my father, was Major Sholto of the Indian army. he retired from the army about eleven years ago. he bought a house in North London. he called the house Pondicherry Lodge. my brother, Bartholomew, and i were his only children. we knew that Captain Morstan and our father had been very good friends in India. when he heard that Captain Morstan had disappeared, we were very upset. my brother Bartholomew, and i also knew that our father was afraid of something. he never went out alone. he often spoke about a man with a wooden leg who followed him. he seemed very afraid of this man.