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Then she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her

beautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no change in her

young man, and he stuck to her as true as man could be."

"Ah," said Holmes, "I think that what you have been good enough

to tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and that I can deduce

all that remains. Mr. Rucastle then, I presume, took to this

system of imprisonment?"

"Yes, sir."

"And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of

the disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler."

"That was it, sir."

"But Mr. Fowler being a persevering man, as a good seaman should

be, blockaded the house, and having met you succeeded by certain

arguments, metallic or otherwise, in convincing you that your

interests were the same as his."

"Mr. Fowler was a very kind-spoken, free-handed gentleman," said

Mrs. Toller serenely.

"And in this way he managed that your good man should have no

want of drink, and that a ladder should be ready at the moment

when your master had gone out."