In

partial
fulfillment of the
requirements in
English 102

Submitted by: Roujuie Daimler L. Caon

Submitted to: Antonio Tolentino III

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I would like to express my gratitude to the author of the novel Arthur Conan Doyle for
providing the necessary information I need. I would never have been able to finish this
without the internet access along with Google which is of a great help. I would also like
to thank Cristy Caumanday for helping me in the process of selection and editing and
specially to God for giving me strength to finish this work.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title Page

----

Cover Page ...............................................................................................................1

Acknowledgement ....................................................................................................2
Table of Contents .....................................................................................................3
Summary:

Part 1:
o Chapter 1 - Mr. Sherlock Holmes .....................................................4-5
o Chapter 2 - The Science Of Deduction ............................................6-7
o Chapter 3 - The Lauriston Garden Mystery .....................................8-10
o Chapter 4 - What John Rance Had To Tell ....................................11-12
o Chapter 5 - Our Advertisement Brings A Visitor ............................13-14
o Chapter 6 - Tobias Gregson Shows What He Can Do ..................15-16
o Chapter 7 - Light In The Darkness .................................................17-19

Part 2:
o Chapter 1 - On The Great Alkali Plain .......................................... 20-21
o Chapter 2 - The Flower Of Utah .....................................................22-23
o Chapter 3 - John Ferrier Talks With The Prophet ..........................24-25
o Chapter 4 - A Flight For Life ...........................................................26-28
o Chapter 5 - The Avenging Angels ..................................................29-31

o Chapter 6 - A Continuation Of The Reminiscences

Of John Watson, M.D .........................................................................32-34
o Chapter 7 - The Conclusion ...........................................................35-36
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................37

SUMMARY:
PART I: CHAPTER I: MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES

The novel opens with Watson giving a first-person narrative about the contemporary
events in his life. He explains that he received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1878
from the University of London but was immediately assigned to wartime duties as
Assistant Surgeon and sent to Bombay. He then traveled to Candahar. The campaign
was quite unfortunate for him as he was struck by a bullet in the shoulder and had to be
dragged back to British lines by his orderly. He then suffered from typhoid fever.
After he was somewhat healed, his country dispatched him to England to spend some
months nourishing his health. He knew no one in London, but the money he had from
the government allowed him to live a "comfortless, meaningless existence" in an
expensive hotel. His money soon came close to running out and as such he sought a
new living situation.
One day at the Criterion Bar he ran into an old acquaintance named Stamford; Stamford
had been a dresser (a man who dressed wounds on the battlefield) at Barts. Both men
were happy to see a familiar face and began chatting amiably. Watson spoke of his
various misadventures and his current need for a new residence. Stamford replied that
another man at the chemical laboratory where he was working had also told him that
very day that he sought a roommate.
Watson inquired about the details of this man; Stamford explained that Sherlock
Holmes was a very strange man and that while he was not actually a medical student
and "his studies are very desultory and eccentric" he also had "amassed a lot of out-ofthe-way knowledge which would astonish his professors."
Watson was pleased to hear that he potential roommate was studious and quiet, and
asked Stamford to introduce them. Stamford agreed and the two of them made their
way to the hospital. Along the way Stamford spoke more of Holmes; at one point

curiously stated that he would bear no responsibility if the living situation did not work
out for Watson.
The latter was surprised at this statement, and prodded Stamford for more information.
For Stamford, Holmes was too scientific and could tend toward cold-bloodedness. He
did, however, have a "passion for definite and exact knowledge" and conducted strange
experiments.
The two men arrived at the laboratory and entered the room where Holmes was
working. As soon as Holmes saw the men entered he jumped up with glee and
announced that he had found "a reagent that is precipitated by hemoglobin." Stamford
introduced Watson to Holmes, the latter remarking that Watson had clearly been in
Afghanistan recently.
Holmes explained the discovery he had made, which was an "infallible test for blood
stains." He demonstrated how it worked and why it was better than the old tests that
existed. He was sure that several criminals who had walked free would have been jailed
if this test had been used. After a few moments Stamford brought Holmes attention
back to the situation at hand, stating that Watson was looking for a roommate. Holmes
was pleased and mentioned that he had his eye upon Baker Street.
Watson and Holmes discussed their vices and shortcomings with each other; Holmes
said that he "got in the dumps at times, and didnt open his mouth for days on end" and
Watson revealed that he was prone to laziness, weak nerves, and ungodly hours for
rising. As the conversation was pleasing to both parties, they agreed to meet the
following day and visit the available rooms.
As Watson and Stamford left the laboratory, Stamford remarked that he was pleased the
two men got along. Watson replied that he enjoyed the mystery of Holmes, and quoted
Alexander Pope: "The proper study of man is man." Stamford's response was that
Watson would find Holmes "a knotty problem, though" and wagered that "he would learn
more about you than you about him." The two said goodbye and parted ways.

 PART I: CHAPTER II: THE SCIENCE OF DEDUCTION

Watson narrates that he and Holmes were pleased with their new rooms and living
arrangement. Holmes was not difficult to live with, as he had regular hours and was
often out. He did have occasional bouts of lethargy and immobility, which Watson
believed were not related to drugs because of the man's "temperance and cleanliness."
Watson was incredibly interested in Holmes and his mysterious doings; he had a
copious amount of free time while regaining his health as well as a lack of friends in
London to occupy his time. Holmes was clearly not studying medicine, Watson
concluded, and he was not perusing any other degree. His knowledge seemed exact
and desultory, focused on several small things and amazingly lacking in others. In
particular, Watson was shocked that Holmes had never heard of the Copernican
discovery of Earth's revolutions around the sun; Holmes responded that this was
because "it is of the highest importance...not to have useless facts elbowing out the
useful ones."
At one point, Watson took up a pen and wrote a list of the different types of knowledge
and marked which ones Holmes seemed conversant in. He knew little to nothing of
literature, philosophy, astronomy, and politics. He had a practical but limited
understanding of geography, a variable understanding of botany, a profound knowledge
of chemistry, an accurate but unsystematic knowledge of anatomy, and an immense
knowledge of sensational literature. Holmes was quite talented on the violin, and
seemed to play pieces of music that reflected his current thoughts, whether gloomy or
excited.

