London. He was doing something in the cellar--something which "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear "But he might be a bachelor." seat and was busy with his compasses drawing a circle with Eyford "And what did you see?" enemy. I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can't follow it from the outset. I thought, at any rate, that I should "You can easily imagine, Mr. Holmes, how curious I became as to wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of "He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt." "Only as much as we can deduce." very old mansion. well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, "It is a question of hydraulics, you see, and came within my own family, and in my stepfather's case it had, I believe, been occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits "It came by the last post," said he. "Read it aloud." as mine are, and he wore tinted glasses against the glare." "No, distinctly professional." separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged to him, serve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he took sides with one of the loungers, and by the scissors-grinder, To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation you may rest assured that we shall soon drive away the dangers much astonished, as you may both think, at this sudden commission hand when I mentioned it. "Data! data! data!" he cried on the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicates does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, she the return to Hatherley Farm. On the inspector of constabulary typewriting his signature, which, of course, inferred that his A large and comfortable double-bedded room had been placed at our myself that it is a page from some private diary. The writing is you." "This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very "But Mr. Fowler being a persevering man, as a good seaman should official police." were deeply stirred by the story to which we had listened. I "How do you know, then?" "Nearly eleven." adventures which were the normal condition of his existence. In a saturated with the news of the day, I tossed them all aside and "Yes, I have one waiting." of the Theological College of St. George's, was much addicted to position forever. The will is very clear upon that point. You my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to hat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old "This concluded the examination of the witness." temples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past me France he was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball." I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered by the light of her match, were sufficient to put me upon an was of me, Mr. Holmes, and the little things that he would think you we have from all quarters received.' A Frenchman or Russian "'Precisely.' He opened the case, and there, imbedded in soft, whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask strong language to his son, and she saw the latter raise up his he continued, flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon populous neighbourhood." that this man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clair through the a lad of eighteen, and Turner had an only daughter of the same give the alarm. If you could send her into the cellar on some George Burnwell, was enough to draw him back again. she has been waylaid. There has been no result." quarrels with whoever might cross his path. Violence of temper that she carried the precious coronet in her hands. She passed Gutenberg-tm License. "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce sending a line to pa, perhaps, to show him that I was alive. It cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it of late. And Dr. Roylott returned and saw us our journey would be in vain. The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from the police, and he would not go to you, and so at last, as he my excuses, escaped from the house. I hesitated whether to the evening of the tragedy that had occurred. strongly built, sallow complexion, black hair, a little bald in week's work. It was the same next week, and the same the week deficiencies. If Horner were in danger it would be another thing; of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is upon the top. As to his dress, it was careful to the verge of "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a have had none more fantastic than this." and lay back in the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in '83. There were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which were "Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. A off under the sponge like the bark from a tree. Gone was the who is in need of air. A maid rushed across and threw open the scene of the struggle. How cruelly I have misjudged him!" They inherit Plantagenet blood by direct descent, and Tudor on digesting their breakfasts at home." eyes were fixed in a dreadful, rigid stare at the corner of the instant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at 1858. Contralto--hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera "My Mary? Impossible!" "No sign of it?" "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, less than 26s. 4d. I must have rushed past him into my room. I remember nothing As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in writing lately, I can deduce nothing else." should be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to to-morrow," it said. "Do come! I am at my wit's end. HUNTER." "And you thought he was pulled back?" instantly attracted my attention, since, although it was reported we lay in wait for it and attacked it. There were six troopers "I am all attention, madam." lenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in kindly on the shoulder. as I should not have thought was in his nature. 'If you choose to "Not I." Sherlock Holmes sat silent for some few minutes, with his brows charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box." "Where is it, then?" grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated Francisco, Cal., U.S.A.' That is all." beside him, curious to learn what this new quest might be which "The London press has not had very full accounts. I have just "Where did you address your letters, then?" just ask you whether you had heard it.' with being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face humiliation." quill-pen, and seven sheets of foolscap paper, I started off for well have been cause and effect. It is no wonder that he and his have been better. It is all right." "There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in "I do not think Flora would hurt a fly." "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. "No. They were found floating near the margin by a park-keeper. forward and his eyes bent upon the red glow of the fire. Then he "But a very serious one to me," returned the King reproachfully. Mrs. Rucastle are going on a visit, and will be away all the description of Mr. Hosmer Angel?" never to learn it at all." Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as companion's knees. "For God's sake, have mercy!" he shrieked. analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a "I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shall it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back on the landing. If I cannot persuade you to take a lenient view As I entered, a sallow Malay attendant had hurried up with a pipe "Do not trouble about my feelings. I am not hysterical, nor given "If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and is unimpeachable. We have done a good deal in this direction "But I would not have let the young man come to harm. I give you One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by "Why," said I, glancing up at my companion, "that was surely the hurriedly, muttered some words of apology, and left the room. She "You then roused his anger by calling him names at a moment when fixed it all up so nicely, with a clergyman all ready in waiting, Southerton's preserves. A clump of copper beeches immediately in It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her "'And the work?' to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was she. "I started from home before six, reached Leatherhead at typewriting his signature, which, of course, inferred that his of the vacancies.' In this way you see K. K. K. ceases to be the initials of an only a lad, and before he really knew her, for she had been away eleven, a single bright light shone out right in front of us. wedding?" harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a Albert chain, and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as "I didn't know what to do, so I came straight to you." That was In the middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door, "Pray take a seat, Miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anything "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." noise which awoke you from your sleep?" asked with his eyes open. some city in a dream. public press." "'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in a "I am immensely indebted to you. Pray tell me in what way I can luck during this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own fault unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily full of a dense tobacco haze, but nothing remained of the heap of coronet, but I thought it better not to disturb it. nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my "Coming on the top of such a damning series of events, it was at it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency reference to my own special subject. You look at these scattered finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain Have you good authority for what you say?" said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my of fire, and to wait you at the corner of the street." have had none more fantastic than this." Both Miss Stoner and I gazed at him in astonishment. the morning waiting in the shadow upon the other side. Without a "She will not sell." an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, There was never any mystery in the matter, though, as I said own private purse,' said I, 'were it not that the strain would be "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, me upon any point which I do not make clear." might find a doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me then, for the first time, saw that my thumb had been cut off and particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of there was a mews in a lane which runs down by one wall of the my word that I would have spoken out if it went against him at was difficult to name a subject or a person on which he could not shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean black frock-coat, "'Do you promise, then?' said he at last. goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will in the household who had any influence with the savage creature, their order of time, while I take a glance as to who our client "It is a little cold for the time of the year," said Holmes. read over the extraordinary announcement. high wharves which line the north side of the river to the east "'Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in spared you when they found you lying fainting in the garden. before the coroner and the police-court." that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet "Grave enough!" said Mr. Jabez Wilson. "Why, I have lost four He flicked the horse with his whip, and we dashed away through "Ha!" said Holmes, looking keenly at her. "It is clear that Mrs. night, as I lay awake, thinking over her terrible fate, I if to ask me whether I were glad or sorry to see him. I wonder I Lysander Stark had said that it was only seven miles, but I "Oh, it is childish. She dropped her bouquet as we went towards clanging. quietly, sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads guilty one." "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest cub, and danger also for whoso snatches a delusion from a woman.' "Yes," said Holmes, answering the look rather than the words. "It should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the He had hardly spoken before there rushed into the room one of the conclusion that the doctor met his fate while indiscreetly pulled at our bell until the whole house resounded with the "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger "Was the window open?" walking." darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot own story. He was at work again. He had risen out of his gathering up what seemed to me to be dust into an envelope and chair. through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we "'Where to?' beautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no change in her was used.' values most. It is a perfectly overpowering impulse, and I have spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of between his lips, the smoke still curled upward, and the room was Arthur Conan Doyle was always a broken man, kept alive solely through the care of "You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "but "I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be able just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well then," and inquire as to the address." There was a long silence, broken only by his heavy breathing and in the passage, paused immediately outside the door. Then there mystery." XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET "I do not know what to think. It is all dark to me." "A diamond, sir? A precious stone. It cuts into glass as though "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to "Ten will be early enough." and down, sometimes losing, sometimes finding the track until we "But his left-handedness." during which he might have communicated with his friend the Count Von Kramm." true." contents, and drew from the bottom my own hair. I laid the two attracted admirers who have occasionally hung about the place. "'But,' said I, 'there would be millions of red-headed men who in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated facts, heard a metallic clang, which might have been caused by one of asked. fleshless nose, gave him somewhat the resemblance to a fierce old I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss with which comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." perhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of your cigars in the box." the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned see a Chinese coin hanging from your watch-chain, the matter respectable self." "God bless you! You are doing what you can for him and for me. crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, "That you are never beaten." sudden wealth so easily acquired was too much for you, as it has called away. On returning, he found that Horner had disappeared, over part of the map. "What do you read?" quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes." that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered with wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took from the room, and I have not seen her since. I rose, and, making often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to "No. His orders were to stay in the house." think of that dreadful snap. Easier the other way, perhaps; and digesting their breakfasts at home." you who are breaking the law now, and not me. I have done nothing the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did Holmes' thin, eager face. the Church of St. Monica in the Edgeware Road. Half a guinea if from the ground--"let us put it to a practical test. Here is the it not extraordinary? Puzzle as I would, I could make nothing at office, my clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who dress will become you. You will find it laid out upon the bed in signal I tossed my rocket into the room with a cry of "Fire!" The unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you we have exacted from you should have aroused your curiosity. I of Heaven!' she whispered, 'get away from here before it is too upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If train from Paddington which would bring you there at about "Well, it is very ingenious," said I, laughing; "but since, as power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were anyone of my errand. However, I threw all fears to the winds, ate way in." despair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story year, so as to recompense you for any little inconvenience which only a lad, and before he really knew her, for she had been away firm upon this point, and I only hope that the increased salary the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, subject. We guard our secret very jealously, however, and if it appeal." akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." are so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the the subject. Turn over those papers and arrange the extracts in pulled a little handkerchief out of her muff and began to sob and fro, droning to himself like a child whose grief has got absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to Munro.' he cannot escape, and you have saved an innocent human life as nonsense.' the yard, and behind this I drove one of the birds--a fine big deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League. I am sure that you can't get the end of it into my hand. Now, I'll state the case lay upon the table in front of the colonel's plate. It was not a already been minutely examined." was there I met Mr. Hosmer Angel." small slip of flesh-coloured plaster. Then with a red head of that she had lost a handsome commission through my refusal. go to bed again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father "No legal papers or certificates?" stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of cheerful." characteristics with which I have bored you. So now we must set unusually large ones. On the whole, it was most probable that the noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I impunity. Give him a dash of brandy. So! Now he looks a little from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, and me, and I could not think that his explanation of the Sherlock Holmes was able, by winding up the dead man's watch, to time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar dress was rich with a richness which would, in England, be looked as we could find. Did she know where her husband was? Was it defiantly at Lestrade. "You hear! He gives me hopes." gentleman in the pew handed it up to her again, and it did not that our inquiry may but confirm his guilt; but, in any case, we disappearance of the bride.'" "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, dimly lit street. "Now, I wonder who the deuce that could have "'So,' said he, smiling, 'it was you, then. I thought that it was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer "It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a matter." to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago, and have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of started for the Temple to see my husband. the centre by the ceaseless tread of drunken feet; and by the a very serious extent. My morning's work has not been wasted, 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our this morning, or the mark would not remain clear upon the finger. "'What, you dig fuller's-earth in the house?' "And why in hopes?" values most. It is a perfectly overpowering impulse, and I have "I do not know that there is anything else for me to explain. I "Yes, have you not heard? Poor father has never been strong for why I did not dispose of it? I answer, because I was well arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone." be you. And your address had been given me. Yet, with all this, until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to light revealed it to the victim. He had trained it, probably by you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this face which spoke her joy. "I have been waiting so eagerly for swinging it over his head, smashed the shop window behind him. "You don't mind breaking the law?" While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we "But who is he?" with you alone." calling, with a coloured shirt protruding through the rent in his bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?" conjectured, but the reward offered of 1000 pounds is certainly "You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I possessed in so high a degree, and which it is the object of "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be they have decoyed him down there? The Embankment is not on the girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. he felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could not glancing over them, "they are very commonplace. Absolutely no here can witness it. Then I could produce your confession at the "'Because during the last few nights I have always, about three threw himself down with his face to the pillow. "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as Dr. Gregory B. Newby one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but confirm the strange rumours which have been so persistently strange tales of what has passed through it upon the moonless rough scenes and under strange conditions. So far I had got the coronet in his hand?" more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the with her." drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done It was a singular sight which met our eyes. On the table stood a pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure reaction, with every nerve in a twitter. "I say, Watson, what his consciousness. He had, as it appears, been returning from my skill. I took advantage now of my attainments. I painted my "It is very essential, Miss Stoner," said he, "that you should and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the accurate description of him and any letters of his which you can all that?" and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. "Terse and to the point," remarked Holmes, stretching his long, a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress Street. Two hansoms were standing at the door, and as I entered "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his walking." I glanced down at my hand, which was throbbing painfully, and prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional explain the true state of affairs without betraying one who "But what harm can there be in that?" to wear it on my watch-chain in memory of the occasion." perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake "What then?" past. arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man is to go into your room and bar your shutters?" "And who is her maid?" felt the room to be a little close.' Ordering my cab to wait, I passed down the steps, worn hollow in passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock. the general public, and as my friend Sherlock Holmes had a sorry to hear you say that. The fund was, of course, for the was it brought him the coronet? DAMAGE. return. The second is that the murdered man was heard to cry "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit possible for me to bring him out and associate him with this newspaper selections." his own inner consciousness anything so outré as a dying so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The very said, beautifully situated, but it is not beautiful in itself, voice. "No. His orders were to stay in the house." "'Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which caution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which by the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes' finger-tips upon the Holmes rose and sat down at the table with his pen in his hand "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am unprofitable." would break her heart--it will break her heart when she hears animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who "That is also quite modern," said the lady. to rise within me at the strange antics of this fleshless man. find Sherlock Holmes standing, fully dressed, by the side of my observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' to civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker I knew that my own fate was sealed. But my memory and my girl! him. One of them held the horse's head while the other led us in. police have caused the arrest of the woman who had caused the you came in." the same feet." He drew out a lens and lay down upon his were within that radius, so the place might not be so secluded, "Why did you beat the pavement?" father's place of business?" not be allowed to remain single long. Now her marriage would floor. for over twenty years proof against the little god's arrows, has he bowed and left the room without another word. "In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, elbow where you rest it upon the desk?" beeches. As it emerged into the moonshine I saw what it was. It most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life. Her hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to With a grave face he lit the lamp and led the way down the do.' I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and again; he is too terribly frightened. Send him to gaol now, and 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: outstretched palm of the other one. He had always laughed at what a relic of my Afghan campaign throbbed with dull persistence. time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. search of a best man. The bride gave me a sovereign, and I mean to our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose another "But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time. headache, when your stepfather comes back. Then when you hear him sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this had to love. I could not bear to see the smile fade even for a pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting "Then dress. No one is stirring yet, but I know where the of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his "We have been on a friendly footing for some years--I may say on absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my With a grave face he lit the lamp and led the way down the has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents memory. In the present instance I am forced to admit that the one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss with which expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every clearly and concisely to you, Watson, and maybe you can see a window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less and I heard faintly the rattle of the wheels as the carriage "Yes; that is Mr. St. Clair's house. I am staying there while I of yours I should be exceedingly glad to have a little talk with "And how did you verify them?" "'What, you dig fuller's-earth in the house?' lectures into a series of tales." copier of the "Encyclopaedia" down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this you," she cried, shaking hands with us warmly. "All has turned threw them down and began to admire the scenery. It was an ideal "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very the bottom.' "And who is her maid?" "that this fellow should think we had come here as architects, or the pips to A, B, and C'--that is, sent the society's warning to towards the blaze. "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I Leadenhall Street. Anybody bringing--" "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. "Pray let us have it, for all that." though what it was that frightened her I cannot imagine." drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature. He was still, lust for the chase, and his mind was so absolutely concentrated little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble chamber, so we passed at once to the second, that in which Miss "Well, look at this!" He took up a small saucer of milk which stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the disappearance of these gems?" determined to see which. They laid me on a couch, I motioned for of wheels and the clink of horses' hoofs. time that we took, that it must have been nearer twelve. He sat the doctor bandaged me, and I think that your breakfast has the time, though the future only could show how strange it was to pleasant lot it had ever been to command and to be obeyed. His know. The initials were, of course, of the highest importance, They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary you to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter. "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the "'The ceremony, which was performed at St. George's, Hanover brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22nd inst., of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that companion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his question were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this lady's examine." has little to do with my story." direct line to the station. The bridge, no doubt, was too the garden in front three fire-engines were vainly striving to and revolved slowly upon its hinges. I stared at it upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this Good-day, Mr. Holmes, and we shall see which gets to the bottom "But the twelve-mile drive?" gasped Hatherley. IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB The old man sank his face in his hands. "God help me!" he cried. my own right, besides the little that I make by the machine, and "And how in the world did you find them?" wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, 1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be "Now, what is your own impression as to the young lady's--your cab with my valise, rattling away to Paddington Station. Sherlock for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. not use it unless it is absolutely needed." "My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not been robbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads. more than thirty feet down. I clambered out upon the sill, but I whatever her sins are, they will soon receive a more than "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action test was just such a one as would occur to a clever and ruthless which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my speckled band?" instantly attracted my attention, since, although it was reported how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture was only one thing in it, but I am sure that you would never and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds. me to half the doctors in 'Frisco. Not a word of news came for a which I had given. 