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the business has not been over good for some years； and an extra
couple of hundred would have been very handy。
〃'Tell me all about it；' said I。
〃'Well；' said he； showing me the advertisement； 'you can see for
yourself that the League has a vacancy； and there is the address
where you should apply for particulars。 As far as I can make out；
the League was founded by an American millionaire； Ezekiah Hopkins；
who was very peculiar in his ways。 He was himself red…headed； and
he had a great sympathy for all red…headed men； so； when he died；
it was found that he had left his enormous fortune in the hands of
trustees； with instructions to apply the interest to the providing
of easy berths to men whose hair is of that color。 From all I hear
it is splendid pay； and very little to do。'
〃'But；' said I； 'there would be millions of red…headed men who
would apply。'
〃'Not so many as you might think；' he answered。 'You see it is
really confined to Londoners； and to grown men。 This American had
started from London when he was young； and he wanted to do the old
town a good turn。 Then； again； I have heard it is of no use your
applying if your hair is light red； or dark red； or anything but
real； bright； blazing； fiery red。 Now； if you cared to apply； Mr。
Wilson； you would just walk in； but perhaps it would hardly be
worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a
few hundred pounds。'
〃Now it is a fact； gentlemen； as you may see for yourselves； that
my hair is of a very full and rich tint； so that it seemed to me
that； if there was to be any competition in the matter； I stood as
good a chance as any man that I had ever met。 Vincent Spaulding
seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might prove
useful； so I just ordered him to put up the shutters for the day；
and to come right away with me。 He was very willing to have a
holiday； so we shut the business up； and started off for the
address that was given us in the advertisement。
〃I never hope to see such a sight as that again； Mr。 Holmes。 From
north； south； east； and west every man who had a shade of red in
his hair had tramped into the City to answer the advertisement。
Fleet Street was choked with red…headed folk； and Pope's Court
looked like a coster's orange barrow。 I should not have thought
there were so many in the whole country as were brought together by
that single advertisement。 Every shade of color they werestraw；
lemon； orange； brick； Irish setter； liver； clay； but； as Spaulding
said； there were not many who had the real vivid flame…colored
tint。 When I saw how many were waiting； I would have given it up
in despair； but Spaulding would not hear of it。 How he did it I
could not imagine； but he pushed and pulled and butted until he got
me through the crowd； and right up to the steps which led to the
office。 There was a double stream upon the stair； some going up in
hope； and some coming back dejected； but we wedged in as well as we
could； and soon found ourselves in the office。〃
〃Your experience has been a most entertaining one；〃 remarked
Holmes； as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge
pinch of snuff。 〃Pray continue your very interesting statement。〃
〃There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs and
a deal table； behind which sat a small man； with a head that was
even redder than mine。 He said a few words to each candidate as he
came up； and then he always managed to find some fault in them
which would disqualify them。 Getting a vacancy did not seem to be
such a very easy matter after all。 However； when our turn came；
the little man was much more favorable to me than to any of the
others； and he closed the door as we entered； so that he might have
a private word with us。
〃'This is Mr。 Jabez Wilson；' said my assistant； 'and he is willing
to fill a vacancy in the League。'
〃'And he is admirably suited for it；' the other answered。 'He has
every requirement。 I cannot recall when I have seen anything so
fine。' He took a step backward； cocked his head on one side； and
gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful。 Then suddenly he
plunged forward； wrung my hand； and congratulated me warmly on my
success。
〃'It would be injustice to hesitate；' said he。 'You will； however；
I am sure； excuse me for taking an obvious precaution。' With that
he seized my hair in both his hands； and tugged until I yelled with
the pain。 'There is water in your eyes；' said he； as he released
me。 'I perceive that all is as it should be。 But we have to be
careful； for we have twice been deceived by wigs and once by paint。
I could tell you tales of cobbler's wax which would disgust you
with human nature。' He stepped over to the window and shouted
through it at the top of his voice that the vacancy was filled。 A
groan of disappointment came up from below； and the folk all
trooped away in different directions； until there was not a red
head to be seen except my own and that of the manager。
〃'My name；' said he； 'is Mr。 Duncan Ross； and I am myself one of
the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor。 Are you
a married man； Mr。 Wilson？ Have you a family？'
〃I answered that I had not。
〃His face fell immediately。
〃'Dear me！' he said； gravely； 'that is very serious indeed！ I am
sorry to hear you say that。 The fund was； of course； for the
propagation and spread of the red heads as well as for their
maintenance。 It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a
bachelor。'
〃My face lengthened at this； Mr。 Holmes； for I thought that I was
not to have the vacancy after all； but； after thinking it over for
a few minutes； he said that it would be all right。
〃'In the case of another；' said he； 'the objection might be fatal；
but we must stretch a point in favor of a man with such a head of
hair as yours。 When shall you be able to enter upon your new
duties？'
〃'Well； it is a little awkward； for I have a business already；'
said I。
〃'Oh； never mind about that； Mr。 Wilson！' said Vincent Spaulding。
'I shall be able to look after that for you。'
〃'What would be the hours？' I asked。
〃'Ten to two。'
〃Now a pawnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening； Mr。
Holmes； especially Thursday and Friday evenings； which is just
before pay day； so it would suit me very well to earn a little in
the mornings。 Besides； I knew that my assistant was a good man；
and that he would see to anything that turned up。
〃'That would suit me very well；' said I。 'And the pay？'
〃'Is four pounds a week。'
〃'And the work？'
〃'Is purely nominal。'
〃'What do you call purely nominal？'
〃'Well； you have to be in the office； or at least in the building；
the whole time。 If you leave； you forfeit your whole position
forever。 The will is very clear upon that point。 You don't comply
with the conditions if you budge from the office