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was only half conscious； But as I entered she raised a pair of
frightened but beautiful eyes and glared at me in apprehension。 Seeing
a stranger； she appeared to be relieved and sank back with a sigh upon
the pillow。 I stepped up to her with a few reassuring words； and she
lay still while I took her pulse and temperature。 Both were high；
and yet my impression was that the condition was rather that of mental
and nervous excitement than of any actual seizure。
〃She lie like that one day； two day。 I 'fraid she die；〃 said the
girl。
The woman turned her flushed and handsome face towards me。
〃Where is my husband？〃
〃He is below and would wish to see you。〃
〃I will not see him。 I will not see him。〃 Then she seemed to
wander off into delirium。 〃A fiend！ A fiend！ Oh； what shall I do
with this devil？〃
〃Can I help you in any way？〃
〃No。 No one can help。 It is finished。 All is destroyed。 Do what I
will； all is destroyed。〃
The woman must have some strange delusion。 I could not see honest
Bob Ferguson in the character of fiend or devil。
〃Madame；〃 I said； 〃your husband loves you dearly。 He is deeply
grieved at this happening。〃
Again she turned on me those glorious eyes。
〃He loves me。 Yes。 But do I not love him？ Do I not love him even
to sacrifice myself rather than break his dear heart？ That is how I
love him。 And yet he could think of me… he could speak of me so。〃
〃He is full of grief； but he cannot understand。〃
〃No； he cannot understand。 But he should trust。〃
〃Will you not see him？〃 I suggested。
〃No； no； I cannot forget those terrible words nor the look upon
his face。 I will not see him。 Go now。 You can do nothing for me。
Tell him only one thing。 I want my child。 I have a right to my
child。 That is the only message I can send him。〃 She turned her face
to the wall and would say no more。
I returned to the room downstairs； where Ferguson and Holmes still
sat by the fire。 Ferguson listened moodily to my account of the
interview。
〃How can I send her the child？〃 he said。 〃How do I know what strange
impulse might come upon her？ How can I ever forget how she rose from
beside it with its blood upon her lips？〃 He shuddered at the
recollection。 〃The child is safe with Mrs。 Mason； and there he must
remain。〃
A smart maid； the only modern thing which we had seen in the
house； had brought in some tea。 As she was serving it the door
opened and a youth entered the room。 He was a remarkable lad；
pale…faced and fair…haired； with excitable light blue eyes which
blazed into a sudden flame of emotion and joy as they rested upon
his father。 He rushed forward and threw his arms round his neck with
the abandon of a loving girl。
〃Oh； daddy；〃 he cried； 〃I did not know that you were due yet。 I
should have been here to meet you。 Oh； I am so glad to see you！〃
Ferguson gently disengaged himself from the embrace with some little
show of embarrassment。
〃Dear old chap；〃 said he； patting the flaxen head with a very tender
hand。 〃I came early because my friends； Mr。 Holmes and Dr。 Watson；
have been persuaded to come down and spend an evening with us。〃
〃Is that Mr。 Holmes； the detective？〃
〃Yes。〃
The youth looked at us with a very penetrating and； as it seemed
to me； unfriendly gaze。
〃What about your other child； Mr。 Ferguson？〃 asked Holmes。 〃Might we
make the acquaintance of the baby？〃
〃Ask Mrs。 Mason to bring baby down；〃 said Ferguson。 The boy went off
with a curious； shambling gait which told my surgical eyes that he was
suffering from a weak spine。 Presently he returned； and behind him
came a tall； gaunt woman bearing in her arms a very beautiful child；
dark…eyed； golden…haired； a wonderful mixture of the Saxon and the
Latin。 Ferguson was evidently devoted to it； for he took it into his
arms and fondled it most tenderly。
Fancy anyone having the heart to hurt him；〃 he muttered as he
glanced down at the small； angry red pucker upon the cherub throat。
It was at this moment that I chanced to glance at Holmes and saw a
most singular intentness in his expression。 His face was as set as
if it had been carved out of old ivory； and his eyes； which had
glanced for a moment at father and child； were now fixed with eager
curiosity upon something at the other side of the room。 Following
his gaze I could only guess that he was looking out through the window
at the melancholy； dripping garden。 It is true that a shutter had half
closed outside and obstructed the view； but none the less it was
certainly at the window that Holmes was fixing his concentrated
attention。 Then he smiled； and his eyes came back to the baby。 On
its chubby neck there was this small puckered mark。 Without
speaking； Holmes examined it with care。 Finally he shook one of the
dimpled fists which waved in front of him。
〃Good…bye； little man。 You have made a strange start in life。 Nurse；
I should wish to have a word with you in private。〃
He took her aside and spoke earnestly for a few minutes。 I only
heard the last words； which were： 〃Your anxiety will soon； I hope；
be set at rest。〃 The woman； who seemed to be a sour； silent kind of
creature； withdrew with the child。
〃What is Mrs。 Mason like？〃 asked Holmes。
〃Not very prepossessing externally； as you can see； but a heart of
gold； and devoted to the child。〃
〃Do you like her； Jack？〃 Holmes turned suddenly upon the boy。 His
expressive mobile face shadowed over； and he shook his head。
〃Jacky has very strong likes and dislikes；〃 said Ferguson； putting
his arm round the boy。 〃Luckily I am one of his likes。〃
The boy cooed and nestled his head upon his father's breast。
Ferguson gently disengaged him。
〃Run away； little Jacky；〃 said he； and he watched his son with
loving eyes until he disappeared。 〃Now； Mr。 Holmes；〃 he continued when
the boy was gone； 〃I really feel that I have brought you on a fool's
errand； for what can you possibly do save give me your sympathy？ It
must be an exceedingly delicate and complex affair from your point
of view。〃
〃It is certainly delicate；〃 said my friend with an amused smile；
〃but I have not been struck up to now with its complexity。 It has been
a case for intellectual deduction； but when this original intellectual
deduction is confirmed point by point by quite a number of independent
incidents； then the subjective becomes objective and we can say
confidently that we have reached our goal。 I had； in fact； reached
it before we left Baker Street； and the rest has merely been
observation and confirmation。〃
Ferguson put his big hand to his furrowed forehead。
〃For heaven's sake； Holmes；〃 he said hoarsely； 〃if you can see the
truth in this matter； do not keep me in suspense。 How do I stand？ What
shall I do？ I care nothing as to how you have found your facts so long
as you have really got them。〃
〃Certainly I owe you an explanation； and you shall have it。 But
you will permit me to handle the matter in my own way？ Is the lady
capable of seeing us； Watson？〃
〃She is ill； but she is quite rational。〃
〃Very good。 It is only in her presence that we ca