The very beginning of this affair which involved me before I was aware of itin as much villainy and wickedness as ever man heard of was of course thatspring eve... » 

The very beginning of this affair which involved me before I was aware of itin as much villainy and wickedness as ever man heard of was of course thatspring evening now ten years ago whereon I looked out of my mothers frontparlour window in the main street of BerwickuponTweed and saw standing rightbefore the house a man who had a black patch over his left eye an old plaidthrown loosely round his shoulders and in his right hand a stout stick and anoldfashioned carpetbag. He caught sight of me as I caught sight of him andhe stirred and made at once for our door. If I had possessed the power ofseeing more than the obvious I should have seen robbery and murder and thevery devil himself coming in close attendance upon him as he crossed thepavement. But as it was I saw nothing but a stranger and I threw open thewindow and asked the man what he might be wanting. «