No. 2 The Red Headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle
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it proves to_be . it_is your commonplace, featureless crimes which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace face is_the most difficult to identify . but I_must_be prompt over this_matter ."

" what_are you going to_do, then ? " I asked .

" to smoke," he answered ." it_is quite a three pipe problem, and I beg that you won't speak to_me for fifty minutes ." he curled himself up in_his chair, with_his thin knees drawn up to_his hawk- like nose, and there he sat with_his eyes closed and_his black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird .I had come to_the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and indeed was nodding myself, when he suddenly sprang out of_his chair with_the gesture of a man who has_made up his mind and put his pipe down upon_the mantelpiece .

"Sarasate plays at_the St .James's hall this afternoon," he remarked ." what do_you_think, Watson ? could your patients spare you for a few hours ? "

" I_have nothing to_do to- day . my practice is never very absorbing ."

" then put on_your hat and come . I_am going through_the city first, and we_can_have some lunch on_the way .I observe that_there_is a good_deal of German music on_the programme, which_is rather more to my taste than Italian or French . it_is introspective, and i_want to introspect . come along ! "

we travelled by_the underground as far as Aldersgate; and a short walk took us to Saxe-Coburg square, the scene of_the singular story which we had listened to in_the morning . it_was apoky, little, shabby- genteel place, where four lines of dingy two- storied brick houses looked out into a small railed- in enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded laurel-bushes made a hard fight against a smoke- laden and uncongenial atmosphere . three gilt balls and a brown board with "JABEZ Wilson" in white letters, upon a corner house, announced the place where our red- headed client carried on_his business .Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with_his head on one side and looked it all over, with_his eyes shining brightly between puckered lids . then he walked slowly up the street, and then down again to_the corner, still looking keenly at_the houses . finally he returned to_the pawnbroker's, and, having thumped vigorously upon_the pavement with_his stick two_or_three times, he went up_to_the door and knocked . it_was instantly opened by a bright- looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step in .

" thank_you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask_you how you_would go from here to_the strand ."

" third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, closing the door .

" smart fellow, that," observed Holmes as_we walked away ." he_is, in my judgment . the fourth smartest man in London, and for daring I_am not sure that he has_not a claim to_be third . I_have known something of him before ."

"Evidently," said I, " Mr Wilson's assistant counts for a good_deal in_this mystery of_the red- headed league . I_am_sure that you inquired your way merely in_order_that you_might see him ."

" not him ."

" what then ? "

" the knees of_his trousers ."

" and what did you_see ? "

" what I expected to_see ."

" why did you beat the pavement ? "

" my dear doctor, this_is a time for observation, not for talk . we_are spies in an enemy's country . we_know something of Saxe-Coburg square . let_us now explore the parts which lie behind it ."

the road in_which we_found ourselves as_we turned round the corner from_the retired Saxe-Coburg square presented as great a contrast to_it as_the front of a picture does to_the back . it_was one_of_the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of_the city to_the north and west . the roadway was blocked with_the immense stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, while the footpaths were black with_the hurrying swarm of pedestrians . it_was difficult to realize as_we looked at_the line of fine shops and stately business premises that_they really abutted on_the other side upon_the faded and stagnant square which we had just quitted .

" let me see," said Holmes, standing at_the corner and glancing along the line, " i_should like just to remember the order of_the houses here . it_is a hobby of_mine to_have an exact knowledge of London . there_is Mortimer's, the tobacconist, the little newspaper shop, the Coburg branch of_the city and suburban bank, the vegetarian restaurant, and McFarlane's carriage- building depot . that carries us right on to_the other block . and now, doctor, we've done our work, so it's time we had some play .a sandwich and a cup of coffee, and then off to violin- land, where all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony, and there_are no red- headed clients to vex us with their conundrums ."

my friend was an enthusiastic musician, being himself not_only a very capable perfomer but a composer of no ordinary merit . all the afternoon he sat in_the stalls wrapped in_the most perfect happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in_time to_the music, while his gently smiling face and_his languid, dreamy eyes were as unlike those of Holmes, the sleuth- hound, Holmes the relentless, keen-witted, ready- handed criminal agent, as it_was possible to conceive . in_his singular character the dual nature alternately asserted itself, and_his extreme exactness and astuteness represented, as I_have often thought, the reaction against the poetic and contemplative mood which occasionally predominated in him . the swing of_his nature took him from extreme languor to devouring energy; and, as I_knew well, he_was never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had_been lounging in_his armchair amid his improvisations and_his black- letter editions . then it was_that the lust of_the chase would suddenly come upon him, and_that his brilliant reasoning power would rise to_the level of intuition, until those who were unacquainted with_his methods would look askance at him as on a man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals . when I_saw him that afternoon so enwrapped in_the music at St .James's hall I_felt that an evil time might_be coming upon those whom he had set himself to hunt down .

" you_want to_go home, no_doubt, doctor," he remarked as_we emerged .

" yes, it would_be as_well ."

" and I_have some business to_do which will take some hours . this business at Coburg square is serious ."

" why serious ? "

"A considerable crime is in contemplation . I_have every reason to_believe that we_shall_be in_time to stop it . but to- day being Saturday rather complicates matters . I_shall want your help to- night ."

