sulphateofbaryta.”
“No,no,themystery!”Icried.
“Oh,that!IthoughtofthesaltthatIhavebeenworkingupon.Therewasneveranymysteryinthematter,though,asIsaidyesterday,someofthedetailsareofinterest.Theonlydrawbackisthatthereisnolaw,Ifear,thatcantouchthescoundrel.”
“Whowashe,then,andwhatwashisobjectindesertingMissSutherland?”
Thequestionwashardlyoutofmymouth,andHolmeshadnotyetopenedhislipstoreply,whenweheardaheavyfootfallinthepassageandatapatthedoor.
“Thisisthegirl’sstepfather,Mr.JamesWindibank,”saidHolmes.“Hehaswrittentometosaythathewouldbehereatsix.Comein!”
Themanwhoenteredwasasturdy,middle-sizedfellow,somethirtyyearsofage,clean-shaven,andsallow-skinned,withabland,insinuatingmanner,andapairofwonderfullysharpandpenetratinggreyeyes.Heshotaquestioningglanceateachofus,placedhisshinytop-hatuponthesideboard,andwithaslightbowsidleddownintothenearestchair.
“Good-evening,Mr.JamesWindibank,”saidHolmes.“Ithinkthatthistypewrittenletterisfromyou,inwhichyoumadeanappointmentwithmeforsixo’clock?”
“Yes,sir.IamafraidthatIamalittlelate,butIamnotquitemyownmaster,youknow.IamsorrythatMissSutherlandhastroubledyouaboutthislittlematter,forIthinkitisfarbetternottowashlinenofthesortinpublic.Itwasquiteagainstmywishesthatshecame,butsheisaveryexcitable,impulsivegirl,asyoumayhavenoticed,andsheisnoteasilycontrolledwhenshehasmadeuphermindonapoint.Ofcourse,Ididnotmindyousomuch,asyouarenotconnectedwiththeofficialpolice,butitisnotpleasanttohaveafamilymisfortunelikethisnoisedabroad.Besides,itisauselessexpense,forhowcouldyoupossiblyfindthisHosmerAngel?”
“Onthecontrary,”saidHolmesquietly“IhaveeveryreasontobelievethatIwillsucceedindiscoveringMr.HosmerAngel.”
Mr.Windibankgaveaviolentstartanddroppedhisgloves.“Iamdelightedtohearit,”hesaid.
“Itisacuriousthing,”remarkedHolmes,“thatatypewriterhasreallyquiteasmuchindividualityasaman’shandwriting.Unlesstheyarequitenew,notwoofthemwriteexactlyalike.Somelettersgetmorewornthanothers,andsomewearonlyononeside.Now,youremarkinthisnoteofyours,Mr.Windibank,thatineverycasethereissomelittleslurringoverofthe‘e,’andaslightdefectinthetailofthe‘r.’Therearefourteenothercharacteristics,butthosearethemoreobvious.”
“Wedoallourcorrespondencewiththismachineattheoffice,andnodoubtitisalittleworn,”ourvisitoranswered,glancingkeenlyatHolmeswithhisbrightlittleeyes.
“AndnowIwillshowyouwhatisreallyaveryinterestingstudy,Mr.Windibank,”Holmescontinued.“Ithinkofwritinganotherlittlemonographsomeofthesedaysonthetypewriteranditsrelationtocrime.ItisasubjecttowhichIhavedevotedsomelittleattention.Ihaveherefourletterswhichpurporttocomefromthemissingman.Theyarealltypewritten.Ineachcase,notonlyarethe‘e’s’slurredandthe‘r’s’tailless,butyouwillobserve,ifyoucaretousemymagnifyinglens,thatthefourteenothercharacteristicstowhichIhavealludedarethereaswell.”
Mr.Windibanksprangoutofhischairandpickeduphishat.“Icannotwastetimeoverthissortoffantastictalk,Mr.Holmes,”hesaid.“Ifyoucancatchtheman,catchhim,andletmeknowwhenyouhavedoneit.”
“Certainly,”saidHolmes,steppingoverandturningthekeyinthedoor.“Iletyouknow,then,thatIhavecaughthim!”
“What!where?”shoutedMr.Windibank,turningwhitetohislipsandglancinga