The story was originally published as "A Reminiscence of Sherlock Holmes."

Holmes and Watson are visited by a very conservative gentleman asking for guidance. He's Mr. John Scott Eccles. He'd spent the night at Wisteria Lodge, Aloysius Garcia's rented house, but when he woke in the morning, he found that Garcia and his servants had all disappeared. He was alone in an empty house.

Eccles met Garcia, a Spaniard, through an acquaintance; they seemed to form an unlikely friendship right away. When Eccles got to Wisteria Lodge, he could tell though that something was amiss. Garcia seemed distracted and the whole mood seemed quite sombre. And then one of Garcia's servants handed him a note -- and the man's mood became even darker.

Not more than a few minutes behind Eccles, the Surrey police arrive at 221B Baker Street to report the suspicious death of Garcia.