”’”Ithoughtyouhadbeendeadthisthirtyyears，Henry，”saidshe，inashakingvoice。”’”SoIhave，”saidhe，anditwasawfultohearthetonesthathesaiditin。Hehadaverydark，fearsomeface，andagleaminhiseyesthatcomesbacktomeinmydreams。Hishairandwhiskerswereshotwithgray，andhisfacewasallcrinkledandpuckeredlikeawitheredapple。”’”Justwalkonalittleway，dear，”saidMrs。Barclay；”Iwanttohaveawordwiththisman。Thereisnothingtobeafraidof。”Shetriedtospeakboldly，butshewasstilldeadlypaleandcouldhardlygetherwordsoutforthetremblingofherlips。”’Ididassheaskedme，andtheytalkedtogetherforafewminutes。Thenshecamedownthestreetwithhereyesblazing，andIsawthecrippledwretchstandingbythelamp-postandshakinghisclenchedfistsintheairasifheweremadewithrage。Sheneversaidaworduntilwewereatthedoorhere，whenshetookmebythehandandbeggedmetotellnoonewhathadhappened。”’”It’sanoldacquaintanceofminewhohascomedownintheworld，”saidshe。WhenIpromisedherIwouldsaynothingshekissedme，andIhaveneverseenhersince。Ihavetoldyounowthewholetruth，andifI
withhelditfromthepoliceitisbecauseIdidnotrealizethenthedangerinwhichmydearfriendstood。
Iknowthatitcanonlybetoheradvantagethateverythingshouldbeknown。’”Therewasherstatement，Watson，andtome，asyoucanimagine，itwaslikealightonadarknight。
Everythingwhichhadbeendisconnectedbeforebeganatoncetoassumeitstrueplace，andIhadashadowypresentimentofthewholesequenceofevents。MynextstepobviouslywastofindthemanwhohadproducedsucharemarkableimpressionuponMrs。Barclay。IfhewerestillinAldershotitshouldnotbeaverydifficultmatter。Therearenotsuchaverygreatnumberofcivilians，andadeformedmanwassuretohaveattractedattention。Ispentadayinthesearch，andbyevening——thisveryevening，Watson——I
hadrunhimdown。Theman’snameisHenryWood，andhelivesinlodgingsinthissamestreetinwhichtheladiesmethim。Hehasonlybeenfivedaysintheplace。Inthecharacterofaregistration-agentIhadamostinterestinggossipwithhislandlady。Themanisbytradeaconjurerandperformer，goingroundthecanteensafternightfall，andgivingalittleentertainmentateach。Hecarriessomecreatureaboutwithhiminthatbox；aboutwhichthelandladyseemedtobeinconsiderabletrepidation，forshehadneverseenananimallikeit。Heusesitinsomeofhistricksaccordingtoheraccount。Somuchthewomanwasabletotellme，andalsothatitwasawonderthemanlived，seeinghowtwistedhewas，andthathespokeinastrangetonguesometimes，andthatforthelasttwonightsshehadheardhimgroaningandweepinginhisbedroom。Hewasallright，asfarasmoneywent，butinhisdeposithehadgivenherwhatlookedlikeabadflorin。Sheshowedittome，Watson，anditwasanIndianrupee。”Sonow，mydearfellow，youseeexactlyhowwestandandwhyitisIwantyou。Itisperfectlyplainthataftertheladiespartedfromthismanhefollowedthematadistance，thathesawthequarrelbetweenhusbandandwifethroughthewindow，thatherushedin，andthatthecreaturewhichhecarriedinhisboxgotloose。Thatisallverycertain。Butheistheonlypersoninthisworldwhocantellusexactlywhathappenedinthatroom。””Andyouintendtoaskhim?””Mostcertainly——butinthepresenceofawitness。””AndIamthewitness?””Ifyouwillbesogood。Ifhecanclearthematterup，wellandgood。Ifherefuses，wehavenoalternativebuttoapplyforawarrant。””Buthowdoyouknowhe’llbetherewhenwereturn?””YoumaybesurethatItooksomeprecautions。IhaveoneofmyBakerStreetboysmountingguardoverhimwhowouldsticktohimlikeaburr，gowherehemight。
WeshallfindhiminHudsonStreetto-morrow，Watson，andmeanwhileIshouldbethecriminalmyselfifI
keptyououtofbedanylonger。”
Itwasmiddaywhenwefoundourselvesatthesceneofthetragedy，and，undermycompanion’sguidance，wemadeourwayatoncetoHudsonStreet。Inspiteofhiscapacityforconcealinghisemotions，IcouldeasilyseethatHolmeswasinastateofsuppressedexcitement，whileIwasmyselftinglingwiththathalf-sporting，half-intellectualpleasurewhichI
