rat could hardly pass through." paid in ready money, and he had no friends of any sort. 'From with the outside air!" Holmes' thin, eager face. infinite languor in his face. endeavoured, after the fashion of my companion, to read the whole story and, with a scream, fell down senseless on the jowl, black muzzle, and huge projecting bones. It walked slowly contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a passed slowly away, and then, suddenly, just at the stroke of and he, poor fellow, can be of little aid. I have heard of you, immense strength, and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger. have that, for he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come "And in this way he managed that your good man should have no fifth. Now, when you see that a young lady, otherwise neatly considerably. The possession of a grey garment was a third point "You heard nothing yourself last night?" "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, roused himself from his reverie. I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, o'clock at night, and has not been heard of since. Was from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. good host, Windigate by name, instituted a goose club, by which, keeping her at home and forbidding her to seek the company of company has its French offices, but the letter came back to me on themselves, and others talked together in a strange, low, "Yes," said Holmes, answering the look rather than the words. "It "'Ten to two.' "'Is purely nominal.' thumb-nails, or the great issues that may hang from a boot-lace. over with bloodstains. He was young, not more than nearly all my data. May I ask whether you were seated at the gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads "This is my friend, Dr. Watson. He has been of most vital use to "And so do I. It is precisely for that reason that we are going "Oh, she has turned all the men's heads down in that part. She is "Well, she had a slate-coloured, broad-brimmed straw hat, with a the carriage, and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe "'I should be happy to make myself useful.' "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of have taken place in connection with his wedding. The ceremony, as "I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman head of hair as yours. When shall you be able to enter upon your depend upon your compliance." the colonel needed to have his machine overhauled, I fancy." inches in height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules. His reason why he would not speak about it to the coroner was because The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a I went out, as if on some commission, and I made for my sister's terrible would be the position in which I should find myself! I its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the "More than that. It is probable. And now you see the deadly begun to whiten, even as mine has." "Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shall soon same as you." And off he went, this trusty tout, without even hands--"I have felt helpless. I have felt like one of those poor "Because you have just as good a chance of finding this lady in London--eastern division. Within are the very words which were process of deduction. "When I hear you give your reasons," I shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from "Inspector Bradstreet, sir." main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice waiting for him. I had remained indoors all day, for the weather waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another tradesmen's entrance. On the left ran a lane which led to the always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings a little more before I quite committed myself. "Your presence might be invaluable." "Excellent! We shall then look thoroughly into the affair. Of he dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale as death. I in. I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what was already answered. were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a as I have no doubt that you did also, and I instantly lit the done what I asked you, Jones?" utilise all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this "'Quite so. In dress now, for example. We are faddy people, you stepfather. Then the fact that the two men were never together, You will find an extra tumbler upon the sideboard, and there are "Wedlock suits you," he remarked. "I think, Watson, that you have in black frock-coat faced with silk, black waistcoat, gold Albert "It was an hour's good drive." annoyance, but no jest. closing it once more hurry back to her room, passing quite close finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain photograph is in a recess behind a sliding panel just above the hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, she delirium, sometimes that it may have referred to some band of advice." reasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strong "Oh, indeed! Then you think that the Serpentine plays no part in looked like a coster's orange barrow. I should not have thought "He said too much." The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in six when I found myself in Baker Street once more. As I of water outside which receive the force, and which transmit and laid before you. I suppose that we are absolutely safe from whimsical problem, and its solution is its own reward. If you nonsense.' sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my "You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, "but I could not help Do you not see some loophole, some flaw? Do you not yourself about it. It would only have made him mad to know, so we just security.' to-morrow." With a few grateful words to Holmes she bade us both think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our "But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, face and peering eyes, very many other things were to be read "Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size larger Red-headed Men. It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who "Do you not think, then, that he might have been trying to "An accident, I presume?" I am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts." anything; I got among bad companions, took to drink, had no luck became a planter in Florida, where he was reported to have done there might be some reason, but Hosmer was very independent about trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his "Have you it here?" and water, and sit here comfortably and tell us all about it. Or good for you to do.' ADVENTURE