thought of some buried valuable. But why, in that case, should they want your furniture? You don't happen to have a Raphael or a first folio Shakespeare without knowing it?"
"No, I don't think I have anything rarer than a Crown Derby tea-set."
"That would hardly justify all this mystery. Besides, why should they not openly state what they want? If they covet your tea-set, they can surely offer a price for it without buying you out, lock, stock, and barrel. No, as I read it, there is something which you do not know that you have, and which you would not give up if you did know."
"That is how I read it," said I.
"Dr. Watson agrees, so that settles it."
"Well, Mr. Holmes, what can it be?"
"Let us see whether by this purely mental analysis we can get it to a finer point. You have been in this house a year."
"Nearly two."
"All the better. During this long period no one wants anything from you. Now suddenly within three or four days you have urgent demands. What would you gather from that?"
"It can only mean," said I, "that the object, whatever it may be, has only just come into the house."
"Settled once again," said Holmes. "Now, Mrs. Maberley, has any object just arrived?"
"No, I have bought nothing new this year."
"Indeed! That is very remarkable. Well, I think we had best let matters develop a little further until we have clearer data. Is that lawyer of yours a capable man?"
"Mr. Sutro is most capable."
"Have you another maid, or was Susan your only servant?"
"I have a young girl."
Holmes frowned. "Try and get Sutro to spend a night or two in the house. You might possibly want protection."
"Against whom?"
"Who knows? The matter is certainly obscure. If I can't find what they are after, I must approach the matter from the other end and try to get at the principal. Did this house-agent man give any address?"
"Simply his card and occupation. Haines-Johnson, Auctioneer and Valuer."
"I don't think we shall find him in the directory. Honest business men don't conceal their place of business. Well, you will let me know any fresh development. I have taken up your case, and you may rely upon it that I shall see it through."
Holmes's voice sounded oddly serious, as though he were making a solemn vow, and I mused on it as we left the house. As we passed through the hall Holmes's eyes, which missed nothing, lighted upon several trunks and cases, which were piled in a corner. The labels shone out upon them.
" 'Milano.' 'Lucerne.' These are from Italy."
"They are poor Douglas's things."
"You have not unpacked them? How long have you had them?"
"They arrived last week."
"But you said – why, surely this might be the missing link. How do we know that there is not something of value there?"
"There could not possibly be, Mr. Holmes. Poor Douglas had only his pay and a small annuity. What could he have of value?"
Holmes was lost in thought.
"Delay no longer, Mrs. Maberley," he said at last. "Have these things taken upstairs to your bedroom. Examine them as soon as possible and see what they contain. I will come tomorrow and hear your report."
We set off back to the station on foot, and while we walked I examined Holmes as he gazed unseeingly at the winter landscape. Eventually he stirred and spoke, his breath making great plumes in the frosty air.
"We have the housemaid, Susan, to thank for our visitor this morning."
"Oh?" I asked, encouragingly.
"Yes. Mrs. Maberley sends Susan with her letters to the post-box, that much I learned while you were distracted. When she knew that her mistress was writing to me she alerted Barney Stockdale, a villain I have had my eye on for some time, and he sent our guest this morning. But as for who is behind it all, that I cannot yet tell. All Susan would divulge, however involuntarily, was that it was a woman. Someone wants us out of this affair very badly, Watson."
"I agree," I replied, watching him closely. I did not suppose that he would bring up the topic of Douglas Maberley
"No, I don't think I have anything rarer than a Crown Derby tea-set."
"That would hardly justify all this mystery. Besides, why should they not openly state what they want? If they covet your tea-set, they can surely offer a price for it without buying you out, lock, stock, and barrel. No, as I read it, there is something which you do not know that you have, and which you would not give up if you did know."
"That is how I read it," said I.
"Dr. Watson agrees, so that settles it."
"Well, Mr. Holmes, what can it be?"
"Let us see whether by this purely mental analysis we can get it to a finer point. You have been in this house a year."
"Nearly two."
"All the better. During this long period no one wants anything from you. Now suddenly within three or four days you have urgent demands. What would you gather from that?"
"It can only mean," said I, "that the object, whatever it may be, has only just come into the house."
"Settled once again," said Holmes. "Now, Mrs. Maberley, has any object just arrived?"
"No, I have bought nothing new this year."
"Indeed! That is very remarkable. Well, I think we had best let matters develop a little further until we have clearer data. Is that lawyer of yours a capable man?"
"Mr. Sutro is most capable."
"Have you another maid, or was Susan your only servant?"
"I have a young girl."
Holmes frowned. "Try and get Sutro to spend a night or two in the house. You might possibly want protection."
"Against whom?"
"Who knows? The matter is certainly obscure. If I can't find what they are after, I must approach the matter from the other end and try to get at the principal. Did this house-agent man give any address?"
"Simply his card and occupation. Haines-Johnson, Auctioneer and Valuer."
"I don't think we shall find him in the directory. Honest business men don't conceal their place of business. Well, you will let me know any fresh development. I have taken up your case, and you may rely upon it that I shall see it through."
Holmes's voice sounded oddly serious, as though he were making a solemn vow, and I mused on it as we left the house. As we passed through the hall Holmes's eyes, which missed nothing, lighted upon several trunks and cases, which were piled in a corner. The labels shone out upon them.
" 'Milano.' 'Lucerne.' These are from Italy."
"They are poor Douglas's things."
"You have not unpacked them? How long have you had them?"
"They arrived last week."
"But you said – why, surely this might be the missing link. How do we know that there is not something of value there?"
"There could not possibly be, Mr. Holmes. Poor Douglas had only his pay and a small annuity. What could he have of value?"
Holmes was lost in thought.
"Delay no longer, Mrs. Maberley," he said at last. "Have these things taken upstairs to your bedroom. Examine them as soon as possible and see what they contain. I will come tomorrow and hear your report."
We set off back to the station on foot, and while we walked I examined Holmes as he gazed unseeingly at the winter landscape. Eventually he stirred and spoke, his breath making great plumes in the frosty air.
"We have the housemaid, Susan, to thank for our visitor this morning."
"Oh?" I asked, encouragingly.
"Yes. Mrs. Maberley sends Susan with her letters to the post-box, that much I learned while you were distracted. When she knew that her mistress was writing to me she alerted Barney Stockdale, a villain I have had my eye on for some time, and he sent our guest this morning. But as for who is behind it all, that I cannot yet tell. All Susan would divulge, however involuntarily, was that it was a woman. Someone wants us out of this affair very badly, Watson."
"I agree," I replied, watching him closely. I did not suppose that he would bring up the topic of Douglas Maberley
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