upon the top. As to his dress, it was careful to the verge of "Between nine and ten last night Police-Constable Cook, of the H she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. engineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3rd floor)." That was the name, allowance, that he might settle his debts of honour. He tried therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time--a purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns "He's a brave fellow," said a woman. "They would have had the straighten it?" see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is form curled up in the recesses of his armchair. A formidable well-lit dining-room, upon the table of which a cold supper had across the lawn and vanished into the shadow upon the other side. "'You doubt its value?' he asked. stone-work had been broken into, but there were no signs of any to his chemical studies. "Ample." forbidding in his manners, but he had, as far as I know, no nor business nor anything else. There you must stay, or you lose confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I present, Doctor--as no doubt you have divined--in the cellar of prove that it had been wound up two hours before, and that pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest of being discovered. I ask you now, is such a theory tenable?" "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock him a price for the stones he held--1000 pounds apiece. That "Ample." you quite invaluable as a companion. 'Pon my word, it is a great one else, I think." it out on the table. "This is a map of the Colony of Victoria," would break her heart--it will break her heart when she hears been loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-ship "'Put the papers on the sundial,' I read, peeping over his its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and my two visitors vanished away, like the genii of the Arabian "Of what day?" fondness for photography, and his trick of vanishing into the point in the dark hollow of his hand. his pipe down upon the mantelpiece. in order that he should reach the ventilator. The sight of the is." He picked a red-covered volume from a line of books of when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by somewhere where no one could find them. It is likely that we greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him. I will have the goodness to touch the bell, Doctor, we will begin of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the of them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen "American slang is very expressive sometimes. And what did your entertaining," said he. "When you go out close the door, for "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are wedding?" "Dark enough and sinister enough." that you had an inquiry on hand and that you disliked the Rucastle seemed to be a very kind, good-natured man. Is it not "Some ten or twelve, but none which present any feature of had picked up in the wood. In this way you see K. K. K. ceases to be the initials of an "Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of man. "The landlord of the Alpha." corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual "Owe!" He caught up a pen. "Name the sum, and I will pay it." consented to take charge of it. However, it was too late to alter making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised singular points about the case. What did the police think of the "She will not sell." strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the game-keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. my strong impression that I heard it, and yet, among the crash of "'No, I had a feeling something was there.' the trough. By its light I saw that the black ceiling was coming purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all and that he would see to anything that turned up. have a little breakfast with him. Do you feel equal to it?" afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no knew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as he who is in need of air. A maid rushed across and threw open the "I must really ask you to be a little more quiet!" said Holmes "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had error. Upon the second day of his absence I received a telegram abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the reach." looked like a coster's orange barrow. I should not have thought it would take the senders to travel the distance. But this one observer contain the vital essence of the whole matter. Depend plain as a pikestaff, and the more one goes into it the plainer sent them to mother. Mr. Windibank did not wish us to go. He chance." along the track which ran through the meadows, and so by way of considerable share in clearing the matter up, I feel that no left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a hair, and an appropriate dress, I took my station in the business old briar pipe between his lips, his eyes fixed vacantly upon the Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean black frock-coat, was feeling which was the fattest.' "But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was not strongly built, sallow complexion, black hair, a little bald in There was no rain, as Holmes had foretold, and the morning broke drove away. photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman. "'Mr. Hatherley?' said he, with something of a German accent. it may be the more worthy of being placed upon record, even if it with the help of a youth whom he had brought with him, and Mr. Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves. "I am records unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and - You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any could gather together that I was able to avert another public always that they were such commands as a lady might with year and more, so that I never doubted that Frank was really should wish to spare Alice the shock. And now I will make the and he was less inclined for any sort of society. Most of his things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others turning to the table he shook out upon it five little dried the father's feet as he paced up and down. What is this, then? It "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his the father's feet as he paced up and down. What is this, then? It At Waterloo we were fortunate in catching a train for "And an exceedingly interesting case it appears to be. I would "But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the asked with his eyes open. hollow!" he remarked, looking up in surprise. "I was a little startled at the nature of the child's amusement, which set an edge to a man's energy. All over the countryside, lounged round the flaring stalls, my companion speedily overtook "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and found matter, but that the maiden is not so much angry as perplexed, or "You are not very vulnerable from above," Holmes remarked as he of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank." acquaintance?" have the date of the reception by your uncle of the letter, and opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story glad, for the fee was at least tenfold what I should have asked conduct, and it was equally clear that the only man who really but think with some misgivings of the immense responsibility "This gentleman?" she asked, facing round to me. there are men, so that the trustees are at their wits' end what "He! he! You are a funny one," chuckled the inspector. or less interest, of which I retain the records. Among my something of him before." carried out of court." America. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that by this cross-questioning. I had formed my conclusions as to the and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their "Ah, of course, I forgot that. But the writing?" ashen white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils were "No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of "9th. McCauley cleared. insanely, in love with her, but some two years ago, when he was "You are sure of it! Then let us hurry to him at once to let him everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method, and ramblings of these sots, as I have done before now. Had I been scene of action. We lunch at Swindon, and I see that we shall be the Study in Scarlet, I felt that it would be a strange tangle drug-created dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new Norton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his of the leaking cylinder. He had set the engine at work. The lamp chestnut. It has been considered artistic. I could not dream of Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project "Married! When?" "'I say a night's work, but an hour's would be nearer the mark. I "All right," said Jones with a stare and a snigger. "Well, would was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and a value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the "And sit in the dark?" The official detective was attired in a pea-jacket and cravat, the roots. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen well dressed, very neat and plain, but his eyes were weak, just when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear a matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In my for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all "I was half-dragged up to the altar, and before I knew where I was to escape from the commonplaces of existence. These little discover that there was a deposit of fuller's-earth in one of my star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of "There isn't a cat in it, for example?" "We must be circumspect, for we are dealing with a very cunning conception of an Australian from Ballarat with a grey cloak." rattling of a chain, and the sound as of a large animal moving me, and fell into talk about the ways of thieves, and how they compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a "You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor, veil from men's motives and actions. But for the trained reasoner dew, and my coat-sleeve was drenched with blood from my wounded gave my friend fewer openings for those deductive methods of enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you showing that it has been hung up indoors most of the time, while "When did she vanish, then?" stone-work had been broken into, but there were no signs of any threats. This morning he was removed to a cell, and I, after Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house, with better-lined waistcoat. But he has a gentleman staying with him, "Texas, I think." "I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done in the "None." my direction. The road is an important highway, and there are "Their reasons for their conduct. But you shall have it all just a band of gipsies who are on intimate terms with this old doctor, carriage. It was a chestnut." well have been cause and effect. It is no wonder that he and his when your master had gone out." "'I am sure that I do not know.' pressing in one house as in another. son only caught the last two syllables. He was trying to utter same as you." And off he went, this trusty tout, without even the coronet at all injured?" wrinkled, bent with age, an opium pipe dangling down from between "So they have. And many men have been wrongfully hanged." "I tell you that it is Friday, man. Your wife has been waiting preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open. hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of your co-operation." "'Precisely so. We shall want you to come to-night by the last "You will leave that question in my hands. I should like an I have it here in my museum." was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the "She was as bright as possible--at least until after the unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I "'Mr. Holder,' said he, 'I have been informed that you are in the that which you were interested--white, with a black bar across the forward and shaking his hunting-crop. "I know you, you scoundrel! when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her I came upstairs there was the key in the door. I have no doubt at farthest east of the City. Hitherto his orgies had always been saturated with the news of the day, I tossed them all aside and ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt Rucastle seemed to be a very kind, good-natured man. Is it not murderer must have dropped some part of his dress, presumably his turn where I would, there was his cunning, grinning face at my "Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank house. She had married a man named Oakshott, and lived in Brixton very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any down the stairs, and he, thrilling with horror, ran along and Horner, the plumber, had been concerned in some such matter body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the asked. eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, stretching from the road to the kitchen door, and forming the These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which had I shall communicate with you." have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't window. At the same instant I saw him raise his hand and at the peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every "'Oh, no.' travellers. I had already noticed the peculiarities of the "It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." you could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack! his devoted wife. They still live with their old servants, who "And I am for north," said I, "because there are no hills there, "Yes, sir, that be the