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laconic style may be to conceal the absence of knowledge of English。
Yes； Watson； there are good reasons to suspect that there has been a
substitution of lodgers。〃
〃But for what possible end？〃
〃Ah！ there lies our problem。 There is one rather obvious line of
investigation。〃 He took down the great book in which； day by day； he
filed the agony columns of the various London journals。 〃Dear me！〃
said he； turning over the pages； 〃what a chorus of groans； cries；
and bleatings！ What a rag…bag of singular happenings！ But surely the
most valuable hunting…ground that ever was given to a student of the
unusual！ This person is alone and cannot be approached by letter
without a breach of that absolute secrecy which is desired。 How is any
news or any message to reach him from without？ Obviously by
advertisement through a news paper。 There seems no other way； and
fortunately we need concern ourselves with the one paper only。 Here
are the Daily Gazette extracts of the last fortnight。 'Lady with a
black boa at Prince's Skating Club'… that we may pass。 'Surely Jimmy
will not break his mother's heart'… that appears to be irrelevant。 'If
the lady who fainted in the Brixton bus'… she does not interest me。
'Every day my heart longs…' Bleat； Watson… unmitigated bleat！ Ah； this
is a little more possible。 Listen to this： 'Be patient。 Will find some
sure means of communication。 Meanwhile； this column。 G。' That is two
days after Mrs。 Warren's lodger arrived。 It sounds plausible； does
it not？ The mysterious one could understand English； even if he
could not print it。 Let us see if we can pick up the trace again。 Yes；
here we are… three days later。 'Am making successful arrangements。
Patience and prudence。 The clouds will pass。 G。' Nothing for a week
after that。 Then comes something much more definite： 'The path is
clearing。 If I find chance signal message remember code agreed… one A；
two B； and so on。 You will hear soon。 G。' That was in yesterday's
paper； and there is nothing in to…day's。 It's all very appropriate
to Mrs。 Warren's lodger。 If we wait a little； Watson； I don't doubt
that the affair will grow more intelligible。〃
So it proved； for in the morning I found my friend standing on the
hearthrug with his back to the fire and a smile of complete
satisfaction upon his face。
〃How's this； Watson？〃 he cried； picking up the paper from the table。
'High red house with white stone facings。 Third floor。 Second window
left。 After dusk。 G。' That is definite enough。 I think after breakfast
we must make a little reconnaissance of Mrs。 Warren's neighbourhood。
Ah； Mrs。 Warren！ what news do you bring us this morning？〃
Our client had suddenly burst into the room with an explosive energy
which told of some new and momentous development。
〃It's a police matter； Mr。 Holmes〃 she cried。 〃I'll have no more
of it。 He shall pack out of there with his baggage。 I would have
gone straight up and told him so； only I thought it was but fair to
you to take your opinion first。 But I'm at the end of my patience； and
when it comes to knocking my old man about…〃
〃Knocking Mr。 Warren about？〃
〃Using him roughly； anyway。〃
〃But who used him roughly？〃
〃Ah！ that's what we want to know！ It was this morning； sir。 Mr。
Warren is a timekeeper at Morton and Waylight's； in Tottenham Court
Road。 He has to be out of the house before seven。 Well； this morning
he had not gone ten paces down the road when two men came up behind
him； threw a coat over his head； and bundled him into a cab that was
beside the curb。 They drove him an hour； and then opened the door
and shot him out。 He lay in the roadway so shaken in his wits that
he never saw what became of the cab。 When he picked himself up he
found he was on Hampstead Heath； so he took a bus home； and there he
lies now on the sofa； while I came straight round to tell you what had
happened。〃
〃Most interesting；〃 said Holmes。 〃Did he observe the appearance of
these men… did he hear them talk？〃
〃No； he is clean dazed。 He just knows that he was lifted up as if by
magic and dropped as if by magic。 Two at least were in it； and maybe
three。〃
〃And you connect this attack with your lodger？〃
〃Well； we've lived there fifteen years and no such happenings ever
came before。 I've had enough of him。 Money's not everything。 I'll have
him out of my house before the day is done。〃
〃Wait a bit； Mrs。 Warren。 Do nothing rash。 I begin to think that
