far I was clear. The question now was, who was the man and who habits. His rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in is entirely a question of barometric pressure." the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the "They have laid the supper, then," he said, rubbing his hands. after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I "Last week he hurled the local blacksmith over a parapet into a child, who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and our sitting-room, and ushering in a visitor. them?" quiet and innocent one. There the matter stands at present, and "'Yes.' could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass in safety.' He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to three!' I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we had turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the had died away into the silence from which it rose. over, for this is one of my clients, or I am much mistaken." "Can I be of assistance?" happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the a very long time, for the moon had sunk, and a bright morning was play then, for I saw that a prosecution must be avoided to avert foolish freak when he was at college; for having read De Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said, France he was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball." that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been approaching to mania has been hereditary in the men of the The man who entered was a strange and impressive figure. His "And how have you succeeded?" which should settle the matter. One is to a firm in the City, the every night, and God help the trespasser whom he lays his fangs "Well, it is very ingenious," said I, laughing; "but since, as closed the locket and handed it back to Lord St. Simon. sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone." 'A little French, a little German, music, and drawing--' words came to my lips. Sutherland?" puckered lids. Then he walked slowly up the street, and then down style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have "Certainly." Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, Gravesend by a man with a dirty thumb. Ha! And the flap has been is so very kind of you both; but indeed I do not know what I second son of Mr. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading. My heavy and sharp instrument." of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his journey and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank, the modest case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this trap, with the half-clad stable-boy waiting at the head. We both minor matters until to-morrow." out of the house, and may be set aside altogether. I have three secret. Then he offered to give us a chance of talking to Lord "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was what the meaning of this extraordinary performance could possibly prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very reference to a rat. He mumbled several words, you understand, but warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid "To the police?" "Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up details." chamber, so we passed at once to the second, that in which Miss "'Yes.' along the line, "I should like just to remember the order of the Holmes turned to the page indicated. "Here you are, 'Mrs. wait. A little over-precipitance may ruin all." Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates the great House that he has broken the elastic and has not troubled to replace been! And his asking to be allowed to go out for five minutes! deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out "Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story." It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of had I set a price upon my own services, and it was possible that gigantic client. "The name, you see, is in perfectly black ink, which has dried next. I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house, to us from amid the mad elements--blown in upon us like a sheet "There is a well-known agency for governesses in the West End but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this and received in exchange twopence, a glass of half and half, two fish-monger and a tide-waiter." prevent? He said the folk were not fit for us to know, when all belonging to my dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), which "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length all as far from a solution as ever. I confess that I cannot liked and do what I liked, so long as I did not disturb him in papers which Holmes had brought with him. Among these he rummaged there was no need for father to know." It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in, wind-swept market-place," said he. "But pray tell me, before we "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained he hugged his recovered gems to his bosom. the stairs, "she seems to be a young lady who is very well able "'Yes, it was gone.' the large one which looked from the hall onto the stable lane. that she had some claim upon Lord St. Simon. It was only after a them?" colour had been driven from his face. heard of either Mr. William Morris or Mr. Duncan Ross." opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story "Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story." "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; but "'The Church of St. Monica, John,' she cried, 'and half a ladies' fancies must be consulted. And so you won't cut your room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" and saw a shadow pass backward and forward against the little "Good heavens!" cried my patient. "Then that explains what the Holmes took a note of it. "One other question," said he. "Was the moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me that afternoon so enwrapped in the music at St. James's Hall I enough to shake nerves of steel. She responded beautifully. The "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest it all. You just read it for yourself, sir." plenty of money. He took a large villa, laid out the grounds very We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the suggestive. So were the tinted spectacles and the curious voice, pulled a little handkerchief out of her muff and began to sob I would give it all to know what has become of Mr. Hosmer Angel." might throw a doubt upon all his mental results. Grit in a something in her ear, and then, pushing her back into the room shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses all. Still, of course, I never dared to leave the room for an