Watson believed Holmes to have no friends when they first began their cohabitation, but
soon noticed various individuals from different classes of society visiting him. Holmes
explained that they were his clients but offered no further information.
One morning while Watson was waiting for his breakfast he picked up a magazine from
the table and glanced at an article called "The Book of Life."
This article attempted to explain "how much an observant man might learn by an
accurate and systematic examination of everything that came in his way." A man could
look at a drop of water and know what ocean it came from, or learn a man's calling from
his fingernails or coat-sleeve. Watson scoffed that this article was "ineffable twaddle"
and threw it upon the table. He complained to Holmes, who sat across from him, that
the article was irritating and impractical.
Holmes listened to Watson and then told him that he was in fact the author of the article
and that his job was a "consulting detective." This, in essence, meant that he was a
private detective and he endeavored to help government detectives sort out their
evidence in crimes. Those clients he mentioned were people who came to him to ask
for "enlightening" on some problem they had. For more complex cases, Holmes would
visit the site itself and apply his specialized knowledge and powers of observation. To
make this clearer, he explained to Watson how, upon their first meeting, he had known
Watson was just from Afghanistan.
Watson was surprised at these revelations and commented that Holmes reminded him
of Edgar Allen Poe's Dupin and Gaboriau's detective Lecoq. Holmes was disdainful of
these comparisons, not finding them accurate enough or indicative of his own talents.
He then began to complain that he never got to work on any real cases as there were
no crimes being committed.
Watson, becoming annoyed at Holmes "bumptious style of conversation," changed the
topic to wondering who a man on the street below was looking for. Holmes glanced at
the man and said that he was a retired sergeant of Marines. Watson was skeptical at
this instantaneous assessment, but had little time to consider it further because the man

on the street came up to their very door. Upon it being opened, the man handed Holmes
a letter. Before he left Watson asked him his profession, and to his amazement the man
answered that he was a sergeant from the Royal Marine

Light Infantry.

PART I: CHAPTER III: THE LAURISTON GARDEN MYSTERY

Watson was shocked by Holmes deductive powers; his respect for the man grew
immensely. Upon request, Holmes explained to Watson how he had ascertained the
man at the door was a retired Marine sergeant. He then turned his attention to the letter
and excitedly announced that he was wrong about the dearth of crime in London. He
gave the letter to Watson to read aloud; it seemed that a man was found dead in an
empty house in Lauriston Gardens. A lawman saw a light on in the house, went to
investigate, and discovered a man lying upon the floor with marks of blood in the room
but no bodily wounds. Nothing had been stolen. The man had cards in his pockets with
the name Enoch Drebber from Cleveland, Ohio. The detective from Scotland Yard who
wrote the letter was named Tobias Gregson.
Holmes more or less liked Gregson and another detective, Lestrade, because the two
men, although rivals, were the "pick of a bad lot." Holmes was not initially sure he
should go to the house as Gregson requested because he was the "most incurably lazy
devil," but after some slight prodding from Watson he decided to go observe the scene.

Watson accompanied Holmes to the scene of the crime. In the hansom Watson
remarked that Holmes did not look as if he was giving the matter at hand any thought,
and the latter responded with "no data yet...it is a capital mistake to theorize before you
have all the evidence as it biases the judgment."

The two men arrived at Number 3, Lauriston Gardens. The house, as Watson observed,
looked rather ill-omened with its vacant and blank windows, dying plants, dull gravel,
and bounding fence. Holmes did not run into the house as Watson supposed he might,
but instead spent time looking around the outside of the property, staring at messy and
chaotic footprints in the mud and occasionally exclaiming in excitement.

Gregson met Watson and Holmes at the door to the house, telling Holmes that he left
everything untouched. Holmes was slightly annoyed at this, retorting that it looked as if
a herd of buffalos had passed through the mud outdoors. Gregson said that he and the
other detectives had done everything they could at the scene but wanted Holmes to
take a look. The men went inside the dark house and came to the room where the
incident had occurred.
The room was empty of furniture, the yellowed wallpaper hung off the wall in strips, a
stump of a burned-out red candle sat atop a fireplace mantle, and the dirty windows
made the light that entered the room hazy. On the floor was a man stretched out; he
was of medium build with dark curly hair and a short beard, wearing a coat and trousers
and a top hat lay on the floor. On his face was an "expression of horror, and, as it
seemed to Watson, of hatred, such as [he had] never seen upon human features. This
malignant and terrible contortion, combined with the low forehead, blunt nose, and
prognathous jaw, gave the dead man a singularly serious and ape-like appearance..."
Watson had never seen a death like this.
The splashes of blood in the room were from another person, presumably the murderer,
as Holmes deduced. He looked all over the body and eventually concluded that nothing
more could be learned from it. As the body was raised a woman's wedding ring fell off of
it onto the floor. Holmes asked about the man's possessions, which included two lettersone addressed to the deceased and the other to a Joseph Stangerson at the American
Exchange in the Strand. Both were to return to New York by the Guion Steamship

Company. Gregson had looked into Stangerson and placed an advertisement in the
newspaper in Cleveland asking for information.
Lestrade, who had left the room during this exchange, returned excitedly and claimed to
have made a very significant discovery in room. The party moved to a corner where the
wallpaper was peeling from the wall. In blood-red letters the word RACHE was spelled
on the plaster. Lestrade was proud of his discovery, and concluded that the word was
RACHEL and the writer/murderer did not have time to finish it.

He smugly averred "It's all very well for you to laugh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. You may be
very smart and clever, but the old hound is the best, when all is said and done."
Holmes was unperturbed by the man's rudeness but set about examining the room in
detail. Watson watched him in awe as he dashed about with his tape measure and gave
frequent exclamations of delight and comprehension. Lestrade and Gregson also
watched Holmes with a mixture of curiosity and contempt. When he finished, he noted
that if he were to help it would rob them of the credit of the case, but he would like to
talk to the constable who found the body. He would look up this man -John Rance -the
following day.
As Holmes prepared to leave, he offered a portrait of the murderer: tall, middle-aged,
small-footed, smoked cigars, came with the victim in a cab, had a florid face, and long
fingernails on his right hand. The incredulous detectives asked how Drebber was
murdered, and Holmes succinctly answered that it was poison. On his way out he
tossed over his shoulder, "Rachel" is the German word for revenge; so don't waste your
time by looking for Miss Rachel.

