the　cabman　got　down　from　the　box　and　looked　there　was　no　one
  there！　　The　cabman　said　that　he　could　not　imagine　what　had　become
  of　him；　for　he　had　seen　him　get　in　with　his　own　eyes。　　That　was
  last　Friday；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　I　have　never　seen　or　heard　anything
  since　then　to　throw　any　light　upon　what　became　of　him。〃
  〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　have　been　very　shamefully　treated；〃
  said　Holmes。
  〃Oh；　no；　sir！　　He　was　too　good　and　kind　to　leave　me　so。　　Why；
  all　the　morning　he　was　saying　to　me　that；　whatever　happened；　I　was
  to　be　true；　and　that　even　if　something　quite　unforeseen　occurred
  to　separate　us；　I　was　always　to　remember　that　I　was　pledged　to
  him；　and　that　he　would　claim　his　pledge　sooner　or　later。　　It
  seemed　strange　talk　for　a　wedding…morning；　but　what　has　happened
  since　gives　a　meaning　to　it。〃
  〃Most　certainly　it　does。　　Your　own　opinion　is；　then；　that　some
  unforeseen　catastrophe　has　occurred　to　him？〃
  〃Yes；　sir。　　I　believe　that　he　foresaw　some　danger；　or　else　he
  would　not　have　talked　so。　　And　then　I　think　that　what　he　foresaw
  happened。〃
  〃But　you　have　no　notion　as　to　what　it　could　have　been？〃
  〃None。〃
  〃One　more　question。　　How　did　your　mother　take　the　matter？〃
  〃She　was　angry；　and　said　that　I　was　never　to　speak　of　the
  matter　again。〃
  〃And　your　father？　　Did　you　tell　him？〃
  〃Yes；　and　he　seemed　to　think；　with　me；　that　something　had
  happened；　and　that　I　should　hear　of　Hosmer　again。　　As　he　said；
  what　interest　could　anyone　have　in　bringing　me　to　the　doors　of　the
  church；　and　then　leaving　me？　　Now；　if　he　had　borrowed　my　money；　or
  if　he　had　married　me　and　got　my　money　settled　on　him；　there　might
  be　some　reason；　but　Hosmer　was　very　independent　about　money　and
  never　would　look　at　a　shilling　of　mine。　　And　yet；　what　could　have
  happened？　　And　why　could　he　not　write？　　Oh；　it　drives　me　half…mad
  to　think　of　it；　and　I　can't　sleep　a　wink　at　night。〃　　She　pulled　a
  little　handkerchief　out　of　her　muff　and　began　to　sob　heavily　into
  it。
  〃I　shall　glance　into　the　case　for　you；〃　said　Holmes；　rising；
  〃and　I　have　no　doubt　that　we　shall　reach　some　definite　result。
  Let　the　weight　of　the　matter　rest　upon　me　now；　and　do　not　let　your
  mind　dwell　upon　it　further。　　Above　all；　try　to　let　Mr。　Hosmer
  Angel　vanish　from　your　memory；　as　he　has　done　from　your　life。〃
  〃Then　you　don't　think　I'll　see　him　again？〃
  〃I　fear　not。〃
  〃Then　what　has　happened　to　him？〃
  〃You　will　leave　that　question　in　my　hands。　　I　should　like　an
  accurate　description　of　him　and　any　letters　of　his　which　you　can
  spare。〃
  〃I　advertised　for　him　in　last　Saturday's　Chronicle；〃　said　she。
  〃Here　is　the　slip　and　here　are　four　letters　from　him。〃
  〃Thank　you。　　And　your　address？〃
  〃No。　31　Lyon　Place；　Camberwell。〃
  〃Mr。　Angel's　address　you　never　had；　I　understand。　　Where　is
  your　father's　place　of　business？〃
  〃He　travels　for　Westhouse　&　Marbank；　the　great　claret
  importers　of　Fenchurch　Street。〃
  〃Thank　you。　　You　have　made　your　statement　very　clearly。　　You
  will　leave　the　papers　here；　and　remember　the　advice　which　I　have
  given　you。　　Let　the　whole　incident　be　a　sealed　book；　and　do　not
  allow　it　to　affect　your　life。〃
  〃You　are　very　kind；　Mr。　Holmes；　but　I　cannot　do　that。　　I　shall
  be　true　to　Hosmer。　　He　shall　find　me　ready　when　he　comes　back。〃
  For　all　the　preposterous　hat　and　the　vacuous　face；　there　was
  something　noble　in　the　simple　faith　of　our　visitor　which　compelled
  our　respect。　　She　laid　her　little　bundle　of　papers　upon　the　table
  and　went　her　way；　with　a　promise　to　come　again　whenever　she　might
  be　summoned。
  Sherlock　Holmes　sat　silent　for　a　few　minutes　with　his
  finger…tips　still　pressed　together；　his　legs　stretched　out　in
  front　of　him；　and　his　gaze　directed　upward　to　the　ceiling。　　Then
  he　took　down　from　the　rack　the　old　and　oily　clay　pipe；　which　was
  to　him　as　a　counsellor；　and；　having　lit　it；　he　leaned　back　in　his
  chair；　with　the　thick　blue　cloud…wreaths　spinning　up　from　him；　and