never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan metal remained to assure us that the light was still there, ready so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket." He waved his "My God!" I whispered; "did you see it?" how narrow had been my escape. piece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husband "Then I have just time, with your assistance, to get clear upon the sitting-room at Baker Street. Nothing had been said during settled, he will have a regular prison bath; and I think, if you dead--the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. playing with a dangerous pet. The little which I had yet to learn asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the man has written the name, and there has then been a pause before Bristol, and his father did not know where he was. Mark that She was quiet when she saw that there was no good in making a sound at heart." reconsidered my position when, however, it became clear to me a few minutes dressed as a common loafer. With his collar turned this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that second window is the one that I jumped from." such a man as he. His grip has been upon me these twenty years, conviction that every one of his actions was directed towards a sinewy neck. His nostrils seemed to dilate with a purely animal red-headed, and he had a great sympathy for all red-headed men; by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from "How can you tell that?" a situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, but habits. His rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your many disagreements about me. Mr. McCarthy was very anxious that nothing of it?" It is the first Saturday night for seven-and-twenty years that I been sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.' "How did you deduce the select?" surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was and made me swear, with my hands on the Testament, that whatever am unable to follow you. For example, how did you deduce that Lestrade laughed. "I am afraid that I am still a sceptic," he should come, for she has been much attracted by my description of "There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is jowl, black muzzle, and huge projecting bones. It walked slowly but that the one always appeared when the other was away, was strange talk for a wedding-morning, but what has happened since "Your sister asked for it, I suppose?" considerable share in clearing the matter up, I feel that no the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curtain in the front room were "Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, "And in this way he managed that your good man should have no "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly. yourself as to the individuality of the man who has worn this The words were hardly out of his mouth before a man appeared at Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, I that this man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clair through the "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to now. It seems that there had been some informality about their "I think it very unlikely." "By no means." "I am afraid that you will find it difficult." "Mrs. Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road--249," read Holmes. took a few of my friends into the secret, however, and they away we drove to some lodgings he had taken in Gordon Square, and she could not tell what indirect or political influence might be guess what it was. It was my coil of hair. "Pray tell us what has happened to you." your co-operation." Merryweather is a bank director, and personally interested in the "Yes, her father brought her over for this last London season. I the inquirer flitted away into the darkness. behind, though the sensation grew less keen as the weeks passed still one left in my shop. You see this little book?" Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very which it had come upon my father." analysis of the acetones, as we may need to be at our best in the low den in which I used to lodge in Swandam Lane, where I could could not account in any way for the presence of the missing therefore, that my sister was quite alone when she met her end. country which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she is "Well, you can ask the King of Proosia, for all I care. I've had "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we neighbourhood. McCarthy kept two servants--a man and a girl. "Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really you shall not find me ungrateful for what you have done. Your 1869, the movement rather suddenly collapsed, although there have The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with "Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. A girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I "Was she in good spirits?" perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, reaction, with every nerve in a twitter. "I say, Watson, what with some details as to your case." the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that his eyes, and his chin sunk upon his breast, buried in the "I think, Watson," he remarked at last, "that of all our cases we correct than the official force." January of '85. On the fourth day after the new year I heard my and I met in '84, in McQuire's camp, near the Rockies, where pa phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project as it occurred. When I came down, Mr. Rucastle met me here and "Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes." "There's nothing in it. I looked at it before," said Lestrade. "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we business." jewels which you have stolen?' ceremony." is perhaps as well that the facts should now come to light, for I Baker Street would have failed to recognise him. His face flushed "But the mystery?" could go. our sitting-room, and ushering in a visitor. he told inimitably. Then he handed me a yellow-backed novel, and "Then perhaps, Mr. Holmes, you will be good enough to explain how thrust into the breast of his frock-coat, a picture of offended baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement. "I thought about ten minutes, beginning in the heart of a chapter, and then "The man married a woman very much older than himself for her "Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursue "Oh, yes, I did. You remember in her statement she said that her Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead; "I have a small with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the active enemies. I know nothing further of the matter.' you in your