The Red Headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle. I had called upon my friend
mister Sherlock Holmes one day in the autumn of last year, and found him
in deep conversation with a very stout, florid faced, elderly gentleman with fiery
red hair, with an apology for my intrusion. I was about to withdraw
when Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door behind me.
You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear Watson,
he said cordially. I was afraid that you were engaged, so I am
very much so then I can wait in the next room. Not at all
this gentleman, mister Wilson has been my partner and helper in many of my
most successful cases, and I have no doubt that he will be of the
utmost use to me in yours. Also. The stout gentleman half rose from
his chair and gave a bob of greeting with a quick, little questioning glance
from his small, fat encircled eyes. Try the settee, said Holmes,
relapsing into his armchair and putting his fingertips together, as was his custom when
in judicial moods. I know, my dear Watson, that you share my
love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday
life. You've shown your relish for it by the enthusiasm which has prompted you
to chronicle. And if you will excuse my saying so somewhat to embellish so
many of my own little adventures, your cases have indeed been of the greatest
interest to me, I observed. You will remember that I remarked the other
day, just before we went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary
Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary combinations, we must go to life
itself, which is always far more daring than any effort of the imagination,
A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting you did, doctor. But
nonetheless you must come round to my view, for otherwise I shall keep on
piling fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges
me to be right. Now, mister Jobez Wilson here has been good enough
to call upon me this morning and to begin a narrative which promises to be
one of the most singular, which I have listened to for some time.
You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique things are very often
connected not with the larger but with the smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed,
where there is room for doubt whether any positive crime has been committed.
As far as I have heard, it is impossible for me to say whether
the present case is an instance of crime or not. But the course of
events is certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. Perhaps,
mister Wilson, you would have the great kindness to recommence your narrative.
I ask you not merely because my friend doctor Watson has not heard of the
opening part, but also because the peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious
to have every possible detail from your lips. As a rule, when I
have heard some slight indication of the course of events, I am able to
guide myself by the thousand of other similar cases which occurred to my memory.
In the present instance, I am forced to admit that the facts are,
to the best of my belief unique. The portly client puffed out his chest
with an appearance of some little pride, and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper
from the inside pocket of his greatcoat as he glanced down the advertisement column with
his head thrust forward and the paper flattened out upon his knee. I took
a good look at the man, and endeavored, after the fashion of my
companion, to read the indications which might be presented by his dress or appearance.
I did not gain very much. However, by my inspection, our
visitor bore every mark of being an average commonplace British tradesman, obese, pompous,
and slow. He wore rather baggy gray shepherd's checked trouse, a not
overclean black frock coat unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a
heavy brassy Albert chain and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as an
ornament. A frayed top hat and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled velvet
collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, look as I would,
there was nothing remarkable about the man, save his blazing red head and the
expression of extreme chagrin and discontent upon his features. Mister Holmes quick eye took
in my occupation, and he shook his head with a smile, as he
noticed my questioning glances. Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time
done manual labor, that he takes snuff, that he is a freemason,
that he has been in China, and that he has done a considerable amount
of writing lately, I can deduce nothing else, mister job As Wilson started
up in his chair with his forefinger upon the paper, but his eyes a
my companion, How in the name of good fortune did you know all that?
Mister Holmes? He asked, how did you know, for example,
that I did manual labor. It's as true as gospel, for I began
as a ship's carpenter. Your hands, my dear sir, your right hand
is quite a size larger than your left. You have worked with it,
and the muscles are more developed. Well. The snuff, then, and
the freemasonry. I won't insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that,
especially as rather against the strict rules of your order, you use an
arc and compass breastpin. Ah. Of course I forgot that. But the
writing, what else can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for
five inches, and the left one with a smooth patch near the elbow where
you rested upon the desk. Well, but China. The fish that you
have tattooed immediately above your right wrist could only have been done in China.
I have made a small study of tattoo marks, and have even contributed to
the literature of the subject. The trick of staining the fish's scales of a
delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I see
a Chinese coin hanging from your watch chain, the matter becomes even more simple.
Mister job As Wilson laughed heavily. Well, I never said he.
I thought at first you had done something clever, But I see there was
nothing in it. After all, I begin to think, Watson, said
Holmes, that I make a mistake in explaining omne ignotum pro magnifico, you
know, and my poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer
shipwreck if I am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, mister
Wilson, Yes, I have got it now, he answered, with his
thick red finger planted halfway down the column. Here it is, this is
what it began at all. You just read it for yourself, sir.
