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and inconsequential narrative； but； on the contrary； he had
listened with the greatest concentration of attention。
〃Your own little income；〃 he asked； 〃does it come out of the
business？〃
〃Oh； no； sir。 It is quite separate； and was left me by my Uncle
Ned in Auckland。 It is in New Zealand stock； paying four and half
per cent。 Two thousand five hundred pounds was the amount； but I
can only touch the interest。〃
〃You interest me extremely；〃 said Holmes。 〃And since you draw so
large a sum as a hundred a year； with what you earn into the
bargain； you no doubt travel a little； and indulge yourself in
every way。 I believe that a single lady can get on very nicely
upon an income of about sixty pounds。〃
〃I could do with much less than that； Mr。 Holmes； but you
understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a
burden to them； and so they have the use of the money just while I
am staying with them。 Of course that is only just for the time。
Mr。 Windibank draws my interest every quarter； and pays it over to
mother； and I find that I can do pretty well with what I earn at
typewriting。 It brings me twopence a sheet； and I can often do
from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day。〃
〃You have made your position very clear to me；〃 said Holmes。 〃This
is my friend； Doctor Watson； before whom you can speak as freely as
before myself。 Kindly tell us now all about your connection with
Mr。 Hosmer Angel。〃
A flush stole over Miss Sutherland's face； and she picked nervously
at the fringe of her jacket。 〃I met him first at the gasfitters'
ball；〃 she said。 〃They used to send father tickets when he was
alive； and then afterwards they remembered us； and sent them to
mother。 Mr。 Windibank did not wish us to go。 He never did wish us
to go anywhere。 He would get quite mad if I wanted so much as to
join a Sunday School treat。 But this time I was set on going； and
I would go； for what right had he to prevent？ He said the folk
were not fit for us to know； when all father's friends were to be
there。 And he said that I had nothing fit to wear； when I had my
purple plush that I had never so much as taken out of the drawer。
At last； when nothing else would do； he went off to France upon the
business of the firm； but we went； mother and I； with Mr。 Hardy；
who used to be our foreman； and it was there I met Mr。 Hosmer
Angel。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said Holmes； 〃that when Mr。 Windibank came back from
France； he was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball？〃
〃Oh； well； he was very good about it。 He laughed； I remember； and
shrugged his shoulders； and said there was no use denying anything
to a woman； for she would have her way。〃
〃I see。 Then at the gasfitters' ball you met； as I understand； a
gentleman called Mr。 Hosmer Angel？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I met him that night； and he called next day to ask if
we had got home all safe； and after that we met himthat is to
say； Mr。 Holmes； I met him twice for walks； but after that father
came back again； and Mr。 Hosmer Angel could not come to the house
any more。〃
〃No？〃
〃Well； you know； father didn't like anything of the sort。 He
wouldn't have any visitors if he could help it； and he used to say
that a woman should be happy in her own family circle。 But then；
as I used to say to mother； a woman wants her own circle to begin
with； and I had not got mine yet。〃
〃But how about Mr。 Hosmer Angel？ Did he make no attempt to see
you？〃
〃Well； father was going off to France again in a week； and Hosmer
wrote and said that it would be safer and better not to see each
other until he had gone。 We could write in the meantime； and he
used to write every day。 I took the letters in the morning； so
there was no need for father to know。〃
〃Were you engaged to the gentleman at this time？〃
〃Oh； yes； Mr。 Holmes。 We were engaged after the first walk that we
took。 HosmerMr。 Angelwas a cashier in an office in Leadenhall
Streetand〃
〃What office？〃
〃That's the worst of it； Mr。 Holmes； I don't know。〃
〃Where did he live； then？〃
〃He slept on the premises。〃
〃And you don't know his address？〃
〃Noexcept that it was Leadenhall Street。〃
〃Where did you address your letters； then？〃
〃To the Leadenhall Street Post Office； to be left till called for。
He said that if they were sent to the office he would be chaffed by
all the other clerks about having letters from a lady； so I offered
to typewrite them； like he did his； but he wouldn't have that； for
he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come from me； but
when they were typewritten he always felt that the machine had come
between us。 That will just show you how fond he was of me； Mr。
Holmes； and the little things that he would think of。〃
〃It was most suggestive；〃 said Holmes。 〃It has long been an axiom
of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important。
Can you remember any other little things about Mr。 Hosmer Angel？〃
〃He was a very shy man； Mr。 Holmes。 He would rather walk with me
in the evening than in the daylight； for he said that he hated to
be conspicuous。 Very retiring and gentlemanly he was。 Even his
voice was gentle。 He'd had the quinsy and swollen glands when he
was young； he told me； and it had left him with a weak throat and a
hesitating； whispering fashion of speech。 He was always well
dressed； very neat and plain； but his eyes were weak； just as mine
are； and he wore tinted glasses against the glare。〃
〃Well； and what happened when Mr。 Windibank； your stepfather；
returned to France？〃
〃Mr。 Hosmer Angel came to the house again； and proposed that we
should marry before father came back。 He was in dreadful earnest；
and made me swear； with my hands on the Testament； that whatever
happened I would always be true to him。 Mother said he was quite
right to make me swear； and that it was a sign of his passion。
Mother was all in his favor from the first； and was even fonder of
him than I was。 Then； when they talked of marrying within the
week； I began to ask about father； but they both said never to mind
about father； but just to tell him afterwards and mother said she
would make it all right with him。 I didn't quite like that； Mr。
Holmes。 It seemed funny that I should ask his leave； as he was
only a few years older than me； but I didn't want to do anything on
the sly； so I wrote to father at Bordeaux； where the company has
its French offices； but the letter came back to me on the very
morning of the wedding。〃
〃It missed him； then？〃
〃Yes； sir； for he had started to England just before it arrived。〃
〃Ha！ that was unfortunate。 Your wedding was arranged； then； for
the Friday。 Was it to be in church？〃
〃Yes； sir； but very quietly。 It was to be at St。 Saviour's； near
King's Cross； and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St。
Pancras Hotel。 Hosmer came for us in a hansom； but as there were
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