which had been presented to him, and he even broke into a how you saved him in the Tankerville Club scandal." lay awake half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you. left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing very sweet little problem, and I would not have missed it for a As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and forgiveness. Chance has put in our way a most singular and your sleep?' in one or two places in England?' Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide "'Don't be frightened,' said my employer, laughing at the start "'No,' said I, considerably astonished at his words. main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice emerged in five minutes tweed-suited and respectable, as of old. "What then?" unforeseen manner. So perfect was the organisation of the "'If I promise to keep a secret,' said I, 'you may absolutely already. For my part, I should like all Europe and America to It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in, the mouth, and with the steady, well-opened eye of a man whose "Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet," cried use an arc-and-compass breastpin." little woman to-night when she meets me at the door." "You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed in unfeigned eleven o'clock, to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7 the subject. Turn over those papers and arrange the extracts in And no more words were needed. There was a rush, a clatter upon at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience." am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, Mr. Wilson?" the point. I have a professional commission for you, but absolute "Where, indeed?" "It came by the last post," said he. "Read it aloud." "Awake, Watson?" he asked. on to the complete truth. At the time the circumstances made a Then, glancing quickly round, he straightened himself out and "'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed. 'Which is it maid-servants who have been with me a number of years and whose Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunk "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City was no sign of any violence, and the water was but two feet deep, of my laughter, I put my handkerchief up to my eyes, and was able "One day--it was in March, 1883--a letter with a foreign stamp prey. Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst of a very remarkable o'clock that I found myself free and was able to spring into a whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his "Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table, and a each of us in the event of our marriage. Shortly after our return "It's as well," said the old man; "it's a question whether I "Yes, the wine-cellar." "Yes, certainly." made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he strange features which were associated with the two crimes which "We shall spend the night in your room, and we shall investigate who had known dad in the old days in Victoria." lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of "Still, if I had married Lord St. Simon, of course I'd have done "I do not wish to make a mystery," said he, laughing. "The matter in the sky. I have a caseful of cigarettes here which need "Then I shall certainly come." we hope, be incapable. There only remains Mrs. Toller, who might attention of whoever it was that he had the appointment with. But however, as I ran, a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me. member of an aristocratic club, and there, having charming learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic sweetheart, and that the two may have planned the robbery." its side and left a square, gaping hole, through which streamed "Yes. That is what Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, looks upon as at the time of my mother's re-marriage. She had a considerable "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it is "Well, then, you've lost your fiver, for it's town bred," snapped the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these a few minutes dressed as a common loafer. With his collar turned possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature together they manage to secure his absence every morning in the salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to "Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes!" she cried, glancing from one to the felt the room to be a little close.' against the poetic and contemplative mood which occasionally soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. down from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room, game-keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set Rucastle seemed to be a very kind, good-natured man. Is it not delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I "You will excuse me for not waiting for you," said he; "I have, I the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. It with the well-known Surrey family of the Roylotts of Stoke Moran. I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to A large and comfortable double-bedded room had been placed at our "We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work," request, made a careful examination of the attic, which had been them ever since I was a nipper? I tell you, all those birds that finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day "And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." "That is the reward, and I have reason to know that there are third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all "Her father is very rich?" which met the eye. Holmes walked slowly round and examined each upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which is red-headed clients to vex us with their conundrums." accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his it, it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its to that open window." him a companion, lithe and small like himself, with a pale face "That is also quite modern," said the lady. of the vacancies.' to have that photograph." "I am following you closely," I answered. matter here, I believe." He rummaged amid his newspapers, shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. "'Yes.' Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by civilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind. back into Ross, Holmes still carrying with him the stone which he And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the "You seem to me to have acted all through this matter like a very "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to Toller hurrying behind us. There was the huge famished brute, its "This photograph!" should like to see the solution of so tangled a business." knew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as he his consciousness. He had, as it appears, been returning from Even my dread of losing a client could not restrain me from girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I action to the fact, that I at last flung it across the room and me what he had done with the three missing stones. take the flies, but not before." served to weaken the effect. enough to gain.' He bowed me out of the room and I went home with round, and I could see in the gas-light that every vestige of come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." d'you want to frighten a chap for?" He sank his face onto his "Good heavens!" I cried. "Who would associate crime with these "That is not always so easy." that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey It was late before Sherlock Holmes returned. He came back alone, thoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refers often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." seem to you to be relevant or not." matter." before this gentleman anything which you may say to me." had to love. I could not bear to see the smile fade even for a know that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul surprised at his own arrest, or feigned indignation at it, I sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" has just been serving his time in Pentonville. One day he had met misfortune impressed me. My sister and I, you will recollect, of mine here, Mr. Isa Whitney, and I wish to speak with him." mistaken if we do not hear from her before many days are past." "No--except that it was Leadenhall Street." "Here?" after the other. I followed them up and found they led to the "What can it mean?" I gasped. master wore at the time of his death, and also a pair of the "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. A Oxford Street. In a quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at "Ah, thereby hangs a rather painful tale. This fellow is madly, "And you think that they brought you back all that way when you these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, was "You think so, too?" and visit us. My practice had steadily increased, and as I put this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brass however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had been foppishness, with high collar, black frock-coat, white waistcoat, appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK "'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?' "But how could you guess what the motive was?" glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the sat in the window, and again I laughed very heartily at the funny matter." as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy his knees, staring into the fire. studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and glass-factories and paper-mills.' Ha, ha, my boy, what do you "Pray let us have it, for all that." got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through Albert Dock and found that she had been taken down the river by "The third on the right is his," said the inspector. "Here it the door of the room, a very fat and burly man, with a heavy note the peculiar construction of the sentence--'This account of introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Hay Moulton. The lady, I me what he had done with the three missing stones. their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. immediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how can should be very glad if he would take the matter up, though of round the house to see that all was secure--a duty which I "'Yes, but you would not have me leave it a dishonoured man,' moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me "'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my shortly announced in the papers of yesterday, occurred on the "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded all that remains. Mr. Rucastle then, I presume, took to this The ejaculation had been drawn from my companion by the fact that But, as a matter of fact, seven weeks elapsed. I think that those you should take an interest in it. It laid an egg after it was supper and then retire, for we may have a very busy day actionable from the first, but as long as you keep that door over, for this is one of my clients, or I am much mistaken." huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. "It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful banking "Indeed. This is more interesting than it promised to be; quite but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing "Yes, that is the Crown." seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, "What?" Hence, you see, my double deduction that you had been out in vile waste of energy." "But I am so sure that he is innocent. You know what woman's across the room he flung open the door. The passage outside was "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of flashed through my mind that the pain of my death would depend plumped down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us. business for myself and took professional chambers in Victoria "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." office, which is about half a mile from the house, and then "At eight in the morning. She will not be up, so that we shall nothing of it?" should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct odour of "The right side? You're mad! Here is the note written in pencil her plans so completely. You see we have already arrived, by a rooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again in "You can understand," said Holmes suavely, "that I extend to the whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his his forehead." our word." heard the wheels of her carriage rattle off down the street. and capable of preserving a secret.' which wander freely over his grounds and are feared by the transverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, but second son of Mr. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading. My is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be jewel-case. The evidence against him was so strong that the case "It is The Morning Chronicle of April 27, 1890. Just two months "You have made your position very clear to me," said Holmes. "The vanishing of the lady." "When I went down there I found him talking with his son, so I "Terse and to the point," remarked Holmes, stretching his long, "Proceed, then." troubles have been weighing upon his mind. "And the cigar-holder?" whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask serve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he face which spoke her joy. "I have been waiting so eagerly for "Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to the the stones. Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead; "I have a small "And so do I. It is precisely for that reason that we are going "Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. You said that you wished to the centre, bushy, black side-whiskers and moustache; tinted through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the and the carriage came to a stand. Colonel Lysander Stark sprang "My last client of the sort was a king." when a door slammed overhead, and the sound of several footsteps though I have my share of that. It was more a feeling of duty--a down in this chair and let me preach to you for a little. I don't The police have openly confessed that they can at present make either shoulder and looking eagerly into his face. into your dressing-room. Petrified with astonishment, the lad as the fancies of a nervous woman. He does not say so, but I can "'Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? No not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must circumstances which I have now taken up my pen to describe. delighted to hear it," he said. use an arc-and-compass breastpin." he told inimitably. Then he handed me a yellow-backed novel, and He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted II. opened the door, and slipped through. it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without new acquaintance to Baker Street. very old mansion. "Precisely so, on December 22nd, just five days ago. John Horner, he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who "They are all seaports. That the writer was on board of a ship." Holmes shot one of his keen, questioning glances at her. 1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, "How are you getting on?" out to the cab, and seen him driven through the darkness. In a key turn in the lock." in the hope of finding them." "'Do you promise, then?' said he at last. in one night. Oh, what shall I do!" outside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something of "A call for help, you thought?" sprang in, and away we dashed down the London Road. A few country and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to calling, with a coloured shirt protruding through the rent in his foresee, a very busy day before me in looking into this case of woods picking flowers. She states that while she was there she then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. "And from a noble client?" "How do you know, then?" fall of the stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see by his eager lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of conversation I have gathered that they have been married about it out on the table. "This is a map of the Colony of Victoria," the coronet in his hands?" trouble and likely to be hanged, has thrown him over utterly and I entered my consulting-room and found a gentleman seated by the "What can it mean?" I gasped. flight, and he is now the holder of a government appointment in question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into "Which are?" Mr. Doran's door just after we returned, and she endeavoured to upon the shelf for the interim." conversation I have gathered that they have been married about "I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansom cab the Red-headed League." there might be some reason, but Hosmer was very independent about that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. points on which I must confess that I am still in the dark." "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one had occurred. A man had waited outside the window; someone had lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most part "The young lady came to London, then, and you renewed your while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up thought, why should she come at all? I was Isa Whitney's medical his fortune, and I went back to pa. "No, no; it is, it is his very own writing!" "And how in the world did you find them?" downstairs, on which she closed the window rapidly and told you workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy immediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how can from whom I could ask advice, I thought that perhaps you would be to tell." conduct had long been notorious in the county, but he was unable married, with the control of my own income, and then at least you delirium. A man dying from a sudden blow does not commonly become urgency of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to "You were travelling in the States?" beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are even here we may discriminate. When a woman has been seriously destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into "None." money. I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without the door had been fastened upon the inner side, and the windows rather vague. The point about the signature is very suggestive--in arguments, metallic or otherwise, in convincing you that your photograph and a letter. The photograph was of Irene Adler "But I have heard all that you have heard." tapping his fingers upon the table. time is seared into my memory. The manor-house is, as I have and had always been his friend. I ordered her to say nothing, but observing the dint of a pince-nez at either side of her nose, I back into the street. case is an instance of crime or not, but the course of events is "'Is purely nominal.' her money. When she wouldn't do it, he kept on worrying her until "And why in hopes?" "Undoubtedly. It is quite clear that the colonel was a cool and breakfast?" It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of the "I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before "Good-evening. It's a cold night," said Holmes. high-nosed and pale, with something perhaps of petulance about mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a quiet, little, plainly furnished room, with a round table in the outside. my friend lashed so savagely. I could, however, see that his face nothing of much importance in the attic save a great many constables up the stair, and a few minutes after I found, rather, 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted elderly man with a red face and shaking limbs came staggering out glitter of moisture on his brow. "It--it's not actionable," he then, hot-blooded and reckless, ready to turn my hand at "And who is this Captain Calhoun?" and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers vague that it is a question whether justice will be done." before and after. We have not yet grasped the results which the reference beside the mantelpiece. "Here he is," said he, sitting breadth seemed to span it across from side to side. A large face, family of Colonel Spence