Holmes strolled round the house with his hands in his pocketsand a negligent air which was unusual with him.
“By the way,” said he to Joseph Harrison, “you found some place,I understand, where the fellow scaled the fence. Let us have a lookat that!”
The plump young man led us to a spot where the top of one ofthe wooden rails had been cracked. A small fragment of the woodwas hanging down. Holmes pulled it off and examined it critically.
“Do you think that was done last night? It looks rather old, doesit not?”
“Well, possibly so.”
“There are no marks of any one jumping down upon the otherside. No, I fancy we shall get no help here. Let us go back to thebedroom and talk the matter over.”
Percy Phelps was walking very slowly, leaning upon the arm ofhis future brother-in-law. Holmes walked swiftly across the lawn,and we were at the open window of the bedroom long before theothers came up.
“Miss Harrison,” said Holmes, speaking with the utmostintensity of manner, “you must stay where you are all day. Letnothing prevent you from staying where you are all day. It is of theutmost importance.”
“Certainly, if you wish it, Mr. Holmes,” said the girl inastonishment.
“When you go to bed lock the door of this room on the outsideand keep the key. Promise to do this.”
“But Percy?”
“He will come to London with us.”
“And am I to remain here?”
“It is for his sake. You can serve him. Quick! Promise!”
She gave a quick nod of assent just as the other two came up.
“Why do you sit moping there, Annie?” cried her brother. “Comeout into the sunshine!”
“No, thank you, Joseph. I have a slight headache and this roomis deliciously cool and soothing.”
“What do you propose now, Mr. Holmes?” asked our client.
“Well, in investigating this minor affair we must not lose sight ofour main inquiry. It would be a very great help to me if you wouldcome up to London with us.”
“At once?”
“Well, as soon as you conveniently can. Say in an hour.”
“I feel quite strong enough, if I can really be of any help.”
“The greatest possible.”
“Perhaps you would like me to stay there to-night?”
“I was just going to propose it.”
“Then, if my friend of the night comes to revisit me, he willfind the bird flown. We are all in your hands, Mr. Holmes, and youmust tell us exactly what you would like done. Perhaps you wouldprefer that Joseph came with us so as to look after me?”
“Oh, no, my friend Watson is a medical man, you know, and he’lllook after you. We’ll have our lunch here, if you will permit us, andthen we shall all three set off for town together.”
It was arranged as he suggested, though Miss Harrison excusedherself from leaving the bedroom, in accordance with Holmes’ssuggestion. What the object of my friend’s manoeuvres was Icould not conceive, unless it were to keep the lady away fromPhelps, who, rejoiced by his returning health and by the prospectof action, lunched with us in the dining-room. Holmes had a stillmore startling surprise for us, however, for, after accompanyingus down to the station and seeing us into our carriage, he calmlyannounced that he had no intention of leaving Woking.
“There are one or two small points which I should desire toclear up before I go,” said he. “Your absence, Mr. Phelps, will insome ways rather assist me. Watson, when you reach London youwould oblige me by driving at once to Baker Street with our friendhere, and remaining with him until I see you again. It is fortunatethat you are old school-fellows, as you must have much to talkover. Mr. Phelps can have the spare bedroom to-night, and I willbe with you in time for breakfast, for there is a train which willtake me into Waterloo at eight.”
“But how about our investigation in London?” asked Phelps,ruefully.
“We can do that to-morrow. I think that just at present I can beof more immediate use here.”
“You might tell them at Briarbrae that I hope to be back tomorrownight,” cried Phelps, as we began to move from the platform.
“I hardly expect to go back to Briarbrae,” answered Holmes, andwaved his hand to us cheerily as we shot out from the station.
Phelps and I talked it over on our journey, but neither of uscould devise a satisfactory reason for this new development.
“I suppose he wants to find out some clue as to the burglarylast night, if a burglar it was. For myself, I don’t believe it was anordinary thief.”
“What is your own idea, then?”
“Upon my word, you may put it down to my weak nerves or not,but I believe there is some deep political intrigue going on aroundme, and that for some reason that passes my understanding my lifeis aimed at by the conspirators. It sounds high-flown and absurd,but consider the facts! Why should a thief try to break in at abedroom window, where there could be no hope of any plunder,and why should he come with a long knife in his hand?”
“You are sure it was not a house-breaker’s jimmy?”
“Oh, no, it was a knife. I saw the flash of the blade quitedistinctly.”
“But why on earth should you be pursued with such animosity?”
“Ah, that is the question.”
“Well, if Holmes takes the same view, that would account forhis action, would it not? Presuming that your theory is correct, ifhe can lay his hands upon the man who threatened you last nighthe will have gone a long way towards finding who took the navaltreaty. It is absurd to suppose that you have two enemies, one ofwhom robs you, while the other threatens your life.”
“But Holmes said that he was not going to Briarbrae.”
“I have known him for some time,” said I, “but I never knewhim do anything yet without a very good reason,” and with thatour conversation drifted off on to other topics.
But it was a weary day for me. Phelps was still weak after hislong illness, and his misfortune made him querulous and nervous.
