“’HaveyouneverheardoftheLeagueoftheRed-headedMen？’heasked，withhiseyesopen。
“’Never。’
“’Why，Iwonderatthat，foryouareeligibleyourselfforoneofthevacancies。’
“’Andwhataretheyworth？’Iasked。
“’Oh，merelyacoupleofhundredayear，buttheworkisslight，anditneednotinterfereverymuchwithone’sotheroccupations。’
“Well，youcaneasilythinkthatthatmademeprickupmyears，forthebusinesshasnotbeenovergoodforsomeyears，andanextracoupleofhundredwouldhavebeenveryhandy。
“’Tellmeallaboutit，’saidI。
“’Well，’saidhe，showingmetheadvertisement，’youcanseeforyourselfthattheLeaguehasavacancy，andthereistheaddresswhereyoushouldapplyforparticulars。AsfarasIcanmakeout，theLeaguewasfoundedbyanAmericanmillionaire，EzekiahHopkins，whowasverypeculiarinhisways。Hewashimselfred-headed，andhehadagreatsympathyforallred-headedmen；so，whenhedied，itwasfoundthathehadlefthisenormousfortuneinthehandsoftrustees，withinstructionstoapplytheinteresttotheprovidingofeasyberthstomenwhosehairisofthatcolor。FromallIhearitissplendidpay，andverylittletodo。’
“’But，’saidI，’therewouldbemillionsofred-headedmenwhowouldapply。’
“’Notsomanyasyoumightthink，’heanswered。’YouseeitisreallyconfinedtoLondoners，andtogrownmen。ThisAmericanhadstartedfromLondonwhenhewasyoung，andhewantedtodotheoldtownagoodturn。Then，again，Ihavehearditisofnouseyourapplyingifyourhairislightred，ordarkred，oranythingbutreal，bright，blazing，fieryred。Now，ifyoucaredtoapply，Mr。
Wilson，youwouldjustwalkin；butperhapsitwouldhardlybeworthyourwhiletoputyourselfoutofthewayforthesakeofafewhundredpounds。’
“Nowitisafact，gentlemen，asyoumayseeforyourselves，thatmyhairisofaveryfullandrichtint，sothatitseemedtomethat，iftherewastobeanycompetitioninthematter，IstoodasgoodachanceasanymanthatIhadevermet。VincentSpauldingseemedtoknowsomuchaboutitthatIthoughthemightproveuseful，soIjustorderedhimtoputuptheshuttersfortheday，andtocomerightawaywithme。Hewasverywillingtohaveaholiday，soweshutthebusinessup，andstartedofffortheaddressthatwasgivenusintheadvertisement。
“Ineverhopetoseesuchasightasthatagain，Mr。Holmes。Fromnorth，south，east，andwesteverymanwhohadashadeofredinhishairhadtrampedintotheCitytoanswertheadvertisement。
FleetStreetwaschokedwithred-headedfolk，andPope’sCourtlookedlikeacoster’sorangebarrow。Ishouldnothavethoughtthereweresomanyinthewholecountryaswerebroughttogetherbythatsingleadvertisement。Everyshadeofcolortheywere——straw，lemon，orange，brick，Irishsetter，liver，clay；but，asSpauldingsaid，therewerenotmanywhohadtherealvividflame-coloredtint。WhenIsawhowmanywerewaiting，Iwouldhavegivenitupindespair；butSpauldingwouldnothearofit。HowhediditI
couldnotimagine，buthepushedandpulledandbutteduntilhegotmethroughthecrowd，andrightuptothestepswhichledtotheoffice。Therewasadoublestreamuponthestair，somegoingupinhope，andsomecomingbackdejected；butwewedgedinaswellaswecould，andsoonfoundourselvesintheoffice。“
“Yourexperiencehasbeenamostentertainingone，“remarkedHolmes，ashisclientpausedandrefreshedhismemorywithahugepinchofsnuff。“Praycontinueyourveryinterestingstatement。“