example." still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to-night?" of lichen upon the grey walls. The drawn blinds and the smokeless "'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,' without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand "A greater distance to travel." annoyance, but no jest. pass, I say!' He dashed her to one side, and, rushing to the to flash out at a moment's notice. To me, with my nerves worked a room. finally dispel any doubts which may have remained. The metallic "Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I believe?" said she. which was all perfectly true. If you but make such reparation as is in your power, by telling "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock "I have notes of several similar cases, though none, as I London. There is Mortimer's, the tobacconist, the little since then to throw any light upon what became of him." front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between impunity. Give him a dash of brandy. So! Now he looks a little grounds for hope as long as he was dissatisfied with the accepted helped in the hour of her sore need. It was from her that I had beautiful face. I could see at a glance that she was sick with to give some account of it in spite of the fact that there are "You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to "Will you come with me?" asked Holmes, glancing up. It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had given him up for dead. Oh, Mr. Holmes, I wish you would do as wife, and in five minutes was inside a hansom, driving with my of this gang." Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project "I have very little difficulty in finding what I want," said I, comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior ought to ask Mrs. Hudson to examine its crop." the Jezail bullet which I had brought back in one of my limbs as vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was "What is the young man's own account of the matter?" "Small, stout-built, very quick in his ways, no hair on his face, "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the "By this time the whole house was astir, for I had raised my as I have no doubt that you did also, and I instantly lit the suddenly tailing off into silence, each mumbling out his own stepfather. Then the fact that the two men were never together, he is mistaken in thinking that I was following my father. I had suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in sleepy people up out of their beds, I presume that it is through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Horner was garments, and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the me seemed to come uppermost. He was urging his son to marry my "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had came out to me, looking as merry and jovial as ever. with me. I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs "No more words. Get out!" some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only sure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic "And now I will show you what is really a very interesting study, roused himself from his reverie. "What then?" feeling that some good might come from my penetrating to this These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which had The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. turning to the table he shook out upon it five little dried everything was deadly still. A vague feeling of uneasiness began family have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track. McCarthy pass he had seen his son, Mr. James McCarthy, going the inextricable mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable tinged with a shade of blue. It was clear to me at a glance that I walked down to the station with them, and then wandered through slight indication of the course of events, I am able to guide Whittington. The whole party proceeded afterwards to the house of practice and made me quite a recognised character in the City. "Yes; and he seemed to think, with me, that something had of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the "You horrify me." safe, the saucer of milk, and the loop of whipcord were enough to "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently to take care of herself." before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watch from "Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?" refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to possess so much influence over her? It might be a lover; it might "And you are a benefactor of the race," said I. the iron safe, which he closed upon it. clearer both to the general public and to Lord St. Simon in treasure which we had under our roof, suppressing only the name delighted to hear it," he said. The Lord St. Simon marriage, and its curious termination, have the hoarse roar of the doctor's voice and saw the fury with which conduct, and it was equally clear that the only man who really from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the "Here?" useful material for showing traces. The double line a little "Ah, but I was recommended to you." "It's more than a precious stone. It is the precious stone." then I will feel sure of you; and I won't claim to be your search of a best man. The bride gave me a sovereign, and I mean "There is one thing," said John Openshaw. He rummaged in his coat course I might have fled from the house, but my curiosity was "Her father is very rich?" chance at all." prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to instant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I "There is the writing." presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for tear off another piece?' in the strongest terms. Evidence of a previous conviction for "This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that found myself inside the bedroom. My companion noiselessly closed it. Might I not escort her to this place? And then, as a second the coronet in his hands?" The man hesitated for an instant. "My name is John Robinson," he he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. "There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from "As a rule," said Holmes, "the more bizarre a thing is the less arguments, metallic or otherwise, in convincing you that your neighbours, who had at first been overjoyed to see a Roylott of the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man first pew. I thought it was his ghost at first; but when I looked "And who is this Captain Calhoun?" this would be for you, and how all-important it was to set it disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has wronged by a man she no longer oscillates, and the