 Part 1 of The Adventure of the Dancing Men from The Return of Sherlock Holmes This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Raynard The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Adventure of the Dancing Men Part 1 Holmes had been seated for some hours in silence with his long, thin back curved over a chemical vessel in which he was brewing a particularly malodorous product. His head was sunk upon his breast, and he looked from my point of view like a strange, lank bird with dull grey plumage and a black topknot. So, Watson said he suddenly, you do not propose to invest in South African securities? I gave a start of astonishment. Accustomed as I was to Holmes' curious faculties, this sudden intrusion into my most intimate thoughts was utterly inexplicable. How on earth do you know that? I asked. He reeled round upon his stool with a steaming test tube in his hand and a gleam of amusement in his deep set eyes. Now, Watson, confess yourself utterly taken aback, said he. I am. I ought to make you sign a paper to that effect. Why? Because in five minutes you will say that it is also absurdly simple. I am sure that I shall say nothing of the kind. You see, my dear Watson, he propped his test tube in the rack and began to lecture with the air of a professor addressing his class. It is not really difficult to construct a series of inferences, each dependent upon its predecessor, and each simple in itself. If, after doing so, one simply knocks out all the central inferences and presents one's audience with the starting point and the conclusion, one may produce a startling, though possibly meretricious, effect. Now, it was not really difficult, by an inspection of the groove between your left forefinger and thumb, to feel sure that you did not propose to invest your small capital in the gold fields. I see no connection. Very likely not, but I can quickly show you a close connection. Here are the missing links of the very simple chain. One, you had chalk between your left finger and thumb when you returned from the club last night. Two, you put chalk there when you played billiards to steady the cue. Three, you never played billiards except with Thurston. Four, you told me four weeks ago that Thurston had an option on some South African property which would expire in a month and which he desired you to share with him. Five, your checkbook is locked in my drawer and you have not asked for the key. Six, you do not propose to invest your money in this manner. How absurdly simple, I cried. Quite so, said he, a little nettle. Every problem becomes very childish when once it is explained to you. Here is an unexplained one. See what you can make of that, friend Watson. He tossed a sheet of paper upon the table and turned once more to his chemical analysis. I looked with amazement at the absurd hieroglyphics upon the paper. Why Holmes, it is a child's drawing, I cried. Oh, that's your idea. What else should it be? That is what Mr. Hilton Kubit of Riding Thought Manor, Norfolk, is very anxious to know. This little conundrum came by the first post and he was to follow by the next train. There's a ring at the bell, Watson. I should not be very much surprised if this were he. A heavy step was heard upon the stairs and an instant later there entered a tall, ruddy, clean shaven gentleman whose clear eyes and florid cheeks told of a life led far from the fogs of Baker Street. He seemed to bring a whiff of his strong, fresh, bracing East Coast air with him as he entered. Having shaken hands with each of us, he was about to sit down when his eye rested upon the paper with the curious markings which I had just examined and left upon the table. Well, Mr. Holmes, what do you make of these? he cried. They told me that you were fond of queer mysteries and I don't think you can find a queerer one than that. I sent the paper on ahead so that you might have time to study it before I came. It is certainly rather a curious production, said Holmes. At first sight it would appear to be some childish prank. It consists of a number of absurd little figures dancing across the paper upon which they are drawn. Why should you attribute any importance to so grotesque an object? I never should, Mr. Holmes, but my wife does. It is frightening her to death. She says nothing, but I can see terror in her eyes. That's why I want to sift the matter to the bottom. Holmes held up the paper so that the sunlight shone full upon it. It was a page torn from a notebook. The markings were done in pencil and ran in this way. Holmes examined it for some time and then, folding it carefully up, he placed it in his pocketbook. This promises to be a most interesting and unusual case, said he. You gave me a few particulars in your letter, Mr. Hilton Kubit, but I should be very much obliged if you would kindly go over it again for the benefit of my friend, Dr. Watson. I'm not much of a storyteller, said our visitor, nervously clasping and unclasping his great, strong hands. You'll just ask me anything that I don't make clear. I'll begin at the time of my marriage last year. But I want to say, first of all, that though I'm not a rich man, my people have been at riding-thought for a matter of five centuries, and there is no better-known family in the county of Norfolk. Last year I came up to London for the Jubilee, and I stopped at a boarding house in Russell Square because Parker, the vicar of our parish, was staying in it. There was an American young lady there. Patrick was the name, Elsie Patrick. In some way we became friends, until before my month was up I was as much in love as a man could be. We were quietly married at a registry office, and we returned to Norfolk a wedded couple. You'll think it very mad, Mr. Holmes, that a man of a good old family should marry a wife in this fashion, knowing nothing of her past or of her people. But if you saw her and knew her, it would help you to understand. She was straight about it, was Elsie. I can't say that she did not give me every chance of getting out of it if I wish to do so. I have had some very disagreeable associations in my life, said she. I wish to forget all about them. I would rather never allude to the past, for it is very painful to me. If you take me, Hilton, you will take a woman who has nothing that she need be personally ashamed of, but you will have to be content with my word for it, and to allow me to be as silent as to all that past up to the time when I became yours. If these conditions are too hard, then go back to Norfolk and leave me to the lonely life in which you found me. It was only the day before our wedding that she said these words to me. I told her that I was content to take her on her own terms, and I have been as good as my word. Well, we have been married now for a year, and are very happy we have been. But about a month ago, at the end of June, I saw for the first time signs of trouble. One day, my wife received a letter from America. I saw the American stamp. She turned deadly white, read the letter, and threw it into the fire. She made no allusion to it afterwards, and I made none, for a promise is a promise. But she had never known an easy hour from that moment. There is always a look of fear upon her face, a look as if she were waiting and expecting. She would do better to trust me. She would find that I was her best friend. But until she speaks, I can say nothing. Mind you, she is a truthful woman, Mr. Holmes, and whatever trouble there may have been in her past life, it has been no fault of hers. I am only a simple Norfolk squire, but there is not a man in England who ranks his family on her more highly than I do. She knows it well, and she knew it well before she married me. She would never bring any stain upon it. Of that, I am sure. Well, now I come to the queer part of my story. About a week ago, it was the Tuesday of last week. I found on one of the windowsills a number of absurd little dancing figures, like these upon the paper. They were scrawled with chalk. I thought that it was the stable boy who had drawn them, but the lad swore he knew nothing about it. Anyhow, they had come there during the night. I had them washed out, and I only mentioned the matter to my wife afterwards. To my surprise, she took it very seriously, and begged me if any more came to let her see them. None did come for a week, and then yesterday morning I found this paper lying on the sundial in the garden. I showed it to Elsie, and down she dropped in a dead faint. Since then, she has looked like a woman in a dream, half dazed, and with terror always lurking in her eyes. It was then that I wrote and sent the paper to you, Mr. Holmes. It was not a thing that I could take to the police, for they would have laughed at me, but you will tell me what to do. I am not a rich man, but if there is any danger threatening my little woman, I would spend my last copper to shield her. He was a fine creature, this man of the old English soil, simple, straight, and gentle, with his great earnest blue eyes and broad, comely face. His love for his wife and his trust in her shone in his features. Holmes had listened to his story with the utmost attention, and now he sat for some time in silent thought. Don't you think, Mr. Cubit, said he at last, that your best plan would be to make a direct appeal to your wife and ask her to share her secret with you? Hilton Cubit shook his massive head. A promise is a promise, Mr. Holmes. If Elsie wished to tell me, she would. If not, it is not for me to force her confidence, but I am justified in taking my own line, and I will. Then I will help you with all my heart. In the first place, have you heard of any strangers being seen in your neighbourhood? No. I presume that it is a very quiet place. Any fresh face would cause comment. In the immediate neighbourhood, yes, but we have several small watering places not very far away, and the farmers take in lodgers. These hieroglyphics have evidently a meaning. If it is a purely arbitrary one, it may be impossible for us to solve it. If, on the other hand, it is systematic, I have no doubt that we shall get to the bottom of it. But this particular sample is so short that I can do nothing, and the facts which you have brought me are so indefinite that we have no basis for an investigation. I would suggest that you return to Norfolk, that you keep a keen look out, and that you take an exact copy of any fresh dancing men which may appear. It is a thousand pitties that we have not a reproduction of those which were done in chalk upon the window sill. Make a discrete inquiry also to any strangers in the neighbourhood. When you have collected some fresh evidence, come to me again. That is the best advice which I can give you, Mr Hilton Qubit. If there are any pressing fresh developments, I shall be always ready to run down and see you in your Norfolk home. The interview left Sherlock Holmes very thoughtful. And several times in the next few days, I saw him take his slip of paper from his notebook and look long and earnestly at the curious figures inscribed upon it. He made no allusion to the affair, however, until, one afternoon, a fortnight or so later, I was going out when he called me back. You had better stay here, Watson. Why? Because I had a wire from Hilton Qubit this morning. You remember Hilton Qubit of the dancing men? He was to reach Liverpool Street at 120. He