No. 9 The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb by Arthur Conan Doyle
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and that_it_is only found in one_or_two places in England ? '

"' I_have heard so .'

"' some little time ago I bought a small place--a very_small place-- within ten miles of Reading . i_was fortunate enough to discover that there_was a deposit of fuller's- earth in one of_my fields . on examining it, however, I_found that_this deposit was acomparatively small one, and_that it formed a link between two very_much larger ones upon_the right and left-- both of_them, however, in_the grounds of_my neighbours . these good people were absolutely ignorant that their land contained that which_was quite as valuable as a gold- mine . naturally, it_was to my interest to_buy their land before_they discovered its true value, but unfortunately I had no capital by_which I_could do_this . i_took a few of_my friends into_the secret, however, and_they suggested that we_should quietly and secretly work our own little deposit and_that in_this_way we_should earn the money which would enable us to_buy the neighbouring fields . this we_have now been doing for some_time, and in_order to help_us in_our operations we erected a hydraulic press . this press, as I_have already explained, has got out of order, and we_wish your advice upon_the_subject . we guard our secret very jealously, however, and if_it once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our little house, it would soon rouse inquiry, and then, if_the facts came out, it would_be good-bye to any chance of getting these fields and carrying out our plans . that_is why I_have_made you promise me that you_will_not tell a human being that you_are going to Eyford to- night . I_hope_that I make it all plain ? '

"'I quite follow you,' said I .' the only point which I_could_not quite understand was what use you_could make of a hydraulic press in excavating fuller's- earth, which, as I understand, is dug out like gravel from a pit .'

"'Ah ! ' said he carelessly, ' we_have our own process . we compress the earth into bricks, so as_to remove them without revealing what they_are . but that_is amere detail . I_have taken you fully into my confidence now, Mr Hatherley, and I_have shown you how I trust you .' he rose as he spoke .' I_shall expect you, then, at Eyford at 11:15 .'

"' I_shall certainly be there .'

"' and not a word to a soul .' he looked at me with a last long, questioning gaze, and then, pressing my hand in a cold, dank grasp, he hurried from_the room .

" well, when I_came to_think it all over in cool blood i_was very_much astonished, as_you_may both think, at_this sudden commission which had_been entrusted to_me . on_the one hand, of_course, i_was glad, for_the fee was at_least tenfold what i_should_have asked had I set a price upon my own services, and it_was possible that_this order might lead to other ones . on_the other hand, the face and manner of_my patron had made an unpleasant impression upon me, and I_could_not think that his explanation of_the fuller's- earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for_my coming at midnight, and_his extreme anxiety lest i_should tell anyone of_my errand . however, I threw all fears to_the winds, ate a hearty supper, drove to Paddington, and started off, having obeyed to_the letter the injunction as_to holding my tongue .

" at Reading I had to_change not_only my carriage but my station . however, i_was in_time for_the_last train to Eyford, and I reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock .I was_the only passenger who got out there, and there_was no one upon_the platform save a single sleepy porter with a lantern . as I passed out through_the wicket gate, however, I_found my acquaintance of_the morning waiting in_the shadow upon_the other side . without a word he grasped my arm and hurried me into a carriage, the door of which_was standing open . he drew up the windows on either side, tapped on_the wood- work, and away we went as fast as_the horse could go ."

" one horse ? " interjected Holmes .

" yes, only_one ."

" did you observe the colour ? "

" yes, I_saw it by_the side-lights when i_was stepping into_the carriage . it_was a chestnut ."

" tired- looking or fresh ? "

"Oh, fresh and glossy ."

" thank_you . I_am sorry to_have interrupted you . pray continue your most interesting statement ."

