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"It is our task to find that out," replied Holmes; "so now, if

you please, Mr. Holder, we will set off for Streatham together,

and devote an hour to glancing a little more closely into

details."

My friend insisted upon my accompanying them in their expedition,

which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy

were deeply stirred by the story to which we had listened. I

confess that the guilt of the banker's son appeared to me to be

as obvious as it did to his unhappy father, but still I had such

faith in Holmes' judgment that I felt that there must be some

grounds for hope as long as he was dissatisfied with the accepted

explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the

southern suburb, but sat with his chin upon his breast and his

hat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client

appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope

which had been presented to him, and he even broke into a

desultory chat with me over his business affairs. A short railway

journey and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank, the modest

residence of the great financier.