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pulled up on the grass…grown drive in front of the blotched and
weather…stained door； I had doubts as to my wisdom in visiting a man
whom I knew so slightly。 He opened the door himself； however； and
greeted me with a great show of cordiality。 I was handed over to the
manservant a melancholy； swarthy individual； who led the way； my bag
in his hand； to my bedroom。 The whole place was depressing。 Our dinner
was tete…a…tete； and though my host did his best to be entertaining；
his thoughts seemed to continually wander； and he talked so vaguely
and wildly that I could hardly understand him。 He continually
drummed his fingers on the table； gnawed his nails； and gave other
signs of nervous impatience。 The dinner itself was neither well served
nor well cooked； and the gloomy presence of the taciturn servant did
not help to enliven us。 I can assure you that many times in the course
of the evening I wished that I could invent some excuse which would
take me back to Lee。
〃One thing comes back to my memory which may have a bearing upon the
business that you two gentlemen are investigating。 I thought nothing
of it at the time。 Near the end of dinner a note was handed in by
the servant。 I noticed that after my host had read it he seemed even
more distrait and strange than before。 He gave up all pretence at
conversation and sat smoking endless cigarettes； lost in his own
thoughts； but he made no remark as to the contents。 About eleven I was
glad to go to bed。 Some time later Garcia looked in at my door… the
room was dark at the time… and asked me if I had rung。 I said that I
had not。 He apologized for having disturbed me so late； saying that it
was nearly one o'clock。 I dropped off after this and slept soundly all
night。
〃And now I come to the amazing part of my tale。 When I woke it was
broad daylight。 I glanced at my watch； and the time was nearly nine。 I
had particularly asked to be called at eight； so I was very much
astonished at this forgetfulness。 I sprang up and rang for the
servant。 There was no response。 I rang again and again； with the
same result。 Then I came to the conclusion that the bell was out of
order。 I huddled on my clothes and hurried downstairs in an
exceedingly bad temper to order some hot water。 You can imagine my
surprise when I found that there was no one there。 I shouted in the
hall。 There was no answer。 Then I ran from room to room。 All were
deserted。 My host had shown me which was his bedroom the night before；
so I knocked at the door。 No reply。 I turned the handle and walked in。
The room was empty； and the bed had never been slept in。 He had gone
with the rest。 The foreign host； the foreign footman； the foreign
cook； all had vanished in the night！ That was the end of my visit to
Wisteria Lodge。〃
Sherlock Holmes was rubbing his hands and chuckling as he added this
bizarre incident to his collection of strange episodes。
〃Your experience is； so far as I know； perfectly unique！〃 said he。
〃May I ask； sir； what you did then？〃
〃I was furious。 My first idea was that I had been the victim of some
absurd practical joke。 I packed my things； banged the hall door behind
me； and set off for Esher； with my bag in my hand。 I called at Allan
Brothers'； the chief land agents in the village； and found that it was
from this firm that the villa had been rented。 It struck me that the
whole proceeding could hardly be for the purpose of making a fool of
me； and that the main object must be to get out of the rent。 It is
late in March； so quarter…day is at hand。 But this theory would not
work。 The agent was obliged to me for my warning； but told me that the
rent had been paid in advance。 Then I made my way to town and called
at the Spanish embassy。 The man was unknown there。 After this I went
to see Melville； at whose house I had first met Garcia； but I found
that he really knew rather less about him than I did。 Finally when I
got your reply to my wire I came out to you； since I gather that you
are a person who gives advice in difficult cases。 But now； Mr。
Inspector； I understand； from what you said when you entered the room；
that you can carry the story on； and that some tragedy has occurred。 I
can assure you that every word I have said is the truth； and that
outside of what I have told you； I know absolutely nothing about the
fate of this man。 My only desire is to help the law in every
possible way。〃
〃I am sure of it Mr。 Scott Eccles… I am sure of it；〃 said
