge to a man's energy. All over the countryside,away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red andgrey roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the lightgreen of the new foliage.

  "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all theenthusiasm of a man fresh from the fogs of Baker Street.

  But Holmes shook his head gravely.

  "Do you know, Watson," said he, "that it is one of the curses ofa mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything withreference to my own special subject. You look at these scatteredhouses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them,and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of theirisolation and of the impunity with which crime may be committedthere."

  "Good heavens!" I cried. "Who would associate crime with thesedear old homesteads?"

  "They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief,Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilestalleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sinthan does the smiling and beautiful countryside."

  "You horrify me!"

  "But the reason is very obvious. The pressure of public opinioncan do in the town what the law cannot accomplish. There is nolane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud ofa drunkard's blow, does not beget sympathy and indignation amongthe neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is everso close that a word of complaint can set it going, and there isbut a step between the crime and the dock. But look at theselonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most partwith poor ignorant folk who know little of the law. Think of thedeeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on,year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser. Had thislady who appeals to us for help gone to live in Winchester, Ishould never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles ofcountry which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she isnot personally threatened."

  "No. If she can come to Winchester to meet us she can get away."

  "Quite so. She has her freedom."

  "What CAN be the matter, then? Can you suggest no explanation?"

  "I have devised seven separate explanations, each of which wouldcover the facts as far as we know them. But which of these iscorrect can only be determined by the fresh information which weshall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower ofthe cathedral, and we shall soon learn all that Miss Hunter hasto tell."

  The Black Swan is an inn of repute in the High Street, at nodistance from the station, and there we found the young ladywaiting for us. She had engaged a sitting-room, and our lunchawaited us upon the table.

  "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "Itis so very kind of you both; but indeed I do not know what Ishould do. Your advice will be altogether invaluable to me."

  "Pray tell us what has happened to you."

  "I will do so, and I must be quick, for I have promised Mr.Rucastle to be back before three. I got his leave to come intotown this morning, though he little knew for what purpose."

  "Let us have everything in its due order." Holmes thrust his longthin legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen.

  "In the first place, I may say that I have met, on the whole,with no actual ill-treatment from Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle. It isonly fair to them to say that. But I cannot understand them, andI am not easy in my mind about them."

  "What can you not understand?"

  "Their reasons for their conduct. But you shall have it all justas it occurred. When I came down, Mr. Rucastle met me here anddrove me in his dog-cart to the Copper Beeches. It is, as hesaid, beautifully situated, but it is not beautiful in itself,for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but allstained and streaked with damp and bad weather. There are groundsround it, woods on three sides, and on the fourth a field whichslopes down to the Southampton highroad, which curves past abouta hundred yards from the front door. This ground in front belongsto the house, but the woods all round are part of LordSoutherton's preserves. A clump of copper beeches immediately infront of the hall door has given its name to the place.

  "I was driven over by my employer, who was as amiable as ever,and was introduced by him that evening to his wife and the child.There was no truth, Mr. Holmes, in the conjecture which seemed tous to be probable in your rooms at Baker Street. Mrs. Rucastle isnot mad. I found her to be a silent, pale-faced woman, muchyounger than her husband, not more than thirty, I should think,while he can hardly be less than forty-five. From theirconversation I have gathered that they have been married aboutseven years, that he was a widower, and that his only child bythe first wife was the daughter who has gone to Philadelphia. Mr.Rucastle told me in private that the reason why she had left themwas that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. Asthe daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quiteimagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with herfather's young wife.

  "Mrs. Rucastle seemed to me to be colourless in mind as well asin feature. She impressed me
neither favourably nor the reverse.She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionatelydevoted both to her husband and to her little son. Her light greyeyes wandered continually from one to the other, noting everylittle want and forestalling it if possible. He was kind to heralso in his bluff, boisterous fashion, and on the whole theyseemed to be a happy couple. And yet she had some secret sorrow,this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with thesaddest look upon her face. More than once I have surprised herin tears. I have thought sometimes that it was the disposition ofher child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met soutterly spoiled and so ill-natured a little creature. He is smallfor his age, with a head which is quite disproportionately large.His whole life appears to be spent in an alternation betweensavage fits of passion and gloomy intervals of sulking. Givingpain to any creature weaker than himself seems to be his one ideaof amusement, and he shows quite remarkable talent in planningthe capture of mice, little birds, and insects. But I wouldrather not talk about the creature, Mr. Holmes, and, indeed, hehas little to do with my story."

