fairly clear。 The most serious point in the case is the disposition of
the child。〃
〃What on earth has that to do with it？〃 I ejaculated。
〃My dear Watson； you as a medical man are continually gaining
light as to the tendencies of a child by the study of the parents。
Don't you see that the converse is equally valid。 I have frequently
gained my first real insight into the character of parents by studying
their children。 This child's disposition is abnormally cruel； merely
for cruelty's sake； and whether he derives this from his smiling
father； as I should suspect； or from his mother； it bodes evil for the
poor girl who is in their power。〃
〃I am sure that you are right Mr。 Holmes；〃 cried our client。 〃A
thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you have
hit it。 Oh； let us lose not an instant in bringing help to this poor
creature。〃
〃We must be circumspect for we are dealing with a very cunning
man。 We can do nothing until seven o'clock。 At that hour we shall be
with you； and it will not be long before we solve the mystery。〃
We were as good as our word； for it was just seven when we reached
the Copper Beeches； having put up our trap at a wayside
public…house。 The group of trees； with their dark leaves shining
like burnished metal in the light of the setting sun； were
sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been standing
smiling on the door…step。
〃Have you managed it？〃 asked Holmes。
A loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs。 〃That is
Mrs。 Toller in the cellar；〃 said she。 〃Her husband lies snoring on the
kitchen rug。 Here are his keys； which are the duplicates of Mr。
Rucastle's。〃
〃You have done well indeed！〃 cried Holmes with enthusiasm。 〃Now lead
the way； and we shall soon see the end of this black business。〃
We passed up the stair； unlocked the door； followed on down a
passage； and found ourselves in front of the barricade which Miss
Hunter had described。 Holmes cut the cord and removed the transverse
bar。 Then he tried the various keys in the lock； but without
success。 No sound came from within； and at the silence Holmes's face
clouded over。
〃I trust that we are not too late；〃 said he。 〃I think； Miss
Hunter； that we had better go in without you。 Now； Watson； put your
shoulder to it； and we shall see whether we cannot make our way in。〃
It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united
strength。 Together we rushed into the room。 It was empty。 There was no
furniture save a little pallet bed； a small table； and a basketful
of linen。 The skylight above was open； and the prisoner gone。
〃There has been some villainy here；〃 said Holmes； 〃this beauty has
guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victim off。〃
〃But how？〃
〃Through the skylight。 We shall soon see how he managed it。〃 He
swung himself up onto the roof。 〃Ah； yes；〃 he cried； 〃here's the end
of a long light ladder against the eaves。 That is how he did it。〃
〃But it is impossible；〃 said Miss Hunter； 〃the ladder was not
there when the Rucastles went away。
〃He has come back and done it。 I tell you that he is a clever and
dangerous man。 I should not be very much surprised if this were he
whose step I hear now upon the stair。 I think； Watson； that it would
be as well for you to have your pistol ready。〃
The words were hardly out of his mouth before a man appeared at
the door of the room； a very fat and burly man； with a heavy stick
in his hand。 Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against the wall at the
sight of him； but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and confronted him。
〃You villain！〃 said he； 〃where's your daughter？〃
The fat man cast his eyes round； and then up at the open skylight。
〃It is for me to ask you that；〃 he shrieked； 〃you thieves！ Spies and
thieves！ I have caught you； have I？ You are in my power。 I'll serve
you！〃 He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he could go。
〃He's gone for the dog！〃 cried Miss Hunter。
〃I have my revolver；〃 said I。
〃Better close the front door；〃 cried Holmes； and we all rushed
down the stairs together。 We had hardly reached the hall when we heard
the baying of a hound； and then a scream of agony； with a horrible
worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to。 An elderly man with
a red face and shaking limbs came staggering out at a side door。
〃My God〃 he cried。 〃Someone has loosed the dog。 He's not been fed
for two days。 Quick； quick； or we'll be too late！〃
Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house； with
Toller hurrying behind us。 There was the huge famished brute； its
black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat； while he writhed and
screamed upon the ground。 Running up； I blew its brains out； and it
fell over with its keen white teeth still meeting in the great creases
of his neck。 With much labour we separated them and carried him；
living but horribly mangled； into the house。 We laid him upon the
drawing…room sofa； and having dispatched the sobered Toller to bear
the news to his wife； I did what I could to relieve his pain。 We
were all assembled round him when the door opened and a tall； gaunt
woman entered the room。
〃Mrs。 Toller！〃 cried Miss Hunter。
〃Yes； miss。 Mr。 Rucastle let me out when he came back before he went
up to you。 Ah； miss； it is a pity you didn't let me know what you were
planning； for I would have told you that your pains were wasted。〃
〃Ha！〃 said Holmes； looking keenly at her。 〃It is clear that Mrs。
Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else。〃
〃Yes； sir； I do； and I am ready enough to tell what I know。〃
〃Then； pray； sit down； and let us hear it； for there are several
points on which I must confess that I am still in the dark。〃
〃I will soon make it clear to you；〃 said she； 〃and I'd have done
so before now if I could ha' got out from the cellar。 If there's
police…court business over this； you'll remember that I was the one
that stood your friend； and that I was Miss Alice's friend too。
〃She was never happy at home； Miss Alice wasn't； from the time
that her father married again。 She was slighted like and had no say in
anything； but it never really became bad for her until after she met
Mr。 Fowler at a friend's house。 As well as I could learn； Miss Alice
had rights of her own by will； but she was so quiet and patient； she
was； that she never said a word about them； but just left everything
in Mr。 Rucastle's hands。 He knew he was safe with her； but when
there was a chance of a husband coming forward； who would ask for
all that the law would give him； then her father thought it time to
put a stop on it。 He wanted her to sign a paper； so that whether she
married or not； he could use her money。 When she wouldn't do it； he
kept on worrying her until she got brain…fever； and for six weeks
was at death's door。 Then she got better at last； all worn to a
shadow； and with her beautiful hair cut off； but that didn't make no
change in her young man； and he stuck to her as true as man could be。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Holmes； 〃I think that what you have been good enough to
tell us makes the matter fairly clear； and that I can deduce all
that remains。 Mr。 Rucastle then； I presume； took to this system of
imprisonment？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of the
disagreeable persistence of Mr。 Fowler。〃
〃That was it； sir。〃
〃But Mr。 Fowler being a persevering man； as a good seaman should be；
blockaded the house； and having met you succeeded by certain
arguments； metallic or otherwise； in convincing you that your
interests were the same as his。〃
〃Mr。 Fowler was a very kind…spoken； free…handed gentleman；〃 said
Mrs。 Toller serenely。
〃And in this way he managed that your good man should have no want
of drink； and that a ladder should be ready at the moment when your
master had gone out。〃
〃You have it； sir； just as it happened。〃
〃I am sure we owe you an apology； Mrs。 Toller；〃 said Holmes； 〃for
you have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us。 And here
comes the country surgeon and Mrs。 Rucastle； so I think； Watson；
that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester； as it seems to
me that our locus standi now is rather a questionable one。〃
And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the
copper beeches in front of the door。 Mr。 Rucastle survived； but was
always a broken man； kept alive solely through the care of his devoted
wife。 They still live with their old servants； who probably know so
much of Rucastle's past life that he finds it difficult to part from
them。 Mr。 Fowler and Miss Rucastle were married； by special license；
in Southampton the day after their flight； and he is now the holder of
a government appointment in the island of Mauritius。 As to Miss Violet
Hunter； my friend Holmes； rather to my disappointment； manifested no
further interest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of
one of his problems； and she is now the head of a private school at
Walsall； where I believe that she has met with considerable success。