I took the paper from him and read as follows to the Red Headed League
on account of the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins of Lebanon, Pennsylvania,
U. S A. There is now another vacancy open which entitles a member
of the League to a salary of four pounds a week for purely nominal services.
All Red Headed men who are sound in body and mind and above the
age of twenty one years are eligible. Apply in person on Monday at eleven
o'clock to Duncan Ross at the offices of the League, seven Pope's Court,
Fleet Street. What on earth does this mean? I ejaculated after I had
twice read over the extraordinary announcement. Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his chair,
as was his habit when in high spirits. It is a little off the
beaten track, isn't it? Said he? And now, mister Wilson,
off you go at scratch and tell us all about yourself, your household,
and the effect which this advertisement had upon your fortunes. You will first make
a note doctor of the paper and the date. It is the Morning Chronicle
of April twenty seventh, eighteen ninety, just two months ago, very good
now, mister Wilson. Well, it is just as I have been telling
you, mister Sherlock Holmes said job as Wilson mopping his forehead. I have
a small pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square near the city. It's not a very
large affair, and of late years that has not done more than just give
me a living. I used to be able to keep two assistants, but
now I only keep one, and I would have a job to pay him,
but that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn
the business. What is the name of this obliging youth, asked Sherlock Holmes.
His name is Vincent Spalding. And he's not such a youth either.
It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter assistant,
mister Holmes, and I know very well that he could better himself and earn
twice what I am able to give him. But after all, if he
is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head? Why? Indeed,
you seem most fortunate in having an employee who comes under the full market
price. It is not a common experience among employers in this age. I
don't know that your assistant is not as remarkable as your advertisement. Oh he
has his faults too, said mister Wilson. Never was such a fellow for
photography, snapping away with a camera when he ought to be improving his mind,
and then diving down into the cellar like a rabbit into its hole to
develop his pictures. That is his main fault. But on the whole he
is a good worker. There's no vice in him. He's still with you,
I presume, yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen who
does a bit of simple cooking and keeps the place clean. That's all I
have in the house, for I am a widower and never had any family.
We live very quietly, sir, the three of us, and we
keep a roof over our heads and pay our debts if we do nothing more.
The the first thing that put us out was that advertisement. Spalding.
He came down into the office just this day, eight weeks with this very
paper in his hand, and he says, I wish to Lord mister Wilson
that I was a redheaded man. Why that, I asks, Why?
Says he, here's another vacancy on the league of the red headed Men.
It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who gets it. And I
understand that there are more vacancies than there are men, so that the trustees
are at their wits end what to do with the money. If my hair
would only change color, here's a nice little crib all ready for me to
step into. Why what is it? Then? I asked? You?
See, mister Holmes, I am a very stay at home man, and
as my business came to me instead of my having to go to it,
I was often weeks on end without putting my foot over the door mat.
In that way, I didn't know much of what was going on outside,
and I was always glad of a bit of news. Have you never heard
of the the League of Red Headed Men? He asked, with his eyes
open. Never. Why I wonder at that? For you are eligible yourself
for one of the vacancies. And what are they worth? I asked,
Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year. But the work is slight
and it need not interfere very much with one's other occupations. Well, you
can easily think that that made me prick up my ears, for the business
has not been very good over some years, and an extra couple of hundred
would have been very handy. Tell me all about it, said I,
well, said he, showing me the advertisement. You can see for yourself
that the league has a vacancy, and there is the address where you should
go apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, the league
was founded by an American millionaire, the Zekiah Hopkins, who was very peculiar
in his ways. He was himself red headed, and he had a great
sympathy for all red headed men. So when he died, it was found
that he had left his enormous fortune in the hands of trustees, with instructions
to apply the interest to the providing of easy births to men whose hair is
of that color. From all I hear it is splendid pay and very little
to do. But said I, there would be millions of redheaded men who
would apply, Not so many as you might think, he answered, you
see, it is really confined to Londoners and to grown men. This American
had started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the
old town a good turn. Then again I have heard it no use your
applying if your hair is light red or dark red, or anything but real,
bright blazing fiery red. Now, if you cared to apply, mister
Wilson, you would just walk in. But perhaps it would be hardly worth
your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a few
hundred pounds. Now it is a fact, gentleman, as you can see
for yourself, that my hair is of a very full and rich tint.