  "I am glad of all details," remarked my friend, "whether theyseem to you to be relevant or not."

  "I shall try not to miss anything of importance. The oneunpleasant thing about the house, which struck me at once, wasthe appearance and conduct of the servants. There are only two, aman and his wife. Toller, for that is his name, is a rough,uncouth man, with grizzled hair and whiskers, and a perpetualsmell of drink. Twice since I have been with them he has beenquite drunk, and yet Mr. Rucastle seemed to take no notice of it.His wife is a very tall and strong woman with a sour face, assilent as Mrs. Rucastle and much less amiable. They are a mostunpleasant couple, but fortunately I spend most of my time in thenursery and my own room, which are next to each other in onecorner of the building.

  "For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life wasvery quiet; on the third, Mrs. Rucastle came down just afterbreakfast and whispered something to her husband.

  "'Oh, yes,' said he, turning to me, 'we are very much obliged toyou, Miss Hunter, for falling in with our whims so far as to cutyour hair. I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniestiota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-bluedress will become you. You will find it laid out upon the bed inyour room, and if you would be so good as to put it on we shouldboth be extremely obliged.'

  "The dress which I found waiting for me was of a peculiar shadeof blue. It was of excellent material, a sort of beige, but itbore unmistakable signs of having been worn before. It could nothave been a better fit if I had been measured for it. Both Mr.and Mrs. Rucastle expressed a delight at the look of it, whichseemed quite exaggerated in its vehemence. They were waiting forme in the drawing-room, which is a very large room, stretchingalong the entire front of the house, with three long windowsreaching down to the floor. A chair had been placed close to thecentral window, with its back turned towards it. In this I wasasked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on theother side of the room, began to tell me a series of the funnieststories that I have ever listened to. You cannot imagine howcomical he was, and I laughed until I was quite weary. Mrs.Rucastle, however, who has evidently no sense of humour, never somuch as smiled, but sat with her hands in her lap, and a sad,anxious look upon her face. After an hour or so, Mr. Rucastlesuddenly remarked that it was time to commence the duties of theday, and that I might change my dress and go to little Edward inthe nursery.

  "Two days later this same performance was gone through underexactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again Isat in the window, and again I laughed very heartily at the funnystories of which my employer had an immense repertoire, and whichhe told inimitably. Then he handed me a yellow-backed novel, andmoving my chair a little sideways, that my own shadow might notfall upon the page, he begged me to read aloud to him. I read forabout ten minutes, beginning in the heart of a chapter, and thensuddenly, in the middle of a sentence, he ordered me to cease andto change my dress.

  "You can easily imagine, Mr. Holmes, how curious I became as towhat the meaning of this extraordinary performance could possiblybe. They were always very careful, I observed, to turn my faceaway from the window, so that I became consumed with the desireto see what was going on behind my back. At first it seemed to beimpossible, but I soon devised a means. My hand-mirror had beenbroken, so a happy thought seized me, and I concealed a piece ofthe glass in my handkerchief. On the next occasion, in the midstof my laughter, I put my handkerchief up to my eyes, and was ablewith a little management to see all that there was behind me. Iconfess that I was disappointed. There was nothing. At least thatwas my first impression. At the second glance, however, Iperceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road,a small bearded man in a grey suit, who seemed to be looking inmy direction. The road is an important highway, and there areusually people there. This man, however, was leaning against therailings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. Ilowered my handkerchief and glanced at Mrs. Rucastle to find hereyes fixed upon me with a most searching gaze. She said nothing,but I am convinced that she had divined that I had a mirror in myhand and had seen what was behind me. She rose at once.

