"He was a medium-sized man and about five feet seven--fair, slightly grey, clean-shaved, rather spare and slight, had grey eyes, wore spectacles and stooped a little as he walked.

He was quiet and gentle in manner, rather yielding and irresolute in character, and his health was not at all robust though he had no infirmity or disease excepting his bad eyesight.

His age was about fifty-five." "How came he to be a civil-service pensioner at fifty-five ?" asked Thorndyke.
"Oh, that was through an accident.

He had a nasty fall from a horse, and, being a rather nervous man, the shock was very severe.

For some time after he was a complete wreck.