A case of Identity by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, my dear fellow, said
Solo Hoolmmes, as we sat on either side of the fire in his lodgings
at Baker Street. Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man
could invent. We would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere
common places of existence. If we could fly out of that window, hand
in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the rooms, and
peep in at the queer things which are going on, the strange coincidences,
the plannings, the cross purposes, the wonderful change of events, working through
generations and leading to the most outer reasons. It should make all fiction,
with its conventionalities and forcing conclusions, more stale and unprofitable. And yet I
am not convinced of it, I answered. The cases which come to lighting
the papers are as a rule bold enough and vulgar enough. We have in
your police report's realism pushed to its extreme limits. And yet the result is
it must be confessed neither fascinating nor artistic. A certain selection and discretion must
be used in producing a realistic effect, remarked Holmes. This is one thing
in our police report, where mostress is laid, perhaps of the platitude of
the magistrate, done up under details which to a nobserver contained the vital essence
of the whole matter depend upon it. There is nothing so unnatural as the
common place. I smiled and shook my head. I can quite understand your
thinking, so I said, of course, in your poision of unofficial adviser
and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled throughout three continents, you are brought
in contact with all that is strange and bazaar. But here I picked up
a morning paper from the ground. Let us put it to a practical test.
Here is the first heading upon which I come, A husband's cruelty to
his wife. There is half a column of print, but I know that
reading it, that it is all perfectly familiar to me. There is,
of course the other roman, the drink, the push, the blow,
the bruise, the sympathetic sister, all enlady. The crudest of writers could
invent nothing more rude. Indeed, dear example is an unfortunate one for her
argument, said Holmes, taking the paper and glancing his eye down it.
This is the Dundas separation case, and as it happens, I was engaged
in carrying up some small points in connection with it. The husband was a
teetotaler. There is no other Roman, and the count complaint of was that
he had drifted into the habit of winding up every meal by taking out his
false teeth and hurling them at his wife, which you will love, is
not an action likely to occur to the imagination of the average story teller.
Take a pinch of snuff, doctor, and acknowledge that I have scored over
you in your example. He held out his snob box of old gold with
a great amatus in the center of the lead. Its splendor was in such
contrast to his homely ways and simple life that I could not help commenting upon
it. Ah said he. I forgot that I had not seen you for
some weeks. It is a little surveny from a king of Bohemia in return
for my assistance in the case of diary, ndler, papers and the ring.
I asked, glancing at a remarkable brilliant which sparkled upon his finger.
It was from the reigning family of Holland. Though the matter in which I
served him was of such delicacy that I cannot converte it even to you,
who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of my little problems.
And have you any on hand just now? I asked with interest, some
ten or twelve, but none which present any feature of interest very important,
you understand, would have been interesting. Indeed, I have found that it
is usually in unimportant matters that there is a field for observation and for a
quick analysis of cause and effect, which gives the chum to an investigation.
The large at the crimes her up to be the simpler. For the big
at a crime, the more obvious, as a rule is the motive.
In these cases, Save for one rather intricate matter which has been referred to
me from Marseilles, there is nothing which presents any features of interest. It
is possible, however, that I may have something better before very minutes so
over, for this is one of my clients, or I am much mistaken.
He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted blinds,
gazing down into the dullly twente inted London street. Looking over his shoulder,
I saw that on the payment opposite there stood a lawyer's woman with a heavy
farvor around her neck, and a laws curling red feeder in a broad brimmed
hat, which was tilted in a cockati's Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her ear.
From what that is great pan ofly she pepped up in a nervous,
hesitating fashion at her windows, while her body oscillated backward and forward, and
her fingers with jetted with her buttons. Suddenly, with a plunge, euch
of the swimmer who leaves the banks, he hurried across the road, and
we heard the shamp flank of the bell. I have seen those symptoms before,
said Holmes. Throwing a cigarette into the fire. Oscillation upon the pavement
always means an affair dechoir. She like advice, but is not sure that
the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet even here remain discriminate.
