〃Any　news？〃　he　asked；　eagerly。
  〃My　report；　as　I　expected；　is　a　negative　one；〃　said
  Holmes。　　〃I　have　seen　Forbes；　and　I　have　seen　your
  uncle；　and　I　have　set　one　or　two　trains　of　inquiry
  upon　foot　which　may　lead　to　something。〃
  〃You　have　not　lost　heart；　then？〃
  〃By　no　means。〃
  〃God　bless　you　for　saying　that！〃　cried　Miss　Harrison。
  〃If　we　keep　our　courage　and　our　patience　the　truth
  must　come　out。〃
  〃We　have　more　to　tell　you　than　you　have　for　us；〃　said
  Phelps；　reseating　himself　upon　the　couch。
  〃I　hoped　you　might　have　something。〃
  〃Yes；　we　have　had　an　adventure　during　the　night；　and
  one　which　might　have　proved　to　be　a　serious　one。〃　　His
  expression　grew　very　grave　as　he　spoke；　and　a　look　of
  something　akin　to　fear　sprang　up　in　his　eyes。　　〃Do　you
  know；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　begin　to　believe　that　I　am　the
  unconscious　centre　of　some　monstrous　conspiracy；　and
  that　my　life　is　aimed　at　as　well　as　my　honor？〃
  〃Ah！〃　cried　Holmes。
  〃It　sounds　incredible；　for　I　have　not；　as　far　as　I
  know；　an　enemy　in　the　world。　　Yet　from　last　night's
  experience　I　can　come　to　no　other　conclusion。〃
  〃Pray　let　me　hear　it。〃
  〃You　must　know　that　last　night　was　the　very　first
  night　that　I　have　ever　slept　without　a　nurse　in　the
  room。　　I　was　so　much　better　that　I　thought　I　could
  dispense　with　one。　　I　had　a　night…light　burning；
  however。　　Well；　about　two　in　the　morning　I　had　sunk
  into　a　light　sleep　when　I　was　suddenly　aroused　by　a
  slight　noise。　　It　was　like　the　sound　which　a　mouse
  makes　when　it　is　gnawing　a　plank；　and　I　lay　listening
  to　it　for　some　time　under　the　impression　that　it　must
  come　from　that　cause。　　Then　it　grew　louder；　and
  suddenly　there　came　from　the　window　a　sharp　metallic
  snick。　　I　sat　up　in　amazement。　　There　could　be　no
  doubt　what　the　sounds　were　now。　　The　first　ones　had
  been　caused　by　some　one　forcing　an　instrument　through
  the　slit　between　the　sashes；　and　the　second　by　the
  catch　being　pressed　back。
  〃There　was　a　pause　then　for　about　ten　minutes；　as　if
  the　person　were　waiting　to　see　whether　the　noise　had
  awakened　me。　　Then　I　heard　a　gentle　creaking　as　the
  window　was　very　slowly　opened。　　I　could　stand　it　no
  longer；　for　my　nerves　are　not　what　they　used　to　be。　　I
  sprang　out　of　bed　and　flung　open　the　shutters。　　A　man
  was　crouching　at　the　window。　　I　could　see　little　of
  him；　for　he　was　gone　like　a　flash。　　He　was　wrapped　in
  some　sort　of　cloak　which　came　across　the　lower　part　of
  his　face。　　One　thing　only　I　am　sure　of；　and　that　is
  that　he　had　some　weapon　in　his　hand。　　It　looked　to　me
  like　a　long　knife。　　I　distinctly　saw　the　gleam　of　it
  as　he　turned　to　run。〃
  〃This　is　most　interesting；〃　said　Holmes。　　〃Pray　what
  did　you　do　then？〃
  〃I　should　have　followed　him　through　the　open　window　if
  I　had　been　stronger。　　As　it　was；　I　rang　the　bell　and
  roused　the　house。　　It　took　me　some　little　time；　for
  the　bell　rings　in　the　kitchen　and　the　servants　all