 PART I: CHAPTER IV: WHAT JOHN RANCE HAD TO TELL

Watson and Holmes left Lauriston Gardens around 1pm; Holmes mailed a telegram and
the two men drove to the home of John Rance. Along the way Holmes explained to
Watson how he had observed the multiple horses' hooves, the height of the murderer,
and his age. He also offered the fact that he knew the writing on the wall was done with
the man's forefinger dipped in blood, and the ash from the cigar was clearly a
Trichinopoly brand because of the nature of the ash. The florid face was more of a
gamble, but Holmes did not tell Watson why he believed that to be the case.
Watson summed up his confusion at the mysteriousness of the case- why the men were
in an empty house?, what happened to their hansom driver?, what was the motive of
the murderer?, why was there a wedding ring?, and what did the word RACHE mean?
Holmes approved of Watson's summation, and first answered that the word on the wall
was merely a blind to mislead the police. He did not want to add much further, because
"you know a conjurer gets no credit once he has explained his trick; and if I show you
too much of my method of working, you will come to the conclusion that I am a very
ordinary individual after all."

Watson rejoined that Holmes was responsible for bringing the act of detection as close
to an exact science a he had ever seen, and Holmes smiled with pride at the flattering
words. The driver stopped at Audley Court where John Rance lived; it was a sordid and
unpleasing street.
The constable looked irritated at being interrupted from his sleep at first, but soon
warmed to the two men when Holmes gave him a coin. The constable started from the
beginning of the tale, explaining that he was on the late shift and it was very quiet
except for a bar fight earlier. It began to rain and he stood with his fellow constable,
Harry Murcher, for awhile on a corner. He then decided to look around Brixton Road and
observed a light on in the empty house.

Holmes noted that he had walked up to the house and then walked back to the gate;
this bit of information shocked the constable, who had no idea how Holmes knew that.
Rance said he wanted to see if Murcher was around so he would not have to go into the
house alone. The latter was not, so Rance went inside anyway. The house was empty
and the candle was flickering on the mantle. Holmes continued to surprise Rance with
his insertions of how exactly Rance traversed the room.
After Rance saw the body he went outside and sounded his whistle and Murcher and
two others appeared. The only other thing he noted was a very drunk man stumbling
about; he did not arrest him due to the dead body, a much more important manner.
Holmes was curious about this drunken man and asked further questions. Rance said
he had a red face and a long heavy overcoat. Holmes asked if he had a whip in his
hand and Rance said no, upon which Holmes muttered that he must have dropped it.
As Holmes rose to leave he commented to Rance that he would never rise in the ranks
of the force because he had no real powers of observation- "The man whom you held in
your hands is the man who holds the key to this mystery, and whom we are seeking."

Watson and Holmes left, Holmes angrily muttering about how Rance was a fool and
missed that piece of luck. Watson wondered aloud why the man would hang around the
house where the murder was committed, and Holmes clarified that it was because he
had come back for the ring. He then thanked Watson for encouraging him to follow up
this "study in scarlet;" he deemed it such because "there's the scarlet thread of murder
running through the colorless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it,
and expose every inch of it."

PART I: CHAPTER V: OUR ADVERTISEMENT BRINGS A VISITOR

When Holmes and Watson returned to the house, Watson laid down to take a nap as
his mind was tumultuous after the events of the morning. He meditated on the
grotesque visage of the dead man and almost thanked the murderer for ridding the
world of such a clearly malignant man. Of course, he did recognize that "justice must be
done, and that the depravity of the victim was no condonement in the eyes of the law."
Watson thought more of the poison which killed Drebber, and remembered that Holmes
had sniffed the man's mouth. Holmes "quiet, self-confident manner" was comforting,
however, and Watson looked forward to hearing about his conjectures after he returned
from a concert. When Holmes came in he expressed his feelings that music was
perhaps so moving because the human capacity to produce and appreciate music
existed even before speech.

Watson confessed he was shaken by the events of the morning, even more so than his
experiences in Afghanistan. Holmes agreed that this was understandable since "where
there is no imagination there is no horror." Changing the subject, Holmes told Watson
that he had placed an advertisement in the paper for the lost ring (under Watson's name
as to not arouse suspicion) and told any claimants to come to the apartments between
eight and nine that evening.
Holmes had a facsimile ring ready, and was confident that the man who showed up
would be the murderer. It was clear that "this man would rather risk anything than lose
the ring," and had pretended to be drunk when he returned to the street where he
murdered Drebber and saw the policemen there. He might believe he lost the ring in the
road and would be pleased to see the advertisement in the paper. There would be no
reason to expect a trap.

Watson would meet with the man, keeping a pistol with him since the man would no
doubt be desperate. Holmes took up his violin for a few minutes, and confided to
Watson that he'd had a response to his American telegram and that his view of the case
was the correct one.
The doorbell rang and the servant opened it; the two men heard a "clear but rather
harsh" voice downstairs but were remarkably surprised when the owner of the voice
turned out to be an old woman, not the violent murderer they'd expected! The woman
explained that the ring belonged to her girl Sally, who had recently married a Tom
Dennis, a steward aboard a Union boat, and had lost her wedding ring the last night.
Holmes indicated to Watson to give her the ring, and the two men wished her well.
He told how he had followed the woman on foot for a while, and then jumped on the
back of her cab when she hailed one to take her the rest of the way. When the cab
stopped and Holmes jumped off, he heard the driver exclaim in anger because there
was no longer anyone in the cab. The woman had jumped out at some point, aware that
she was being followed.

Watson marveled that an old woman could elude Holmes like that, but Holmes
exclaimed "Old woman be damned! We were the old women to be so taken in. It must
have been a young man, and an active one, too, besides being an incomparable actor.
The get-up was imitable." The man knew he was being followed and "gave me the slip."
This proved that the murderer was not completely a solitary figure because he had
friends who were willing to risk a lot for him.
After this tale Holmes remarked that Watson was looking tired, and encouraged him to
go to bed. Watson agreed and turned in, but heard Holmes playing his violin late into
the night as he tried to unravel the mystery.