" away we went then, and we drove for at_least an hour . colonel Lysander stark had said that_it_was only seven miles, but i_should think, from_the rate that we seemed to_go, and from_the time that we took, that_it must_have been nearer twelve . he sat at my side in silence all the time, and i_was aware, more than once when I glanced in_his direction, that he_was looking at me with great intensity . the country roads seem_to_be not very_good in_that part of_the world, for we lurched and jolted terribly .I tried to look out_of_the windows to_see something of where we were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I_could make out nothing save the occasional bright blur of apassing light . now_and_then I hazarded some remark to break the monotony of_the journey, but the colonel answered only in monosyllables, and_the conversation soon flagged . at last, however, the bumping of_the road was exchanged for_the crisp smoothness of a gravel- drive, and_the carriage came to a stand . colonel Lysander stark sprang out, and, as I followed after him, pulled me swiftly into a porch which gaped in front of us . we stepped, as it were, right out_of_the carriage and into_the hall, so_that I failed to catch the most fleeting glance of_the front of_the house . the instant that I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, and I heard faintly the rattle of_the wheels as_the carriage drove away .

" it_was pitch dark inside the house, and_the colonel fumbled about looking for matches and muttering under his breath . suddenly a door opened at_the other end of_the passage, and a long, golden bar of light shot out in_our direction . it grew broader, and a woman appeared with a lamp in her hand, which she held above her head, pushing her face forward and peering at us .I could_see that she was pretty, and from_the gloss with_which the light shone upon her dark dress I_knew that_it_was a rich material . she spoke a few words in a foreign tongue in a tone as_though asking a question, and when my companion answered in a gruff monosyllable she gave such a start that_the lamp nearly fell from her hand . colonel stark went up_to her, whispered something in her ear, and then, pushing her back into_the room from whence she had come, he walked towards me again with_the lamp in_his hand .

"' perhaps you_will_have the kindness to wait in_this room for_a_few_minutes,' said he, throwing open another door . it_was a quiet, little, plainly furnished room, with a round table in_the centre, on_which several German books were scattered . colonel stark laid down the lamp on_the top of a harmonium beside the door .' I_shall_not keep you waiting an instant,' said he, and vanished into_the darkness .

"I glanced at_the books upon_the table, and in_spite of_my ignorance of German I could_see that two of_them were treatises on science, the others being volumes of poetry . then I walked across to_the window, hoping that I_might catch some glimpse of_the country- side, but an oak shutter, heavily barred, was folded across it . it_was a wonderfully silent house . there_was an old clock ticking loudly somewhere in_the passage, but otherwise everything was deadly still .a vague feeling of uneasiness began to steal over me . who were these German people, and what were they doing living in_this strange, out- of- the- way place ? and where was_the place ? i_was ten miles or so from Eyford, that was all I_knew, but whether north, south, east, or west I had no idea . for_that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, were within that radius, so the place might_not_be so secluded, after all . yet it_was quite certain, from_the absolute stillness, that we were in_the country .I paced up and down the room, humming a tune under my breath to_keep up my spirits and feeling that i_was thoroughly earning my fifty- guinea fee .

" suddenly, without any preliminary sound in_the midst of_the utter stillness, the door of_my room swung slowly open . the woman was standing in_the aperture, the darkness of_the hall behind her, the yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and beautiful face .I could_see at a glance that she was sick with fear, and_the sight sent a chill to my own heart . she held up one shaking finger to warn me to_be silent, and she shot a few whispered words of broken English at me, her eyes glancing back, like those of a frightened horse, into_the gloom behind her .

"' i_would go,' said she, trying hard, as it seemed to_me, to_speak calmly; ' i_would go .I should_not stay here . there_is no good for_you to_do .'

"' but, madam,' said I, ' I_have_not_yet done what I_came for . I_cannot possibly leave until I_have_seen the machine .'

"' it_is_not worth your while to wait,' she went on .' you_can pass through_the door; no one hinders .' and then, seeing that I smiled and shook my head, she suddenly threw aside her constraint and made a step forward, with her hands wrung together .' for_the love of heaven ! ' she whispered, ' get away from here before_it_is too late ! '

" but I_am somewhat headstrong by nature, and_the more ready to engage in an affair when there_is some obstacle in_the way . i_thought of_my fifty- guinea fee, of_my wearisome journey, and of_the unpleasant night which seemed to_be before me . was_it all to_go for nothing ? why should I slink away without having carried out my commission, and without the payment which_was my due ? this woman might, for all I_knew, be a monomaniac . with a stout bearing, therefore, though her manner had shaken me more than I cared to confess, I still shook my head and declared my intention of remaining where i_was . she was about to renew her entreaties when a door slammed overhead, and_the sound of several footsteps was heard upon_the stairs . she listened for an instant, threw up her hands with adespairing gesture, and vanished as suddenly and as noiselessly as she had come .