invariablyexperiencedwhenIassociatedmyselfwithhiminhisinvestigations。”Thisisthestreet，”saidhe，asweturnedintoashortthoroughfarelinedwithplaintow-storiedbrickhouses。”Ah，hereisSimpsontoreport。””He’sinallright，Mr。Holmes，”criedasmallstreetArab，runninguptous。”Good，Simpson！”saidHolmes，pattinghimonthehead。”Comealong，Watson。Thisisthehouse。”Hesentinhiscardwithamessagethathehadcomeonimportantbusiness，andamomentlaterwewerefacetofacewiththemanwhomwehadcometosee。Inspiteofthewarmweatherhewascrouchingoverafire，andthelittleroomwaslikeanoven。Themansatalltwistedandhuddledinhischairinawaywhichgaveanindescribablyimpressionofdeformity；butthefacewhichheturnedtowardsus，thoughwornandswarthy，mustatsometimehavebeenremarkableforitsbeauty。
Helookedsuspiciouslyatusnowoutofyellow-shot，biliouseyes，and，withoutspeakingorrising，hewavedtowardstwochairs。”Mr。HenryWood，lateofIndia，Ibelieve，”saidHolmes，affably。”I’vecomeoverthislittlematterofColonelBarclay’sdeath。””WhatshouldIknowaboutthat?””That’swhatIwanttoascertain。Youknow，I
suppose，thatunlessthematterisclearedup，Mrs。
Barclay，whoisanoldfriendofyours，willinallprobabilitybetriedformurder。”
Themangaveaviolentstart。”Idon’tknowwhoyouare，”hecried，”norhowyoucometoknowwhatyoudoknow，butwillyouswearthatthisistruethatyoutellme?””Why，theyareonlywaitingforhertocometohersensestoarresther。””MyGod！Areyouinthepoliceyourself?””No。””Whatbusinessisitofyours，then?””It’severyman’sbusinesstoseejusticedone。””Youcantakemywordthatsheisinnocent。””Thenyouareguilty。””No，Iamnot。””WhokilledColonelJamesBarclay，then?””Itwasajustprovidencethatkilledhim。But，mindyouthis，thatifIhadknockedhisbrainsout，asitwasinmyhearttodo，hewouldhavehadnomorethanhisduefrommyhands。IfhisownguiltyconsciencehadnotstruckhimdownitislikelyenoughthatI
mighthavehadhisblooduponmysoul。Youwantmetotellthestory。Well，Idon’tknowwhyIshouldn’t，forthere’snocauseformetobeashamedofit。”Itwasinthisway，sir。Youseemenowwithmybacklikeacamelandbyribsallawry，buttherewasatimewhenCorporalHenryWoodwasthesmartestmaninthe117thfoot。WewereinIndiathen，incantonments，ataplacewe’llcallBhurtee。Barclay，whodiedtheotherday，wassergeantinthesamecompanyasmyself，andthebelleoftheregiment，ay，andthefinestgirlthateverhadthebreathoflifebetweenherlips，wasNancyDevoy，thedaughterofthecolor-sergeant。Thereweretwomenthatlovedher，andonethatsheloved，andyou’llsmilewhenyoulookatthispoorthinghuddledbeforethefire，andhearmesaythatitwasformygoodlooksthatshelovedme。”Well，thoughIhadherheart，herfatherwassetuponhermarryingBarclay。Iwasaharum-scarum，recklesslad，andhehadhadaneducation，andwasalreadymarkedforthesword-belt。Butthegirlheldtruetome，anditseemedthatIwouldhavehadherwhentheMutinybrokeout，andallhellwaslooseinthecountry。”WewereshutupinBhurtee，theregimentofuswithhalfabatteryofartillery，acompanyofSikhs，andalotofciviliansandwomen-folk。Thereweretenthousandrebelsroundus，andtheywereaskeenasasetofterriersroundarat-cage。Aboutthesecondweekofitourwatergaveout，anditwasaquestionwhetherwecouldcommunicatewithGeneralNeill’scolumn，whichwasmovingupcountry。Itwasouronlychance，forwecouldnothopetofightourwayoutwithallthewomenandchildren，soIvolunteeredtogooutandtowarnGeneralNeillofourdanger。Myofferwasaccepted，andItalkeditoverwithSergeantBarclay，whowassupposedtoknowthegroundbetterthananyotherman，andwhodrewuparoutebywhichI
mightgetthroughtherebellines。Atteno’clockthesamenightIstartedoffuponmyjourney。Therewereathousandlivestosave，butitwasofonlyonethatIwasthinkingwhenIdroppedoverthewallthatnight。”Mywayrandownadried-upwatercourse，whichwehopedwouldscreenmefromtheenemy’ssentries；butasIcreptroundthecornerofitIwalkedrightintosixofthem，whowerecrouchingdowninthedarkwaitingforme。InaninstantIwasstunnedwithablowandboundhandandfoot。Buttherealblowwastomyheartandnottomyhead，forasIcametoandlistenedtoasmuchasIcouldunderstandoftheirtalk，Iheardenoughtotellmethatmycomrade，theverymanwhohadarrangedthewaythatIwastotake，hadbetrayedmebymeansofanativeservantintothehandsoftheenemy。