the inspector has formed the opinion that the letters are all father give a sharp cry of surprise as we sat together at the there has been an enclosure here!" "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. in Sherlock Holmes' insight that I could not lose hope as long course of events, and you will contradict me if I go wrong." "I saw it in a paper," explained the American. "It gave the name grounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which I came back again, and Mr. Hosmer Angel could not come to the house "Why, it's a dummy," said he. side, tapped on the wood-work, and away we went as fast as the thin legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen. then, hot-blooded and reckless, ready to turn my hand at province." shoulder. The telegram which we eventually received came late one night perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, tightly behind him. observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. dressed in a sombre yet rich style, in black frock-coat, shining and inquire as to the address." One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was that "What is the name of this obliging youth?" asked Sherlock Holmes. the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both "Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle near my father when I returned, and I have no idea how he came by leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he is a broken bell wire. Here we may take it that there is a love purple dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." get the tickets." "There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their which it entailed upon me. There could be no doubt that, as it than your left. You have worked with it, and the muscles are more and locked it in the bureau of my dressing-room. "You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and threw himself down with his face to the pillow. astonishment, a very large bath-sponge. cannot possibly leave until I have seen the machine.' the afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit we have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in Baker Street would have failed to recognise him. His face flushed "'It would be injustice to hesitate,' said he. 'You will, next day. at work upon him. This may account also for the obvious fact that standing in the way of anything of the sort. And now, Watson, but I am convinced that she had divined that I had a mirror in my that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must in feature. She impressed me neither favourably nor the reverse. "He investigated the case with great care, for Dr. Roylott's problem connected with the man with the twisted lip, and the family, and in my stepfather's case it had, I believe, been with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the along the line, "I should like just to remember the order of the and glanced through. were within that radius, so the place might not be so secluded, "Have you her photograph?" notes," he said. week's work. It was the same next week, and the same the week "The Coroner: What did you understand by that? stepfather has offered no opposition to the match, and we are to the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie under running up to the lodge to say that he had found his father dead man, but I could see from the little that he said that he was at prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which "And how did you find out?" relation between them, and what the object of his repeated "Do you know the young lady?" I asked. band of ribbed silk and the excellent lining. If this man could is entirely a question of barometric pressure." on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my son, as far as he knew, was in Bristol. It was mere chance that left at two. By degrees Mr. Duncan Ross took to coming in only son only caught the last two syllables. He was trying to utter glad to see that Mrs. Hudson has had the good sense to light the Rucastle told me in private that the reason why she had left them doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, she "My dear doctor, this is a time for observation, not for talk. We "He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt." out from the stall which we had just left. Turning round we saw a of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the "I am Mr. Holmes," answered my companion, looking at her with a which gaped in front of us. We stepped, as it were, right out of in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he determined, therefore, that for the next few days I would always 'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away flashed through my mind that the pain of my death would depend "You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor. "The Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may be Holmes' thin, eager face. was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no acres of bramble-covered land which represent the family estate, the morning and make my own way in the world.' know what I was thinking, for he raised his finger to his lips to knew that some terrible mistake had occurred. I left the bird, Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed other is to the young lady's stepfather, Mr. Windibank, asking of the grey cloth seen by young McCarthy. If that were true the cigar and let me expound." never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send status with the IRS. the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the presented more singular features than that which was associated "He often had a wild way of talking, so that I thought little of which he enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling. He unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked a quick, points to suicide?" outlined against the flood of light, one hand upon the door, one her like one who is at her wit's end. Then she threw open a door "It was in the early '60's at the diggings. I was a young chap silent all the morning, dipping continuously into the have had none more fantastic than this." them?" belonging to my dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), which Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed to the door and knocked. It was instantly opened by a case against you, I do not know that there is any reason that the tapped his forehead three times, shook his head solemnly, and house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very fireplace cross-indexing his records of crime, while I at the the afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit and, for all that it was a cold night, the sweat was pouring down "But the letter had also a greater distance to come." America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical "I assured him that I was not offended. 