Inspector Gregson in a very amiable tone。 〃I am bound to say that
everything which you have said agrees very closely with the facts as
they have come to our notice。 For example； there was that note which
arrived during dinner。 Did you chance to observe what became of it？〃
〃Yes； I did。 Garcia rolled it up and threw it into the fire。〃
〃What do you say to that； Mr。 Baynes？〃
The country detective was a stout； puffy； red man； whose face was
only redeemed from grossness by two extraordinarily bright eyes；
almost hidden behind the heavy creases of cheek and brow。 With a
slow smile he drew a folded and discoloured scrap of paper from his
pocket。
〃It was a dog…grate； Mr。 Holmes； and he overpitched it。 I picked
this out unburned from the back of it。〃
Holmes smiled his appreciation。
〃You must have examined the house very carefully to find a single
pellet of paper。〃
〃I did； Mr。 Holmes。 It's my way。 Shall I read it； Mr。 Gregson？〃
The Londoner nodded。
〃The note is written upon ordinary cream…laid paper without
watermark。 It is a quarter…sheet。 The paper is cut off in two snips
with a short…bladed scissors。 It has been folded over three times
and sealed with purple wax； put on hurriedly and pressed down with
some flat oval object。 It is addressed to Mr。 Garcia； Wisteria
Lodge。 It says：
〃Our own colours； green and white。 Green open； white shut。 Main
stair； first corridor； seventh right； green baize。 Godspeed。 D。
It is a woman's writing； done with a sharp…pointed pen； but the
address is either done with another pen or by someone else。 It is
thicker and bolder； as you see。〃
〃A very remarkable note；〃 said Holmes； glancing it over。 〃I must
compliment you； Mr。 Baynes； upon your attention to detail in your
examination of it。 A few trifling points might perhaps be added。 The
oval seal is undoubtedly a plain sleeve…link… what else is of such a
shape？ The scissors were bent nail scissors。 Short as the two snips
are； you can distinctly see the same slight curve in each。〃
The country detective chuckled。
〃I thought I had squeezed all the juice out of it； but I see there
was a little over；〃 he said。 〃I'm bound to say that I make nothing
of the note except that there was something on hand； and that a woman；
as usual； was at the bottom of it。〃
Mr。 Scott Eccles had fidgeted in his seat during this conversation。
〃I am glad you found the note； since it corroborates my story；〃 said
he。 〃But I beg to point out that I have not yet heard what has
happened to Mr。 Garcia； nor what has become of his household。〃
〃As to Garcia；〃 said Gregson； 〃that is easily answered。 He was found
dead this morning upon Oxshott Common； nearly a mile from his home。
His head had been smashed to pulp by heavy blows of a sandbag or
some such instrument； which had crushed rather than wounded。 It is a
lonely corner； and there is no house within a quarter of a mile of the
spot。 He had apparently been struck down first from behind； but his
assailant had gone on beating him long after he was dead。 It was a
most furious assault。 There are no footsteps nor any clue to the
criminals。〃
〃Robbed？〃
〃No； there was no attempt at robbery。〃
〃This is very painful… very painful and terrible；〃 said Mr。 Scott
Eccles in a querulous voice； 〃but it is really uncommonly hard upon
me。 I had nothing to do with my host going off upon a nocturnal
excursion and meeting so sad an end。 How do I come to be mixed up with
the case？〃
〃Very simply； sir；〃 Inspector Baynes answered。 〃The only document
found in the pocket of the deceased was a letter from you saying
that you would be with him on the night of his death。 It was the
envelope of this letter which gave us the dead man's name and address。
It was after nine this morning when we reached his house and found
neither you nor anyone else inside it。 I wired to Mr。 Gregson to run
you down in London while I examined Wisteria Lodge。 Then I came into
town； joined Mr。 Gregson； and here we are。〃
〃I think now；〃 said Gregson； rising； 〃we had best put this matter
into an official shape。 You will come round with us to the station；
Mr。 Scott Eccles； and let us have your statement in writing。〃
〃Certainly； I will come at once。 But I retain your services； Mr。
Holmes。 I desire you to spare no expense and no pains to get at the
truth。〃
My friend turned to the country inspector。
〃I suppose that you have no objection to my collaborating with
you； Mr。 Baynes？〃
〃Highly honoured； sir； I am sure。〃
〃You appear to have been very prompt and business…like in all that
you have done。 Was there any clue； may I as