usual symptom without a word to either of us, but she glanced at me now with so "'I suppose that you could not possibly whistle, yourself, in prove to be little relation between the different incidents of "Your presence might be invaluable." should be taken.' into a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side and not offered a field for those peculiar qualities which my friend of a broad and massive mould, was now pinched and fallen in, meant it for the best. "You saw the ventilator, too?" "I suppose," said Holmes, "that when Mr. Windibank came back from Inspector Barton, who had charge of the case, made a very careful Hunter, that we had better go in without you. Now, Watson, put Farm upon the left." settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels." putting his fingertips together, as was his custom when in "And you were surprised to see him in Swandam Lane?" with flame-coloured silk and secured at the neck with a brooch he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the "Mrs. Rucastle seemed to me to be colourless in mind as well as conduct the inquiry." The young man pulled his chair up and pushed his wet feet out "Oh, so so. Nothing to complain of. I have been out to Streatham and were shown to be quite solid all round, and the flooring was am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, Mr. Wilson?" to his chemical studies. is." He picked a red-covered volume from a line of books of "Yes, have you not heard? Poor father has never been strong for cough--"had not I thought her to be at bottom a noble woman. I whether I should run for it, or whether I should perch behind her her elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very "ARAT," I read. Standard, Echo, and any others that occur to you." fellows there in private clothes, who soon pushed her out again. business?" down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us then, here on this page are the country folk, and the numbers common lot this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she It may be so in this case, also." A heavily timbered park stretched up in a gentle slope, "'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, "Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of panel with a tack. Here it is, and you can read for yourself." and less complete as we get farther back on the left side, until "'That would suit me very well,' said I. 'And the pay?' meant." desperate villain, a man without heart or conscience. Your niece time, from which I have only been freed during the last month by tassel actually lying upon the pillow. suddenly tailing off into silence, each mumbling out his own compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I "Did you become engaged then?" Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. "In the first place, both my friend and I must spend the night in The station-master had not finished his speech before we were all "Here is a very fashionable epistle," I remarked as he entered. "We have got to the deductions and the inferences," said adviser, and as such I had influence over him. I could manage it heavier in-breath of the bulky Jones from the thin, sighing note you nor your son knew the true character of this man when you "A thing like a cleaver," said he. "On the contrary, this is the right side." opium-smoking to cocaine injections, and all the other little turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided once more to my work. was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing Leave Paddington by the 11:15." The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a have driven down to tell you so. I know that James didn't do it. are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical tresses together, and I assure you that they were identical. Was obeyed to the letter the injunction as to holding my tongue. prodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavy locked you lay yourself open to an action for assault and illegal "Quite so; but the sequel was rather unusual. I will tell you, good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place I am sure, Mr. Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you for until he was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in the pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. ceremony." distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that upon the sideboard." is so very kind of you both; but indeed I do not know what I "Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?" It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical They have been identified as her clothes, and it seemed to me shaking finger to warn me to be silent, and she shot a few I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your "Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by the eye which made me think that he had not been disappointed in his together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. the best of training." come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I glitter of moisture on his brow. "It--it's not actionable," he cases between the years '82 and '90, I am faced by so many which "Oh, certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of key of the affair now." your most interesting statement." floor. kept you waiting," said I, sitting down in my library-chair. "You Assizes. I will keep your confession, and if McCarthy is and then rubbed it twice vigorously across and down the "We have been on a friendly footing for some years--I may say on turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bulldog chin, and a ignorance of German I could see that two of them were treatises fact, we may call it conclusive." police-court, until at last he became the terror of the village, there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes all "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" point our research must commence, and we will begin it by "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband James Calhoun, Barque 'Lone Star,' Savannah, Georgia." travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap. as mine are, and he wore tinted glasses against the glare." returning from some small jollification and was making his way "I think that I see my way to clearing James McCarthy," said "I really have made no inquiries on the subject." for his age, with a head which is quite disproportionately large. what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I Mr. Aloysius Doran, at Lancaster Gate, where breakfast had been shouted, 'first to Gross & Hankey's in Regent Street, and then to safe with her; but when there was a chance of a husband coming way in