PART I: CHAPTER VI: TOBIAS GREGSON SHOWS WHAT HE CAN DO

The next morning Watson narrated how many of the local papers put forth theories
about the "Brixton Mystery," as they deemed it. Many believed the crime was political in
nature, perhaps with roots in the Liberal Administration or the Socialists. Holmes scoffed
that Lestrade and Gregson were not very effective detectives.
A few moments later, a loud pattering of footsteps was heard in the hall and several
young, ragtag boys burst into the room. Holmes identified them as "the Baker Street
division of the detective police force. He asked one of them, Wiggins, if they had found
"it" and Wiggins answered in the negative. Holmes paid them and they left; upon their
absence Holmes remarked that they worked harder than the actual police force and
could find out more because no one suspected their espionage abilities.
Gregson was espied outside, bearing "beatitude written upon every feature of his face."
He approached the apartments and was let inside. When he stood before Holmes and

Watson he proclaimed that he had made the whole mystery clear. For a moment
Holmes looked disappointed, but when Gregson announced that the murderer was
one Arthur Charpentier, Holmes looked relieved and smug once more.
Gregson was invited to sit down and commenced his tale of how he had solved the
crime. He first laughed that Lestrade was off after the wrong man, the secretary Joseph
Stangerson, and then began. He explained that he had looked at the hat of the dead
man, which had a label of John Underwood and Sons, 129 Cumberland Road. Holmes
nodded that he had noticed this, which slightly annoyed Gregson, but the detective
continued. He went to Underwood and asked after the hat, learning that
Gregson followed this lead to the boarding house, where he spoke with Madame
Charpentier and her daughter Alice. Alice looked as if she wanted to speak further on
the issue, but Madame Charpentier was quite close-lipped. Finally, the daughter said
there was no point in falsehoods, and the mother decided to tell Gregson the truth, even
if it would indict her son Arthur in this murder. She claimed he was utterly innocent but
the facts would make it look as if he was guilty.
Madame Charpentier told Gregson that Drebber had been with them for three weeks.
Drebber and Stangerson were traveling about the Continent and boarded with her.
While Stangerson was quiet and polite, Drebber was vulgar and rude, acting licentiously
towards the servant girls and even Alice. He was not kicked out because Charpentier
needed money and the men were paying handsomely.
One night when he had been too forward with Alice, Madame Charpentier kicked him
out. However, Drebber returned later that night, clearly drunk. He tried to convince Alice
to run away with him, but she was shocked and disgusted. Suddenly, Madame
Charpentier's son Arthur came in. Armed with a club, he fought with Drebber. The latter
left and Arthur assured his mother that Drebber would bother them no more but that he
would go out and follow him to see what he did with himself.
Gregson told Holmes and Watson that he continued to question Madame Charpentier;
she did not know when her son had returned since she was already in bed. He then left

the boarding house, and with the assistance of other officers, arrested Arthur. The
young man knew that he was being arrested for the murder of Drebber but protested he
was not the murderer. Gregson surmised that perhaps Arthur had given Drebber a
strong blow to the stomach which did not leave a mark.
It seemed to Gregson that Arthur was guilty, as he admitted taking a cab after Drebber.
He claimed he had left him and then taken a walk with a fellow shipmate but could not
say where that shipmate lived. Gregson's story came to a conclusion, and about the
same time Lestrade showed up at the door.
When Lestrade entered the room his dress and his expression revealed intense
perturbation. He seemed embarrassed at seeing Gregson, as if he had come to consult
only with Holmes. Gregson arrogantly asked whether or not he had managed to find the
secretary

Stangerson,

and

Lestrade

stated

gravely,

"The

secretary

Joseph

Stangerson...was murdered at Halliday's Private Hotel about six o'clock this morning."

PART I: CHAPTER VII: LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

All three men were utterly dumbfounded by Lestrade's pronouncement that Stangerson
was murdered. Lestrade sat down, and Holmes asked him to tell of what he had
discovered. Lestrade began by explaining that he was sure Stangerson had been
involved in the murderer of Drebber, and set about figuring out more about him. It was
clear that Stangerson and Drebber had been together earlier in the day of Drebber's
murder, but Stangerson's whereabouts were unknown from 8:30 to the time of the
murder.
Lestrade called on hotels and lodging-houses and finally lucked out when he questioned
the proprietor at Halliday's Private Hotel on Little George Street. The man told Lestrade

Stangerson had been expecting another man for two days now, and assumed Lestrade
was he. Lestrade and the man went upstairs to Stangerson's quarters and prepared to
knock on the door when Lestrade suddenly glimpsed a rivulet of blood coming from
under Stangerson's door. The men burst into the room and espied Stangerson lying
dead and cold on the floor, with the cause of death a deep stab on the man's left side
that had entered the heart. Most terrifying, however, was that the word RACHE was
written in blood upon the wall.
All the men in the Baker Street apartments were quiet and shocked. Lestrade continued
his tale, saying that he spoke with a young boy who had witnessed a man leaving by
ladder from the window of Stangerson's apartment, but assumed that he was a
carpenter or joiner at the hotel. The boy said the man was "tall, had a reddish face, and
was dressed in a long brownish coat." He had clearly stayed in the room for a bit after
the murder because there was bloody water in the wash basin and marks of the bloody
knife on the sheets.
The only things found in the room were Drebber's purse with money that was
unmolested, a telegram that said "J.H. is in Europe," and a small box with a few pills in
them next to a glass of water on the table. At this news of the pills Holmes jumped from
his seat and loudly exclaimed, "The last link... my case is complete."
Holmes excitedly told the group that he now had all the threads of the case to make a
tangle, and even though there may be some small details lacking, he had the main
facts. He asked if Lestrade had the pills, and when the latter said yes, picked them up
and examined them. Watson noted that they were small, light gray, round, almost
transparent, and clearly water-soluble. Holmes asked Watson to go downstairs and
retrieve a dog that their landlady told them was very sick and needed to be put out of its
misery.
Watson returned with the dog, Holmes took a pill and cut it in half, dissolved one half in
water with some milk to make it palatable, and placed it before the dog. The dog lapped
it up but nothing happened, and Holmes grew frustrated. After a few moments of

consternation understanding dawned upon his face and he took the other pill from the
container and did the same thing. This time, the dog had only barely licked the water
when he gave a shiver and died suddenly. At this Holmes said exultantly, "I ought to
know by this time that when a fact appears to be opposed to a long train of deductions,
it invariably proves to be capable of bearing some other interpretation." One of the pills
was poison, the other a placebo.
Holmes told his nonplussed companions that they were no doubt all perplexed because
none of them seized upon the one important fact from the case that he had; "hence
things which have perplexed you and made the case more obscure have served to
enlighten me and to strengthen my conclusions. It is a mistake to confound strangeness
with mystery. The most commonplace crime is often the most mysterious, because it
presents no new or special features from which deductions may be drawn."
After listening impatiently to this speech Gregson demanded Holmes to tell him what he
had discovered, conceding that Holmes did have a special gift for deduction. Holmes
replied that the man would commit no more murders in the interim, that he was shrewd
and desperate, that he had no idea the law was after him, and that Holmes could not yet
tell them who the man was and that the others needed to trust Holmes on the matter.

