"`Your best way is clean breast facts,' I answered `Depend upon it, if your son is innocent none the worse '

"`Perhaps, Alice, you had better leave us together,' she said, and her daughter withdrew `Now, sir,' she continued, `I had no intention of telling you all this, but since my poor daughter has disclosed it no alternative Having once decided , tell you all without omitting any particular '

"` your wisest course,' said I

"` Mr Drebber nearly three weeks He secretary, Mr Stangerson, travelling Continent I noticed "Copenhagen" label upon each trunks, showing that that their last stopping place Stangerson was quiet reserved man, but his employer, sorry , was far otherwise coarse habits and brutish ways The very night arrival he became the worse for drink, and, indeed, after twelve o'clock day hardly ever be said sober His manners towards the maid-servants were disgustingly free and familiar Worst of all, he speedily assumed the same attitude towards my daughter, Alice, and spoke to her more than once in way which, fortunately, too innocent to understand On one occasion he actually seized her arms and embraced her -- an outrage which caused his own secretary to reproach him unmanly conduct '

"`But why did you stand all this,' I asked `I suppose that rid of your boarders wish '

" Mrs Charpentier blushed at my pertinent question `Would to God that I had given him notice very day that ,' she said `But sore temptation They were paying pound day each -- fourteen pounds week, and slack season widow, and my boy Navy has cost me much I grudged to lose the money I acted best This last was , however, and him notice to leave on account of it That reason going '

"`Well ? '

"`My heart grew light when him drive away My son is on leave just now, but tell him anything of all this, temper is violent, and passionately fond sister When I closed the door behind them load seemed lifted from my mind Alas, in an hour ring bell, and I learned that Mr Drebber had returned much excited, and evidently the worse for drink He forced his way room, where sitting with my daughter, and made some incoherent remark about having missed his train He then turned to Alice, and before my very face, proposed to her that she should fly " of age," , "and no law to stop you money enough and to spare Never mind the old girl here, but come along with me now straight away You shall live like princess " Poor Alice was so frightened that she shrunk away , but he caught her wrist and endeavoured to draw her towards the door I screamed, and moment my son Arthur came room What happened then know I heard oaths confused sounds of scuffle too terrified to raise my head When look up Arthur standing doorway laughing, with stick hand "I don't think that fine fellow will trouble us again," " just go after him what with himself " With those words his hat and started off down the street The next morning we heard of Mr Drebber's mysterious death '

"This statement came from Mrs Charpentier's lips with many gasps and pauses At times she spoke so low that hardly catch the words shorthand notes of all that she said, however, there no possibility of mistake "

"It's quite exciting," said Sherlock Holmes, with yawn "What happened next ? "

"When Mrs Charpentier paused," the detective continued, " whole case hung upon one point Fixing her with my eye in way which I always found effective with women, I asked her at what hour her son returned

"` know,' she answered

"`Not know ? '

"`No; he has latch-key, and he let himself in '

"`After you went to bed ? '

"`Yes '

"`When did you go to bed ? '

"`About eleven '

"`So your son was gone two hours ? '

"`Yes '

"`Possibly four or five ? '

"`Yes '

"` he doing during ? '

"` know,' she answered, turning white to her very lips

" nothing more out where Lieutenant Charpentier was, took two officers with me, and arrested him When I touched him shoulder and warned him quietly , he answered us as bold as brass, `I suppose arresting me for being concerned death scoundrel Drebber,' We had said nothing to him , his alluding had most suspicious aspect "

"Very," said Holmes

"He still carried the heavy stick which the mother described him as having when he followed Drebber stout oak cudgel "

" your theory, then ? "

"Well, my theory he followed Drebber as far Brixton Road When there, fresh altercation arose , course Drebber received blow stick, pit stomach, perhaps, which killed him without leaving any mark The night was so wet that no one was about, so Charpentier dragged the body victim empty house candle, blood, writing wall, ring, all be tricks to throw the police on wrong scent "

"Well done ! " said Holmes in an encouraging voice "Really, Gregson, getting along make something of you yet "

"I flatter myself that managed it rather neatly," the detective answered proudly "The young man volunteered statement, that after following Drebber , the latter perceived him, and took cab away way home he met an old shipmate, and took long walk On being asked where this old shipmate lived, unable any satisfactory reply the whole case fits together uncommonly well What amuses me is of Lestrade, who had started off wrong scent afraid he won't make much of {15} Why, by Jove, here's the very man himself ! "

indeed Lestrade, who had ascended the stairs while we were talking, and who now entered the room The assurance and jauntiness which generally marked his demeanour and dress were, however, wanting His face was disturbed and troubled, while his clothes were disarranged and untidy He had evidently come intention of consulting with Sherlock Holmes, for on perceiving his colleague he appeared embarrassed and put out He stood centre room, fumbling nervously hat and uncertain what " most extraordinary case," at last -- "a most incomprehensible affair "

"Ah, you find it so, Mr Lestrade ! " cried Gregson, triumphantly " come conclusion managed the Secretary, Mr Joseph Stangerson ? "

"The Secretary, Mr Joseph Stangerson," said Lestrade gravely, "was murdered at Halliday's Private Hotel about six o'clock "

CHAPTER VII

LIGHT DARKNESS

THE intelligence Lestrade greeted us was so momentous and so unexpected, that we were all three fairly dumfoundered Gregson sprang out chair and upset the remainder whiskey and water I stared in silence at Sherlock Holmes, whose lips were compressed brows drawn down over his eyes

"Stangerson too ! " he muttered "The plot thickens "

" quite thick enough before," grumbled Lestrade, taking chair "I seem dropped into sort of council of war "

" -- sure piece of intelligence ? " stammered Gregson

" just come room," said Lestrade "I first to discover what had occurred "