filled my cigar…case。〃
A shower of rain fell while we were in the train； and the heat was
far less oppressive in Croydon than in town。 Holmes had sent on a
wire； so that Lestrade； as wiry； as dapper； and as ferret…like as
ever； was waiting for us at the station。 A walk of five minutes took
us to Cross Street； where Miss Cushing resided。
It was a very long street of two…story brick houses； neat and
prim； with whitened stone steps； and little groups of aproned women
gossiping at the doors。 Halfway down； Lestrade stopped and tapped at a
door； which was opened by a small servant girl。 Miss Cushing was
sitting in the front room； into which we were ushered。 She was a
placid…faced woman； with large； gentle eyes； and grizzled hair curving
down over her temples on each side。 A worked antimacassar lay upon her
lap and a basket of coloured silks stood upon a stool beside her。
〃They are in the outhouse； those dreadful things；〃 said she as
Lestrade entered。 I wish that you would take them away altogether。〃
〃So I shall； Miss Cushing。 I only kept them here until my friend；
Mr。 Holmes； should have seen them in your presence。〃
〃Why in my presence； sir？〃
〃In case he wished to ask any questions。〃
〃What is the use of asking me questions when I tell you I know
nothing whatever about it？〃
〃Quite so； madam；〃 said Holmes in his soothing way。 〃I have no doubt
that you have been annoyed more than enough already over this
business。〃
〃Indeed； I have； sir。 I am a quiet woman and live a retired life。 It
is something new for me to see my name in the papers and to find the
police in my house。 I won't have those things in here； Mr。 Lestrade。
If you wish to see them you must go to the outhouse。〃
It was a small shed in the narrow garden which ran behind the house。
Lestrade went in and brought out a yellow cardboard box； with a
piece of brown paper and some string。 There was a bench at the end
of the path； and we all sat down while Holmes examined； one by one；
the articles which Lestrade had handed to him。
〃The string is exceedingly interesting；〃 he remarked； holding it
up to the light and sniffing at it。 〃What do you make of this
string； Lestrade？〃
〃It has been tarred。〃
〃Precisely。 It is a piece of tarred twine。 You have also； no
doubt； remarked that Miss Cushing has cut the cord with a scissors； as
can be seen by the double fray on each side。 This is of importance。〃
〃I cannot see the importance；〃 said Lestrade。
〃The importance lies in the fact that the knot is left intact； and
that this knot is of a peculiar character。〃
〃It is very neatly tied。 I had already made a note to that effect〃
said Lestrade complacently。
〃So much for the string； then；〃 said Holmes； smiling； 〃now for the
box wrapper。 Brown paper； with a distinct smell of coffee。 What did
you not observe it？ I think there can be no doubt of it。 Address
printed in rather straggling characters： 'Miss S。 Cushing； Cross
Street； Croydon。' Done with a broad…pointed pen； probably a J and with
very inferior ink。 The word 'Croydon' has been originally spelled with
an 'i；' which has been changed to 'y。' The parcel was directed；
then； by a man… the printing is distinctly masculine… of limited
education and unacquainted with the town of Croydon。 So far； so
good！ The box is a yellow； half…pound honeydew box； with nothing
distinctive save two thumb marks at the left bottom corner。 It is
filled with rough salt of the quality used for preserving hides and
other of the coarser commercial purposes。 And embedded in it are these
very singular enclosures。〃
He took out the two ears as he spoke； and laying a board across
his knee he examined them minutely； while Lestrade and I； bending
forward on each side of him； glanced alternately at these dreadful
relics and at the thoughtful； eager face of our companion。 Finally
he returned them to the box once more and sat for a while in deep
meditation。
〃You have observed； of course；〃 said he at last； 〃that the ears
are not a pair。〃
〃Yes； I have noticed that。 But if this were the practical joke of
some students from the dissecting…rooms； it would be as easy for
them to send two odd ears as a pair。
〃Precisely。 But this is not a practical joke。〃
〃You are sure of it？〃
〃The presumption is strongly against it。 Bodies in the
dissecting…rooms are injected with preservative fluid。 These ears bear
no signs of this。 They are fresh； too。 They have been cut off with a
blunt instrument； which would hardly happen if a student had done
it。 Again； carbolic or rectified spirits would be the preservatives
which would suggest themselves to the medical mind； certainly not
rough salt。 I repeat that there is no practical joke here； but that we
are investigating a serious crime。〃
A vague thrill ran through me as I listened to my companion's
words and saw the stern gravity which had hardened his features。
This brutal preliminary seemed to shadow forth some strange and
inexplicable horror in the background。 Lestrade； however； shook his
