"Mr. Holmes," said the vicar in an agitated voice, "the most
extraordinary and tragic affair has occurred during the night.
It is the most unheard-of business. We can only regard it as a
special Providence that you should chance to be here at the time,
for in all England you are the one man we need."

I glared at the intrusive vicar with no very friendly eyes; but
Holmes took his pipe from his lips and sat up in his chair like
an old hound who hears the view-halloa. He waved his hand to the
sofa, and our palpitating visitor with his agitated companion sat
side by side upon it. Mr. Mortimer Tregennis was more self-
contained than the clergyman, but the twitching of his thin hands
and the brightness of his dark eyes showed that they shared a
common emotion.

"Shall I speak or you?" he asked of the vicar.

"Well, as you seem to have made the discovery, whatever it may
be, and the vicar to have had it second-hand, perhaps you had
better do the speaking," said Holmes.

I glanced at the hastily clad clergyman, with the formally
dressed lodger seated beside him, and was amused at the surprise
which Holmes's simple deduction had brought to their faces.

"Perhaps I had best say a few words first," said the vicar, "and
then you can judge if you will listen to the details from Mr.
Tregennis, or whether we should not hasten at once to the scene
of this mysterious affair. I may explain, then, that our friend
here spent last evening in the company of his two brothers, Owen