" at what time ? "

"Ten will_be early enough ."

" I_shall_be at baker street at ten ."

" very_well . and, I_say, doctor, there_may_be some little danger, so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket ." he waved his hand, turned on_his heel, and disappeared in an instant among_the crowd .

I trust that I_am not more dense than my neighbors, but i_was always oppressed with a sense of_my own stupidity in my dealings with Sherlock Holmes . here I had heard what he had heard, I had seen what he had seen, and yet from_his words it_was evident that he_saw clearly not_only what had happened but what_was about to happen, while to_me the whole business was still confused and grotesque . as I drove home to my house in Kensington i_thought over it all, from_the extraordinary story of_the red- headed copier of_the Encyclopaedia down to_the visit to Saxe-Coburg square, and_the ominous words with_which he had parted from me . what_was this nocturnal expedition, and why should I go armed ? where were we going, and what were we to_do ? I had the hint from Holmes that_this smooth- faced pawnbroker's assistant was a formidable man--a man who_might play a deep game .I tried to puzzle it out, but gave it up in despair and set the matter aside until night should bring an explanation .

it_was a quarter- past nine when I started from home and made my way across the park, and so through Oxford street to baker street . two hansoms were standing at_the door, and as I entered the passage I heard the sound of voices from above . on entering his room I_found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, one of whom I recognized as Peter Jones, the official police agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad- faced man, with a very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock- coat .

"Ha ! our party is complete," said Holmes, buttoning up his peajacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from_the rack ."Watson, i_think you_know Mr Jones, of Scotland yard ? let me introduce you to Mr Merryweather, who is_to_be our companion in to- night's adventure ."

" we're hunting in couples again, doctor, you_see," said Jones in_his consequential way ." our friend here_is a wonderful man for starting a chase . all he_wants is an old dog to help him to_do_the running down ."

" I_hope a wild goose may not prove to_be the end of_our chase," observed Mr Merryweather gloomily .

" you_may place considerable confidence in Mr Holmes, sir," said the police agent loftily ." he has his own little methods, which are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical and fantastic, but he has_the makings of a detective in him . it_is_not too_much to_say that once_or_twice, as in_that business of_the Sholto murder and_the Agra treasure, he has_been more nearly correct than_the official force ."

"Oh, if_you say so, Mr Jones, it_is all right," said the stranger with deference ." still, I confess that I miss my rubber . it_is_the first Saturday night for seven- and-twenty years that I_have_not_had my rubber ."

" i_think you_will_find," said Sherlock Holmes, " that you_will play for a higher stake to- night than you_have ever done yet, and_that the play will_be more exciting . for_you, Mr Merryweather, the stake will_be some 30,000 pounds; and for_you, Jones, it_will_be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands ."

"John clay, the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger . he's a young man, Mr Merryweather, but he_is at_the head of_his profession, and i_would rather have my bracelets on him than on any criminal in London . he's a remarkable man, is young John clay . his grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has_been to Eton and Oxford . his brain is as cunning . as his fingers, and though we meet signs of him at every turn, we never know where to_find the man himself . he'll crack a crib in Scotland one week, and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next .I've been on_his track for years and_have never set eyes on him yet ."

" I_hope_that I_may_have the pleasure of introducing you to- night .I've had one_or_two little turns also with Mr John clay, and I agree with_you that he_is at_the head of_his profession . it_is past ten, however, and quite time that we started . if_you two will take_the first hansom, Watson and_I_will follow in_the second ."

Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive and lay back in_the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in_the afternoon . we rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit streets until we emerged into Farrington street .

" we_are close there now," my friend remarked ." this fellow Merryweather is a bank director, and personally interested in_the matter . i_thought it as_well to_have Jones with_us also . he_is_not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in_his profession . he has one positive virtue . he_is as brave as abulldog and as tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone . here we_are, and_they are waiting for_us ."

we had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in_which we had found ourselves in_the morning . our cabs were dismissed, and, following the guidance of Mr Merryweather, we passed down a narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for_us . within there_was a small corridor, which ended in a very massive iron gate . this also was opened, and led down a flight of winding stone steps, which terminated at another formidable gate .Mr Merryweather stopped to light a lantern, and then conducted us down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which_was piled all round with crates and massive boxes .

" you_are_not very vulnerable from above," Holmes remarked as he held up the lantern and gazed about him .

" nor from below," said Mr Merryweather, striking his stick upon_the flags which lined the floor ." why, dear me, it sounds quite hollow ! " he remarked, looking up in surprise .

" I_must really ask_you to_be a little more quiet ! " said Holmes severely ." you_have already imperilled the whole success of_our expedition . might I beg that you_would_have the goodness to sit down upon one of_those boxes, and not to interfere ? "

the solemn Mr Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a very injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his knees upon_the floor and, with_the lantern and amagnifying lens, began to examine minutely the cracks between_the stones .a few seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to_his feet again and put his glass in_his pocket .

" we_have at_least an hour before_us," he remarked, " for they_can hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed . then they_will_not lose a minute, for_the sooner they_do their work the longer time they_will_have for their escape . we_are at present, doctor-- as no_doubt you_have

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