'How was your sister dressed?' asked Holmes.
'She was wearing her nightdress. In one hand, she was holding
a box of matches and, in the other, a burnt match.'
'So she had lit a match to see around her,' said Holmes.
'That could be important. Was the cause of her death ever
discovered?'
'No,' replied Miss Stoner. 'Nobody could find out how she
died. Her body was not marked in any way. The doors and
windows of Julia's room were locked. The chimney was built so
that no one could climb down into the fireplace from the roof.
Nobody could get in or out of her room. So Julia must have been
alone in her bedroom.'
'But what about her strange words - "The speckled band?" '
asked Holmes. 'What do you think she meant?'
'I don't know,' said Miss Stoner. 'But perhaps she meant a
band of people. Gypsies were camping near the house. Many
of these gypsies wear handkerchiefs12
on their heads. These
handkerchiefs have a design of spots or speckles. So perhaps
Julia was trying to describe the band of gypsies.'
Holmes looked doubtful.
'Please go on,' he said.
'Julia died two years ago,' said Miss Stoner. 'Since her
death, I've been very lonely. But recently, a dear friend of
mine asked me to marry him. We're getting married very
soon.
'But two days ago, some builders arrived at Stoke Moran. The
builders started to knock a hole through my bedroom wall. So I
had to move out of my room and into Julia's room. I've been
sleeping in her bed.'
Miss Stoner stopped for a few moments. Then she said, 'Mr
Holmes, last night, I heard a terrible sound.'
'What was that?' I asked.
'It was a whistle, Dr Watson. A low, clear whistle. The same
sound Julia heard for several nights before she died!'