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Jabez Wilson, a London pawnbroker, comes to check with Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. While studying his client, both Holmes and Watson notice his red hair, which has a distinct flame-like hue. Wilson tells them that some weeks before his young assistant, Vincent Spaulding, urged him to react to a newspaper want-ad offering work to only red-headed male applicants. The next morning, Wilson had waited in a long line of fellow red-headed men, was interviewed and was the only applicant hired, because none of the other applicants qualified; their red hair was either too dark or too bright, and didn't match Wilson's unique flame color. Wilson tells Holmes that his business has been struggling. Since his pawn shop did most of its business in the evenings, he was able to vacate his look for short periods in the afternoon, acquiring £4 weekly for a number of weeks (add up to £380/week today);[1] the task was obviously useless clerical work in a bare office, only performed for nominal compliance with a will, whereupon he was made to copy the Encyclopædia Britannica. Wilson learned much about the subjects starting with the "A" version and looked forward to getting into the "B" section. One morning, an indicator on the locked office door inexplicably announced that "THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE IS DISSOLVED." Wilson went to the landlord, who said that he had never heard about Duncan Ross, the individual who managed the league office. The landlord did remember the tenant with scarlet hair and provides him a card which directs Wilson to a artificial knee company. Wilson ends the storyplot with how frustrated he's losing the £4 weekly. Holmes and Watson laugh at Wilson due to ridiculous situation, but Holmes assures him that by Monday they will solve the situation. Wilson leaves after having given the detective a description of Spaulding; Holmes decides to go and discover Spaulding, whom Holmes notices has dirty trouser knees. Holmes then taps on the pavement in front of the pawnbroker's shop. With all the case solved, he calls Police Inspector Jones and Mr. Merryweather, a director of the lender located next door. The four hide themselves in the lender vault and confront the thieves when they arrive. They are John Clay, who may have a long history of criminal activity already, and his helper Archie. Under the alias of Spaulding and Ross, that they had contrived the 'Red-Headed League' rigmarole to keep Wilson out of his shop while they dug in the basement, in order to break right into the lender vault next door. Although paying Jabez Wilson four pounds weekly was expensive, it was a pittance compared to the ill-gotten thousands they were looking to steal from the lender. Back at Baker Street, Holmes explains to Watson how he solved the situation.
