4 The Death of Major sholto
We followed the Iadian servant into the house. He stopped in front of an open door. We entered and were astonished. The room in which we were standing was full of Indian paintings and ornamenth. The carpet was soft and very thick. There were two large tiger-skins on the walls. In the centre of the room stood a strange little man with a bald head. He was smiling but he seemed very nervous. My name is Thaddeus shoito. You are Miss Morstan, of course. And these two genrtlemed. This is Mr sherlork homes and this is Doctor Watson. A doctor! Cried Thaddeus sholto excited ly. Oh, please could you lislen to my heart? I listened to his heart beaing. There is nothing wrong with your heart; I told him. I’m so gkad said Thaddeus shoklto. Miss Morstan, your father had a very weak heart. It his heart had been stronger. He would have been alive today. Miss Morstan sat down and her face turned very white. I knew that he was dead; she said. There were tears in her eyes. Please tell us why we hare been brought here; said Miss Morstan. My father; shoito said ;was Major sholto of the Indian; Army. He retired from the army aboul eleven years ago. My brother, Bartho lomew, and I were his only children. We know that Captain Morstan and our father had been very good friends in Indian. Mybrother and I also knew that our father was afraid of something. He never went out alone. He often spoke aboul a man with a wooden leg who followed him. He seemed very afraid of this man. One day in 1882, our father received a letter from Indian. This letter up set him very much. He became ill. Every day he grew weaker. At last, he was dying. He asked to see me and my brother. He said that he wanted to tell us the truth about Cap tain Morstan’s death