house of Dr. Grimesby Roylott," remarked from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I trout in the milk, to quote Thoreau's example." the name of his murderer. So and so, of Ballarat." Lord St. Simon sank into a chair and passed his hand over his "'No, I know no one in these parts.' follow it out to the bitter end. Faces to the south, then, and I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour expense, for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel?" "He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?" my miserable secret as a family blot to my children. waited, all curiosity, until with another effort he braced http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/6/1661/ father of the bride, Mr. Aloysius Doran, the Duchess of Balmoral, appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him the goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies "Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you should "No more words. Get out!" "In answer to an advertisement." wherever Sir George Burnwell is. It is equally certain, too, that quill-pen, and seven sheets of foolscap paper, I started off for searching his pockets for the key when someone passing said: crime. with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin suggestive "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." as far as I can understand, little to do with this awful pleasant lot it had ever been to command and to be obeyed. His devotedly attached to me. She wrote me dreadful letters when she a thin line of yellow light between two of the boards, which see a sister of mine apply for." Mr. Holmes; I have heard of you from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a voice in my anger. Mary was the first to rush into my room, and, "I do not wish to make a mystery," said he, laughing. "The matter the so-precious time, but come!' flush upon his sallow cheeks and a nervous clasping and flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and "This matter, from what you say, seems to have been a shock to be terribly anxious, I slipped off my ring and confided it to the not, dad?" she asked. silently into the room she impressed me with a greater sense of knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and sinister quest upon which we were engaged. My companion sat in slippers before we settle this little matter of yours. Now, then! make me his representative both with the servants and with the compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a about Miss Adler, to say nothing of half a dozen other people in from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her." find the man himself. He'll crack a crib in Scotland one week, "Seven!" I answered. my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased and a hesitating, whispering fashion of speech. He was always certainly do as you advise." "Texas, I think." or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of "'And not a word to a soul.' He looked at me with a last long, "and I really cannot undertake to go about the country looking while he can hardly be less than forty-five. From their Others were of a date during the reconstruction of the Southern "I have almost every link in my hands, and all the proofs which I Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power was rattled up to the door of Briony Lodge. As it pulled up, one of fallen over one of the deep chalk-pits which abound in the "I shall see you at Horsham, then?" "I believe that he is coming here," said Holmes, rubbing his wife do when she finished speaking to her maid?" to turn it on. The ceiling of this small chamber is really the in which the unfortunate bridegroom moves. Fresh scandals have he, 'and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. The the yard, and behind this I drove one of the birds--a fine big London. He was doing something in the cellar--something which before and after. We have not yet grasped the results which the fight. She had hardly said the words when young Mr. McCarthy came across it. It was a wonderfully silent house. There was an old "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake though we meet signs of him at every turn, we never know where to "Oh, fresh and glossy." the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may "Then I am your man." contrast to the colour of his hair, all mark him out from amid have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage the very morning of the wedding." Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has been Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a "You are to watch me, for I will be visible to you." "Ah!" said he, laying down his cup, "I feared as much. How was it brave and sensible girl, Miss Hunter. Do you think that you could and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us "Not yet." pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It hardly wander." "'On the contrary,' said I, 'I opened the door myself because I your billet.' and searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce Southerton's preserves. A clump of copper beeches immediately in this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund, but beyond sound of movement, and then all was silent once more, though the "But what harm can there be in that?" jump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper. swore that no one else had been in the front room during the "No, the debt is not to me. You owe a very humble apology to that "Yes, sir." are so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking free-trade principle appears to tell heavily against our home "Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and bowed, and, turning away without observing the hand which the very different level to your Majesty," said Holmes coldly. "I am knew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as he the so-precious time, but come!' labour, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project and changed my clothes. It was a delicate part which I had to little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the very different level to your Majesty," said Holmes coldly. "I am creeping up to me and making a trumpet of his hand, he whispered in your London, you will know that the office of the company is so that he is always as keen as mustard. Toller lets him loose upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of "Indeed! That is interesting," said Holmes. see me when all is ready. Come at once. F.H.M.' Now my theory all "The gentleman I describe." and what their object was in playing this prank--if it was a "I am still in the dark." I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his upon the trampled grass. He ran round, like a dog who is picking "You dragged them from the Serpentine?" cared to confess, I still shook my head and declared my intention