The Speckled Band (Easy English)

Early one April morning in 1883, Holmes woke me at a quarter past seven. He was fully dressed.

"Sorry to wake you, Watson, but a young lady has arrived in a considerable state of excitement. When young ladies wander about the city at this hour and wake people up, I imagine it must be very important."

Our visitor was dressed in black and wore a thick veil. When she lifted it, we saw that she was about thirty, but her face was grey and tired, and her eyes were like those of a hunted animal. She was shaking.

"You are cold," said Holmes kindly. "Come closer to the fire. I see you came in by train this morning."

"How do you know?"

"There is a return ticket in the palm of your left glove. And the left arm of your jacket has mud on it in seven places. The marks are fresh. The only vehicle that throws mud up like that is a dog-cart, when you sit on the left-hand side of the driver."

"Everything you say is true," said the lady. "My name is Helen Stoner. I live with my stepfather, Dr. Grimesby Roylott, at Stoke Moran, in Surrey. And I am terrified."