Two years previously, Julia was invited by their aunt to spend Christmas with her in London. While there, she met a man to whom she subsequently became engaged. Their stepfather seemed to have no objection to this rather sudden engagement, but then two weeks before the wedding, tragedy strikes.
Holmes is extremely interested in the whistling and the clanking, and asks Helen if her sister was dressed. Helen says no, Julia was in her nightclothes and was clutching a burnt match and a match box in her hand, as though she heard something in the dark, and lit a match to try to see what it was. Helen tells Holmes and Watson that there was an inquest into Julia's death. The coroner looked very closely at the circumstances of the case, since Dr Roylott was known to be a violent and dangerous man and it's suspected that he might have had something to do with his stepdaughter's death. No evidence of any wrongdoing is found, however. Julia was alone in her room, the door and window both locked from the inside, and by Helen's own testimony it's know that Dr Roylott was in his room. There are no bruises on Julia's body, and no evidence of poison. Helen personally believes that Julia died of fright, but doesn't know of what. She also thinks that the "speckled band" might refer to the band of gypsies which wanders freely about the property- they frequently wear spotted handkerchiefs.
After Helen leaves, Holmes and Watson discuss the case. Both are inclined to think that Roylott is up to something sinister. Holmes hypothesizes that the whistle may have been a signal to some of his gypsy companions, and that the metallic clang might have been the metal lock which Helen described as being on her sister's window. As they chat, a large hulking brute of a man bursts in through the door in a rage. It's Dr Gimesby Roylott himself, who has followed his stepdaughter into London. Unperturbed by the man's sudden appearance, Holmes coolly offers him a seat, which he rudely declines. As the doctor belligerently demands to know why Helen was there, Holmes ignores his questions and amiably talks of the weather, enraging the man even more. Roylott shouts that he knows who Holmes is: a meddling busybody and "Scotland Yard Jack-in-office". Holmes bursts into laughter and then tells Roylott to close the door on his way out. Roylott goes, but first warns Holmes to stay out of his affairs, saying that he is a dangerous man to cross. To emphasize this point, he grabs the steel poker from the fireplace and bends it into a curve, snarling at Holmes that he'd better stay out of his grip. After he leaves, Holmes picks up the deformed poker and calmly bends it back into shape, demonstrating that his own strength is not inconsiderable. Though not intimidated by the doctor, Holmes is inclined to be insulted that Roylott had the impudence to equate his skills with those of the police. He is also concerned that Miss Stoner may suffer at the hands of her stepfather for consulting him if they don't manage to clear up this mystery before he returns to Stoke Moran from his business.