〃Good heavens！〃 she cried； 〃he has followed me； then。〃
〃So it appears。〃
〃He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him。 What
will he say when he returns？〃
〃He must guard himself； for he may find that there is someone more
cunning than himself upon his track。 You must lock yourself up from
him to…night。 If he is violent； we shall take you away to your
aunt's at Harrow。 Now； we must make the best use of our time； so
kindly take us at once to the rooms which we are to examine。〃
The building was of gray； lichen…blotched stone； with a high central
portion and two curving wings； like the claws of a crab； thrown out on
each side。 In one of these wings the windows were broken and blocked
with wooden boards； while the roof was partly caved in； a picture of
ruin。 The central portion was in little better repair； but the
right…hand block was comparatively modern； and the blinds in the
windows； with the blue smoke curling up from the chimneys； showed that
this was where the family resided。 Some scaffolding had been erected
against the end wall； and the stone…work had been broken into； but
there were no signs of any workmen at the moment of our visit。
Holmes walked slowly up and down the ill…trimmed lawn and examined
with deep attention the outsides of the windows。
〃This； I take it； belongs to the room in which you used to sleep；
the centre one to your sister's； and the one next to the main building
to Dr。 Roylott's chamber？〃
〃Exactly so。 But I am now sleeping in the middle one。〃
〃Pending the alterations； as I understand。 By the way； there does
not seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end wall。〃
〃There were none。 I believe that it was an excuse to move me from my
room。〃
〃Ah！ that is suggestive。 Now； on the other side of this narrow
wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open。 There are
windows in it； of course？〃
〃Yes； but very small ones。 Too narrow for anyone to pass through。〃
〃As you both locked your doors at night； your rooms were
unapproachable from that side。 Now； would you have the kindness to
go into your room and bar your shutters？〃
Miss Stoner did so； and Holmes； after a careful examination
through the open window； endeavoured in every way to force the shutter
open； but without success。 There was no slit through which a knife
could be passed to raise the bar。 Then with his lens he tested the
hinges； but they were of solid iron； built firmly into the massive
masonry。 〃Hum！〃 said he； scratching his chin in some perplexity； 〃my
theory certainly presents some difficulties。 No one could pass these
shutters if they were bolted。 Well； we shall see if the inside
throws any light upon the matter。〃
A small side door led into the whitewashed corridor from which the
three bedrooms opened。 Holmes refused to examine the third chamber； so
we passed at once to the second； that in which Miss Stoner was now
sleeping； and in which her sister had met with her fate。 It was a
homely little room； with a low ceiling and a gaping fireplace； after
the fashion of old country…houses。 A brown chest of drawers stood in
one corner； a narrow white…counterpaned bed in another； and a
dressing table on the left…hand side of the window。 These articles；
with two small wickerwork chairs； made up all the furniture in the
room save for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre。 The boards
round and the panelling of the walls were of brown； worm…eaten oak； so
old and discoloured that it may have dated from the original
building of the house。 Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and
sat silent； while his eyes travelled round and round and up and
down； taking in every detail of the apartment。
〃Where does that bell communicate with？〃 he asked at last；
pointing to a thick bell…rope which hung down beside the bed； the
tassel actually lying upon the pillow。
〃It goes to the housekeeper's room。〃
〃It looks newer than the other things？〃
〃Yes； it was only put there a couple of years ago。〃
〃Your sister asked for it I suppose？〃
〃No； I never heard of her using it。 We used always to get what we
wanted for ourselves。〃
〃Indeed； it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bell…pull there。 You
will excuse me for a few minutes while I satisy myself as to this
floor。〃 He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in his
hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward； examining minutely
the cracks between the boards。 Then he did the same with the wood…work
with which the chamber was panelled。 Finally he walked over to the bed
and spent some time in staring at it and in running his eye up and
down the wall。 Finally he took the bell…rope in his hand and gave it a
brisk tug。
〃Why； it's a dummy；〃 said he。
〃Won't it ring？〃
〃No； it is not even attached to a wire。 This is very interesting。
You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where the
little opening for the ventilator is。〃
〃How very absurd！ I never noticed that before。〃
