The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Part 32 (2/2)
”These are very deep waters,” said he; ”pray go on with your narrative”
”Two years have passed since then, and o, however, a dear friend, whom I have known for e His nae, of Crane Water, near Reading My stepfather has offered no opposition to theTwo days ago so, and my bedroom wall has been pierced, so that I have had to move into the chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed in which she slept Iht, as I lay awake, thinking over her terrible fate, I suddenly heard in the silence of the night the lohistle which had been the herald of her own death I sprang up and lit the la was to be seen in the rooain, 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, fro 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 Holed the hand that lay upon our visitor's knee Five little livid spots, the ers 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 th”
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 ere to come to Stoke Moran to-day, would it be possible for us to see over these rooe of your stepfather?”
”As it happens, he spoke of co 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 noto do yourself?”
”I have one or two things which I would wish to do now that I am in town But I shall return by the twelve o'clock train, so as to be there in ti”
”And you may expect us early in the afternoon I have myself some small business matters to attend to Will you not wait and breakfast?”
”No, I htened already since I have confided ain this afternoon” She dropped her thick black veil over her face and glided from the room
”And what do you think of it all, Watson?” asked Sherlock Hol back in his chair
”It seems to h and sinister enough”
”Yet if the lady is correct in saying that the flooring and walls are sound, and that the door, , and chimney are impassable, then her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her mysterious end”
”What becomes, then, of these nocturnal whistles, and what of the very peculiar words of the dying woman?”