'Just sit down and tell us your story,' said Holmeskindly.'My name is Helen Stoner,' she began, 'and I livewith my stepfather, Dr Grimesby Roylott, near avillage in the country. His family was once very rich,but they had no money when my stepfather was born.So he studied to be a doctor, and went out to India. Hemet and married my mother there, when my sister Juliaand I were very young. Our father was dead, you see.''Your mother had some money, perhaps?' askedSherlock Holmes.'Oh yes, mother had a lot of money, so mystepfather wasn't poor any more.''Tell me more about him, Miss Stoner,' said Holmes.'Well, he's a violent man. In India he once gotangry with his Indian servant and killed him! He hadto go to prison because of that, and then we all cameback to England. Mother died in an accident eightyears ago. So my stepfather got all her money, but ifJulia or I marry, he must pay us £250 every year.''And now you live with him in the country,' saidHolmes.'Yes, but he stays at home and never sees anybody,Mr Holmes!' answered Helen Stoner. 'He's more andmore violent now, and sometimes has fights with thepeople from the village. Everybody's afraid of himnow, and they run away when they see him. Andthey're also afraid of his Indian wild animals which