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interrupt。 Suddenly with a start he emerged into brisk life once more。
〃Yes； Watson； it was found。 Pretty damning； eh？ So the two juries
thought。 Then the dead woman had a note upon her making an appointment
at that very place and signed by the governess。 How's that？ Finally
there is the motive。 Senator Gibson is an attractive person。 If his
wife dies； who more likely to succeed her than the young lady who
had already by all accounts received pressing attentions from her
employer？ Love； fortune； power； all depending upon one middle…aged
life。 Ugly； Watson… very ugly！〃
〃Yes； indeed； Holmes。〃
〃Nor could she prove an alibi。 On the contrary； she had to admit
that she was down near Thor Bridge… that was the scene of the tragedy…
about that hour。 She couldn't deny it； for some passing villager had
seen her there。〃
〃That really seems final。〃
〃And yet； Watson… and yet！ This bridge… a single broad span of stone
with balustraded sides… carries the drive over the narrowest part of a
long； deep； reedgirt sheet of water。 Thor Mere it is called。 In the
mouth of the bridge lay the dead woman。 Such are the main facts。 But
here； if I mistake not； is our client； considerably before his time。〃
Billy had opened the door； but the name which he announced was an
unexpected one。 Mr。 Marlow Bates was a stranger to both of us。 He
was a thin； nervous wisp of a man with frightened eyes and a
twitching； hesitating manner… a man whom my own professional eye would
judge to be on the brink of an absolute nervous breakdown。
〃You seem agitated； Mr。 Bates；〃 said Holmes。 〃Pray sit down。 I
fear I can only give you a short time； for I have an appointment at
eleven。〃
〃I know you have；〃 our visitor gasped； shooting out short
sentences like a man who is out of breath； 〃Mr。 Gibson is coming。
Mr。 Gibson is my employer。 I am manager of his estate。 Mr。 Holmes；
he is a villain… an infernal villain。〃
〃Strong language； Mr。 Bates。〃
〃I have to be emphatic； Mr。 Holmes； for the time is so limited。 I
would not have him find me here for the world。 He is almost due now。
But I was so situated that I could not come earlier。 His secretary；
Mr。 Ferguson； only told me this morning of his appointment with you。〃
〃And you are his manager？〃
〃I have given him notice。 In a couple of weeks I shall have shaken
off his accursed slavery。 A hard man； Mr。 Holmes； hard to all about
him。 Those public charities are a screen to cover his private
iniquities。 But his wife was his chief victim。 He was brutal to her…
yes； sir； brutal！ How she came by her death I do not know； but I am
sure that he had made her life a misery to her。 She was a creature
of the tropics； a Brazilian by birth； as no doubt you know。〃
〃No； it had escaped me。〃
〃Tropical by birth and tropical by nature。 A child of the sun and of
passion。 She had loved him as such women can love； but when her own
physical charms had faded… I am told that they once were great…
there was nothing to hold him。 We all liked her and felt for her and
hated him for the way that he treated her。 But he is plausible and
cunning。 That is all I have to say to you。 Don't take him at his
face value。 There is more behind。 Now I'll go。 No； no； don't detain
me！ He is almost due。〃
With a frightened look at the clock our strange visitor literally
ran to the door and disappeared。
〃Well！ Well！〃 said Holmes after an interval of silence。 〃Mr。
Gibson seems to have a nice loyal household。 But the warning is a
useful one； and now we can only wait till the man himself appears。〃
Sharp at the hour we heard a heavy step upon the stairs； and the
famous millionaire was shown into the room。 As I looked upon him I
understood not only the fears and dislike of his manager but also
the execrations which so many business rivals have heaped upon his
head。 If I were a sculptor and desired to idealize the successful
man of affairs； iron of nerve and leathery of conscience； I should
choose Mr。 Neil Gibson as my model。 His tall； gaunt； craggy figure had
a suggestion of hunger and rapacity。 An Abraham Lincoln keyed to
base uses instead of high ones would give some idea of the man。 His
face might have been chiselled in granite； hard…set； craggy；
remorseless； with deep lines upon it； the sears of many a crisis。 Cold
gray eyes； looking shrewdly out from under bristling brows； surveyed
us each in turn。 He bowed in perfunctory fashion as Holmes mentioned
my name； and then with a masterful air of possession he drew a chair
up to my companion and seated himself with his bony knees almost
touching him。
〃Let me say right here； Mr。 Holmes；〃 he began； 〃that money is
nothing to me in this case。 You can burn it if it's any use in
lighting you to the truth。 This woman is innocent and this woman has
to be cleared； and it's up to you to do it。 Name your figure！〃
〃My professional charges are upon a fixed scale；〃 said Holmes
coldly。 〃I do not vary them； save when I remit them altogether。〃
〃Well； if dollars make no difference to you； think of the
reputation。 If you pull this off every paper in England and America
will be booming you。 You'll be the talk of two continents。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Gibson； I do not think that I am in need of booming。
It may surprise you to know that I prefer to work anonymously； and
that it is the problem itself which attracts me。 But we are wasting
time。 Let us get down to the facts。〃
〃I think that you will find all the main ones in the press
reports。 I don't know that I can add anything which will help you。 But
if there is anything you would wish more light upon… well； I am here
to give it。〃
〃Well； there is just one point。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃What were the exact relations between you and Miss Dunbar？〃
The Gold King gave a violent start and half rose from his chair。
Then his massive calm came back to him。
〃I suppose you are within your rights… and maybe doing your duty… in
asking such a question； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃We will agree to suppose so；〃 said Holmes。
〃Then I can assure you that our relations were entirely and always
those of an employer towards a young lady whom he never conversed
with； or ever saw； save when she was in the company of his children。〃
Holmes rose from his chair。
〃I am a rather busy man； Mr。 Gibson；〃 said he； 〃and I have no time
or taste for aimless conversations。 I wish you good…morning。〃
Our visitor had risen also； and his great loose figure towered above
Holmes。 There was an angry gleam from under those bristling brows
and a tinge of colour in the sallow cheeks。
〃What the devil do you mean by this； Mr。 Holmes？ Do you dismiss my
case？〃
〃Well； Mr。 Gibson； at least I dismiss you。 I should have thought
my words were plain。〃
〃Plain enough； but what's at the back of it？ Raising the price on
me； or afraid to tackle it； or what？ I've a right to a plain answer。〃
〃Well； perhaps you have；〃 said Holmes。 〃I'll give you one。 This case
is quite sufficiently complicated to start with without the further
difficulty of false information。〃
〃Meaning that I lie。〃
〃Well； I was trying to express it as delicately as I could； but if
you insist upon the word I will not contradict you。〃
I sprang to my feet； for the expression upon the millionaire's
face was fiendish in its intensity； and he had raised his great
knotted fist。 Holmes smiled languidly and reached his hand out for his
pipe。
〃Don't be noisy； Mr。 Gibson。 I find that after breakfast even the
smallest argument is unsettling。 I suggest that a stroll in the
morning air and a little quiet thought will be greatly to your
advantage。〃
With an effort the Gold King mastered his fury。 I could not but
admire him； for by a supreme self…command he had turned in a minute
from a hot flame of anger to a frigid and contemptuous indifference。
〃Well； it's your choice。 I guess you know how to run your own
business。 I can't make you touch the case against your will。 You've
done yourself no good this morning； Mr。 Holmes； for I have broken
stronger men than you。 No man ever crossed me and was the better for
it。〃
〃So many