may be here any moment. I gather from his wire that there have been some new evidence of importance. We had not long to wait, for our Norfolk Squire came straight from the station as fast as a handsome could bring him. He was looking worried and depressed, with tired eyes and a lined forehead. It's getting on my nerves this business, Mr. Holmes, said he, as he sank like a wearied man into an armchair. It's bad enough to feel that you are surrounded by unseen, unknown folk who have some kind of design upon you. But when, in addition to that, you know that he's just killing your wife by inches, then it becomes as much as flesh and blood can endure. She's wearing away under it, just wearing away before my eyes. Has she said anything yet? No, Mr. Holmes, she has not. And yet there have been times when the poor girl has wanted to speak, and yet could not quite bring herself to take the plunge. I have tried to help her, but I daresay I did it clumsily and scared her from it. She has spoken about my old family and our reputation in the country and our pride and our unsullied honour. And I always felt it was leading to the point, but somehow it turned off before we got there. But you have found out something for yourself? A good deal, Mr. Holmes. I have several fresh dancing men pictures for you to examine, and what is more important, I have seen the fellow. What? The man who draws them? Yes, I saw him at his work, but I will tell you everything in order. When I got back after my visit to you, the very first thing I saw next morning was a fresh crop of dancing men. They had been drawn in chalk upon the black wooden door of the toolhouse, which stands beside the lawn in full view of the front windows. I took an exact copy, and here it is. He unfolded a paper and laid it upon the table. Here is a copy of the hieroglyphics. Excellent, said Holmes, excellent, pray continue. When I had taken the copy, I rubbed out the marks. But two mornings later, a fresh inscription had appeared. I have a copy of it here. Holmes rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight. Our material is rapidly accumulating, said he. Three days later, a message was left scrolled upon paper and placed under a pebble on the fond sundial. Here it is. The characters are, as you see, exactly the same as the last one. After that, I determined to lie in wait. So I got out my revolver, and I sat up in my study, which overlooked the lawn and the garden. About two in the morning, I was seated by the window, all being dark, saved from the moonlight outside. When I heard steps behind me, and there was my wife in her dressing gown. She implored me to come to bed. I told her, frankly, that I wished to see who it was who played such absurd tricks upon us. She answered that it was some senseless practical joke, and that I should not take any notice of it. If it really annoys you, Hilton, we might go and travel. You and I, and so avoid this nuisance. What? Be driven out of our own house by a practical joker, said I. Why, we should have the whole country laughing at us. Well, come to bed, said she, and we can discuss it in the morning. Suddenly, as she spoke, I saw her white face grow whiter yet in the moonlight, and her hand tightened upon my shoulder. Something was moving in the shadow of the tool house. I saw a dark, creeping figure which crawled around the corner and squatted in front of the door. Seizing my pistol, I was rushing out when my wife threw her arms around me and held me with convulsive strength. I tried to throw her off, but she clung to me most desperately. At last, I got clear. But by the time I had opened the door and reached the house, the creature was gone. He had left a trace of his presence, however, for there on the door was the very same arrangement of dancing men which you had already twice appeared, and which I have copied on that paper. There was no other sign of the fellow anywhere, though I ran all over the grounds, and yet the amazing thing is that he must have been there all the time, for when I examined the door again in the morning, he had scrawled some more of his pictures under the line which I had already seen. Have you that fresh drawing? Yes, it is very short, but I made a copy of it, and here it is. Again he produced a paper. The new dance was in this form. Tell me, said Holmes, and I could see by his eyes that he was much excited. Was this a mere addition to the first, or did it appear to be entirely separate? It was on a different panel of the door. Excellent! This is far the most important for all our purposes. It fills me with hopes. Now, Mr Hilton Kubit, please continue your most interesting statement. I have nothing more to say, Mr Holmes, except that I was angry with my wife that night for having held me back when I might have caught the skulking rascal. She said that she feared that I might come to harm. For an incident it had crossed my mind that perhaps what she really feared was that he might come to harm, for I could not doubt that she knew who this man was and what he meant by these strange signals. But there is a tone in my wife's voice, Mr Holmes, and a look in her eyes which forbids doubt, and I am sure that it was indeed my own safety that was in her mind. There's the whole case, and now I want your advice as to what I ought to do. My own inclination is put half a dozen of my farm lads in the shrubbery, and when this fellow comes again to give him such a hiding that he will leave us in peace for the future. I fear it is too deep a case for such simple remedies, said Holmes. How long can you stay in London? I must go back today. I would not leave my wife alone all night for anything. She is very nervous and begged me to come back. I dare say you are right, but if you could have stopped I might possibly have been able to return with you in a day or two. Meanwhile, you will leave me these papers, and I think that it is very likely that I shall be able to pay you a visit shortly and to throw some light upon your case. Sherlock Holmes preserved his calm professional manner until our visitor had left us, although it was easy for me who knew him so well to see that he was profoundly excited. The moment that Hilton Cubits brought back had disappeared through the door. My comrade rushed to the table, laid out all the slips of paper containing dancing men in front of him, and threw himself into an intricate and elaborate calculation. For two hours I watched him as he covered sheet after sheet of paper with figures and letters, so completely absorbed in his task that he had evidently forgotten my presence. Sometimes he was making progress and whistled and sang at his work. Sometimes he was puzzled and would sit for long spells with a furrowed brow under vacant eye. Finally he sprang from his chair with a cry of satisfaction and walked up and down the room rubbing his hands together. Then he wrote a long telegram upon a cable form. If my answer to this is as I hope, you will have a very pretty case to add to your collection, Watson, said he. I expect that we shall be able to go down to Norfolk tomorrow and to take our friends some very definite news as to the secret of his annoyance. I confess that I was filled with curiosity, but I was aware that Holmes liked to make his disclosures at his own time and in his own way, so I waited until it should suit him to take me into his confidence. But there was a delay in that answering telegram and two days of impatience followed during which Holmes picked up his ears at every ring of the bell. On the evening of the second there came a letter from Hilton Cubit. All was quiet with him save that a long inscription had appeared that morning upon the pedestal of the sundial. He enclosed a copy of it which is here reproduced. Holmes bent over this grotesque freeze for some minutes and then suddenly sprang to his feet with an exclamation of surprise and dismay. His face was haggard with anxiety. We have let this affair go far enough, said he. Is there a train to North Walsham tonight? I turned up the timetable. The last had just gone. Then we shall breakfast early and take the very first in the morning, said Holmes. Our presence is most urgently needed. Ah, here is our expected cablegram. One moment, Mrs. Hudson, there may be an answer. No, that is quite as I expected. This message makes it even more essential that we should not lose an hour in letting Hilton Cubit know how matters stand. For it is a singular and a dangerous web in which our simple Norfolk Squire is entangled. So indeed it proved. And as I come to the dark conclusion of a story which had seemed to me to be only childish and bizarre. I experienced once again the dismay and horror with which I was filled. Would that I had some brighter ending to communicate to my readers. But these are the chronicles of fact and I must follow to their dark crisis the strange chain of events which for some days made riding Thorpe Manor a household word through the length and breadth of England. We had hardly alighted at North Walsham, and mentioned the name of our destination when the stationmaster hurried towards us. I suppose that you are the detectives from London said he. A look of annoyance passed over Holmes' face. What makes you think such a thing? Because Inspector Martin from Norwich has just passed through. But maybe you're the surgeons. She's not dead or wasn't by last accounts. You may be in time to save her yet. Though it be for the gallows. Holmes' brow was dark with anxiety. We are going to riding Thorpe Manor said he. But we have heard nothing of what has passed there. It's a terrible business said the stationmaster. They are shot. Both Mr Hilton Kubit and his wife. She shot him and then herself so the servants say. He's dead and her life is disbared of. Dear, dear, one of the oldest families in the country of Norfolk and one of the most honoured. Without a word Holmes hurried to a carriage and during the long seven miles drive he never opened his mouth. Seldom have I seen him so utterly despondent. He had been uneasy during all our journey from town and I had observed that he had turned over the morning papers with anxious attention. But now this sudden realisation of his worst fears left him in a blank melancholy. He leaned back in his seat lost in gloomy speculation. Yet there was much around to interest us for we were passing through a singular countryside as any in England where a few scattered cottages represented the population of today while on every hand enormous square towered churches bristled up from the flat green landscape of glory and prosperity of Old East Anglia. At last the violet rim of the German ocean appeared over the green edge of the Norfolk coast and the driver pointed with his whip to two old brick and timber gables which projected from a grove of trees. That's riding thought manner said he. As we drove up to the Porticoad front door I observed in front of it beside the tennis lawn the pedestal sundial with which we had such strange associations. A dapper little man with a quick alert manner and a waxed moustache had just descended from a high dog cart. He introduced himself as Inspector Martin of the Norfolk Constabulary and he was considerably astonished when he heard the name of my companion. Why Mr. Holmes? The crime was only committed at three this morning. How could you hear it in London and get to the spot as soon as