“Therewasnothingintheofficebutacoupleofwoodenchairsandadealtable，behindwhichsatasmallman，withaheadthatwasevenredderthanmine。Hesaidafewwordstoeachcandidateashecameup，andthenhealwaysmanagedtofindsomefaultinthemwhichwoulddisqualifythem。Gettingavacancydidnotseemtobesuchaveryeasymatterafterall。However，whenourturncame，thelittlemanwasmuchmorefavorabletomethantoanyoftheothers，andheclosedthedoorasweentered，sothathemighthaveaprivatewordwithus。
“’ThisisMr。JabezWilson，’saidmyassistant，’andheiswillingtofillavacancyintheLeague。’
“’Andheisadmirablysuitedforit，’theotheranswered。’Hehaseveryrequirement。IcannotrecallwhenIhaveseenanythingsofine。’Hetookastepbackward，cockedhisheadononeside，andgazedatmyhairuntilIfeltquitebashful。Thensuddenlyheplungedforward，wrungmyhand，andcongratulatedmewarmlyonmysuccess。
“’Itwouldbeinjusticetohesitate，’saidhe。’Youwill，however，Iamsure，excusemefortakinganobviousprecaution。’Withthatheseizedmyhairinbothhishands，andtuggeduntilIyelledwiththepain。’Thereiswaterinyoureyes，’saidhe，ashereleasedme。’Iperceivethatallisasitshouldbe。Butwehavetobecareful，forwehavetwicebeendeceivedbywigsandoncebypaint。
Icouldtellyoutalesofcobbler’swaxwhichwoulddisgustyouwithhumannature。’Hesteppedovertothewindowandshoutedthroughitatthetopofhisvoicethatthevacancywasfilled。A
groanofdisappointmentcameupfrombelow，andthefolkalltroopedawayindifferentdirections，untiltherewasnotaredheadtobeseenexceptmyownandthatofthemanager。
“’Myname，’saidhe，’isMr。DuncanRoss，andIammyselfoneofthepensionersuponthefundleftbyournoblebenefactor。Areyouamarriedman，Mr。Wilson？Haveyouafamily？’
“IansweredthatIhadnot。
“Hisfacefellimmediately。
“’Dearme！’hesaid，gravely，’thatisveryseriousindeed！Iamsorrytohearyousaythat。Thefundwas，ofcourse，forthepropagationandspreadoftheredheadsaswellasfortheirmaintenance。Itisexceedinglyunfortunatethatyoushouldbeabachelor。’
“Myfacelengthenedatthis，Mr。Holmes，forIthoughtthatIwasnottohavethevacancyafterall；but，afterthinkingitoverforafewminutes，hesaidthatitwouldbeallright。
“’Inthecaseofanother，’saidhe，’theobjectionmightbefatal，butwemuststretchapointinfavorofamanwithsuchaheadofhairasyours。Whenshallyoubeabletoenteruponyournewduties？’
“’Well，itisalittleawkward，forIhaveabusinessalready，’
saidI。
“’Oh，nevermindaboutthat，Mr。Wilson！’saidVincentSpaulding。
’Ishallbeabletolookafterthatforyou。’
“’Whatwouldbethehours？’Iasked。
“’Tentotwo。’
“Nowapawnbroker’sbusinessismostlydoneofanevening，Mr。
Holmes，especiallyThursdayandFridayevenings，whichisjustbeforepayday；soitwouldsuitmeverywelltoearnalittleinthemornings。Besides，Iknewthatmyassistantwasagoodman，andthathewouldseetoanythingthatturnedup。
“’Thatwouldsuitmeverywell，’saidI。’Andthepay？’
“’Isfourpoundsaweek。’
“’Andthework？’
“’Ispurelynominal。’
“’Whatdoyoucallpurelynominal？’
“’Well，youhavetobeintheoffice，oratleastinthebuilding，thewholetime。Ifyouleave，youforfeityourwholepositionforever。Thewillisveryclearuponthatpoint。Youdon’tcomplywiththeconditionsifyoubudgefromtheofficeduringthattime。’
“’It’sonlyfourhoursaday，andIshouldnotthinkofleaving，’
saidI。
“’Noexcusewillavail，’saidMr。DuncanRoss，’neithersickness，norbusiness，noranythingelse。Thereyoumuststay，oryouloseyourbillet。’
“’Andthework？’
“’Istocopyoutthe“EncyclopaediaBritannica。“Thereisthefirstvolumeofitinthatpress。Youmustfindyourownink，pens，andblottingpaper，butweprovidethistableandchair。
Willyoubereadyto-morrow？’
“’Certainly，’Ianswered。
