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by trade； and a remarkable performer upon the jew's…harp。 I cared
nothing for him。 But I cared a great deal for the much more formidable
person who was behind him； the bosom friend of Moriarty； the man who
dropped the rocks over the cliff； the most cunning and dangerous
criminal in London。 That is the man who is after me to…night Watson；
and that is the man who is quite unaware that we are after him。〃
My friend's plans were gradually revealing themselves。 From this
convenient retreat； the watchers were being watched and the trackers
tracked。 That angular shadow up yonder was the bait； and we were the
hunters。 In silence we stood together in the darkness and watched
the hurrying figures who passed and repassed in front of us。 Holmes
was silent and motionless； but I could tell that he was keenly
alert； and that his eyes were fixed intently upon the stream of
passers…by。 It was a bleak and boisterous night and the wind
whistled shrilly down the long street。 Many people were moving to
and fro； most of them muffled in their coats and cravats。 Once or
twice it seemed to me that I had seen the same figure before； and I
especially noticed two men who appeared to be sheltering themselves
from the wind in the doorway of a house some distance up the street。 I
tried to draw my companion's attention to them； but he gave a little
ejaculation of impatience； and continued to stare into the street。
More than once he fidgeted with his feet and tapped rapidly with his
fingers upon the wall。 It was evident to me that he was becoming
uneasy； and that his plans were not working out altogether as he had
hoped。 At last； as midnight approached and the street gradually
cleared； he paced up and down the room in uncontrollable agitation。
I was about to make some remark to him； when I raised my eyes to the
lighted window； and again experienced almost as great a surprise as
before。 I clutched Holmes's arm； and pointed upward。
〃The shadow has moved！〃 I cried。
It was indeed no longer the profile； but the back； which was
turned towards us。
Three years had certainly not smoothed the asperities of his
temper or his impatience with a less active intelligence than his own。
〃Of course it has moved；〃 said he。 〃Am I such a farcical bungler；
Watson； that I should erect an obvious dummy； and expect that some
of the sharpest men in Europe would be deceived by it？ We have been in
this room two hours； and Mrs。 Hudson has made some change in that
figure eight times； or once in every quarter of an hour。 She works
it from the front； so that her shadow may never be seen。 Ah！〃 He
drew in his breath with a shrill； excited intake。 In the dim light I
saw his head thrown forward； his whole attitude rigid with
attention。 Outside the street was absolutely deserted。 Those two men
might still be crouching in the doorway； but I could no longer see
them。 All was still and dark； save only that brilliant yellow screen
in front of us with the black figure outlined upon its centre。 Again
in the utter silence I heard that thin； sibilant note which spoke of
intense suppressed excitement。 An instant later he pulled me back into
the blackest corner of the room； and I felt his warning hand upon my
lips。 The fingers which clutched me were quivering。 Never had I
known my friend more moved； and yet the dark street still stretched
lonely and motionless before us。
But suddenly I was aware of that which his keener senses had already
distinguished。 A low； stealthy sound came to my ears； not from the
direction of Baker Street； but from the back of the very house in
which we lay concealed。 A door opened and shut。 An instant later steps
crept down the passage… steps which were meant to be silent； but which
reverberated harshly through the empty house。 Holmes crouched back
against the wall； and I did the same； my hand closing upon the
handle of my revolver。 Peering through the gloom； I saw the vague
outline of a man； a shade blacker than the blackness of the open door。
He stood for an instant； and then he crept forward； crouching；
menacing； into the room。 He was within three yards of us； this
sinister figure； and I had braced myself to meet his spring； before
I realized that he had no idea of our presence。 He passed close beside
us； stole over to the window； and very softly and noiselessly raised
it for half a foot。 As he sank to the level of this opening； the light
of the street； no longer dimmed by the dusty glass； fell full upon his
face。 The man seemed to be beside himself with excitement。 His two
