“Summary of the whole play script: THE VALLEY OF FEAR”

ACT NO.01:
 Scene # 01:
Setting: railway compartment, Vermissa valley 1875.
McMurdo has arrived to Vermissa valley. He is travelling in a train compartment. He seats down, takes out a paper
have a look at it, takes out a revolver check if it is loaded and puts it back. Scanlan and Cormac see this. They ask
him if he is armed and his whereabouts. McMurdo explains that he is from Chicago and one of the ancient orders of
freemen. Scanlan says the sign, “dark nights are unpleasant”, and McMurdo shakes his hand and completes the
countersign “for strangers to travel”. They introduce themselves to each other. Scanlan and Cormac ask him to visit
McGinty who is the body master and everything happens in Vermissa valley based upon his order. Scanlan and
Cormac get off at their destined stop. Police officers approach McMurdo; he doesn’t talk to them positively. Police
officers warn him to be careful while choosing friends in Vermissa valley.

 Scene # 02:
Setting: Shafter’s lodging 1875.
Baldwin who is a scorer trying to convince Ettie to go out. Ettie is giving excuses but promises to meet on Friday as
she is threatened because Baldwin is a scowrer. Shafter arrives and witnesses Baldwin. Shafter does like Baldwin
presence around his daughter and in his lodge. McMurdo arrives and he is supposed to stay at Shafter’s. He finds
Ettie adorable.

 Scene # 3
Setting: Baker Street 1895.
Holmes is an investigator. He is reading a ciphered message stating 534...C2…13. He is suspecting Professor Moriarty
and stating that he is controlling power of underworld. He is the schemer of all the time and a mind behind devilry.
Watson calls him as Napoleon of Crime. He is such a clever mind that he never leaves any proof against him. He is
the controlling man of a chain of people including fighting men, pickpockets, blackmailers and criminals. They tend to
decode the ciphered message. Fred Porlock is Professor Moriarty and Watson is dreading as he suspects him and
asks Holmes to burn the message.They tend to guess the book. Their first guess is “Bible” but the idea gets rejected
as bible’s each edition has different pages. Second guess is Bradshaw which is a railway timetable. This idea also
gets rejected as the vocabulary is limited so a general message cannot be sent via it. Finally Almanac is chosen. They
are able to decipher the message “there is danger may come to Douglas at birlstone house birlstone pressing”. At the
same time, MacDonald approaches and tells them that Mr. Douglas has been murdered.

 Scene # 4

Setting: union house salon 1875 the bar.

McGinty and his fellow scowrers are reading news written by James Stranger. This news unfolds the truth about the
existence of criminal organization. McGinty wants to teach a hard lesson to James for unveiling the truth of scowrers
existence. Meanwhile Scanlan approaches and informs McGinty about his meeting with McMurdo.

 Scene # 5

Setting: Birlstone Manor 1895 the study.

A body is lying on the floor with its head behind the chair. A sawn off gun lying as well. On the table, hand lamp is
placed with a partially burnt candle. A single dumb bell is lying beneath the table. Hammer is lying; window and
 curtain are partially opened. Doctor Wood and Sergeant Wilson are inspecting the body and collecting the findings.
They are waiting for McMurdo and Holmes to arrive. Barker is Mr. Douglas close friend and he informs the police
first. When Mason comes in he sees that gun is wired. They also get to see tattoo on his arm with a triangle inside a
circle. Barker arrives and offices interrogate him. Barker explains that the murder has been committed around half
past eleven last night. According to him, He was in the bedroom when he heard the gun shot. He reaches within 30
seconds and finds Mr. Douglas lying. Mrs. Douglas also comes down but he prevents her from seeing the sight.

