And then suddenly the whole business came to an end." "To an end ?" "Yes, sir.

And no later than this morning.

I went to my work as usual at ten o'clock, but the door was shut and locked, with a little square of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the panel with a tack.

Here it is, and you can read for yourself." He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet of note-paper.

It read in this fashion: THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE IS DISSOLVED.
October 9, 1890.
Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so completely overtopped every other consideration that we both burst out into a roar of laughter.
"I cannot see that there is anything very funny," cried our client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head.