〃I have to be emphatic； Mr。 Holmes； for the time is so limited。 I
would not have him find me here for the world。 He is almost due now。
But I was so situated that I could not come earlier。 His secretary；
Mr。 Ferguson； only told me this morning of his appointment with you。〃
〃And you are his manager？〃
〃I have given him notice。 In a couple of weeks I shall have shaken
off his accursed slavery。 A hard man； Mr。 Holmes； hard to all about
him。 Those public charities are a screen to cover his private
iniquities。 But his wife was his chief victim。 He was brutal to her…
yes； sir； brutal！ How she came by her death I do not know； but I am
sure that he had made her life a misery to her。 She was a creature
of the tropics； a Brazilian by birth； as no doubt you know。〃
〃No； it had escaped me。〃
〃Tropical by birth and tropical by nature。 A child of the sun and of
passion。 She had loved him as such women can love； but when her own
physical charms had faded… I am told that they once were great…
there was nothing to hold him。 We all liked her and felt for her and
hated him for the way that he treated her。 But he is plausible and
cunning。 That is all I have to say to you。 Don't take him at his
face value。 There is more behind。 Now I'll go。 No； no； don't detain
me！ He is almost due。〃
With a frightened look at the clock our strange visitor literally
ran to the door and disappeared。
〃Well！ Well！〃 said Holmes after an interval of silence。 〃Mr。
Gibson seems to have a nice loyal household。 But the warning is a
useful one； and now we can only wait till the man himself appears。〃
Sharp at the hour we heard a heavy step upon the stairs； and the
famous millionaire was shown into the room。 As I looked upon him I
understood not only the fears and dislike of his manager but also
the execrations which so many business rivals have heaped upon his
head。 If I were a sculptor and desired to idealize the successful
man of affairs； iron of nerve and leathery of conscience； I should
choose Mr。 Neil Gibson as my model。 His tall； gaunt； craggy figure had
a suggestion of hunger and rapacity。 An Abraham Lincoln keyed to
base uses instead of high ones would give some idea of the man。 His
face might have been chiselled in granite； hard…set； craggy；
remorseless； with deep lines upon it； the sears of many a crisis。 Cold
gray eyes； looking shrewdly out from under bristling brows； surveyed
us each in turn。 He bowed in perfunctory fashion as Holmes mentioned
my name； and then with a masterful air of possession he drew a chair
up to my companion and seated himself with his bony knees almost
touching him。
〃Let me say right here； Mr。 Holmes；〃 he began； 〃that money is
nothing to me in this case。 You can burn it if it's any use in
lighting you to the truth。 This woman is innocent and this woman has
to be cleared； and it's up to you to do it。 Name your figure！〃
〃My professional charges are upon a fixed scale；〃 said Holmes
coldly。 〃I do not vary them； save when I remit them altogether。〃
〃Well； if dollars make no difference to you； think of the
reputation。 If you pull this off every paper in England and America
will be booming you。 You'll be the talk of two continents。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Gibson； I do not think that I am in need of booming。
It may surprise you to know that I prefer to work anonymously； and
that it is the problem itself which attracts me。 But we are wasting
time。 Let us get down to the facts。〃
〃I think that you will find all the main ones in the press
reports。 I don't know that I can add anything which will help you。 But
if there is anything you would wish more light upon… well； I am here
to give it。〃
〃Well； there is just one point。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃What were the exact relations between you and Miss Dunbar？〃
The Gold King gave a violent start and half rose from his chair。
Then his massive calm came back to him。
〃I suppose you are within your rights… and maybe doing your duty… in
asking such a question； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃We will agree to suppose so；〃 said Holmes。
〃Then I can assure you that our relations were entirely and always
those of an employer towards a young lady whom he never conversed
with； or ever saw； save when she was in the company of his children。〃
Holmes rose from his chair。
〃I am a rather busy man； Mr。 Gibson；〃 said he； 〃and I have no time
or taste for aimless conversations。 I wish you good…morning。〃
Our visitor had risen also； and his great loose figure towered above
Holmes。 There was an angry gleam from under those bristling brows
and a tinge of colour in the sallow cheeks。
〃What the devil do you mean by this； Mr。 Holmes？ Do you dismiss my
case？〃
〃Well； Mr。 Gibson； at least I dismiss you。 I should have thought
my words were plain。〃
〃Plain enough； but what's at the back of it？ Raising the price on
me； or afraid to tackle it； or what？ I've a right to a plain answer。〃
〃Well； perhaps you have；〃 said Holmes。 〃I'll give you one。 This case