Young Wiggins knocked on the door and informed Holmes the cab was ready for him.
Holmes thanked him and took out a pair of handcuffs, showing them to his companions
for their admiration. Watson narrated that he knew nothing regarding Holmes going on a
trip, and wondered at the cab's presence. The driver entered the room and Holmes
asked him to assist him with his luggage. As soon as the man, grumbling, bent over,
Holmes clamped the handcuffs on him and triumphantly announced that this man,
Mr. Jefferson Hope, was the murderer of Stangerson and Drebber.
Jefferson Hope mightily struggled with all four men, whose combined strength was
barely enough to subdue him. Holmes suggested taking the cab to Scotland Yard to

deliver the captive, and told the other men they could now ask him any questions they
wanted about the case and his deductive process.

PART II: CHAPTER I: ON THE GREAT ALKALI PLAIN

Part Two opens with a description of the vast, uninhabitable region of America that
stretches from the Sierra Nevada to Nebraska, the Yellowstone River to the Colorado. It
is a massive, uninhabited desert filled with "barrenness, inhospitality, and misery. It is
covered with patches of alkali and offers no evidence of movement or life or vitality.

On May 4, 1847, however, someone looking down upon this scene would discern a
traveler who may have been either the "very genius or demon of the region." He was
haggard, emaciated, and dirty. He was toiling with some difficulty to climb down a ravine
while looking for water. It was evident to him that he was actually going to die, as there
was no water anywhere in sight. He set the large bundle he carried upon the floor, and
to an observer's surprise, a young child tumbled out of it. She was small and lovely and
not as near to death as the man.
The little girl's mother had died recently and when the man told her that they too would
most likely die soon, she was actually pleased because then she could see her mother
in heaven. The man was very kind to her, answering all of her childish questions about
the land and indulging her request to get on their knees and pray. The two of them
eventually fell into an exhausted sleep.
Across the plain something else was happening- a massive array of canvas-covered
wagons and horsemen were moving across the plains in their journey to the West. The
people were not merely seeking new opportunities; they were nomads looking for an
entirely new country to escape persecution.
The grave men at the head of the train consulted with each other about their
surroundings. They were interrupted when one cried out and pointed above them to the
crags where a wisp of pink ribbon was espied. One brave man asked Brother
Stangerson, one of the Elders, whether or not he should go and investigate.

A few of the young men thus climbed up to where the mysterious ribbon awaited, and
soon glimpsed the old man and the little girl sleeping. Above them rested three large
and evidently hungry buzzards, which began to scream raucously.
The sleepers awoke, and when the man saw the other travelers in front of him he was
convinced he was delirious and they were apparitions. After he was finally convinced
otherwise, introductions were made. The man was John Ferrier and he called the little

girl Lucy Ferrier, as he was now her guardian. The young men said they were "the
persecuted children of God -the chosen one of the angel Merona" who had come from
Illinois to "seek a refuge from the violent man and the godless, even though it be the
heart of the desert." John Ferrier correctly identified them as the Mormons.
The young men took the Ferrier man and child down to their leader; this man was young
but stern and resolute in appearance. He explained to Ferrier that the two could only
travel with them if they joined their faith, as it was far better for "your bones to bleach in
this wilderness than that you should prove to be that little speck of decay which in time
corrupts the whole fruit." Ferrier smiled and agreed, and the caravan soon continued
along its way to Zion.
The Elder who was to care for the travelers brought them to his wagon to give them
food, and told them that they would soon recover from their fatigues and that they were
now part of the Mormon religion -"Brigham Young has said it, and he has spoken with
the voice of Joseph Smith, which is the voice of God."

PART II: CHAPTER II: THE FLOWER OF UTAH

The Mormons finally reach their promised land, Utah, after many trials and travails that
included "the savage man, and the savage beast, hunger, thirst fatigue, and disease
every impediment which nature could place in the way..." Young was a capable
administrator as well as a religious leader, and the settlement began to grow in an
organized fashion. A large temple was erected in the center of the town.
John Ferrier prospered as well; he had shown himself to be a talented hunter and guide
during the journey and rose in the esteem of his companions. He was nearly at the
same level as the Elders themselves Stangerson, Kemball, Johnston, and Drebber. He
built himself a home and soon enlarged it as his material wealth grew. He was richer
than all his neighbors and much admired. He never took a wife, which puzzled some
members of the community.
Lucy blossomed into a beautiful and charming young woman and began garnering looks
of approbation amongst the men. She was "as fair a specimen of American girlhood as
could be found in the whole Pacific slope."
The Mormon settlement of Utah experienced much growth as hordes of travelers
headed west to California for the 1848 gold rush. Trains of immigrants and horses
poured into the city of the Elect, and many glimpsed the lovely Lucy Ferrier riding her
horse one day as she headed to complete an errand for her father.
When she reached the outskirts of the city she came upon a massive herd of cattle that
blocked her path. She decided to try and get through a small opening in the herd rather
than wait for it to pass, and eased her horse in. once she was amid the cattle, however,
she saw how dangerous her choice was. The beasts closed her in and there was the
possibility of falling and be trampled to death at any moment. She could barely hold on
to the saddle and was choked by dust and fear.

All of a sudden a strong arm guided her scared horse out of the horde and brought her
to safety. A young man was her rescuer; he was tall, "savage-looking," wearing the garb
of a hunter, and dark-skinned. His name was Jefferson Hope and he knew of John
Ferrier from St. Louis. Lucy thanked him for her rescue and invited him to come speak
with John Ferrier himself, as Hope had asked her to pass along his regards.
Hope was in Salt Lake City with his companions after spending time in the Nevada
mountains looking for silver, but although he had planned to spend his time doing only
this, the sight of Lucy had stirred something new within him and he fell into the deep
love that is a "wild, fierce passion of a man of strong will and imperious temper." He
began frequenting the Ferrier home and enjoyed the relationships he cultivated with
both Ferrier and his daughter.
One evening he rode up to the house and told Lucy he was off for a period of time but
hoped that when he returned she would go with him the next time. He said he would
only be gone a few months, and that he had asked her father for consent and received
it. Lucy was extremely happy, for she had grown to love Jefferson Hope as well. The
two pledged their troth and Hope rode away, Lucy watching him gallop across the
plains.