So that it seemed to me, if there was to be any competition in
the matter, I stood as good a chance as any man that I had
ever met. Vincent Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought
he might prove useful. So I just ordered him to put up the shutters
for the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing
to have a holiday, so he shut the business up and started off for
the address that was given us in the advertisement. I never hoped to see
such a sight as that again, mister Holmes, from north, south,
east and west, every man who had a shade of red in his hair
had tramped into the city to answer the advertisement. Fleet Street was choked with
red headed folk, and Pope's Court looked like a coster's orange barrow. I
should not have thought there were so many in the whole country as were brought
together by that single advertisement, every shade of color. They were straw,
lemon, orange, brick, irish setter, liver clay. But as Falding
said, there were not many who had the vivid, flame colored tint.
When I saw how many were waiting, I would have given it up in
despair. But Spalding would not hear of it. How he did it I
could not imagine. But he pushed and pulled and butted until he got me
through the crowd and ride up to the steps which led to the office.
There was a double stream upon the stairs, some going up in hope and
some coming back dejected. But we wedged in as well as we could,
and soon found ourselves in the office. Your experience has been a most entertaining
one, remarked Holmes, as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a
huge pinch of snuff. Pray, continue your very interesting statement. There was
nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs and a deal table,
behind which sat a small man with a head that was even redder than mine.
He said a few words to each candidate as he came up, and
then he always managed to find some fault in them which would disqualify them.
Getting a vacancy did not not seem to be such a very easy matter after
all. However, when our turn came, the little man was much more
favorable to me than to any of the others, and he closed the door
as we entered, so that he might have a private word with us.
This is mister job as Wilson, said, my assistant, and he is
willing to fill a vacancy in the league, and he is admirably suited for
it. The other answered, he has every requirement. I cannot recall when
I have seen anything so fine. He took a step backward, cocked his
head on one side, and gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful.
Then suddenly he plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly
on my success. It would be an injustice to hesitate, said he.
You will, however, I am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious
precaution. With that, he seized my hair in both his hands and tugged
until I yelled with the pain. There is water in your said he as
he released me. I believe that all is as it should be, but
we have to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and
once by paint. I could tell you tales of cobbler's wax which would disgust
you with human nature. He stepped over to the window and shouted through it
at the top of his voice that the vacancy was filled. A groan of
disappointment came up from below, and the folk all trooped away in different directions,
until there was not a redhead to be seen except my own and that
of the manager. My name said, He is mister Duncan Ross, and
I am myself one of those pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor.
Are you a married man, mister Wilson, have you a family?
I answered that I had not. His face fell immediately. Dear me,
he said, gravely, that is very serious. Indeed, I am sorry
to hear you say that the fund was, of course for the propagation and
spread of the Redheads, as as well as for their maintenance. It is
exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a bachelor. My face linkedened at this,
mister Holmes, for I thought that I was not to have the vacancy after
all, But After thinking it over for a few minutes, he said that
it would be all right in the case of another, said he, the
objection might be fatal, but we must stretch a point in favor of a
man with such a head of hair as yours. When will you be able
to enter upon your new duties. Well, it is a little awkward,
for I have a business already, said I. Oh, never mind about
that, mister Wilson, said Vincent Spalding. I should be able to look
after that for you. What would be the hours, I asked, ten
to two. Now, a pawnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening,
mister Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just before payday,
So it would suit me very well to earn a little in the mornings.
Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man and that he would
see you do anything that turned up. That would suit me very well,
said I. And the pay is four dollars a week, and the work
is purely nominal. What do you call purely nominal? Well, you have
to be in the office, or at least in the building the whole time.
If you leave, you forfeit your whole position forever. The will is
very clear upon that point. You don't comply with the conditions if you budge
from the office during that time. It is only four hours a day,
and I should not think of leaving, said I. No excuse will prevail,
said mister duncan Ross, neither sickness, nor business or anything else.
There you must stay or you lose your billet and the work. It is
to copy out the Encyclopedia Britannica. There is the first volume of it in
that press. You must find your own ink, pens and blotting paper,
but we provide this table and chair. Will you be ready tomorrow? Certainly?
