II.THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE

ayersofleadfoil.Ourreserveofbullionismuchlargeratpresentthanisusuallykeptinasinglebranchoffice,andthedirectorshavehadmisgivingsuponthesubject.” “Whichwereverywelljustified,”observedHolmes.“Andnowitistimethatwearrangedourlittleplans.Iexpectthatwithinanhourmatterswillcometoahead.InthemeantimeMr.Merryweather,wemustputthescreenoverthatdarklantern.” “Andsitinthedark?” “Iamafraidso.Ihadbroughtapackofcardsinmypocket,andIthoughtthat,aswewereapartiecarrée,youmighthaveyourrubberafterall.ButIseethattheenemy’spreparationshavegonesofarthatwecannotriskthepresenceofalight.And,firstofall,wemustchooseourpositions.Thesearedaringmen,andthoughweshalltakethematadisadvantage,theymaydoussomeharmunlesswearecareful.Ishallstandbehindthiscrate,anddoyouconcealyourselvesbehindthose.Then,whenIflashalightuponthem,closeinswiftly.Iftheyfire,Watson,havenocompunctionaboutshootingthemdown.” Iplacedmyrevolver,cocked,uponthetopofthewoodencasebehindwhichIcrouched.Holmesshottheslideacrossthefrontofhislanternandleftusinpitchdarkness—suchanabsolutedarknessasIhaveneverbeforeexperienced.Thesmellofhotmetalremainedtoassureusthatthelightwasstillthere,readytoflashoutatamoment’snotice.Tome,withmynervesworkeduptoapitchofexpectancy,therewassomethingdepressingandsubduinginthesuddengloom,andinthecolddankairofthevault. “Theyhavebutoneretreat,”whisperedHolmes.“ThatisbackthroughthehouseintoSaxe-CoburgSquare.IhopethatyouhavedonewhatIaskedyou,Jones?” “Ihaveaninspectorandtwoofficerswaitingatthefrontdoor.” “Thenwehavestoppedalltheholes.Andnowwemustbesilentandwait.” Whatatimeitseemed!Fromcomparingnotesafterwardsitwasbutanhourandaquarter,yetitappearedtomethatthenightmusthavealmostgone,andthedawnbebreakingaboveus.Mylimbswerewearyandstiff,forIfearedtochangemypositionyetmynerveswereworkeduptothehighestpitchoftension,andmyhearingwassoacutethatIcouldnotonlyhearthegentlebreathingofmycompanions,butIcoulddistinguishthedeeper,heavierin-breathofthebulkyJonesfromthethin,sighingnoteofthebankdirector.FrommypositionIcouldlookoverthecaseinthedirectionofthefloor.Suddenlymyeyescaughttheglintofalight. Atfirstitwasbutaluridsparkuponthestonepavement.Thenitlengthenedoutuntilitbecameayellowline,andthen,withoutanywarningorsound,agashseemedtoopenandahandappeared,awhite,almostwomanlyhand,whichfeltaboutinthecentreofthelittleareaoflight.Foraminuteormorethehand,withitswrithingfingers,protrudedoutofthefloor.Thenitwaswithdrawnassuddenlyasitappeared,andallwasdarkagainsavethesingleluridsparkwhichmarkedachinkbetweenthestones. Itsdisappearance,however,wasbutmomentary.Witharending,tearingsound,oneofthebroad,whitestonesturnedoveruponitssideandleftasquare,gapinghole,throughwhichstreamedthelightofalantern.Overtheedgetherepeepedaclean-cut,boyishface,whichlookedkeenlyaboutit,andthen,withahandoneithersideoftheaperture,drewitselfshoulder-highandwaist-high,untilonekneerestedupontheedge.Inanotherinstanthestoodatthesideoftheholeandwashaulingafterhimacompanion,litheandsmalllikehimself,withapalefaceandashockofveryredhair. “It’sallclear,”hewhispered.“Haveyouthechiselandthebags?GreatScott!Jump,Archie,jump,andI’llswingforit!” SherlockHolmeshadsprungoutandseizedtheintruderbythecollar.Theotherdiveddownthehole,andIheardthesoundofrendingclothasJonesclutchedathisskirts.Thelightflasheduponthebarrelofarevolver,butHolmes’huntingcropcamedownontheman’swrist,andthepistolclinkeduponthestonefloor. “It’snouse,JohnClay,”saidHolmesblandly.“Youhavenochanceatall.” “SoIsee,”theotheransweredwiththeutmostcoolness.“Ifancythatmypalisallright,thoughIseeyouhavegothiscoat-tails.” “Therearethreemenwaitingforhimatthedoor,”saidHolmes. “Oh,indeed!Youseemtohavedonethethingverycompletely.Imustcomplimentyou.” “AndIyou,”Holmesanswered.“Yourred-headedideawasverynewandeffective.” “You’llseeyourpalagainpresently,”saidJones.“He’squickeratclimbingdownholesthanIam.JustholdoutwhileIfixthederbies.” “Ibegthatyouwillnottouchmewithyourfilthyhands,”remarkedourprisonerasthehandcuffsclattereduponhiswrists.