When a woman has been seriously wronged by a man, see no longer
osolids. And the angel seemed to make a broken bell ware. Here we
may take it that there is a love matter, but that the maiden is
not sure much angry as perplex or grieved. But here she comes in person
to resolve all doubts. As he spoke, there was a tap at the
door, and the boy in button sent it to announce miss Mary Sutherland,
while the lady horse a bloomed behind a small black figure like a full sail
marchingman behind a tiny bike that boat. Challocmes welcomed her with the easy courtesy
for which she was remarkable, and having closed the door and bowed her into
an ouchair, he looked her over in the minute and yet abstracted facion which
just pick clear to him. Do you not find? He said, that
with your short sight it is a little trying to do so much typewriting.
I did at first, she answered, but now I know where the letters
are owed at looking then, suddenly realizing the full power part of his watch,
she gave a violent start and looked up with fear and astonishment upon her
broad, good humored face. You have heard about me, mister Holmes,
she cried. Else, how could you know all that? Never mind,
said Holmes, laughing, it is my business to not things. Perhaps I
have trained myself to see what other soul look. If not, why should
you come to consult me. I came to you, sir, because I
heard of you from missus Atridge, whose husband you found so easy When the
police, and every one had given him up or that. Oh, mister
Holmes, I wish you'd do as much for me. I am not rich,
but still I have a hundred a year in my own right, besides
the little that I make by the machine, and I would give it all
to know what has become of mister Holsmore angel, why did you come way
to counsel me in such a hurry, asked Charlow Holmes, with his finger
tips together and his eyes to the ceiling. Again, A startled look came
over the somewhat vagous face of miss Mary Sirderland. Yes, I did bang
out of the house, she said, for it may be angry to see
the easy way in which mister Windibank, that is my father took it all.
He would not go to the police, and he would not go to
you. And so at last, as you do nothing and kept on saying
that there is no harm done, it made me mad, and I just
on it my things and came right away to you. Your father, said
Holmes, your step father, surely since the name is different, Yes,
my stepfather, I call him father. Do it sounds funny too? For
he is only five years and two months older than myself. And your mother
is alive. Oh, yes, mother is alive and well. I wasn't
best pleased mister Holmes once he married again so soon after father's death, and
a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. For there was a
plumber in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy business behind him,
which mother carried on with mister Hardy, the foreman. But when mister
Windibank came he made her seal the business, for he was very superior,
being a traveler in wines. They got pound four thousand, seven hundred for
a good will and interest, which wasn't near as much as father could have
got if he had been alive. I had expected to see Charlocomn's impatient on
a disrambling and inconsequential narrative, but on the contrary, he had listened to
the greatest concentration of attention. Your own little ingom, he asked, does
it come out of the business, Oh no, sir, it is quite
separate and was left to me by my uncle ned in Auckland. It is
an easyland stock paying four and a half percent two thousand, five hundred pounds
worth. The amount but I can only touch the interest. You interest me
extremely, said Holmes. And since you draw so large a sum as a
hundred a year, what what you awn into the bargain? You would no
doubt travel a little and indulse yourself in every way. I believe that a
single lady can get on very nicely upon an income of about sixty pounds.
I could do it much less than that, mister Holmes. But you understand
that as long as I live at home, I don't wish to be burdened
to them, and so they have the use of the money just while I
am staying with them. Of course, that is only just for the time.
Mister Windibank draws my interest every quarter and pays it over to murder.
And I find that I can do pretty well with what I am at typewriting.
It brings me two pounds a sheep, and I can often do from
twifteen to two any sheets in a day. You have made your poison very
clear to me, said Holmes. This is my friend, doctor Watson.
Before you can speak as freely as before myself, kindly tell us now all
about her connection with mister Horsmaar and jail a flush stole over Missus Sunderland's face
and safick nervously and a fringe of a jacket. I met him first at
the Guess Peters ball. She said they used to send father tickets when he
was alive, and then afterwards terrybin butters and send them to murder. Mister
Windibank did not wish us to go. He never did uses to go anywhere.
You'd get quite mad if I wanted so much as to join a Sunday
school treat. But this time I was set on going, and I would
go for what ride had he to prevent. He said the folk were not
fit for us to know when all further s rains were to be there.