I? I anticipated it. I came in the hope of preventing it. Then you must have important evidence of which we are ignorant for they were said to be the most united couple. I have only the evidence of the dancing men said Holmes. I would explain the matter to you later. Meanwhile, since it is too late to prevent this tragedy I am very anxious that I should use the knowledge I possess in order to ensure that justice be done. Will you associate your investigations or will you prefer that I should act independently? I should be proud to feel that we were acting together Mr. Holmes said the Inspector earnestly. In that case I should be glad to hear the evidence and to examine the premises without an instance of unnecessary delay. End of The Adventure of the Dancing Men Part 1 Part 2 of The Adventure of the Dancing Men from The Return of Sherlock Holmes This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Reynard The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Adventure of the Dancing Men Part 2 Inspector Martin had the good sense to allow my friend to do things in his own fashion and contented himself with carefully noting the results. The local surgeon an old white-haired man had just come down from Mr. Kylton Cubitt's room and he reported that her injuries were serious but not necessarily fatal. The bullet had passed through the front of her brain and it would probably be some time before she could redeem consciousness. On the question of whether she had been shot or had shot herself he would not venture to express any decided opinion. Certainly the bullet had been discharged at very close quarters. There was only the one pistol found in the room two barrels of which had been emptied. Mr. Kylton Cubitt had been shot through the heart. It was equally conceivable that he had shot her and then himself or that she had been the criminal for the revolver lay upon the floor midway between them. Has he been moved? asked Holmes. We have moved nothing except the lady. We could not leave her lying wounded upon the floor. How long have you been here doctor? Since four o'clock. Anyone else? Yes, the cut insable here. And you have touched nothing? Nothing. You have acted with great discretion. Who sent for you? The housemaid, Saunders. Was it she who gave the alarm? She and Mrs. King the cook. Where are they now? In the kitchen I believe. Then I think we had better hear their story at once. The old hall, oak paneled and high windowed had been touched. Holmes sat in a great, old-fashioned chair, his inexorable eyes gleaming out of his haggard face. I could read in them a set purpose to devote his life to this quest until the client whom he had failed to save should at last be avenged. The trim, Inspector Martin, the old grey-headed country doctor, myself, an astollid village policeman made up of a young man and a young woman. An astollid village policeman made up the rest of that strange company. The two women told their story clearly enough. They had been aroused from their sleep by the sound of an explosion, which had been followed a minute later by a second one. They slept in adjoining rooms, and Mrs. King had rushed in to Saunders. Together they had descended the stairs. The door of the study was opened and a candle was burning upon the table. Their master lay upon his face in the centre of the room. He was quite dead. Near the window his wife was crouching, her head leaning against the wall. She was horribly wounded and the side of her face was red with blood. She breathed heavily, but was incapable of saying anything. The passage, as well as the room, was full of smoke and the smell of powder. The window was certainly shut and fastened upon the inside. Both women were positive upon the point. They had at once sent for the doctor and for the constable. Then, with the aid of the groom and the stable boy, they had conveyed their injured mistress to her room. Both she and her husband had occupied the bed. She was clad in her dress, he in his dressing gown over his night's clothes. Nothing had been moved in the study. So far as they knew there had never been any quarrel between husband and wife. They had always looked upon them as a very united couple. These were the main points of the servants' evidence. In answer to Inspector Martin they were clear that every door was fastened upon the inside and that no one could have escaped from the house. In answer to Holmes they both remembered that they were conscious of the smell of powder on the moment that they ran out of their rooms upon the top floor. I commend that fact carefully to your attention, said Holmes to his professional colleague. And now I think that we are in a position to undertake a thorough examination of the room. The study proved to be a small chamber lined on three sides with books and with a writing table facing an ordinary window which looked out upon the garden. Our first attention to the body of the unfortunate squire whose huge frame lay stretched across the room. His disordered dress showed that he had been hastily aroused from sleep. The bullet had been fired at him from the front and had remained in his body after penetrating the heart. His death had certainly been instantaneous and painless. There was no powder marking either upon his dressing gown or on his hands. According to the country surgeon, the lady had stains upon her face but none upon her hand. The absence of the latter means nothing though its presence may mean everything, said Holmes. Unless the powder from a badly-fitting cartridge happens to spur it backward one may fire many shots without leaving a sign. I would suggest that Mr Hilton Kubit's body may now be removed. I suppose, doctor, that you have not recovered the bullet which wounded the lady. A serious operation will be necessary before that can be done. But there are still four cartridges in the revolver. Two have been fired and two wounds inflicted so that each bullet can be accounted for. So it would seem, said Holmes, perhaps you can account also for the bullet which had so obviously struck the edge of the window. He had turned suddenly and his long, thin finger was pointing to a hole which had been drilled right through the lower window sash, about an inch above the bottom. By George! cried the inspector. However, did you see that? Because I looked for it. Wonderful! said the country doctor. You are certainly right, sir. Then a third shot has been fired and therefore a third person must have been present. But who could that have been and how could he have got away? That is a problem which we are now about to solve, said Sherlock Holmes. You remember, inspector Martin, when the servants said that on leaving their room they were at once conscious of a smell of powder. I remarked that the point was an extremely important one. Yes, sir. But I confess, I did not quite follow you. It suggested that at the time of the firing the window as well as the door of the room had been open. Otherwise the fumes of powder could not have been blown so rapidly through the house. A draught in the room was necessary for that. Both door and window were only open for a very short time, however. How did you prove that? Because the candle was not gutted. Capital! cried the inspector. Capital! Feeling sure that the window was open at the time of the tragedy I conceived that there might have been a third person in the affair who stood outside this opening and fired through it. Any shot directed at this person might hit the sash. I looked and there, sure enough, was the bullet mark. But how came the window to be shut and fastened? The woman's first instinct would be to shut and fasten the window. But, hello! It was a lady's handbag which stood upon the study table. A trim little handbag of crocodile skin and silver. Holmes opened it and turned the contents out. There were 20 £50 notes of the Bank of England held together by an Indian rubber band. Nothing else. This must be preserved for it will figure in the trial, said Holmes, as he handed the bag with its contents to the inspector. It is now necessary that we should try to throw some light upon this third bullet which has clearly from the splintering of the wood been fired from inside the room. I should like to see Mrs King the cook again. You said, Mrs King, that you were awakened by a loud explosion. When you said that did you mean that it seemed to you to be louder than the second one? Well, sir! It awakened me from my sleep so it is hard to judge, but it did seem very loud. You don't think that it might have been two shots fired almost at the same instance? I'm sure I couldn't say, sir. I believe that it was undoubtedly so. I rather think, Inspector Martin, that we have now exhausted all that this room can teach us. If you will kindly step round with me we shall see what fresh evidence the garden has to offer. A flower bed extended up to the study window and we all broke into an exclamation as we approached it. The flowers were trampled down and the soft soil was imprinted all over with foot marks. Large, masculine feet they were with peculiarly long, sharp toes. Homes hunted about among the grass and leaves like a retriever after a wounded bird. Then, with a cry of satisfaction, he bent forward and picked up a little brazen cylinder. I thought so, said he. The revolver had an ejector and here is the third cartridge. I really think, Inspector Martin, that our case is almost complete. The country Inspector's face had shown intense amazement at the rapid and masterful progress of Holmes' investigation. At first he had shown some disposition to assert his own position but now he was overcome with admiration and ready to follow without question wherever Holmes led. Whom do you suspect? He asked. I'll go into that later. There are several points in this problem which I have not been able to explain to you yet. Now that I have got so far I had best proceed on my own dines and then clear the whole matter up once and for all. Just as you wish, Mr. Holmes so long as we get our man I have no desire to make mysteries but it is impossible at the moment of action to enter long and complex explanations. I have the threads of this affair all in my hand. Even if this lady should never recover consciousness we can still reconstruct the events of last night and ensure that justice be done. First of all I wish to know whether there is any in in this neighbourhood known as Elriges. The servants were crossings questioned but none of them had heard of such a place. The stable boy threw a light upon the matter by remembering that a farm of that name lived some miles off in the direction of East Ruston. Is this a lonely farm? Very lonely, sir. Perhaps they have not yet heard of all that has happened here during the night. Maybe not, sir. Holmes thought for a little and then a curious smile played over his face. Sadler horse, my lad, said he I shall wish you to take a note to Elriges farm. He took from his pocket the various slips of the dancing men. With these in front of him he worked for some time at the study table. Finally he handed a note to the boy with directions to put it into the hands of the person to whom it was addressed and especially to answer no questions of any sort which might be put to him. I saw the outside of the note addressed in straggling irregular characters very unlike Holmes' usual precise hand. It was consigned to Mr. Abe Slaney