  "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon theroad there who stares up at Miss Hunter.'

  "'No friend of yours, Miss Hunter?' he asked.

  "'No, I know no one in these parts.'

  "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion tohim to go away.'

  "'Surely it would be better to take no notice.'

  "'No, no, we should have him loitering here always. Kindly turnround and wave him away like that.'

  "I did as I was told, and at the same instant Mrs. Rucastle drewdown the blind. That was a week ago, and from that time I havenot sat again in the window, nor have I worn the blue dress, norseen the man in the road."

  "Pray continue," said Holmes. "Your narrative promises to be amost interesting one."

  "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there mayprove to be little relation between the different incidents ofwhich I speak. On the very first day that I was at the CopperBeeches, Mr. Rucastle took me to a small outhouse which standsnear the kitchen door. As we approached it I heard the sharprattling of a chain, and the sound as of a large animal movingabout.

  "'Look in here!' said Mr. Rucastle, showing me a slit between twoplanks. 'Is he not a beauty?'

  "I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes, and of avague figure huddled up in the darkness.

  "'Don't be frightened,' said my employer, laughing at the startwhich I had given. 'It's only Carlo, my mastiff. I call him mine,but really old Toller, my groom, is the only man who can doanything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then,so that he is always as keen as mustard. Toller lets him looseevery night, and God help the trespasser whom he lays his fangsupon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set yourfoot over the threshold at night, for it's as much as your lifeis worth.'

  "The warning was no idle one, for two nights later I happened tolook out of my bedroom window about two o'clock in the morning.It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of thehouse was silvered over and almost as bright as day. I wasstanding, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I wasaware that something was moving under the shadow of the copperbeeches. As it emerged into the moonshine I saw what it was. Itwas a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hangingjowl, black muzzle, and huge projecting bones. It walked slowlyacross the lawn and vanished into the shadow upon the other side.That dreadful sentinel sent a chill to my heart which I do notthink that any burglar could have done.

  "And now I have a very strange experience to tell you. I had, asyou know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in agreat coil at the bottom of my trunk. One evening, after thechild was in bed, I began to amuse myself by examining thefurniture of my room and by rearranging my own little things.There was an old chest of drawers in the room, the two upper
onesempty and open, the lower one locked. I had filled the first twowith my linen, and as I had still much to pack away I wasnaturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. Itstruck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight,so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The veryfirst key fitted to perfection, and I drew the drawer open. Therewas only one thing in it, but I am sure that you would neverguess what it was. It was my coil of hair.

  "I took it up and examined it. It was of the same peculiar tint,and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thingobtruded itself upon me. How could my hair have been locked inthe drawer? With trembling hands I undid my trunk, turned out thecontents, and drew from the bottom my own hair. I laid the twotresses together, and I assure you that they were identical. Wasit not extraordinary? Puzzle as I would, I could make nothing atall of what it meant. I returned the strange hair to the drawer,and I said nothing of the matter to the Rucastles as I felt thatI had put myself in the wrong by opening a drawer which they hadlocked.

  "I am naturally observant, as you may have remarked, Mr. Holmes,and I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head.There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabitedat all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters ofthe Tollers opened into this suite, but it was invariably locked.One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastlecoming out through this door, his keys in his hand, and a look onhis face which made him a very different person to the round,jovial man to whom I was accustomed. His cheeks were red, hisbrow was all crinkled with anger, and the veins stood out at histemples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past mewithout a word or a look.

  "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in thegrounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which Icould see the windows of this part of the house. There were fourof them in a row, three of which were simply dirty, while thefourth was shuttered up. They were evidently all deserted. As Istrolled up and down, glancing at them occasionally, Mr. Rucastlecame out to me, looking as merry and jovial as ever.

  "'Ah!' said he, 'you must not think me rude if I passed youwithout a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied withbusiness matters.'

  "I assured him that I was not offended. 'By the way,' said I,'you seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there, and oneof them has the shutters up.'

  "He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startledat my remark.

