When we had returned to the circle of chairs near the fire, Holmes regained his tongue and inquired as the nature of the dark man that had been observed. Mrs Kendrick willingly provided him with the details and only once did Holmes have to interrupt to ask for clarification.

"I did not see him myself for the first few days but my landlady inquired several times whether I was expecting any visitors. As it was quite late both days when she asked, almost as I was preparing to retire to my bed, I thought the question strange, but did not think further of it," said Mrs Kendrick.

"When were you first made aware of him?" interrupted Holmes.

"It was Thursday, the day after I had sent my friend out to tend to matters and three days prior to today, when I next received word from my friend," she informed him. "Unfortunately, he only dropped the letter by in passing this morning and I was not ready to receive visitors so early. He couldn't wait and his ship left port this afternoon, bound for the colonies. So I have been quite unable to determine what day it was that he actually saw to matters.

"Last night, my interest piqued by my landlady's inquiries about a visitor, I contrived to sit near the window shortly before ten o'clock, at about the time that the two prior sightings had been made. The casement was open and the curtains drawn back, so I had a clear view down to the street. Both my landlady and I are sailor's wives and although we are perhaps more inclined than average to the outdoors, I had opened the window not to enjoy the night air, but so as to better observe.

"I was reading a monograph, because I could not think of an excuse to sit and stare out the window for such time as it might take for the man to make an appearance. If he were truly looking in on us, it would also not appear out of the ordinary, for I was in the habit of sitting near that opened window during the day, for it is protected from the wind by a corner of the house.

"My landlady was conveniently occupied with matters in one of the other rooms, and although she had offered to sit with me and keep me company, I was much contented that she would not interfere with my observations. She would, most probably, have been quite scandalized that I was even seated with the window open, for she had fastened it tightly when it grew dark. But I felt that the window had to be opened, for it was the only way that I should be able to listen for footsteps or the sound of a cab.

"It was well that I had taken such precautions, for it was the sound of footsteps that first alerted me to his arrival. I angled the book somewhat closer to the light, as though having difficult making out a word or passage, and took the opportunity to observe my watcher unnoticed, for it was apparent that he was watching our house and none other. He was standing back in the shadows, so that it was impossible for me to make out his features, but there were a few things apparent, even from the distance at which I was forced to view him.

"He was wearing a coat made of some heavy material, for the wind hardly stirred the edges. His head was bare, although he held his cap in his left hand, close by his body so that the shape of it was hidden from me. He carried a tall stick in his right, and leaned on it quite heavily. But when he was approaching, I had heard no sound of it striking the ground as he walked, so he must have carried it then.

"His shoulders were broad and rounded, although not bowed. He was likely accustomed to hard work, but it was not wearying to him for he held himself well. However, one of his legs had been injured, for his footsteps were odd, somewhere between a limp and a shuffle that I should recognize again instantly should I hear it. Yet in spite of that, he had walked down the street for some distance, for I had heard no sound of a cab.

"I was forced to lower my book again, or reveal that I was watching him. I lost my good view of him as I lowered my eyes again to the page. But I could still make out his figure in the darkness and I heard him make no movements. He must have been satisfied that he was unobserved, for he moved several steps closer, nearly stepping out of the shadows. But at that inopportune moment, a cab came down the street and he retreated back to his former post and my opportunity to get a view of his face was lost.

"I do not know how long he stood there for the wind was cold and I had quite chilled myself. Had it only been myself to consider, I should have stayed there until he left, but I could not justify the action and regretfully rose to close the casement. At the movement, I saw him retreat well back into the shadows, and should I not have known that he was there I would not have seen a sign of him.

"My dear landlady, who has been so kind to me, heard my movements, for they are not so stealthy as they once were, and came into the room. The window had been closed, and so I was not caught out on that point, but she was anxious to see me off to bed and not have me exert myself over much. I could have beaten my hands against the window to have lost the chance for further observation, even through the closed window. But I could make no excuse that would satisfy her and had to consent to be led off.

"That was last night, and I should imagine that if I were able to take up a similar post tonight, I should observe much the same thing. On my way out this afternoon, I crossed over to where I had seen him standing, in a secluded spot where our neighbour's house juts forward slightly, and found several sets of footprints pressed deeply into the dust. I should have wanted more time to examine them for further details, but needed to make good my escape for I still hoped to catch my friend's ship in harbour."

Sherlock Holmes had taken my former seat near to our visitor, leaving me the basket chair on the other side of the fire. He must have noted her grow weary, although her narrative was clear and unfaltering, for he stopped her and pressed a glass of water upon her.

"I should have wished to examine those footprints," noted Holmes ruefully, "but this evening's rain should have completely obliterated all traces of them."

"I could see nothing uncommon about them from the brief look that I had," said Mrs Kendrick. "But I only had a few moments, a poor vantage point, and none of your expertise in the matter. However, I can provide a general map of how they lay, if you will allow me a pencil and paper."

"You are a singular woman," Holmes declared, bounding over to his desk for the items.

Holmes and I sat in silence while she quickly sketched the outer walls of the buildings, marking clearly the window in which she had sat observing. Then, with a series of ovals, she marked out just how the footprints had lain. "I apologize for any errors," said she when she'd finished, "but I believe that I have accounted for all of them. The round marks were where he had leaned upon his stick."

Holmes snatched up the paper from her, moving to an open space on the floor, so as to better visualize how the events had occurred. He muttered to himself as he stepped it out, so as to better firm the facts in his mind.

"Did you landlady ever mention two men?" Holmes asked quite suddenly.

"Not that I can recall," she replied. "But then I took no notice of her comments the first night, thinking only that she had heard a cab hesitate outside our door. It was only the second night that I inquired further into the matter, and she could not recall the details of the night before other than that she had distinctly seen a man on the road outside, not far from our door. I could get no further details from her."