 Scene # 6
Setting: A railway Compartment 1895.
Holmes, Watson and McDonald are sitting down and are discussing the clues. Holmes and McDonald are talking
about the moat, while Watson is trying to find out how the murderer escaped. Holmes tells about Porlock's message,
and they start suspecting professor Moriarty. McDonald also suspects Barker as Mason tells them that Mr. Douglas
disliked Mrs. Douglas' and Barker's friendship. Holmes has a feeling that there is a chain between Mrs. Douglas and
Professor Moriarty and he wants to follow that chain.

 Scene # 7
Setting: Shafter's Lodging. 1875. The kitchen.
McMurdo is being asked to leave Shafter's Lodging. By Mr. Shafter because he gets to know that McMurdo is one of
the ancient orders of freemen. He tells him that he is innocent but he doesn’t believe him. Ettie comes and tells that
he is too late, Baldwin comes and they both get introduced to each other. McMurdo and Baldwin start to fight on to
get Ettie. They both challenge each-other.

 Scene # 8
Setting: Birlstone Manor 1895. The study.
Sergeant Wilson, Mason, Barker and Ames are investigating, they find more clues like boot marks, a card written
V.V...341 and a hammer. Ames also tells that the drawbridge was raised at 6’O Clock last night and she wound it
herself. So, the murderer came inside from the moat at 6’O clock and killed Mr. Douglas at 11:00 night when he was
watching whether the windows are closed or not.

 Scene # 9
Setting: Union house saloon. The bar. 1875.
McMurdo meets McGinty as he was advised. He tells his past to the councilor that he killed Jonas Pinto because he
was shoving counterfeit money into circulation for him and he was scared that he would split on him. Baldwin enters
and fights again because of Ettie. The councilor decides that Ettie is free to choose for herself. Marvin comes to
inspect them and warn them and asks him to help in uphold of law and order but he says that he has his own police.
All exit.

 Scene # 10
Setting: Birlstone Manor 1895. The study.
Holmes investigates the arm of, that had the mark, and it had made pain. Murder wasn’t so unexpected, no stains on
hammer, then they take the body. The gun company was Pennsylvania Small Arms Company. The killer was of an
American owner. They suspect Mrs. Douglas as she had lived in America, as the committee of the murder.

 Scene # 11
Setting: Union house saloon. 1875. The bar.
 All the scowrers are discussing about murders. McMurdo is being tested as a scowrer and he was been welcomed in
the lodge by the Councilor McGinty. Then all of them discuss about a job that was to be done, to kill Andrew Rae.
They also make plan to kill Josiah Dunn and also to kill Journalist James Stanger. Morris offends but gets scolded by
McGinty and then is ordered to obey him and he apologizes, then for the job the Willaby brothers, Scanlan, Baldwin,
and McMurdo are selected to go and beat James Stanger, and kill Andrew and Josiah Dunn.

 Scene # 12
Setting: Outside the offices of Vermissa Herald. 1875.
McMurdo, Scanlan, Art and Frank Willaby, and Baldwin come in. Baldwin starts to beat James Stanger until his face
got bloodied. McMurdo tells Baldwin to stop beating him or else he would die, but he don’t stops. After some while
everyone exits, including James Stanger.

 Scene # 13
Setting: A Street. 1875.
Ettie and McMurdo haves a little conversation and then Ettie leaves. Then, Morris Approaches McMurdo and he want
to tell something to him, he asked him not to reveal it to anyone. He told his emotional story to McMurdo and tells
that he doesn’t wants to be the part of the lodge.

 Scene # 14
Setting: Birlstone Manor. 1895. The study.
Ames, Barker, Mrs. Allen, and Mrs. Douglas tell about everything that happened before Douglas’s murder. So there
was a lot of information gathered with Holmes and Inspector McDonald like; Barker was a good friend of Douglas,
McGinty had some kind of fear with the valley of fear and McGinty, and Mrs. Allen heard the door slamming at
around half an hour before the murder took place. She could not hear the gunshot because she had some problem in
hearing. Ames told that before the murder, Mr. Douglas went to shopping to tunbridge wells. Barker also added that
he didn’t know Mrs. Douglas before their marriage. Douglas was jealous of his and Mrs. Douglas’ friendship.