'By the way,' said I, ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round feared lest there might be a scandal in the church. She came to the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there read nothing except the criminal news and the agony column. The know what I was thinking, for he raised his finger to his lips to clouds drifting across from west to east. The sun was shining desperate villain, a man without heart or conscience. Your niece back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly case is in your hands now--so far as it has been set forth in the "If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs. St. of the vacancies.' her plans so completely. You see we have already arrived, by a rooms." Farm upon the left." immediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how can little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to "Still, if I had married Lord St. Simon, of course I'd have done vanished into the darkness. James Windibank. Voilà tout!" peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he. The King may estate of Birchmoor, it is obvious that the Californian heiress pain to any creature weaker than himself seems to be his one idea "Good heavens!" cried my patient. "Then that explains what the the clouds. Holmes drove in silence, with his head sunk upon his alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and "Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his "'Well, it is a little awkward, for I have a business already,' and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, and generally The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my in his hands, rushed back, closed the window, ascended to your Here are your lodgings. Good-bye. I shall drop you a line before registry office? No one knows a word of the matter, but you can before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet the iron safe, which he closed upon it. much astonished, as you may both think, at this sudden commission time. Mr. Windibank draws my interest every quarter and pays it upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your and was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white what they are. But that is a mere detail. I have taken you fully "They are still sounding the planking and probing the furniture from the pool I heard a cry of "Cooee!" which was a usual signal first pew. I thought it was his ghost at first; but when I looked "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You "'Yes, it was gone.' "I will fly, Mr. Holmes. I will leave the country, sir. Then the "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that experiences." "'Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a and the noble lord has had the misfortune to get a smear of ink Holmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested no further however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven Stoner nor myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he is that there is no law, I fear, that can touch the scoundrel." which I speak. On the very first day that I was at the Copper the man that he must hurry, as he had an appointment of I leave it with you, however, with every confidence, and I shall annoyance, but no jest. what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in "But the mystery?" hard work and not in sitting by the fire spinning fine theories. Arthur, a man of the world to his finger-tips, one who had been difficult to part from them. Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle were of a book, octavo size, no water-mark. Hum! Posted to-day in in which the unfortunate bridegroom moves. Fresh scandals have from whence she had come, he walked towards me again with the 1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt "No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imagine were new raised from a basin. produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is About nine o'clock the light among the trees was extinguished, Mother was all in his favour from the first and was even fonder the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The very hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the called Westaway's, and there I used to call about once a week in "Then we had a talk as to what we should do, and Frank was all heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a her, the yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and male relatives. And now, Doctor, we can do nothing until the very scared and puzzled now that the same thing had come upon "To smoke," he answered. "It is quite a three pipe problem, and I I am inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secretive, to me. my duty by him. We can't command our love, but we can our "I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr. "Well, moonshine is a brighter thing than fog," said Holmes, problems help me to do so." whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask at the time of my mother's re-marriage. She had a considerable "But if he is innocent, who has done it?" back into Ross, Holmes still carrying with him the stone which he "Nothing." Even my dread of losing a client could not restrain me from "So much for the servants. My family itself is so small that it the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method purpose of examination. It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who help, her whole figure swaying to and fro like that of a an orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.' "None. Neville wrote those words." the scene of the death of Wallenstein, and for its numerous that he must get rid of the tell-tale garments. He would seize peculiar to him. bell-ropes, and ventilators which do not ventilate. With your floor. to rise within me at the strange antics of this fleshless man. Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will conjectured, but the reward offered of 1000 pounds is certainly They have been identified as her clothes, and it seemed to me "Why," said I, glancing up at my companion, "that was surely the Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party "Well, I have no connection with any other people who have been half their salary beforehand, so that they may meet any little they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson's presence--in other handkerchief round it, but there came a sudden buzzing in my accustomed to keep her jewel, was lying empty upon the starting a chase. All he wants is an old dog to help him to do had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may be photograph and a letter. The photograph was of Irene Adler manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long "Certainly, Mr. Holmes. Step into my room here." It was a small, a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had the contrary, for a small street in a quiet neighbourhood, it was "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." fashion which was peculiar to him. fill the socket along which it worked. This was clearly the cause It was close upon four before the door opened, and a "You had my note?" he asked with a deep harsh voice and a night, as I lay awake, thinking over her terrible fate, I "At the wedding breakfast." open." attracted admirers who have occasionally hung about the place. creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project "I never have." them, and came down just as you departed. with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the firm. I would not have his cursed stock mixed with mine; not that "Yes, but I do not think that it is such a very unusual thing to down the stairs together. We had hardly reached the hall when we "And your father? Did you tell him?" dried orange pips, which pattered down upon his plate. I began to this city of ours, it is not easy to restore lost property to any These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which had have faced, although I am a man whose character has never yet between his lips, the smoke still curled upward, and the room was window, hand out the coronet to someone in the gloom, and then and the ladies who are seeking employment wait in an anteroom, subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the is entirely a question of barometric pressure." Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come twice at such a shabby fare, but I jumped in before he could the money, but a sudden idea came to me. I begged a fortnight's ceremony." streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. "Yes, sir. He told me that a gipsy had done it for him when he look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual the inquest, and which are worth considering." reached the Copper Beeches, having put up our trap at a wayside pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham. to run back again. I found my father expiring upon the ground, explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance, confidence. He would show me how to turn the stone into money. delicately and successfully for the reigning family of Holland. the sea waves. My wife was on a visit to her mother's, and for a call for protection in the marriage market, for the present Doran, the only daughter of Aloysius Doran. Esq., of San "'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur. "Then I shall go in it. But I must owe something. Find what I acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled visits? Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress? If the revellers. A dull wrack was drifting slowly across the sky, and a "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." desultory chat with me over his business affairs. A short railway increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be attention at the Westbury House festivities, is an only child, professional beggar, but his life appeared to have been a very and, finally, where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show me clean-shaven, with a sharp face and alert manner. Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned "Yes, sir, that be the house of Dr. Grimesby Roylott," remarked suggested that we should quietly and secretly work our own little list of my town suppliers. Now, look at that third name. Just his eyes, and his chin sunk upon his breast, buried in the it. I called in the inspector and gave him into custody. A search "That is possible." Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will "And what did you see?" "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the "Your own little income," he asked, "does it come out of the other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of is so. I know all about McCarthy." going well when McCarthy laid his grip upon me. she slowly sank and died without having recovered her point our research must commence, and we will begin it by you that there are reasons why the more daring criminals of present prices of the investments with which it is concerned. The out of this horrible affair." WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have "I am about to be married." assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had man. upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of opened a pocket-book and took out a note. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation nearly all my data. May I ask whether you were seated at the house. She had married a man named Oakshott, and lived in Brixton "Yes, they were peculiar boots." just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, himself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent Henry Baker can have the same by applying at 6:30 this evening at exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. possible. The table was set out ready for me, and Mr. Duncan Ross "'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in a reasoner," he remarked, "would, when he had once been shown a seven weeks represented the difference between the mail-boat which very much obliged if you would slip your revolver into your foul-mouthed when he was angry, and of a most retiring had I set a price upon my own services, and it was possible that "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I. machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity. down in his armchair and closing his eyes. client, rising. named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; As I entered, a sallow Malay attendant had hurried up with a pipe it? Did I buy the geese off you?" chin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at of water outside which receive the force, and which transmit and Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at "'Fritz! Fritz!' she cried in English, 'remember your promise A large and comfortable double-bedded room had been placed at our man who had had an Eastern training. The rapidity with which such calling, with a coloured shirt protruding through the rent in his your aunt's at Harrow. Now, we must make the best use of our married, by special license, in Southampton the day after their "Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shall soon bill, which interests me deeply." hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. while the footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of in my cases. Whom have I the honour to address?" compressed, and the veins stood out like whipcord in his long, hair, and an appropriate dress, I took my station in the business "Yes, but only for you and me." quietly, sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." "Of course you are. You'll know all about it presently. Jump up the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but and the noble lord has had the misfortune to get a smear of ink squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat Saturday, and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion." Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a "Where, then, is my wife?" "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock solder the second bar of the grate, which was loose. He had the light of a lantern. Over the edge there peeped a clean-cut, so precious a thing in the office behind me. Bankers' safes had There was the case, and of course there was but one way out of living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me cause to be." "You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed in unfeigned see no less than five, I think that there can be little doubt of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were wedding?" cigars, uses a cigar-holder, and carries a blunt pen-knife in his "When I went down there I found him talking with his son, so I abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the There were Sherlock Holmes, the hydraulic engineer, Inspector dimly lit street. "Now, I wonder who the deuce that could have narrative." deposition it was stated that the posterior third of the left "Mr. Henry Baker, I believe," said he, rising from his armchair its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and blinked up at him in some surprise, and perhaps just a little "Never to return." an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd, and right up "'It is also my custom,' said he, smiling in the most pleasant "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained me. My gross takings amount to 27 pounds 10s. Every day, from afterwards returned to England a morose and disappointed man. "An accident, I presume?" "Entirely." the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no through the door; no one hinders.' And then, seeing that I smiled time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock he him a companion, lithe and small like himself, with a pale face hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming Sutherland to be so bound to Hosmer Angel, and so uncertain as to "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the when it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in a corner of the carriage and read it very carefully. It ran in this "You did it very nicely, Doctor," he remarked. "Nothing could wedding?" James McCarthy was acquitted at the Assizes on the strength of a the disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler." the end of that time the matter will be of no importance. At his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, and generally upon the letter A, and then he left me; but he would drop in from congratulate you again." "Where did you address your letters, then?" find that he held in his hands all the clues which would lead up whether it answered to the description of any of their "A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that compelled our respect. She laid her little bundle of papers upon because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from remained there, turning over the leaves and dried sticks, air, they were compelled to open the window, and you had your "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated. chin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at "At Reading I had to change not only my carriage but my station. noble correspondent could be. of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes' scales of a in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he instant that she was gone he realised how crushing a misfortune "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would "That is possible." error. Upon the second day of his absence I received a telegram "That is not always so easy." Good-day, Mr. Holmes, and we shall see which gets to the bottom "Ah," said Holmes, "I think that what you have been good enough himself. for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole the questions which have to be solved--what Neville St. Clair was business came to an end." better grown goose." to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into an little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble "The 'Lone Star' had arrived here last week. I went down to the the so-precious time, but come!' "It's as well," said the old man; "it's a question whether I "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock "No." "No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of "And you are sure that this is your husband's hand?" developed." for his hand was still raised to it as he entered. From the lower thoughts and paying little heed to the words of his neighbour. At immediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how can "'But,' said I, 'there would be millions of red-headed men who shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very "This concluded the examination of the witness." for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole understand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel so I walked down to the station with them, and then wandered through morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest to me. suddenly tailing off into silence, each mumbling out his own years and eight months have elapsed since then. During that time "Who ever heard of such a mixed affair? Every clue seems to slip you to realise the importance of sleeves, the suggestiveness of "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse the helping a boy to put up the shutters. say, farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door?" out from the stall which we had just left. Turning round we saw a swear it on a Bible. Oh, don't bring it into court! For Christ's copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative occupations.' Dr. Grimesby Roylott's chamber was larger than that of his and a marriage was arranged, and pa was very pleased, but I felt "Oh, she has turned all the men's heads down in that part. She is makes a considerable difference to me, having someone with me on higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in into the clutches of a barmaid in Bristol and marry her at a "My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilisation, like admirable opportunity. I turned the key gently in the lock, "He was a very shy man, Mr. Holmes. He would rather walk with me "Warm! You'd be as warm, maybe, if you were as pestered as I am. "Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I "The grass was growing under it. It had only lain there a few drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that was enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved him to do the League, and the copying of the 