is quite sufficiently complicated to start with without the further
difficulty of false information。〃
〃Meaning that I lie。〃
〃Well； I was trying to express it as delicately as I could； but if
you insist upon the word I will not contradict you。〃
I sprang to my feet； for the expression upon the millionaire's
face was fiendish in its intensity； and he had raised his great
knotted fist。 Holmes smiled languidly and reached his hand out for his
pipe。
〃Don't be noisy； Mr。 Gibson。 I find that after breakfast even the
smallest argument is unsettling。 I suggest that a stroll in the
morning air and a little quiet thought will be greatly to your
advantage。〃
With an effort the Gold King mastered his fury。 I could not but
admire him； for by a supreme self…command he had turned in a minute
from a hot flame of anger to a frigid and contemptuous indifference。
〃Well； it's your choice。 I guess you know how to run your own
business。 I can't make you touch the case against your will。 You've
done yourself no good this morning； Mr。 Holmes； for I have broken
stronger men than you。 No man ever crossed me and was the better for
it。〃
〃So many have said so； and yet here I am；〃 said Holmes； smiling。
〃Well； good morning； Mr。 Gibson。 You have a good deal yet to learn。〃
Our visitor made a noisy exit； but Holmes smoked in imperturbable
silence with dreamy eyes fixed upon the ceiling。
〃Any views； Watson？〃 he asked at last。
〃Well； Holmes； I must confess that when I consider that this is a
man who would certainly brush any obstacle from his path； and when I
remember that his wife may have been an obstacle and an object of
dislike； as that man Bates plainly told us； it seems to me…〃
〃Exactly。 And to me also。〃
〃But what were his relations with the governess； and how did you
discover them？〃
〃Bluff； Watson； bluff！ When I considered the passionate；
unconventional； unbusinesslike tone of his letter and contrasted it
with his self…contained manner and appearance； it was pretty clear
that there was some deep emotion which centred upon the accused
woman rather than upon the victim。 We've got to understand the exact
relations of those three people if we are to reach the truth。 You
saw the frontal attack which I made upon him； and how imperturbably he
received it。 Then I bluffed him by giving him the impression that I
was absolutely certain； when in reality I was only extremely
suspicious。〃
〃Perhaps he will come back？〃
〃He is sure to come back。 He must come back。 He can't leave it where
it is。 Ha！ isn't that a ring？ Yes； there is his footstep。 Well； Mr。
Gibson； I was just saying to Dr。 Watson that you were somewhat
overdue。〃
The Gold King had reentered the room in a more chastened mood than
he had left it。 His wounded pride still showed in his resentful
eyes； but his common sense had shown him that he must yield if he
would attain his end。
〃I've been thinking it over； Mr。 Holmes； and I feel that I have been
hasty in taking your remarks amiss。 You are justified in getting
down to the facts； whatever they may be； and I think the more of you
for it。 I can assure you； however； that the relations between Miss
Dunbar and me don't really touch this case。〃
〃That is for me to decide； is it not？〃
〃Yes； I guess that is so。 You're like a surgeon who wants every
symptom before he can give his diagnosis。〃
〃Exactly。 That expresses it。 And it is only a patient who has an
object in deceiving his surgeon who would conceal the facts of his
case。〃
〃That may be so； but you will admit； Mr。 Holmes； that most men would
shy off a bit when they are asked point…blank what their relations
with a woman may be… if there is really some serious feeling in the
case。 I guess most men have a little private reserve of their own in
some corner of their souls where they don't welcome intruders。 And you
burst suddenly into it。 But the object excuses you； since it was to
try and save her。 Well； the stakes are down and the reserve open；
and you can explore where you will。 What is it you want？〃
〃The truth。〃
The Gold King paused for a moment as one who marshals his
thoughts。 His grim； deep…lined face had become even sadder and more
grave。
〃I can give it to you in a very few words； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said he at
last。 〃There are some things that are painful as well as difficult
to say； so I won't go deeper than is needful。 I met my wife when I was
gold…hunting in Brazil。 Maria Pinto was the daughter of a government
official at Manaos； and she was very beautiful。 I was young and ardent
in those days； but even now； as I look back with colder blood and a
more critical eye； I can see that she was rare and wonderful in her
beauty。 It was a deep rich nature； too； passionate； whole…hearted；
tropical； ill…balanced； very different from the American women whom
I had known。 Well； to make a long story short； I loved her and I
married her。 It was only when the romance had passed… and it
lingered for years… that I realized that we had nothing… absolutely
nothing… in common。 My love faded。 If hers had faded also it might
have bee