I answered, Then, good bye, mister job As Wilson, and
let me congratulate you once more on the important position which you have been fortunate
enough to gain. He bowed me out of the room, and I went
home with my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do. I was
so pleased at my own good fortune. Well, I thought over the matter
all day, and by evening I was in low spirits again, for I
had quite persuaded myself that the whole affair must be at some great hoax or
fraud, though what its object might be. I could not imagine. It
seemed altogether past belief that any one would make such a will, or that
they would pay such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the
Encyclopedia Britannica Vincents. Faulding did what he could to cheer me up, but
by bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the whole thing. However, in
the morning I determined to have a look at it anyhow so I bought a
penny bottle of ink, and with a quill pen and seven sheets of foolscap
paper, I started off for Pope's court. Well. To my surprise and
delight, everything was as right as possible. The table was set out ready
for me, and mister Duncan Ross was there to see that I fairly got
to work. He started me off upon the letter A, and then he
left me, but he would drop in from time to time to see that
all was right with me. At two o'clock he bade me good day,
complimented me upon the amount that I had written, and locked the door of
the office after me. This went on day after day, mister Holmes,
and on Saturday the manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my
week's work. Who was the same next week, and the same the week
after. Every morning I was there at ten, and every afternoon I left
at two. By degrees, mister Duncan Ross took to coming in only once
of a morning, and then after a time he did not come in at
all. Still, of course, I never dared to leave the room for
an instant, for I was not sure when he might come. And the
billet was such a good one and suited me so well that I would not
risk the loss of it. Eight weeks passed away like this, and I
had written about abbots and archery and armor and architecture in Attica, and hoped
with diligence that I might get onto the bees before very long. It cost
me something in foolscap, and I had pretty nearly filled a shelf with my
writings, And then suddenly the whole business came to an end, to an
end, yes, sir, and no later than this morning. I went
to my work as usual at ten o'clock, But the door was shut and
locked with a little square of cardboard hammered onto the middle of the panel with
attack. Here it is, and you can read it for yourself. He
held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet of notepaper.
It read, in this fashion, the Red Headed League is dissolved.
October ninth, eighteen ninety Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the
rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affairs so completely overtopped
every other consideration that we both broke out into a roar of laughter. I
cannot see that there is anything very funny, cried our client, flushing up
to the roots of his flaming head. If you can do nothing better than
laugh at me, I can go elsewhere. No no, cried Holmes,
shoving him back into the chair from which he had half risen. I really
wouldn't miss your case for the world. It is most refreshingly unusual. But
there is, if you will excuse my saying so, something just a little
funny about it. Pray what steps did you take when you found the card
upon the door? I was staggered, sir. I did not know what
to do. Then I called of the officers round, but none of them
seemed to know anything about it. Finally I went to the landlord who is
an accountant living on the ground floor, and I asked him if he could
tell me what had become of the red headed league. He said that he
had never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who mister Duncan
Ross was. He answered that that name was new to him. Well,
said I, the gentleman at number four, what the red headed man?
Yes, oh, said he. His name was William Morris. He was
a solicitor and was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new premises
were ready. He moved out yesterday. Where could I find him? Oh?
At his new offices. He did tell me the address, yes,
seventeen King Edward Street, near Saint Paul's. I started off, mister Holmes,
But when I got to that address, it was a manufactory of artificial
knee caps, and no one in it had ever heard of either mister William
Morris or mister Duncan Ross. And what did you do, then, asked
Holmes. I went home to Saxe Coburg Square and I took the advice of
my assistant, but he could not help me in any way. He could
only say that if I waited, I should hear my post. But that
was not quite good enough, mister Holmes. I did not wish to lose
such a place without a struggle. So as I heard that you were good
enough to give advice to poor folk who were in need of it, I
came right away to you, and you did very wisely, said Holmes.
Your case is an exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look
into it. From what you have told me, I think that it is
possible that graver issues hang from it that might, at first sight appear grave
enough, said mister job As Wilson. Why I have lost four pounds a
week? As far as you are personally concerned, remarked Holmes, I do
not see how you have any grievance against this extraordinary league. On the contrary,
you are, as I understand, richer by some thirty pounds, to
say nothing of the minute knowledge which you have gained on every subject which comes
under the letter A. You have lost nothing by them, no, sir,
But I want to find out about them and who they are, and
what their object was in playing this prank. If it was a prank a
on me, it was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it cost
them two and thirty pounds. We shall endeavor to clear up these points for
you. And first, one or two questions, mister Wilson, this assistant
of yours who first called your attention to the advertisement? How long has he
been with you? About a month? Then? How did he come in
answer to an advertisement? Was he the only applicant? No? I had
a dozen? Why did you pick him? Because he was handy and would
come cheap at half wages? In fact? Yes? What does he like?