 PART II: CHAPTER III: JOHN FERRIER TALKS WITH THE PROPHET

Three weeks later, John Ferrier found himself thinking about his daughter's betrothal; he
was sad to see her get married and leave him, but happy for her at the same time. He
reflected upon his personal, secret vow to never allow Lucy to marry a Mormon. He
could never voice that vow, however, as the Mormons were very strict on the subject.
In fact, the "persecuted had now turned persecutors on their own account and
persecutors of the most terrible description." The organization of the Latter Day Saints
was secretive, invisible, and terrifying; fathers vanished and their families were left
wondering when they would return, rumors of murdered immigrants and women brought
in for the Elders' harems abounded, and a band dubbed the Avenging Angels routed out
perceived dissenters. No one "knew who belonged to that ruthless society," and every
man feared his neighbor and refrained from any complaint of any sort.
One morning Ferrier glimpsed Brigham Young himself walking up Ferrier's pathway.
Young came in and immediately informed Ferrier that the latter had violated his promise
to embrace the true faith because he never took any wives. Ferrier protested that this
was not a problem and that he had his daughter to care for him. Young responded that
this daughter was the reason why he was there, for word had come to him that she
planned on marrying a Gentile. This was considered a sin in the Mormon holy creed;
she should marry one the Elders' many sons, who were all young and rich.
Ferrier quietly answered that she was too young to wed, but Young informed him they
had a month to choose either the son of Stangerson or Drebber for Lucy to wed. With
threatening words and gestures, Young departed the Ferrier home. Ferrier sat brooding
over the matter.

He was interrupted from his ruminations by Lucy's hand on his shoulder; she had been
listening to the conversation. Ferrier consoled her that they would be fine. He wanted
her to marryJefferson Hope "he's a likely lad, and he's a Christian, which is more than
these folks are, in spite o' all their praying and preaching."

Ferrier told Lucy of a party starting for Nevada the next day which could take an urgent
message to Hope and ask him to return to help. Lucy voiced her concerns that opposing
the Prophet was perhaps a death sentence, but Ferrier reminded her they had done
nothing wrong yet and that a month still lay before them.
They would raise as much money as possible and leave Salt Lake City, as Ferrier was
yearning to be free once more. Jefferson Hope would no doubt be able to help them
escape. That night Ferrier took care to lock the doors more diligently and loaded up his
shotgun.

 PART II: CHAPTER IV: A FLIGHT FOR LIFE

The next day Ferrier gave the message to Hope to an acquaintance who was setting
out for Nevada, stressing the urgency of the contents. When he returned to his home he
saw that two young men were in his sitting room. One had a long pale face and the
other was "a bull-necked youth with coarse, bloated features." The former was the son
of Elder Stangerson, the latter the son of Elder Drebber. Stangerson explained that they
were there to seek the hand of his daughter; he claimed that he deserved her because
he only had four wives and Drebber had seven, but Drebber retorted that he had better
financial prospects.
Ferrier was enraged at their presumptuousness and ordered them to leave his home
until Lucy summoned them. They were aghast at his rudeness, especially when he told
them the way out of his house could be through the door or the window. They cried out
that Ferrier had defiled the Prophet and the Council of Four and would regret his
insulting manner. Ferrier was about to rush for his gun when Lucy stopped him with
soothing words and a reminder that Hope would soon come for them.
Ferrier knew his behavior was problematic, reflecting that "in the whole history of the
settlement there had ever been such a case of rank disobedience to the authority of the
Elders." Even men richer than him had gone missing. He tried to put on a brave front for
his daughter, but she saw through his facade.

The next morning he woke up and found a note pinned to the coverlet over his breast
that said "Twenty-nine days are given you for amendment, and then " This was
terrifying in its ambiguity, as well as the fact that Ferrier had no idea how anyone
entered the house undetected. The next morning there was a number 28 scratched on
the ceiling, and the next found a number 27 painted upon the front door. The Ferriers
never heard or glimpsed anyone.

The numbers continued to appear every day as they counted down the days until Lucy
had to make her decision. They instilled a "horror which was almost superstitious" upon
Ferrier, and he could only wait for young Jefferson Hope to return. As the days got lower
and lower, moving past 4 and 3 and finally arriving at 2, Ferrier resolved that the hunter
was not coming but that he would still rather die than let Lucy be dishonored.
As he sat disconsolately on the evening before the last day, he pondered what would
become of his daughter when he was gone. He began to hear a scratching sound
outside the door of the house and a gentle tapping. He got up and went into the hall and
opened the door, wondering if he was about to be ambushed by his enemies. To his
surprise, when he looked down he saw a man lying spread out on his stomach; the man
continued to wriggle on the ground into the house and finally jumped up to reveal the
personage of Jefferson Hope.
Ferrier was shocked, but quickly acceded to Hope's demands for food and water, as he
had not imbibed for 48 hours. After he had eaten Hope asked after Lucy and explained
that his odd method of entering the house was the only way he would not be detected.
The house was being watched on every side. Despite this information, Hope felt better
now that his ally was here.
Hope told Ferrier he had a mule and two horses waiting in the ravine and that they
would push to Carson City, Nevada through the mountains. Ferrier woke up Lucy and
Hope packed as much water as he could. The lovers had a brief reunion and then the
three prepared to leave the house.

Hope explained that they would have to leave through the side windows and run across
the fields to the road, where they would then need to travel two miles to the ravine
where their mounts were waiting. Lights in the house were extinguished and the
escapees crawled out through the windows into the calm and cool night air. As they
moved across the cornfield Hope suddenly pulled them down into the shadows. His
keen hearing had picked up the hooting of an owl, answered by more hooting.

One figure emerged and said "tomorrow at midnight." The other agreed and asked if
they should tell Brother Drebber. The first man said yes, and then said "Nine to seven!"
the second man replied, "Seven to five!" this was a sign of some sorts. When the men
departed Hope guided his companions out across the fields as fast as they could go.
They finally reached the ravine and mounted their animals. Only a hunter as skilled as
Hope could attempt this confusing and menacing path through craggy cliffs and massive
boulders and narrow pathways. At the most dangerous part of the pathway they
suddenly saw a single sentinel on an overhanging rock. This man immediately asked
"Who goes there?" Hope replied that they were travelers to Nevada. The sentinel asked
with whose permission, and Ferrier responded which a phrase he knew "The Holy
Four." The sentinel then said "Nine to seven!" and Hope cleverly answered with "Seven
to five" and the sentinel let them proceed. Finally, "they had passed the outlying post of
the chosen people, and...freedom lay before them."