  a　look　of　infinite　languor　in　his　face。
  〃Quite　an　interesting　study；　that　maiden；〃　he　observed。　　〃I
  found　her　more　interesting　than　her　little　problem；　which；　by　the
  way；　is　rather　a　trite　one。　　You　will　find　parallel　cases；　if　you
  consult　my　index；　in　Andover　in　‘77；　and　there　was　something　of
  the　sort　at　The　Hague　last　year。　　Old　as　is　the　idea；　however；
  there　were　one　or　two　details　which　were　new　to　me。　　But　the
  maiden　herself　was　most　instructive。〃
  〃You　appeared　to　read　a　good　deal　upon　her　which　was　quite
  invisible　to　me；〃　I　remarked。
  〃Not　invisible　but　unnoticed；　Watson。　　You　did　not　know　where
  to　look；　and　so　you　missed　all　that　was　important。　　I　can　never
  bring　you　to　realize　the　importance　of　sleeves；　the　suggestiveness
  of　thumails；　or　the　great　issues　that　may　hang　from　a　boot…lace。
  Now；　what　did　you　gather　from　that　woman's　appearance？　　Describe
  it。〃
  〃Well；　she　had　a　slate…coloured；　broad…brimmed　straw　hat；　with
  a　feather　of　a　brickish　red。　　Her　jacket　was　black；　with　black
  beads　sewn　upon　it；　and　a　fringe　of　little　black　jet　ornaments。
  Her　dress　was　brown；　rather　darker　than　coffee　colour；　with　a
  little　purple　plush　at　the　neck　and　sleeves。　　Her　gloves　were
  grayish　and　were　worn　through　at　the　right　forefinger。　　Her　boots
  I　didn't　observe。　　She　had　small　round；　hanging　gold　earrings；　and
  a　general　air　of　being　fairly　well…to…do　in　a　vulgar；　comfortable；
  easy…going　way。〃
  Sherlock　Holmes　clapped　his　hands　softly　together　and
  chuckled。
  〃'Pon　my　word；　Watson；　you　are　coming　along　wonderfully。　　You
  have　really　done　very　well　indeed。　　It　is　true　that　you　have
  missed　everything　of　importance；　but　you　have　hit　upon　the　method；
  and　you　have　a　quick　eye　for　colour。　　Never　trust　to　general
  impressions；　my　boy；　but　concentrate　yourself　upon　details。　　My
  first　glance　is　always　at　a　woman's　sleeve。　　In　a　man　it　is
  perhaps　better　first　to　take　the　knee　of　the　trouser。　　As　you
  observe；　this　woman　had　plush　upon　her　sleeves；　which　is　a　most
  useful　material　for　showing　traces。　　The　double　line　a　little
  above　the　wrist；　where　the　typewritist　presses　against　the　table；
  was　beautifully　defined。　　The　sewing…machine；　of　the　hand　type；
  leaves　a　similar　mark；　but　only　on　the　left　arm；　and　on　the　side
  of　it　farthest　from　the　thumb；　instead　of　being　right　across　the
  broadest　part；　as　this　was。　　I　then　glanced　at　her　face；　and；
  observing　the　dint　of　a　pince…nez　at　either　side　of　her　nose；　I
  ventured　a　remark　upon　short　sight　and　typewriting；　which　seemed
  to　surprise　her。〃
  〃It　surprised　me。〃
  〃But；　surely；　it　was　obvious。　　I　was　then　much　surprised　and
  interested　on　glancing　down　to　observe　that；　though　the　boots
  which　she　was　wearing　were　not　unlike　each　other；　they　were　really
  odd　ones；　the　one　having　a　slightly　decorated　toe…cap；　and　the
  other　a　plain　one。　　One　was　buttoned　only　in　the　two　lower　buttons
  out　of　five；　and　the　other　at　the　first；　third；　and　fifth。　　Now；
  when　you　see　that　a　young　lady；　otherwise　neatly　dressed；　has　come
  away　from　home　with　odd　boots；　half…buttoned；　it　is　no　great
  deduction　to　say　that　she　came　away　in　a　hurry。〃
  〃And　what　else？〃　I　asked；　keenly　interested；　as　I　always　was；
  by　my　friend's　incisive　reasoning。
  〃I　noted；　in　passing；　that　she　had　written　a　note　before
  leaving　home　but　after　being　fully　dressed。　　You　observed　that　her
  right　glove　was　torn　at　the　forefinger；　but　you　did　not　apparently
  see　that　both　glove　and　finger　were　stained　with　violet　ink。　　She
  had　written　in　a　hurry　and　dipped　her　pen　too　deep。　　It　must　have
  been　this　morning；　or　the　mark　would　not　remain　clear　upon　the
  finger。　　All　this　is　amusing；　though　rather　elementary；　but　I　must
  go　back　to　business；　Watson。　　Would　you　mind　reading　me　the
  advertised　description　of　Mr。　Hosmer　Angel？〃
  I　held　the　little　printed　slip　to　the　light。
  〃Missing　＇it　said＇　on　the　morning　of　the　fourteenth；　a
  gentleman　named　Hosmer　Angel。　　About　five　feet　seven　inches　in
  height；　stro