“ ‘It is simplicity itself,’ said I. ‘When you bared your arm to drawthat fish into the boat I saw that J. A. had been tattooed in the bendof the elbow. The letters were still legible, but it was perfectlyclear from their blurred appearance, and from the staining of theskin round them, that efforts had been made to obliterate them. Itwas obvious, then, that those initials had once been very familiarto you, and that you had afterwards wished to forget them.’
“What an eye you have!” he cried, with a sigh of relief. ‘It is justas you say. But we won’t talk of it. Of all ghosts the ghosts of ourold lovers are the worst. Come into the billiard-room and have aquiet cigar.’
“From that day, amid all his cordiality, there was always a touchof suspicion in Mr. Trevor’s manner towards me. Even his sonremarked it. ‘You’ve given the governor such a turn,’ said he,‘that he’ll never be sure again of what you know and what youdon’t know.’ He did not mean to show it, I am sure, but it wasso strongly in his mind that it peeped out at every action. At lastI became so convinced that I was causing him uneasiness thatI drew my visit to a close. On the very day, however, before Ileft, and incident occurred which proved in the sequel to be ofimportance.
“We were sitting out upon the lawn on garden chairs, the threeof us, basking in the sun and admiring the view across the Broads,when a maid came out to say that there was a man at the door whowanted to see Mr. Trevor.
“ ‘What is his name?’ asked my host.
“ ‘He would not give any.’
“ ‘What does he want, then?’
“ ‘He says that you know him, and that he only wants a moment’sconversation.’
“ ‘Show him round here.’ An instant afterwards there appeared alittle wizened fellow with a cringing manner and a shambling styleof walking. He wore an open jacket, with a splotch of tar on thesleeve, a red-and-black check shirt, dungaree trousers, and heavyboots badly worn. His face was thin and brown and crafty, with aperpetual smile upon it, which showed an irregular line of yellowteeth, and his crinkled hands were half closed in a way that isdistinctive of sailors. As he came slouching across the lawn I heardMr. Trevor make a sort of hiccoughing noise in his throat, andjumping out of his chair, he ran into the house. He was back in amoment, and I smelt a strong reek of brandy as he passed me.
“ ‘Well, my man,’ said he. ‘What can I do for you?’
“The sailor stood looking at him with puckered eyes, and withthe same loose-lipped smile upon his face.
“ ‘You don’t know me?’ he asked.
“ ‘Why, dear me, it is surely Hudson,’ said Mr. Trevor in a toneof surprise.
“ ‘Hudson it is, sir,’ said the seaman. ‘Why, it’s thirty year andmore since I saw you last. Here you are in your house, and me stillpicking my salt meat out of the harness cask.’
“ ‘Tut, you will find that I have not forgotten old times,’ criedMr. Trevor, and, walking towards the sailor, he said something in alow voice. ‘Go into the kitchen,’ he continued out loud, ‘and youwill get food and drink. I have no doubt that I shall find you asituation.’
“ ‘Thank you, sir,’ said the seaman, touching his forelock. ‘I’mjust off a two-yearer in an eight-knot tramp, short-handed at that,and I wants a rest. I thought I’d get it either with Mr. Beddoes orwith you.’
“ ‘Ah!’ cried Trevor. ‘You know where Mr. Beddoes is?’
“ ‘Bless you, sir, I know where all my old friends are,’ said thefellow with a sinister smile, and he slouched off after the maid tothe kitchen. Mr. Trevor mumbled something to us about havingbeen shipmate with the man when he was going back to thediggings, and then, leaving us on the lawn, he went indoors. Anhour later, when we entered the house, we found him stretcheddead drunk upon the dining-room sofa. The whole incident left amost ugly impression upon my mind, and I was not sorry next dayto leave Donnithorpe behind me, for I felt that my presence mustbe a source of embarrassment to my friend.
“All this occurred during the first month of the long vacation. Iwent up to my London rooms, where I spent seven weeks workingout a few experiments in organic chemistry. One day, however,when the autumn was far advanced and the vacation drawing to aclose, I received a telegram from my friend imploring me to returnto Donnithorpe, and saying that he was in great need of my adviceand assistance. Of course I dropped everything and set out for theNorth once more.
“He met me with the dog-cart at the station, and I saw at aglance that the last two months had been very trying ones for him.
He had grown thin and careworn, and had lost the loud, cheerymanner for which he had been remarkable.
“ ‘The governor is dying,’ were the first words he said.
“ ‘Impossible!’ I cried. ‘What is the matter?’
“ ‘Apoplexy. Nervous shock, He’s been on the verge all day. Idoubt if we shall find him alive.’
“I was, as you may think, Watson, horrified at this unexpectednews.
“ ‘What has caused it?’ I asked.
“ ‘Ah, that is the point. Jump in and we can talk it over whilewe drive. You remember that fellow who came upon the eveningbefore you left us?’
“ ‘Perfectly.’
“ ‘Do you know who it was that we let into the house that day?’
“ ‘I have no idea.’
“ ‘It was the devil, Holmes,’ he cried.
“I stared at him in astonishment.
“ ‘Yes, it was the devil himself. We have not had a peaceful hoursince—not one. The governor has never held up his head fromthat evening, and now the life has been crushed out of him and hisheart broken, all through this accursed Hudson.’
“ ‘What power had he, then?’
“ ‘Ah, that is what I would give so much to know. The kindly,charitable good old governor—how could he have fallen into theclutches of such a ruffian! But I am so glad that you have come,Holmes. I trust very much to your judgment and discretion, and Iknow that you will advise me for the best.’
“We were dashing along the smooth white country road, withthe long stretch of the Broads in front of us glimmering in the redlight of the setting sun. From a grove upon our left I could alreadysee the high chimneys and the flag-staff which marked the squire’sdwelling.