Elriges farm East Ruston Norfolk. I think, Inspector, Holmes remarked that you would do well to telegraph for an escort as if my calculations proved to be correct you may have a particularly dangerous prisoner to confide to the county jail. The boy who takes this note could no doubt forward your telegram. If there is an afternoon train to town Watson, I think we should do well to take it as I have a chemical analysis of some interest to finish and this investigation draws rapidly to a close. When the youth had been dispatched with the note, Sherlock Holmes gave his instructions to the servants. If any visitor were to call asking for Mrs. Hilton qubit no information should be given as to her condition but he was to be shown at once into the drawing room. He impressed these points upon them with the utmost earnestness. Finally, he led the way into the drawing room with the remark that the business was now out of our hands and that we must wile away the time as best we might until we could see what was in store for us. The doctor had departed to his patients and only the inspector and myself remained. I think that I can help you to pass an hour in an interesting and profitable manner, said Holmes. Drawing his chair up to the table and spreading out in front of him the various papers upon which were recorded the antics of the dancing men. As to you friend Watson I owe you every atonement for having allowed your natural curiosity to remain so long unsatisfied. To you inspector the whole incident may appeal as a remarkable professional study. I must tell you first of all the interesting circumstances connected with the previous consultations which Mr Hilson Cubit has had with me in Baker Street. He then shortly recapitulated the facts which have already been recorded. I have here in front of me these singular suit productions at which one might smile had they not proved themselves to be the forerunners of so terrible a tragedy. I am fairly familiar with all forms of secret writings and am myself the author of a trifling monograph upon the subject in which I analyse 160 separate ciphers. But I confess that this is entirely new to me. The object of those who invented the system has apparently been to conceal that these characters convey a message and to give the idea that they are the mere random sketches of children. Having once recognised however that the symbol stood for letters and having applied the rules which guide us in all forms of secret writings the solution was easy enough. The first message submitted to me was so short that it was impossible for me to do more than to say with some confidence that the symbol xxx stood for e. As you are aware e is the most common letter in the English alphabet and it predominates to so marked an extent that even in a short sentence one would expect to find it most often. Out of 15 symbols in the first message 4 were the same so it was reasonable to set this down as e. It is true that in some cases the figure was bearing a flag and in some cases not but it was probable from the way in which the flags were distributed that they were used to break the sentence up into words. I accepted this as a hypothesis and noted that e was represented by xxx but now came the real difficulty of my inquiry. The order of the English letters after e is by no means well marked and any preponderance which may be shown in an average may be reversed in a single short sentence. Speaking roughly t, a, o, i, n, s, h, r, d and l are the numerical order in which letters occur but t, a, o and i are very nearly abreast of each other and it would be an endless task to try each combination until a meaning was arrived at. I therefore waited for fresh material. In my second interview with Mr Hilton Tubit there can be two other short sentences and one message which appeared since there was no flag to be a single word. Here are the symbols. Now in the single word I have already got the two e's coming second and fourth in a word of five letters. It might be sever or lever or never. There can be no question that the latter as a reply to an appeal is far the most probable and the circumstances pointed to it being a reply written by the lady. Accepting it as correct we are now able to say that the symbols stand respectively for n, v and r. Even now I was in considerable difficulty but a happy thought put me in possession of several other letters. It occurred to me that if these appeals came as I expected from someone who had been intimate with the lady in her early life a combination which contained two e's with three letters between might very well stand for the name lc. On examination I found that such a combination formed the termination of the message which was three times repeated. It was certainly some appeal to lc. In this way I had got my l, s and i. But what appeal could it be? There were only four letters in the word which preceded lc and it ended e. Surely the word must be come. I tried all other four letters ending in e but could find none to fit the case. So now I was in possession of c, o and m and I was in a position to attack the first message once more. Dividing it into words and putting dots for each symbol which was still unknown so treated it worked out in this fashion. Dot m Dot e R e Dot dot e S l dot N e dot Now the first letter can only be a which is a most useful discovery since it occurs no fewer than three times in this short sentence. And the h is also apparent in the second word. Now it becomes m here a dot e slain or filling in the obvious vacancies in the name m here a slain e I had so many letters now that I could proceed with considerable confidence to the second message which worked out in this fashion a dot e l r i dot e s Here I could only make sense by putting t and g for the missing letters and supposing that the name was that of some house or inn at which the writer was staying Inspector Martin and I had listened with the utmost interest to the full and clear account of how my friend had produced results which had led to so complete command over our difficulties. What did you do then, sir? asked the inspector I had every reason to suppose that this abe slainy was an American since Abe is an American contraction and since the letter from America had been the starting point of all the trouble I had also every cause to think that there was some criminal secret in the matter. The ladies allusions to her past and her refusal to take her husband into her confidence both pointed in that direction I therefore cabled to my friend Wilson Hargreave of the New York Police Bureau who has more than once made use of my knowledge of London crime I asked him whether the name of Abe Slainy was known to him Here is his reply the most dangerous crook in Chicago On the very evening upon which I had his answer Hilton Kubit sent me the last message from Slainy. Working with known letters it took this form LC dot r e dot a r e to meet thy g o dot The addition of a p and a d completed the message which showed me that the rascal was leading from persuasion to threats and my knowledge of the crooks of Chicago prepared me to find that he might very rapidly put his words into action I at once came to Norfolk with my friend and colleague Dr. Watson but unhappily only in time to find that the worst had already occurred It is a privilege to be associated with you in the handling of a case said the inspector warmly You will excuse me however if I speak frankly to you You are only answerable to yourself but I have to answer to my superiors If this Abe Slainy living at Elridge is indeed the murderer and if he has made his escape while I am seated here I should certainly get into serious trouble You need not to be uneasy he will not try to escape How do you know To fly would be a confession of guilt Then let us go arrest him I expect him here every instant But why should he come because I have written and asked him But this is incredible Mr. Holmes Why should he come because you have asked him Would not such a request rather rouse his suspicion and cause him to fly I think I have known how to frame the letter said Sherlock Holmes In fact if I am not very much mistaken here is the gentleman himself coming up the drive The man was striding up the path which led to the door He was a tall handsome swarthy fellow clad in a suit of grey flannel with a Panama hat a bristling black beard and a great aggressive hooked nose and flourishing a cane as he walked He swaggered up a path as if the place belonged to him and we heard his loud confident peel at the bell I think gentlemen said Holmes quietly let's take up our position behind the door Every precaution is necessary when dealing with such a fellow You will need your handcuffs inspector You can leave the talking to me We waited in silence for a minute One of those minutes which one can never forget Then the door opened and the man stepped in In an instant Holmes clapped a pistol to his head and Martin slipped the handcuffs over his wrists It was all done so swiftly and deftly that the fellow was helpless before he knew that he was attacked He glared from one to the other of us with a pair of blazing black eyes Then he burst into a bitter laugh Well gentlemen you have the drop on me this time I seem to have knocked up against something hard but I came here in answer to a letter from Mrs. Hilton Kubit Don't tell me that she is in this Don't tell me that she helped set a trap for me Mrs. Hilton Kubit was seriously injured and is at death's door The man gave a horse cry of grief which rang through the house You're crazy! he cried fiercely It was he that was hurt, not she Who would have hurt a little Elsie I may have threatened her God forbid me but I would not have touched a hair on her pretty head take it back you, say that she is not hurt She was badly wounded by the side of her dead husband He sank with a deep groan on the setty and buried his face in his manacled hands For five minutes he was silent Then he raised his face once more and spoke with a cold composure of despair I have nothing to hide from you gentlemen said he If I shot the man he had his shot at me and there's no murder in that but if you think I could have hurt that woman then you don't know either me or her I tell you there was never a man in this world loved a woman more than I loved her I had a right to her She was pledged to me years ago Who was this Englishman that he should come between us I tell you I had the first right to her and that I was only claiming my own She broke away from your influence when she found the man that you are said home sternly She fled from America to avoid you and she married an honourable gentleman in England You docked her and made her life a misery to her in order to induce her to abandon the husband whom she loved and respected in order to fly with you whom she feared and hated You have ended by bringing about the death of a noble man and driving his wife to suicide That is your record in this business Mr. Abe Slaney and you will answer for it to the law If else he dies I care nothing what becomes of me said the American He opened one of his hands up in his palm See here Mr. he cried with a gleam of suspicion in his eyes You are not trying to scare me over this are you If the lady is hurt as bad as you say Who was it that wrote this note He tossed it forward onto the table I wrote it to bring you here