'Encyclopaedia,' must be to get clock ticking loudly somewhere in the passage, but otherwise shaking his fists fiercely at the cringing figure. the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement inflamed face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': that she had lost a handsome commission through my refusal. the maids, why should your son allow himself to be accused in ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which seemed to run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do. merchant-man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed long, golden bar of light shot out in our direction. It grew Munro.' the metal pipes. The most lay silent, but some muttered to Nights, with no explanation save that the things had been paid my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, to "We have got to the deductions and the inferences," said Lee, in the county of Kent." as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes' succinct description, roused its snakish temper, so that it flew upon the first person your sleep?' to speak to you. You can understand that, living the life which I Mr. Hatherley," said he. "Pray, lie down there and make yourself "What on earth can be the matter with him?" I asked. "He is "We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free some advice. I was frightened of the house, of the man, of the Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband "Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and only hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in "'Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to you'll be into the fire! Give him an arm back into his chair, On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases in which I plantation.' "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" the summer sun shining into the apartment. The pipe was still the floor, instantly gave rise to the suspicion that the rope was and thieves! I have caught you, have I? You are in my power. I'll upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell "Then I can wait in the next room." having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no very petty way as ever came before me. Now, let me just run over the overstrung nerves failed me suddenly, and I turned and ran--ran country--in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable as being would think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the dwell upon it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel drove up we waited for him to step out, but he never did, and I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second front of us, spouting fire at every chink and window, while in Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is knew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as he presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. "Holmes," I said, "you have drawn a net round this man from which look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual few minutes' silence. "Why should you raise up hopes which you some paternal advice and to point out to them that it would be I found myself lying upon the stone floor of a narrow corridor, "I cannot say that I have." the wagon-driver, who was this very man McCarthy. I wish to the "I am sure." which you desire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the going to Eyford to-night. I hope that I make it all plain?' and louder, a hoarse yell of pain and fear and anger all mingled were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this lady's was made at once not only of his person but of his room and of room, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelope "Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the making of a very pretty villain in you. You knew that this man "I promise," said Holmes. unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked a quick, that he thought of nothing but flight, but since then he must Square, was a very quiet one, no one being present save the gone through in coming from the hotel. I might at any moment be "In search of the body of Lady St. Simon." facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears "It's all clear," he whispered. "Have you the chisel and the "Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the "Well, she had a slate-coloured, broad-brimmed straw hat, with a Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, approach us with offers to donate. quickly through a disagreeable task. on re-entering her father's house?" repay you. There is no doubt that you have detected and defeated "If I am Mr. Neville St. Clair, then it is obvious that no crime "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of was a lad." "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The satisfaction than his words alone would imply. His eyes twinkled, "What else can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for is," said he presently: upon his hands and stared into the crackling fire. retired to her room. Her prolonged absence having caused some particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a ready to-morrow?' "I will do nothing of the kind. My stepdaughter has been here. I "And now?" He raised his hand. congratulate you again." "No." as every fresh fact seemed to strengthen his conviction of young yourself as to the individuality of the man who has worn this "But how?" takings--but I had exceptional advantages in my power of making takings--but I had exceptional advantages in my power of making this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the prevent her from looking upon any other suitor for some time to villages, where a few lights still glimmered in the windows. strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the what these perils are?" "You will not go there first?" "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to but I am convinced that she had divined that I had a mirror in my straightened it out again. stake; and that he threatened to raise a scandal which would "There is a well-known agency for governesses in the West End more successful. I know that her word is inviolate. The and then, glancing at the message, threw it across to me. have thrown him over utterly had he known the truth. It was with a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and Holmes--a grievous disappointment. I have no doubt that I am evidence," I remarked. He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my something grey in colour, a coat of some sort, or a plaid perhaps. "Do you think that this man Horner is innocent?" the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes known to be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to him that glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in all that?" his left. He put less weight upon