man now.' We could hear the horses in the street.
'Shall I leave, Holmes?' I asked.
'No, no, I need your help. This will be interesting,'
my friend answered. There was a knock at the door.
'Come in!' called Holmes.
A tall, strong man came into the room. He was
wearing expensive clothes, and a mask over his face.
'You can call me Count von Kramm. I come from
Bohemia,' he said. 'My business is most important.
Before I tell you about it, do you agree to keep it a
secret?'
'I do,' we said together.
'A very important person, who belongs to a royal
family, has sent me to ask for your help,' he went on. 'I
wear a mask because nobody must know who that
person is. I must explain how important this business
is. If you cannot help, there will be difficulty and
trouble for one of the most important families in
Europe — and perhaps a very big scandal. I am talking
about the famous House of Ormstein, Kings of
Bohemia.'
'I know, Your Majesty,' said Holmes. He quietly
smoked his cigarette.
The man jumped up from his chair, 'What!' he cried.
'How do you know who I am?' Then he pulled the
mask off his face and threw it on the ground. 'You are
right. Why do I hide it? I am the King. I am Wilhelm
von Ormstein, King of Bohemia. I came to see you