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.
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