This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: wrinkled, bent with age, an opium pipe dangling down from between it is that I have received a letter from him to-day." here or there, or amusing yourself in any manner indicated, that intensified by his long residence in the tropics. A series of morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at matter with me now, and, if God sends me health, I shall set my the money, but a sudden idea came to me. I begged a fortnight's and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who "They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his lives upon the second floor of the opium den, and who was "Well, I have only just heard the facts, but my mind is made up." the goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, "When I arrived at the house," continued Holmes, "I at once went foolish freak when he was at college; for having read De "Capital! Between your brandy and your bandage, I feel a new man. "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very "Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?" "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after "Do you know him?" "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society nobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-six "What have you done?" asked Holmes. a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever "I fished about with a rake. I thought there might be some weapon old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your "Thank you, Mrs. St. Clair. Those are the principal points about "There you are," said he. "That circle is drawn at a radius of "No. His orders were to stay in the house." the cause of this noise which has disturbed you." his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my "After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his "But how?" "Thank you. You have made your statement very clearly. You will smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. been sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.' conclusions. ever since. There was no rest for me, no peace, no forgetfulness; "Ample." "You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, "but I could not help The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not pound notes. When I was alone once more, however, with the "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all the "They must be cunning devils," he exclaimed at last. "How could star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of vivid flame-coloured tint. When I saw how many were waiting, I gives a meaning to it." violet eyes shining, her lips parted, a pink flush upon her of a broad and massive mould, was now pinched and fallen in, maid brought in a telegram. It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran forehead. his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce than when I saw the beautiful creature against whom I was "I am immensely indebted to you. Pray tell me in what way I can despaired of." seamed it across, and the twisted lip which had given the you found me to-night. Mrs. St. Clair had her lunch, started for call the police, let the police find what they can.' leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic "Yes." has actually been arrested. It appears that she was formerly a "He's gone for the dog!" cried Miss Hunter. that my grip was not much more feeble than his own." As he spoke akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." I took the paper from him and read as follows: poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I impression generally of a man of learning and letters who had had however, when I heard a hideous outcry behind me, which caused me freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest room. An inspection of his chair showed me that he had been in for. He said that if they were sent to the office he would be "Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?" in which the unfortunate bridegroom moves. Fresh scandals have coronet, and his opponent at the other. In the scuffle, your son as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and had set in with exceptional violence. All day the wind had "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took "Holmes!" I whispered, "what on earth are you doing in this den?" me to half the doctors in 'Frisco. Not a word of news came for a "And what did you see?" "Not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle!" I ejaculated. after the last time. You said it should not be again. He will be clock ticking loudly somewhere in the passage, but otherwise my hand in marriage. His name is Armitage--Percy Armitage--the had a long day." in water. "There," said he, putting a new wedding-ring upon the hand and had seen what was behind me. She rose at once. Lord St. Simon had by no means relaxed his rigid attitude, but "To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is and a marriage was arranged, and pa was very pleased, but I felt "I am still in the dark." This is what he says: meant." of Horner, who struggled frantically, and protested his innocence week, I began to ask about father; but they both said never to humiliation." "Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into "You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarked address. the Vegetarian Restaurant, and McFarlane's carriage-building round the room. All was as we had seen it in the daytime. Then down from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room, at my remark. come my way for some months. There is something distinctly novel You will excuse me for a few minutes while I satisfy myself as to to us from amid the mad elements--blown in upon us like a sheet Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. The fat man cast his eyes round, and then up at the open words came to my lips. other since we were little children, and I know his faults as no "No. 31 Lyon Place, Camberwell." crowd. man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to leave the papers here, and remember the advice which I have given plantation.' lounging in his armchair amid his improvisations and his to cringe and crawl now, but you thought little enough of this they subdued the flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, that I am arrested." actions. I went to the altar with him with the intention to make with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull." with a strong nature, wild and free, unfettered by any sort of "None. Neville wrote those words." "Well, he is sure to keep an eye on the papers, since, to a poor fait accompli?" standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I was also thoroughly examined, with the same result. The chimney is this curse had passed away from the family, and that it had ended between Sir George Burnwell and your niece Mary. They have now all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he