by Arthur Conan Doyle

most singular thing that problem certainly as abstruse and unusual as any which faced in my long professional career come after my retirement, and be brought, as it were, to my very door It occurred after my withdrawal to my little Sussex home, when I had given myself up entirely soothing life of Nature I had so often yearned during the long years spent amid the gloom of London period life the good Watson had passed almost beyond my ken An occasional week-end visit most that I ever saw of him Thus act as my own chronicler Ah ! had he but been with me, made of so wonderful happening and eventual triumph against every difficulty ! , however, needs tell my tale in my own plain way, showing by my words each step difficult road which lay before me as I searched mystery Lion's Mane

My villa is situated southern slope downs, commanding great view Channel point the coast-line is entirely of chalk cliffs, which can only be descended by single, long, tortuous path, steep and slippery bottom path lie hundred yards of pebbles and shingle, even tide is at full Here and there, however, curves and hollows which make splendid swimmingpools filled afresh with each flow This admirable beach extends for some miles in each direction, save only at one point where the little cove and village of Fulworth break the line

My house is lonely I, my old housekeeper, and my bees have the estate all to ourselves Half mile off, however, is Harold Stackhurst's well-known coaching establishment, The Gables, quite large place, which contains some score of young fellows preparing for various professions, with staff of several masters Stackhurst himself was well-known rowing Blue day, and an excellent all-round scholar He and I were always friendly day coast, and he one man who was terms with me that drop in on evenings without an invitation

Towards the end of July, 1907, severe gale, the wind blowing up-channel, heaping the seas base cliffs and leaving lagoon turn tide morning I speak the wind had abated, and all Nature was newly washed and fresh impossible to work upon so delightful day, and I strolled out before breakfast to enjoy the exquisite air I walked along the cliff path which led steep descent beach As I walked I heard shout behind me, and Harold Stackhurst waving his hand in cheery greeting

"What morning, Mr Holmes ! I you out "

"Going for swim, "

"At your old tricks again," he laughed, patting his bulging pocket "Yes McPherson started early, and I expect find him there "

Fitzroy McPherson science master, fine upstanding young fellow whose life crippled by heart trouble following rheumatic fever natural athlete, however, and excelled in every game which throw too great strain upon him Summer and winter he went swim, and, as swimmer myself, often joined him

moment we saw the man himself His head showed above the edge cliff where the path ends Then his whole figure appeared top, staggering like drunken man The next instant he threw up his hands and, with terrible cry, fell upon his face Stackhurst and I rushed forward -- it may fifty yards -- and turned him back obviously dying Those glazed sunken eyes and dreadful livid cheeks could mean nothing else One glimmer of life came into his face for an instant, and he uttered words with an eager air of warning They were slurred and indistinct, but to my ear the last , which burst in shriek lips, were "the Lion's Mane " utterly irrelevant and unintelligible, and yet twist the sound into no other sense Then he half raised himself ground, threw his arms air, and fell forward side dead

My companion was paralyzed sudden horror of it, but I, as may well be imagined, had every sense alert And I had need, for speedily evident that we were presence of an extraordinary case The man was dressed only Burberry overcoat, his trousers, and an unlaced pair of canvas shoes As he fell over, his Burberry, which simply thrown round his shoulders, slipped off, exposing his trunk We stared at it in amazement His back was covered with dark red lines he terribly flogged by thin wire scourge The instrument this punishment inflicted was clearly flexible, long, angry weals curved round his shoulders and ribs blood dripping down his chin, for he had bitten through his lower lip paroxysm agony His drawn and distorted face told how terrible that agony

kneeling and Stackhurst standing body when shadow fell across us, and that Ian Murdoch was by our side Murdoch mathematical coach establishment, tall, dark, thin man, so taciturn and aloof that none said his friend to live in some high abstract region of surds and conic sections, with little to connect him with ordinary life looked upon as an oddity students, and their butt, but some strange outlandish blood man, which showed itself coal-black eyes and swarthy face but also in occasional outbreaks of temper, which could only be described as ferocious On one occasion, being plagued by little dog belonging to McPherson, he had caught the creature up and hurled it plate-glass window, an action Stackhurst would certainly have given him his dismissal had he not been very valuable teacher Such strange complex man who now appeared beside us honestly shocked sight before him, though the incident dog may show that no great sympathy dead man and himself

"Poor fellow ! Poor fellow ! What can ? How can I help ? "

"Were you ? tell us what has happened ? "

"No, no, late not beach at all come straight Gables What can ? "

" hurry police-station at Fulworth Report the matter at once "

Without word off at top speed, and I proceeded to matter in hand, while Stackhurst, dazed tragedy, remained body My first task naturally was to note who was beach top path I the whole sweep of it, and absolutely deserted save that dark figures seen far away moving towards the village of Fulworth Having satisfied myself point, I walked slowly down the path clay or soft marl mixed chalk, and every here and there the same footstep, both ascending and descending No one else had gone down beach track that morning At one place I observed the print of an open hand fingers towards the incline This could only mean that poor McPherson had fallen as he ascended There were rounded depressions, too, which suggested that he had come down upon his knees more than once bottom path considerable lagoon left retreating tide side of it McPherson had undressed, for there lay his towel on rock folded and dry, so would seem that, after all, he had never entered the water as I hunted round amid the hard shingle on little patches of sand where the print canvas shoe, and also naked foot, seen The latter fact proved that he had made all ready to bathe, though the towel indicated that he actually done so