No. 3 The Adventure of the Yellow Face by Arthur Conan Doyle
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above all, tell me quickly what I_am to_do, for_this misery is more than I_can bear ."

Holmes and I had listened with_the utmost interest to_this extraordinary statement, which had_been delivered in_the jerky, broken fashion of a man who_is under the influence of extreme emotions . my companion sat silent for some_time, with_his chin upon his hand, lost in thought .

" tell me," said he at last, " could you swear that_this was a man's face which you saw at_the window ? "

" each_time that I_saw it i_was some distance away from_it, so that_it_is impossible for_me to_say ."

" you appear, however, to_have_been disagreeably impressed by_it ."

" it seemed to_be of an unnatural colour, and to_have a strange rigidity about_the features . when I approached, it vanished with a jerk ."

" how long is_it since your wife asked you for a hundred pounds ? "

" nearly two months ."

" have_you ever seen a photograph of her first husband ? "

" no; there_was a great fire at Atlanta very shortly after his death, and all her papers were destroyed ."

" and yet she had a certificate of death . you say that you saw it ."

" yes; she got a duplicate after_the fire ."

" did you ever meet any_one who knew her in America ? "

" no ."

" did she ever talk of revisiting the place ? "

" no ."

" or get letters from_it ? "

" no ."

" thank_you . i_should like to_think over the matter a little now . if_the cottage is now permanently deserted we_may_have some difficulty . if, on_the other hand, as I fancy is more likely, the inmates were warned of you coming, and left before_you entered yesterday, then they_may_be back now, and we_should clear it all up easily . let me advise you, then, to return to Norbury, and to examine the windows of_the cottage again . if_you_have reason to_believe that_is inhabited, do_not force your way in, but send a wire to my friend and me . we_shall_be with_you within an hour of receiving it, and we_shall then very_soon get to_the bottom of_the business ."

" and if_it_is still empty ? "

" in_that case I_shall come out to- morrow and talk it over with_you . good- by; and, above all, do_not fret until you_know that you really have a cause for_it ."

" I_am afraid that_this_is a bad business, Watson," said my companion, as he returned after accompanying Mr grant Munro to_the door ." what do_you make of it ? "

" it had an ugly sound," I answered .

" yes . there's blackmail in_it, or I_am much mistaken ."

" and who is_the blackmailer ? "

" well, it must_be the creature who lives in_the only comfortable room in_the place, and has her photograph above his fireplace . upon my word, Watson, there_is something very attractive about_that livid face at_the window, and i_would_not have missed the case for worlds ."

" you_have a theory ? "

" yes, a provisional one . but I_shall_be surprised if_it does_not turn out to_be correct . this woman's first husband is in_that cottage ."

" why do_you_think so ? "

" how else can we explain her frenzied anxiety that her second one should_not enter it ? the facts, as I_read them, are something like this: this woman was married in America . her husband developed some hateful qualities; or shall we say that he contracted some loathsome disease, and became a leper or an imbecile ? she flies from_him at last, returns to England, changes her name, and starts her life, as she thinks, afresh . she has_been married three years, and believes that her position is quite secure, having shown her husband the death certificate of some man whose name she has assumed, when suddenly her whereabouts is discovered by her first husband; or, we_may suppose, by some unscrupulous woman who has attached herself to_the invalid . they write to_the wife, and threaten to_come and expose her . she asks for a hundred pounds, and endeavours to_buy them off . they_come in_spite of it, and when_the husband mentions casually to_the wife that there a new-comers in_the cottage, she knows in some way that_they_are her pursuers . she waits until her husband is asleep, and then she rushes down to endeavour to_persuade them to leave her in peace .Having no success, she goes again next morning, and her husband meets her, as he has told us, as she comes out . she promises him then not to_go there again, but two days afterwards the hope of getting rid of_those dreadful neighbours was too strong for her, and she made another attempt, taking down with her the photograph which had probably been demanded from her . in_the midst of_this interview the maid rushed in to_say that_the master had come home, on_which the wife, knowing that he_would come straight down to_the cottage, hurried the inmates out at_the back door, into_the grove of fir-trees, probably, which_was mentioned as standing near . in_this_way he_found the place deserted . I_shall_be very_much surprised, however, if_it still so when he reconnoitres it this evening . what do_you_think of_my theory ? "

" it_is all surmise ."

" but at_least it covers all the facts . when new facts come to our knowledge which cannot_be covered by_it, it_will_be time enough to reconsider it . we_can do nothing more until we_have a message from_our friend at Norbury ."

but we had_not a very long_time to wait for_that . it came just as_we had finished our tea ." the cottage is still tenanted," it said ." have seen the face again at_the window . will meet the seven o'clock train, and will take no steps until you arrive ."

he_was waiting on_the platform when we stepped out, and we could_see in_the light of_the station lamps that he_was very pale, and quivering with agitation .

" they_are still there, Mr Holmes," said he, laying his hand hard upon my friend's sleeve ." I_saw lights in_the cottage as I_came down . we_shall settle it now once and for all ."

" what_is your plan, then ? " asked Holmes, as he walked down the dark tree- lined road .

" I_am going to force my way in and_see for_myself who_is in_the house . i_wish you both to_be there as witnesses ."

" you_are quite determined to do_this, in_spite of your wife's warning that_it_is better that you_should_not solve the mystery ? "

" yes, I_am determined ."

" well, i_think that you_are in_the right . any truth is better than indefinite doubt . we had better go up at once . of_course, legally, we_are putting ourselves hopelessly in_the wrong; but i_think that_it_is worth it ."

it_was a very dark night, and a thin rain began to_fall as_we turned from_the high road into a narrow lane, deeply rutted, with hedges on either side .Mr grant Munro pushed impatiently forward, however, and we stumbled after him as best we_could .

