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the full glare of the electric light； there stood a tall； slim； dark
woman； a veil over her face； a mantle drawn round her chin。 Her breath
came quick and fast； and every inch of the lithe figure was
quivering with strong emotion。
〃Well；〃 said Milverton； 〃you made me lose a good night's rest； my
dear。 I hope you'll prove worth it。 You couldn't come any other
time… eh？〃
The woman shook her head。
〃Well； if you couldn't you couldn't。 If the Countess is a hard
mistress； you have your chance to get level with her now。 Bless the
girl； what are you shivering about？ That's right。 Pull yourself
together。 Now； let us get down to business。〃 He took a notebook from
the drawer of his desk。 〃You say that you have five letters which
compromise the Countess d'Albert。 You want to sell them。 I want to buy
them。 So far so good。 It only remains to fix a price。 I should want to
inspect the letters； of course。 If they are really good specimens…
Great heavens； is it you？〃
The woman； without a word； had raised her veil and dropped the
mantle from her chin。 It was a dark； handsome； clear…cut face which
confronted Milverton… a face with a curved nose； strong； dark eyebrows
shading hard； glittering eyes； and a straight； thin…lipped mouth set
in a dangerous smile。
〃It is I；〃 she said； 〃the woman whose life you have ruined。〃
Milverton laughed； but fear vibrated in his voice。 〃You were so very
obstinate；〃 said he。 〃Why did you drive me to such extremities？ I
assure you I wouldn't hurt a fly of my own accord； but every man has
his business； and what was I to do？ I put the price well within your
means。 You would not pay。〃
〃So you sent the letters to my husband； and he… the noblest
gentleman that ever lived； a man whose boots I was never worthy to
lace… he broke his gallant heart and died。 You remember that last
night； when I came through that door； I begged and prayed you for
mercy； and you laughed in my face as you are trying to laugh now； only
your coward heart cannot keep your lips from twitching。 Yes； you never
thought to see me here again； but it was that night which taught me
how I could meet you face to face； and alone。 Well； Charles Milverton；
what have you to say？〃
〃Don't imagine that you can bully me；〃 said he； rising to his
feet。 〃I have only to raise my voice and I could call my servants
and have you arrested。 But I will make allowance for your natural
anger。 Leave the room at once as you came； and I will say no more。〃
The woman stood with her hand buried in her bosom； and the same
deadly smile on her thin lips。
〃You will ruin no more lives as you have ruined mine。 You will wring
no more hearts as you wrung mine。 I will free the world of a poisonous
thing。 Take that； you hound… and that！… and that！… and that！〃
She had drawn a little gleaming revolver； and emptied barrel after
barrel into Milverton's body； the muzzle within two feet of his
shirt front。 He shrank away and then fell forward upon the table；
coughing furiously and clawing among the papers。 Then he staggered
to his feet； received another shot； and rolled upon the floor。 〃You've
done me；〃 he cried； and lay still。 The woman looked at him intently；
and ground her heel into his upturned face。 She looked again； but
there was no sound or movement。 I heard a sharp rustle； the night
air blew into the heated room； and the avenger was gone。
No interference upon our part could have saved the man from his
fate； but； as the woman poured bullet after bullet into Milverton's
shrinking body I was about to spring out； when I felt Holmes's cold；
strong grasp upon my wrist。 I understood the whole argument of that
firm； restraining grip… that it was no affair of ours； that justice
had overtaken a villain； that we had our own duties and our own
objects； which were not to be lost sight of。 But hardly had the
woman rushed from the room when Holmes； with swift； silent steps；
was over at the other door。 He turned the key in the lock。 At the same
instant we heard voices in the house and the sound of hurrying feet。
The revolver shots had roused the household。 With perfect coolness
Holmes slipped across to the safe； filled his two arms with bundles of
letters； and poured them all into the fire。 Again and again he did it；
until the safe was empty。 Someone turned the handle and beat upon
the outside of the door。 Holmes looked swiftly round。 The letter which
had been the messenger of death for Milverton lay； all mottled with
his blood； upon the table。 Holmes tossed it in among the blazing
papers。 Then he drew the key from the outer door； passed through after
me； and locked it on the outside。 〃This way； Watson；〃 said he； 〃we can
scale the garden wall in this direction。〃
I could not have believed that an alarm could have spread so
swiftly。 Looking back； the huge house was one blaze of light。 The
front door was open； and figures were rushing down the drive。 The
whole garden was alive with people； and one fellow raised a
view…halloa as we emerged from the veranda and followed hard at our
heels。 Holmes seemed to know the grounds perfectly； and he threaded
his way swiftly among a plantation of small trees； I close at his
heels； and our foremost pursuer panting behind us。 It was a six…foot
wall which barred our path； but he sprang to the top and over。 As I
did the same I felt the hand of the man behind me grab at my ankle；
but I kicked myself free and scrambled over a grass…strewn coping。 I
fell upon my face among some bushes； but Holmes had me on my feet in
an instant； and together we dashed away across the huge expanse of
Hampstead Heath。 We had run two miles； I suppose； before Holmes at
last halted and listened intently。 All was absolute silence behind us。
We had shaken off our pursuers and were safe。
We had breakfasted and were smoking our morning pipe on the day
after the remarkable experience which I have recorded； when Mr。
Lestrade； of Scotland Yard； very solemn and impressive； was ushered
into our modest sitting…room。
〃Good…morning； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said he； 〃good…morning。 May I ask if you
are very busy just now？〃
〃Not too busy to listen to you。〃
〃I thought that； perhaps； if you had nothing particular on hand； you
might care to assist us in a most remarkable case； which occurred only
last night at Hampstead。〃
〃Dear me！〃 said Holmes。 〃What was that？〃
〃A murder… a most dramatic and remarkable murder。 I know how keen
you are upon these things； and I would take it as a great favour if
you would step down to Appledore Towers； and give us the benefit of
your advice。 It is no ordinary crime。 We have had our eyes upon this
Mr。 Milverton for some time； and； between ourselves； he was a bit of a
villain。 He is known to have held papers which he used for
blackmailing purposes。 These papers have all been burned by the
murderers。 No article of value was taken； as it is probable that the
criminals were men of good position； whose sole object was to
prevent social exposure。〃
〃Criminals？〃 said Holmes。 〃Plural？〃
〃Yes； there were two of them。 They were as nearly as possible