This? Vincent Spalding? Small stout, built, very quick in his
ways. No hair on his face, though he's not short of thirty as
a white splash of acid upon his forehead. Holmes sat up in his chair
in considerable excitement. I thought as much, said he. Have you ever
observed that his ears are pierced for ear rings? Yes, sir, he
told me that a gipsy he had done it for him when he was a
lad, hm, said Holmes, sinking back in deep thought. He is
still with you? Oh, yes, sir, I have only just left
him. And has your business been attended to in your absence? Nothing to
complain of, sir. There is never very much to do of a morning
that will do mister Wilson, I shall be happy to give you an opinion
upon the subject in the course of a day or two. Today is Saturday,
and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion. Well,
Watson, said Holmes, when our visitor had left us, What do
you make of it all? I make nothing of it, I answered,
frankly. It is a most mysterious business. As a rule, said Holmes,
the more bizarre thing is the less mysterious it proves to be. It
is your commonplace featureless crimes, which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace
face is the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over this
matter. What are you going to do? Then asked to smoke? He
answered, it is quite a three pipe problem, and I beg that you
won't speak to me for fifty minutes. He curled himself up in his chair,
with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk like nose, and there
he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe thrusting out like the
bill of some strange bird. I had come to the conclusion that he had
dropped to sleep, and indeed was nodding myself when he suddenly sprang out of
his chair with a gesture of a man who has made up his mind,
and put his pipe down on the mantelpiece. Sarasate plays at the Saint James
Hall this afternoon. He remarked, what do you think, Watson? Could
your patience spare you a few hours? I have nothing to do today.
My practice is never very absorbing. Then put on your hat and come.
I am going through the city first, and we can have some lunch on
the way. I observe that there is a good deal of German music on
the program, which is rather more to my taste than Italian or French.
It is introspecting, and I want to introspect. Come along. We traveled
by the underground as far as Aldersgate, and a short walk took us to
Saxe Coburg Square, the scene of the singular story which we had listened to
in the morning. It was a poky, little shabby, genteel place where
four lines of dingy two story brick houses looked out into a small, railed
in enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded
laurel bushes made a hard fight against the smoke laden and uncongenial atmosphere, three
gilt balls, and a brown board with job as Wilson in white letters.
Upon a corner house announced the place where our red headed client carried on his
business. Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with his head on one side,
and looked it all over with his eyes shining brightly between puckered lids.
Then he walked slowly up the street and then down again to the corner,
still looking keenly at the houses. Finally he returned to the pawnbrokers, and,
having thumbed vigorously upon the pavement with his stick two or three times,
he went up to the door and knocked. It was instantly opened by a
bright looking, clean shaven young fellow, who asked him to step in.
Thank you, said Holmes. I only wish to ask you how you would
go from here to the strand third right, fourth left, answered the assistant,
promptly closing the door. Smart fellow that observed Holmes as we walked away.
He is, in my judgment, the fourth smartest man in London,
and for daring, I am not sure that he has not a claim to
be third. I have known something of him before evidently said I, mister
Wilson's assistant counts for a good deal in the mystery of the Red Headed League.
I am sure that you inquired your way merely in order that you might
see him, not him? What then, the knees of his trousers?
And what did you see? What I expected to see? Why did you
beat the pavement, My dear doctor, This is time for observation, not
for talk. We are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of
saxe Coburg Square. Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it.
The road in which we found ourselves as we turned round the corner from the
retired saxe Coburg Square presented as great a contrast to it as the front of
a picture does to the back. It was one of the main arteries which
conveyed the traffic of the city to the north and the west. The roadway
was blocked with the immense stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and
outward, while the footpaths were black with a hurrying swarm of pedestrians. It
was difficult to realize as we looked upon the line of fine shops and stately
business premises that they really abutted on the other side, upon the faded and
stagnant square which we had just quitted. Let me see, said Holmes,
standing at the corner and glancing along the line. I should like just to
remember the order of the houses here. It is a hobby of mind to
have an exact knowledge of London. There is Mortimer's, the Tobacconist, the
little newspaper shop, the Coburg branch of the City and Suburban Bank, the
Vegetarian restaurant, and McFarland's carriage building depot that carries us right on to the
other block. And now, doctor, we've done our work, so it's
time we had some play, a sandwich and a cup of coffee, and
then off to Violinland, where all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony, and
there are no red headed clients to vex us with their conundrums. My friend
was an enthusiastic musician, being himself not only a very capable performer, but
a composer of no ordinary merit. All the afternoon he sat in the stalls,
wrapped in the most perfect happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers
in times of the music, while his gently smiling face and his languid,
dreamy eyes were as unlike those of Holmes the sleuth hound, Holmes, the
relentless, keen witted, ready handed criminal agent, as it was possible to
conceive in his singular character, the dual nature alternately asserted itself, and his
extreme exactness and astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction against
the poetic and contemplative mood which occasionally predominated in him. The swing of his
nature took him from extreme languor to devouring energy, And as I knew well,
he was never so truly formidable as when for days on end he had
been lounging in his armchair amid the improvisations and his black letter editions. Then
it was that the lust of the chase would suddenly come upon him, and
that his brilliant reasoning power would rise to the level of intuition, until those
who were unacquainted with his methods would look askance at him as on a man
whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him that afternoon,
so enwrapped in the music at Saint James Hall, I felt that an
evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set himself to hunt down.