eyes shone like stars； and his features were working convulsively。
He was an elderly man； with a thin； projecting nose； a high； bald
forehead； and a huge grizzled moustache。 An opera hat was pushed to
the back of his head； and an evening dress shirt…front gleamed out
through his open overcoat。 His face was gaunt and swarthy； scored with
deep； savage lines。 In his hand he carried what appeared to be a
stick； but as he laid it down upon the floor it gave a metallic clang。
Then from the pocket of his overcoat he drew a bulky object； and he
busied himself in some task which ended with a loud； sharp click； as
if a spring or bolt had fallen into its place。 Still kneeling upon the
floor he bent forward and threw all his weight and strength upon
some lever； with the result that there came a long； whirling； grinding
noise； ending once more in a powerful click。 He straightened himself
then； and I saw that what he held in his hand was a sort of gun；
with a curiously misshapen butt。 He opened it at the breech； put
something in； and snapped the breech…lock。 Then； crouching down； he
rested the end of the barrel upon the ledge of the open window； and
I saw his long moustache droop over the stock and his eye gleam as
it peered along the sights。 I heard a little sigh of satisfaction as
he cuddled the butt into his shoulder； and saw that amazing target；
the black man on the yellow ground； standing clear at the end of his
foresight。 For an instant he was rigid and motionless。 Then his finger
tightened on the trigger。 There was a strange； loud whiz and a long；
silvery tinkle of broken glass。 At that instant Holmes sprang like a
tiger on to the marksman's back； and hurled him flat upon his face。 He
was up again in a moment； and with convulsive strength he seized
Holmes by the throat； but I struck him on the head with the butt of my
revolver； and he dropped again upon the floor。 I fell upon him； and as
I held him my comrade blew a shrill call upon a whistle。 There was the
clatter of running feet upon the pavement； and two policemen in
uniform； with one plain…clothes detective； rushed through the front
entrance and into the room。
〃That you； Lestrade？〃 said Holmes。
〃Yes； Mr。 Holmes。 I took the job myself。 It's good to see you back
in London； sir。〃
〃I think you want a little unofficial help。 Three undetected murders
in one year won't do； Lestrade。 But you handled the Molesey Mystery
with less than your usual… that's to say； you handled it fairly well。〃
We had all risen to our feet； our prisoner breathing hard； with a
stalwart constable on each side of him。 Already a few loiterers had
begun to collect in the street。 Holmes stepped up to the window；
closed it； and dropped the blinds。 Lestrade had produced two
candles； and the policemen had uncovered their lanterns。 I was able at
last to have a good look at our prisoner。
It was a tremendously virile and yet sinister face which was
turned towards us。 With the brow of a philosopher above and the jaw of
a sensualist below； the man must have started with great capacities
for good or for evil。 But one could not look upon his cruel blue eyes；
with their drooping； cynical lids； or upon the fierce； aggressive nose
and the threatening； deep…lined brow； without reading Nature's
plainest danger…signals。 He took no heed of any of us； but his eyes
were fixed upon Holmes's face with an expression in which hatred and
amazement were equally blended。 〃You fiend！〃 he kept on muttering。
〃You clever； clever fiend！〃
〃Ah； Colonel！〃 said Holmes； arranging his rumpled collar。 〃‘Journeys
end in lovers' meetings；' as the old play says。 I don't think I have
had the pleasure of seeing you since you favoured me with those
attentions as I lay on the ledge above the Reichenbach Fall。〃
The colonel still stared at my friend like a man in a trance。 〃You
cunning； cunning fiend！〃 was all that he could say。
〃I have not introduced you yet；〃 said Holmes。 〃This； gentlemen； is
Colonel Sebastian Moran； once of Her Majesty's Indian Army； and the
best heavy…game shot that our Eastern Empire has ever produced。 I
believe I am correct Colonel； in saying that your bag of tigers
still remains unrivalled？〃
The fierce old man said nothing； but still glared at my companion。
With his savage eyes and bristling moustache he was wonderfully like a
tiger himself。
〃I wonder that my very simple stratagem could deceive so old a
shikari；〃 said Holmes。 〃It must be very familiar to you。 Have you
not tethered a young kid under a tree； lain above it with yo