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revolting business is； although one of the victims still escapes us。 Of
course； you have formed your own conclusions。〃
〃I presume that this Jim Browner； the steward of a Liverpool boat； is
the man whom you suspect？〃
〃Oh！ it is more than a suspicion。〃
〃And yet I cannot see anything save very vague indications。〃
〃On the contrary； to my mind nothing could be more clear。 Let me
run over the principal steps。 We approached the case； you remember；
with an absolutely blank mind； which is always an advantage。 We had
formed no theories。 We were simply there to observe and to draw
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
inferences from our observations。 What did we see first？ A very placid
and respectable lady； who seemed quite innocent of any secret； and a
portrait which showed me that she had two younger sisters。 It instantly
flashed across my mind that the box might have been meant for one of
these。 I set the idea aside as one which could be disproved or confirmed
at our leisure。 Then we went to the garden； as you remember； and we
saw the very singular contents of the little yellow box。
〃The string was of the quality which is used by sail…makers aboard
ship； and at once a whiff of the sea was perceptible in our investigation。
When I observed that the knot was one which is popular with sailors； that
the parcel had been posted at a port； and that the male ear was pierced for
an earring which is so much more common among sailors than landsmen；
I was quite certain that all the actors in the tragedy were to be found
among our seafaring classes。
〃When I came to examine the address of the packet I observed that it
was to Miss S。 Cushing。 Now； the oldest sister would； of course； be Miss
Cushing； and although her initial was 'S' it might belong to one of the
others as well。 In that case we should have to commence our
investigation from a fresh basis altogether。 I therefore went into the
house with the intention of clearing up this point。 I was about to assure
Miss Cushing that I was convinced that a mistake had been made when
you may remember that I came suddenly to a stop。 The fact was that I
had just seen something which filled me with surprise and at the same
time narrowed the field of our inquiry immensely。
〃As a medical man； you are aware； Watson； that there is no part of the
body which varies so much as the human ear。 Each ear is as a rule quite
distinctive and differs from all other ones。 In last year's Anthropological
Journal you will find two short monographs from my pen upon the subject。
I had； therefore； examined the ears in the box with the eyes of an expert
and had carefully noted their anatomical peculiarities。 Imagine my
surprise； then； when on looking at Miss Cushing I perceived that her ear
corresponded exactly with the female ear which I had just inspected。 The
matter was entirely beyond coincidence。 There was the same shortening
of the pinna； the same broad curve of the upper lobe； the same convolution
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
of the inner cartilage。 In all essentials it was the same ear。
〃In the first place； her sister's name was Sarah； and her address had
until recently been the same； so that it was quite obvious how the mistake
had occurred and for whom the packet was meant。 Then we heard of this
steward； married to the third sister； and learned that he had at one time
been so intimate with Miss Sarah that she had actually gone up to
Liverpool to be near the Browners； but a quarrel had afterwards divided
them。 This quarrel had put a stop to all communications for some
months； so that if Browner had occasion to address a packet to Miss Sarah；
he would undoubtedly have done so to her old address。
〃And now the matter had begun to straighten itself out wonderfully。
We had learned of the existence of this steward； an impulsive man； of
strong passionsyou remember that he threw up what must have been a
very superior berth in order to be nearer to his wifesubject； too； to
occasional fits of hard drinking。 We had reason to believe that his wife had
been murdered； and that a manpresumably a seafaring manhad been
murdered at the same time。 Jealousy； of course； at once suggests itself as
the motive for the crime。 And why should these proofs of the deed be
sent to Miss Sarah Cushing？ Probably because during her residence in
Liverpool she had some hand in bringing about the events which led to the
tragedy。 You will observe that this line of boats call at Belfast； Dublin；
and Waterford； so that； presuming that Browner had committed the deed
and had embarked at once upon his steamer； the May Day； Belfast would
be the first place at which he cold post his terrible packet。
〃A second solution was at this stage obviously possible； and although I
thought it exceedingly unlikely； I was determined to elucidate it before
going further。 An unsuccessful lover might have killed Mr。 and Mrs。
Browner； and the male ear might have belonged to the husband。 There
were many grave objections to this theory； but it was conceivable。 I
therefore sent off a telegram to my friend Algar； of the Liverpool force；
and asked him to find our if Mrs。 Browner were at home； and if Browner
had departed in the May Day。 Then we went on to Wallington to visit
Miss Sarah。
〃I was curious； in the first place； to see how far the family ear had been
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
reproduced in her。 Then； of course； she might give us very important
information； but I was not sanguine that she would。 She must have heard
of the business the day before； since all Croydon was ringing with it； and
she alone could have understood for whom the packet was meant。 If she
had been willing to help justice she would probably have communicated
with the police already。 However； it was clearly our duty to see her； so
we went。 We found that the news of the arrival of the packet… …for her
illness dated from that timehad such an effect upon her as to bring on
brain fever。 It was clearer than ever that she understood its full
significance； but equally clear that we should have to wait some time for
any assistance from her。
〃However； we were really independent of her help。 Our answers
were waiting for us at the police…station； where I had directed Algar to
send them。 Nothing could be more conclusive。 Mrs。 Browner's house
had been closed for more than three days； and the neighbours were of
opinion that she had gone south to