head like a man who is only half convinced。
〃There are objections to the joke theory； no doubt〃 said he； 〃but
there are much stronger reasons against the other。 We know that this
woman has led a most quiet and respectable life at Penge and here
for the last twenty years。 She has hardly been away from her home
for a day during that time。 Why on earth； then； should any criminal
send her the proofs of his guilt； especially as； unless she is a
most consummate actress； she understands quite as little of the matter
as we do？〃
〃That is the problem which we have to solve；〃 Holmes answered；
〃and for my part I shall set about it by presuming that my reasoning
is correct and that a double murder has been committed。 One of these
ears is a woman's； small； finely formed； and pierced for an earring。
The other is a man's； sun…burned； discoloured； and also pierced for an
earring。 These two people are presumably dead； or we should have heard
their story before now。 To…day is Friday。 The packet was posted on
Thursday morning。 The tragedy； then； occurred on Wednesday or Tuesday；
or earlier。 If the two people were murdered； who but their murderer
would have sent this sign of his work to Miss Cushing？ We may take
it that the sender of the packet is the man whom we want。 But he
must have some strong reason for sending Miss Cushing this packet。
What reason then？ It must have been to tell her that the deed was
done！ or to pain her； perhaps。 But in that case she knows who it is。
Does she know？ I doubt it。 If she knew； why should she call the police
in？ She might have buried the ears； and no one would have been the
wiser。 That is what she would have done if she had wished to shield
the criminal。 But if she does not wish to shield him she would give
his name。 There is a tangle here which needs straightening out。〃 He
had been talking in a high； quick voice； staring blankly up over the
garden fence； but now he sprang briskly to his feet and walked towards
the house。
〃I have a few questions to ask Miss Cushing；〃 said he。
〃In that case I may leave you here〃 said Lestrade； 〃for I have
another small business on hand。 I think that I have nothing further to
learn from Miss Cushing。 You will find me at the police…station。〃
〃We shall look in on our way to the train；〃 answered Holmes。 A
moment later he and I were back in the front room； where the impassive
lady was still quietly working away at her antimacassar。 She put it
down on her lap as we entered and looked at us with her frank；
searching blue eyes。
〃I am convinced； sir；〃 she said； 〃that this matter is a mistake； and
that the parcel was never meant for me at all。 I have said this
several times to the gentleman from Scotland Yard； but he simply
laughs at me。 I have not an enemy in the world； as far as I know； so
why should anyone play me such a trick？〃
〃I am coming to be of the same opinion； Miss Cushing；〃 said
Holmes； taking a seat beside her。 〃I think that it is more than
probable…〃 he paused； and I was surprised； on glancing round to see
that he was staring with singular intentness at the lady's profile。
Surprise and satisfaction were both for an instant to be read upon his
eager face； though when she glanced round to find out the cause of his
silence he had become as demure as ever。 I stared hard myself at her
flat； grizzled hair； her trim cap； her little gilt earrings； her
placid features； but I could see nothing which could account for my
companion's evident excitement。
〃There were one or two questions…〃
〃Oh； I am weary of questions！〃 cried Miss Cushing impatiently。
〃You have two sisters； I believe。〃
〃How could you know that？〃
〃I observed the very instant that I entered the room that you have a
portrait group of three ladies upon the mantelpiece； one of whom is
undoubtedly yourself； while the others are so exceedingly like you
that there could be no doubt of the relationship。〃
〃Yes； you are quite right。 Those are my sisters； Sarah and Mary。〃
〃And here at my elbow is another portrait taken at Liverpool； of
your younger sister； in the company of a man who appears to be a
steward by his uniform。 I observe that she was unmarried at the time。〃
〃You are very quick at observing。〃
〃That is my trade。〃
〃Well； you are quite right。 But she was married to Mr。 Browner a few
days afterwards。 He was on the South American line when that was
taken； but he was so fond of her that he couldn't abide to leave her
for so long； and he got into the Liverpool and London boats。〃
〃Ah； the Conqueror； perhaps？〃
〃No； the May Day； when last I heard。 Jim came down here to see me
once。 That was before he broke the pledge； but afterwards he would
always take drink when he was ashore； and a little drink would send
him stark； staring mad。 Ah！ it was a bad day that ever he took a glass
in his hand again。 First he dropped me； then he quarrelled with Sarah；
and now that Mary has stopped writing we don't know how things are
going with them。〃
It was evident that Miss Cushing had come upon a subject on