‘Well, Mrs Warren, I ’m sorry but I IBS c an ’t help you. I have othe r things to d o ,’ sa id She r lo ck Holmes, looking at the p ap e r s on his desk. But Mrs Warren did not go away. ‘You helped my lodger 1 Mr Hobbs last year,’ said Mrs Warren, looking at Holmes. ‘Yes, I remember,’ said Holmes. ‘Mr Hobbs said you are a kind, helpful man. Why can’t you help me?’ asked Mrs Warren. Holmes looked at her and said, ‘Alright, Mrs Warren, tell me about your problem. I understand your new lodger always stays in his rooms and you never see him. There’s nothing strange about that!’ Mrs Warren's Problem ‘But Im really afraid and I can’t s le ep / said Mrs Warren. ‘I hear his quick footsteps from morning to night, but I never see him. Why is he hiding? My husband is worried too, but he is away all day at work. I’m alone at home with the girl who helps me clean, and I’m very frightened.’ Holmes looked at her kindly and said, ‘Please sit down, Mrs Warren. Now if I decide to help you, I must know everything. Do you understand? The smallest thing can be the most important. You said that the man came ten days ago and paid you for two weeks. Is that correct?’ ‘Yes,’ said Mrs Warren, ‘I asked him to pay two pounds a week for a small sitting-room and a bedroom at the top of the house.’ ‘Well?’ asked Holmes. ‘He said, “I’ll pay you five pounds a week if I can have the rooms on my conditions.” 2 I’m a poor woman, sir, and Mr Warren doe sn’t make much money. I needed the extra money. The man gave me ten pounds and said, “I can give you ten pounds every two weeks for a long time on my conditions.’” ‘What were his conditions?’ asked Holmes. ‘Well, he wanted a key to the house and that was alright. Lodgers often want a key. And he did not want anyone to disturb 3 him.’ ‘The re is nothing s t ran g e ab ou t tha t, Mrs Wa r r en ,’ sa id Holmes. ‘No, but I never see him — no one sees him! He only went out of the house on the first night.