And he said that I had nothing fit to air when I had my purple,
plus that I had never so much as taken out of the drawer at
last, and nothing else would do. He went off to Friendship on the
business of the farm. But we went Mother and I with mister Hardy,
who used to be our foreman, and it was there I met mister Holsmore
angel I suppose, said Holmes that when mister Windibick came back from front,
he was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball. Oh well,
he was very good about it. He loved I remember, and shrugged his
shoulders and said, there's no use anything to a Omen, for she would
have her way. I see. Then, at a guest Wheter's volume met,
as I understand, a gentleman called mister Holsmore Angel. Yes, sir,
I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if
we had got home all safe. And after that we met him, that
is to say, mister Holmes. I met him twice for works. But
after that Father came back again, and mister Holsmore Angel could not come to
the house any more. No. Well, you know Father did not like
anything of that sort. He would not have any visitors if he could help
it. And he used to say that an Omen should be happy in her
own family circle. But then, as I used to say to mother,
a Omen wants her own circle to begin with, and I had not got
mine yet. But how about mister Holsmoer Angel. Did he make no attemp
to see you? Well? Father was going off to France again in a
week, and Horseman wrote and said that he would be safe for and better
not to see each other until he had gone. We could write in the
meantime, and he used to write every day. I took the letters in
the morning, so there was no need for father to know where were engaged
to the gentleman at this time. Oh, yes, mister Holmes, were
engaged after the first work that we took Holsemer. Mister Angel was a cashier
in an office in Leadenhall Street. And what office? That is the worst
of it, mister Holmes. I don't know where did they leave? Then
he slept on the premises, and you don't know his address, no,
except that it was Ladenhead Street. Where did you address your letters? Then
to the Ladenhall Street post office to be left Dill called for He said that
if they were sent to the office, he would be shafted by all the
other clerks about having letters from a lady. So I offered to typewrite them
like he did his. But you didn't have that for he said that when
I wrote them they seemed to come from me, but when theyar typewritten,
he always felt that the machine had come between us. That'll just show you
how fond he was of me, mister Holmes, and the little things that
he would think of It is most suggestive, said Holmes. It has long
been an exium of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.
Can you remember any other little things about mister Holsmore Angel? He was a
very shy man, mister Holmes. He would rather walk with me in the
evening than in the daylight, for he said that he had it to be
conspicuous, very returning, and gentlemanly he was, even his voice was gentle.
He had at quincy and swollen glance when he was young, he told
me, and it had left him with a weak troath and hesitating whispering fashion
of speech. He was always well dressed, very neat and plain, but
his eyes were weak, just as mine, and he wore tinted glasses against
the glare. Well, and what happened when mister Windibanker's step father returned to
France. Mister Hosmer Angel came to the house again and proposed that we should
marry before father came back. He was in dreadful, honest, and when
we sure with my hands on the testament that whatever happened, I had always
be true to him, Mother said he was quite right to make me swear,
and that it was a sign of his passion, but it was all
in his favor from the first, and was even fonder of him than I
was. Then when they talked of Marrywood in the week, I began to
ask about Father, but they both said never to mind about Father, but
just to tell him afterwards, and Mother said she would make it all right
with him. I didn't quite like that, mister Holmes. It seemed funny
that I should ask as leave, as he was only few years older than
me. But I didn't want to do anything on the sligh, so I
wrote to Father had bought you where the company had its French offices. But
the letter came back to me on the very morning of the wedding. It
missed him, then, yes, sir, for he had started to England
just before it arrived. Ah, that was unfortunate. Your reading was arranged
then for the Friday. Was it to be in Search, Yes, sir,
but very quietly. It was to be at Saint Sayvir's near King's Cross,
and we were to have breakfast afterwards at Saint Pancras's hotel. Hosmer came
for us in a handsome but as there were two of us, he put
as both into it and stepped himself into a four whaler, which happened to
be the only other cab in the street. We got to the chairs first,
and when the four wheeler drove up, we waited for him to step
out, but he neighver did. And when the cabin got on from a
box and looked, there was no one there. The cabin said he couldn't
imagine what had become of him, for he had seen him get in with
his own eyes. That was last Friday, mister Holmes, and I have
never seen nor heard anything since then to throw any light upon what had become
of him. It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated,
said Holmes. Oh no, sir, he was too good and kind to
leave me, Sir. Why all the morning he was saying to me that
whatever happened I was to be true, and that if something quite unfortunate occurred
to separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged to him,
and that he would claim his place sooner or later. It seems strange
dog for a wedding morning, but what has happened since gives a meaning to
it. Most certainly this Your opinion is then, that some unforceen catastrophe has
occurred to him. Yes, sir, I believe that he forced us some
danger, or else he would not have talked so. And then I think
that what ifforce had happened? But you have no notion as to what it
could have been? None? One more question? How did her mother take
the matter? Still was angry and said that I was never to speak of
the matter again? And your father did you tell him? Yes? And
he seemed to think with me that something had happened, and that I should
hear of ozmar again, as he said, what interest could anyone have in
bringing me to the doors of the chairch and then leaving me? Now,
if he had borrowed my money, or if he had married me and got
my money settled on him, there might be some reason. But Horsemarrow was
very independent about money. A neighbor whould look at a shilling of mine?
