Our encounter with the Stapletons provides more questions than it answers. When Stapleton first meets Watson, he asks all kinds of questions: about Holmes, about the case, and about Sir Henry. On one hand, we are supposed to believe that the convict's behavior makes him look suspicious. He is a convicted killer who recently escaped. On the other hand, we are supposed to believe that Mr. Stapleton is trustworthy, and his actions make him appear to be a genuinely concerned person and an unsuspicious character.