"I am afraid that I rather give myself away when I explain," said he."Results without causes are much more impressive. You are ready to cometo Birmingham, then?"
"Certainly. What is the case?"
"You shall hear it all in the train. My client is outside in afour-wheeler. Can you come at once?"
"In an instant." I scribbled a note to my neighbor, rushed upstairs toexplain the matter to my wife, and joined Holmes upon the door-step.
"Your neighbor is a doctor," said he, nodding at the brass plate.
"Yes; he bought a practice as I did."
"An old-established one?"
"Just the same as mine. Both have been ever since the houses werebuilt."
"Ah! Then you got hold of the best of the two."
"I think I did. But how do you know?"
"By the steps, my boy. Yours are worn three inches deeper than his. Butthis gentleman in the cab is my client, Mr. Hall Pycroft. Allow me tointroduce you to him. Whip your horse up, cabby, for we have only justtime to catch our train."
The man whom I found myself facing was a well built, fresh-complexionedyoung fellow, with a frank, honest face and a slight, crisp, yellowmustache. He wore a very shiny top hat and a neat suit of sober black,which made him look what he was--a smart young City man, of the classwho have been labeled cockneys, but who give us our crack volunteerregiments, and who turn out more fine athletes and sportsmen than anybody of men in these islands. His round, ruddy face was naturally fullof cheeriness, but the corners of his mouth seemed to me to be pulleddown in a half-comical distress. It was not, however, until we wereall in a first-class carriage and well started upon our journey toBirmingham that I was able to learn what the trouble was which haddriven him to Sherlock Holmes.
"We have a clear run here of seventy minutes," Holmes remarked. "Iwant you, Mr. Hall Pycroft, to tell my friend your very interestingexperience exactly as you have told it to me, or with more detail ifpossible. It will be of use to me to hear the succession of eventsagain. It is a case, Watson, which may prove to have something in it, ormay prove to have nothing, but which, at least, presents those unusualand outre features which are as dear to you as they are to me. Now, Mr.Pycroft, I shall not interrupt you again."
Our young companion looked at me with a twinkle in his eye.
"The worst of the story is," said he, "that I show myself up as such aconfounded fool. Of course it may work out all right, and I don't seethat I could have done otherwise; but if I have lost my crib and getnothing in exchange I shall feel what a soft Johnnie I have been. I'mnot very good at telling a story, Dr. Watson, but it is like this withme:
"I used to have a billet at Coxon & Woodhouse's, of Draper's Gardens,but they were let in early in the spring through the Venezuelan loan,as no doubt you remember, and came a nasty cropper. I had been with themfive years, and old Coxon gave me a ripping good testimonial whenthe smash came, but of course we clerks were all turned adrift, thetwenty-seven of us. I tried here and tried there, but there were lots ofother chaps on the same lay as myself, and it was a perfect frost for along time. I had been taking three pounds a week at Coxon's, and I hadsaved about seventy of them, but I soon worked my way through that andout at the other end. I was fairly at the end of my tether at last,and could hardly find the stamps to answer the advertisements or theenvelopes to stick them to. I had worn out my boots paddling up officestairs, and I seemed just as far from getting a billet as ever.
"At last I saw a vacancy at Mawson & Williams's, the great stock-brokingfirm in Lombard Street. I dare say E. C. is not much in your line, butI can tell you that this is about the richest house in London.The advertisement was to be answered by letter only. I sent in mytestimonial and application, but without the least hope of getting it.Back came an answer by return, saying that if I would appear next MondayI might take over my new duties at once, provided that my appearance wassatisfactory. No one knows how these things are worked. Some people saythat the manager just plunges his hand into the heap and takes the firstthat comes. Anyhow it was my innings that time, and I don't ever wish tofeel better pleased. The screw was a pound a week rise, and the dutiesjust about the same as at Coxon's.
"And now I come to the queer part of the business. I was in diggings outHampstead way, 17 Potter's Terrace. Well, I was sitting doing a
smokethat very evening after I had been promised the appointment, when upcame my landlady with a card which had 'Arthur Pinner, Financial Agent,'printed upon it. I had never heard the name before and could not imaginewhat he wanted with me; but, of course, I asked her to show him up. Inhe walked, a middle-sized, dark-haired, dark-eyed, black-bearded man,with a touch of the Sheeny about his nose. He had a brisk kind of waywith him and spoke sharply, like a man who knew the value of time."
"'Mr. Hall Pycroft, I believe?'" said he.
"'Yes, sir,' I answered, pushing a chair towards him.
"'Lately engaged at Coxon & Woodhouse's?'
"'Yes, sir.'
"'And now on the staff of Mawson's.'
"'Quite so.'
"'Well,' said he, 'the fact is that I have heard some reallyextraordinary stories about your financial ability. You remember Parker,who used to be Coxon's manager? He can never say enough about it.'
"Of course I was pleased to hear this. I had always been pretty sharp inthe office, but I had never dreamed that I was talked about in the Cityin this fashion.
"'You have a good memory?' said he.
"'Pretty fair,' I answered, modestly.
"'Have you kept in touch with the market while you have been out ofwork?' he asked.