You wrote it There was no one on earth outside the joint who knew the secret of the dancing men How came you to write it What one man can invent and discover said Holmes There was a cab coming to convey you to Norwich Mr. Slaney But meanwhile you have time to make some small reparation for the injury you have wrought Are you aware that Mrs. Hilton Kubit has herself laying on a grave suspicion of the murder of her husband and that it was only my presence here and the knowledge which I happened to possess which has saved her from the accusation The least that you owe her is to make it clear to the whole world anyway, directly or indirectly responsible for his tragic end I asked nothing better said the American I guess the very best case I can make for myself is the absolute naked truth It is my duty to warn you that it will be used against you cried the inspector with the magnificent fair play of the British criminal law Slaney shrugged his shoulders I'll chance that said he First of all I want you gentlemen to understand that I have known this lady since she was a child There were 7 of us in a gang in Chicago and Elsie's father was the boss of the joint He was a clever man as old Patrick It was he who invented that writing We should pass as a child to scroll unless you just happen to have the key to it Well, Elsie learned some of our ways but she couldn't stand the business of honest money of her own so she gave us all the slip and got away to London She had been engaged to me and she would have married me, I believe if I had taken over another profession but she would have nothing to do with anything on the cross It was only after her marriage to this Englishman that I was able to find out where she was I wrote to her but got no answer After that I came over and as letters were no use it was just where she could read them Well, I have been here a month now I lived in that farm where I had a room down below and could get in and out every night and no one the wiser I tried all I could to coax Elsie away I knew that she read the messages for once she wrote an answer under one of them Then my temper got the better of me and I began to threaten her She sent me a letter then imploring me to go away and saying that it would break her heart if any scandal should come upon her husband She said that she would come down when her husband was asleep at three in the morning and speak with me through the end window if I would go away afterwards and leave her in peace She came down and brought money with her trying to bribe me This made me mad and I caught her arm and tried to pull her through the window At that moment in rushed the husband Elsie had sunk down upon the floor and we were face to face I was healed also and I held up my gun to scare him off and let me get away He fired and missed me I pulled off almost at the same instant and down he dropped I made a way across the garden and as I went I heard the window shut behind me That's God's truth gentlemen every word of it and I heard no more about it until that lad came riding up with a note which made me walk in here like a J and give myself into your hands A cab had driven up whilst the American had been talking Two uniformed policemen sat inside Inspector Martin rose and touched his prisoner on the shoulder It is time for us to go Can I see her first? No, she is not conscious Mr Sherlock Holmes I only hope that if ever again I have an important case I shall have the good fortune to have you by my side We stood at the window and watched the cab drive away As I turned back my eye caught the pellet of paper which the prisoner had tossed upon the table It was the note with which Holmes had decoyed him See if you can read it Watson said he with a smile It contained no word but this little line of dancing men If you use the code which I have explained said Holmes you will find that it simply means come here at once I was convinced that it was an invitation which he would not refuse since he could never imagine that it could come from anyone but the lady And so my dear Watson we have ended by turning the dancing men to good when they have so often been the agents of evil and I think that I have fulfilled my promise of giving you something unusual for your notebook 340 is our train and I fancy we should be back in Beta Street for dinner Only one word of epilogue The American Abe Slaney was condemned to death at the winter of Sizes at Norwich but his penalty was changed to penal servitude in consideration of mitigating circumstances and the certainty that Hilton Kubit had fired the first shot Of Mrs Hilton Kubit I only know that I have heard she recovered entirely and that she still remains a widow devoting her whole life to the care of the poor and to the administration of her husband's estate End of The Adventure of the Dancing Men by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Part 1 of The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist from The Return of Sherlock Holmes This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Reynard The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist Part 1 From the years 1894 to 1901 inclusive Mr Sherlock Holmes was a very busy man It is safe to say that there was no public case There were many difficulty in which he was not consulted during those eight years and there were hundreds of private cases some of them of the most intricate and extraordinary character in which he played a prominent part Many startling successes and a few unavoidable failures were the outcome of this long period of continuous work As I have preserved very full notes of all these cases personally engaged in many of them It may be imagined that it is no easy task to know which I should select to lay before the public I shall, however preserve my former rule and give the preference to those cases which derive their interest not so much from the brutality of the crime as from the ingenuity and dramatic quality of the solution For this reason I will now lay before the reader the facts connected with Miss Violet Smith the solitary cyclist of Charlington and the curious sequel of our investigation which culminated in unexpected tragedy It is true that the circumstance did not admit of any striking illustration of those powers for which my friend was famous But there were some points about the case which made it stand out in those long records of crime from which I gather the material for these little narratives On referring to my notebook for the year 1895 I find that it was upon Saturday the 23rd of April that we first heard of Miss Violet Smith Her visit was I remember extremely unwelcome to Holmes for he was immersed at the moment in a very obtuse and complicated problem concerning the peculiar persecution to which John Vincent Harden the well-known tobacco millionaire had been subjected My friend who loved above all things precision and concentration of thought resented anything which distracted his attention from the matter in hand and yet without a harshness which was foreign to his nature it was impossible to refuse to listen to the story of the young and beautiful woman tall, graceful and queenly who presented herself at Baker Street late in the evening to applaud his assistants and advice It was vain to urge that his time was already fully occupied for the young lady had come with the determination to tell her story and it was evident that nothing short of force could get her out of the room until she had done so with a resigned air and a somewhat weary smile Holmes begged the beautiful intruder to take her seat and to inform us what it was that was troubling her at least it cannot be your health said he as his keen eyes darted over her so Harden to bicyclist must be full of energy she glanced down in surprise at her own feet and I observed the slight roughening of the side of the soul caused by the friction of the edge of the pedal Yes, I bicycle a good deal Mr. Holmes and that has something to do with my visit to you today My friend took the lady's ungloved hand and examined it with as close an attention and as little sentiment as a scientist would show to a specimen you will excuse me I am sure it is my business said he as he dropped it I nearly fell into the error of supposing that you were typewriting of course it is obvious that it is music you observed the spatula finger ends Watson which is common to both professions there is a spirituality about the face however she gently turned it towards the light which the typewriter does not generate this lady is a musician Yes Mr. Holmes I teach music in the country I presume from your complexion Yes sir, near Farnham on the borders of Surrey a beautiful neighbourhood and full of the most interesting associations you remember Watson that it was near there I teach Archie Stamford the forger now Miss Violet what has happened to you near Farnham on the borders of Surrey the young lady with great clearness and composure made the following curious statement My father is dead Mr. Holmes he was James Smith who conducted the orchestra at the old Imperial theatre my mother and I were left without a relation in the world except one uncle Ralph Smith who went to Africa 25 years ago and we have never had a word from him since when father died we were left very poor but one day we were told that there was an advertisement in the Times inquiring for our whereabouts you can imagine how excited we were for we thought that someone had left us a fortune we went at once to the lawyer whose name was given in the paper there we met two gentlemen Mr. Carruthers and Mr. Woodley who were home on a visit from South Africa they said that my uncle was a friend of theirs that he had died some months before in great poverty in Johannesburg and that he had asked them with his last breath to hunt up his relations and see that they were in no want it seems strange to us that uncle Ralph who took no notice of us when he was alive should be so careful to look after us when he was dead but Mr. Carruthers explained that the reason was that my uncle had just heard of the death of his brother and so felt responsible for our fate excuse me said Holmes when was this interview last December four months ago pray proceed Mr. Woodley seemed to me to be a most odious person he was ever making eyes at me of course he faced red moustached young man with his hair plastered down on each side of his forehead I thought that he was perfectly hateful and I was sure that Cyril would not wish me to know such a person oh Cyril is his name said Holmes smiling the young lady blushed and laughed yes Mr. Holmes Cyril Morton an electrical engineer and we hope to be married at the end of the summer dear me how did I get talking about him what I wish to say was that Mr. Woodley was perfectly odious but the Mr. Carruthers who was a much older man was more agreeable he was a dark sallow clean shaven silent person but he had a polite manners and a pleasant smile he inquired how we were left and on finding that we were very poor he suggested that I should come and teach music to his only daughter age 10 I said that I did not like to leave my mother on which he suggested that I should go home to her every weekend and he offered me a hundred a year which was certainly splendid pay so I ended by accepting and I went down to Chilton Grange about six miles from Farnham Mr. Carruthers was a widower