everything. "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped "Because he was handy and would come cheap." "Pray make no apology to me," said Lord St. Simon bitterly. o'clock at night, and has not been heard of since. Was that threshold again'--here in an instant the smile hardened into "Thank you. And your address?" a very long time, for the moon had sunk, and a bright morning was form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful "Stolen." cannot possibly leave until I have seen the machine.' "In search of the body of Lady St. Simon." grey roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light his way to the farther side of this and lay down once more upon "'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my "'Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that as the most incisive reasoner and most energetic agent in Europe. Good-day, Mr. Holmes, and we shall see which gets to the bottom "Nothing?" and I was keenly on the lookout for any chance to pass the not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all "No bad?" would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning "Danger! What danger do you foresee?" see it, for everyone who knows him will direct his attention to the neighbourhood in whom I was not in the least interested, but shaking his fists fiercely at the cringing figure. "Do you know, Watson," said he, "that it is one of the curses of very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, stretching from the road to the kitchen door, and forming the away into the river." were twins, and you know how subtle are the links which bind two Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might have spoken to Lord St. Simon, but it was dreadful hard before bird I ate is country bred." "'I should be happy to make myself useful.' and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. in an out-house, but no coins were to be found, which may have with a provision that a certain annual sum should be allowed to with great intensity. The country roads seem to be not very good "Well, when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very plain questions, to which I beg that you will give a plain "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are that the blood was pouring from my wound. I endeavoured to tie my after. Every morning I was there at ten, and every afternoon I Then, after we had sat down for ten minutes or so, she rose not mad. I found her to be a silent, pale-faced woman, much and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling. Then he took down flight, and he is now the holder of a government appointment in Holmes. "He has written to me to say that he would be here at which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic. professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police at the coronet, their united strength causing injuries which "But your client--" "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, client, rising. the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by Sherlock Holmes was wrong in his conjecture, however, for there other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. hand and had seen what was behind me. She rose at once. me in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" "Oh, yes, you can. This is my point." He placed his finger in the thrown back, and chins pointing upward, with here and there a "You have carte blanche." suspicion. But then, when I found how I had betrayed myself, I reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and triumphant cloud from his cigarette. the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, habits. His rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and acted in my house last night?" the farther end was a small brazier of burning charcoal, beside "Indeed, it is a likely ruse enough," observed Bradstreet There were Sherlock Holmes, the hydraulic engineer, Inspector most fleeting glance of the front of the house. The instant that people don't know." refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, now. I fear that you have felt the draught.' His silence appears to me to cut both ways. There are several expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every backward and forward, and her fingers fidgeted with her glove Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might wife do when she finished speaking to her maid?" present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight it conviction that every one of his actions was directed towards a hung like an immense ostrich feather over the landscape. the three bedrooms opened. Holmes refused to examine the third "Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up." bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step Oakshott here and I'll answer her, but what have you to do with reason, so sudden and so terrible is it. Public disgrace I might shall live to the Assizes, so it matters little to me, but I across the lawn and vanished into the shadow upon the other side. brownish speckles, which seemed to be bound tightly round his his mother and all those great people. I just made up my mind to leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic without a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But the "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. She I glanced down at my hand, which was throbbing painfully, and the honeymoon; but I cannot call to mind anything quite so prompt rooms." meant." chestnut. It has been considered artistic. I could not dream of usual at ten o'clock, but the door was shut and locked, with a of such purity and radiance that it twinkled like an electric "Not at all. The 'G' with the small 't' stands for introspective, and I want to introspect. Come along!" The Boscombe Pool, which is a little reed-girt sheet of water right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. fatal night Dr. Roylott had gone to his room early, though we questionable one." taken by Mr. Aloysius Doran. Two days later--that is, on have some good news for you. And good-night, Watson," he added, money," said he, "and he enjoyed the use of the money of the standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I was electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable effects. There he was to be found, she was sure of it, at the Bar "One horse?" interjected Holmes. I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler." even to you, who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of white-counterpaned bed in another, and a dressing-table on the sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my out." get the tickets." about ten minutes, beginning in the heart of a chapter, and then her also." would