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Henderson never by any chance walks alone。 His dark secretary is like his
shadow。 The gossip among the servants is that their master is terribly
afraid of something。 'Sold his soul to the devil in exchange for money；'
says Warner； 'and expects his creditor to come up and claim his own。'
Where they came from； or who they are； nobody has an idea。 They are
very violent。 Twice Henderson has lashed at folk with his dog…whip； and
only his long purse and heavy compensation have kept him out of the
courts。
〃Well； now； Watson； let us judge the situation by this new information。
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We may take it that the letter came out of this strange household and was
an invitation to Garcia to carry out some attempt which had already been
planned。 Who wrote the note？ It was someone within the citadel； and it
was a woman。 Who then but Miss Burnet； the governess？ All our
reasoning seems to point that way。 At any rate； we may take it asa
hypothesis and see what consequences it would entail。 I may add that Miss
Burnet's age and character make it certain that my first idea that there
might be a love interest in our story is out of the question。
〃If she wrote the note she was presumably the friend and confederate
of Garcia。 What； then； might she be expected to do if she heard of his
death？ If he met it in some nefarious enterprise her lips might be sealed。
Still； in her heart； she must retain bitterness and hatred against those who
had killed him and would presumably help so far as she could to have
revenge upon them。 Could we see her； then and try to use her？ That was
my first thought。 But now we come to a sinister fact。 Miss Burnet has not
been seen by any human eye since the night of the murder。 From that
evening she has utterly vanished。 Is she alive？ Has she perhaps met her
end on the same night as the friend whom she had summoned？ Or is she
merely a prisoner？ There is the point which we still have to decide。
〃You will appreciate the difficulty of the situation； Watson。 There is
nothing upon which we can apply for a warrant。 Our whole scheme might
seem fantastic if laid before a magistrate。 The woman's disappearance
counts for nothing； since in that extraordinary household any member of it
might be invisible for a week。 And yet she may at the present moment be
in danger of her life。 All I can do is to watch the house and leave my agent；
Warner； on guard at the gates。 We can't let such a situation continue。 If the
law can do nothing we must take the risk ourselves。〃
〃What do you suggest？〃
〃I know which is her room。 It is accessible from the top of an outhouse。
My suggestion is that you and I go to…night and see if we can strike at the
very heart of the mystery。〃
It was not； I must confess； a very alluring prospect。 The old house with
its atmosphere of murder； the singular and formidable inhabitants； the
unknown dangers of the approach； and the fact that we were putting
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ourselves legally in a false position all combined to damp my ardour。 But
there was something in the ice… cold reasoning of Holmes which made it
impossible to shrink from any adventure which he might recommend。 One
knew that thus； and only thus； could a solution be found。 I clasped his
hand in silence； and the die was cast。
But it was not destined that our investigation should have so
adventurous an ending。 It was about five o'clock； and the shadows of the
March evening were beginning to fall； when an excited rustic rushed into
our room。
〃They've gone； Mr。 Holmes。 They went by the last train。 The lady
broke away； and I've got her in a cab downstairs。〃
〃Excellent； Warner！〃 cried Holmes； springing to his feet。 〃Watson； the
gaps are closing rapidly。〃
In the cab was a woman； half…collapsed from nervous exhaustion。 She
bore upon her aquiline and emaciated face the traces of some recent
tragedy。 Her head hung listlessly upon her breast； but as she raised it and
turned her dull eyes upon us I saw that her pupils were dark dots in the
centre of the broad gray iris。 She was drugged with opium。
〃I watched at the gate； same as you advised； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said our
emissary； the discharged gardener。 〃When the carriage came out I followed
it to the station。 She was like one walking in her sleep； but when they tried
to get her into the train she came to life and struggled。 They pushed her
into the carriage。 She fought her way out again。 I took her part； got her
into a cab； and here we are。 I shan't forget the face at the carriage window
as I led her away。 I'd have a short life if he had his waythe black…eyed；
scowling； yellow devil。〃
We carried her upstairs； laid her on the sofa； and a couple of cups of
the strongest coffee soon cleared her brain from the mists of the drug。
Baynes had been summoned by Holmes； and the situation rapidly
explained to him。
〃Why； sir； you've got me the very evidence I want；〃 said the inspector
warmly； shaking my friend by the hand。 〃I was on the same scent as you
from the first。〃
〃What！ You were after Henderson？〃
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〃Why； Mr。 Holmes； when you were crawling in the shrubbery at High
Gable I was up one of the trees in the plantation and saw you down below。
It was just who would get his evidence first。〃
〃Then why did you arrest the mulatto？〃
Baynes chuckled。
〃I was sure Henderson； as he calls himself； felt that he was suspected；
and that he would lie low and make no move so long as he thought he was
in any danger。 I arrested the wrong man to make him believe that our eyes
were off him。 I knew he would be likely to clear off then and give us a
chance of getting at Miss Burnet。〃
Holmes laid his hand upon the inspector's shoulder。
〃You will rise high in your profession。 You have instinct and
intuition；〃 said he。
Baynes flushed with pleasure。
〃I've had a plain…clothes man waiting at the station all the week。
Wherever the High Gable folk go he will keep them in sight。 But he must
have been hard put to it when Miss Burnet broke away。 However； your
man picked her up； and it all ends well。 We can't arrest without her
evidence； that is clear； so the sooner we get a statement the better。〃
〃Every minute she gets stronger；〃 said Holmes； glancing at the
governess。 〃But tell me； Baynes； who is this man Henderson？〃
〃Henderson；〃 the inspector answered； 〃is Don Murillo； once call the
Tiger of San Pedro。〃
The Tiger of San Pedro！ The whole history of the man came back to
me in a flash。 He had made his name as the most lewd and bloodthirsty
tyrant that had ever governed any country with a pretence to civilization。
Strong； fearless； and energetic； he had sufficient virtue to enable him to
impose his odious vices upon a cowering people for ten or twelve years。
His name was a terror through all Central America。 At the end of that time
there was a universal rising against him。 But he was as cunning as he was
cruel； and at the first whisper of coming trouble he had secretly conveyed
his treasures aboard a ship which was manned by devoted adherents。 It
was an empty palace which was stormed by the insurgents next day。 The
dictator； his two children； his secretary； and his wealth had all escaped
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them。 》From that moment he had vanished from the world； and his
identity had been a frequent subject for comment in the European press。
〃Yes； sir； Don Murillo； the Tiger of San Pedro；〃 said Baynes。 〃If you
look it up you will find that the San Pedro colours are green and white；
same