this affair may be very much more important than appeared at first
sight。 It is clear now that some danger is threatening your lodger。 It
is equally clear that his enemies； lying in wait for him near your
door； mistook your husband for him in the foggy morning light。 On
discovering their mistake they released him。 What they would have done
had it not been a mistake； we can only conjecture。〃
〃Well； what am I to do； Mr。 Holmes？〃
〃I have a great fancy to see this lodger of yours； Mrs。 Warren。〃
〃I don't see how that is to be managed； unless you break in the
door。 I always hear him unlock it as I go down the stair after I leave
the tray。〃
〃He has to take the tray in。 Surely we could conceal ourselves and
see him do it。〃
The landlady thought for a moment。
〃Well； sir； there's the box…room opposite。 I could arrange a
looking…glass； maybe； and if you were behind the door…〃
〃Excellent！〃 said Holmes。 〃When does he lunch？〃
〃About one； sir。〃
〃Then Dr。 Watson and I will come round in time。 For the present；
Mrs。 Warren； good…bye。〃
At half…past twelve we found ourselves upon the steps of Mrs。
Warren's house… a high； thin； yellow…brick edifice in Great Orme
Street； a narrow thoroughfare at the northeast side of the British
Museum。 Standing as it does near the corner of the street； it commands
a view down Howe Street； with its more pretentious houses。 Holmes
pointed with a chuckle to one of these； a row of residential flats；
which projected so that they could not fail to catch the eye。
〃See； Watson！〃 said he。 〃'High red house with stone facings。'
There is the signal station all right。 We know the place； and we
know the code； so surely our task should be simple。 There's a 'to let'
card in that window。 It is evidently an empty flat to which the
confederate has access。 Well； Mrs。 Warren； what now？〃
〃I have it all ready for you。 If you will both come up and leave
your boots below on the landing； I'll put you there now。〃
It was an excellent hiding…place which she had arranged。 The
mirror was so placed that； seated in the dark； we could very plainly
see the door opposite。 We had hardly settled down in it； and Mrs。
Warren left us； when a distant tinkle announced that our mysterious
neighbour had rung。 Presently the landlady appeared with the tray；
laid it down upon a chair beside the closed door； and then； treading
heavily； departed。 Crouching together in the angle of the door； we
kept our eyes fixed upon the mirror。 Suddenly； as the landlady's
footsteps died away； there was the creak of a turning key； the handle
revolved； and two thin hands darted out and lifted the tray from the
chair。 An instant later it was hurriedly replaced； and I caught a
glimpse of a dark； beautiful； horrified face glaring at the narrow
opening of the box…room。 Then the door crashed to； the key turned once
more； and all was silence。 Holmes twitched my sleeve； and together
we stole down the stair。
〃I will call again in the evening；〃 said he to the expectant
landlady。 〃I think； Watson； we can discuss this business better in our
own quarters。〃
〃My surmise； as you saw； proved to be correct；〃 said he； speaking
from the depths of his easy…chair。 〃There has been a substitution of
lodgers。 What I did not foresee is that we should find a woman； and no
ordinary woman； Watson。〃
〃She saw us。〃
〃Well； she saw something to alarm her。 That is certain。 The
general sequence of events is pretty clear； is it not？ A couple seek
refuge in London from a very terrible and instant danger。 The
measure of that danger is the rigour of their precautions。 The man；
who has some work which he must do； desires to leave the woman in
absolute safety while he does it。 It is not an easy problem； but he
solved it in an original fashion； and so effectively that her presence
was not even known to tile landlady who supplies her with food。 The
printed messages； as is now evident； were to prevent her sex being
discovered by her writing。 The man cannot come near the woman； or he
will guide their enemies to her。 Since he cannot communicate with
her direct； he has recourse to the agony column of a paper。 So far all
is clear。〃
〃But what is at the root of it？〃
〃Ah； yes； Watson… severely practical； as usual！ What is at the
root of it all？ Mrs。 Warren's whimsical problem enlarges somewhat
and assumes a more sinister aspect as we proceed。 This much we can
say： that it is no ordinary love escapade。 You saw the woman's face at
the sign of danger。 We