 PART II: CHAPTER V: THE AVENGING ANGELS

The travelers continued through the treacherous wilderness even though they were
exhausted. Hope pressed the Ferriers onward, exhorting them to remember that their
enemies were no doubt already on their tail. They saw no one, however, and hoped that
they would make it out of the mountains safely.
The afternoon of the second day saw their provisions begin to run out, so Hope decided
to leave Lucy and her father with the horses and look for an animal to hunt. After
walking for a few miles through the twisting ravine he espied a bighorn and was able to
shoot it. As it was too heavy to carry, he cut off some pieces and headed back.
Unfortunately, the ravine pathways were so similar that he could not exactly recall which
path would lead him back to the Ferriers. Night was coming and he was no closer to
finding his way.
Finally, after being gone for about five hours he found his way to familiar territory. Giving
a loud cry to alert the Ferriers of his imminent presence, he was disturbed when it
merely echoed back at him unanswered. He began to dread what he would find when
he got back to the fire. His fears became a reality when he arrived at only the
smoldering remains of the fire, with no horses or human beings in sight. It was obvious

that "some sudden and terrible disaster had occurred during his absence a disaster
which had embraced them all, and yet left no traces behind it."
Shaking himself out of his bewilderment, Hope investigated the camp and observed the
many hoof prints of multiple riders whose path clearly took them back to Salt Lake City.
There was also a newly dug grave with the inscription on a piece of paper "JOHN
FERRIER, formerly of Salt Lake City, Died August 4th." There was no grave for Lucy;
she had clearly been taken back to the city of Elect to assume her fate as one of the
wives of Drebber or Stangerson. Hope was disconsolate at this, but almost immediately
resolved that he would devote his life to revenge. He could apply his "strong will and
untiring energy" to that one end.
Hope toiled through the ravine back to a point where he could overlook Salt Lake City.
There were clearly some festivities occurring that day, he observed, and wondering
what was going on. His reverie was interrupted by a solitary rider, whom he recognized
as an old Mormon acquaintance named Cowper. He accosted Cowper for news of Lucy
Ferrier. Cowper was stricken and was nervous to speak with Hope, but after being
pressed, informed Hope that the festivities were celebrating Lucy's marriage to
young Enoch Drebber. Stangerson had shot her father and said his claim was better,
but Drebber's party in the Council was stronger, and Young awarded Lucy to him. After
Cowper bid Hope adieu, Hope slunk away into the mountains.
Lucy pined away and died within a month of her wedding. This was not entirely
distressing to Drebber, who had only really wanted her money. Drebber's other wives
prepared her for burial; while they were doing so, they were shocked when Jefferson
Hope burst into the room and kissed Lucy's brow and removed her wedding ring. He
left before an alarm could be raised.
Hope lived in the nearby wilderness, and scared Drebber and Stangerson with attempts
on their lives. Once a bullet went through Stangerson's window and almost hit him, on
another day a boulder nearly crashed down upon Drebber as he passed by a cliff. The
two men kept up a guard from thenceforth and never went anywhere alone.

Years passed and Hope stayed out of site. His rage had not cooled, however it was
even stronger after being nursed for so long. He stayed out of sight to gain money to
pursue his object of revenge. After about five years he returned to Salt Lake City and
was shocked to learn that a schism among the Chosen People led to the secession of
many, including Drebber and Stangerson. There were no clues as to their whereabouts.
Even though most men would have abandoned this as a lost cause, Hope was
undaunted. He spent years tracking them down and was finally rewarded when he
learned Drebber was in Cleveland.

Drebber actually caught sight of Hope in that town and hurried away from his would-be
murderer. Stangerson was now his secretary, and the two of them had Jefferson Hope
arrested. He was detained for two weeks on account of not being able to post bail, and
when he was released he discovered his two enemies had fled for Europe.
Hope continued to save money and tracked them all over Europe. He was always a
step behind until he finally caught up with them in London. The rest of the story would
now be told from Dr. Watson's journal.

 PART II: CHAPTER VI: A CONTINUATION OF THE REMINISCENCES OF

JOHN WATSON, M.D

Once the prisoner found himself powerless, he stopped resisting and told his captors
that he would walk down to the cab and would willingly get in. The men were surprised
at his attitude, as well as his massively, powerfully-built frame. The prisoner was brought
to the police headquarters and the name of the prisoner was taken down. Jefferson
Hope was informed he would be put before the magistrates in a week, but he could
speak a few words now.
Hope replied that he had many words to speak and did not need to wait until his trial. He
said that he would not even be tried, which surprised his captors. Hope asked Watson
to put his ear to his chest; the doctor listened and then burst out, "Why...you have an
aortic aneurism!" Quite calmly, Hope acknowledged the truth of this, explaining that he
got it from years of overexposure and underfeeding in the mountains and that he would
no doubt be dead very soon. It was important to him to leave an account of his crimes
so the world did not think him merely a "common cut-throat."

With the assent of the inspector and detectives, Hope settled down to tell his tale. He
spoke calmly and methodically, and Watson vouched for the validity of his own journal's
accounting of this, as he had access to Lestrade's notebook.
Hope explained that the two men were guilty of the deaths of a father and daughter. The
statute of limitations had run out and they could never be held legally accountable for
their actions. Thus, it was necessary for him to be "judge, jury, and executioner all rolled
into one." Any other man would have done the same. The girl had been married to
Drebber twenty-one years ago and died of a broken heart. Hope took her ring and
viewed revenge. As the men he followed were rich and he was poor, this was not as
easy as he had hoped.
He followed them throughout London, but soon realized he needed a job to put money
in his pockets. He knew driving and riding came naturally to him so he applied to be a
cab-driver.
He managed to scrape by on this small salary, soon learning all the roads and byways
of the tangled city. To his delight he finally learned that Stangerson and Drebber were
staying at a boardinghouse. They were still quite cunning, however, and must have
surmised they were being followed, as they never went anywhere alone. While Drebber
was a drunk, Stangerson was quite alert.
One night while observing their street, Hope saw another cab stop at their house and
both men got in with their luggage. They headed toward the train station and asked after
a Liverpool train. Hope was pleased when the men learned they had just missed it.
Drebber told Stangerson he had some business to do and that they should split up for
the time being. Stangerson was unhappy at this suggestion but after an argument, this
was what occurred.
Hope was elated, for his moment of retribution had finally come. He could not be too
precipitous, however, for "there is no satisfaction in vengeance unless the offender has
time to realize who it is that strikes him, and why retribution has come upon him." Hope
remembered that a few days previous a man who lived on Brixton Road had dropped a

