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are not a pair。〃
〃Yes； I have noticed that。 But if this were the practical joke of
some students from the dissecting…rooms； it would be as easy for
them to send two odd ears as a pair。
〃Precisely。 But this is not a practical joke。〃
〃You are sure of it？〃
〃The presumption is strongly against it。 Bodies in the
dissecting…rooms are injected with preservative fluid。 These ears bear
no signs of this。 They are fresh； too。 They have been cut off with a
blunt instrument； which would hardly happen if a student had done
it。 Again； carbolic or rectified spirits would be the preservatives
which would suggest themselves to the medical mind； certainly not
rough salt。 I repeat that there is no practical joke here； but that we
are investigating a serious crime。〃
A vague thrill ran through me as I listened to my companion's
words and saw the stern gravity which had hardened his features。
This brutal preliminary seemed to shadow forth some strange and
inexplicable horror in the background。 Lestrade； however； shook his
head like a man who is only half convinced。
〃There are objections to the joke theory； no doubt〃 said he； 〃but
there are much stronger reasons against the other。 We know that this
woman has led a most quiet and respectable life at Penge and here
for the last twenty years。 She has hardly been away from her home
for a day during that time。 Why on earth； then； should any criminal
send her the proofs of his guilt； especially as； unless she is a
most consummate actress； she understands quite as little of the matter
as we do？〃
〃That is the problem which we have to solve；〃 Holmes answered；
〃and for my part I shall set about it by presuming that my reasoning
is correct and that a double murder has been committed。 One of these
ears is a woman's； small； finely formed； and pierced for an earring。
The other is a man's； sun…burned； discoloured； and also pierced for an
earring。 These two people are presumably dead； or we should have heard
their story before now。 To…day is Friday。 The packet was posted on
Thursday morning。 The tragedy； then； occurred on Wednesday or Tuesday；
or earlier。 If the two people were murdered； who but their murderer
would have sent this sign of his work to Miss Cushing？ We may take
it that the sender of the packet is the man whom we want。 But he
must have some strong reason for sending Miss Cushing this packet。
What reason then？ It must have been to tell her that the deed was
done！ or to pain her； perhaps。 But in that case she knows who it is。
Does she know？ I doubt it。 If she knew； why should she call the police
in？ She might have buried the ears； and no one would have been the
wiser。 That is what she would have done if she had wished to shield
the criminal。 But if she does not wish to shield him she would give
his name。 There is a tangle here which needs straightening out。〃 He
had been talking in a high； quick voice； staring blankly up over the
garden fence； but now he sprang briskly to his feet and walked towards
the house。
〃I have a few questions to ask Miss Cushing；〃 said he。
〃In that case I may leave you here〃 said Lestrade； 〃for I have
another small business on hand。 I think that I have nothing further to
learn from Miss Cushing。 You will find me at the police…station。〃
〃We shall look in on our way to the train；〃 answered Holmes。 A
moment later he and I were back in the front room； where the impassive
lady was still quietly working away at her antimacassar。 She put it
down on her lap as we entered and looked at us with her frank；
searching blue eyes。
〃I am convinced； sir；〃 she said； 〃that this matter is a mistake； and
that the parcel was never meant for me at all。 I have said this
several times to the gentleman from Scotland Yard； but he simply
laughs at me。 I have not an enemy in the world； as far as I know； so
why should anyone play me such a trick？〃
〃I am coming to be of the same opinion； Miss Cushing；〃 said
Holmes； taking a seat beside her。 〃I think that it is more than
probable…〃 he paused； and I was surprised； on glancing round to see
that he was staring with singular intentness at the lady's profile。
Surprise and satisfaction were both for an instant to be read upon his
eager face； though when she glanced round to find out the cause of his
silence he had become as demure as ever。 I stared hard myself at her
flat； grizzled hair； her trim cap； her little gilt earrings； her
placid features； but I could see nothing which could account for my
companion's evident excitement。
〃There were one or two questions…〃
〃Oh； I am weary of questions！〃 cried Miss Cushing impatiently。
〃You have two sisters； I believe。〃
〃How could you know that？〃
〃I observed the very instant that I entered the room that you have a
portrait group of three ladies upon the mantelpiece； one of whom is
undoubtedly yourself； while the others are so exceedingly like you
that there could be no doubt of the relationship。〃
〃Yes； you are quite right。 Those are my sisters； Sarah and Mary。〃
〃And here at my elbow is another portrait taken at Liverpool； of
your younger sister； in the company of a man who appears to be a
steward by his uniform。 I observe that she was unmarried at the time。〃
〃You are very quick at observing。〃
〃That is my trade。〃
〃Well； you are quite right。 But she was married to Mr。 Browner a few
days afterwards。 He was on the South American line when that was
taken； but he was so fond of her that he couldn't abide to leave her
for so long； and he got into the Liverpool and London boats。〃
〃Ah； the Conqueror； perhaps？〃
〃No； the May Day； when last I heard。 Jim came down here to see me
once。 That was before he broke the pledge； but afterwards he would
always take drink when he was ashore； and a little drink would send
him stark； staring mad。 Ah！ it was a bad day that ever he took a glass
in his hand again。 First he dropped me； then he quarrelled with Sarah；
and now that Mary has stopped writing we don't know how things are
going with them。〃
It was evident that Miss Cushing had come upon a subject on which
she felt very deeply。 Like most people who lead a lonely life； she was
shy at first； but ended by becoming extremely communicative。 She
told us many details about her brother…in…law the steward； and then
wandering off on the subject of her former lodgers； the medical
students； she gave us a long account of their delinquencies； with
their names and those of their hospitals。 Holmes listened
attentively to everything； throwing in a question from time to time。
〃About your second sister； Sarah；〃 said he。 〃I wonder； since you are
both maiden ladies； that you do not keep house together。〃
〃Ah！ you don't know Sarah's temper or you would wonder no more。 I
tried it when I came to Croydon； and we kept on until about two months
ago； when we had to part。 I don't want to say a word against my own
sister； but she was always meddlesome and hard to please； was Sarah。〃
〃You say that she quarrelled with your Liverpool relations。〃
〃Yes； and they were the best of friends at one time。 Why； she