but he had engaged a lady housekeeper a very respectable elderly person called Mrs. Dixon to look after his establishment the child was a dear and everything promised well Mr. Carruthers was very kind and very musical and we had most pleasant evenings together every weekend I went home to my mother in town the first floor in my happiness was the arrival of the red moustached Mr. Woodley he came for a visit of a week and oh it seemed three months to me he was a dreadful person a bully to everyone else something infinitely worse he made odious love to me boasted of his wealth said that if I married him I could have the finest diamonds in London and finally when I had nothing to do with him he seized me in his arms one day after dinner he was hideously strong and swore that he would not let me go until I had kissed him Mr. Carruthers came in and tore him from me on which he turned upon his own host knocking him down and cutting his face open that was the end of his visit as you can imagine Mr. Carruthers apologised to me next day and assured me that I should never be exposed to such an insult again I have not seen Mr. Woodley since and now Mr. Holmes I come at last to the special thing which has caused me to ask your advice today you must know that every Saturday 4 noon I ride on my bicycle to Farnham station to get the 1222 to town the road from Chiltern Grange is a lonely one and at one spot it is particularly so for it lies for over a mile between Charlington Heath upon one side and the woods which lie round Charlington Hall upon the other you could not find a more lonely tract of road anywhere and it is quite rare to meet so much as a cart or a peasant until you reach the high road near Crookesbury Hill 2 weeks ago I was passing this place when I charts to look back over my shoulder and about 200 yards behind me I saw a man also on a bicycle he seemed to be a middle aged man with a short dark beard I looked back before I reached Farnham but the man was gone so I thought no more about it but you can imagine how surprised I was Mr. Holmes when on my return on the Monday I saw the same man on the same stretch of road my astonishment was increased when the incident occurred again exactly as before on the following Saturday and Monday he always kept his distance and did not molest me in any way but still it certainly was very odd I mentioned it to Mr. Carothers who seemed interested in what I said and told me that he had ordered a horse and trap so that in future I should not pass over these lonely roads without some companion the horse and trap were to have come this week but for some reason they were not delivered and again I had to cycle to the station that was this morning you can think that I looked out when I came to Charlington Heath and there sure enough was the man exactly as he had been 2 weeks before he always kept so far from me that I could not clearly see his face but it was certainly someone whom I did not know he was dressed in a dark suit with a cloth cap the only thing about his face that I could clearly see was the dark beard today I was not alarmed but I was filled with curiosity and I determined to find out who he was and what he wanted I slowed down my machine but he slowed down his then I stopped altogether but he stopped also then I laid a trap for him there was a sharp turning of the road and I pedalled very quickly round this and then I stopped and waited I expected him to shoot round and pass me before he could stop but he never appeared then I went back and looked round the corner I could see a mile of road but he was not on it to make it the more extraordinary there was no side road at this point down which he could have gone Holmes chuckled and rubbed his hands this case certainly present some features of its own said he how much time elapsed between your turning the corner and your discovery that the road was clear two or three minutes then he could not have retreated down the road and you say that there are no side roads none then he certainly took a footpath on one side or the other he could not have been on the side of the heath or I should have seen him so by the process of exclusion we arrive at the fact that he made his way toward charlington hall which as I understand is situated in its own grounds on one side of the road anything else nothing Mr. Holmes say that I was so perplexed that I felt I should not be happy until I had seen you and had your advice home sat in silence for some little time where is the gentleman to whom you are engaged he asked at last he is in the midland electrical company at Coventry he would not pay you a surprise visit oh Mr. Holmes as if I should not know him have you had any other admirers several before I knew Cyril and since there was this dreadful man wouldly if you can call him an admirer no one else our fair client seemed a little confused who was he asked Holmes oh it may be a mere fancy of mine but it had seemed to me sometimes that my employer Mr. Carothers takes a great deal of interest in me we are thrown rather together I play his accompaniments in the evening he has never said anything he is a perfect gentleman but a girl always knows ha Holmes looked grave what does he do for a living he is a rich man no carriages or horses well at least he is fairly well to do but he goes into the city two or three times a week he is deeply interested in South African gold shares you will let me know any fresh developments Miss Smith I am very busy just now but I will find time to make some inquiries into your case in the meantime take no step without letting me know goodbye and I trust that we shall have nothing but good news from you it is part of the settled order of nature that such a girl should have followers said Holmes he pulled at his meditative pipe but for choice not on bicycles in lonely country roads some secretive lover beyond all doubt but there are curious and suggestive details about the case Watson that he should appear only at that point exactly our first effort must be to find who are the tenants of charlington hall then again the connection between Carothers and Woodley since they appear to be men of such a different type how come they both to be so keen upon looking up Ralph Smith's relations one more point what sort of menage is it which pays double the market price for a governess but does not keep a horse although six miles from the station odd Watson very odd you will go down no my dear fellow you will go down this may be some trifling intrigue and I cannot break my other important research for the sake of it on Monday you will arrive early at Farnham you will conceal yourself near charlington heath you will observe these facts for yourself and act as your own judgement advisers then having inquired as to the occupants of the hall you will come back to me and report and now Watson the word of the matter until we have a few solid stepping stones on which may hope to get across to our solution we had ascertained from the lady that she went down upon the Monday by the train which leaves Waterloo at 9.50 so I started early and caught the 9.13 at Farnham station I had no difficulty in being directed to charlington heath it was impossible to mistake the scene of the young lady's adventure for the road runs between the open heath on one side and an old you hedge upon the other surrounding a park which is studded with magnificent trees there was a main gateway of like and studded stone each side pillar surmounted by mouldering heraldic emblems but besides this central carriage drive I observed several points where there were gaps in the hedge and paths leading through them the house was invisible from the road surroundings or spoke of gloom and decay the heath was covered with golden patches of flowering gauze gleaming magnificently in the light of the bright spring sunshine behind one of these clumps I took up my position sewage command both the gateway of the hall and a long stretch of the road upon either side it had been deserted when I left it but now I saw a cyclist riding down it from the opposite direction to that in which I had come he was clad in a dark suit and I saw that he had a black beard on reaching the end of the charlington grounds he sprang from his machine and led it through a gap in the hedge disappearing from my view a quarter of an hour passed and then a second cyclist appeared this time it was the young lady coming from the station I saw her look about her as she came to the charlington hedge an instant later the man emerged from his hiding place sprang upon his cycle and followed her in all the broad landscape those were the only moving figures the graceful girl sitting very straight upon her machine and the man behind her bending low over his handlebar with a curiously furtive suggestion in every movement she looked back at him and slowed her pace he slowed also he at once stopped too keeping 200 yards behind her her next movement was as unexpected as it was spirited she suddenly whisked her wheels round and dashed straight at him he was as quick as she however and darted off in desperate flight presently she came back up the road again her head, haughtily in the air not daring to take any further notice of her silent attendant he had turned also and still kept his distance until the curve of the road hid them from my sight I remained in my hiding place and it was well that I did so for presently the man reappeared cycling slowly back he turned in at the hall gates and dismounted from his machine for some minutes I could see him standing among the trees his hands were raised and he seemed to be settling his necktie then he mounted his cycle and rode away from me down the drive towards the hall I ran across the heath and peered through the trees far away I could catch glimpses of the old grey building with its bristling Tudor chimneys but the drive ran through a dense shrubbery and I saw no more of my man however it seemed to me that I had done a fairly good morning's work and I walked back in high spirits to Farnham the local house agent could tell me nothing about Charlington Hall and referred me to a well-known firm in Paul Mall there I halted on my way home and met with courtesy from the representative no, I could not have Charlington Hall for summer I was just too late it had been let about a month ago Mr. Williamson was the name of the tenant he was a respectable elderly gentleman the polite agent was afraid he could say no more as the affairs of his clients were not matters which he could discuss Mr. Sherlock Holmes listened with attention to the long report which I was able to present to him that evening but it did not elicit that word of curt praise which I had hoped for and should have valued on the contrary his austere face was even more severe than usual as he commented upon the things that I had done and the things that I had not your hiding place my dear Watson was very faulty you should have been behind the hedge then you would have had a close view of this interesting person as it is you are some hundreds of yards away and can tell me even less than Miss Smith she thinks she does not know the man I am convinced she does why otherwise should he be so desperately anxious that she should not get so near him as to see his features you describe him as bending over the handlebar concealment again you see you really have done remarkably