And yet what could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh?
He trifling halfman to think of it? And I can sleep a wink
at night. She pulled a little handkerchief out of her muff and began to
sob heavily into it. I shall glance into the case for you, said
Holmes rising, and I have no doubt that we shall read some definite result.
Let the weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not
let your mind dwell upon fodder. Have I all tried to let mister Hosmon
Angel vanish from a memory as he has done from your life? And you
don't think I'll see him again? I fear not. Then? What has
happened to him? You'll leave that question in my hands. I should like
any cure description of him, and any letters of his which you can spare.
I advertise for him in ast to this chronicle, said she, Here
is the sleep, and here four letters from him? Thank you, and
your address number thirty one Lamb, please camberwell mister Angel's address you never had.
I understand. Where is your father's place of business? He travels for
Wasteous and Marbank, the great clareting porters of cher Street. Thank you.
You have made your statement very clearly. You will leave the papers here and
remember the advice which I have given you. Let the whole incident be a
sealed book, and do not allow it to affect your life. You are
very kind, mister Holmes, but I cannot do that. I shall be
true to Hosmer, he shall find me ready when he comes back. For
all the preposter's hat and the vacuous face, there is something noble in the
simple fate of our visitor. What scumpled our respect? She led her little
bundle of papers upon the table went her way, but he promised to come
again whenever she might be some moned Scharlocombe sat silent for a few minutes,
with his fingertips still pressed together, his legs stretched out in front of him,
and his cage directed upward to the ceiling. Then he took down from
the rack the old and the oily clay pipe, which just to him as
a counselor, and having lit it, he leaned back in his chair,
with the thick blue cloud rats spinning up from him, and a look of
infinite languor in his face. Quite an interesting study that maiden, he oujered.
I found her more interesting than her little problem, which by the way,
is rather a tried to one. You will find parallel cases if you
consule my index in and or in seventy seven. And there was something of
the sort at the hag last year old, as is the idea. However,
there were one or two details which are new to me. But the
maiden her was most instructive. We appeared to read a good deal upon her,
which was quite invisible to me, I remarked, not invisible, but
unnoticed. Watson, he did not know what to look, and so he
missed all that was important. I can never bring you to realize the importance
of sleeves, the suggestiveness of thumb nails on the graatish shoes that may hang
from a boot lace. Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance?
Describe it well? She had a slate colored, broad brimmed straw hat,
what a figure of brickish reil. Her jacket was black, with black
beads sewn upon it, and a fringe of little black jet ornaments. Her
race was brown and a darker than coffee color, with a little purple plush
at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were grayish and her own true and
a right forefinger. Her boots I did not observe. She had small,
round hanging gold ear rings, and a genuine air of being fairly well to
do in a vulgar, comportable, easy going way. Scharlocombs clapped his hands
softly together and chuckled on my word. Watchin you are coming along wonderfully.
We have really done very well. Indeed, it is true that you have
missed everything of importance, but you have beat up on the method, and
you have a cookye for color. Never trust to generally impresions, my wife,
but concentrate yourself upon the tails. My first glance is always at the
omen's sleeve. In a man, it is perhaps better for us to take
the knee of the trouser. As you observed, this woman had plushed off
on her sleeves, which teach a most useful material for showing traces. The
devil line a little above the wrist for the typewriter's presses against the table was
beautifully defined. The sewing machine of the hunt I leaves a similar mark,
but only on the left and on the side of it furthest from the term,
instead of being right across the broader spot as this was. And then
glanced at her face and observing the dint of a pinch nance at either side
of her nose, I ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which
seemed to surprise her. It surprised me, but surely it is obvious.
