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he used to write every day。 I took the letters in 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 infinitley 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 gentelmanly 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 favour 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 two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a
four…wheeler； which happened to be the only other cab in the
street。 We got to the church first； and when the four…wheeler
drove up we waited for him to step out； but he never did； and when
the cabman got down from the box and looked there was no one
there！ The cabman said that he could not imagine what had become
of him； for he had seen him get in with his own eyes。 That was
last Friday； Mr。 Holmes； and I have never seen or heard anything
since then to throw any light upon what became of him。〃
〃It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated；〃
said Holmes。
〃Oh； no； sir！ He was too good and kind to leave me so。 Why；
all the morning he was saying to me that； whatever happened； I was
to be true； and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred
to separate us； I was always to remember that I was pledged to
him； and that he would claim his pledge sooner or later。 It
seemed strange talk for a wedding…morning； but what has happened
since gives a meaning to it。〃
〃Most certainly it does。 Your own opinion is； then； that some
unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I believe that he foresaw some danger； or else he
would not have talked so。 And then I think that what he foresaw
happened。〃
〃But you have no notion as to what it could have been？〃
〃None。〃
〃One more question。 How did your mother take the matter？〃
〃She was angry； and said that I was never to speak of the
matter again。〃
〃And your father？ Did you tell him？〃
〃Yes； and he seemed to think； with me； that something had
happened； and that I should hear of Hosmer again。 As he said；
what interest could anyone have in bringing me to the doors of the
church； and then leaving me？ Now； if he had borrowed my money； or
if he had married me and got my money settled on him； there might
be some reason； but Hosmer was very independent about money and
never would look at a shilling of mine。 And yet； what could have
happened？ And why could he not write？ Oh； it drives me half…mad
to think of it； and I can't sleep a wink at night。〃 She pulled a
little handkerchief out of her muff and began to sob heavily into
it。
〃I shall glance into the case for you；〃 said Holmes； rising；
〃and I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result。
Let the weight of the matter rest upon me now； and do not let your
mind dwell upon it further。 Above all； try to let Mr。 Hosmer
Angel vanish from your memory； as he has done from your life。〃
〃Then you don't think I'll see him again？〃
〃I fear not。〃
〃Then what has happened to him？〃
〃You will leave that question in my hands。 I should like an
accurate description of him and any letters of his which you can
spare。〃
〃I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle；〃 said she。
〃Here is the s