  "'Photography is one of my hobbies,' said he. 'I have made mydark room up there. But, dear me! what an observant young lady wehave come upon. Who would have believed it? Who would have everbelieved it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jestin his eyes as he looked at me. I read suspicion there andannoyance, but no jest.

  "Well, Mr. Holmes, from the moment that I understood that therewas something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know,I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity,though I have my share of that. It was more a feeling of duty--afeeling that some good might come from my penetrating to thisplace. They talk of woman's instinct; perhaps it was woman'sinstinct which gave me that feeling. At any rate, it was there,and I was keenly on the lookout for any chance to pass theforbidden door.

  "It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that,besides Mr. Rucastle, both Toller and his wife find something todo in these deserted rooms, and I once saw him carrying a largeblack linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has beendrinking hard, and yesterday evening he was very drunk; and whenI came upstairs there was the key in the door. I have no doubt atall that he had left it there. Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle were bothdownstairs, and the child was with them, so that I had anadmirable opportunity. I turned the key gently in the lock,opened the door, and slipped through.

  "There was a little passage in front of me, unpapered anduncarpeted, which turned at a right angle at the farther end.Round this corner were three doors in a line, the first and thirdof which were open. They each led into an empty room, dusty andcheerless, with two windows in the one and one in the other, sothick with dirt that the evening light glimmered dimly throughthem. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of ithad been fastened one of the broad bars of an iron bed, padlockedat one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other withstout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key wasnot there. This barricaded door corresponded clearly with theshuttered window outside, and yet I could see by the glimmer frombeneath it that the room was not in darkness. Evidently there wasa skylight which let in light from above. As I stood in thepassage gazing at the sinister door and wondering what secret itmight veil, I suddenly heard the sound of steps within the roomand saw a shadow pass backward and forward against the littleslit of dim light which shone out from under the door. A mad,unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight, Mr. Holmes. Myoverstrung nerves failed me suddenly, and I turned and ran--ranas though some dreadful hand were behind me clutching at theskirt of my dress. I rushed down the passage, through the door,and straight into the arms of Mr. Rucastle, who was waitingoutside.

  "'So,' said he, smiling, 'it was you, then. I thought that itmust be when I saw the door open.'

  "'Oh, I am so frightened!' I panted.

  "'My dear young lady! my dear young lady!'--you cannot think howcaressing and soothing his manner was--'and what has frightenedyou, my dear young lady?'

  "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. Iwas keenly on my guard against him.

  "'I was foolish enough to go into the empty wing,' I answered.'But it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I wasfrightened and ran out again. Oh, it is so dreadfully still inthere!'

  "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly.

  "'Why, what did you think?' I asked.

  "'Why do you think that I lock this door?'

  "'I am sure that I do not know.'

  "'It is to keep people out who have no business there. Do yousee?' He was still smiling in the most amiable manner.

  "'I am sure if I had known--'

  "'Well, then, you know now. And if you ever put your foot overthat threshold again'--here in an instant the smile hardened intoa grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of ademon--'I'll throw you to the mastiff.'

  "I was so terrified that I do not know what I did. I suppose thatI must have rushed past him into my room. I remember nothinguntil I found myself lying on my bed trembling all over. Then Ithought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer withoutsome advice. I was frightened of the house, of the man, of thewoman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horribleto me. If I could only bring you down all would be well. Ofcourse I might have fled from the house, but my curiosity wasalmost as strong as my fears. My mind was soon made up. I wouldsend you a wire. I put on my hat and cloak, went down to theoffice, which is about half a mile from the house, and thenreturned, feeling very much easier. A horrible doubt came into mymind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but Iremembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state ofinsensibility that evening, and I knew that he was the only onein the household who had any influence with the savage creature,or who would venture to set him free. I slipped in in safety andlay awake half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you.I had no difficulty in getting leave to come into Winchester thismorning, but I must be back before three o'clock, for Mr. andMrs. Rucastle are going on a visit, and will be away all theevening, so that I must look after the child. Now I have told youall my adventures, Mr. Holmes, and I should be very glad if youcould tell me what it all means, and, above all, what I shoulddo."

  Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story.My friend rose now and paced up and down the room, his hands inhis pockets, and an expression of the most profound gravity uponhis face.

  "Is Toller still drunk?" he asked.

  "Yes. I heard his wife tell Mrs. Rucastle that she could donothing with him."

  "That is well. And the Rucastles go o
ut to-night?"

  "Yes."

  "Is there a cellar with a good strong lock?"

  "Yes, the wine-cellar."

  "You seem to me to have acted all through this matter like a verybrave and sensible girl, Miss Hunter. Do you think that you couldperform one more feat? I should not ask it of you if I did notthink you a quite exceptional woman."

  "I will try. What is it?"

  "We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friendand I. The Rucastles will be gone by that time, and Toller will,we hope, be incapable. There only remains Mrs. Toller, who mightgive the alarm. If you could send her into the cellar on someerrand, and then turn the key upon her, you would facilitatematters immensely."

  "I will do it."

  "Excellent! We shall then look thoroughly into the affair. Ofcourse there is only one feasible explanation. You have beenbrought there to personate someone, and the real person isimprisoned in this chamber. That is obvious. As to who thisprisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss AliceRucastle, if I remember right, who was said to have gone toAmerica. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height,figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, verypossibly in some illness through which she has passed, and so, ofcourse, yours had to be sacrificed also. By a curious chance youcame upon her tresses. The man in the road was undoubtedly somefriend of hers--possibly her fiance--and no doubt, as you worethe girl's dress and were so like her, he was convinced from yourlaughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture,that Miss Rucastle was perfectly happy, and that she no longerdesired his attentions. The dog is let loose at night to preventhim from endeavouring to communicate with her. So much is fairlyclear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition ofthe child."

  "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated.

  "My dear Watson, you as a medical man are continually gaininglight as to the tendencies of a child by the study of theparents. Don't you see that the converse is equally valid. I havefrequently gained my first real insight into the character ofparents by studying their children. This child's disposition isabnormally cruel, merely for cruelty's sake, and whether hederives this from his smiling father, as I should suspect, orfrom his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in theirpower."

  "I am sure that you are right, Mr. Holmes," cried our client. "Athousand things come back to me which make me certain that youhave hit it. Oh, let us lose not an instant in bringing help tothis poor creature."

  "We must be circumspect, for we are dealing with a very cunningman. We can do nothing until seven o'clock. At that hour we shallbe with you, and it will not be long before we solve themystery."

  We were as good as our word, for it was just seven when wereached the Copper Beeches, having put up our trap at a waysidepublic-house. The group of trees, with their dark leaves shininglike burnished metal in the light of the setting sun, weresufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not beenstanding smiling on the door-step.

  "Have you managed it?" asked Holmes.

  A loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs. "That isMrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoringon the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicatesof Mr. Rucastle's."

  "You have done well indeed!" cried Holmes with enthusiasm. "Nowlead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this blackbusiness."

  We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down apassage, and found ourselves in front of the barricade which MissHunter had described. Holmes cut the cord and removed thetransverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, butwithout success. No sound came from within, and at the silenceHolmes' face clouded over.

  "I trust that we are not too late," said he. "I think, MissHunter, that we had better go in without you. Now, Watson, putyour shoulder to it, and we shall see whether we cannot make ourway in."

  It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our unitedstrength. Together we rushed into the room. It was empty. Therewas no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and abasketful of linen. The skylight above was open, and the prisonergone.

  "There has been some villainy here," said Holmes; "this beautyhas guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victimoff."

  "But how?"

  "Through the skylight. We shall soon see how he managed it." Heswung himself up onto the roof. "Ah, yes," he cried, "here's theend of a long light ladder against the eaves. That is how he didit."

  "But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was notthere when the Rucastles went away."

  "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever anddangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this werehe whose step I hear now upon the stair. I think, Watson, that itwould be as well for you to have your pistol ready."