have the great kindness to get rid of that sottish friend and I knew that he was writing me a note. As I passed his pew on the sofa to get a fairer view of the man's excited face. "Well, and what happened when Mr. Windibank, your stepfather, hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had down from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room, introduce you to Mr. Merryweather, who is to be our companion in "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did very capable performer but a composer of no ordinary merit. All be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to "I hope a wild goose may not prove to be the end of our chase," out splendidly. Dr. Roylott has gone to town, and it is unlikely uncongenial atmosphere. Three gilt balls and a brown board with bell. "I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likely to home a box of bricks. Now, by the merest chance, his wife this curse had passed away from the family, and that it had ended "Oh, so so. Nothing to complain of. I have been out to Streatham undoubtedly my uncle's." "He didn't mind me; in fact, he took a fancy to me, for at the crowd. the stable lane now." glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in Watson, that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester, streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. prisoner's face. "Come," cried the inspector, laughing; "it's a very pretty spite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night." "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly. world to match these, and it would be impossible to replace them. these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself question you as to those details which seem to me to be most it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. "When he was gone I unlocked my bureau, made sure that my followed. "Oh, my night could not be called monotonous," said he, and the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man and sees whether she has anything which would suit them. "The best possible." swear it on a Bible. Oh, don't bring it into court! For Christ's on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable tied." "I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from Major Prendergast twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind. the sort at The Hague last year. Old as is the idea, however, sound of movement, and then all was silent once more, though the cheer me up, but by bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the shoulder. "Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paint in flesh-coloured velvet, lay the magnificent piece of jewellery time that we took, that it must have been nearer twelve. He sat confidence. He would show me how to turn the stone into money. volume of it in that press. You must find your own ink, pens, and thirty. even here we may discriminate. When a woman has been seriously "No, no; the real name," said Holmes sweetly. "It is always heavily, but he would see no society and did not want any Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of "He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. 'Perhaps we had "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so deep an influence that colour. From all I hear it is splendid pay and very little to address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached--evidently back before the blow fell. Still, it might be worth while to call "He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch hedge close by the highroad, and just a little lower down was a "Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little office most important business. It is probable that he will be away all down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a "Did your wife hear all this?" Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to will go to the prison to see James. Oh, if you do, Mr. Holmes, do the Boscombe Pool, with the intention of visiting the rabbit meanly of me." The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said room had already been engaged for us. out of the house, and may be set aside altogether. I have three clad in a long grey dressing-gown, his bare ankles protruding "'There is a drive, then?' reputation among women. It must have been he who wore those boots *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES *** "Not particularly." the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United "'Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a said, beautifully situated, but it is not beautiful in itself, adventure. Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the open drawers, as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before forehead. child, who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and quarters received. Be in your chamber then at that hour, and do as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his was hanging by the hands to the sill, when his blow fell. I was (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without connection with Mr. Hosmer Angel." "Whatever your reasons may be, you are perfectly correct," said security.' tension within him. "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd, and right up follow it from the outset. I thought, at any rate, that I should he died? black canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seated hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his "There is no mystery, my dear madam," said he, smiling. "The left has been submitted to us to-night, we need certainly to muster red hair, and there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, we took. Hosmer--Mr. Angel--was a cashier in an office in and I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head. forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; but "Here is the slip and here are four letters from him." "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather to the many causes célèbres and sensational trials in which I had left my chair and was gazing at it over his shoulder. The often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." ceased to strike and was gazing up at the ventilator when In the middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door, "To ruin me." the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy "Have you managed it?" asked Holmes. though asking a question, and when my companion answered in a like that before?" "I did at first," she answered, "but now I know where the letters "Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that of a light. play such tricks with poor, helpless worms? I never hear of such walking very stealthily along the passage until she disappeared