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the elder easily overpowered his emaciated victim； and
dragged him away through the other door。 For a moment
I was left alone in the room； and I sprang to my feet
with some vague idea that I might in some way get a
clue to what this house was in which I found myself。
Fortunately； however； I took no steps； for looking up
I saw that the older man was standing in the door…way
with his eyes fixed upon me。
〃'That will do； Mr。 Melas；' said he。 'You perceive
that we have taken you into our confidence over some
very private business。 We should not have troubled
you； only that our friend who speaks Greek and who
began these negotiations has been forced to return to
the East。 It was quite necessary for us to find some
one to take his place； and we were fortunate in
hearing of your powers。'
〃I bowed。
〃'There are five sovereigns here；' said he； walking up
to me； 'which will； I hope； be a sufficient fee。 But
remember；' he added； tapping me lightly on the chest
and giggling； 'if you speak to a human soul about
thisone human soul； mindwell； may God have mercy
upon your soul！〃
〃I cannot tell you the loathing and horror with which
this insignificant…looking man inspired me。 I could
see him better now as the lamp…light shone upon him。
His features were peaky and sallow； and his little
pointed beard was thready and ill…nourished。 He
pushed his face forward as he spoke and his lips and
eyelids were continually twitching like a man with St。
Vitus's dance。 I could not help thinking that his
strange； catchy little laugh was also a symptom of
some nervous malady。 The terror of his face lay in
his eyes； however； steel gray； and glistening coldly
with a malignant； inexorable cruelty in their depths。
〃'We shall know if you speak of this；' said he。 'We
have our own means of information。 Now you will find
the carriage waiting； and my friend will see you on
your way。'
〃I was hurried through the hall and into the vehicle；
again obtaining that momentary glimpse of trees and a
garden。 Mr。 Latimer followed closely at my heels； and
took his place opposite to me without a word。 In
silence we again drove for an interminable distance
with the windows raised； until at last； just after
midnight； the carriage pulled up。
〃'You will get down here； Mr。 Melas；' said my
companion。 'I am sorry to leave you so far from your
house； but there is no alternative。 Any attempt upon
your part to follow the carriage can only end in
injury to yourself。'
〃He opened the door as he spoke； and I had hardly time
to spring out when the coachman lashed the horse and
the carriage rattled away。 I looked around me in
astonishment。 I was on some sort of a heathy common
mottled over with dark clumps of furze…bushes。 Far
away stretched a line of houses； with a light here and
there in the upper windows。 On the other side I saw
the red signal…lamps of a railway。
〃The carriage which had brought me was already out of
sight。 I stood gazing round and wondering where on
earth I might be； when I saw some one coming towards
me in the darkness。 As he came up to me I made out
that he was a railway porter。
〃'Can you tell me what place this is？' I asked。
〃'Wandsworth Common；' said he。
〃'Can I get a train into town？'
〃'If you walk on a mile or so to Clapham Junction；'
said he； 'you'll just be in time for the last to
Victoria。'
〃So that was the end of my adventure； Mr。 Holmes。 I
do not know where I was； nor whom I spoke with； nor
anything save what I have told you。 But I know that
there is foul play going on； and I want to help that
unhappy man if I can。 I told the whole story to Mr。
Mycroft Holmes next morning； and subsequently to the
police。〃
We all sat in silence for some little time after
listening to this extraordinary narrative。 Then
Sherlock looked across at his brother。
〃Any steps？〃 he asked。
Mycroft picked up the Daily News； which was lying on
the side…table。
〃'Anybody supplying any information to the whereabouts
of a Greek gentleman named Paul Kratides； from Athens；
who is unable to speak English； will be rewarded。 A
similar reward paid to any one giving information
about a Greek lady whose first name is Sophy。 X
2473。' That was in all the dailies。 No answer。〃
〃How about the Greek Legation？〃
〃I have inquired。 They know nothing。〃
〃A wire to the head of the Athens police； then？〃
〃Sherlock has all the energy of the family；〃 said
Mycroft； turning to me。 〃Well； you take the case up
by all means； and let me know if you do any good。〃
〃Certainly；〃 answered my friend； rising from his
chair。 〃I'll let you know； and Mr。 Melas also。 In
the meantime； Mr。 Melas； I should certainly be on my
guard； if I were you； for of course they must know
through these advertisements that you have betrayed
them。〃
As we walked home together； Holmes stopped at a
telegraph office and sent off several wires。
〃You see； Watson；〃 he remarked； 〃our evening has been
by no means wasted。 Some of my most interesting cases
have come to me in this way through Mycroft。 The
problem which we have just listened to； although it
can admit of but one explanation； has still some
distinguishing features。〃
〃You have hopes of solving it？〃
〃Well； knowing as much as we do； it will be singular
indeed if we fail to discover the rest。 You must
yourself have formed some theory which will explain
the facts to which we have listened。〃
〃In a vague way； yes。〃
〃What was your idea； then？〃
〃IT seemed to me to be obvious that this Greek girl
had been carried off by the young Englishman named
Harold Latimer。〃
〃Carried off from where？〃
〃Athens； perhaps。〃
Sherlock Holmes shook his head。 〃This young man could
not talk a word of Greek。 The lady could talk English
fairly well。 Inferencethat she had been in England
some little time； but he had not been in Greece。〃
〃Well； then； we will presume that she had come on a
visit to England； and that this Harold had persuaded
her to fly with him。〃
〃That is more probable。〃
〃Then the brotherfor that； I fancy； must be the
relationshipcomes over from Greece to interfere。 He
imprudently puts himself into the power of the young
man and his older associate。 They seize him and use
violence towards him in order to make him sign some
papers to make over the girl's fortuneof which he
may be trusteeto them。 This he refuses to do。 In
order to negotiate with him they have to get an
interpreter ； and they pitch upon this Mr。 Melas；
having used some other one before。 The girl is not
told of the arrival of her brother； and finds it out
by the merest accident。〃
〃Excellent； Watson！〃 cried Holmes。 〃I really fancy
that you are not far from the truth。 You see that we
hold all the cards； and we have only to fear some
sudden act of violence on