  sleep　upstairs。　　I　shouted；　however；　and　that　brought
  Joseph　down；　and　he　roused　the　others。　　Joseph　and　the
  groom　found　marks　on　the　bed　outside　the　window；　but
  the　weather　has　been　so　dry　lately　that　they　found　it
  hopeless　to　follow　the　trail　across　the　grass。
  There's　a　place；　however；　on　the　wooden　fence　which
  skirts　the　road　which　shows　signs；　they　tell　me；　as　if
  some　one　had　got　over；　and　had　snapped　the　top　of　the
  rail　in　doing　so。　　I　have　said　nothing　to　the　local
  police　yet；　for　I　thought　I　had　best　have　your　opinion
  first。〃
  This　tale　of　our　client's　appeared　to　have　an
  extraordinary　effect　upon　Sherlock　Holmes。　　He　rose
  from　his　chair　and　paced　about　the　room　in
  uncontrollable　excitement。
  〃Misfortunes　never　come　single；〃　said　Phelps；　smiling；
  though　it　was　evident　that　his　adventure　had　somewhat
  shaken　him。
  〃You　have　certainly　had　your　share；〃　said　Holmes。　　〃Do
  you　think　you　could　walk　round　the　house　with　me？〃
  〃Oh；　yes；　I　should　like　a　little　sunshine。　　Joseph
  will　come；　too。〃
  〃And　I　also；〃　said　Miss　Harrison。
  〃I　am　afraid　not；〃　said　Holmes；　shaking　his　head。　　〃I
  think　I　must　ask　you　to　remain　sitting　exactly　where
  you　are。〃
  The　young　lady　resumed　her　seat　with　an　air　of
  displeasure。　　Her　brother；　however；　had　joined　us　and
  we　set　off　all　four　together。　　We　passed　round　the
  lawn　to　the　outside　of　the　young　diplomatist's　window。
  There　were；　as　he　had　said；　marks　upon　the　bed；　but
  they　were　hopelessly　blurred　and　vague。　　Holmes
  stopped　over　them　for　an　instant；　and　then　rose
  shrugging　his　shoulders。
  〃I　don't　think　any　one　could　make　much　of　this；〃　said
  he。　　〃Let　us　go　round　the　house　and　see　why　this
  particular　room　was　chose　by　the　burglar。　　I　should
  have　thought　those　larger　windows　of　the　drawing…room
  and　dining…room　would　have　had　more　attractions　for
  him。〃
  〃They　are　more　visible　from　the　road；〃　suggested　Mr。
  Joseph　Harrison。
  〃Ah；　yes；　of　course。　　There　is　a　door　here　which　he
  might　have　attempted。　　What　is　it　for？〃
  〃It　is　the　side　entrance　for　trades…people。　　Of　course
  it　is　locked　at　night。〃
  〃Have　you　ever　had　an　alarm　like　this　before？〃
  〃Never；〃　said　our　client。
  〃Do　you　keep　plate　in　the　house；　or　anything　to
  attract　burglars？〃
  〃Nothing　of　value。〃
  Holmes　strolled　round　the　house　with　his　hands　in　his
  pockets　and　a　negligent　air　which　was　unusual　with
  him。
  〃By　the　way；〃　said　he　to　Joseph　Harrison；　〃you　found
  some　place；　I　understand；　where　the　fellow　scaled　the
  fence。　　Let　us　have　a　look　at　that！〃
  The　plump　young　man　led　us　to　a　spot　where　the　top　of
  one　of　the　wooden　rails　had　been　cracked。　　A　small
  fragment　of　the　wood　was　hanging　down。　　Holmes　pulled
  it　off　and　examined　it　critically。
  〃Do　you　think　that　was　done　last　night？　　It　looks
  rather　old；　does　it　not？〃
  〃Well；　possibly　so。〃
  〃There　are　no　marks　of　any　one　jumping　down　upon　the
  other　side。　　No；　I　fancy　we　shall　get　no　help　here。
  Let　us　go　back　to　the　bedroom　and　talk　the　matter
