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〃Well； it is just as I have been telling you； Mr。 Sherlock
Holmes；〃 said Jabez Wilson； mopping his forehead； 〃I have a small
pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square； near the City。 It's not a
very large affair； and of late years it has not done more than
just give me a living。 I used to be able to keep two assistants；
but now I only keep one； and I would have a job to pay him but
that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the
business。〃
〃What is the name of this obliging youth？〃 asked Sherlock
Holmes。
〃His name is Vincent Spaulding； and he's not such a youth；
either。 It's hard to say his age。 I should not wish a smarter
assistant； Mr。 Holmes； and I know very well that he could better
himself and earn twice what I am able to give him。 But； after
all； if he is satisfied； why should I put ideas in his head？〃
〃Why； indeed？ You seem most fortunate in having an employee
who comes under the full market price。 It is not a common
experience among employers in this age。 I don't know that your
assistant is not as remarkable as your advertisement。〃
〃Oh； he has his faults； too；〃 said Mr。 Wilson。 〃Never was
such a fellow for photography。 Snapping away with a camera when
he ought to be improving his mind； and then diving down into the
cellar like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures。 That
is his main fault； but on the whole he's a good worker。 There's
no vice in him。〃
〃He is still with you； I presume？〃
〃Yes； sir。 He and a girl of fourteen； who does a bit of
simple cooking and keeps the place cleanthat's all I have in the
house； for I am a widower and never had any family。 We live very
quietly； sir； the three of us； and we keep a roof over our heads
and pay our debts； if we do nothing more。
〃The first thing that put us out was that advertisement。
Spaulding； he came down into the office just this day eight weeks；
with this very paper in his hand； and he says：
〃‘I wish to the Lord； Mr。 Wilson； that I was a red…headed
man。'
〃‘Why that？' I asks。
〃‘Why；' says he； ‘here's another vacancy on the League of the
Red…headed Men。 It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who
gets it； and I understand that there are more vacancies than there
are men； so that the trustees are at their wits end what to do
with the money。 If my hair would only change colour； here's a
nice little crib all ready for me to step into。'
〃‘Why； what is it； then？' I asked。 〃You see； Mr。 Holmes； I am
a very stay…at…home man； and as my business came to me instead of
my having to go to it； I was often weeks on end without putting my
foot over the door…mat。 In that way I didn't know much of what
was going on outside； and I was always glad of a bit of news。
〃‘Have you never heard of the League of the Red…headed Men？'
he asked with his eyes open。
〃‘Never。'
〃‘Why； I wonder at that； for you are eligible yourself for one
of the vacancies。'
〃‘And what are they worth？' I asked。
〃‘Oh； merely a couple of hundred a year； but the work is
slight； and it need not interfere very much with one's other
occupations。'
〃Well； you can easily think that that made me prick up my
ears； for the business has not been over…good for some years； and
an extra couple of hundred would have been very handy。
〃‘Tell me all about it；' said I。〃
〃‘Well；' said he； showing me the advertisement； ‘you can see
for yourself that the League has a vacancy； and there is the
address where you should apply for particulars。 As far as I can
make out； the League was founded by an American millionaire；
Ezekiah Hopkins； who was very peculiar in his ways。 He was
himself red…headed； and he had a great sympathy for all red…headed
men； so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous
fortune in the hands of trustees； with instructions to apply the
interest to the providing of easy berths to men whose hair is of
that colour。 From all I hear it is splendid pay and very little
to do。'
〃‘But；' said I； ‘there would be millions of red…headed men who
would apply。'
〃‘Not so many as you might think；' he answered。 ‘You see it
is really confined to Londoners； and to grown men。 This American
had started from London when he was young； and he wanted to do the
old town a good turn。 Then； again； I have heard it is no use your
applying if your hair is light red； or dark red； or anything but
real bright； blazing； fiery red。 Now； if you cared to apply； Mr。
Wilson； you would just walk in； but perhaps it would hardly be
worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a
few hundred pounds。'
〃Now； it is a fact； gentlemen； as you may see for yourselves；
that my hair is of a very full and rich tint； so that it seemed to
me that if there was to be any competition in the matter I stood
as good a chance as any man that I had ever met。 Vincent
Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might
prove useful； so I just ordered him to put up the shutters for the
day and to come right away with me。 He was very willing to have a
holiday； so we shut the business up and started off for the
address that was given us in the advertisement。
〃I never hope to see such a sight as that again； Mr。 Holmes。
From north； south； east； and west every man who had a shade of red
in his hair had tramped into the city to answer the advertisement。
Fleet Street was choked with red…headed folk； and Pope's Court
looked like a coster's orange barrow。 I should not have thought
there were so many in the whole country as were brought together
by that single advertisement。 Every shade of colour they
werestraw； lemon； orange； brick； Irish…setter； liver； clay； but；
as Spaulding said； there were not many who had the real vivid
flame…coloured tint。 When I saw how many were waiting； I would
have given it up in despair； but Spaulding would not hear of it。
How he did it I could not imagine； but he pushed and pulled and
butted until he got me through the crowd； and right up to the
steps which led to the office。 There was a double stream upon the
stair； some going up in hope； and some coming back dejected； but
we wedged in as well as we could and soon found ourselves in the
office。〃
〃Your experience has been a most entertaining one；〃 remarked
Holmes as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge
pinch of snuff。 〃Pray continue your very interesting statement。〃
〃There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs
and a deal table； behind which sat a small man with a head that
was even redder than mine。 He said a few words to each candidate
as he came up； and then he always managed to find some fault in
them which would disqualify them。 Getting a vacancy did not seem
to be such a very easy matter； after all。 However； when our turn
came the little man was much more favourable to me than to any of
the others； and he closed the door as we entered； so that he might
have a private word with us。
〃‘This is Mr。 Jabez Wilson；' said my assistant； ‘and he is
willing to fill a vacancy in the League。'
〃‘And he is admirably suited for it；' the other answered。 ‘He
has every requirement。 I cannot recall when I have seen anything
so fine。' He took a step backward； cocked his head on one side；
and gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful。 Then suddenly he
plunged forward； wrung my hand； and congratulated me warmly on my
success。
〃‘It would be injustice to hesitate；' said he。 ‘You will；
however； I am sure； excuse me for taking an obvious precaution。'
With that he seized my hair in both his hands； and tugged until I
yelled with the pain。 ‘There is water in your eyes；' said he as
he released me。 ‘I perceive that all is as it should be。 But we
have to be careful； for we have twice been deceived by wigs and
once by paint。 I could tell you tales of cobbler's wax which
would disgust you with human nature。' He stepped over to the
window and shouted through it at the top of his vo