She could not stand up.

“I ran to her. I threw my arms around her. She fell to the floor. I bent over her. Then she spoke. I will never forget her voice. ‘Oh, my God, Helen!’ she said. ‘It was the band! The speckled band!’ And then, Mr. Holmes, she died!”

“One moment,” said Holmes. “Are you sure about this whistle? And about the clanging sound? You are sure you heard them?”

“I am sure,” said Helen Stoner.

“Was your sister dressed to go out?” asked Holmes.

“No. She was in her nightdress. We found a candle in her hand.”

“Hmm. So she must have tried to make a light. What did the police say about the case?”

“They looked into it with great care,” replied Helen Stoner. “They knew Dr. Roylott, you see. But they could not find out how Julia died. The windows were closed from the inside, with heavy bars. The walls were thick. The floor was thick too. There was no way any person could have come in the room—except through the door.”

“And you are sure the door was locked?” Holmes asked again.

Miss Stoner said that she was sure.

Holmes shook his head. I could see he was not happy. “This looks very bad,” he said. “Please go on with your story.”

“Two years have gone by since Julia died,” said Miss Stoner. “My life has been very sad. But about a month ago a man asked me to marry him. His name is Armitage—Percy Armitage. We are going to be married this spring.

“My stepfather has said nothing against the match. But two days ago he told me that I must move into my sister’s room. He said he had to fix the wall in my room.