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attracted by my description of you。 We are willing to give L30 a
quarter； or L120 a year； so as to recompense you for any little
inconvenience which our fads may cause you。 They are not very
exacting； after all。 My wife is fond of a particular shade of electric
blue； and would like you to wear such a dress indoors in the
morning。 You need not； however； go to the expense of purchasing one；
as we have one belonging to my dear daughter Alice （now in
Philadelphia）； which would； I should think； fit you very well。 Then；
as to sitting here or there； or amusing yourself in any manner
indicated； that need cause you no inconvenience。 As regards your hair；
it is no doubt a pity； especially as I could not help remarking its
beauty during our short interview； but I am afraid that I must
remain firm upon this point； and I only hope that the increased salary
may recompense you for the loss。 Your duties； as far as the child is
concerned； are very light。 Now do try to come； and I shall meet you
with the dog…cart at Winchester。 Let me know your train。
〃Yours faithfully；
〃JEPHRO RUCASTLE。〃
〃That is the letter which I have just received； Mr。 Holmes； and my
mind is made up that I will accept it。 I thought； however； that before
taking the final step I should like to submit the whole matter to your
consideration。〃
〃Well； Miss Hunter； if your mind is made up； that settles the
question；〃 said Holmes； smiling。
〃But you would not advise me to refuse？〃
〃I confess that it is not the situation which I should like to see a
sister of mine apply for。〃
〃What is the meaning of it all； Mr。 Holmes？〃
〃Ah； I have no data。 I cannot tell。 Perhaps you have yourself formed
some opinion？〃
〃Well； there seems to me to be only one possible solution。 Mr。
Rucastle seemed to be a very kind； good…natured man。 Is it not
possible that his wife is a lunatic； that he desires to keep the
matter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum； and that he
humours her fancies in every way in order to prevent an outbreak？〃
〃That is a possible solution…in fact； as matters stand； it is the
most probable one。 But in any case it does not seem to be a nice
household for a young lady。〃
〃But the money； Mr。 Holmes； the money！〃
〃Well； yes； of course the pay is good…too good。 That is what makes
me uneasy。 Why should they give you L120 a year； when they could
have their pick for L40？ There must be some strong reason behind。〃
〃I thought that if I told you the circumstances you would understand
afterwards if I wanted your help。 I should feel so much stronger if
I felt that you were at the back of me。〃
〃Oh； you may carry that feeling away with you。 I assure you that
your little problem promises to be the most interesting which has come
my way for some months。 There is something distinctly novel about some
of the features。 If you should find yourself in doubt or in danger…〃
〃Danger！ What danger do you foresee？〃
Holmes shook his head gravely。 〃It would cease to be a danger if
we could define it；〃 said he。 〃But at any time； day or night； a
telegram would bring me down to your help。〃
〃That is enough。〃 She rose briskly from her chair with the anxiety
all swept from her face。 〃I shall go down to Hampshire quite easy in
my mind now。 I shall write to Mr。 Rucastle at once； sacrifice my
poor hair to…night； and start for Winchester to…morrow。〃 With a few
grateful words to Holmes she bade us both good…night and bustled off
upon her way。
〃At least；〃 said I as we heard her quick； firm steps descending
the stairs； 〃she seems to be a young lady who is very well able to
take care of herself。〃
〃And she would need to be；〃 said Holmes gravely。 〃I am much mistaken
if we do not hear from her before many days are past。〃
It was not very long before my friend's prediction was fulfilled。
A fortnight went by； during which I frequently found my thoughts
turning in her direction and wondering what strange side…alley of
human experience this lonely woman had strayed into。 The unusual
salary； the curious conditions； the light duties； all pointed to
something abnormal； though whether a fad or a plot； or whether the man
were a philanthropist or a villain； it was quite beyond my powers to
determine。 As to Holmes； I observed that he sat frequently for half an
hour on end； with knitted brows and an abstracted air； but he swept
the matter away with a wave of his hand when I mentioned it。 〃Data！
data！ data！〃 he cried impatiently。 〃I can't make bricks without clay。〃
And yet he would always wind up by muttering that no sister of his
should ever have accepted such a situation。
The telegram which we eventually received came late one night just
as I was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down to one of
those all…night chemical researches which he frequently indulged in；
when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a test…tube at night
and find him in the same position when I came down to breakfast in the
morning。 He opened the yellow envelope； and then； glancing at the
message； threw it across to me。
〃Just look up the trains in Bradshaw；〃 said he； and turned back to
his chemical studies。
The summons was a brief and urgent one。
Please be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester at midday
to…morrow ＇it said＇。 Do come！ I am at my wit's end。
HUNTER。
〃Will you come with me？〃 asked Holmes； glancing up。
〃I should wish to。〃
〃Just look it up； then。〃
〃There is a train at half…past nine；〃 said I； glancing over my
Bradshaw。 〃It is due at Winchester at 11：3O。〃
〃That will do very nicely。 Then perhaps I had better postpone my
analysis of the acetones； as we may need to be at our best in the
morning。〃
By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to the
old English capital。 Holmes had been buried in the morning papers
all the way down； but after we had passed the Hampshire border he
threw them down and began to admire the scenery。 It was an ideal
spring day； a light blue sky； flecked with little fleecy white
clouds drifting across from west to east。 The sun was shining very
brightly； and yet there was an exhilarating nip in the air； which
set an edge to a man's energy。 All over the countryside； away to the
rolling hills around Aldershot； the little red and gray roofs of the
farm…steadings peeped out from amid the light green of the new
foliage。
〃Are they not fresh and beautiful？〃 I cried with all the
enthusiasm of a man fresh from the fogs of Baker Street。
But Holmes shook his head gravely。
〃Do you know； Watson；〃 said he； 〃that it is one of the curses of a
mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything with
reference to my own special subject。 You look at these scattered
houses； and you are impressed by their beauty。 I look at them； and the
only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their isolation and
of the impunity with which crime may be committed there。〃
〃Good heavens！〃 I cried。 〃Who w