ts 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 become difficult

owing to the fact that my employer has proposed marriage to

me. i am convinced that his feelings are most deep and

most honourable. at the same time my promise is, of

course, given. he took my refusal very seriously, but also

very gently. you can understand, however, that the

situation is a little strained."

"our young friend seems to be getting into deep waters,"

said holmes, thoughtfully, as he finished the letter. "the

case certainly presents more features of interest and more

possibility of development than i had originally thought.

i should be none the worse for a quiet, peaceful day in the

country, and i am inclined to run down this afternoon and

test one or two theories which i have formed."

holmes's quiet day in the country had a singular

termination, for he arrived at baker street late in the

evening with a cut lip and a discoloured lump upon his

forehead, besides a general air of dissipation which would

have made his own person the fitting object of a scotland

yard investigation. he was immensely tickled by his own

adventures, and laughed heartily as he recounted them.

"i get so little active exercise that it is always a

treat," said he. "you are aware that i have some

proficiency in the good old british sport of boxing.

occasionally it is of service. to-day, for example,

i should have come to very ignominious grief without it."

i begged him to tell me what had occurred.

"i found that country pub which i had already recommended

to your notice, and there i made my discreet inquiries.

i was in the bar, and a garrulous landlord was giving me all

that i wanted. williamson is a white-bearded man, and he

lives alone with a small staff of servants at the hall.

there is some rumour that he is or has been a clergyman;

but one or two incidents of his short residence at the hall

struck me as peculiarly unecclesiastical. i have already

made some inquiries at a clerical agency, and they tell me

that there _was_ a man of that name in orders whose career

has been a singularly dark one. the landlord further

informed me that there are usually week-end visitors --

'a warm lot, sir' -- at the hall, and especially one gentleman

with a red moustache, mr. woodley by name, who was always

there. we had got as far as this when who should walk in

but the gentleman himself, who had been drinking his beer

in the tap-room and had heard the whole conversation.

who was i? what did i want? what did i mean by asking

questions? he had a fine flow of language, and his

adjectives were very vigorous. he ended a string of abuse

by a vicious back-hander which i failed to entirely avoid.

the next few minutes were delicious. it was a straight

left against a slogging ruffian. i emerged as you see me.

mr. woodley went home in a cart. so ended my country trip,

and it must be confessed that, however enjoyable, my day on

the surrey border has not been much more profitable than

your own."

the thursday brought us another letter from our client.

"you will not be surprised, mr. holmes," said she, "to hear

that i am leaving mr. carruthers's employment. even the

high pay cannot reconcile me to the discomforts of my

situation. on saturday i come up to town and i do not

intend to return. mr. carruthers has got a trap, and so

the dangers of the lonely road, if there ever were any

dangers, are now over.

"as to the special cause of my leaving, it is not merely

the strained situation with mr. carruthers, but it is the

reappearance of that odious man, mr. woodley. he was

always hideous, but he looks more awful than ever now,

for he appears to have had an accident and he is much

disfigured. i saw him out of the window, but i am glad

to say i did not meet him. he had a long talk with mr.

carruthers, who seemed much excited afterwards. woodley

must be staying in the neighbourhood, for he did not sleep

here, and yet i caught a glimpse of him again this morning

slinking about in the shrubbery. i would sooner have a

savage wild animal loose about the place. i loathe and

fear him more than i can say. how _can_ mr. carruthers

endure such a creature for a moment? however, all my

troubles will be over on saturday."

"so i trust, watson; so i trust," said holmes, gravely.

"there is some deep intrigue going on round that little

woman, and it is our duty to see that no one molests her

upon that last journey. i think, watson, that we must

spare time to run down together on saturday morning, and

make sure that this curious and inconclusive investigation

has no untoward ending."

i confess that i had not up to now taken a very serious

view of the case, which had seemed to