  over。〃
  Percy　Phelps　was　walking　very　slowly；　leaning　upon　the
  arm　of　his　future　brother…in…law。　　Holmes　walked
  swiftly　across　the　lawn；　and　we　were　at　the　open
  window　of　the　bedroom　long　before　the　others　came　up。
  〃Miss　Harrison；〃　said　Holmes；　speaking　with　the　utmost
  intensity　of　manner；　〃you　must　stay　where　you　are　all
  day。　　Let　nothing　prevent　you　from　staying　where　you
  are　all　day。　　It　is　of　the　utmost　importance。〃
  〃Certainly；　if　you　wish　it；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　the　girl
  in　astonishment。
  〃When　you　go　to　bed　lock　the　door　of　this　room　on　the
  outside　and　keep　the　key。　　Promise　to　do　this。〃
  〃But　Percy？〃
  〃He　will　come　to　London　with　us。〃
  〃And　am　I　to　remain　here？〃
  〃It　is　for　his　sake。　　You　can　serve　him。　　Quick！
  Promise！〃
  She　gave　a　quick　nod　of　assent　just　as　the　other　two
  came　up。
  〃Why　do　you　sit　moping　there；　Annie？〃　cried　her
  brother。　　〃Come　out　into　the　sunshine！〃
  〃No；　thank　you；　Joseph。　　I　have　a　slight　headache　and
  this　room　is　deliciously　cool　and　soothing。〃
  〃What　do　you　propose　now；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　asked　our
  client。
  〃Well；　in　investigating　this　minor　affair　we　must　not
  lose　sight　of　our　main　inquiry。　　It　would　be　a　very
  great　help　to　me　if　you　would　come　up　to　London　with
  us。〃
  〃At　once？〃
  〃Well；　as　soon　as　you　conveniently　can。　　Say　in　an
  hour。〃
  〃I　feel　quite　strong　enough；　if　I　can　really　be　of　any
  help。〃
  〃The　greatest　possible。〃
  〃Perhaps　you　would　like　me　the　stay　there　to…night？〃
  〃I　was　just　going　to　propose　it。〃
  〃Then；　if　my　friend　of　the　night　comes　to　revisit　me；
  he　will　find　the　bird　flown。　　We　are　all　in　your
  hands；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　you　must　tell　us　exactly　what
  you　would　like　done。　　Perhaps　you　would　prefer　that
  Joseph　came　wit　us　so　as　to　look　after　me？〃
  〃Oh；　no；　my　friend　Watson　is　a　medical　man；　you　know；
  and　he'll　look　after　you。　　We'll　have　our　lunch　here；
  if　you　will　permit　us；　and　then　we　shall　al　three　set
  off　for　town　together。〃
  It　was　arranged　as　he　suggested；　though　Miss　Harrison
  excused　herself　from　leaving　the　bedroom；　in
  accordance　with　Holmes's　suggestion。　　What　the　object
  of　my　friend's　manoeuvres　was　I　could　not　conceive；
  unless　it　were　to　keep　the　lady　away　from　Phelps；　who；
  rejoiced　by　his　returning　health　and　by　the　prospect
  of　action；　lunched　with　us　in　the　dining…room。　　Holmes
  had　still　more　startling　surprise　for　us；　however；
  for；　after　accompanying　us　down　to　the　station　and
  seeing　us　into　our　carriage；　he　calmly　announced　that
  he　had　no　intention　of　leaving　Woking。
  〃There　are　one　or　two　small　points　which　I　should
  desire　to　clear　up　before　I　go；〃　said　he。　　〃Your
  absence；　Mr。　Phelps；　will　in　some　ways　rather　assist
  me。　　Watson；　when　you　reach　London　you　would　oblige　me
  by　driving　at　once　to　Baker　Street　with　our　friend
  here；　and　remaining　with　him　until　I　see　you　again。
  It　is　fortunate