" now see reason disappearance of Garcia's household They were all confederates same unknown crime came off when Garcia returned, any possible suspicion warded off Englishman's evidence, and all well But the attempt was dangerous one, and if Garcia return by certain hour probable that his own life sacrificed It arranged, therefore, that case his two subordinates were for some prearranged spot where escape investigation and be afterwards to renew their attempt fully explain the facts, would it not ? "

The whole inexplicable tangle seemed to straighten out before me I wondered, as I always did, how it obvious before

"But why should one servant return ? "

" imagine that confusion of flight something precious, something which bear to part with, left behind explain his persistence, would it not ? "

"Well, the next step ? "

"The next step note received by Garcia dinner It indicates confederate other end Now, where other end ? already shown you could only lie in some large house, and number of large houses, is limited My first days village were devoted to series of walks intervals botanical researches reconnaissance of all the large houses and an examination family history occupants One house, and , riveted my attention famous old Jacobean grange of High Gable, one mile farther side of Oxshott, and half mile scene tragedy The other mansions belonged to prosaic and respectable people who live far aloof from romance But Mr Henderson, of High Gable, was by all accounts curious man curious adventures might befall I concentrated my attention, therefore, upon him household

"A singular set of people, Watson- the man himself the most singular all I managed him on plausible pretext, but I seemed to read dark, deep-set, brooding eyes that perfectly aware true business man of fifty, strong, active, with iron-gray hair, great bunched black eyebrows, the step of deer, air of an emperor- fierce, masterful man, with red-hot spirit behind his parchment face either foreigner or has lived long tropics, for yellow and sapless, but tough as whipcord His friend and secretary, Mr Lucas, is undoubtedly foreigner, chocolate brown, wily, suave, and catlike, with poisonous gentleness of speech , Watson, come already upon two sets of foreigners- one at Wisteria Lodge and one at High Gable- so our gaps are beginning to close

"These two men, close and confidential friends, are the centre household; but one other person who immediate purpose even more important Henderson has two children- girls of eleven and thirteen Their governess is Miss Burnet, an Englishwoman of forty or thereabouts also one confidential manservant This little group forms the real family, for they travel about together, and Henderson is great traveller, always move only last few weeks that he has returned, after year's absence, to High Gable add that enormously rich, and whatever his whims very easily satisfy them rest, his house is full of butlers, footmen, maidservants, usual overfed, underworked staff of large English country-house

" I learned partly from village gossip and partly from my own observation no better instruments than discharged servants with grievance, and lucky enough one I call it luck, but it have come my way had I not been looking out As Baynes remarks, we all have our systems my system which enabled me John Warner, late gardener of High Gable, sacked in moment of temper by his imperious employer He in turn had friends indoor servants who unite in their fear and dislike master So I had my key secrets establishment

"Curious people, Watson ! I don't pretend to understand it all yet, but very curious people anyway It's double-winged house, servants live on one side, the family other There's no link two save for Henderson's own servant, who serves the family's meals Everything is carried to certain door, which forms the one connection Governess and children hardly go out at all, except garden Henderson never by any chance walks alone His dark secretary is like his shadow The gossip servants their master is terribly afraid of something 'Sold his soul devil in exchange for money,' says Warner, 'and expects his creditor up and claim his own ' Where they came from, or who , nobody has an idea very violent Twice Henderson has lashed at folk dog-whip, and only his long purse and heavy compensation have kept him courts

"Well, now, Watson, judge the situation new information take it letter came out strange household and was an invitation to Garcia to carry out some attempt which had already been planned Who wrote the note ? someone citadel, and woman Who then but Miss Burnet, the governess ? All our reasoning seems to point that way At any rate, take it as hypothesis what consequences it would entail add that Miss Burnet's age and character make it certain that my first idea that love interest story is

"If she wrote the note she was presumably the friend and confederate of Garcia What, then, might she be expected if she heard death ? If he met it in some nefarious enterprise her lips sealed Still, in her heart, retain bitterness and hatred against those who had killed him and would presumably help as revenge upon them Could we see her, then, and try to use her ? That was my first thought But now we come to sinister fact Miss Burnet seen by any human eye night murder evening she has utterly vanished Is she alive ? Has she perhaps met her end same night friend whom she had summoned ? Or is she merely prisoner ? the point which we still have to decide

" appreciate the difficulty situation, Watson nothing apply for warrant Our whole scheme might seem fantastic if laid before magistrate The woman's disappearance counts for nothing, since extraordinary household any member of it invisible for week And yet she may present moment be in danger of her life All do is to watch the house and leave my agent, Warner, on guard gates 't let such situation continue law can do nothing risk ourselves "

"What suggest ? "

" her room accessible top of an outhouse My suggestion you and I go to-night strike very heart mystery "

not, confess, very alluring prospect The old house with its atmosphere of murder, the singular and formidable inhabitants, the unknown dangers approach, fact that we were putting ourselves legally in false position all combined to damp my ardour But something ice-cold reasoning of Holmes which made it impossible to shrink from any adventure which he might recommend One knew that thus, and only thus, could solution be found I clasped his hand in silence, die was cast