key in his cab and Hope had made a copy of it. The empty house would be perfect for
the murder.
Drebber came out of the bar where he was drinking, got into a cab, and proceeded back
to the boardinghouse. Hope witnessed Drebber's altercation with Arthur, and then,
stumbling into the street, got into Hope's cab. Hope was thrilled, but bided his time and
took Drebber to the bar that he requested. Hope explained to his listeners that he was
not planning on killing Drebber in cold blood, but that he had pills that he had formed
himself from a poison he learned about while working as a janitor at a college. The pills
would be a much better and less violent death for his enemies.
When Drebber got back into the cab, besotted with drink, he did not even notice when
Hope drove him to Brixton Road. Hope helped Drebber out and the two men went into
the dark empty house, Hope lighting a candle he had brought. As soon as the match
was struck Hope looked at Drebber and said "Now, Enoch Drebber...who am I?" Horror
spread across Drebber's face when he recognized his foe.
Hope was filled with contentment as the imminent revenge he had so long desired. He
accused Drebber of Lucy's murder by broken heart and watched with pleasure as
Drebber cowered in fear. Hope then told him that God would decide who was to be
vindicated; he took out both pills and explained that one was poison and one was a
placebo and that whichever one Drebber took, he would take the other. Drebber's cries
for mercy did not avail him and he finally chose one of the pills. Fortunately for Hope,
Drebber chose the poison and died within minutes, his face contorted.
Hope had a bloody nose that he had not noticed while this was occurring, and to
mislead and tease the police he wrote RACHE on the wall with a finger dipped in blood.
He departed the house but was despondent to learn that somewhere along the way he
had dropped the beloved ring. When he returned and saw the police he pretended to be
drunk.

As for Stangerson, Hope climbed up a ladder into his room. He told Stangerson to
account for the deaths and put the same choice of pills to him. However, Stangerson
attacked Hope and the latter was forced to stab him in self-defense.
After the murders Hope continued to drive the cab for a few days. One day a young
street boy came up to him and told him a Sherlock Holmes requested his cab at 221B
Baker Street. Thinking nothing of this, Hope went to the address. That was the end of
his tale. It was told in such a fashion that all the listeners were left dumbstruck and silent
at its close.
Holmes finally asked who Hope's accomplice was who had come to pick up the ring, but
Hope smiled and said he would not get his friend into trouble. Holmes agreed with Hope
that the friend had behaved quite smartly. The conversation was finally ended when the
inspector said it was time to comply with the forms of the law and put Jefferson Hope
into prison. Holmes and Watson returned to Baker Street.

PART II: CHAPTER VII: THE CONCLUSION

Jefferson Hope's aneurism burst that evening; he was found in his cell, dead, with a
placid expression upon his face. After a few pensive moments following the news,
Holmes brightened and commenced explaining to Watson how he had put the pieces of
the case together and found the murderer within three days.
His skill centered upon being able to reason backwards rather than look at a chain of
events and predict what they would lead to. The latter was a common skill but reasoning
backwards was very rare and quite useful indeed. In this case Holmes put this strategy
to effect.

When Holmes first arrived at the murder scene he noted the marks of a cab and
deduced that it was there during the night. The footsteps in the yard revealed two men
one that was very tall (because of the long stride) and one that was fashionably dressed
(because of the neat little boots). Inside, the well-dressed one was found dead. Holmes
smelled poison upon him and saw that his contorted face was a result of the poison.
This crime was not committed for robbery, so it must have been political or for a woman.
Political motivation was soon dropped, for "political assassins are glad to do their work
and then fly." This must have been a private matter, not a public one. The word in blood
on the wall was no doubt a blind. The ring of course answered the question, especially
when Holmes learned the man came back for it.
Looking around the room at the clues Holmes learned more about the murderer. After
he left he telephoned Cleveland and asked about a marriage of Enoch Drebber. He
learned that Drebber had once invoked the protection of the law against a Jefferson
Hope, a "rival in love" who was now in Europe as well. The man in the cab was no doubt
Jefferson Hope; being a cab driver was an excellent way to follow someone in London.

Hope would not want to draw attention to himself by leaving his profession right away,
so he would continue to drive the cab for a few days. Holmes sent his street urchin gang
to every cab proprietor in London until he found the one Hope worked for. The murder of
Stangerson was unforeseen, but could hardly have been prevented. Through that he
came into contact with the pills.
Watson warmly lauded Holmes for his detective prowess and encouraged him to publish
an account of the case. Holmes told Watson he could do as he pleased and handed him
the paper. In it was a paragraph about the case they had just solved.

The paper lamented that the true facts of the case may never be known because of
Hope's death, but that "we are informed upon good authority that the crime was the
result of an old-standing and romantic feud, in which love and Mormonism bore a part."
It saidLestrade and Gregson were responsible for the capture, and that an amateur
named Sherlock Holmes helped and might someday "attain to some degree of their
skill."
Holmes laughed at that, and reminded Watson of when they started this whole affair he
had warned him of this "that's the result of all our Study in Scarlet; to get them a
testimonial!" Watson told him that he had all of the facts in his journal and would make
them known to the public. In the meantime he should remember the Latin words of the
Roman miser that said "the public hiss at me, but I cheer myself when in my own house
I contemplate the coins in my strong-box."

CONCLUSION:

Holmes' success in solving crimes stems from his ability to analyze small pieces of
evidence and draw inferences from them. Adductive reasoning is a more accurate way
of describing what Holmes does, for it is a type of logical inference from guessing.
A Sherlock Holmes story usually begins with a display of Holmes amazing abilities.
Watson is astonished that Holmes knew that he came from Afghanistan and that the

man walking out in the street was a retired military man. He is even more astonished at
Holmes' actions at the crime scene; the latter comes up with a portrait of the killer and
enlightens the Scotland Yard detectives on several important components of the case.
At the end of the novel Holmes refers to his skills as reasoning backwards, not
forwards.