"It is a little cold for the time of the year," said Holmes.
"What has she been saying to you?" screamed the old manfuriously.
"But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued mycompanion imperturbably.
"Ha! You put me off, do you?" said our new visitor, taking a stepforward and shaking his hunting-crop. "I know you, you scoundrel!I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler."
My friend smiled.
"Holmes, the busybody!"
His smile broadened.
"Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!"
Holmes chuckled heartily. "Your conversation is mostentertaining," said he. "When you go out close the door, forthere is a decided draught."
"I will go when I have said my say. Don't you dare to meddle withmy affairs. I know that Miss Stoner has been here. I traced her!I am a dangerous man to fall foul of! See here." He steppedswiftly forward, seized the poker, and bent it into a curve withhis huge brown hands.
"See that you keep yourself out of my grip," he snarled, andhurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of theroom.
"He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I amnot quite so bulky, but if he had remained I might have shown himthat my grip was not much more feeble than his own." As he spokehe picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort,straighten
ed it out again.
"Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the officialdetective force! This incident gives zest to our investigation,however, and I only trust that our little friend will not sufferfrom her imprudence in allowing this brute to trace her. And now,Watson, we shall order breakfast, and afterwards I shall walkdown to Doctors' Commons, where I hope to get some data which mayhelp us in this matter."
It was nearly one o'clock when Sherlock Holmes returned from hisexcursion. He held in his hand a sheet of blue paper, scrawledover with notes and figures.
"I have seen the will of the deceased wife," said he. "Todetermine its exact meaning I have been obliged to work out thepresent prices of the investments with which it is concerned. Thetotal income, which at the time of the wife's death was littleshort of 1100 pounds, is now, through the fall in agriculturalprices, not more than 750 pounds. Each daughter can claim anincome of 250 pounds, in case of marriage. It is evident,therefore, that if both girls had married, this beauty would havehad a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him toa very serious extent. My morning's work has not been wasted,since it has proved that he has the very strongest motives forstanding in the way of anything of the sort. And now, Watson,this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man isaware that we are interesting ourselves in his affairs; so if youare ready, we shall call a cab and drive to Waterloo. I should bevery much obliged if you would slip your revolver into yourpocket. An Eley's No. 2 is an excellent argument with gentlemenwho can twist steel pokers into knots. That and a tooth-brushare, I think, all that we need."
At Waterloo we were fortunate in catching a train forLeatherhead, where we hired a trap at the station inn and drovefor four or five miles through the lovely Surrey lanes. It was aperfect day, with a bright sun and a few fleecy clouds in theheavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing outtheir first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasantsmell of the moist earth. To me at least there was a strangecontrast between the sweet promise of the spring and thissinister quest upon which we were engaged. My companion sat inthe front of the trap, his arms folded, his hat pulled down overhis eyes, and his chin sunk upon his breast, buried in thedeepest thought. Suddenly, however, he started, tapped me on theshoulder, and pointed over the meadows.
"Look there!" said he.
A heavily timbered park stretched up in a gentle slope,thickening into a grove at the highest point. From amid thebranches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of avery old mansion.
"Stoke Moran?" said he.
"Yes, sir, that be the house of Dr. Grimesby Roylott," remarkedthe driver.
"There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that iswhere we are going."
"There's the village," said the driver, pointing to a cluster ofroofs some distance to the left; "but if you want to get to thehouse, you'll find it shorter to get over this stile, and so bythe foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady iswalking."
"And the lady, I fancy, is Miss Stoner," observed Holmes, shadinghis eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest."
We got off, paid our fare, and the trap rattled back on its wayto Leatherhead.
"I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile,"that this fellow should think we had come here as architects, oron some definite business. It may stop his gossip.Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good asour word."
Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with aface which spoke her joy. "I have been waiting so eagerly foryou," she cried, shaking hands with us warmly. "All has turnedout splendidly. Dr. Roylott has gone to town, and it is unlikelythat he will be back before evening."
"We have had the pleasure of making the doctor's acquaintance,"said Holmes, and in a few words he sketched out what hadoccurred. Miss Stoner turned white to the lips as she listened.
"Good heavens!" she cried, "he has followed me, then."
"So it appears."