2 The Mysterious Death

Chapter 2 The Mysterious Death Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, listening to the lady's story. Now he half opened his lids and glanced at his visitor. "Please be precise in the details of her death, Miss Stoner." "That won't be difficult because every moment of that dreadful event is burned into my memory," she answered. "First I should explain the layout of our bedrooms. They are all next to each other on the ground floor. The first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third my own. There are no doors between them, but they all open onto the same corridor. The windows of all three rooms open onto the lawn. "On the fatal night, Dr. Roylott retired to his room early, not to sleep but to smoke. To escape the foul smell of his cigars, my sister came into my room, where she remained for some time, chatting about her approaching wedding. At

eleven o'clock, she rose to leave, but then paused. 'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle in the dead of night?' "'No,' I replied. 'Why do you ask?' "'Because,' she said, 'during the last few nights, always at about three in the morning, I hear a low whistle. I cannot tell where it comes from—perhaps from next door, perhaps from the lawn.' "'It might be the gypsies,' I suggested. "'But if it came from outside, I wonder why you didn't hear it also.' "'Because I sleep more heavily than you?' I smiled.

"She shrugged and said it probably wasn't important. Then she left and a moment later I heard the key turn in her lock." "Do you always lock yourselves in at night?" asked Holmes. "Always. I told you the doctor keeps a cheetah and baboon. I suppose we just felt safer with our doors locked." Holmes nodded. "Please continue." "I couldn't sleep that night. Outside, the wind howled and the rain beat against my window. Suddenly, the noise of the storm was pierced by a terrified scream. Realizing it was my sister, I

sprang out of bed and rushed into the corridor. As I did so, I heard a low whistle, just as my sister had described, followed by a metallic clanging sound. "I found my sister swaying in the doorway of her room. I threw my arms around her as her knees gave way and she fell to the ground. She writhed like someone in terrible pain. As I bent over her, she suddenly shrieked in a voice I shall never forget: 'Oh my god! Helen! It was the band! The speckled band!'

"I called to my stepfather for help, and he rushed out in his dressing gown. When he reached my sister's side, she was unconscious. Though he did what he could for her and sent for medical aid from the village, all efforts were in vain. She died without ever regaining consciousness." "Are you sure that you heard the whistle and the metallic sound?" asked Holmes. "I have a strong feeling I heard it, although with the noise of the storm and the creaking house, I may have been mistaken." "Was your sister dressed?" "No, she was in her night dress. In her right hand I found the charred stump of a match, and in her left a matchbox."

"So she had time to strike a light and look around her," said Holmes. "Could anyone have got into her room?" Miss Stoner shook her head. "The door had been locked on the inside and the window shutters were latched and barred, as they were every night. The chimney has iron bars across it, and the walls and flooring were checked and found to be solid all round. My sister was quite alone when whatever killed her struck."