〃Very strange！〃 muttered Holmes； pulling at the rope。 〃There are one
or two very singular points about this room。 For example； what a
fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another room； when；
with the same trouble； he might have communicated with the outside
air！〃
〃That is also quite modern；〃 said the lady。
〃Done about the same time as the bell…rope？〃 remarked Holmes。
〃Yes； there were several little changes carried out about that
time。〃
〃They seem to have been of a most interesting character…dummy
bell…ropes； and ventilators which do not ventilate。 With your
permission； Miss Stoner； we shall now carry our researches into the
inner apartment。〃
Dr。 Grimesby Roylott's chamber was larger than that of his
stepdaughter； but was as plainly furnished。 A camp…bed； a small wooden
shelf full of books； mostly of a technical character； an armchair
beside the bed； a plain wooden chair against the wall； a round
table； and a large iron safe were the principal things which met the
eye。 Holmes walked slowly round and examined each and all of them with
the keenest interest。
〃What's in here？〃 he asked； tapping the safe。
〃My stepfather's business papers。〃
〃Oh！ you have seen inside； then？〃
〃Only once； some years ago。 I remember that it was full of papers。〃
〃There isn't a cat in it； for example？'
〃No。 What a strange idea！〃
〃Well； look at this！〃 He took up a small saucer of milk which
stood on the top of it。
〃No； we don't keep a cat。 But there is a cheetah and a baboon。〃
〃Ah； yes； of course！ Well； a cheetah is just a big cat； and yet a
saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants； I
daresay。 There is one point which I should wish to determine。〃 He
squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat of it
with the greatest attention。
〃Thank you。 That is quite settled；〃 said he； rising and putting
his lens in his pocket。 〃Hello！ Here is something interesting！〃
The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on one
corner of the bed。 The lash； however； was curled upon itself and
tied so as to make a loop of whipcord。
〃What do you make of that； Watson？〃
〃It's a common enough lash。 But I don't know why it should be tied。〃
〃That is not quite so common； is it？ Ah； me！ it's a wicked world；
and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst of
all。 I think that I have seen enough now； Miss Stoner； and with your
permission we shall walk out upon the lawn。〃
I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as
it was when we turned from the scene of this investigation。 We had
walked several times up and down the lawn； neither Miss Stoner nor
myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he roused himself
from his reverie。
〃It is very essential； Miss Stoner；〃 said he； 〃that you should
absolutely follow my advice in every respect。〃
〃I shall most certainly do so。〃
〃The matter is too serious for any hesitation。 Your life may
depend upon your compliance。〃
〃I assure you that I am in your hands。〃
〃In the first place； both my friend and I must spend the night in
your room。〃
Both Miss Stoner and I gazed at him in astonishment。
〃Yes； it must be so。 Let me explain。 I believe that that is the
village inn over there？〃
〃Yes； that is the Crown。〃
〃Very good。 Your windows would be visible from there？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃You must confine yourself to your room； on pretence of a
headache； when your stepfather comes back。 Then when you hear him
retire for the night； you must open the shutters of your window；
undo the hasp； put your lamp there as a signal to us； and then
withdraw quietly with everything which you are likely to want into the
room which you used to occupy。 I have no doubt that； in spite of the
repairs； you could manage there for one night。〃
〃Oh； yes； easily。〃
〃The rest you will leave in our hands。〃
〃But what will you do？〃
〃We shall spend the night in your room； and we shall investigate the
cause of this noise which has disturbed you。〃
〃I believe； Mr。 Holmes； that you have already made up your mind；〃
said Miss Stoner； laying her hand upon my companion's sleeve。
〃Perhaps I have。〃
〃Then； for pity's sake； tell me what was the cause of my sister's
death。〃
〃I should prefer to have clearer proofs before I speak。〃
〃You can at least tell me whether my own thought is correct； and
if she died from some sudden fright。〃
〃No； I do not think so。 I think that there was probably some more
tangible cause。 And now； Miss Stoner； we must leave you； for if Dr。
Roylott returned and saw us our journey would be in vain。 Good…bye；
and be brave； for if you will do what I have told you rest assured
that we shall soon drive away the dangers that threaten you。〃
Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and
sitting…room at the Crown Inn。 They were on the upper floor； and
from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate； and of the
inhabited wing of Stoke Moran Manor House。 At dusk we saw Dr。 Grimesby
Roylott drive past；