suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which had been the

herald of her own death. I sprang up and lit the lamp, but nothing was to be

seen in the room. I was too shaken to go to bed again, however, so I dressed,

and as soon as it was daylight I slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn,

which is opposite, and drove to Leatherhead, from whence I have come on this

morning with the one object of seeing you and asking your advice.”


“You have done wisely,” said my friend. “But have you told me

all?”


“Yes, all.”


“Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather.”


“Why, what do you mean?”


For answer Holmes pushed back the frill of black lace which fringed the hand

that lay upon our visitor’s knee. Five little livid spots, the marks of

four fingers and a thumb, were printed upon the white wrist.


“You have been cruelly used,” said Holmes.


The lady coloured deeply and covered over her injured wrist. “He is a

hard man,” she said, “and perhaps he hardly knows his own

strength.”


There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin upon his hands

and stared into the crackling fire.


“This is a very deep business,” he said at last. “There are a

thousand details which I should desire to know before I decide upon our course

of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If we were to come to Stoke Moran

to-day, would it be possible for us to see over these rooms without the

knowledge of your stepfather?”


“As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some most

important business. It is probable that he will be away all day, and that there

would be nothing to disturb you. We have a housekeeper now, but she is old and

foolish, and I could easily get her out of the way.”


“Excellent. You are not averse to this trip, Watson?”


“By no means.”


“Then we shall both come. What are you going to do yourself?”