You want to go home, no doubt, doctor, he remarked as
we emerged. Yes, it would be as well, and I have some
business to do which will take some hours. This business at Coburg Square is
serious. Why serious? A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every
reason to believe that we shall be in time to stop it, But today,
being Saturday, rather complicates matters. I shall want your help tonight,
at what time ten will be early enough. I shall be at Baker Street
at ten very well, And I say, doctor, there may be some
little danger, so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket. He waved
his hand, turned on his heel, and disappeared in an instant among the
crowd. I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbors. But
I was always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings with
Sherlock Holmes. Here I had heard what he had heard. I had seen
what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that he
saw clearly not only what had happened, but what was about to happen,
While to me the whole business was still confused and grotesque. As I drove
home to my house in Kensington, I thought over it all, from the
extraordinary story of the red headed copier of the Encyclopedia, down to the visit
to Saxe Coburg Square and the ominous words with which he had parted from me.
What was this nocturnal expedition and why should I go armed? Where were
we going and what were we to do? I had the hint from Holmes
that this smooth faced pawnbroker's assistant was a formidable man, a man who might
play a deep game. I tried to puzzle it out, but gave it
up in despair and set the matter aside until night should bring an explanation.
It was a quarter past nine when I started from home and made my way
across the park and so through Oxford Street to Baker Street. Two Hansoms were
standing at the door. As I entered the passage, I heard the sound
of voices from above. On entering his room, I found Holmes in animated
conversation with two men, one of whom I recognized as Peter Jones, the
official police agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad faced
man with a very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock coat. Ha. Our
party is complete, said Holmes, buttoning up his pea jacket and taking his
heavy hunting crop from the rack. Watson, I think you know, mister
Jones of Scotland Yard. Let me introduce you to mister Merriweather, who is
to be our companion in tonight's adventure. We're hunting in couples again, doctor,
You see, said Jones in his consequential way. Our friend here is
a wonderful man for starting a chase. All he wants is an old dog
to help him do the running down. I hope a wild goose may not
prove to be at the end of our chase, observed mister Merriweather gloomily.
You may place concerner terable confidence in mister Holmes, Sir, said the police
agent loftily. He has his own little methods, which are, if he
won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical and fantastic. But
he has the makings of a detective in him. It's not too much to
say that once or twice, as in the business of the chalto murderer and
the Agra treasure, he has been more nearly correct than the official force.
Oh, if you say so, mister Jones, it is all right,
said the stranger, with deference. Still, I confess that I miss my
rubber. It is the first Saturday night for seven and twenty years that I
have not had my rubber. I think you will find, said Sherlock Holmes,
that you will play for a higher stake tonight than you ever have done
yet, and that the play will be more exciting for you, mister Meriwether.
The stake will be some thirty thousand pounds, and for you, Jones,
it will be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands,
John Clay, the murderer, thiefs, master, and forger. He's a
young man, mister Meriwether, but he is at the head of his profession,
and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on any criminal in
London. He's a remarkable man, as young John Clay. His grandfather was
a royal duke, and he himself has been to Eton and Oxford. His
brain is as cunning as his fingers. And though we'll meet signs of him
at every turn, we never know where to find the man himself. He'll
crack a crib in Scotland one week, and be raising money to build an
orphanage in Cornwall the next. I've been on his track for years and have
never set eyes on him yet. I hope that I may have the pleasure
of introducing you tonight. I've had one or two little turns also with mister
John Clay, and I agree with you that he is at the head of
his profession. It is past ten, however, and quite time that we
started. If you two will take the first, handsome Watson and I will
follow in the second. Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive
and lay back in the cab humming the tunes which we had heard in the
afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas lit streets until we emerged
into Farrington Street. We are close there now, my friend remarked, This
fellow Merriweather is a bank director and personally interested in the matter. I thought
it as well to have Jones with us. Also, he is not a
bad fellow. Though an absolute imbecile in his profession, he has one positive
virtue. He is as brave as a bulldog and as tenacious as a lobster.