badly he returns to the house and you want to find out who he is you come to a London house agent what should I have done I cried with some heat gone to the nearest public house that is the centre of country gossip they would have told you every name from the master to the scullery maid Williamson it conveys nothing to my mind if he is an elderly man he is not this active cyclist who sprints away from that young lady's athletic pursuit what have we gained by your expedition the knowledge that the girl's story is true I never doubted it that there is a connection between the cyclist and the hall I never doubted that either that the hall is tenanted by Williamson who is the better for that well well my dear sir don't look so depressed we can do little more until next Saturday and in the meantime I may make one or two inquiries myself end of the adventure of the solitary cyclist part one part two of the adventure of the solitary cyclist from the return of Sherlock Holmes this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information auto volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Reynard the return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the adventure of the solitary cyclist part two next morning we had a note from Miss Smith recounting shortly and accurately the very incidents which I had seen but the pith of the letter lay in the post script I'm sure that you will respect my confidence Mr. Holmes when I tell you that my place here has become difficult I mean to the fact that my employer has proposed marriage to me I'm convinced that his feelings are most deep and most honourable at the same time my promise is of course given he took my refusal very seriously but also very gently you can understand however that the situation is a little strained our young friend seems to be getting into deep waters said Holmes thoughtfully as he finished the letter the case certainly presents more features of interest and more possibility of development than I had originally thought I should be none the worse for a quiet peaceful day in the country and I am inclined to run down this afternoon and test one or two theories which I have formed Holmes' quiet day in the country had a singular termination for he arrived at Baker Street late in the evening with a cut lip and a discoloured lump upon his forehead besides a general air of dissipation which would have made his own person the fitting object of a Scotland Yard investigation he was immensely tickled by his own adventures and laughed heartily as he recounted them I get so little active exercise that it is always a treat said he you are aware that I have some proficiency in the good old British sport of boxing occasionally it is of service today for example I should have come to a very ignominious grief without it I begged him to tell me what had occurred I found that country pub which I had already recommended to your notice and there I made my discreet inquiries I was in the bar and a garrulous landlord was giving me all that I wanted Williamson is a white and bearded man and he lives alone with a small staff of servants at the hall there is some rumour that he is or has been a clergyman but one or two incidents of his short residence at the hall struck me as peculiarly un ecclesiastical I have already made some inquiries as a clerical agency and they tell me that there was a man of that name in orders whose career has been a singularly dark one the landlord further informed me that there are usually weekend visitors a warm lot sir at the hall there was one gentleman with a red moustache Mr Woodley by name who was always there we had got as far as this when who should walk in but the gentleman himself who had been drinking his beer in the tap room and had heard the whole conversation who was I what did I want what did I mean by asking questions he had a fine flow of language and his adjectives were very vigorous he ended a string of abuse which I failed to entirely avoid the next few minutes were delicious it was a straight left against a slogging ruffian I emerged as you see me Mr Woodley went home in a cart so ended my country trip and it must be confessed that however enjoyable my day on the Surrey border has not been much more profitable than your own the Thursday bought us another letter from our client you will not be surprised Mr Holmes said she to hear that I am leaving Mr Caruthers employment even the high pay cannot reconcile me to the discomfort of my situation on Saturday I come up to town and I do not intend to return Mr Caruthers has got a trap and so the dangers of the lonely road if there ever were any dangers are now over as to the special cause of my leaving it is not merely the strange situation with Mr Caruthers it is the reappearance of that odious man Mr Woodley he was always hideous but he looks more awful than ever now for he appears to have had an accident and he is much disfigured I saw him out of the window but I am glad to say I did not meet him he had a long talk with Mr Caruthers who seemed much excited afterwards Woodley must be staying in the neighbourhood for he did not sleep here and yet I caught a glimpse of him again this morning thinking about in the shrubbery I would sooner have had a savage wild animal loose about the place I loathe and fear him more than I can say how can Mr Caruthers endure such a creature for a moment however all my troubles will be over on Saturday so I trust Watson so I trust said Holmes gravely there is some deep intrigue going on around that little woman and it is our duty to see that no one molests her upon that last journey I think Watson that we must spare time to run down together on Saturday morning and make sure that this curious and inclusive investigation has no untoward ending I confess that I had not up to now taken a very serious view of the case which had seemed to me rather grotesque and bizarre than dangerous that a man should lie in wait for and follow a very handsome woman is no unheard of thing and if he has so little audacity that he not only dared not address her but even fled from her approach he was not a very formidable assailant the Ruffian Woodley was a very different person but except on one occasion he had not molested our client and now he visited the house of Caruthers without intruding upon her presence the man on the bicycle was doubtless a member of those weak end parties at the hall of which the publican had spoken but who he was or what he wanted was as obscure as ever it was the severity of Holmes' manner and the fact that he slipped a revolver into his pocket before leaving our rooms which impressed me with the feeling that tragedy might prove to lurk behind this curious train of events a rainy night had been followed by a glorious morning and the heath covered countryside with the glowing clumps of flowering gorse seemed all the more beautiful to eyes which were weary of the dunes and drabs and slate's greys of London Holmes and I walked along the broad, sandy road inhaling the fresh morning air and rejoicing in the music of the birds and the fresh breath of the spring from a rise of the road on the shoulder of Cruxbury Hill we could see the grim hall bristling out from amidst the ancient oaks which, old as they were were still younger than the building which they surrounded Holmes pointed down the long tract of road which wound a reddish yellow band between the brown of the heath and the budding green of the woods far away a black dot we could see a vehicle moving in our direction Holmes gave an exclamation of impatience I have given a margin of half an hour said he if that is her trap looking for the earlier train I fear Watson that she will be past charlington before we can possibly meet her from the instant that we passed the rise we could no longer see the vehicle but we hastened onward at such a pace that my sedentary life began to tell upon me and I was compelled to fall behind Holmes, however, was always in training for he had inexhaustible stores of nervous energy upon which to draw his springy step never slowed suddenly when he was a hundred yards in front of me he halted and I saw him throw up his hands with a gesture of grief and despair at the same instant an empty dog cart the horse cantering, the rain's trailing appeared round the curve of the road and rattled swiftly towards us too late Watson too late cried Holmes as I ran panting to his side for that I was not to allow for that earlier train Watson, abduction, murder heaven knows what block the road, stop the horse that's right, now jump in and let us see if I can repair the consequences of my own blunder we had sprung into the dog cart and Holmes, after turning the horse gave it a sharp cut with the whip and we flew back along the road as we turned the curve the whole stretch of road between the hall and the heath was opened up I grasped Holmes' arm that's the man I grasped a solitary cyclist was coming towards us his heads were down and his shoulders rounded as he put every ounce of energy that he possessed onto the pedals he was flying like a racer suddenly he raised his bearded face saw us close to him and pulled up springing from his machine that cold black beard was in singular contrast to eyes that were as bright as if he had a fever he stared at us and at the dog cart then a look of amazement came over his face hello stop there he shouted holding his bicycle to block our road where did you get that dog cart pull up man he yelled drawing a pistol from his side pull up I say or by George I'll put a bullet into your horse Holmes threw the reins into my lap and sprung down from the cart you're the man we want to see miss Violet Smith he said in his quick clear way that's what I'm asking you you're in her dog cart you ought to know where she is we met the dog cart on the road there was no one in it we drove back to help the young lady good lord good lord what shall I do cried the stranger in an ecstasy of despair they've got her that hellhound woodley and the black guard parson come man come if you really are her friend stand by me and we'll save her my carcass in charlington wood he ran distractedly his pistol in his hand towards the gap in the hedge Holmes followed him and I leaving the horse grazing beside the road followed Holmes this is where they came through said he pointing to the marks of several feet upon the muddy path hello stop a minute who's this in the bush it was a young fellow about 17 dressed like an osla he lay upon his back his knees drawn up a terrible cut upon his head he was insensible but alive a glance at his wound told me that it had not penetrated the bone that's Peter the groom cried the stranger he drove her the beasts have pulled him off and clubbed him let him lie we can't do him any good but we may save her from the worst fate that can befall a woman we ran frantically down the path which wound among the trees we had reached the shrubbery which surrounded the house when Holmes pulled up they didn't go to the house here are the marks on the left here beside the laurel bushes ah I said so as he spoke a woman's shrill scream a scream which vibrated with a frenzy of horror burst from the thick green clump of bushes in front of us she hid suddenly on its highest note with a choke and a gurgle this way this way they were in the bowling alley cried the stranger darting through the bushes