ACT NO.02:

 Scene # 1
Setting: Widow Namara’s parlor. 1875.
McGinty and McMurdo are having a serious conversation, McGinty asks McMurdo that what was brother Morris
speaking to you about? McMurdo said that he asked him for a clerkship in his store. McGinty said that Morris is a
disloyal brother. Then, they make a plan to kill Chester Wilcox, as they finish off their conversation Inspector Marvin
comes and arrests them.

 Scene # 2
Setting: The courtroom. 1895.
The magistrate denied the proof of the moustaches as it was of low-level. He was convinced that the accused are
innocent and he discharged them and also apologized if this caused them any inconvenience. Mrs. Larbey gets
agitated that the scowrers were let off. Magistrate asks one of his officers to escort him from the curt.

 Scene # 3
Setting: Birlstone Manor. 1895. The Garden.
 Dr. Watson witnesses Mrs. Douglas and Cecil Barker sitting under a tree on a bench, laughing and giggling like
nothing worse has happened to them.

 Scene # 4
Setting: Birlstone Manor. 1895.
The Study.Holmes and Watson are discussing about some clues. They also find/ discover some new clues, like:
Barker’s slipper stained with blood; he also stated that barker marked the window himself and all he stated was a lie.
The ring was taken after the murder was committed. Holmes and Watson discuss the possibility of Mrs. Douglas and
barker being the murderer. The bicycle belongs to an American + Holmes said that the murder was committed half
an hour before they were informed. Mrs. Douglas and Barker arrived at Birlstone house before the murderer escaped
and helped him to go out.

 Scene # 5
Setting: Widow Namara’s. The parlor. 1875.
McMurdo is writing a secret letter, Ettie comes and asks whom is he writing that letter to. But he doesn’t replies, and
then Ettie asks him to leave the valley of fear. She also told that Chester Wilcox’s house was burnt into ash but he
fled away before he would also be burnt. Andrew and Lawler were given a job to be done, that visit Widow Namara’s
parlor.

Scene # 6
Setting: Crow Hill mine. 1875.
Lawler and Andrew approaches Josiah Dunn and kills him. Soon Menzies also gets killed. McMurdo and Scanlan
clearly witness the whole scene.

 Scene # 7
Setting: The Westville arms. 1895. The dining room.
All are having breakfast, McDonald and Watson joins. Holmes says that this case is wastage of time. And he also says
to abandon it. McDonald asks that what he found last night in birlstone house. He tells that he found the history of
birlstone manor. He tells that there is a secret cellar for concealment. King Charles 2 concealed there. Then he asks
Watson to write a letter to barker asking him to drain the moat. Watson thinks that it’s impossible but it’s Holmes’
plan…!!

 Scene # 8
Setting: Union house saloon. 1875. The bar.
Morris tells McMurdo about a Pinkerton’s man working in Vermissa Valley, Birdy Edwards. He tells that he doesn’t
want him to be killed by the scowrers, but McMurdo says they will but asks him not to worry. Morris also shows him
the telegram he got from his friend who is working in the telegram office, who deciphered this message. McMurdo
tells this to McGinty and they make a plan to teach him a hard lesson.

 Scene # 9
Birlstone Manor. 1895. The study.
Holmes showed Barker, Mason, Watson and Mrs. Douglas the boots, American styled clothes, knife, pants and an
overcoat he found from the moat. They get an idea who the murderer could be.

 Scene # 10
 Setting: Widow Namara’s. 1875. The bar.
McMurdo, McGinty and other scowrers are ready to attack on Birdy Edwards, but, then, McMurdo reveals that he is
Birdy Edwards. He asks captain Marvin comes and McMurdo asks him to keep them in jail. Everyone exits but
Baldwin and McGinty warns him that the game isn’t over yet.