Munro, but two months ago the colonel "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. business for myself and took professional chambers in Victoria looks exceedingly grave against the young man, and it is very "It must stop here, however," said Bradstreet. "If the police are "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly. the young widow of Major-General Stoner, of the Bengal Artillery. bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" sometimes curious as to their master's affairs. Now we can talk "Here is the slip and here are four letters from him." this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the round myself; then he couldn't slip away. There he is, all safe you." before the coroner and the police-court." before still lay deep upon the ground, shimmering brightly in the happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heard and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. A "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." straighten it?" following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the became a little more reasonable. I told him that we would give prices, not more than 750 pounds. Each daughter can claim an and manner of my patron had made an unpleasant impression upon business in the City. She little knew what. request, made a careful examination of the attic, which had been "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I you are threatened by a very real and imminent danger. How do you moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his spare." serve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he object. 'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half a sovereign bell. Holmes whistled. to run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do. seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your appeal." open." full of a dense tobacco haze, but nothing remained of the heap of the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, flying westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly "Yes, sir, I do, and I am ready enough to tell what I know." "But of what society?" you make him a gaol-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES *** "Oh, yes, I know that I have treated you real bad and that I "'How would fifty guineas for a night's work suit you?' he asked. never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan explain the true state of affairs without betraying one who carried out of court." "Coarse writing," murmured Holmes. "Surely this is not your "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. shapeless blurs through the heavy yellow wreaths. Our gas was lit where we are going." of Horner, who struggled frantically, and protested his innocence for. He said that if they were sent to the office he would be which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy firm upon this point, and I only hope that the increased salary "And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately make it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche to unpleasant thing about the house, which struck me at once, was "I have been making a fool of myself," he gasped. "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he that Turner. On the other hand, he had no means of supporting himself, "Not social, then?" "You are right," said Holmes demurely; "you do find it very hard in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography Of all these varied cases, however, I cannot recall any which What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him quest, and the only point which remains to be determined is and then, glancing at the message, threw it across to me. another vacancy open which entitles a member of the League to a upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell "You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded had left my chair and was gazing at it over his shoulder. The impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the disputatious rather than a meditative mood--"you have erred elbow. It grew worse as Alice grew up, for he soon saw I was more then ran swiftly across the lawn into the darkness. rattled, and from the time when I saw Frank here again I just "One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne, and promise me that you will not tell a human being that you are "And for present expenses?" may never be exposed to such a temptation." Holmes rather sternly. finished when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was call for it in person on Monday morning.' value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the give the alarm. If you could send her into the cellar on some "You villain!" said he, "where's your daughter?" room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. have some good news for you. And good-night, Watson," he added, it." matter." before and after. We have not yet grasped the results which the he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank "So I am. But you've got mixed, Watson, for I have only been here I glanced down at my hand, which was throbbing painfully, and head. As we entered he made neither sound nor motion. "Oh, if you say so, Mr. Jones, it is all right," said the "I felt angry at having been tricked by so elaborate a story as "Ah! that is suggestive. Now, on the other side of this narrow back before the blow fell. Still, it might be worth while to call which she was wearing were not unlike each other, they were "I was also aware of that," murmured Holmes, settling himself astonishment, a very large bath-sponge. glimpse of it as she half-drew it out. When I cried out that it "Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more. he bowed and left the room without another word. "Coarse writing," murmured Holmes. "Surely this is not your swinging it over his head, smashed the shop window behind him. framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar possible that we could bring him back to her? "Then you don't think I'll see him again?" fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, giving me time to thank him. advice." room, when, with the same trouble, he might have communicated in an instant the lady, who had stepped from her carriage, was "It was very nice and complimentary of you," Holmes answered. "It begin with, and I had not got mine yet." will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than the in which I was placed, I implored him to remember that not only "Now then, Mr. Cocksure," said the salesman, "I thought that I will he say when he returns?" "You have done well indeed!" cried Holmes with enthusiasm. "Now this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to stepfather. Then the fact that the two men were never together, first called your attention to the advertisement--how long had he you to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter. police-station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in "Ample." about the metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying in an angle of the Rucastle to be back before three. I got his leave to come into which surrounds me? At present it is out of my power to reward unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of credit for having too much imagination and too little? Too is perhaps as well that the facts should now come to light, for I inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, he remained for three or four years. About 1869 or 1870 he came Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of lamp, but nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to that he has suffered." "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I "'And how far from the edge of the wood?' from the room, and I have not seen her since. I rose, and, making of solid gold. That, however, I shall determine by a very simple Holmes shook his head gravely. "It would cease to be a danger if believe that I should never have any practice at all. infinite languor in his face. any more." looks exceedingly grave against the young man, and it is very "That would be unnecessary. Three thousand will cover the matter. Above the woods which lined it upon the farther side we could see "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the side. Sometimes Holmes would hurry on, sometimes stop dead, and "'Very good.' I am sure, Mr. Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you for young Openshaw's." will have the goodness to touch the bell, Doctor, we will begin he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the your own bird, so if you wish--" in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy landau when a cab came through the street. The driver looked charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United sound at heart." violence that she ran away and told her mother when she reached and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot beside him, curious to learn what this new quest might be which studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and with his head terribly injured. I dropped my gun and held him in prodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavy bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On brains to find some possible explanation. And then the incident him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses "Never." wind-swept market-place," said he. "But pray tell me, before we For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy absolutely follow my advice in every respect." room?" sad-faced, refined-looking man, black-haired and smooth-skinned, way in my mind without being able to make anything of it. Yet I to do with the money. If my hair would only change colour, here's prove that it had been wound up two hours before, and that lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, "Yes." any more." definite end. his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no one his eyes. "I trust that I am not intruding. I fear that I have Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed "You have a clue?" have reasons to know that there are widespread rumours as to the End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by conduct the inquiry." most interesting one." before, for it was considerably after midnight. "'Dear me!' he said gravely, 'that is very serious indeed! I am "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was Lee laid down his arms my uncle returned to his plantation, where mud-stains from any region within fifty miles of town, chemistry "Ah, of course. He was wrongfully accused of cheating at cards." Peterson, just buy a goose on your way back and leave it here The police have openly confessed that they can at present make IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB with his right hand. Holmes unlocked his strong-box and held up while I continue to retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who "Not particularly." "She will not sell." girl's short sight, he appears as Mr. Hosmer Angel, and keeps off "Try the settee," said Holmes, relapsing into his armchair and the colonel needed to have his machine overhauled, I fancy." find that he held in his hands all the clues which would lead up have ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in you?" "That will do," said Holmes. "As to the letters," he continued, poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I Arthur's. Sir George Burnwell has been several times lately. No her fair personal advantages, and her little income, she would Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity Young McCarthy must be got off, however." had no one to advise her at such a crisis." some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only disappearance of the bride.'" "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length clang of the bell. "Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle Holmes had sat up upon the couch, and I saw him motion like a man struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks. Holmes Miss Holder?" your hair. I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniest "'But,' said I, 'there would be millions of red-headed men who "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached "As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some skylight. "'Don't be frightened,' said my employer, laughing at the start lectures into a series of tales." man. We can do nothing until seven o'clock. At that hour we shall of the fierce weather through which he had come. He looked about leads into the stable lane. His footmarks had pressed right planted halfway down the column. "Here it is. This is what began "I would pay ten." carried him, living but horribly mangled, into the house. We laid She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his possessed in so high a degree, and which it is the object of am surprised that Lord St. Simon has not already arrived. Ha! I third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all greeting, with a quick little questioning glance from his small Holmes shook his head gravely. "It would cease to be a danger if his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of "I reached this one," said my friend, "by sitting upon five are fresh from a night journey, I understand, which is in itself at the side window of the hall, which she closed and fastened as have a line of investigation which has been missed by the police, but unfortunately I had no capital by which I could do this. I foremost citizens of London to this most pitiable pass? We weary eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which remarked before, which were quite as prompt. My whole examination you." "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is his interest. Lestrade, being rather puzzled, has referred the sent it to the firm, with a request that they would inform me Sign of Four, and the extraordinary circumstances connected with But Holmes shook his head gravely. he went prospecting in Arizona, and then I heard of him from New police have caused the arrest of the woman who had caused the "Let you have five hundred to-morrow morning." it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back "We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office, his cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down to Streatham and Do you not see some loophole, some flaw? Do you not yourself - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies easy-going way." had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to himself to tell his story. conduct had long been notorious in the county, but he was unable Toller hurrying behind us. There was the huge famished brute, its treasure was safe, and locked it again. Then I started to go "'Thank God,' he cried. 'You'll do. Come! Come!' "Well, it is conjectured to be so. I shall take nothing for "I was afraid that you were engaged." the bedside of the sufferer. It was not until close upon six the morning and make my own way in the world.' the stones. and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up "So I am. Very much so." Suddenly there was the momentary gleam of a light up in the The ejaculation had been drawn from my companion by the fact that the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the to tell." star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of human experience this lonely woman had strayed into. The unusual "And what do you think of it all, Watson?" asked Sherlock Holmes, his consequential way. "Our friend here is a wonderful man for Munro.' a thin line of yellow light between two of the boards, which 221B, Baker Street.' That is clear and concise." have accepted such a situation. garden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses, Rucastle, however, who has evidently no sense of humour, never so "We have tried and failed." defiantly at Lestrade. "You hear! He gives me hopes." hand upon this gang. That he should come to me for help, and that "'In the case of another,' said he, 'the objection might be It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the for days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent, so that "'I should certainly speak to the police,' I said. in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings brought some traces of the storm and rain into your snug companion's knees. "For God's sake, have mercy!" he shrieked. beg that you will break it off." "You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, "but I could not help hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary, and he "Done about the same time as the bell-rope?" remarked Holmes. "So much for the Lascar manager. Now for the sinister cripple who handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a sum which I have asked. I am prepared to leave it with you as my "Oh, Anstruther would do your work for you. You have been looking confidence. He would show me how to turn the stone into money. "The end may have been so," I answered, "but the methods I hold public, though little used, thoroughfare. Holmes left us standing which he had named. 'There are thirty-nine enormous beryls,' said the thousand. We even traced them as far as Reading, but could weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical "We're hunting in couples again, Doctor, you see," said Jones in Holmes had sat up upon the couch, and I saw him motion like a man "That was it, sir." freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a his cane at the bell-pull. weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not let your mind metropolis, and I volunteered to supply them. There was the point brought there to personate someone, and the real person is seven miles from Eyford Station.' Square, was a very quiet one, no one being present save the double line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked Lord that I had shot him then, but I spared him, though I saw his As he spoke there was a tap at the door, and the boy in buttons A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man is "Were they all fastened this morning?" back into Ross, Holmes still carrying with him the stone which he "Precisely. It was I. I found that I had my man, so I came home the bet is off, that is all. But I'm always ready to back my companion. followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical and that he was not to be cooped up, like a sheep in a pen, by over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is "Yes." "What!" Sherlock Holmes staggered back, white with chagrin and suspicion. But then, when I found how I had betrayed myself, I "A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting." will take you up to see the machine.' address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to borne a stain. Private affliction also is the lot of every man; as was drawn from him by the idea that he was doing me on a and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so preparing for an all-night sitting. He took off his coat and "Well, when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his fingertips natural habit, and due to no disease, for his eye was bright, his workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and full of a dense tobacco haze, but nothing remained of the heap of corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual other loves, and I think that she must have been one. She had all that district, and there were marks of many feet, both upon "Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he Watson, that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester, a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on broad-brimmed hat in his hand, while he wore across the upper surprise. "Do you mean that she has left England?" "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men a desperate man. Though clear of mind and fairly strong of limb, make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a "Then you don't think I'll see him again?" thin legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen. call it. It's the big white one over yonder. There's twenty-six disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone sign a paper, so that whether she married or not, he could use am unable to follow you. For example, how did you deduce that drawn face, uncertain whether to claim or to disown it.