1911

"Well, Mrs Warren, I that any particular cause for uneasiness, nor do I understand why I, whose time is of some value, should interfere matter I really have other things to engage me " So spoke Sherlock Holmes and turned back great scrapbook arranging and indexing some recent material

But the landlady had the pertinacity and also the cunning of her sex She held her ground firmly

"You arranged an affair for lodger last year," she said- " Mr Fairdale Hobbs "

"Ah, yes- simple matter "

"But never cease talking of it- your kindness, sir, way brought light darkness I remembered his words when in doubt and darkness myself only would "

Holmes was accessible side of flattery, and also, him justice, side of kindliness The two forces made him lay down his gum-brush with sigh of resignation and push back his chair

"Well, well, Mrs Warren, hear then You don't object to tobacco, I take it ? , Watson- the matches ! uneasy, as I understand, because your new lodger remains rooms and him Why, bless you, Mrs Warren, if I were your lodger you often see me for weeks on end "

" , sir, but different It frightens me, Mr Holmes 't sleep for fright To hear his quick step moving here and moving there from early morning to late at night, and yet never to catch as glimpse of him- it's more than stand My husband is as nervous over it as , but out at his work all day, while I get no rest he hiding for ? What has he done ? Except girl, all alone house , and it's more than my nerves can stand "

Holmes leaned forward and laid his long, thin fingers woman's shoulder He had an almost hypnotic power of soothing when The scared look faded from her eyes, and her agitated features smoothed into their usual commonplace She sat down chair which he had indicated

"If I take it up understand every detail," said he "Take time to consider The smallest point the most essential You say man came ten and paid you for fortnight's board and lodging ? "

"He asked my terms, sir fifty shillings week small sittingroom and bedroom, and all complete, top house "

"Well ? "

" , 'I'll pay you five pounds week if it on my own terms ' I'm poor woman, sir, and Mr Warren earns little, money meant much out ten-pound note, and he held it out then and there ' the same every fortnight keep the terms,' ' , I'll have no more '"

"What were the terms ? "

"Well, sir, they were that key house That was all right Lodgers often have them Also, that left entirely to himself and never, upon any excuse, disturbed "

"Nothing wonderful , surely ? "

"Not in reason, sir But out of all reason He there for ten days, and neither Mr Warren, nor I, nor the girl has once set eyes upon him hear that quick step pacing up and down, up and down, night, morning, and noon; but except first night he has never once gone house "

"Oh, he went out the first night, did he ? "

"Yes, sir, and returned very late- after we were all in bed me after he had taken the rooms that and asked me not to bar the door I heard him come up the stair after midnight "

"But his meals ? "

" his particular direction that always, when he rang, leave his meal upon chair, outside his door Then he rings again when he has finished, and we take it down same chair If anything else he prints it on slip of paper and leaves it "

"Prints it ? "

"Yes, sir, prints it in pencil just the word, nothing more Here's one I brought to show you- SOAP Here's another- MATCH one he left the first morning- DAILY GAZETTE I leave that paper breakfast every morning "

"Dear me, Watson," said Holmes, staring with great curiosity slips of foolscap which the landlady had handed to him, " certainly little unusual Seclusion understand; but why print ? Printing is clumsy process write ? What would it suggest Watson ? "

"That he desired to conceal his handwriting "

"But why ? What can it matter to him that his landlady word writing ? Still, it say Then, again, why such laconic messages ? "

" imagine "

"It opens pleasing field for intelligent speculation The words are written with broad-pointed, violet-tinted pencil of not unusual pattern observe paper is torn away side here printing , so 'S' of 'SOAP' is partly gone Suggestive, Watson, not ? "

"Of caution ? "

"Exactly evidently some mark, some thumbprint, something which might give clue person's identity Now, Mrs Warren, you say man was of middle size, dark, and bearded What age would he be ? "

"Youngish, sir- not over thirty "

"Well, me no further indications ? "

"He spoke good English, sir, and yet foreigner by his accent "

"And well dressed ? "

"Very smartly dressed, sir- quite the gentleman Dark clothes- nothing note "

" no name ? "

"No, sir "

"And has had no letters or callers ? "

"None "

"But surely you or the girl enter his room of morning ? "

"No, sir; he looks after himself entirely "

"Dear me ! certainly remarkable What about his luggage ? "

"He had one big brown bag - nothing else "

"Well, we don't seem much material to say nothing out room- absolutely nothing ? "

The landlady drew an envelope from her bag, she shook out two burnt matches and cigarette-end table

"They were tray I brought them because I had heard that read great things out of small ones "

Holmes shrugged his shoulders

" nothing here," said he "The matches have, , been used to light cigarettes obvious shortness burnt end Half the match is consumed in lighting pipe or cigar But dear me ! this cigarette stub is certainly remarkable The gentleman was bearded and moustached, you say ? "

"Yes, sir "

"I don't understand that say that only clean-shaven man smoked this Why, Watson, even your modest moustache singed "

"A holder ? " I suggested

"No, no; the end is matted I suppose there two people in your rooms, Mrs Warren ? "

"No, sir He eats so little that I often wonder it can keep life in one "

"Well, wait for little more material After all, nothing to complain of received your rent and troublesome lodger, though certainly an unusual one He pays you well and if he choses to lie concealed no direct business of yours no excuse for an intrusion upon his privacy until some reason guilty reason I've taken up the matter, and I won't lose sight of it Report if anything fresh occurs, and rely upon my assistance needed

" certainly some points of interest in , Watson," he remarked landlady had left us "It may, , be trivial- individual eccentricity; or it deeper than appears surface The first thing that strikes one obvious possibility person now rooms entirely different one who engaged them "

"Why should so ? "