No. 12 The Adventures of the Copper Beeches by Arthur Conan Doyle
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do_you_think that I lock this door ? '

"' I_am_sure that I_do_not know .'

"' it_is to_keep people out who_have no business there . do you_see ? ' he_was still smiling in_the most amiable manner .

"' I_am_sure if I had known--'

"' well, then, you_know now . and if_you ever put your foot over that threshold again'-- here in an instant the smile hardened into a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with_the face of a demon--'I'll throw you to_the mastiff .'

" i_was so terrified that I_do_not know what I_did .I suppose that I_must_have rushed past him into my room .I remember nothing until I_found myself lying on my bed trembling all over . then i_thought of you, Mr Holmes . I_could_not live there longer without some advice . i_was frightened of_the house, of_the man of_the woman, of_the servants, even of_the child . they were all horrible to_me . if I_could only bring you down all would_be well . of_course I_might_have fled from_the house, but my curiosity was almost as strong as my fears . my mind was soon made up . i_would send_you a wire .I put on my hat and cloak, went down to_the office, which_is about half a mile from_the house, and then returned, feeling very_much easier .a horrible doubt came into my mind as I approached the door lest the dog might_be loose, but I remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of insensibility that evening, and I_knew that he was_the only_one in_the household who had any influence with_the savage creature, or who_would venture to set him free .I slipped in in safety and lay awake half the night in my joy at_the thought of seeing you .I had no difficulty in getting leave to_come into Winchester this_morning, but I_must_be back before three o'clock, for_Mr and Mrs Rucastle are going on a visit, and will_be away all the evening, so_that I_must look after_the child . now I_have told you all my adventures, Mr Holmes, and i_should_be very_glad if_you_could tell me what it all means, and, above all, what i_should do ."

Holmes and I had listened spellbound to_this extraordinary story . my friend rose now and paced up and down the room, his hands in_his pockets, and an expression of_the most profound gravity upon his face .

" is Toller still drunk ? " he asked .

" yes .I heard his wife tell Mrs Rucastle that she_could do nothing with_him ."

" that_is well . and_the Rucastles go out to- night ? "

" yes ."

" is_there a cellar with a good strong lock ? "

" yes, the wine- cellar ."

" you seem to_me to_have acted all through_this matter like a very brave and sensible girl, miss hunter . do_you_think that you_could perform one more feat ? I should_not ask it of you if I_did_not think you a quite exceptional woman ."

" i_will try . what_is it ? "

" we_shall_be at_the copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friend and I . the Rucastles will_be gone by_that_time, and Toller will, we_hope, be incapable . there only remains Mrs Toller, who_might give the alarm . if_you_could send her into_the cellar on some errand, and then turn the key upon her, you_would facilitate matters immensely ."

" i_will do_it ."

" excellent ! we_shall then look thoroughly into_the affair . of_course there_is only_one feasible explanation . you_have_been brought there to personate someone, and_the real person is imprisoned in_this chamber . that_is obvious . as_to who this prisoner is, I_have no_doubt that_it_is the daughter, miss Alice Rucastle, if I remember right, who was said to have_gone to America . you were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, figure, and_the colour of your hair . hers had_been cut off, very possibly in some illness through which she has passed, and so, of_course, yours had to_be sacrificed also . by a curious chance you came upon her tresses . the man in_the road was undoubtedly some friend of hers-- possibly her fiance-- and no_doubt, as_you wore the girl's dress and were so like her, he_was convinced from your laughter, whenever he_saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, that miss Rucastle was perfectly happy, and_that she no longer desired his attentions . the dog is let loose at night to_prevent him from endeavouring to communicate with her . so_much is fairly clear . the most serious point in_the case is_the disposition of_the child ."

" what on earth has_that to_do with it ? " I ejaculated .

" my dear Watson, you as a medical man are continually gaining light as_to_the tendencies of a child by_the study of_the parents .Don't you_see that_the converse is equally valid . I_have frequently gained my first real insight into_the character of parents by studying their children . this child's disposition is abnormally cruel, merely for cruelty's sake, and whether he derives this from_his smiling father, as i_should suspect, or from_his mother, it bodes evil for_the poor girl who_is in their power ."

" I_am_sure that you_are right, Mr Holmes," cried our client ."A thousand things come back to_me which make me certain that you_have hit it .Oh, let_us lose not an instant in bringing help to_this poor creature ."

" we_must_be circumspect, for we_are dealing with a very cunning man . we_can do nothing until seven o'clock . at_that hour we_shall_be with_you, and it_will_not_be long before we solve the mystery ."

we were as good as our word, for it_was just seven when we reached the copper Beeches, having put up our trap at a wayside public- house . the group of trees, with their dark leaves shining like burnished metal in_the light of_the setting sun, were sufficient to mark the house even had miss hunter not been standing smiling on_the door- step .

" have_you managed it ? " asked Holmes .

a loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs ." that_is Mrs Toller in_the cellar," said she ." her husband lies snoring on_the kitchen rug . here are his keys, which are the duplicates of Mr Rucastle's ."

" you have_done well indeed ! " cried Holmes with enthusiasm ." now lead the way, and we_shall soon see the end of_this black business ."

we passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a passage, and found ourselves in front of_the barricade which miss hunter had described .Holmes cut the cord and removed the transverse bar . then he tried the various keys in_the lock, but without success . no sound came from within, and at_the silence Holmes's face clouded over .

