And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the copper beeches

in front of the door. Mr. Rucastle survived, but was always a broken man, kept

alive solely through the care of his devoted wife. They still live with their

old servants, who probably know so much of Rucastle’s past life that he

finds it difficult to part from them. Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle were

married, by special license, in Southampton the day after their flight, and he

is now the holder of a government appointment in the island of Mauritius. As to

Miss Violet Hunter, my friend Holmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested

no further interest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of one of

his problems, and she is now the head of a private school at Walsall, where I

believe that she has met with considerable success.