" the newcomers were colonel Lysander stark and a short thick man with a chinchilla beard growing out_of_the creases of_his double chin, who was introduced to_me as Mr Ferguson .

"' this_is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel .' by_the_way, i_was under the impression that I left this door shut just now . I_fear that you_have felt the draught .'

"' on_the contrary,' said I, 'I opened the door myself because I_felt the room to_be a little close .'

" he shot one of_his suspicious looks at me .' perhaps we had better proceed to business, then,' said he .' Mr Ferguson and_I_will take you up to_see the machine .'

"'I had better put my hat on, I suppose .'

"'Oh, no, it_is in_the house .'

"' what, you dig fuller's- earth in_the house ? '

"' no, no . this_is only where we compress it . but never mind that . all we_wish you to_do is to examine the machine and to let_us_know what_is wrong with it .'

" we went upstairs together, the colonel first with_the lamp, the fat manager and I behind him . it_was a labyrinth of an old house, with corridors, passages, narrow winding staircases, and little low doors, the thresholds of_which were hollowed out by_the generations who had crossed them . there were no carpets and no signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster was peeling off the walls, and_the damp was breaking through in green, unhealthy blotches .I tried to_put on as unconcerned an air as possible, but I had_not forgotten the warnings of_the lady, even though I disregarded them, and I kept a keen eye upon my two companions . Ferguson appeared to_be a morose and silent man, but I could_see from_the little that he_said that he_was at_least a fellow- countryman .

" colonel Lysander stark stopped at last before a low door, which he unlocked . within was a small, square room, in_which_the three of us could hardly get at one_time . Ferguson remained outside, and_the colonel ushered me in .

"' we_are now,' said he, ' actually within_the hydraulic press, and it would_be a particularly unpleasant thing for_us if anyone were to_turn it on . the ceiling of_this small chamber is really the end of_the descending piston, and it comes down with_the force of many tons upon_this metal floor . there_are small lateral columns of water outside which receive the force, and which transmit and multiply it in_the manner which_is familiar to_you . the machine goes readily enough, but there_is some stiffness in_the working of it, and it has lost a little of_its force . perhaps you_will_have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we_can set it right .'

" i_took the lamp from_him, and I examined the machine very thoroughly . it_was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of exercising enormous pressure . when I passed outside, however, and pressed down the levers which controlled it, I_knew at once by_the whishing sound that there_was a slight leakage, which allowed a regurgitation of water through one_of_the side cylinders . an examination showed that one_of_the India- rubber bands which_was round the head of adriving- rod had shrunk so as not quite to_fill the socket along which it worked . this_was clearly the cause of_the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, who followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical questions as_to how they should proceed to set it right . when I had made it clear to_them, I returned to_the main chamber of_the machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity . it_was obvious at a glance that_the story of_the fuller's- earth was_the merest fabrication, for_it would_be absurd to suppose that so powerful an engine could_be designed for so inadequate a purpose . the walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a large iron trough, and when I_came to examine it I could_see a crust of metallic deposit all over it .I had stooped and was scraping at_this to_see exactly what it_was when I heard a muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of_the colonel looking down at me .

"' what_are you doing there ? ' he asked .

" I_felt angry at having been tricked by so elaborate a story as_that which he had told me .' i_was admiring your fuller's- earth,' said I; ' i_think that i_should_be better able to advise you as_to your machine if I_knew what the exact purpose was for_which it_was used .'

" the instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of_my speech . his face set hard, and a baleful light sprang up in_his grey eyes .

"' very_well,' said he, ' you shall know all about_the machine .' he_took a step backward, slammed the little door, and turned the key in_the lock .I rushed towards it and pulled at_the handle, but it_was quite secure, and did_not give in_the least to my kicks and shoves .'Hello ! ' I yelled .'Hello ! colonel ! let me out ! '

" and then suddenly in_the silence I heard a

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