ah the cowardly dogs follow me gentlemen too late too late by the living jingo we had broken suddenly into a lovely glade of greensward surrounded by ancient trees on the farther side of it under the shadow of a mighty oak they stood a singular group of three people one was woman our client drooping and feigned a handkerchief around her mouth opposite her stood a brutal heavy faced red moustached young man his gaited legs parted wide one arm a kimbo the other waving a riding crop his whole attitude suggestive of triumphant bravado between them an elderly grey-bearded man wearing a short surplus over a light tweed suit had evidently just completed the wedding service for he pocketed his prayer book as we approached and slapped the sinister bridegroom upon the back in jovial congratulations they're married I gasped come on cried our guide come on he rushed across the glade homes and I at his heels as we approached the lady staggered against the trunk of the tree for support Williamson, the ex clergyman bowed to us with mock politeness and the bully Woodley advanced with a shout of brutal and exultant laughter you can take your beard off Bob said he I know you right enough well you and your powers have just come in time for me to be able to introduce you to Mrs Woodley our guide's answer was a singular one he snatched off the dark beard which had disguised him and threw it on the ground disclosing a long sallow clean shaven face below it then he raised his revolver and covered the young ruffian who was advancing upon him with his dangerous riding-crop swinging in his hand yes said our ally I am Bob Carruthers and I'll see this woman righted if I have to swing for it I told you what I'd do if you molested her and by the Lord I'll be as good as my word you are too late she's my wife no she's your widow his revolver cracked and I saw the blood spurred from the front of Woodley's waistcoat he spun round with a scream and fell back upon his back his hideous red face turning suddenly to a dreadful mottled pallor the old man still in his surplus burst into such a string of foul oaths he never heard and pulled out a revolver of his own but before he could raise it he was looking down the barrel of Holmes' weapon enough of this said my friend, Coldley drop that pistol Watson, pick it up hold it to his head thank you you, Carruthers, give me that revolver we'll have no more violence come, hand it over who are you then good lord you have heard of me, I see I will represent the official police until their arrival hear you, he shouted to a frightened groom who had appeared at the edge of the glade come here, take this note as hard as you can ride to Farnham he scribbled a few words upon a leaf from his notebook give it to the superintendent at the police station until he comes, I must detain you all under my personal custody the strong, masterful personality of Holmes dominated the tragic scene and all were equally puppets in his hands Williamson and Carruthers found themselves carrying the wounded Woodley into the house and I gave my arm to the frightened girl the injured man was laid on his bed and at Holmes' request I examined him I carried my report to where he sat in the old tapestry hung dining room with his two prisoners before him he will live, said I what? cried Carruthers springing out of his chair I'll go upstairs and finish him first do you tell me that angel is to be tied to roaring Jack Woodley for life you need not concern yourself about that said Holmes there are two very good reasons why she should under no circumstances be his wife in the first place we are very safe in questioning Mr. Williamson's right to solemnise a marriage I've been ordained cried the old rascal and also unfrocked once a clergyman always a clergyman I think not how about the licence we had a licence for the marriage I have it here in my pocket then you got it by a trick but in any case a forced marriage is no marriage but it is a very serious felony as you will discover before you have finished you'll have time to think that you'll have time to think the point out during the next ten years or so unless I am mistaken as to you brothers you would have done better to keep your pistol in your pocket I begin to think so Mr. Holmes but when I thought of all the precautions I had taken to shield this girl for I loved her Mr. Holmes and it is the only time that ever I knew what love was it fairly drove me mad to think that she was in the power of the greatest in South Africa a man whose name is a holy terror from Kimberley to Johannesburg why Mr. Holmes you'll hardly believe it but ever since that girl has been in my employment I never once let her go past this house where I knew the rascals were lurking without following her on my bicycle just to see that she came to no harm I kept my distance from her and I wore a beard so that she would not recognise me for she is a good and high spirited girl she wouldn't have stayed in my employment long if she had thought that I was following her about the country roads why didn't you tell her of her danger because then again she would have left me and I couldn't bear to face that even if she couldn't love me it was a great deal to me just to see her dainty form about the house and to hear the sound of her voice well said I you call that love Mr. Crothers but I should call it selfishness maybe the two things go together anyhow I couldn't let her go besides with this crowd about it was well that she should have someone near to look after her then when the cable came I knew they were bound to make a move what cable Crothers took a telegram from his pocket that's it said he it was short and concise the old man is dead hum said Holmes I think I see how things worked and I can understand how this message would as you say bring them to a head that while you wait you might tell me what you can the old reprobates with the surplus burst into a volley of bad language by heaven said he if you squeal at us Bob Crothers I'll serve you as you serve Jack Woodley you can bleed about the girls your heart's content but that's your own affair but if you round on your pals to this plain closed copper it'll be the worst day's work that you ever did your reverence need not to be excited said Holmes lighting a cigarette the case is clear enough against you and all I ask is a few details for my private curiosity however if there's any difficulty in your telling me I'll do the talking and then you will see how far you have a chance in the first place three of you came from South Africa on this game you Williamson, you Crothers and Woodley lie number one said the old man I never saw either of them until two months ago and I have never been in Africa in my life so you can put that in your pipe and smoke it Mr. Busybody Holmes what he says is true said Crothers well well two of you came over his reverence is our own homemade article you had known Ralph Smith in South Africa you had reason to believe he would not live long you found out that his niece would inherit his fortune how's that eh Crothers nodded and Williamson swore she was next of kin no doubt and you were aware that the old fellow would make no will couldn't read all right said Crothers so you came over the two of you and hunted up the girl the idea was that one of you was to marry her and the other have a share of the plunder for some reason Woodley was chosen as the husband why was that we played cards for her on the voyage he won I see you got the lady into your service and there Woodley was to do the courting she recognised the drunken brute that he was and would have nothing to do with him meanwhile your arrangement was rather upset by the fact that you had yourself fallen in love with the lady you could no longer bear the idea of this ruffian owning her no by George I couldn't there was a quarrel between you he left you in a rage and began to make his own plans independently of you it strikes me Williamson there isn't very much that we can tell this gentleman that he was in love with others with a bitter laugh yes we quarreled and he knocked me down I'm level with him on that anyhow then I lost sight of him that was when he picked up with his outcast Padre here I found that they had set up housekeeping together at this place on the line that she had to pass for the station I kept my eye on her after that for I knew there was some devilry in the wind I saw them from time to time for I was anxious to know what they were after two days ago Woodley came up to my house with this cable which showed that Ralph Smith was dead he asked me if I would stand by the bargain I said I would not he asked me if I would marry the girl myself and give him a share I said I would willingly do so but that she would not have me he said let us get her married first and after a week or two she may see things a bit different I said I would have nothing to do with violence so he went off cursing like the foul mouthed blackguard that he was and swearing that he would have her yet she was leaving me this weekend and I had got a trap to take her to the station but I was so uneasy in my mind that I followed her on my bicycle she had got a start however and before I could catch her the mischief was done the only thing I knew about it was when I saw a YouTube gentleman driving back in her dog cart Holmes rose and tossed the end of his cigarette into the grate I have been very obtuse Watson said he when in your report you said that you had seen the cyclist as you thought arranged his neck tie on the shrubbery that alone should have told me all however we may congratulate ourselves I perceived three of the country constabulary in the drive I am glad to see that the little Osler is able to keep pace with them so it is likely that neither he nor the interesting bridegroom will be permanently damaged by their morning's adventures I think Watson that in your medical capacity you might wait upon Miss Smith and tell her that if she is sufficiently recovered we shall be happy to escort her to her mother's house if she is not quite convalescent you will find that a hint of suspicion in the Midlands would probably complete the cure as to you Mr Crothers I think that you have done what you could to make amends for your share in an evil plot there is my card sir and if my evidence can be of help in your trial it shall be at your disposal in the world of our incessant activity it has often been difficult for me as the reader has probably observed to round off my narratives and to give those final details which the curious might expect each case has been the prelude to another and the crisis once over the actors have passed forever out of our busy lives I find however a short note at the end of my manuscript dealing with this case in which I have put upon record that Miss Violet Smith did indeed inherit a large fortune and that she is now the wife of Cyril Morton the senior partner of Morton and Kennedy the famous Westminster electricians Williamson and Woodley were both tried for abduction and assault the former getting 7 years the latter 10 of the fate of Crothers I have no record but I am sure that his assault was not viewed very gravely by the court since Woodley had the reputation of a dangerous ruffian and I think that a few months were sufficient to satisfy the demands of justice end of The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle