I ascended the stair； I met Mr。 Rucastle coming out through this door；
his keys in his hand； and a look on his face which made him a very
different person to the round； jovial man to whom I was accustomed。
His cheeks were red； his brow was all crinkled with anger； and the
veins stood out at his temples with passion。 He locked the door and
hurried past me without a word or a look。
〃This aroused my curiosity； so when I went out for a walk in the
grounds with my charge； I strolled round to the side from which I
could see the windows of this part of the house。 There were four of
them in a row； three of which were simply dirty； while the fourth
was shuttered up。 They were evidently all deserted。 As I strolled up
and down； glancing at them occasionally； Mr。 Rucastle came out to
me； looking as merry and jovial as ever。
〃'Ah！' said he； 'you must not think me rude if I passed you
without a word； my dear young lady。 I was preoccupied with business
matters。'
〃I assured him that I was not offended。 'By the way；' said I； 'you
seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there； and one of them
has the shutters up。'
〃He looked surprised and； as it seemed to me； a little startled at
my remark。
〃'Photography is one of my hobbies；' said he。 'I have made my dark
room up there。 But； dear me！ what an observant young lady we have come
upon。 Who would have believed it？' He spoke in a jesting tone； but
there was no jest in his eyes as he looked at me。 I read suspicion
there and annoyance； but no jest。
〃Well； Mr。 Holmes； from the moment that I understood that there
was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know； I was
all on fire to go over them。 It was not mere curiosity； though I
have my share of that。 It was more a feeling of duty…a feeling that
some good might come from my penetrating to this place。 They talk of
woman's instinct； perhaps it was woman's instinct which gave me that
feeling。 At any rate； it was there； and I was keenly on the lookout
for any chance to pass the forbidden door。
〃It was only yesterday that the chance came。 I may tell you that；
besides Mr。 Rucastle； both Toller and his wife find something to do in
these deserted rooms； and I once saw him carrying a large black
linen bag with him through the door。 Recently he has been drinking
hard； and yesterday evening he was very drunk； and when I came
upstairs there was the key in the door。 I have no doubt at all that he
had left it there。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Rucastle were both downstairs； and the
child was with them； so that I had an admirable opportunity。 I
turned the key gently in the lock； opened the door； and slipped
through。
〃There was a little passage in front of me； unpapered and
uncarpeted； which turned at a right angle at the farther end。 Round
this corner were three doors in a line； the first and third of which
were open。 They each led into an empty room； dusty and cheerless； with
two windows in the one and one in the other； so thick with dirt that
the evening light glimmered dimly through them。 The centre door was
closed； and across the outside of it had been fastened one of the
broad bars of an iron bed； padlocked at one end to a ring in the wall；
and fastened at the other with stout cord。 The door itself was
locked as well； and the key was not there。 This barricaded door
corresponded clearly with the shuttered window outside； and yet I
could see by the glimmer from beneath it that the room was not in
darkness。 Evidently there was a skylight which let in light from
above。 As I stood in the passage gazing at the sinister door and
wondering what secret it might veil； I suddenly heard the sound of
steps within the room and saw a shadow pass backward and forward
against the little slit of dim light which shone out from under the
door。 A mad； unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight； Mr。
Holmes。 My overstrung nerves failed me suddenly； and I turned and
ran…ran as though some dreadful hand were behind me clutching at the
skirt of my dress。 I rushed down the passage； through the door； and
straight into the arms of Mr。 Rucastle； who was waiting outside。
〃'So；' said he； smiling； 'it was you； then。 I thought that it must
be when I saw the door open。'
〃'Oh； I am so frightened！' I panted。
〃'My dear young lady！ my dear young lady！'…you cannot think how
caressing and soothing his manner was…；'and what has frightened you；
my dear lady？'
〃But his voice was just a little too coaxing。 He overdid it。 I was
keenly on my guard against him。
'I was foolish enough to go into the empty wing；' I answered。 'But
it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I was frightened
and ran out again。 Oh； it is so dreadfully still in there！'
〃'Only that？' said he； looking at me keenly。
〃'Why； what did you think？' I asked。
〃'Why do you think that I lock this door？'
〃'I am sure that I do not know。'
〃'It is to keep people out who have no business there。 Do you
see？' He was still smiling in the most amiable manner。
〃'I am sure if I had known…'
〃'Well； then； you know now。 And if you ever put your foot over
that threshold again'…here in an instant the smile hardened into a
grin of rage； and he glared down at me with the face of a
demon…'I'll throw you to the mastiff。'
〃I was so terrified that I do not know what I did。 I suppose that
I must have rushed past him into my room。 I remember nothing until I
found myself lying on my bed trembling all over。 Then I thought of
you； Mr。 Holmes。 I could not live there longer without some advice。
I was frightened of the house； of the man； of the woman； of the
servants； even of the child。 They were all horrible to me。 If I
could only bring you down all would be well。 Of course I might have
fled from the house； but my curiosity was almost as strong as my
fears。 My mind was soon made up。 I would send you a wire。 I put on
my hat and cloak； went down to the office； which is about half a
mile from the house； and then returned； feeling very much easier。 A
horrible doubt came into my mind as I approached the door lest the dog
might be loose； but I remembered that Toller had drunk himself into
a state of insensibility that evening； and I knew that he was the only
one in the household who had any influence with the savage creature；
or who would venture to set him free。 I slipped in and lay awake
half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you。 I had no
difficulty in getting leave to come into Winchester this morning；
but I must be back before three o'clock； for Mr。 and Mrs。 Rucastle are
going on a visit； and will be away all the evening； so that I must
look after the child。 Now I have told you all my adventures； Mr。
Holmes； and I should be very glad if you could tell me what it all
means； and； above all； what I should do。〃
Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story。 My
friend rose now and paced up and down the room； his hands in his
pockets； and an expression of the most profound gravity upon his face。
〃Is Toller still drunk？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。 I heard his wife tell Mrs。 Rucastle that she could do
nothing with him。〃
〃That is well。 And the Rucastles go out to…night？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Is there a cellar with a good strong lock？〃
〃Yes； the wine…cellar。〃
〃You seem to me to have acted all through this matter like a very
brave and sensible girl； Miss Hunter。 Do you think that you could
perform one more feat？ I should not ask it of you if I did not think
you a quite exceptional woman。〃
〃I will try。 What is it？〃
〃We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock； my friend and
I。 The Rucastles will be gone by that time； and Toller will； we
hope； be incapable。 There only remains Mrs。 Toller； who might give the
alarm。 If you could send her into the cellar on some errand； and
then turn the key upon her； you would facilitate matters immensely。〃
〃I will do it。〃
〃Excellent！ We shall then look thoroughly into the affair。 Of course
there is only one feasible explanation。 You have been brought there to
personate someone； and the real person is imprisoned in this
chamber。 That is obvious。 As to who this prisoner is； I have no
doubt that it is the daughter； Miss Alice Rucastle； if I remember
right； who was said to have gone to America。 You were chosen；
doubtless； as resembling her in height； figure； and the colour of your
hair。 Hers had been cut off； very possibly in some illness through
which she has passed； and so； of course； yours had to be sacrificed
also。 By a curious chance you came upon her tresses。 The man in the
road was undoubtedly some friend of hers…possibly her fiance…and no
doubt； as you wore the girl's dress and were so like her； he was
convinced from your laughter； whenever he saw you； and afterwards from
your gesture； that Miss Rucastle was perfectly happy； and that she
no longer desired his attentions。 The dog is let loose at night to
prevent him from endeavouring to communicate with her。 So much is
fairly clear。 The most serious point in the case is the disposition of
the child。〃
〃What on earth has that t