I was at much surprised, interested on glancing down to observe that to the
boots which she was wearing, when not unlike each other, they were really
odd ones, the one having slightly deckoed a toe cape and the other a
plain one. One is button only in the two lower buttons out of five,
and the other at the first thirdred and fifth. Now, when you
see that a young lady, other as neatly dressed, has come away from
home with odd boots half buttoned, it is no great deduction to say that
she came away in a hurry. And what else? I asked, keenly
interested as I always was, by my friend's incisive reasoning. I noted in
passing that she had written a note before leaving home. But after being fully
dressed, you observed that her right glove was stone at a forefinger, But
he did not ever see that, but glove and finger stained with violet ink.
She had written in a hurry and dipped her pain too deep. It
must have been this morning, or the mark would not remain clear upon the
finger. All this is amusing to rather elementary, but I must go back
to business. Watson, would you mind reading me the advertised description of mister
Hosmer and Zel I had a little printed slip to the light missing. It
said, on the morning of the fourteint a gentleman named horsemar Angel, about
five seven ins in height, strongly built, sallow complexion, black hair,
a little ball in the center, bushy black side, whiskers and mustache tinted
glasses, slightly informityos Pitch was dressed when less seen, in black frockcoat,
faced with its silk black waistcoat, cold Albert Jane and gray hairy sweet trousers
with brown caters over elastic sides, boots known to have been employed in an
office in Leaden Hall Street. Anybody bringing that will do, said Hulme.
As to the letters, he continued, glancing over them, dear, very
common place. Absolutely no clue in them to mister Angel, save that he
courts baljack once. There is one remark point, however, which will no
doubt strike you, dear typewritin, I remarked, Not only that, but
the signature is type written. Look at the neat little horsemar Angel at the
bottom. There is a date you see, but no superscription except Leydenhill Street,
which is rather vague. The point of our signature is very sayestive.
In fact, we may call it conclusive. Of what, my dear fellow,
is it possible you do not see how strongly it bears upon the case.
I cannot say that I do unless it was that he wished to be
able to deny his signature if an action for breach or promise or instituted.
No, that was not the point. However, I like two letters which
should settle the matter. One is to form in the city. The other
is to the young lady's stave father, mister Windibank, asking whether he could
meet us here at six o'clock tomorrow evening. It is just as well that
we should do business with the male relatives, and now, doctor, we
can do nothing until the answers to those letters come, so we may put
our little problem upon the shelf for the interim. I had had so many
reasons to believe in my friend's subtle powers of prisoning an extraordinary energy in action,
that I felt that he must have some solid grounds for assured and easy
demarrior with which he treated the singlear mystery which he had called upon to fathom
once. Only had I known him to fail in the case of the King
of Bohemia and of the iron Allar photograph. But when I look back to
the wide business of the sign of war, and the extraordinary circumstances connected with
the study in Scarlet, I felt that it would be a strange tangle,
indeed, which he could not unravel. I left him, then, still
puffing at his black clay pipe, with a conviction that when I came again
on the next evening, I'd find that he held in his hands all the
clues which should lead up to the identity of the disappearing bridegroom of Miss Mary's
Shadowland. A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own attention at the
time, and the whole of next day I was busy at the bedside of
the sufferer. It was not until it was upon six o'clock that I found
myself free and was able to spring into a handsom and drive to beck A
Street, half afraid that I might be too late to assist. At the
tenement of the little mystery, I found Charlock Holms alone, however, half
asleep, with his long tin form called up in the recesses of his arm
chair, a formidab lary of bottles and taste us with a pungent, cleanly
smell of hydrochloric acid. Told me that he had spent his day in the
chemical work which was so dear to him. Well have you solved it,
I asked as I entered. Yes, it was myself ato Berta. No,
no, the mystery, I cried, Oh there I thought of the
solve that I had been working upon. Trewas never any mystery in the matter,
though, as I said yesterday, some marey details are of interest.