 Scene # 11
Setting: birlstone manor. 1895. The study.
Mr. Douglas is alive; Holmes knew about it, he told that Baldwin was murdered by Mr. Douglas. Douglas tells that he
was writing notes and a recount about the last 20 years. He tells that, he knew that Ted Baldwin would kill him, so
he killed him instead for his self-defense. And as, he had killed a bad man, he wasn’t arrested; instead, he was
advised to leave the valley of fear.

 Epilogue
Setting: 221b Baker Street. 1895. Sitting room.
Holmes and Watson are discussing about the notes Mr. John Douglas had made. Watson states that the mystery is
over. But Holmes says that the mystery is not over yet, referring to a note of john Douglas saying, “Dear me! Mr.
Holmes, Dear me!” Barker come and tells that Douglas lost his life. Holmes states it’s a murder not a co-incidence.
The murderer is not from America but from London. There’s big hand behind his murder. They suspect professor
Moriarty. Watson asks if Moriarty is never to be taken down. Sherlock Holmes asks for some time.

Posted by Bushra Siddiqui at 09:25 26 comments:

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

The valley of fear- complete synopsis

Complete synopsis of The valley of fear

The Valley of Fear is a mystery novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and was the last of the
four Sherlock Holmes novels written by the author. It was first published in serial form in the Strand
Magazine from September 1914 to May 1915.
At the outset of the novel Sherlock Holmes receives a message from Porlock, an agent to Professor
Moriarty. Porlock occasionally sends Holmes insider information.
Moriarty is blameless in the eyes of the law but Holmes knows him to be "the controlling brain of the
underworld." Together Holmes and Watson decipher Porlock's message as indicating that a man
named Douglas residing at Birlstone is in danger.

Inspector MacDonald of Scotland Yard calls upon Holmes to ask for his help and informs him that Mr
Douglas of Birlstone Manor House has been murdered that morning. Holmes tells MacDonald that
since he received an alert from Porlock it is probable that Professor Moriarty's influence exists in the
matter.
MacDonald reminds Holmes that the professor is an educated and well respected man. Holmes
informs MacDonald that although the Professor's salary is seven hundred pounds a year he owns a
painting worth over forty thousand pounds and the Inspector agrees that this is suspicious.

Holmes, Watson and MacDonald travel to Birlstone village in Sussex. John Douglas was murdered
at around midnight and had been shot in the head. The house is an old manor with a moat and
drawbridge. A man name Cecil Barker was staying at the house on the night the murder took place
and was a regular guest of Mr and Mrs Douglas.

A sawn off shotgun was found at the scene. It appeared to have been fired at close range which
caused the head to have been completely blown to pieces.

Cecil Barker claims that he was upstairs in his room when he heard the shot and rushed downstairs.
The drawbridge was up at this time and Cecil claims that he lowered it in order to admit help. There
is a mark of blood upon the window sill where someone seems to have entered. Cecil says that he
thinks the intruder got away by wading through the moat but has no explanation for how the
assailant entered the house in the first place unless he entered before that time and waited in the
house.

A card lays beside the body with the initials V.V scrawled in ink upon it. A small branded mark is
seen on the man's arm but it has not been made recently. Douglas' wedding ring appears to have
been taken from his hand which seems indicative since no others rings were taken.

The police speculatethat the murderer must have escaped across the moat but if this was so then
the question of how he has so far eluded the police when all his clothes were wet as he walked
through the town is a mystery.

Holmes notices that Mr Douglas seems to have had only one dumbbell to hand in the study which
strikes him as odd.

From interviews with the people in the house more details about the events are established. Cecil
Barker heard the shot, rushed down from his bedroom and entered the study and upon seeing
Douglas murdered he rang violently on the bell. The servants and Mrs Douglas all rushed to the
scene. Mr Barker persuaded Mrs Douglas to return to her room which she did. Holmes mentions to
Watson that he thinks it was strange for Mrs Douglas to have shown so little outward emotion and
not to have rushed to her husband's body.