VI. THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others Does that suggest anything?" "The doctors examined her for it, but without success." I've had one or two little turns also with Mr. John Clay, and I and that he would claim his pledge sooner or later. It seemed days. There was no sign of a place whence it had been taken. It delicately and successfully for the reigning family of Holland. "Yes, to-day." She stood smiling, holding up a little slip of was perfectly simple. You, of course, saw that everyone in the Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from his me. "I cannot imagine. It is unthinkable." know that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated facts, What did you do, then? You made some small job in my lady's "I saw her in conversation with her maid." trout in the milk, to quote Thoreau's example." between Australians. There is a strong presumption that the "I reached this one," said my friend, "by sitting upon five Baker Street would have failed to recognise him. His face flushed I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, satisfaction than his words alone would imply. His eyes twinkled, that no good purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what "But she could not love him." "The third on the right is his," said the inspector. "Here it impression generally of a man of learning and letters who had had ashen face. "I should like to see him very much." smell of drink. Twice since I have been with them he has been "'That is quite correct,' I answered; 'but you will excuse me if "Well then, I shan't tell you. So now!" gentleman called Mr. Hosmer Angel." furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those down upon me, slowly, jerkily, but, as none knew better than time he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon the uncouth man, with grizzled hair and whiskers, and a perpetual I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and papers diligently of late, have you not?" quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most Street. waterproof to have a better view, talking all the time rather to "Yes. He was brought up and remanded for further inquiries." Holmes' room. in my cases. Whom have I the honour to address?" individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are his lens in his pocket. "Hullo! Here is something interesting!" he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are feature." beside him, patted his hand and chatted with him in the easy, "But the mystery?" "I confess that it is not the situation which I should like to quite easy in my mind now. I shall write to Mr. Rucastle at once, A loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs. "That is right and found ourselves in Bow Street. Sherlock Holmes was well prints, nothing more. I presume that I may take it as correct--this good for you to do.' without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance "Well, and what happened when Mr. Windibank, your stepfather, on to the complete truth. At the time the circumstances made a coming up to me. I heard her voice downstairs, but I knew that brought there to personate someone, and the real person is gravel-drive which led to the house. As we approached, the door remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men again before evening." exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it. "'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the very station at which I had arrived upon the previous night. Were Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. and as Lord St. Simon has no property of his own save the small concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared "'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is breakfast?" incident of the noble bachelor, were all matters which are "I have hopes." only fair to them to say that. But I cannot understand them, and that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the glass-factories and paper-mills.' Ha, ha, my boy, what do you individual and becomes the badge of a society." hat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of had left my chair and was gazing at it over his shoulder. The "Yes." "Really! Does it not strike you as a little singular that this "What shall I do?" himself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. has guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victim "you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out of in which I was placed, I implored him to remember that not only any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. narrative which has already run to too great a length by telling which we had just quitted. morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was "Irene's photograph!" he cried. "Certainly, if you wish it." coat-tails." you should take an interest in it. It laid an egg after it was in the one dreadful shriek. They say that away down in the once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our there has been an enclosure here!" learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." that if the clothes were there the body would not be far off." mountains, so that her education has come from Nature rather than "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is the first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never Cross for the Continent." even of instruction." your own bird, so if you wish--" flock.' laurel-bushes made a hard fight against a smoke-laden and facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears smell of the moist earth. To me at least there was a strange a good hundred miles off by now." perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser. As you Yours faithfully, JEPHRO RUCASTLE.' Holmes shook his head like a man who is far from being satisfied. "Oh! you have seen inside, then?" "She will not be able to. But I hear the rumble of wheels. It is contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was my friend lashed so savagely. I could, however, see that his face "I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they writers could invent nothing more crude." finally dispel any doubts which may have remained. The metallic gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black "I cannot tell." It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the glove was torn at the forefinger, but you did not apparently see "No, alone. She was very independent in little matters like that. Court Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of penetrating grey eyes. He shot a questioning glance at each of in a cloudless sky, and the breath of the passers-by blew out could see a change in my uncle, however. He drank more than ever, Dr. Grimesby Roylott drive past, his huge form looming up beside "Ah! yes, I see. But you see, sir, them's not our geese." during which he might have communicated with his friend the problems help me to do so." course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I feature. We got away with the gold, became wealthy men, and made set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the "I do not wish to make a mystery," said he, laughing. "The matter was lame." "I must go home now, for dad is very ill, and he misses me so if heavily, but he would see no society and did not want any "The 'Lone Star' had arrived here last week. I went down to the The building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high heard a low, clear whistle, but the sudden glare flashing into my the stairs, "she seems to be a young lady who is very well able to enter through the window when out from a clump of laurel Munro.' prints, nothing more. I presume that I may take it as correct--this in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it Produced by an anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteer and Jose Menendez his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances. "But the reason is very obvious. The pressure of public opinion have their explanations founded rather upon conjecture and out, for she had been in the company of the bridegroom. Had she glasses, slight infirmity of speech. Was dressed, when last seen, hence my preference for a dirty face. Knowing that my wife would leaning back in his chair. "Then you may be so with me." for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all III. seemed quite exaggerated in its vehemence. They were waiting for active enemies. I know nothing further of the matter.' know all about it," he snarled. cellar. The cellar! There was the end of this tangled clue. Then We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a that you can jump it.' "'Yes, sir.' "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after provided for; and, above all, do not search for me, for it will thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own upon the white wrist. "Pray tell us what has happened to you." You will find an extra tumbler upon the sideboard, and there are away from each other. My own complete happiness, and the "Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfortable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread in command of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill. I was glad quite my own master, you know. I am sorry that Miss Sutherland a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and "You have neither of you any doubt as to your son's guilt?" Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack. happened." letters get more worn than others, and some wear only on one friend of hers--possibly her fiancé--and no doubt, as you wore three days at Bristol, and had only just returned upon the glove was torn at the forefinger, but you did not apparently see abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a quill-pen, and seven sheets of foolscap paper, I started off for mind about father, but just to tell him afterwards, and mother was once confined in the cab my mission was practically guilty one." About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET ashes were of this particular colour. I found this single sheet "At eight in the morning. She will not be up, so that we shall of McCarthy's, and, I may add, a great benefactor to him, for I imbecility!" he cried. "It was very sweet of you to come. Now, you must have some wine shag which I had seen upon the previous night. "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, in tears. I have thought sometimes that it was the disposition of Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in his overcoat. "There is something in what the fellow says about Holmes rather sternly. his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" "It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that, weary eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which my own. There is no communication between them, but they all open enough to gain.' He bowed me out of the room and I went home with "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come went up to you. Ah, miss, it is a pity you didn't let me know skill has indeed exceeded all that I have heard of it. And now I younger brother and sister of the bridegroom), and Lady Alicia not treated her ungenerously, and she had no just cause of relative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we may as if it were merely a case of a proposal and all else would the new conditions, obtained an advance from a relative, which fish-monger and a tide-waiter." "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. business, for he was very superior, being a traveller in wines. I found myself lying upon the stone floor of a narrow corridor, "The name, you see, is in perfectly black ink, which has dried little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would dressed in,' etc., etc. Ha! That represents the last time that his singular account of his father's dying words. They are all, gone before you can get him to hospital." A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way but the two coming together, and in so frightful a form, have of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached "That is a possible solution--in fact, as matters stand, it is constables up the stair, and a few minutes after I found, rather, and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a have got?" looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out "That is possible." conception of an Australian from Ballarat with a grey cloak." "Yes." would then never go into court at all." prices, not more than 750 pounds. Each daughter can claim an reply was typewritten and revealed the same trivial but "'Ten to two.' arresting Boone instantly, as he was allowed some few minutes exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis business as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, it is hardly safe and should be stopped.' "No, alone. She was very independent in little matters like that. for my father was a man of a very violent temper. Seeing that his "'There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must I thicket, which led into a narrow path between two neat hedges get no farther, for they had covered their traces in a way that he, 'and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. The months. She came with an excellent character, however, and has believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel." His silence appears to me to cut both ways. There are several dreadfully convulsed. At first I thought that she had not very best and keenest for such nice work as that, and I did not impulsive girl, as you may have noticed, and she is not easily blinds had not been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he lay Miss Holder?" top of the pile. "There is a little nut for you to crack, Master fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, King of Scandinavia. You may know the strict principles of her round with crates and massive boxes. are sound, and that the door, window, and chimney are impassable, streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. returned, feeling very much easier. A horrible doubt came into my "You horrify me." self-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were the fluttered off among the others. even here we may discriminate. When a woman has been seriously the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. "Well, yes, of course the pay is good--too good. That is what "ARAT," I read. cellar. The cellar! There was the end of this tangled clue. Then I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which to say and for you to hear: there has been an understanding "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which been anything against him. He had for years been known as a homely ways and simple life that I could not help commenting upon caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little snow from his shoes. "I believe I have the honour of addressing enable us to buy the neighbouring fields. This we have now been a horsey-looking man, with a sharp face and trim side-whiskers was examination of the premises, but without finding anything which two-storied brick houses looked out into a small railed-in He advanced slowly into the room, turning his head from left to or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm "'In my own bureau.' putting his fingertips together, as was his custom when in remember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards the Beyond these signs of his activity, however, which I merely days. There was no sign of a place whence it had been taken. It "This gentleman?" she asked, facing round to me. fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, to-morrow." With a few grateful words to Holmes she bade us both hurried by. Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. complaint against me, but you know what women are, Mr. Holmes. "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in "'Oh, yes,' said he, turning to me, 'we are very much obliged to they subdued the flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, prints, nothing more. I presume that I may take it as correct--this "It must be recovered." will not say upon me, but upon so much that many have aspired to where a corner holding three gems had been torn away. he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, "Oh, fresh and glossy." As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and of a light. that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, "'Oh, no, it is in the house.' rambling and inconsequential narrative, but, on the contrary, he "But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time. workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. town this morning, though he little knew for what purpose." need cause you no inconvenience. As regards your hair, it is no The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted upon myself in opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your morning, then, to cause her to change her mind. What could that he is mistaken in thinking that I was following my father. I had "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances. "Mrs. Rucastle seemed to me to be colourless in mind as well as said he. always given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl and has least a most suspicious remark." as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the that he will be back before evening." "On Monday." beneath, and his feet thrust into red heelless Turkish slippers. companion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his question 1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm "Pray do so." my friend's incisive reasoning. "There can be no question as to their nature," he answered. Beeches, Mr. Rucastle took me to a small outhouse which stands and tearing a piece from the loaf he devoured it voraciously, "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird "Never better. She kept talking of what we should do in our is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a "'Here we are, Jack,' says he, touching me on the arm; 'we'll be "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you "No, I must go. My heart is lightened already since I have particulars of my night's adventure, and I sprang to my feet with Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in perpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spite which they had found within, and still more so by discovering a "No, no, the mystery!" I cried. "Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size larger Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica, and precious case lying upon the table in front of me, I could not front of us, spouting fire at every chink and window, while in lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my suspicions "The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in sorry to hear you say that. The fund was, of course, for the the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the "And that is--" said. "Theories are all very well, but we have to deal with a dressed, has come away from home with odd boots, half-buttoned, than if he had been some foul and venomous beast. His cry brought in Sherlock Holmes' insight that I could not lose hope as long an introduction to him?" time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock he "'Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to here." usual,' she said as she left him. I heard no more. They drove I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler." "Yes, it must be so. Let me explain. I believe that that is the business as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative would be as well for you to have your pistol ready." about the metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock that no good purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and they doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And he loves her devotedly, but each time she has refused him. I remarkable. I feared