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the news to his wife; I did what I could to relieve his pain。 We

were all assembled round him when the door opened and a tall; gaunt

woman entered the room。

  〃Mrs。 Toller!〃 cried Miss Hunter。

  〃Yes; miss。 Mr。 Rucastle let me out when he came back before he went

up to you。 Ah; miss; it is a pity you didn't let me know what you were

planning; for I would have told you that your pains were wasted。〃

  〃Ha!〃 said Holmes; looking keenly at her。 〃It is clear that Mrs。

Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else。〃

  〃Yes; sir; I do; and I am ready enough to tell what I know。〃

  〃Then; pray; sit down; and let us hear it; for there are several

points on which I must confess that I am still in the dark。〃

  〃I will soon make it clear to you;〃 said she; 〃and I'd have done

so before now if I could ha' got out from the cellar。 If there's

police…court business over this; you'll remember that I was the one

that stood your friend; and that I was Miss Alice's friend too。

  〃She was never happy at home; Miss Alice wasn't; from the time

that her father married again。 She was slighted like and had no say in

anything; but it never really became bad for her until after she met

Mr。 Fowler at a friend's house。 As well as I could learn; Miss Alice

had rights of her own by will; but she was so quiet and patient; she

was; that she never said a word about them; but just left everything

in Mr。 Rucastle's hands。 He knew he was safe with her; but when

there was a chance of a husband coming forward; who would ask for

all that the law would give him; then her father thought it time to

put a stop on it。 He wanted her to sign a paper; so that whether she

married or not; he could use her money。 When she wouldn't do it; he

kept on worrying her until she got brain…fever; and for six weeks

was at death's door。 Then she got better at last; all worn to a

shadow; and with her beautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no

change in her young man; and he stuck to her as true as man could be。〃

  〃Ah;〃 said Holmes; 〃I think that what you have been good enough to

tell us makes the matter fairly clear; and that I can deduce all

that remains。 Mr。 Rucastle then; I presume; took to this system of

imprisonment?〃

  〃Yes; sir。〃

  〃And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of the

disagreeable persistence of Mr。 Fowler。〃

  〃That was it; sir。〃

  〃But Mr。 Fowler being a persevering man; as a good seaman should be;

blockaded the house; and having met you succeeded by certain

arguments; metallic or otherwise; in convincing you that your

interests were the same as his。〃

  〃Mr。 Fowler was a very kind…spoken; free…handed gentleman;〃 said

Mrs。 Toller serenely。

  〃And in this way he managed that your good man should have no want

of drink; and that a ladder should be ready at the moment when your

master had gone out。〃

  〃You have it; sir; just as it happened。〃

  〃I am sure we owe you an apology; Mrs。 Toller;〃 said Holmes; 〃for

you have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us。 And here

comes the country surgeon and Mrs。 Rucastle; so I think; Watson;

that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester; as it seems to

me that our locus standi now is rather a questionable one。〃

  And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the

copper beeches in front of the door。 Mr。 Rucastle survived; but was

always a broken man; kept alive solely through the care of his devoted

wife。 They still live with their old servants; who probably know so

much of Rucastle's past life that he finds it difficult to part from

them。 Mr。 Fowler and Miss Rucastle were married; by special license;

in Southampton the day after their flight; and he is now the holder of

a government appointment in the island of Mauritius。 As to Miss Violet

Hunter; my friend Holmes; rather to my disappointment; manifested no

further interest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of

one of his problems; and she is now the head of a private school at

Walsall; where I believe that she has met with considerable success。

                                    THE END




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