If he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we are and they are
waiting for us. We had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in which we had
found ourselves in the morning. Our cabs were dismissed, and following the guidance
of mister Merriweather, we passed down a narrow passage and through his side door,
which he opened for us. Within there was a small corridor which ended
in a very massive iron gate. This also was opened and led down a
flight of winding stone steps, which terminated at another formidable gait. Mister Merriwether
stopped to light a lantern and then conducted us down a dark, earth smelling
passage, and so after opening a third door, into a huge vault or
cellar, which was piled all round with crates and massive boxes. You are
not very vulnerable from above, Holmes remarked, as he held up the lantern
and gazed about him, nor from below, said mister Merriwether, striking his
stick upon the flags which lined the floor. Why dear me, it sounds
quite hollow, he remarked, looking up in surprise. I must really ask
you to be a little more quiet, said Holmes severely. You have already
imperiled the whole success of our expedition. Might I beg that you would have
the goodness to sit down upon one of those boxes, and not to interfere.
The solemn mister Merriwether perched himself upon a crate, with a very injured
expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his knees upon the floor,
and with a lantern and a magnifying lens, began to examine minutely the cracks
between the stones. A few seconds suffice to satisfy him, for he sprang
to his feet again and put his glass in his pocket. We have at
least an hour before us, he remarked, for they can hardly take any
steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. Then they will not lose
a minute, for the sooner they do their work, the longer time they
will have for their escape. We are at present, doctor, as no
doubt you have divined in this cellar of the city branch of one of the
principal London banks. Mister Meriweather is the chairman of directors, and he will
explain to you there are reasons why the more daring criminals of London should take
a considerable interest in this cellar. At present it is our French gold,
whispered the director. We have had several warnings that an attempt might be made
upon it, your French gold. Yes, we had occasion some months ago
to strengthen our resources, and borrowed for that purpose thirty thousand napoleons from the
Bank of France. It has become known that we have never had occasion to
unpack the money, and that it is still lying in our cellar. The
crate upon which I sit contains two thousand napoleons packed between layers of lead foil.
Our reserve of bullion is much larger at present than is usually kept in
a single branch office. And the directors have had misgivings upon the subject,
which were very well justified, observed Holmes. And now it is time that
we arranged our little plans. I expect that within an hour matters will come
to a head. In the meantime, mister Merriweather, we must put the
screen over that dark lantern and sit in the dark. I am afraid,
so I had brought a pack of cards in my pocket, and I thought
that as we were a PARTI carreis, you might have your rubber, after
all. But I see that the enemy's preparations have gone so far that we
cannot risk the presence of a light. And first of all, we must
choose our positions. These are daring men, and though we shall take them
at a disadvantage, they may do us some harm unless we are careful.
I shall stand behind this crate, and do you conceal yourselves behind those then,
when I flash a light upon them, close in swiftly. If they
fire, Watson have no compunction about shooting them down. I placed my revolver
cocked upon the top of the wooden case behind which I crouched. Holmes shot
the slide across the front of his lantern and left us in pitch darkness,
such an absolute darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot
metal remained to assure us that the light was still there, ready to flash
out at a moment's notice. To me, with my nerves worked up to
a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and subduing in a sudden gloom
and in the cold, dank air of the vault. They have but one
retreat, whispered Holmes. That is back through the house in the Saxe Coburg
Square. I hope that you have done what I asked you, Jones.
I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door. Then we
have stopped all the holes, and now we must be silent and wait.
What a time it seemed from comparing notes afterwards, it was but an hour
and a quarter. Yet it appeared to me that the night must have almost
gone, and the dawn be breaking above us. My limbs were weary and
stiff, for I feared to change my position. Yet my nerves were worked
up to the highest pitch of tension, and my hearing was so acute that
I could not only hear the gentle breathing of my companions, but I could
distinguish the deeper, heavier in breadth of the bulky Jones from the thin sighing
note of the bank director. From my position, I could look over the
case in the direction of the floor. Suddenly my eyes caught the glint of
a light. At first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement.