"I trust that we_are_not too late," said he ." i_think, miss hunter, that we had better go in without you . now, Watson, put your shoulder to_it, and we_shall see whether we_cannot make our way in ."

it_was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united strength . together we rushed into_the room . it_was empty . there_was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and abasketful of linen . the skylight above was open, and_the prisoner gone .

" there_has_been some villainy here," said Holmes; " this beauty has guessed miss hunter's intentions and has carried his victim off ."

" but how ? "

" through_the skylight . we_shall soon see how he managed it ." he swung himself up onto the roof ."Ah, yes," he cried, " here's the end of a long light ladder against the eaves . that_is how he_did it ."

" but it_is impossible," said miss hunter; " the ladder was not there when_the Rucastles went away ."

" he has_come back and done it .I tell you that he_is a clever and dangerous man .I should_not_be very_much surprised if_this were he whose step I hear now upon_the stair . i_think, Watson, that_it would_be as_well for_you to_have your pistol ready ."

the words were hardly out of_his mouth before a man appeared at_the door of_the room, a very fat and burly man, with a heavy stick in_his hand . miss hunter screamed and shrunk against the wall at_the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and confronted him .

" you villain ! " said he, " where's your daughter ? "

the fat man cast his eyes round, and then up at_the open skylight .

" it_is for_me to ask_you that," he shrieked, " you thieves ! Spies and thieves ! I_have caught you, have I ? you_are in my power .I'll serve you ! " he turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he_could go .

" he's gone for_the dog ! " cried miss hunter .

" I_have my revolver," said I .

" better close the front door," cried Holmes, and we all rushed down the stairs together . we had hardly reached the hall when we heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a horrible worrying sound which it_was dreadful to listen to . an elderly man with a red face and shaking limbs came staggering out at a side door .

" my god ! " he cried ." someone has loosed the dog . it's not been fed for two days . quick, quick, or it'll be too late ! "

Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of_the house, with Toller hurrying behind us . there_was the huge famished brute, its black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed and screamed upon_the ground .Running up, I blew its brains out, and it fell over with its keen white teeth still meeting in_the great creases of_his neck . with much labour we separated them and carried him, living but horribly mangled, into_the house . we laid him upon_the drawing- room sofa, and having dispatched the sobered Toller to bear the news to_his wife, I_did what I_could to relieve his pain . we were all assembled round him when_the door opened, and a tall, gaunt woman entered the room .

" Mrs Toller ! " cried miss hunter .

" yes, miss .Mr Rucastle let me out when he_came back before he went up to_you .Ah, miss, it_is a pity you didn't let me know what you were planning, for i_would_have told you that your pains were wasted ."

"Ha ! " said Holmes, looking keenly at her ." it_is clear that Mrs Toller knows more about this_matter than anyone else ."

" yes, sir, I_do, and I_am ready enough to_tell what I_know ."

" then, pray, sit down, and_let_us hear it for there_are several points on_which I_must confess that I_am still in_the dark ."

" i_will soon make it clear to_you," said she; " and I'd have_done so before now if I_could ha' got out from_the cellar . if there's police- court business over this, you'll remember that I was_the one that stood your friend, and_that i_was miss Alice's friend too .

" she was never happy at home, miss Alice wasn't, from_the time that her father married again . she was slighted like and had no say in anything, but it never really became bad for her until after she met Mr Fowler at a friend's house . as_well as I_could learn, miss Alice had rights of her own by will, but she was so quiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about_them but just left everything in Mr Rucastle's hands . he_knew he_was safe with her; but when there_was a chance of a husband coming forward, who_would ask for all that_the law would give him, then her father thought it time to_put a stop on_it . he_wanted her to sign a paper, so_that whether she married or not, he_could use her money . when she wouldn't do_it, he kept on worrying her until she got brain- fever, and for six weeks was at death's door . then she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her beautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no change in her young man, and he stuck to her as true as man could_be ."

"Ah," said Holmes, " i_think that what you_have_been good enough to_tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and_that I_can deduce all that remains .Mr Rucastle then, I presume, took to_this system of imprisonment ? "

" yes, sir ."

" and brought miss hunter down from London in_order to_get rid of_the disagreeable persistence of Mr Fowler ."

" that was_it, sir ."

" but Mr Fowler being apersevering man, as a good seaman should_be, blockaded the house, and having met you succeeded by certain arguments, metallic or otherwise, in convincing you that your interests were the same as his ."

" Mr Fowler was a very kind- spoken, free- handed gentleman," said Mrs Toller serenely .

" and in_this_way he managed that your good man should_have no want of drink, and_that a ladder should_be ready at_the moment when your master had gone out ."

" you_have it, sir, just as it happened ."

" I_am_sure we owe you an apology, Mrs Toller," said Holmes, " for you_have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us . and here comes the country surgeon and Mrs Rucastle, so i_think .Watson, that we had best escort miss hunter back to Winchester, as it seems to_me that_our locus standi now is rather a questionable one ."

and thus was solved the mystery of_the sinister house with_the copper beeches in front of_the door .Mr Rucastle survived, but was always a broken man, kept alive solely through_the care of_his devoted wife . they still live with their old servants, who probably know so_much of Rucastle's past life that he finds it difficult to part from_them .Mr Fowler and miss Rucastle were married, by special license, in Southampton the day after their flight, and he_is now the holder of a government appointment in_the island of Mauritius . as_to miss violet hunter, my friend Holmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested no further interest in her when once she had ceased to_be the centre of one of_his problems, and she_is now the head of a private school at Walsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success .

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