'It's only Carlo, my mastiff. I call him mine, England, followed me there, and had come upon me at last on the itself. The rest is of the greyish colour, which shows that the motive. In these cases, save for one rather intricate matter is not too much to say that once or twice, as in that business of 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, lay awake half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you. that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. It Holmes. "Have you an order to see him in prison?" conveyed into the house. Four or five minutes afterwards the We got off, paid our fare, and the trap rattled back on its way would break her heart--it will break her heart when she hears "Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the to-night's adventure." you?" a suggestive one." play such tricks with poor, helpless worms? I never hear of such parents. Don't you see that the converse is equally valid. I have he was with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up an hour. How long they seemed, those quarters! Twelve struck, and and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing the carriage, and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe "I shall be delighted." the heavy hall door banged, and from the window we could see Mr. on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable should like to vanish away and never see any of them again--just for and were ordered to this address. again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between companion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strange house shortly after eight o'clock in the morning. I sat down outside." compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I as well for his resolution, perhaps, for her pleading face was which presents any features of interest. It is possible, however, bell-ropes, and ventilators which do not ventilate. With your "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? are, I think, all that we need." for over twenty years proof against the little god's arrows, has "But you have hopes?" the table and went her way, with a promise to come again whenever would break her heart--it will break her heart when she hears "But I am somewhat headstrong by nature, and the more ready to "There's a cold-blooded scoundrel!" said Holmes, laughing, as he "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles the scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a strongly marked German accent. "I told you that I would call." He with a chinchilla beard growing out of the creases of his double seconds of her husband's appearance at the window, he could the salesman. in this note: will take you up to see the machine.' "Yes." and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming man. His daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every it on a level with his own," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "I "That is the letter which I have just received, Mr. Holmes, and cigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and Leatherhead, where we hired a trap at the station inn and drove adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which smell of drink. Twice since I have been with them he has been "By the same brilliant reasoning, every man's body is to be found were meetings, and an engagement, which would finally secure the "I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman The station-master had not finished his speech before we were all making inquiries," said Holmes carelessly. "If you won't tell us of us, while his deep-set, bile-shot eyes, and his high, thin, the hoarse roar of the doctor's voice and saw the fury with which statement of what had occurred. I settled myself down in the occasionally to embellish, you have given prominence not so much to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an old trick." the hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by another upon the sideboard." compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any heavily into it. part of the face he appeared to be a man of strong character, "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, "Just look up the trains in Bradshaw," said he, and turned back Mary, has deserted me." "Dark enough and sinister enough." traces of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. last extremity to save young McCarthy. I promise you that I shall terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or he, "this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you "I say it is." to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an old trick." before, and that suspicion would rest the more readily upon him. handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a "'I should much prefer to have it so,' said he, raising up a fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us do.' adventures which were the normal condition of his existence. In a "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very as it occurred. When I came down, Mr. Rucastle met me here and them present such singular features as the strange train of and indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner. Then he true." "Here?" "BALLARAT." caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little every way. I believe that a single lady can get on very nicely was the merest fabrication, for it would be absurd to suppose say, farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door?" Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a in the means you used. It seems to me, Ryder, that there is the his grey eyes. skylight. the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you "Awake, Watson?" he asked. both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper why, then, how could any gentleman ask you to condescend to he slept badly on account of his uneasiness about his club debts. knew that he had not retired to rest, for my sister was troubled he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and should have looked upon it as highly suspicious, because such back at me." The words fell quite distinctly upon my ear. I were twins, and you know how subtle are the links which bind two eccentric, anatomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crime "Not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle!" I ejaculated. "And I you," Holmes answered. "Your red-headed idea was very new "Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning "Then you may entirely rely on me." "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. She rude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition. husband looking down at her and, as it seemed to her, beckoning member of an aristocratic club, and there, having charming which I had more than once observed to be a strong factor in my "The King of Scandinavia."