  The words were hardly out of his mouth before a man appeared atthe door of the room, a very fat and burly man, with a heavystick in his hand. Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against thewall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward andconfronted him.

  "You villain!" said he, "where's your daughter?"

  The fat man cast his eyes round, and then up at the openskylight.

  "It is for me to ask you that," he shrieked, "you thieves! Spiesand thieves! I have caught you, have I? You are in my power. I'llserve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as hecould go.

  "He's gone for the dog!" cried Miss Hunter.

  "I have my revolver," said I.

  "Better close the front door," cried Holmes, and we all rusheddown the stairs together. We had hardly reached the hall when weheard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with ahorrible worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to. Anelderly man with a red face and shaking limbs came staggering outat a side door.

  "My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not beenfed for two days. Quick, quick, or it'll be too late!"

  Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house, withToller hurrying behind us. There was the huge famished brute, itsblack muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed andscreamed upon the ground. Running up, I blew its brains out, andit fell over with its keen white teeth still meeting in the greatcreases of his neck. With much labour we separated them andcarried him, living but horribly mangled, into the house. We laidhim upon the drawing-room sofa, and having dispatched the soberedToller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could torelieve his pain. We were all assembled round him when the dooropened, and a tall, gaunt woman entered the room.

  "Mrs. Toller!" cried Miss Hunter.

  "Yes, miss. Mr. Rucastle let me out when he came back before hewent up to you. Ah, miss, it is a pity you didn't let me knowwhat you were planning, for I would have told you that your painswere wasted."

  "Ha!" said Holmes, looking keenly at her. "It is clear that Mrs.Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else."

  "Yes, sir, I do, and I am ready enough to tell what I know."

  "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are severalpoints on which I must confess that I am still in the dark."

  "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have doneso before now if I could ha' got out from the cellar. If there'spolice-court business over this, you'll remember that I was theone that stood your friend, and that I was Miss Alice's friendtoo.

  "She was never happy at home, Miss Alice wasn't, from the timethat her father married again. She was slighted like and had nosay in anything, but it never really became bad for her untilafter she met Mr. Fowler at a friend's house. As well as I couldlearn, Miss Alice had rights of her own by will, but she was soquiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about thembut just left everything in Mr. Rucastle's hands. He knew he wassafe with her; but when there was a chance of a husband comingforward, who would ask for all that the law would give him, thenher father thought it time to put a stop on it. He wanted her tosign a paper, so that whether she married or not, he co
uld useher money. When she wouldn't do it, he kept on worrying her untilshe got brain-fever, and for six weeks was at death's door. Thenshe got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with herbeautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no change in heryoung man, and he stuck to her as true as man could be."

  "Ah," said Holmes, "I think that what you have been good enoughto tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and that I can deduceall that remains. Mr. Rucastle then, I presume, took to thissystem of imprisonment?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid ofthe disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler."

  "That was it, sir."

  "But Mr. Fowler being a persevering man, as a good seaman shouldbe, blockaded the house, and having met you succeeded by certainarguments, metallic or otherwise, in convincing you that yourinterests were the same as his."

  "Mr. Fowler was a very kind-spoken, free-handed gentleman," saidMrs. Toller serenely.

  "And in this way he managed that your good man should have nowant of drink, and that a ladder should be ready at the momentwhen your master had gone out."

  "You have it, sir, just as it happened."

  "I am sure we owe you an apology, Mrs. Toller," said Holmes, "foryou have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us. Andhere comes the country surgeon and Mrs. Rucastle, so I think,Watson, that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester,as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather aquestionable one."

  And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with thecopper beeches in front of the door. Mr. Rucastle survived, butwas always a broken man, kept alive solely through the care ofhis devoted wife. They still live with their old servants, whoprobably know so much of Rucastle's past life that he finds itdifficult to part from them. Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle weremarried, by special license, in Southampton the day after theirflight, and he is now the holder of a government appointment inthe island of Mauritius. As to Miss Violet Hunter, my friendHolmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested no furtherinterest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of oneof his problems, and she is now the head of a private school atWalsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success.

 

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