Cecil Barker says that he believes a secret society of men pursued Douglas and that this fear for his
life is what prompted him to live in such a quiet area of England.
Mr Douglas married his wife when he came to England five years previously. He had been married
before and this first wife died of Typhoid. Douglas had met and worked with Cecil Barker in America
for a time and then and suddenly left for Europe.

Both Cecil Barker and Mrs Douglas were aware that some danger overhung Douglas and that this
danger was connected with some episode of his life in America. Mrs Douglas says that she had
heard her husband mention "The Valley of Fear".

By studying the soles of Cecil Barker's slippers Holmes ascertains that Barker used the sole of his
own shoe to make the mark on the window sill so as to give the appearance that someone exited
that way.

Back at their lodgings in the village Holmes tells Watson that Cecil Barker and Mrs Douglas are
certainly lying but that why they are lying is not yet clear.

When a shotgun is fired at close range the sound is muffled. The housekeeper heard what she
described as a door slamming half an hour before the alarm was raised. Holmes believes that what
the housekeeper actually heard was the shot fired when the murder really took place.

White Mason, the Sussex detective, and MacDonald report that they have traced a bicycle found on
the grounds of the house to an American staying at a guest house. It seems likely that he was the
assailant since the gun used in the murder was of an American make but there is no sign of the
man.

Holmes tells MacDonald to write to Cecil Barker and inform him that the police ntend to search the
moat the next day. That night Holmes, Watson, MacDonald and White lay in wait outside Birlstone
Manor and see Cecil Barker fish something out of the moat. Cecil refuses to explain the situation but
at that moment Mr Douglas appears, alive and well.

Douglas hands Dr Watson a written account called The Valley of Fear which he says explains the
early part of his story and why he ended up being hunted in such a desperate way.

Douglas explains the recent events. He had spotted an enemy of his, Ted Baldwin, in the area and
expected an attack. The next day he was attacked is his study, the assailant attempted to shoot him
but Douglas grabbed the gun first and in the struggle between the two men Baldwin received a shot
to his face. With Cecil's help Douglas dressed the man in his own clothes and disposed of Baldwin's
suit in the moat. He put his rings on the man's fingers except his wedding ring which he could not get
off.

The card was the mark that Baldwin had brought with him and intended to leave on Douglas' body,
V.V stood for Vermissa Valley. Douglas explains that the branding mark was that of a society to
which both he and Baldwin belonged. Since they both bore the mark on their arms this would make it
likely that the bodies could not be told apart since Baldwin's head was destroyed utterly by the shot.

Since the time of the murder Cecil and Mrs Douglas had covered for Douglas who was hiding in the
house.

The report Douglas gives to Watson explains how he came to be hunted so viciously. Douglas' real
name is Birdy Edwards and he was at one time a detective with the Chicago detective agency
Pinkerton's.

Edwards had infiltrated a dangerous gang in Vermissa Valley, which had become known as the
Valley of Fear, and brought them to justice.

Edwards' life had never been safe since some of the criminals who had escaped the death penalty
were released from jail. Edwards had moved around from place to place. His first wife Ettie, whom
he had met in the valley, passed away. He then met Cecil and the two made a fortune in business
together. Hounded once again Douglas disappeared and made for England where he met and
married his second wife.

Holmes urges Douglas to leave England and warns that a new threat, greater than all those of his
past, now hangs over him. Douglas takes this advice but is mysteriously lost overboard on the
vessel bearing him and his wife to Africa.

Holmes is convinced that Professor Moriarty was consulted by the men who hunted Douglas and
that it was this criminal mastermind whose direction ended Douglas' life. Holmes intends to bring
Moriarty down but warns Watson and MacDonald that it will take some time to achieve.

The four men rush in and surprise Cecil, the bundle he has fished from the moat turns out to be the
clothes of the missing American connected with the bicycle. It was weighted down with the missing
dumbbell.