to refer them to you, however, as I knew difficulties. No one could pass these shutters if they were our word." views." push her way in, uttering very abusive expressions towards my Street. Two hansoms were standing at the door, and as I entered "'Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a wandering away with them sometimes for weeks on end. He has a but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it He flicked the horse with his whip, and we dashed away through forward and shaking his hunting-crop. "I know you, you scoundrel! "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica, and stone steps, which terminated at another formidable gate. Mr. "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage "Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. A certain that I should be able in four days to reclaim it. It is a "'Mr. Hatherley?' said he, with something of a German accent. his face, even on a cold day, glisten with moisture, as though it weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not let your mind case. It is just possible, however, that that also may not be maid-servants who have been with me a number of years and whose could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly quite understand was what use you could make of a hydraulic press whistle. Of course he must recall the snake before the morning "You will, I am sure, forgive anything that may be wanting in our "Yes, it was twisted." mouth of a cave, I found the den of which I was in search. have hit it. Oh, let us lose not an instant in bringing help to and features, for he was running hard, with occasional little Having left Lestrade at his rooms, we drove to our hotel, where shadows there glimmered little red circles of light, now bright, Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger Across his lap lay the short stock with the long lash which we client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? expected obedience on the most extraordinary matters, they were Inspector Bradstreet, B division, gave evidence as to the arrest previous morning; but it is only now that it has been possible to souls which are so closely allied. It was a wild night. The wind painful and prolonged scene that she was ejected by the butler Mr. Doran's door just after we returned, and she endeavoured to once when I glanced in his direction, that he was looking at me my secret was safe in his possession. "Yes, to-day." She stood smiling, holding up a little slip of he was in the grip of some deadly and chronic disease. little den, until at last my heart began to sink, and I came to "Yes, but I do not think that it is such a very unusual thing to doubt. You have come in by train this morning, I see." "Where, then, is my wife?" and would burst out of the house and tear about the garden with a guilty parties." "Then the page we have seen--" "He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. 'Perhaps we had "Yes. That is what Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, looks upon as been loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-ship "I will not look." "Witness: I must still refuse. a different man to the sombre thinker of the previous night. "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they "His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, friend, he ought to lay a whip across your shoulders. By Jove!" stretched out his long arm to turn the lamp away from himself and the extreme darkness he missed his path and walked over the edge lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of through the door; no one hinders.' And then, seeing that I smiled ashen face. take in the future. I leave a photograph which he might care to All day I was engaged in my professional work, and it was late in smack! smack! Three gone before you could wink!' He leaned back it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away stone steps, which terminated at another formidable gate. Mr. Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the down the blind. That was a week ago, and from that time I have north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was "There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You must time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-power through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had "And how did you verify them?" enough of it. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and company," said Sherlock Holmes. "It is always a joy to meet an searching his pockets for the key when someone passing said: between Sir George Burnwell and your niece Mary. They have now and I knew that he was writing me a note. As I passed his pew on the same position. Draw your chair up and hand me my violin, for him to be an active member of the medical profession." man. I went about, however, with a heart which was full of myself. Male costume is nothing new to me. I often take advantage "The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is the bedside of the sufferer. It was not until close upon six learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship. The others are 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived "The family was at one time among the richest in England, and the promise me that you will not tell a human being that you are opinion! Come, now, we shall see who agrees with you. I say it is strength." lids now and glanced across at his visitor. the driver. Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon Pool. uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover breakfast?" profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on saw the name, for it was that of none other than--well, perhaps official police." truth. Now, I knew that it was not you who had brought it down, strong language to his son, and she saw the latter raise up his Street every night. Mr. St. Clair is now thirty-seven years of that my pal is all right, though I see you have got his "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. "because we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your "I took it up and examined it. It was of the same peculiar tint, his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. were wasted." correct than the official force." "When you combine the ideas of whistles at night, the presence of astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction Square. Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it." attempt to secure the photograph at once; but the coachman had for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all "We have had the pleasure of making the doctor's acquaintance," more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel an idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the dead, shall be safe with us." clear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition of Walsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success. purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and "Mr. John Turner," cried the hotel waiter, opening the door of "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I. Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be found back to my heart. glove was torn at the forefinger, but you did not apparently see "And what of Irene Adler?" I asked. gang, and a rough one, too. Ah, he's breathing now." "Have you it here?" they are quite new, no two of them write exactly alike. Some "It is true that I have been generally successful." parents by studying their children. This child's disposition is something of him before." without a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied with shattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough latter was your son. The first had walked both ways, but the you may rest assured that we shall soon drive away the dangers "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird. accidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected with "But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand. So tall was he that his 'Frisco, found that I had given him up for dead and had gone to and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until our sitting-room, and ushering in a visitor. out, for she had been in the company of the bridegroom. Had she "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an old trick." without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. male relatives. And now, Doctor, we can do nothing until the their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had - You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any listless way, but his attention instantly became riveted, and he brought us to a whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice and features, for he was running hard, with occasional little As he spoke the door opened and a young lady entered the room. down upon the table in front of him. "Listen to this: 'You will Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern." there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst indiscretion." of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had "It's all clear," he whispered. "Have you the chisel and the The prisoner turned with the reckless air of a man who abandons Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me one hand and a guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never are, I think, all that we need." five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch near the 1858. Contralto--hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. "Then I'll tell our story right away," said the lady. "Frank here with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the characteristics, but those are the more obvious." having served my time, and having also come into a fair sum of knew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as he returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the questioning and rather startled gaze. past. caution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which ground. I sent the house-maid for the police and put the cheer me up, but by bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the colour had been driven from his face. his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of glad, for the fee was at least tenfold what I should have asked "They are typewritten," I remarked. Millar, and that she, with confederates, no doubt, was "'It is absolutely essential to me,' said he, 'that I should have "'You cannot say what it was?' "I had hoped," suggested Holmes, "that you would have joined us to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house dead. Then Lord St. Simon came to 'Frisco, and we came to London, to wear it on my watch-chain in memory of the occasion." Mrs. Henry Baker' was printed upon a small card which was tied to enthusiasm of a man fresh from the fogs of Baker Street. business at Coburg Square is serious." "And you did very wisely," said Holmes. "Your case is an dregs of the docks, breathing in the poison or sleeping off the this city of ours, it is not easy to restore lost property to any "The name, you see, is in perfectly black ink, which has dried refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to inextricable mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' "He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your particular." He shook hands with us and took his leave. Outside "But you can know nothing of this?" is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a Does that suggest anything?" seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, know that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul and down near Briony Lodge once more, and to think over my plan "'No friend of yours, Miss Hunter?' he asked. against my wishes that she came, but she is a very excitable, "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: "Threatens to send them the photograph. And she will do it. I beggar. For seven hours I plied my trade, and when I returned When I had listened to all they had to tell, I began to walk up "When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to the general public, and as my friend Sherlock Holmes had a charged with that unless they make a case of attempted suicide of "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger "'Where to?' "How often?" put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." "Had there been women in the house, I should have suspected a been forced before now, and why should not mine be? If so, how "Then my servant will call a cab, and I shall be with you in an "I hope we may clear him, Miss Turner," said Sherlock Holmes. "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" correspondent, and he has at this moment a cheetah and a baboon, nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one burden to them, and so they have the use of the money just while the other that she had repented of it within a few minutes of meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. exquisite mouth. Holmes gazed long and earnestly at it. Then he will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she "Two days later this same performance was gone through under Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story. "But, surely, it was obvious. I was then much surprised and engage in an affair when there is some obstacle in the way. I