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legitimate work any longer。  I shall do nothing more

to…day; unless I have an answer to my cab

advertisement。  But I should be extremely obliged to

you if you would come down with me to Woking

to…morrow; by the same train which we took yesterday。〃





I met him accordingly next morning and we traveled

down to Woking together。  He had had no answer to his

advertisement; he said; and no fresh light had been

thrown upon the case。  He had; when he so willed it;

the utter immobility of countenance of a red Indian;

and I could not gather from his appearance whether he

was satisfied or not with the position of the case。 

His conversation; I remember; was about the Bertillon

system of measurements; and he expressed his

enthusiastic admiration of the French savant。



We found our client still under the charge of his

devoted nurse; but looking considerably better than

before。  He rose from the sofa and greeted us without

difficulty when we entered。



〃Any news?〃 he asked; eagerly。



〃My report; as I expected; is a negative one;〃 said

Holmes。  〃I have seen Forbes; and I have seen your

uncle; and I have set one or two trains of inquiry

upon foot which may lead to something。〃



〃You have not lost heart; then?〃



〃By no means。〃



〃God bless you for saying that!〃 cried Miss Harrison。 

〃If we keep our courage and our patience the truth

must come out。〃



〃We have more to tell you than you have for us;〃 said

Phelps; reseating himself upon the couch。



〃I hoped you might have something。〃



〃Yes; we have had an adventure during the night; and

one which might have proved to be a serious one。〃  His

expression grew very grave as he spoke; and a look of

something akin to fear sprang up in his eyes。  〃Do you

know;〃 said he; 〃that I begin to believe that I am the

unconscious centre of some monstrous conspiracy; and

that my life is aimed at as well as my honor?〃



〃Ah!〃 cried Holmes。



〃It sounds incredible; for I have not; as far as I

know; an enemy in the world。  Yet from last night's

experience I can come to no other conclusion。〃



〃Pray let me hear it。〃



〃You must know that last night was the very first

night that I have ever slept without a nurse in the

room。  I was so much better that I thought I could

dispense with one。  I had a night…light burning;

however。  Well; about two in the morning I had sunk

into a light sleep when I was suddenly aroused by a

slight noise。  It was like the sound which a mouse

makes when it is gnawing a plank; and I lay listening

to it for some time under the impression that it must

come from that cause。  Then it grew louder; and

suddenly there came from the window a sharp metallic

snick。  I sat up in amazement。  There could be no

doubt what the sounds were now。  The first ones had

been caused by some one forcing an instrument through

the slit between the sashes; and the second by the

catch being pressed back。



〃There was a pause then for about ten minutes; as if

the person were waiting to see whether the noise had

awakened me。  Then I heard a gentle creaking as the

window was very slowly opened。  I could stand it no

longer; for my nerves are not what they used to be。  I

sprang out of bed and flung open the shutters。  A man

was crouching at the window。  I could see little of

him; for he was gone like a flash。  He was wrapped in

some sort of cloak which came across the lower part of

his face。  One thing only I am sure of; and that is

that he had some weapon in his hand。  It looked to me

like a long knife。  I distinctly saw the gleam of it

as he turned to run。〃



〃This is most interesting;〃 said Holmes。  〃Pray what

did you do then?〃



〃I should have followed him through the open window if

I had been stronger。  As it was; I rang the bell and

roused the house。  It took me some little time; for

the bell rings in the kitchen and the servants all

sleep upstairs。  I shouted; however; and that brought

Joseph down; and he roused the others。  Joseph and the

groom found marks on the bed outside the window; but

the weather has been so dry lately that they found it

hopeless to follow the trail across the grass。 

There's a place; however; on the wooden fence which

skirts the road which shows signs; they tell me; as if

some one had got over; and had snapped the top of the

rail in doing so。  I have said nothing to the local

police yet; for I thought I had best have your opinion

first。〃



This tale of our client's appeared to have an

extraordinary effect upon Sherlock Holmes。  He rose

from his chair and paced about the room in

uncontrollable excitement。



〃Misfortunes never come single;〃 said Phelps; smiling;