Then it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then,
without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open, and a hand
appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the center
of the little area of light. For a minute or more, the hand,
with its writhing fingers, protruded out of the floor. Then it was
withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark again, save this
single lurid spark, which marked a chink between the stones. Its disappearance,
however, was but momentary, with a rending tearing sound. One of the
broad white stones turned over upon its side and left a square, gaping hole
through which streamed the light of a lantern. Over the edge, there peeped
a clean cut, boyish face which looked keenly about it, and then,
with a hand on either side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder high and
waisted high until one knee rested upon the edge. In another instant he stood
at the side of the hole and was hauling after him. I'm a companion,
lithe and small like himself, with a pale face and a shock of
very red hair. It's all clear, he whispered, Have you the chisel
in the bags? Great Scott, jump, Archie, jump, and I'll
swing for it. Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the
collar. The other dived down the hole, and I heard the sound of
rending cloth as Jones clutched at his skirts. The light flashed upon the barrel
of a revolver, but holmes hunting crop came down on the man's wrist,
and the pistol clunked upon the stone floor. It's no use, John Clay,
said Holmes, blandly, you have no chance at all, so I
see the other answered with the utmost coolness. I fancy that my pal is
all right, though I see you have got his coat tails. There are
three men waiting for him at the door, said Holmes. Oh, indeed,
you seem to have done the thing very completely. I must compliment you,
and I you, Holmes answered, your red headed idea was very new
and effective. You'll see your pal again presently, said Jones. He's quicker
at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the
Darby's. I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands,
remarked our prisoner, as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. You may not
be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have the goodness also
when you address me, always to say sir and please all right, said
Jones, with a stare and a snigger. Well, would you please,
sir march up stairs where we can get a cab to carry your highness to
the police station. That is better, said John Clay serenely. He made
a sweeping bow to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody
of the detective. Really, mister Holmes, said mister Merriweather, as we
followed them from the cellar, I do not know how the bank can thank
you or repay you. There is no out that you have detected and defeated
in the most complete manner, one of the most determined attempts at bank robbery
that have ever come within my experience. I have had one or two little
scores of my own to settle with, mister John Clay, said Holmes.
I have been at some small expense over this matter, which I shall expect
the bank to refund, But beyond that I am amply or paid by having
an experience which is in many ways unique, and by hearing the very remarkable
narrative of the red headed league. You see Watson, he explained in the
early hours of the morning, as we sat over a glass of whiskey and
soda in Baker Street. It was perfectly obvious from the first that the only
possible object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of the league and the
copying of the encyclopedia must be to get this not over bright pawnbroker out of
the way for a number of hours every day. It was a curious way
of managing it, but really it would be difficult to suggest a better The
method that was, no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the color of
his accomplice's hair. The four dollars a week was a lure which must draw
him, And what was it to them who were playing for thousands? They
put in the advertisement. One rogue has the temporary office, the other rogue
incites the man to apply for it, and together they managed to secure his
absence every morning in the week. From the time I heard of the assistant
having come for half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some
strong motive for securing the situation. But how could you guess what the motive
was? Had there been women in the house. I should have suspected a
mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the question. The
man's business was a small one, and there was nothing in his house which
could account for such elaborate preparations and such an expenditure as they were at it.
It must then be something out of the house. What could it be?
I thought of the assistant's fondness for fatighgraphy, and his trick of vanishing
into the cellar. The cellar, there was the end of this tangled clue.
Then I made inquiries as to this a mysterious assistant, and found that
I had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London.
He was doing something in the cellar, something which took many hours a
day for months on end. What could it be? Once more, I
could think of nothing, say that he was running a tunnel to some other
building. So far I had got. When we went to visit the scene
of action, I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick.
I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. It was
not in front. Then I rang the bell, and as I hoped,
the assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we have never
set eyes upon each other before. I hardly looked at his face. His
knees were what I wished to see. You must yourself have remarked how worn,
wrinkled and stained they were. They spoke of those hours of burrowing.
The only remaining point was what they were burrowing for. I walked round the
corner, saw the City and Suburban Bank a budget on our friend's premises,
and felt that I had solved my problem. When you drove home after the
concert, I called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank directors,
with the result that you have seen. And how could you tell that
they would make their attempt tonight? I asked, Well, when they closed
their league offices, that was a sign that they cared no longer about mister
job As Wilson's presence. In other words, that they had completed their tunnel,
but it was essential that they should use it soon, as it might
be discovered or the bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than
any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape.
For all these reasons I expected them to come tonight. You reasoned it out
beautifully, I exclaimed in unfeigned admiration. It is so long a chain,
and yet every link rings true. It saved me from Unwi, he answered,
yawning, alas I already feel it closing in upon me. My life
is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of existence. These
little problems helped me to do so. And you are a benefactor of the
race, said I. He shrugged his shoulders. Well, perhaps, after
all, it is of some little use, he remarked. L'eme sellienne lou
VREs setout as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George sand End of the Red Headed League,