“YoumaynotbeawarethatIhaveroyalbloodinmyveins.Havethegoodness,also,whenyouaddressmealwaystosay‘sir’and‘please.’” “Allright,”saidJoneswithastareandasnigger.“Well,wouldyouplease,sir,marchupstairs,wherewecangetacabtocarryyourHighnesstothepolice-station?” “Thatisbetter,”saidJohnClayserenely.Hemadeasweepingbowtothethreeofusandwalkedquietlyoffinthecustodyofthedetective. “Really,Mr.Holmes,”saidMr.Merryweatheraswefollowedthemfromthecellar,“Idonotknowhowthebankcanthankyouorrepayyou.Thereisnodoubtthatyouhavedetectedanddefeatedinthemostcompletemanneroneofthemostdeterminedattemptsatbankrobberythathaveevercomewithinmyexperience.” “IhavehadoneortwolittlescoresofmyowntosettlewithMr.JohnClay,”saidHolmes.“Ihavebeenatsomesmallexpenseoverthismatter,whichIshallexpectthebanktorefund,butbeyondthatIamamplyrepaidbyhavinghadanexperiencewhichisinmanywaysunique,andbyhearingtheveryremarkablenarrativeoftheRed-headedLeague.” “Yousee,Watson,”heexplainedintheearlyhoursofthemorningaswesatoveraglassofwhiskyandsodainBakerStreet,“itwasperfectlyobviousfromthefirstthattheonlypossibleobjectofthisratherfantasticbusinessoftheadvertisementoftheLeague,andthecopyingoftheEncyclop?dia,mustbetogetthisnotover-brightpawnbrokeroutofthewayforanumberofhourseveryday.Itwasacuriouswayofmanagingit,but,really,itwouldbedifficulttosuggestabetter.ThemethodwasnodoubtsuggestedtoClay’singeniousmindbythecolourofhisaccomplice’shair.The￡4aweekwasalurewhichmustdrawhim,andwhatwasittothem,whowereplayingforthousands?Theyputintheadvertisement,oneroguehasthetemporaryoffice,theotherrogueincitesthemantoapplyforit,andtogethertheymanagetosecurehisabsenceeverymorningintheweek.FromthetimethatIheardoftheassistanthavingcomeforhalfwages,itwasobvioustomethathehadsomestrongmotiveforsecuringthesituation.” “Buthowcouldyouguesswhatthemotivewas?” “Hadtherebeenwomeninthehouse,Ishouldhavesuspectedamerevulgarintrigue.That,however,wasoutofthequestion.Theman’sbusinesswasasmallone,andtherewasnothinginhishousewhichcouldaccountforsuchelaboratepreparations,andsuchanexpenditureastheywereat.Itmust,then,besomethingoutofthehouse.Whatcoulditbe?Ithoughtoftheassistant’sfondnessforphotography,andhistrickofvanishingintothecellar.Thecellar!Therewastheendofthistangledclue.ThenImadeinquiriesastothismysteriousassistantandfoundthatIhadtodealwithoneofthecoolestandmostdaringcriminalsinLondon.Hewasdoingsomethinginthecellar—somethingwhichtookmanyhoursadayformonthsonend.Whatcoulditbe,oncemore?Icouldthinkofnothingsavethathewasrunningatunneltosomeotherbuilding. “SofarIhadgotwhenwewenttovisitthesceneofaction.Isurprisedyoubybeatinguponthepavementwithmystick.Iwasascertainingwhetherthecellarstretchedoutinfrontorbehind.Itwasnotinfront.ThenIrangthebell,and,asIhoped,theassistantansweredit.Wehavehadsomeskirmishes,butwehadneverseteyesuponeachotherbefore.Ihardlylookedathisface.HiskneeswerewhatIwishedtosee.Youmustyourselfhaveremarkedhowworn,wrinkled,andstainedtheywere.Theyspokeofthosehoursofburrowing.Theonlyremainingpointwaswhattheywereburrowingfor.Iwalkedroundthecorner,sawtheCityandSuburbanBankabuttedonourfriend’spremises,andfeltthatIhadsolvedmyproblem.WhenyoudrovehomeaftertheconcertIcalleduponScotlandYardanduponthechairmanofthebankdirectors,withtheresultthatyouhaveseen.” “Andhowcouldyoutellthattheywouldmaketheirattemptto-night?”Iasked. “Well,whentheyclosedtheirLeagueofficesthatwasasignthattheycarednolongeraboutMr.JabezWilson’spresence—inotherwords,thattheyhadcompletedtheirtunnel.Butitwasessentialthattheyshoulduseitsoon,asitmightbediscovered,orthebullionmightberemoved.Saturdaywouldsuitthembetterthananyotherday,asitwouldgivethemtwodaysfortheirescape.ForallthesereasonsIexpectedthemtocometo-night.” “Youreasoneditoutbeautifully,”Iexclaimedinunfeignedadmiration.“Itissolongachain,andyeteverylinkringstrue.” “Itsavedmefromennui,”heanswered,yawning.“Alas!Ialreadyfeelitclosinginuponme.Mylifeisspentinonelongefforttoescapefromthecommonplacesofexistence.Theselittleproblemshelpmetodoso.” “Andyouareabenefactoroftherace,”saidI. Heshruggedhisshoulders.“Well,perhaps,afterall,itisofsomelittleuse,”heremarked.“‘L’hommec’estrien—l’?uvrec’esttout,’asGustaveFlaubertwrotetoGeorgeSand.”