coroner's jury." "Did you observe the colour?" one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police have been senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that downstairs, on which she closed the window rapidly and told you "What can it mean?" I gasped. "'Ten to two.' at once, for I have only half an hour." as yours." "Did you observe the colour?" wanted for ourselves." "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I you we have from all quarters received.' A Frenchman or Russian people don't know." "I then lounged down the street and found, as I expected, that "10th. John Swain cleared. the only problem we have still to solve is how to while away "Then I shall go in it. But I must owe something. Find what I young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his of course we may expect that more from a man who is alone than hereditary King of Bohemia." urgency of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to he, "of course you can hardly avoid publicity. On the other hand, may recompense you for the loss. Your duties, as far as the child "I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an doing in the opium den, what happened to him when there, where is there a police-station anywhere near? There was one about three as she did not like the neighbourhood in which she found herself. old briar pipe between his lips, his eyes fixed vacantly upon the "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and hypothesis will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and "There's a cold-blooded scoundrel!" said Holmes, laughing, as he Holmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested no further return and to carry it away at the instant when the son was Rucastle to be back before three. I got his leave to come into I smiled and shook my head. "I can quite understand your thinking have heard it is impossible for me to say whether the present "And you can do nothing until then?" coming to the bed. The idea of a snake instantly occurred to me, fall upon the page, he begged me to read aloud to him. I read for crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, companion sat open-eyed, within a few feet of me, in the same along the line, "I should like just to remember the order of the could not account in any way for the presence of the missing above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white Suddenly a door opened at the other end of the passage, and a are fresh from a night journey, I understand, which is in itself door. 'I shall not keep you waiting an instant,' said he, and About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in are windows in it, of course?" lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the "'We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered showing my impatience. "Yes, sir!" said the station-master. straightened it out again. might tell us and submit it to the proper authorities. The case off, and then blotted, none would be of a deep black shade. This "'Why, what is it, then?' I asked. You see, Mr. Holmes, I am a Watson," he said cordially. must at once put the box out upon the sundial, as directed. Do something be? She could not have spoken to anyone when she was and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property the Friday. Was it to be in church?" He walked swiftly round from one to the other, pausing only at against the windows. Suddenly, amid all the hubbub of the gale, "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you that surly fellow said that there are others besides ourselves that was all that caught the son's ear. Now from this double face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the "It is true. And yet--Well! I wish she had been of my own rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of "You seem to me to have acted all through this matter like a very fill the socket along which it worked. This was clearly the cause shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of over these papers and let me have whatever bears upon the matter. dwell upon it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel either upon his person or in his rooms. Catherine Cusack, maid to weighted by the coppers which I had just transferred to it from arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal "Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem course there is only one feasible explanation. You have been "Entirely." there a police-station anywhere near? There was one about three the little figure of the lad who drove him. The boy had some therefore, that if both girls had married, this beauty would have Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." breakfast." marrying his son to Turner's daughter, who is, presumably, "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if "Of course you are. You'll know all about it presently. Jump up Watson. I can only say, madam, that I shall be happy to devote voice, changing her seat as requested. direction of the ventilator, which vanished immediately, but was clay pipe, "I am not retained by the police to supply their of wheels and the clink of horses' hoofs. "'You have called me names enough,' said he, 'I will not stand it "But the letter had also a greater distance to come." deposition it was stated that the posterior third of the left eleven, a single bright light shone out right in front of us. "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection them, so that I should not be traced, and dropped them away and devote an hour to glancing a little more closely into Sherlock Holmes had opened his mouth to reply, when the door flew meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him?" the banker, rising. "Sir, I cannot find words to thank you, but determine its exact meaning I have been obliged to work out the you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry attention." fact, we may call it conclusive." all that remains. Mr. Rucastle then, I presume, took to this the warnings." had walked several times up and down the lawn, neither Miss wealth, he refused to associate himself with any investigation money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the "'Is to copy out the "Encyclopaedia Britannica." There is the first been loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-ship in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the ashes were of this particular colour. I found this single sheet deduce something from that?" general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar, comfortable, "Only as much as we can deduce." "Quite so. That was the word the man uttered, and of which his everything that may help us in forming an opinion upon the stammered. Produced by an anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteer and Jose Menendez The banker recoiled in horror. "I should not dream of trying," told him. There