Set in 1890, a pawnbroker named Jabez Wilson comes to Holmes and Watson. He tells them that his young assistant Vincent Spaulding (a photographer, who does all his work in the basement) advised him to become a member of the Red-headed league. Wilson is made a member, and is well-paid for busywork, but a few days later he sees a sign that reads: THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE IS DISSOLVED. He then went to the landlord, who said that he'd never heard of Duncan Ross, the person who formed the league.
