His reasons for destroying the busts were still unknown,
and he refused to answer any questions upon the subject, but the
police had discovered that these same busts might very well have
been made by his own hands, since he was engaged in this class
of work at the establishment of Gelder & Co. To all this infor-
mation, much of which we already knew, Holmes listened with
polite attention, but I, who knew him so well, could clearly see
that his thoughts were elsewhere, and I detected a mixture of
mingled uneasiness and expectation beneath that mask which he
was wont to assume. At last he started in his chair, and his eyes
brightened. There had been a ring at the bell. A minute later we
heard steps upon the stairs, and an elderly red-faced man with
grizzled side-whiskers was ushered in. In his right hand he
carried an old-fashioned carpet-bag, which he placed upon the
table.
"Is Mr. Sherlock Holmes here?"
My friend bowed and smiled. "Mr. Sandeford, of Reading, I
suppose?" said he.
"Yes, sir, I fear that I am a little late, but the trains
were awkward.
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