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with the utmost coolness. "I fancy that my pal is all right, though I see you have got his coat-tails."

him at the door," said Holmes.

"Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I must compliment you."

"And I you," Holmes answered. "Your red-headed idea was very new and effective."

"You'll see your pal again presently," said Jones. "He's quicker at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the derbies."

"I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands," remarked our prisoner, as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. "You may not be 20 aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have the goodness, also, when you address me always to say 'sir' and 'please.'

"All right," said Jones, with a stare and a snigger. "Well, would you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry your highness to the police-station?"

"That is better," said John Clay, 30 serenely. He made a sweeping bow to the three of us, and walked quietly off in the custody of the detective.

"Really, Mr. Holmes," said Mr. Merryweather, as we followed them from the cellar, "I do not know how the bank can thank you or repay you. There is no doubt that you have detected and defeated in the most complete manner one of the most 40 determined attempts at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience."

"I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. John Clay," said Holmes. "I have been at some small expense over this matter, which I shall expect the bank

markable narrative of the Red-headed League."

"You see, Watson," he explained, in the early hours of the morning, as we sat over a glass of whisky-andsoda in Baker Street, "it was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of the 60 League, and the copying of the Encyclopedia, must be to get this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the color of his accomplice's hair. The four pounds a week was a 70 lure which must draw him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it, and together they manage to secure his absence every morning in the week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for half wages, it was obvious 80 to me that he had some strong motive for securing the situation."

"But how could you guess what the motive was?"

"Had there been women in the house, I should have suspected a mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the question. The man's business was a small one, and there was nothing in his house which could 90 account for such elaborate preparations, and such an expenditure as they were at. It must, then, be something out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant's fondness for photography, and

his trick of vanishing into the cellar. The cellar! There was the end of this tangled clue. Then I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant, and found that I had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London. He was doing something in the cellar-something which took many hours a day for months on end. 10 What could it be, once more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel to some other building.

"So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. It was not in front. 20 Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had never set eyes upon each other before. I hardly looked at his face. His knees were what I wished to see. You must yourself have remarked how worn, wrinkled, and stained they were. They spoke of those hours of burrowing. The only remaining point 30 was what they were burrowing for. I walked round the corner, saw the City and Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's premises, and felt that I had solved my problem. When you drove home after the concert I called upon Scotland Yard, and upon the chairman of the bank directors, with the result that you have seen."

"And how could you tell that they would make their attempt tonight?" 40 I asked.

"Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson's presence-in other words, that they had completed their tunnel. But it was essential that they should use it soon, as it might be discovered, or the bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than 50 any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. For all these reasons I expected them to come tonight."

"You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed, in unfeigned admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings true.'

"It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already 60 feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of existence. These little problems help me to do

EXPLANATORY NOTES

1. Sir A. Conan Doyle has developed the mystery-detective story to a high degree of finish in England. His renown is based not so much upon the ingenuity of his plots as upon two other reasons. He revived the device of linking a long series of stories together by having some characters appear in all of them. He

created a distinct character in Sherlock Holmes, who today is better and more widely known than the author of his exploits. Realizing that most book detectives are nothing more than clockwork thinking machines, Mr. Doyle added traits, weaknesses, peculiarities, habits, to Sherlock Holmes, so that he seems like a human being. He smokes a great deal, he frequently

becomes irritable, he loves music, he delights in turning some of his simplest movements into mysteries to puzzle his friends.

QUESTIONS AND TOPICS

1. Who-according to the pretense of Doyle-has written all the books about Sherlock Holmes? Is such a device good? Why? Does Holmes believe that "truth is stranger than fiction"? Why does the author indicate this early in the story? How does he at once arouse your curiosity about the case Mr. Wilson has presented to him? How does the author make the reasoning of Holmes astonish you? Then how does he make it seem perfectly natural? Tell the relation of photography to the plot.

2. Do you believe that any bequests as strange as the one here described have ever been provided by wealthy persons? Which speech of Holmes astonishes you most? Describe the dual sides of the detective's nature. Is this a possible combination? What was Jones, the police agent, like? Why is the contrast between him and Holmes made so marked? What detail is the first hint of the passageway? What other detail emphasizes this sign-post? How does the plot seem to desert the pawnbroker?

3. Which is more interesting-the prevention of the crime, or the method of its detection? What other stories do you know in which there is interesting material after the conclusion of the plot? Is the arrangement of

the details in the latter part of the story from effect to cause? Explain fully in your answer, using the story to illustrate. What do you think of the explanation given by Holmes? Is it accurate? Why is the Doctor so necessary in these stories? Why is he made to take part in the adventure? Put yourself in his place; tell what you would ask as soon as you could after you had left the bank.

4. Do you think that the author planned this story from beginning to end, or perhaps in the reverse order? Explain your opinion. What are the essentials of a good detective story? What kind of struggle must there always be in a detective story? Do you know of any baffling mysteries in real life solved by keen observation and clever reasoning?

5. Is this story like The Purloined Letter? Show all the similarities; the differences. Which do you prefer? Why? Which author deserves the more credit for his originality? Which is the greater artist?

Theme Topic. Write an account of the RedHeaded League which might have appeared in one of the London newspapers the following Monday.

Library Reading. "The Red-Headed League" is from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. If you care to follow Sherlock Holmes through all his adventures you will find them related in this and the following books: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

In a wet day the rain gathered in blobs on the road that passed our garden. Then it crawled into the cart-tracks, until the road was streaked with water. Lastly, the water gathered in heavy yellow pools. If the on-ding still continued, clods of earth toppled from the garden dike into the ditch.

