thing about his face that I could clearly see was his dark beard。
To…day 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 is 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
presents 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。〃
〃It 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； save that I was so perplexed that I felt I
should not be happy until I had seen you and had your advice。〃
Holmes 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； Woodley； 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。 Carruthers； 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 development； 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。 Good…bye；
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； how about the connection between
Carruthers and Woodley； since they appear to be men of such a
different type？ How came they both to be so keen upon looking up Ralph
Smith's relations？ One more point。 What sort of a 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 judgment advises。 Then； having
inquired as to the occupants of the Hall； you will come back to me and
report。 And now； Watson； not another word of the matter until we
have a few solid steppingstones on which we 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
scene of the young lady's adventure； for the road runs between the
open heath on one side and an old yew hedge upon the other；
surrounding a park which is studded with magnificent trees。 There
was a main gateway of lichen…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； but the surroundings all spoke of gloom and decay。
The heath was covered with golden patches of flowering gorse；
gleaming magnificently in the light of the bright spring sunshine。
Behind of these clumps I took up my position； so as to 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 handle…bar with a
curiously furtive suggestion in every movement。 She looked back at him
and slowed her pace。 He slowed also。 She stopped。 He at once
stopped； too； keeping two hundred 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 deigning 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 gray 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 Pall Mall。 There I halted on my way home； and met
with courtesy from the representative。 No； I could not have
Charlington Hall for the 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 were 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 handle…bar。
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's 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。〃
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 postscript：
I am sure that you will respect my confidence； Mr。 Holmes； when I
tell you that my place here has