" there_are the lights of_my house," he murmured, pointing to a glimmer among_the trees ." and here_is_the cottage which I_am going to enter ."

we turned a corner in_the lane as he spoke, and there_was the building close beside us .a yellow bar falling across the black foreground showed that_the door was not quite closed, and one window in_the upper story was brightly illuminated . as_we looked, we saw a dark blur moving across the blind .

" there_is that creature ! " cried grant Munro ." you_can see for yourselves that some one is_there . now follow me, and we_shall soon know all ."

we approached the door; but suddenly a woman appeared out_of_the shadow and stood in_the golden track of_the lamp- light .I could_not_see her face in_the he darkness, but her arms were thrown out in an attitude of entreaty .

" for god's sake, don't jack ! " she cried ."I had a presentiment that you_would come this evening . think better of it, dear ! trust me again, and you_will never have cause to regret it ."

" I_have trusted you tool long, Effie," he cried, sternly ." leave go of me ! I_must pass you . my friends and I are going to settle this_matter once and forever ! " he pushed her to one side, and we followed closely after him . as he threw the door open an old woman ran out in front of him and tried to bar his passage, but he thrust her back, and an instant afterwards we were all upon_the stairs . grant Munro rushed into_the lighted room at_the top, and we entered at his heels .

it_was a cosy, well- furnished apartment, with two candles burning upon_the table and two upon_the mantelpiece . in_the corner, stooping over a desk, there sat what appeared to_be a little girl . her face was turned away as_we entered, but we could_see that she was dressed in a red frock, and_that she had long white gloves on . as she whisked round to_us, I_gave a cry of surprise and horror . the face which she turned towards us was of_the strangest livid tint, and_the features were absolutely devoid of any expression . an instant later the mystery was explained .Holmes, with a laugh, passed his hand behind the child's ear, a mask peeled off from her countenance, an there_was a little coal black negress, with all her white teeth flashing in amusement at our amazed faces .I burst out laughing, out of sympathy with her merriment; but grant Munro stood staring, with_his hand clutching his throat .

" my god ! " he cried ." what can_be the meaning of_this ? "

" i_will tell you the meaning of it," cried the lady, sweeping into_the room with a proud, set face ." you_have forced me, against my own judgement, to_tell you, and now we_must both make_the best of it . my husband died at Atlanta . my child survived ."

" your child ? "

she drew a large silver locket from her bosom ." you_have never seen this open ."

"I understood that_it did_not open ."

she touched a spring, and_the front hinged back . there_was a portrait within of a man strikingly handsome and intelligent- looking, but bearing unmistakable signs upon his features of_his African descent .

" that_is John Hebron, of Atlanta," said the lady, " and a nobler man never walked the earth .I cut myself off from my race in_order to wed him, but never once while he lived did I for an instant regret it . it_was our misfortune that_our only child took after his people rather than mine . it_is often so in_such matches, and little Lucy is darker far than ever her father was . but dark or fair, she_is my own dear little girlie, and her mother's pet ." the little creature ran across at_the words and nestled up against the lady's dress ." when I left her in America," she continued, " it_was only because her health was weak, and_the change might_have done her harm . she was given to_the care of a faithful Scotch woman who had once been our servant . never for an instant did I dream of disowning her as my child . but when chance threw you in my way, jack, and I learned to love you, I feared to_tell you about_my child . god forgive me, I feared that i_should lose you, and I had_not the courage to_tell you .I had to_choose between you, and in my weakness I turned away from my own little girl . for three years I_have kept her existence a secret from_you, but I heard from_the nurse, and I_knew that all was well with her . at last, however, there came an overwhelming desire to_see the child once more .I struggled against it, but in vain . though I_knew the danger, I determined to_have the child over, if_it were but for a few weeks . I_sent a hundred pounds to_the nurse, and I_gave her instructions about_this cottage, so_that she might come as aneighbour, without my appearing to_be in any_way connected with her .I pushed my precautions so_far as_to order her to_keep the child in_the house during the daytime, and to_cover up her little face and hands so_that even those who_might see her at_the window should_not gossip about there being a black child in_the neighbourhood . if I had_been less cautious I might_have_been more wise, but i_was half crazy with fear that you_should learn the truth .

" it_was you who told me first that_the cottage was occupied . i_should_have waited for_the morning, but I_could_not sleep for excitement, and so at last I slipped out, knowing how difficult it_is to awake you . but you saw me go, and_that was_the beginning of_my troubles . next_day you had my secret at your mercy, but you nobly refrained from pursuing your advantage . three days later, however, the nurse and child only just escaped from_the back door as_you rushed in at_the front one . and now to- night you at last know all, and I ask_you what_is to_become of us, my child and me ? " she clasped her hands and waited for an answer .

it_was a long ten minutes before grant Munro broke the silence, and when his answer came it_was one of_which I love to_think . he lifted the little child, kissed her, and then, still carrying her, he held his other hand out to_his wife and turned towards the door .

" we_can talk it over more comfortably at home," said he ." I_am not a very_good man, Effie, but i_think that I_am a better one than you_have given me credit for being ."

Holmes and I followed them down the lane, and my friend plucked at my sleeve as_we came out .

" i_think," said he, " that we_shall_be of more use in London than in Norbury ."

not another word did he say of_the case until late that night, when he_was turning away, with_his lighted candle, for_his bedroom .

"Watson," said he, " if_it should ever strike you that I_am getting a little over- confident in my powers, or giving less pains to a case than it deserves, kindly whisper 'Norbury' in my ear, and I_shall_be infinitely obliged to_you ."

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