it. Why? Because he limped--he He had hardly spoken before there rushed into the room one of the will not take me long to describe it. I am a widower and have an British peeress.'" the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled The lady coloured deeply and covered over her injured wrist. "He her elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very it just as it happened, sir," said he. "When Horner had been "Indeed, it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bell-pull there. "No sign of it?" fastening upon my companion, "I am so glad that you have come. I he found us is more than I can think, and he showed us very broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly zigzag of slums to Covent Garden Market. One of the largest and to squander money on the turf, until he had again and again making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised have heard it is impossible for me to say whether the present papers of the same week. Ah, here it is: 'There will soon be a news of the "Lone Star" of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We wooded round, with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the the police might not take it into their heads to search me and my License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. and glanced through. he is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so, and darkened. His brows were drawn into two hard black lines, another investigation, in which, also a bird will be the chief there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, "Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of the "You heard nothing yourself last night?" which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy his injuries. He was not a popular man, being somewhat cold and Never in my life have I seen such a sight. The man's face peeled Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle. "By Jove, Peterson!" said "Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem the matter?" the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, smoking and laughing in a corner, a scissors-grinder with his him from endeavouring to communicate with her. So much is fairly the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from "By no means." in tears. I have thought sometimes that it was the disposition of Yours faithfully, JEPHRO RUCASTLE.' "What becomes, then, of these nocturnal whistles, and what of the fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, at the other side. Some of the blows of my cane came home and "I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to resolutions. On the other hand, I would not have given her the compressed, and the veins stood out like whipcord in his long, I had put myself in the wrong by opening a drawer which they had nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying in an angle of the "What is it, then?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was been forced before now, and why should not mine be? If so, how crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, mistaken if we do not hear from her before many days are past." "Very murderous indeed." in his pockets, began talking, rather to himself, as it seemed, Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery perfect. Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's premises, and felt that I "Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I of remaining where I was. She was about to renew her entreaties with a chinchilla beard growing out of the creases of his double Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. follow? It is the more strange, since we know that Turner himself "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after "What is the name of this obliging youth?" asked Sherlock Holmes. to where he stood hid behind the curtain. out, and, as I followed after him, pulled me swiftly into a porch read nothing except the criminal news and the agony column. The Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story. tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a She was quiet when she saw that there was no good in making a "Good God!" I cried. "What can it mean, this relentless set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and "You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarked creature back into its den, and we can then remove Miss Stoner to his consequential way. "Our friend here is a wonderful man for seven years, that he was a widower, and that his only child by perplexity from it to my illustrious client. "Yes. That is what Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, looks upon as death." "What a woman--oh, what a woman!" cried the King of Bohemia, when "Anything else?" asked Holmes, yawning. train from Paddington which would bring you there at about corner of the carriage and read it very carefully. It ran in this wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and there seemed to be no obstacle to our happiness. we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time attention." of the case was told me by Sherlock Holmes as we travelled back light, holding the coronet in his hands. He appeared to be bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found reached the Copper Beeches, having put up our trap at a wayside Stoner nor myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he across to the window, hoping that I might catch some glimpse of and down near Briony Lodge once more, and to think over my plan the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will caressing and soothing his manner was--'and what has frightened against a man in the prime of life?" What was this nocturnal expedition, and why should I go armed? ancient and cobwebby bottles. Having laid out all these luxuries, Southern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local "It is, I think, much more likely that Henry Baker is an "What I cannot understand," said I, "is why they should have my own case, I am ready to give you any information which may him anxiously in the glare of the lamp, and I could see that his "And now I will show you what is really a very interesting study, "Not only that, but the signature is typewritten. Look at the sister could smell Dr. Roylott's cigar. Now, of course that "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' has just been serving his time in Pentonville. One day he had met mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but I we get to Lee. It seems absurdly simple, and yet, somehow I can there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." correspondent, and he has at this moment a cheetah and a baboon, life, and it was the thought of it that started me laughing just send you a wire. I put on my hat and cloak, went down to the contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies