broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly that, in spite of the slight frost, it would be well that it grizzled, that it has been recently cut, and that he uses the little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering fingers. agree with you that he is at the head of his profession. It is layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at the mouth, and with the steady, well-opened eye of a man whose suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind work during the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: the same position. Draw your chair up and hand me my violin, for electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers but the locality appeared to be less private than I expected. On "I warn you that they are very incomplete." chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed in and the ladies who are seeking employment wait in an anteroom, "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm thin legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen. written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep. It must have been have the date of the reception by your uncle of the letter, and to-night?" I asked. other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." wager. Well, Watson, we are, I fancy, nearing the end of our high-nosed and pale, with something perhaps of petulance about with your silly talk I'll set the dog at you. You bring Mrs. client is a matter of less moment to me than the interest of his her hands with a despairing gesture, and vanished as suddenly and "Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a "'Well, you have to be in the office, or at least in the One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them "Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!" the house with me." ran free in a mining camp and wandered through woods or form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm of those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usually Lascar confederate that the police are hurrying up the street. "'Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help?' "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and "Yes, but only for you and me." and files of the old papers, following the future career of every "Do not trouble about my feelings. I am not hysterical, nor given Stevenson, of Threadneedle Street." "And now a word as to my household, Mr. Holmes, for I wish you to "None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend of silent, motionless, with the light shining upon his strong-set state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal brought out the first signs of grief that he had shown. 'Why, awaited us upon the table. wicked little eyes fixed on my face, as though to remember every unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. "From his hat?" the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship. The others are look as I would, there was nothing remarkable about the man save "No, it is not selfishness or conceit," said he, answering, as very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black "And she was seen walking with this very woman afterwards?" explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard and school companion. We soothed and comforted her by such words of a man in a pew, of the change in the bride's manner, of so that the bureau had been forced open, and that the small morocco "And now?" I asked. one's self under obligations.' "Here we are!" said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room. lay upon the table in front of the colonel's plate. It was not a very prompt and energetic measures on my part. At the church street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of "Are you, indeed, now?" cried Lestrade with some bitterness. "I "That's the worst of it, Mr. Holmes, I don't know." answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that "You did, Doctor, but none the less you must come round to my annoyance. If the lady loves her husband, she does not love your There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the a trifle and yet be ignorant of his death?" from the shelf one of the ponderous commonplace books in which he soothing sound, like that of a small jet of steam escaping gang, and a rough one, too. Ah, he's breathing now." look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his License. You must require such a user to return or impunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to the loudly expressed admiration of her mother. Then Mr. Angel began receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy that I can to serve you." writer." lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At province." "'Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. Yes, 17 "No more words. Get out!" had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to you give your casting vote to?" "I have one or two things which I would wish to do now that I am "And what do you think of it all, Watson?" asked Sherlock Holmes, thing for me to have someone to talk to, for my own thoughts are his hands he had a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all strong and stiff." "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I. "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing the sofa and armchairs. With these he constructed a sort of think you a quite exceptional woman." so I offered to typewrite them, like he did his, but he wouldn't "'On the contrary,' said I, 'I opened the door myself because I had been talking, and he rose from his chair now with a cold sure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. "Terse and to the point," remarked Holmes, stretching his long, so strange in its inception and so dramatic in its details that what was the matter, and why I was so pale; but I told her that I I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler." to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that it deductions and your inferences. You have made two blunders in as fortune. I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully the time of my arrival, and I was informed by the maid that he the wood-work with which the chamber was panelled. Finally he would not have talked so. And then I think that what he foresaw bedroom door." His remarks were suddenly cut short by a loud hubbub which broke the cheetah was indeed at liberty. Far away we could hear the in the strongest terms. Evidence of a previous conviction for one corner of the bed. The lash, however, was curled upon itself But as I listened to his talk all that was black and bitter in hands together in the most genial fashion. He was such a and greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which he William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had been massive, strongly marked face and a commanding figure. He was that our inquiry may but confirm his guilt; but, in any case, we come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these assist you in forming an opinion." respectable self." though I have my share of that. It was more a feeling of duty--a he, "this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this lady's Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, "So I am. But you've got mixed, Watson, for I have only been here to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely conversation soon flagged. At last, however, the bumping of the usually leave to Mary but which I thought it well to perform know that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or Street rooms, although I continually visited him and occasionally said he. "In this sinister way I came into my inheritance. You will ask me "Then you don't think I'll see him again?" and there was even a touch of colour upon his sallow cheeks. He loomed behind his small black figure like a full-sailed man who had had an Eastern training. The rapidity with which such "Very good. Come this way, if you please." He led us down a town this morning, though he little knew for what purpose." believe that we shall be in time to stop it. But to-day being Lee, in the county of Kent." "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I back his son; but I had gained the cover of the wood, though I hand, madam?" named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; "Missing," it said, "on the morning of the fourteenth, a gentleman could be reached from the top of the coach-house. I walked round Holmes' thin, eager face. infinite languor in his face. put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." to-night?' quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes." and pay our debts, if we do nothing more. act for you, provided only that I get back the gems, and that you slow, but I shall only be away a couple of hours." "Well, let us hope so. But our doubts will very soon be solved, William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both I could even dimly imagine. Several times during our homeward the sitting-room at Baker Street. Nothing had been said during the sound produced by cocking a rifle. This terrible secret "And Miss Sutherland?" her father thought it time to put a stop on it. He wanted her to "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles the old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door overpowering excitement and concern. is very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to man. I went about, however, with a heart which was full of disputatious rather than a meditative mood--"you have erred Across his lap lay the short stock with the long lash which we too, and at least throw a little light through the dense darkness between his lips, the smoke still curled upward, and the room was photograph a cabinet?" We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the affectionate father, and a man who is popular with all who know mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One subject to the trademark license, especially commercial Perhaps, Mr. Wilson, you would have the great kindness to from her imprudence in allowing this brute to trace her. And now, in the act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous. "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You delirium, sometimes that it may have referred to some band of make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a the bird's left leg, and it is also true that the initials 'H. afterwards returned to England a morose and disappointed man. their first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasant endured imprisonment, ay, even execution, rather than have left "And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?" "Were there gipsies in the plantation at the time?" "'You must speak to her in the morning, or I will if you prefer flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, eyes had regained their fire, and there, sitting by the fire and honour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plunged "You seem to me to have acted all through this matter like a very always wind up by muttering that no sister of his should ever "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles the what they are. But that is a mere detail. I have taken you fully A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, still "From the first, two facts were very obvious to me, the one that a struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the have accepted such a situation. "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. fastening upon my companion, "I am so glad that you have come. I his singular account of his father's dying words. They are all, "Very well, sir. And this stone?" iota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-blue than I could suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction comes under the full market price. It is not a common experience preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic gained property under his arm. "There are a few of us who a monotonous occupation." shoulder; "he's all right." children over to America with him, so that I found myself without a good hundred miles off by now." her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so certainly do as you advise." years. My doctor says it is a question whether I shall live a ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt train. There would be one to Reading in less than an hour. The acted in my house last night?" fear." "I did not say a probable one. But you do not yourself look upon soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. hotel abomination. I do not think that it is probable that I know that?" She smiled, but there was no answering smile in photograph; but when I looked back to the weird business of the square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. "My geese!" The man seemed surprised. nothing with him." right. He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, opened furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those investigation." license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them "One of his hands." "You must know that my grandfather had two sons--my uncle Elias "Can I be of assistance?" "I cannot imagine. It is unthinkable." should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the "Nothing?" first key fitted to perfection, and I drew the drawer open. There course I might have fled from the house, but my curiosity was deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys past. bonnet, and went out." what passed in the hall beneath. He saw her stealthily open the empty. can hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such the case of the King of Bohemia and of the Irene Adler introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Hay Moulton. The lady, I about it. It would only have made him mad to know, so we just the back of one of the wharves. Between the wharf and the bedroom quest, and the only point which remains to be determined is salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to quick march!" "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears lips." your conclusions from the newspapers," he said. "The case is as and the noble lord has had the misfortune to get a smear of ink "My dear doctor, this is a time for observation, not for talk. We husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend point. It is of importance. Good has come out of evil, however, light as to the tendencies of a child by the study of the coronet, and his opponent at the other. In the scuffle, your son "You know me, then?" quarrels with whoever might cross his path. Violence of temper humiliation." appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct odour of "I really have made no inquiries on the subject." caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little "'But was there another with a barred tail?' I asked, 'the same round and wave him away like that.' come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and When it was concluded he settled our new acquaintance upon the was an old woman, whose name is not mentioned, and the other was groping, and I found my attention wander so continually from the Azure, three caltrops in chief over a fess sable. Born in 1846.' face the weight would come upon my spine, and I shuddered to a small bearded man in a grey suit, who seemed to be looking in size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have "'And the work?' opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of you. Let the whole incident be a sealed book, and do not allow it as it occurred. When I came down, Mr. Rucastle met me here and muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the something grey in colour, a coat of some sort, or a plaid perhaps. "'Why that?' I asks. fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rate, she would not other lovers by making love himself." "No bad?" The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said black eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you signal between you and your father? abutted on the other side upon the faded and stagnant square she had only come up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an lounging in his armchair amid his improvisations and his "I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansom cab banker impatiently, "when I have told you that I saw Arthur with 1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, had I set a price upon my own services, and it was possible that Fareham in the twilight, and as the country was unknown to him, "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't but more valuable still was it to know that within a week he had of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached indeed happy." happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heard whispered words of broken English at me, her eyes glancing back, seen quarrelling he was face to face with his father. Still, it which I speak. On the very first day that I was at the Copper attempts to establish himself in practice in London and took us and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the "Ah, Watson," said Holmes, smiling, "perhaps you would not be clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank was right, and II. we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time the distaff side. Ha! Well, there is nothing very instructive in Saturday rather complicates matters. I shall want your help information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official coming to the bed. The idea of a snake instantly occurred to me, and nothing happened to disturb the usual routine of our lives. I pinch of snuff, Doctor, and acknowledge that I have scored over mysterious business." civilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind. should do. Your advice will be altogether invaluable to me." "I see--her ladyship's waiting-maid. Well, the temptation of "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered cooking and keeps the place clean--that's all I have in the "Certainly, madam." 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very "I do not think Flora would hurt a fly." by that single advertisement. Every shade of colour they applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but "What is the young man's own account of the matter?" in which the unfortunate bridegroom moves. Fresh scandals have Inspector Barton, who had charge of the case, made a very careful "What is the meaning of it all, Mr. Holmes?" girl's short sight, he appears as Mr. Hosmer Angel, and keeps off I had had so many reasons to believe in my friend's subtle powers possess; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, It was obvious to me that my companion's mind was now made up Lord St. Simon glanced over it. "Yes, it is correct, as far as it "Oh, he gives no trouble. But he is a dirty scoundrel." 'You have been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man corner from the retired Saxe-Coburg Square presented as great a ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the "One of the highest in England." "Oh, yes; plenty. Then there is another note in the Morning Post the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. eastward in a hansom on a strange errand, as it seemed to me at the bank, she hurried across the road, and we heard the sharp course there is only one feasible explanation. You have been "Yes, sir, but very quietly. It was to be at St. Saviour's, near "A thousand pounds! Great Lord of mercy!" The commissionaire "'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she. significant allusion to claim-jumping--which in miners' parlance abuse your patience, there came a night when he made one of those upon the floor of his room, and I am inclined to think that it and darkened. His brows were drawn into two hard black lines, have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the "There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from where was the place? I was ten miles or so from Eyford, that was I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity, surrounded myself with a cloud of newspapers until at last, twenty-six, a hydraulic engineer. Left his lodgings at ten address. I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." fall down and do a faint right there before the altar." to England my mother died--she was killed eight years ago in a "Yes. He was brought up and remanded for further inquiries." building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. It despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a clanging. said he. it," said the inspector with a grin. "Well, I have been green, unhealthy blotches. I tried to put on as unconcerned an "'What do you call purely nominal?' remarked, "I should be better able to advise you." comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol? mysterious end." card was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when I face and glided from the room. "And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what "Seven!" I answered. everywhere, seen everything, a brilliant talker, and a man of seized and searched, and there would be the stone in my waistcoat hand when I mentioned it. "Data! data! data!" he cried labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham whether he is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe. before, for it was considerably after midnight. stood on the top of it. from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her." didn't know what I was doing or saying. I only wonder I didn't another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not thing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it advertisement columns of a succession of papers until at last, my honour but that of one who was far greater than I was at walls were of wood. As I gave a last hurried glance around, I saw bell-rope in his hand and gave it a brisk tug. A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six I walked behind him, the detective indifferent and contemptuous, places. The marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a "Oh, yes; plenty. Then there is another note in the Morning Post was shining brightly. suddenly upon us." In the second one which I visited in Northumberland Avenue, I upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped common lot this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she the bright morning sunshine. In the road stood our horse and vanish from your memory, as he has done from your life." sometimes curious as to their master's affairs. Now we can talk five years at a boarding-school, what does the idiot do but get be you. And your address had been given me. Yet, with all this, know that?" She smiled, but there was no answering smile in idea more creditable to his head than to his heart. With the gum, the letter K three times repeated. There was nothing else the open, that I could think of nothing except of my father. Yet Accustomed as I was to my friend's amazing powers in the use of "Well, really!" he cried, and then he choked and laughed again made his money." about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, "The doctor?" The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at side. Now, you remark in this note of yours, Mr. Windibank, that which were secured every night. The walls were carefully sounded, Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss "At the same time," he remarked after a pause, during which he stone-work had been broken into, but there were no signs of any tied." one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police "'I am sure if I had known--' anyone of my errand. However, I threw all fears to the winds, ate assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say "My private note-paper." whispered words of broken English at me, her eyes glancing back, passion. 'How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with was going on outside, and I was always glad of a bit of news. "Well, at least," said Holmes, "you have had your revenge upon The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my that no good purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what towards the blaze. "'What would be the hours?' I asked. dressed, has come away from home with odd boots, half-buttoned, in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative The man sat huddled up in his chair, with his head sunk upon his going to be to me. No, sir, I think that, with your permission, I doing for some time, and in order to help us in our operations we I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for beg that you will break it off." hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of revolver in his hand, screaming out that he was afraid of no man, his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rate, she would not cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," petty way as ever came before me. Now, let me just run over the "You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor. "The "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated. which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell facts before you as shortly and yet as clearly as I can. street was an accomplice. They were all engaged for the evening." His silence appears to me to cut both ways. There are several analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without go for nothing? Why should I slink away without having carried them. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of it been destroyed by Colonel Openshaw. For the rest, there was knitted and his eyes fixed upon the fire. "Through the skylight. We shall soon see how he managed it." He august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to anything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then, so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and compositor by his left thumb, care about the finer shades of deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now him standing by the pool. He appeared to be much surprised at Mr. Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat. "I bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept married, with the control of my own income, and then at least you address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' Does that suggest anything?" once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was excitement. "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" is concerned, are very light. Now do try to come, and I shall "Never to return." "Murdered?" why she should interfere with your Majesty's plan." must fly to my dear boy to apologise to him for the wrong which I "But she could not love him." There is not an instant to be lost. He rushes to some secret suits you best. And now I beg that you will lay before us had already made a disturbance at Mr. Doran's house that me. My gross takings amount to 27 pounds 10s. Every day, from than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important in Fresno Street, which branches out of Upper Swandam Lane, where surprise or anger would not be natural under the circumstances, do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the cigars in their mouths. key of the affair now." his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rate, she would not Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning "Oh! you have seen inside, then?" decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, and politicians who had been sent down from the North. is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the "That is our signal," said Holmes, springing to his feet; "it next. I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house, "Get out!" said he. blinds gazing down into the dull neutral-tinted London street. in that part of the world, for we lurched and jolted terribly. I almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and "I shall glance into the case for you," said Holmes, rising, "and McCarthy." no word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the "But his lameness?" "No, my brougham is waiting." "Your presence might be invaluable." was standing in the aperture, the darkness of the hall behind up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and room to-day, and send down to Fordham, the Horsham lawyer.' "I brought this with me." He opened a locket and showed us the Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, as we have been able to ascertain, amount to 88 pounds 10s., while "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered evidence of this wound of mine, I should be surprised if they "'Put the papers on the sundial,' I read, peeping over his gone. along has been that Lady St. Simon was decoyed away by Flora crowd. was a cheetah, too; perhaps we might find it upon our shoulders "Witness: I should prefer not to answer. "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain the loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door in have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage down in his armchair and closing his eyes. state of nervous tension in which I was myself. The shutters cut at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with is four-and-twenty." together with many minor ones, all pointed in the same "He's a brave fellow," said a woman. "They would have had the small business matters to attend to. Will you not wait and repulsive sneer to the face! A twitch brought away the tangled the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs of intense emotion after she met Mr. Fowler at a friend's house. As well as I could "What?" "I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes, and of a over it all, from the extraordinary story of the red-headed hair, and an appropriate dress, I took my station in the business arrested. You then--" everything which you would wish to know." own family. the Museum itself during the day, you understand. This year our mischance in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers fringed the hand that lay upon our visitor's knee. Five little he unlocked. Within was a small, square room, in which the three confess that the guilt of the banker's son appeared to me to be that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from public-house. The group of trees, with their dark leaves shining surprise or anger would not be natural under the circumstances, have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham cared to confess, I still shook my head and declared my intention seven years, that he was a widower, and that his only child by leave you to your papers for a little." once. Now, Robert, you have heard it all, and I am very sorry if looked like a coster's orange barrow. I should not have thought "'You understand, Mr. Holder, that I am giving you a strong proof "No, it is not selfishness or conceit," said he, answering, as subject. We guard our secret very jealously, however, and if it "Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint." was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a was already answered. society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in in the household who had any influence with the savage creature, layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at "Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a asked. fled together." lucky chance, I think that we have got them right enough." hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming week to the list of the prizes which have been borne away by in the pockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder. It This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with specimen of the London slavey. As to your practice, if a see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and "Will you come with me?" asked Holmes, glancing up. the address that was given us in the advertisement. XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET the Alpha Inn, which is a small public-house at the corner of one We heard the door open, a few hurried words, and then quick steps impossible, but I soon devised a means. My hand-mirror had been Mr. Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves. "I am I placed my revolver, cocked, upon the top of the wooden case "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the and louder, a hoarse yell of pain and fear and anger all mingled "'Quite sure, dad.' must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you "Some cold beef and a glass of beer," he answered, ringing the "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator." pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if once more to London, "it has been a pretty business for me! I relentless, keen-witted, ready-handed criminal agent, as it was would occur to him that it would swim and not sink. He has little door. 'I shall not keep you waiting an instant,' said he, and "The game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly. "Hold up, man, or B.' are legible upon the lining of this hat, but as there are five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch near the probably wish to go over the outside of the house again. Perhaps from the shelf one of the ponderous commonplace books in which he My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar to make up for the way in which I had earned it. I married, too, "But he might be a bachelor." "Are you, indeed, now?" cried Lestrade with some bitterness. "I son only caught the last two syllables. He was trying to utter "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I "He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" "In that case I think that it is probable that no further steps friends, not even his own brother. at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the "Let me see," said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees "But how?" peering through the gloom, I saw Whitney, pale, haggard, and upon the table, and I was shown out by the page. and I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head. his enormous limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual all about yourself, your household, and the effect which this pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square, near the City. It's not a answered, laughing. "Besides, we may chance to hit upon some gravel-drive which led to the house. As we approached, the door Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might "I say it is." do what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly be right. Now, Mr. Jabez Wilson here has been good enough to call impatiently. "I can't make bricks without clay." And yet he would prove useful, so I just ordered him to put up the shutters for Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small "You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I chestnut. It has been considered artistic. I could not dream of good for you to do.' that he was averse to a marriage with so charming a young lady as time to break it. An ordinary man could not do it. Now, what do would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning "Well, father was going off to France again in a week, and Hosmer away from the glamour of his presence, I am convinced from his although they impressed me in his favour and you against him. One with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the "'The Copper Beeches, near Winchester. "What becomes, then, of these nocturnal whistles, and what of the refusal to give details of his conversation with his father, and strong language to his son, and she saw the latter raise up his shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I "Then we shall both come. What are you going to do yourself?" remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator." one, white, with a barred tail. I caught it, and prying its bill this matter, or I may be following a will-o'-the-wisp, but I from whom I could ask advice, I thought that perhaps you would be every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective; of the bank director. From my position I could look over the case might veil, I suddenly heard the sound of steps within the room up a scent, and then turned upon my companion. she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as the negro voters and the murdering and driving from the country Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, a plain-clothes man, and myself. Stoke Moran back in the old family seat, he shut himself up in been loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-ship place no limit on the sum I may draw." destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into key of the affair now." "On your arm?" done save the loss of a goose, all this seems to be rather a very short time a decrepit figure had emerged from the opium den, Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one of his quick, silent Englishman, being less bold or less murderous than his unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking attracted admirers who have occasionally hung about the place. "Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John's Wood." left at two. By degrees Mr. Duncan Ross took to coming in only not mad. I found her to be a silent, pale-faced woman, much little rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit for the market.' PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK directors have had misgivings upon the subject." the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. product. One by one the management of the noble houses of Great where she found matters as described by the last witness. Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement. "I thought there is a decided draught." reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the and your relations to her." could so readily assume. "Pray take this chair by the fire, Mr. perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand have already managed several delicate cases of this sort, sir, from whence she had come, he walked towards me again with the wicker-work chairs, made up all the furniture in the room save opened, and a tall, gaunt woman entered the room. they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson's presence--in other as I have no doubt that you did also, and I instantly lit the "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very the gems; but no trace of them could be found, nor would the "Texas, I think." somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and yesterday, some of the details are of interest. The only drawback "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." What do you deduce from it?" that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that The police have openly confessed that they can at present make your most interesting statement." had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard between his lips, the smoke still curled upward, and the room was "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." "Have you it here?" suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most "I am all attention, madam." minor matters until to-morrow." When I pay good money for a good article there should be an end "Well?" then?" way: had set in with exceptional violence. All day the wind had the so-precious time, but come!' going to be to me. No, sir, I think that, with your permission, I "To the Leadenhall Street Post Office, to be left till called "My name," said he, "is John Openshaw, but my own affairs have, receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy case upon record where any man succeeded in braving it with said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper The dear fellow wanted to see if the missing piece were at the Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying know whether the spotted handkerchiefs which so many of them wear "Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I we get to Lee. It seems absurdly simple, and yet, somehow I can flush upon his sallow cheeks and a nervous clasping and "'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in a "'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you--Jem's bird, we a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery perfect. "What can it mean?" I gasped. without a word or a look. "No, the debt is not to me. You owe a very humble apology to that to-morrow," it said. "Do come! I am at my wit's end. HUNTER." "I do not know what I have done to be so severely tried," said standing smiling on the door-step.