“’Then，good-by，Mr。JabezWilson，andletmecongratulateyouoncemoreontheimportantpositionwhichyouhavebeenfortunateenoughtogain。’Hebowedmeoutoftheroom，andIwenthomewithmyassistanthardlyknowingwhattosayordo，Iwassopleasedatmyowngoodfortune。
“Well，Ithoughtoverthematterallday，andbyeveningIwasinlowspiritsagain；forIhadquitepersuadedmyselfthatthewholeaffairmustbesomegreathoaxorfraud，thoughwhatitsobjectmightbeIcouldnotimagine。Itseemedaltogetherpastbeliefthatanyonecouldmakesuchawill，orthattheywouldpaysuchasumfordoinganythingsosimpleascopyingoutthe’EncyclopaediaBritannica。’VincentSpauldingdidwhathecouldtocheermeup，butbybedtimeIhadreasonedmyselfoutofthewholething。
However，inthemorningIdeterminedtohavealookatitanyhow，soIboughtapennybottleofink，andwithaquillpenandsevensheetsoffoolscappaperIstartedoffforPope’sCourt。
“Well，tomysurpriseanddelighteverythingwasasrightaspossible。Thetablewassetoutreadyforme，andMr。DuncanRosswastheretoseethatIgotfairlytowork。HestartedmeoffupontheletterA，andthenheleftme；buthewoulddropinfromtimetotimetoseethatallwasrightwithme。Attwoo’clockhebademegood-day，complimentedmeupontheamountthatIhadwritten，andlockedthedooroftheofficeafterme。
“Thiswentondayafterday，Mr。Holmes，andonSaturdaythemanagercameinandplankeddownfourgoldensovereignsformyweek’swork。Itwasthesamenextweek，andthesametheweekafter。EverymorningIwasthereatten，andeveryafternoonI
leftattwo。BydegreesMr。DuncanRosstooktocominginonlyonceofamorning，andthen，afteratime，hedidnotcomeinatall。Still，ofcourse。Ineverdaredtoleavetheroomforaninstant，forIwasnotsurewhenhemightcome，andthebilletwassuchagoodone，andsuitedmesowell，thatIwouldnotriskthelossofit。
“Eightweekspassedawaylikethis，andIhadwrittenaboutAbbots，andArchery，andArmor，andArchitecture，andAttica，andhopedwithdiligencethatImightgetontotheBsbeforeverylong。Itcostmesomethinginfoolscap，andIhadprettynearlyfilledashelfwithmywritings。Andthensuddenlythewholebusinesscametoanend。“
“Toanend？“
“Yes，sir。Andnolaterthanthismorning。Iwenttomyworkasusualatteno’clock，butthedoorwasshutandlocked，withalittlesquareofcardboardhammeredontothemiddleofthepanelwithatack。Hereitis，andyoucanreadforyourself。“
Heheldupapieceofwhitecardboard，aboutthesizeofasheetofnotepaper。Itreadinthisfashion:
“THERED-HEADEDLEAGUEISDISSOLVED。
Oct。9，1890。“
SherlockHolmesandIsurveyedthiscurtannouncementandtheruefulfacebehindit，untilthecomicalsideoftheaffairsocompletelyovertoppedeveryconsiderationthatwebothburstoutintoaroaroflaughter。
“Icannotseethatthereisanythingveryfunny，“criedourclient，flushinguptotherootsofhisflaminghead。“Ifyoucandonothingbetterthanlaughatme，Icangoelsewhere。“
“No，no，“criedHolmes，shovinghimbackintothechairfromwhichhehadhalfrisen。“Ireallywouldn’tmissyourcasefortheworld。Itismostrefreshinglyunusual。Butthereis，ifyouwillexcusemysayingso，somethingjustalittlefunnyaboutit。Praywhatstepsdidyoutakewhenyoufoundthecarduponthedoor？“
“Iwasstaggered，sir。Ididnotknowwhattodo。ThenIcalledattheofficesround，butnoneofthemseemedtoknowanythingaboutit。Finally，Iwenttothelandlord，whoisanaccountantlivingonthegroundfloor，andIaskedhimifhecouldtellmewhathadbecomeoftheRed-headedLeague。Hesaidthathehadneverheardofanysuchbody。ThenIaskedhimwhoMr。DuncanRosswas。Heansweredthatthenamewasnewtohim。