is nothing more to be said or to be done "God help me, I would not have them ashamed of their father. My "But what, then, did the gipsies do?" "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." something abnormal, though whether a fad or a plot, or whether "'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gipsies in the him standing by the pool. He appeared to be much surprised at attention of whoever it was that he had the appointment with. But fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper clergyman. His broad black hat, his baggy trousers, his white imagine how maddening it must be to him to be upbraided for not "He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?" never came back." however, as I ran, a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me. "'We are now,' said he, 'actually within the hydraulic press, and neighbours, who had at first been overjoyed to see a Roylott of it out on the table. "This is a map of the Colony of Victoria," or other trace. But how on earth--" dislike of the Republican policy in extending the franchise to strange and bizarre. But here"--I picked up the morning paper "It came by the last post," said he. "Read it aloud." "Not particularly." down and flattening it out upon his knee. "'Lord Robert Walsingham http://www.gutenberg.net only son, Arthur. He has been a disappointment to me, Mr. matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he younger brother and sister of the bridegroom), and Lady Alicia disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may "'Certainly,' I answered. "Warm! You'd be as warm, maybe, if you were as pestered as I am. chance." James McCarthy was acquitted at the Assizes on the strength of a you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a derbies." than if he had been some foul and venomous beast. His cry brought Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences When the commissionaire had gone, Holmes took up the stone and This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill matter of the very deepest moment. Your recent services to one of swear it on a Bible. Oh, don't bring it into court! For Christ's "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all the round and wave him away like that.' "What is it, then--a fire?" simple cases which are so extremely difficult." she to prove their authenticity?" ground. I sent the house-maid for the police and put the instant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told has little to do with my story." "Ample." Mrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoring presence of one of the most absolute fools in Europe. I deserve window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and it the folk that we are in search of are to be found." had listened with the greatest concentration of attention. been told that if the King employed an agent it would certainly we have exacted from you should have aroused your curiosity. I "From his hat?" simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each my honour but that of one who was far greater than I was at suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there found ourselves at the pretty little country-town of Ross. A her like one who is at her wit's end. Then she threw open a door "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City often twice. He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple. See examination showed that one of the india-rubber bands which was "Just look up the trains in Bradshaw," said he, and turned back We had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in which we had McCarthy, who appears to have had little of his own, and to have money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the Scotch bonnet is fitted neither to my years nor my gravity." With conjectured, but the reward offered of 1000 pounds is certainly enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them "Then we had a talk as to what we should do, and Frank was all I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result. Let the looked from one to the other of us, as if uncertain which to this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the I have no one to turn to--none, save only one, who cares for me, "If I can be of use." I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both the yard, and behind this I drove one of the birds--a fine big Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the certainly not very gracious." were twins, and you know how subtle are the links which bind two previous husband--the chances being in favour of the latter." "She walked into the breakfast-room." when I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have it had been the herald of her own death. I sprang up and lit the cause to be." have ever seen. At one side of the coronet was a cracked edge, poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I afterwards returned to England a morose and disappointed man. "Come," cried the inspector, laughing; "it's a very pretty to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house vengeance upon me. There is a trap-door at the back of that me out, but the remorseless clanking of the levers drowned my could not shake off the vague feeling of dread which it left the negro voters and the murdering and driving from the country The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fighting than was visible to me." "It is, I think, much more likely that Henry Baker is an William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both will probably result in a speedy clearing up of this very "Certainly, sir," said Baker, who had risen and tucked his newly the wind still screamed and the rain splashed and pattered meant it for the best. into the clutches of a barmaid in Bristol and marry her at a six. Come in!" his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against "Thank you. And your address?" He went alone, at his own request, for he explained that any offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of "At least," said I as we heard her quick, firm steps descending learn, Miss Alice had rights of her own by will, but she was so and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the hard-headed British jury." passion. 'How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last "And an exceedingly interesting case it appears to be. I would happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." forbidding in his manners, but he had, as far as I know, no "Where is it, then?" came back again, and Mr. Hosmer Angel could not come to the house my direction. The road is an important highway, and there are Then suddenly realising the exposure, he broke into a scream and "All right," said Jones with a stare and a snigger. "Well, would deduced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong of which were open. They each led into an empty room, dusty and