The only dropic is that there is no law. If he had agin touch
the scoundrel, who was he then? And what was his object in deserting
miss Sutherland. The question was hardly out of my mouth, and Holmes had
not yet opened his lips to reply when we heard a heavy footfall in the
passage and the tap at the door. This is the girl's step father,
mister James' Swindebank, said Holmes. He has written to me to say that
he would be here at six. Come in. The man who entered was
a sturdy, middle sized fellow, some thirty years of age, clean shaven
and shallow skin, with a bland insinuating manner, and a pair of wonderfully
sharp and penetrating gray eyes. He shot a questioning glance at each of us,
placed his shiny turved upon the sideboard, and with his slight bows,
settled down into the nearest chair. Good evening, mister James win the Bank,
said Holmes. I think that this steprien a letter is from you in
which you made an appointment with me for six o'clock. Yes, sir,
my afraid that I am a little late, but I'm not quite my own
master. You know. I'm sorry that Miss Shudderland has troubled you about this
little matter, for I think it is far better not to watch lenan of
that sort in public. It was quite against my wishes that she came,
but she is a very excitable, impulsive girl, as you may have noticed,
and she is not easily controlled when she has made up her mind.
On a point of course, I didn't mind you so much, as you
are not connected to the official police. But it is not pleasant to have
a family misfortune like this noised abroad. Besides, it's a useless expense,
for how could you possibly find this horsemar Angel. On the contrary, said
Holmes quietly, I have every reason to believe that I will succeed in discovering
mister Horsmer Angel. Mister Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves.
I am delighted to hear it, he said. It is a curious thing,
remarked Holmes, that a typewriter has really quite as much individuality as a
man's handwriting, unless dear quite new No two have them writing jactly alike.
Some letters got more one than others, and somewhere only on one side.
Now you remark in this none appears, mister Windibank, that in every case
there is some little slurring over the e and a slight defect in the tale
of the R. There are fourteen other characteristics, but those are the more
obvious. We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office, and
no doubt it is so little worn, old visitor answered, glancing keenly at
home, so with his bright little eyes. And now I'll show you what
is really a very interesting study, mister Windibank, Holmes continued, I think
of writing another little monograph some of these days on a typewriter and its relation
to crime. It is a subject to which I have devoted some little attention.
I here four letters which perpa to come from the missing man. They
are all type written, and each case not only are the easelert and ours
tale liss. But you will observe if you care to use my magnifying lands
that to fourteen. Other characteristics to which I have alluded are dear as well.
Mister sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat. I cannot
waste him over this sort of fantastic talk, mister Holmes, he said,
if we can catch the man, catch him and let me know when you
have done it, certainly, said obs, stepping over and turning the key
in the door. I'll let you know then that I have caught him.
What where, shulted mister Windibank, turning white to his leaves and glancing about
him like a rat in a trap. Oh it won't do, really,
it won't, said om swavely. There is no possible getting out of it,
mister Windybank. It is quite too transparent. And it was a very
bad compliment when you said that it is impossible for me to solve so simple
a question. That is right, Sit down and let us talk it over.
Our visitor collapsed into a chair with a gustly face and a glitter of
moisture on his brow. It isn't actionable, he stammered. I'm very much
afraid that it is not, but betting ourselves in the bank. It was
as Gralent's selfis, and heartless as a trick in a petty way, as
ever came before me. Now let me just run over the course of the
events, and he will contradict me if I go wrong. The man sat
huddled up in his chair, with his head sunk up on his breast,
like one who is utterly crushed. Holmes struck his feet up on the corner
of the mantelpiece, and leaning back, with his hands in his pockets,
began talking rather to himself, as it seemed, than to us. The
man married a women very much older than himself for her money, said he,
And he enjoyed the use of the money of the daughter as long as
she lifted them. It was a considerablesome for people in their position, and
the loss of it would have made a serious difference. It was what an
effort to preserve it. The daughter was a big, good, amable disposition,
but affectionate and warm hearted in her ways, so that it was evident
that with her fair personal advantages and her little income, she would not be
allowed to remain seeing along. Now her marriage would mean, of course,
the loss of a hundred a year. So what does a stiff feather do
to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of keeping her at home and
forbiding how to seek the company of people of her own age. But soon
he found that that would not answer forever. She became restive, insisted upon
her rights, and finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain ball.
What does he, claver stiff for the do? Then he conceives an
idea more creditable to his head than to his heart. With the connivance and
assistance of his wife, he disguised himself Kavardou's keen eyes with tinted glasses,
master's face with mustache and a pair of pushy whiskers, sunk that clear voice
into an insinuative whisper and doubly secret. Account of the girl's short sight,
he appears as mister Hosmer Angel and keeps up other lovers by making love himself.
It was only joke at first, groaned our visitor. We never thought
that she would have been so carried away. Very likely not, however,
that may be. The young lady was very decidedly carried away, and having
quite made of her mind that her staffather was in French, the suspicion of
treachery never for an instant entered her mind. She was flattered by the gentleman's
attentions, and the effect was increased by the loudly expressed admiration of her murder.
Then mister Angel began to call for It was obvious that the matter should
be pushed as far as it would go, if a real effect were it
to be produced to her meetings, and an engagement which should finally secure the
girl's affections from turning towards anyone else. But the deception could not be kept
up forever to pretend the journeys to French were rather cumbers The thing to do
was clearly to bring the business to an end in such a dramatic manner that
he would leave a permanent temperas upon the young lady's mind and prevent her from
looking upon any other suitor for some time to come. Hens Doo's vows of
fidel they exjected upon a testament, and hence also the allusions to a possibility
of something happening. On the very morning of the wedding. James in the
vanguished Miss Sir Land to be so bound to hostmar angel and so uncertain as
to his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rates you
not listen to another man. As far as the church door he brought her,
and then as he could go no farther he conveniently vanished away by the
old chiekock, stepping in at one door of a four wheeler and out at
the other. I think that was the chain of Evans, mister w in
the bank, our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes had been
talked, and he rose from his chair now with a cold sneer on his
whale face. It may be so, or it may be not, mister
Holmes, said he. But if you are so very sharp, you ought
to be sure enough to know that it is you who are breaking the law
now and not me. I have done nothing actionable from the first. But
as long as you keep that to a locked you lay yourself open to an
action for assault and illegal constraint. The lock cannot, as you say,
touch you, said Holmes, unlocking and drawing open the door. Yet there
never was a man who diss a punishment. More. If the young lady
has a brother or a friend, he ought to lay a whip across your
shoulders. By jove, he continued, flushing up at the shite of the
bait, too sneer upon the man's face. It is not part of my
duties to my client. But here is a hunting craft handy, and I
think I shall just treat myself to He took two swift steps to the whip,
but before he could grasp it, there is a wildcatter of steps up
on the stairs. The heavy haul door banged, and from the window could
see mister James Windypank running on the top of his pit down the road.
There is a cold blood scoundrel, said Holmeson, laughing as he threw himself
down into his chair once more. That fellow will rise from crime to crime
until he does something very bad and ends upon the gallows. The case has,
in some respects been not entered at a wad of interest. I cannot
entirely see all the steps of your reasoning, I remarked, Well, of
course, it is obvious frown of us that this mister Horstman Angel must have
some strong object for his curious conduct, and it was equally clear that the
only man who rarely profited by the incident, as far as we could see,
was the step. Further then the fact that the two men were never
together, but that the one always appeared when the other was away. He
was such stiff, so added tinted spectacles and a curious voice, which put
hinted at the disguise, as did the bussy whishkers. My suspicions were all
confirmed by his peculiar action in type writing his signature, which of course felt
that his handwriting was so familiar to her that she would recognize even the smallest
sample of it. You see, all these isolated facts, together with many
minor ones, all pointed in the same direction, And how did you verify
them? Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration.
I knew the form for which the men worked. Having taken the printed description,
I eliminated everything from it which could be the result over disguise, the
whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I sent it to the farm.
Would they request that they would inform me whether it answered to the description
of any of the travelers I had already noticed the peculiarities of the typewriter.
Can I wrote to the man himself at his visitors address, asking him if
he could come here as he expected. His reply was typewritten and reveled the
same treevial but characteristic defects. The same post brought me later from west House
and Marlbank, off Fancher Street, to say that the description telled in every
respect with that of their employ James in the Bank. While a two and
miss Sir Land, if I tell hers you will not believe me. You
may remember the old person saying there is a danger for him who taketh the
tiger cup, and danger also for whoso snatches a delusion from an omen.
There is as much sense in her ease as in her asse, and as
much knowledge of the world and of a case of identity.