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〃Ah！ then you must have overlooked it。 Just toss it over to me。 Here
it is； under the financial column。 Perhaps you would be good enough to
read it aloud。〃
I picked up the paper which he had thrown back to me and read the
paragraph indicated。 It was headed； 〃A Gruesome Packet。〃
〃Miss Susan Cushing； living at Cross Street； Croydon； has been made
the victim of what must be regarded as a peculiarly revolting
practical joke unless some more sinister meaning should prove to be
attached to the incident。 At two o'clock yesterday afternoon a small
packet； wrapped in brown paper； was handed in by the postman。 A
cardboard box was inside； which was filled with coarse salt。 On
emptying this； Miss Cushing was horrified to find two human ears；
apparently quite freshly severed。 The box had been sent by parcel post
from Belfast upon the morning before。 There is no indication as to the
sender； and the matter is the more mysterious as Miss Cushing； who
is a maiden lady of fifty； has led a most retired life； and has so few
acquaintances or correspondents that it is a rare event for her to
receive anything through the post。 Some years ago； however； when she
resided at Penge； she let apartments in her house to three young
medical students； whom she was obliged to get rid of on account of
their noisy and irregular habits。 The police are of opinion that
this outrage may have been perpetrated upon Miss Cushing by these
youths； who owed her a grudge and who hoped to frighten her by sending
her these relics of the dissecting…rooms。 Some probability is lent
to the theory by the fact that one of these students came from the
north of Ireland； and； to the best of Miss Cushing's belief； from
Belfast。 In the meantime； the matter is being actively investigated；
Mr。 Lestrade； one of the very smartest of our detective officers；
being in charge of the case。〃
〃So much for the Daily Chronicle；〃 said Holmes as I finished
reading。 〃Now for our friend Lestrade。 I had a note from him this
morning； in which he says：
〃I think that this case is very much in your line。 We have every
hope of clearing the matter up； but we find a little difficulty in
getting anything to work upon。 We have； of course； wired to the
Belfast post…office； but a large number of parcels were handed in upon
that day； and they have no means of identifying this particular one；
or of remembering the sender。 The box is a half…pound box of
honeydew tobacco and does not help us in any way。 The medical
student theory still appears to me to be the most feasible； but if you
should have a few hours to spare I should be very happy to see you out
here。 I shall be either at the house or in the police…station all day。
What say you； Watson？ Can you rise superior to the heat and run down
to Croydon with me on the off chance of a case for your annals？〃
〃I was longing for something to do。〃
〃You shall have it then。 Ring for our boots and tell them to order a
cab。 I'll be back in a moment when I have changed my dressing…gown and
filled my cigar…case。〃
A shower of rain fell while we were in the train； and the heat was
far less oppressive in Croydon than in town。 Holmes had sent on a
wire； so that Lestrade； as wiry； as dapper； and as ferret…like as
ever； was waiting for us at the station。 A walk of five minutes took
us to Cross Street； where Miss Cushing resided。
It was a very long street of two…story brick houses； neat and
prim； with whitened stone steps； and little groups of aproned women
gossiping at the doors。 Halfway down； Lestrade stopped and tapped at a
door； which was opened by a small servant girl。 Miss Cushing was
sitting in the front room； into which we were ushered。 She was a
placid…faced woman； with large； gentle eyes； and grizzled hair curving
down over her temples on each side。 A worked antimacassar lay upon her
lap and a basket of coloured silks stood upon a stool beside her。
〃They are in the outhouse； those dreadful things；〃 said she as
Lestrade entered。 I wish that you would take them away altogether。〃
〃So I shall； Miss Cushing。 I only kept them here until my friend；
Mr。 Holmes； should have seen them in your presence。〃
〃Why in my presence； sir？〃
〃In case he wished to ask any questions。〃
〃What is the use of asking me questions when I tell you I know
nothing whatever about it？〃
〃Quite so； madam；〃 said Holmes in his soothing way。 〃I have no doubt
that you have been annoyed more than enough already over this
business。〃
〃Indeed； I have； sir。 I am a quiet woman and live a retired life。 It
is something new for me to see my name in the papers and to find the
police in my house。 I won't have those things in here； Mr。 Lestrade。
If you wish to see them you must go to the outhouse。〃
It was a small shed in the narrow garden which ran behind the house。
Lestrade went in and brought out a yellow cardboard box； with a
piece of brown paper and some string。 There was a bench at the end
of the path； and we all sat down while Holmes examined； one by one；
the articles which Lestrade had handed to him。
〃The string is exceedingly interesting；〃 he remarked； holding it
up to the light and sniffing at it。 〃What do you make of this
string； Lestrade？〃
〃It has been tarred。〃
〃Precisely。 It is a piece of tarred twine。 You have also； no
doubt； remarked that Miss Cushing has cut the cord with a scissors； as
can be seen by the double fray on each side。 This is of importance。〃
〃I cannot see the importance；〃 said Lestrade。
〃The importance lies in the fact that the knot is left intact； and
that this knot is of a peculiar character。〃
〃It is very neatly tied。 I had already made a note to that effect〃
said Lestrade complacently。
〃So much for the string； then；〃 said Holmes； smiling； 〃now for the
box wrapper。 Brown paper； with a distinct smell of coffee。 What did
you not observe it？ I think there can be no doubt of it。 Address
printed in rather straggling characters： 'Miss S。 Cushing； Cross
Street； Croydon。' Done with a broad…pointed pen； probably a J and with
very inferior ink。 The word 'Croydon' has been originally spelled with
an 'i；' which has been changed to 'y。' The parcel was directed；
then； by a man… the printing is distinctly masculine… of limited
education and unacquainted with the town of Croydon。 So far； so
good！ The box is a yellow； half…pound honeydew box； with nothing
distinctive save two thumb marks at the left bottom corner。 It is
filled with rough salt of the quality used for preserving hides and
other of the coarser commercial purposes。 And embedded in it are these
very singular enclosures。〃
He took out the two ears as he spoke； and laying a board across
his knee he examined them minutely； while Lestrade and I； bending
forward on each side of him； glanced alternately at these dreadful
relics and at the thoughtful； eager face of our companion。 Finally
he returned them to the box once more and sat for a while in deep
meditation。
〃You have observed； of course；〃 said he at last； 〃that the ears
are not a pair。〃
〃Yes； I have noticed that。 But i