On such a day, when even the dulseman had gone into shelter, and the women scudded by with their wrap

7. on-ding, rain. 10. dulseman, a seller of dulse, a kind of coarse seaweed which people like to chew.

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into his pocket, lest the rain should take the color out of it.

His boots cheeped, and his shoulders had risen to his ears. He stood steaming before my fire.

"If it's no' ower muckle to ask ye," he said, "I would like ye for a witness."

"A witness! But for what do you 10 need a witness, Gavin?"

"I want ye," he said, "to come wi' me to Mag's, and be a witness."

Gavin and Mag Birse had been engaged for a year or more. Mag was the daughter of Janet Ogilvy, who was best remembered as the body that took the hill (that is, wandered about it) for twelve hours on the day Mr. Dishart, the Auld Licht minister, 20 accepted a call to another church.

"You don't mean to tell me, Gavin," I asked, "that your marriage is to take place today?"

By the twist of his mouth I saw that he was only deferring a smile. "Far frae that," he said.

"Ah, then, you have quarreled, and I am to speak up for you?"

"Na, na," he said, "I dinna want 30 ye to do that above all things. It would be a favor if ye could gie me a bad character."

This beat me, and, I dare say, my face showed it.

"I'm no' juist what ye would call anxious to marry Mag noo," said Gavin, without a tremor.

I told him to go on.

"There's a lassie oot at Craigie40 buckle," he explained, "workin' on the farm-Jeanie Luke by name. Ye may

hae seen her?"

"What of her?" I asked severely. "Weel," said Gavin, still unabashed, "I'm thinkin' noo 'at I would rather hae her."

Then he stated his case more fully.

"Aye, I thocht I liked Mag oncommon till I saw Jeanie, an' I like her fine yet; but I prefer the other 50 ane. That state o' matters canna gang on forever, so I came into Thrums the day to settle't one wy or another."

"And how," I asked, "do you propose going about it? It is a somewhat delicate business."

"Ou, I see nae great difficulty in't. I'll speir at Mag, blunt oot, if she'll let me aff. Yes, I'll put it to her 60 plain."

"You're sure Jeanie would take

you?"

"Aye; oh, there's nae fear o' that." "But if Mag keeps you to your bargain?"

"Weel, in that case there's nae harm done."

"You are in a great hurry, Gavin?"

"Ye may say that; but I want to 70 be married. The wifie I lodge wi' canna last lang, an' I would like to settle doon in some place."

"So you are on your way to Mag's now?"

"Aye, we'll get her in atween twal' and ane."

"Oh, yes; but why do you want me to go with you?”

"I want ye for a witness. If she 80 winna let me aff, weel an' guid; an' if she will, it's better to hae a witness in case she should go back on her word."

Gavin made his proposal briskly, and as coolly as if he were only asking me to go fishing; but I did not accompany him to Mag's. He left the house to look for another witness, and about an hour afterwards Jess 90 saw him pass with Tammas Haggart.

6. ower muckle, too much. 19.

Auld Licht, the

name of au old and conservative branch of the Church of Scotland.

53. Thrums. fictitious name of Barrie's birthplace, Kirriemuir, which he makes the setting for most of his books. 59. speir at, ask. 76. atween twal' and ane, between twelve and one.

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20

Tammas cried in during the evening to tell us how the mission prospered.

"Mind ye," said Tammas, a drop of water hanging to the point of his nose, "I disclaim all responsibility in the business. I ken Mag weel for a thrifty, respectable woman, as her mither was afore her, an' so I said to Gavin when he came to speir me." "Aye, mony a pirn has 'Lisbeth filled to me," said Hendry, settling down to a reminiscence.

"No to be ower hard on Gavin," continued Tammas, forestalling Hendry, "he took what I said in guid part; but aye when I stopped speakin' to draw breath, he says, "The question is, will ye come wi' me?' He was michty made up in 's mind."

"Weel, ye went wi' him," suggested Jess, who wanted to bring Tammas to the point.

"Aye," said the stone-breaker, "but no in sic a hurry as that."

He worked his mouth round and round to clear the course, as it were, for a sarcasm.

"Fowk often say," he continued, "at 'am quick beyond the ordinar' in 30 seein' the humorous side o' things." Here Tammas paused, and looked

at us.

"So ye are, Tammas," said Hendry. "Losh, ye mind hoo ye saw the humorous side o' me wearin' a pair o' boots 'at wisna marrows! No, the ane had a toe-piece on, an' the other hadna."

"Ye juist wore them sometimes 40 when ye was delvin'," broke in Jess; "ye have as guid a pair o' boots as ony in Thrums."

"Aye, but I had worn them," said Hendry, "at odd times for mair than a year, an' I had never seen the

1. cried in, dropped in. 6. ken, know. 10. mony a pirn, many a bobbin. 11. filled, wound (with thread or varn for spinning). 24. sic, such. 36. wisna marrows, weren't mates. 40. delvin', digging.

He paused to reflect.

"Oh, yes," he said at last, brightening up, "I was sayin' to ye hoo quick I was to see the humorous side o' onything. Aye, then, what made me say that was 'at in a clink I saw the humorous side o' Gavin's position."

"Man, man," said Hendry, admir- 70 ingly, "an' what is't?"

"Oh, it's this: there's something humorous in speirin' a woman to let ye aff so as ye can be married to another woman.'

"I daursay there is," said Hendry, doubtfully.

"Did she let him aff?" asked Jess, taking the words out of Leeby's mouth.

"I'm comin' to that," said Tammas. "Gavin proposes to me after I had ha'en my laugh-"

"Yes," cried Hendry, banging the table with his fist, "it has a humorous side. Ye're richt again, Tammas."

"I wish ye wadna blatter the table," said Jess, and then Tammas proceeded:

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