though it was evident that his adventure had somewhat

shaken him。



〃You have certainly had your share;〃 said Holmes。  〃Do

you think you could walk round the house with me?〃



〃Oh; yes; I should like a little sunshine。  Joseph

will come; too。〃



〃And I also;〃 said Miss Harrison。



〃I am afraid not;〃 said Holmes; shaking his head。  〃I

think I must ask you to remain sitting exactly where

you are。〃



The young lady resumed her seat with an air of

displeasure。  Her brother; however; had joined us and

we set off all four together。  We passed round the

lawn to the outside of the young diplomatist's window。 

There were; as he had said; marks upon the bed; but

they were hopelessly blurred and vague。  Holmes

stopped over them for an instant; and then rose

shrugging his shoulders。



〃I don't think any one could make much of this;〃 said

he。  〃Let us go round the house and see why this

particular room was chose by the burglar。  I should

have thought those larger windows of the drawing…room

and dining…room would have had more attractions for

him。〃



〃They are more visible from the road;〃 suggested Mr。

Joseph Harrison。



〃Ah; yes; of course。  There is a door here which he

might have attempted。  What is it for?〃



〃It is the side entrance for trades…people。  Of course

it is locked at night。〃



〃Have you ever had an alarm like this before?〃



〃Never;〃 said our client。



〃Do you keep plate in the house; or anything to

attract burglars?〃



〃Nothing of value。〃



Holmes strolled round the house with his hands in his

pockets and a negligent air which was unusual with

him。



〃By the way;〃 said he to Joseph Harrison; 〃you found

some place; I understand; where the fellow scaled the

fence。  Let us have a look at that!〃



The plump young man led us to a spot where the top of

one of the wooden rails had been cracked。  A small

fragment of the wood was hanging down。  Holmes pulled

it off and examined it critically。



〃Do you think that was done last night?  It looks

rather old; does it not?〃



〃Well; possibly so。〃



〃There are no marks of any one jumping down upon the

other side。  No; I fancy we shall get no help here。 

Let us go back to the bedroom and talk the matter

over。〃



Percy Phelps was walking very slowly; leaning upon the

arm of his future brother…in…law。  Holmes walked

swiftly across the lawn; and we were at the open

window of the bedroom long before the others came up。



〃Miss Harrison;〃 said Holmes; speaking with the utmost

intensity of manner; 〃you must stay where you are all

day。  Let nothing prevent you from staying where you

are all day。  It is of the utmost importance。〃



〃Certainly; if you wish it; Mr。 Holmes;〃 said the girl

in astonishment。



〃When you go to bed lock the door of this room on the

outside and keep the key。  Promise to do this。〃



〃But Percy?〃



〃He will come to London with us。〃



〃And am I to remain here?〃



〃It is for his sake。  You can serve him。  Quick! 

Promise!〃



She gave a quick nod of assent just as the other two

came up。



〃Why do you sit moping there; Annie?〃 cried her

brother。  〃Come out into the sunshine!〃



〃No; thank you; Joseph。  I have a slight headache and

this room is deliciously cool and soothing。〃



〃What do you propose now; Mr。 Holmes?〃 asked our

client。



〃Well; in investigating this minor affair we must not

lose sight of our main inquiry。  It would be a very

great help to me if you would come up to London with

us。〃



〃At once?〃



〃Well; as soon as you conveniently can。  Say in an

hour。〃



〃I feel quite strong enough; if I can really be of any

help。〃



〃The greatest possible。〃



〃Perhaps you would like me the stay there to…night?〃



〃I was just going to propose it。〃



〃Then; if my friend of the night comes to revisit me;

he will find the bird flown。  We are all in your

hands; Mr。 Holmes; and you must tell us exactly what

you would like done。  Perhaps you would prefer that

Joseph came wit us so as to look after me?〃



〃Oh; no; my friend Watson is a medical man; you know;

and he'll look after you。  We'll have our lunch here;

if you will permit us; and then we shall al three set

off for town together。〃



It was arranged as he suggested; though Miss Harrison

excused herself from leaving the bedroom; in

accordance with Holmes's suggestion。  What the object

of my friend's manoeuvres was I could not conceive;

unless it were to keep the lady away from Phelps; who;

rejoiced by his returning health and by the prospect

of action; lunched with us in the dining…room。  Holmes

had still more startling surprise for us; however;

for; after accompanying us down to the station and

seeing us into our carriage; he calmly announced that

he had no intention of leaving Woking。



〃There are one or two small points which I should

desire to clear up before I go;〃 said he。  〃Your

absence; Mr。 Phelps; will in some ways rather assist

me。  Watson; when you reach London you would oblige me

by driving at once to Baker Street with our friend

here; and remaining with him until I see you again。 

It is fortunate that you are old school…fellows; as

you must have much to talk over。  Mr。 Phelps can have

the spare bedroom to…night; and I will be with you in

time for breakfast; for there is a train which will

take me into Waterloo at eight。〃



〃But how about our investigation in London?〃 asked

Phelps; ruefully。



〃We can do that to…morrow。  I think that just at

present I can be of more immediate use here。〃



〃You might tell them at Briarbrae that I hope to be

back to…morrow night;〃 cried Phelps; as we began to

move from the platform。



〃I hardly expect to go back to Briarbrae;〃 answered

Holmes; and waved his hand to us cheerily as we shot

out from the station。



Phelps and I talked it over on our journey; but

neither of us could devise a satisfactory reason for

this new development。



〃I suppose he wants to find out some clue as to the

burglary last night; if a burglar it was。  For myself;

I don't believe it was an ordinary thief。〃



〃What is your o

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