“How else can we explain her frenzied anxiety that hersecond one should not enter it? The facts, as I read them, aresomething like this: This woman was married in America. Herhusband developed some hateful qualities; or shall we say thathe contracted some loathsome disease, and became a leper or animbecile? She flies from him at last, returns to England, changesher name, and starts her life, as she thinks, afresh. She has beenmarried three years, and believes that her position is quite secure,having shown her husband the death certificate of some manwhose name she has assumed, when suddenly her whereaboutsis discovered by her first husband, or, we may suppose, by someunscrupulous woman who has attached herself to the invalid. Theywrite to the wife, and threaten to come and expose her. She asksfor a hundred pounds, and endeavors to buy them off. They comein spite of it, and when the husband mentions casually to the wifethat there are new-comers in the cottage, she knows in some waythat they are her pursuers. She waits until her husband is asleep,and then she rushes down to endeavor to persuade them to leaveher in peace. Having no success, she goes again next morning, andher husband meets her, as he has told us, as she comes out. Shepromises him then not to go there again, but two days afterwardsthe hope of getting rid of those dreadful neighbors was too strongfor her, and she made another attempt, taking down with her thephotograph which had probably been demanded from her. In themidst of this interview the maid rushed in to say that the masterhad come home, on which the wife, knowing that he would comestraight down to the cottage, hurried the inmates out at the backdoor, into the grove of fir-trees, probably, which was mentioned asstanding near. In this way he found the place deserted. I shall bevery much surprised, however, if it is still so when he reconnoitresit this evening. What do you think of my theory?”
“It is all surmise.”
“But at least it covers all the facts. When new facts come to ourknowledge which cannot be covered by it, it will be time enoughto reconsider it. We can do nothing more until we have a messagefrom our friend at Norbury.”
But we had not a very long time to wait for that. It came just aswe had finished our tea.
“The cottage is still tenanted [it said]. “Have seen the face again atthe window. Will meet the seven o’clock train, and will take no stepsuntil you arrive.”
He was waiting on the platform when we stepped out, and wecould see in the light of the station lamps that he was very pale,and quivering with agitation.
“They are still there, Mr. Holmes,” said he, laying his hand hardupon my friend’s sleeve. “I saw lights in the cottage as I camedown. We shall settle it now once and for all.”
“What is your plan, then?” asked Holmes, as he walked downthe dark tree-lined road.
“I am going to force my way in and see for myself who is in thehouse. I wish you both to be there as witnesses.”
“You are quite determined to do this, in spite of your wife’swarning that it is better that you should not solve the mystery?”
“Yes, I am determined.”
“Well, I think that you are in the right. Any truth is better thanindefinite doubt. We had better go up at once. Of course, legally,we are putting ourselves hopelessly in the wrong; but I think thatit is worth it.”
It was a very dark night, and a thin rain began to fall as weturned from the high road into a narrow lane, deeply rutted,with hedges on either side. Mr. Grant Munro pushed impatientlyforward, however, and we stumbled after him as best we could.
“There are the lights of my house,” he murmured, pointing toa glimmer among the trees. “And here is the cottage which I amgoing to enter.”
We turned a corner in the lane as he spoke, and there was thebuilding close beside us. A yellow bar falling across the blackforeground showed that the door was not quite closed, and onewindow in the upper story was brightly illuminated. As we looked,we saw a dark blur moving across the blind.
“There is that creature!” cried Grant Munro. “You can see foryourselves that some one is there. Now follow me, and we shallsoon know all.”
We approached the door; but suddenly a woman appeared outof the shadow and stood in the golden track of the lamp-light. Icould not see her face in the darkness, but her arms were thrownout in an attitude of entreaty.
“For God’s sake, don’t Jack!” she cried. “I had a presentimentthat you would come this evening. Think better of it, dear! Trustme again, and you will never have cause to regret it.”
“I have trusted you too long, Effie,” he cried, sternly. “Leavego of me! I must pass you. My friends and I are going to settlethis matter once and forever!” He pushed her to one side, andwe followed closely after him. As he threw the door open an oldwoman ran out in front of him and tried to bar his passage, but hethrust her back, and an instant afterwards we were all upon thestairs. Grant Munro rushed into the lighted room at the top, andwe entered at his heels.
It was a cosey, well-furnished apartment, with two candlesburning upon the table and two upon the mantelpiece. In thecorner, stooping over a desk, there sat what appeared to be a littlegirl. Her face was turned away as we entered, but we could see thatshe was dressed in a red frock, and that she had long white gloveson. As she whisked round to us, I gave a cry of surprise and horror.
The face which she turned towards us was of the strangest lividtint, and the features were absolutely devoid of any expression.
An instant later the mystery was explained. Holmes, with a laugh,passed his hand behind the child’s ear, a mask peeled off from hercountenance, and there was a little coal-black negress, with all herwhite teeth flashing in amusement at our amazed faces. I burst outlaughing, out of sympathy with her merriment; but Grant Munrostood staring, with his hand clutching his throat.
“My God!” he cried. “What can be the meaning of this?”
