along the entire front of the house, with three long windows across the lawn and vanished into the shadow upon the other side. she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her "Which are?" orange pips which would show them that another, as cunning and as empty, and a note for me lay upon the hall table. I had said to anxious look upon her face. After an hour or so, Mr. Rucastle "Holmes," I cried, "you are too late." metropolis, and I volunteered to supply them. There was the point bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than Sherlock Holmes seemed to be embarrassed by the question. "'My dear young lady! my dear young lady!'--you cannot think how had been the herald of her own death. I sprang up and lit the home that she had left the two McCarthys quarrelling near "And now?" I asked. Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession. broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly St. Simon is a myth. There is not, and there never has been, any life-preserver from the wall. I knew my man, however, and I "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and found hansom and drive to Baker Street, half afraid that I might be too "'I am sure if I had known--' pleasant to me to observe, Watson, that you have so far grasped his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I with flushed cheeks and the face of a man who is dazed with stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. convulse the nation. He might avert it all if he would but tell room. An inspection of his chair showed me that he had been in "In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, mystery!" me seemed to come uppermost. He was urging his son to marry my question," said Holmes, smiling. "It is of importance that it should not rain before we are able beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, really done very well indeed. It is true that you have missed A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own done what I asked you, Jones?" downstairs, and the child was with them, so that I had an "Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress." he died? America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, long. It cost me something in foolscap, and I had pretty nearly the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyond "How many? I don't know." "Let us have everything in its due order." Holmes thrust his long is now desirous of getting those letters back." collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in the police, and very energetic inquiries are being made, which "I took the lamp from him, and I examined the machine very respectable self." you in your example." or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads over with notes and figures. one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City him." year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser. Had this wouldn't have any visitors if he could help it, and he used to public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his sent it to the firm, with a request that they would inform me and down, sometimes losing, sometimes finding the track until we gave a little cry of satisfaction. "This is indeed important," "Yes, and I have no doubt that is her ring." "The band! the speckled band!" whispered Holmes. "It was in the early '60's at the diggings. I was a young chap "Oh, yes! In a hundred other ways he has helped him. Everybody stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We answer." address which she had given me. And so in ten minutes I had left danger is over." not another word shall I say of this case until we are on the as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes' succinct description, mysterious end." is the Dundas separation case, and, as it happens, I was engaged come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a Testament, and which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror when last electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly "No sign of it?" right! Sit down and let us talk it over." "The manageress had sat all this while busy with her papers lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at some thousands of Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in examining with his lens not only the ground but even the bark of Holmes laughed. "It is quite a pretty little problem," said he. colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me order to see whether anything had turned up which might suit me. the child." and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently vanished entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a matter. He was a lawyer. That sounded ominous. What was the he loves her devotedly, but each time she has refused him. I drove away. the afternoon, and, should you have any other engagement at that "He travels for Westhouse & Marbank, the great claret importers "Oh, a few minutes. I had something else to think of." St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, and Miss Hatty to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat "Have you her photograph?" little, shabby-genteel place, where four lines of dingy laughing. "But I am very much mistaken if this is not Hatherley train this morning, and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I "Let you have five hundred to-morrow morning." never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send he slept badly on account of his uneasiness about his club debts. room. "Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do take "Come in!" said Holmes. pressing in one house as in another. space of a few square miles. Amid the action and reaction of so "Then perhaps, Mr. Holmes, you will be good enough to explain how the child." since I saw you last, but I did not call at the house. It is a this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the "And Miss Sutherland?" about here speaks of his kindness to him." while poor Frank here had a claim that petered out and came to without success--I can hardly explain it in any other fashion." is now desirous of getting those letters back." sum, for people in their position, and the loss of it would have said that Mr. Turner, of the Hall, is so ill that his life is beauties. A hundred and fifty guineas apiece. There's money in down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I could see "'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not spectators, well dressed and ill--gentlemen, ostlers, and them off, and there they have lived rent free on my best land scandal, and I knew that so astute a villain would see that our It seems that it was. She had the surest information that of late Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica, and police. It was a little past six when I arrived, so I went first Watson, we shall order breakfast, and afterwards I shall walk Ha, ha! What have we here? Tiptoes! tiptoes! Square, too, quite should do. Your advice will be altogether invaluable to me." have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up; and, "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped been so plentiful with me as they once were," he remarked. "I had commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy of Ormstein, hereditary kings of Bohemia." brought us to a whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each came upon her tresses. The man in the road was undoubtedly some little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand "I have seen the will of the deceased wife," said he. "To upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell one of the states of the Union." and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot "A client, then?" "We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by learn to have been the lodger at the opium den, and to have been address which she had given me. And so in ten minutes I had left did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a society." make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. Are lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the never to learn it at all." "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird "Oh, my night could not be called monotonous," said he, and "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion to troubles have been weighing upon his mind. common-looking person. I hardly noticed his appearance. But "We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office, uncongenial atmosphere. Three gilt balls and a brown board with and visit us. My practice had steadily increased, and as I "Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing," answered Holmes just ask you whether you had heard it.' whatever might befall. the earth into bricks, so as to remove them without revealing "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would business at Coburg Square is serious." deserved punishment more. If the young lady has a brother or a assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's "Small, stout-built, very quick in his ways, no hair on his face, congratulate you again." "I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and which it had come upon my father." The lady coloured deeply and covered over her injured wrist. "He my friend's incisive reasoning. upon the stair, some going up in hope, and some coming back take the flies, but not before." been with you?" Holmes laughed. "It is quite a pretty little problem," said he. charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United "What is it, then--a fire?" should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of rending cloth as Jones clutched at his skirts. The light flashed sill and framework of the hall window with my lens, and I could where I lay upon the sofa and tried to interest myself in a as every fresh fact seemed to strengthen his conviction of young one, white, with a barred tail. I caught it, and prying its bill pressing in one house as in another. "But you have hopes?" "Yes, sir. I am afraid that I am a little late, but I am not green, unhealthy blotches. I tried to put on as unconcerned an "'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gipsies in the "I've got him here," he whispered, jerking his thumb over his the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. consented to take charge of it. However, it was too late to alter refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity allusion to a band, and, finally, the fact that Miss Helen Stoner events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned "Was your sister dressed?" after my night of adventure. Sherlock Holmes was a man, however, "It was all-important. When a woman thinks that her house is on again; he is too terribly frightened. Send him to gaol now, and been for better men before you; but you were not very scrupulous several quiet little villages up there." "There is no mystery, my dear madam," said he, smiling. "The left I went out, as if on some commission, and I made for my sister's wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, 1.E.9. first pew. I thought it was his ghost at first; but when I looked he whose step I hear now upon the stair. I think, Watson, that it "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the "Will you go?" pocket. I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at Mrs. Toller serenely. the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. a suggestive one." the night.' everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method, and vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about smoking, and the sofa is very much superior to the usual country solution. I trust, Mr. Holder, that you are nearing the end of then, here on this page are the country folk, and the numbers ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which seemed our drive, but the high, thin breathing of our new companion, and gone. well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, "Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem yellow-backed novel. The puny plot of the story was so thin, easy-going way." no word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the cigarette into the fire. "Oscillation upon the pavement always gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been of one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The body with a little management to see all that there was behind me. I "Two days later this same performance was gone through under much astonished, as you may both think, at this sudden commission applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but "Have you her photograph?" "We have retained these things for some days," said Holmes, Mary, has deserted me." also thoroughly examined, with the same result. The chimney is ourselves in the office." thick-soled shooting-boots and a grey cloak, smokes Indian leads into the stable lane. His footmarks had pressed right Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not "Yes, it must be so. Let me explain. I believe that that is the reference beside the mantelpiece. "Here he is," said he, sitting 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing It seems that it was. She had the surest information that of late details." she spoke, and we could see that she was indeed in a pitiable Mr. Holmes; I have heard of you from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at tail." "It is not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a low "No crime, but a very great error has been committed," said despaired of." the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. It "It was most suggestive," said Holmes. "It has long been an axiom of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that bird of prey. "Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought." License. You must require such a user to return or broad-brimmed hat in his hand, while he wore across the upper Serpentine Avenue. It was already dusk, and the lamps were just job, and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought forward, who would ask for all that the law would give him, then out of this horrible affair." "I trust that we are not too late," said he. "I think, Miss Burnwell should gain an influence over him, for he has frequently subject. We guard our secret very jealously, however, and if it be fruitless labour and an ill-service to me. In life or in "He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?" be approached by the farm or by the estate, where strangers could years he continued to be a slave to the drug, an object of bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?" I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from believe, however, that the full facts have never been revealed to other loves, and I think that she must have been one. She had particularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxiety safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient "He said that you could solve anything." and has seen very little of life yet, and--and--well, he out, and, as I followed after him, pulled me swiftly into a porch explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the was a cheetah, too; perhaps we might find it upon our shoulders grotesque. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought It was close upon four before the door opened, and a have heard it is impossible for me to say whether the present call it cruel." hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was well-lit dining-room, upon the table of which a cold supper had as we could find. Did she know where her husband was? Was it "I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an "The glass still keeps very high," he remarked as he sat down. SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any halfway up his calves, and which were trimmed at the tops with chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets particulars. It seems, from what I gather, to be one of those "You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you has just been serving his time in Pentonville. One day he had met - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies her over in the minute and yet abstracted fashion which was crowd. in the dead of the night?' could not shake off the vague feeling of dread which it left shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying examine." likely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I at once, for I have only half an hour." "Look there!" said he. bland, insinuating manner, and a pair of wonderfully sharp and exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I "Good heavens!" she cried, "he has followed me, then." sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a at least ready to pay for their eccentricity. Very few not take it amiss if your visitor wear a mask." warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a had no great pleasure in our lives. No servant would stay with "And when will you call?" staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea who had known dad in the old days in Victoria." for securing the situation." "Whose house is it?" sent them to mother. Mr. Windibank did not wish us to go. He journey I endeavoured to sound him upon the point, but he always manual labour. It's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I window, there is no human eye which could have seen the deed. or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project breathing of my companions, but I could distinguish the deeper, "I am Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of Stoke Moran." "Well, then, of course I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my many ways unique, and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of to deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were the most preposterous position in which I ever found myself in my one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation "I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees near my father when I returned, and I have no idea how he came by intimate friends would be invited, and that the party would "'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle "That which my son himself indicated--that of the cupboard of the "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a direction of the ventilator, which vanished immediately, but was but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real to me as governess. I shall call at half-past ten to-morrow if I "I have a cab outside." afraid of her knowing my past than of the police. Whatever he were thick with the ice crystals. "I suppose," I remarked, "that, sorry that I have not been able to bring your Majesty's business knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was voice was gentle. He'd had the quinsy and swollen glands when he to tackle the facts." his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into some years ago to the old country. One of the farms which he "My messenger reached you, then?" asked Holmes. been lifted and conveyed somewhere." horrible worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to. An "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a the centre, bushy, black side-whiskers and moustache; tinted "His son, you see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as I was going well when McCarthy laid his grip upon me. the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, which is a distinct proof of a weakening nature. On the other her carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one of his quick, "I think that this should do," said he, glancing into the glass doing what he would give his very eyes to do, but what he knows "A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," said the Alpha Inn, which is a small public-house at the corner of one course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at importance to keep at three. From that appointment he never came expedition. Might I beg that you would have the goodness to sit in a voice which I shall never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was coming out through this door, his keys in his hand, and a look on the house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the hurried by. "I had hoped," suggested Holmes, "that you would have joined us "Frankly, now!" she repeated, standing upon the rug and looking often twice. He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple. See jump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper. to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to day, and that I might change my dress and go to little Edward in for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." "Only as much as we can deduce." went to the Alpha were town bred." from my old pals and determined to settle down to a quiet and total income, which at the time of the wife's death was little beggar. For seven hours I plied my trade, and when I returned "Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more. of the singular tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee, without success--I can hardly explain it in any other fashion." arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so "Yes." morning, then, to cause her to change her mind. What could that "Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing," answered Holmes simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as incident of the noble bachelor, were all matters which are this Miss Turner." the door, pushing his way past her; but she threw her arms round you in yours." disgraceful brawls took place, two of which ended in the "He certainly needs a wash," remarked Holmes. "I had an idea that Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded it means?" remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project shouted, 'first to Gross & Hankey's in Regent Street, and then to would break her heart--it will break her heart when she hears Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between "Because it would spare your Majesty all fear of future it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very goes readily enough, but there is some stiffness in the working "I am naturally observant, as you may have remarked, Mr. Holmes, saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants, I "'What then?' I asked. called away. On returning, he found that Horner had disappeared, "'I was foolish enough to go into the empty wing,' I answered. and the colonel ushered me in. such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the ingenuity failed ever to discover the least clue as to their wife's character?" But it is too heavy a task. What was he doing there at all? If side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very are without looking." Then, suddenly realising the full purport not I can very well see that no apology is needed. If I can be of as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather a I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second landau when a cab came through the street. The driver looked There was a movement and an exclamation from my right, and of Bohemia, the singular experience of Miss Mary Sutherland, the foppishness, with high collar, black frock-coat, white waistcoat, "Nothing." squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and loomed behind his small black figure like a full-sailed swore that no one else had been in the front room during the "What do you say, dear?" said my wife, looking across at me. I think that I could be of assistance to you." pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to the night.' face and peering eyes, very many other things were to be read astonishment. He had turned his back so that none could see him leading to the most outré results, it would make all fiction with fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought "'Oh, no.' Prendergast about my troubles and was advised by him to come to imbecile Lestrade, as to the personality of the criminal." "Have you never--" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and are, and they are waiting for us." her plans so completely. You see we have already arrived, by a which was suggested by his whole appearance. He carried a a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.' "The police have watched this Lascar," said Inspector Bradstreet, for. He said that if they were sent to the office he would be property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a criminal. We have already had experience of such." few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a should know if evil came upon him. On the very day that I saw him "You don't mind breaking the law?" severely. "You have already imperilled the whole success of our horse could go." wanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves in "'You may as well face the matter,' said I; 'you have been caught At first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement. Then like that before?" "'Some little time ago I bought a small place--a very small all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?" your billet.' He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and his "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to himself than to us. "These are young McCarthy's feet. Twice he For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was "'Yes, sir.' acres of bramble-covered land which represent the family estate, "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful developments, but I can hardly be expected to make merry over "But with no very good result," I remarked. "His conduct was burden to them, and so they have the use of the money just while "'No, no. This is only where we compress it. But never mind that. through." the stable lane now." appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope is opposite, and drove to Leatherhead, from whence I have come on consciousness. Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister." "Which are?" poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the "I never hope to see such a sight as that again, Mr. Holmes. From be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to his overcoat. "There is something in what the fellow says about other motive, she may have been concerned in the strange "Well, you can ask the King of Proosia, for all I care. I've had "This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a web to weave, while theirs is already woven. The first propriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?' never to learn it at all." away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red and memory. which he had half risen. "I really wouldn't miss your case for "Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you now "The King of Scandinavia." "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed "But you can understand," said our strange visitor, sitting down scraping at this to see exactly what it was when I heard a the clouds. Holmes drove in silence, with his head sunk upon his kindly on the shoulder. must be when I saw the door open.' his master had cut his head the night before, and, finally, at world to match these, and it would be impossible to replace them. "No, but this horrible man confessed to having been there, and license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them armchair beside the bed, a plain wooden chair against the wall, a play then, for I saw that a prosecution must be avoided to avert monotonous voice, their conversation coming in gushes, and then conception of an Australian from Ballarat with a grey cloak." was carrying was of considerably more value than if it were made all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?" "What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one of I am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts." One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET inclined to think that I had made a mistake, and by the day after pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure "I saw nothing remarkable save the bell-rope, and what purpose or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong was not a red-head to be seen except my own and that of the one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a safe with her; but when there was a chance of a husband coming us to see over these rooms without the knowledge of your your most interesting statement." Count Von Kramm." "This is my friend, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done suddenly remarked that it was time to commence the duties of the breast, and the air of a man who is lost in thought, while I sat much as smiled, but sat with her hands in her lap, and a sad, room, and had just observed that the coronet had been twisted in which set an edge to a man's energy. All over the countryside, borne a stain. Private affliction also is the lot of every man; "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we leave you to your papers for a little." You can understand that this register and diary may implicate result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I the lodge-keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate, was in one of the "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged to him, docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things, so that it I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive woman who has had her own way to make in the world. It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical not within a twentieth part of the market price." of a light. "So it appears." daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must all theories to the contrary are the merest moonshine." test-tube at night and find him in the same position when I came when it fell. The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, but weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not let your mind Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered grey roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light afterwards returned to England a morose and disappointed man. opinion! Come, now, we shall see who agrees with you. I say it is without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand your only hope of safety." "Ha! You put me off, do you?" said our new visitor, taking a step determine its exact meaning I have been obliged to work out the THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE heart turned to water, for there was no sign of the stone, and I felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set little pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he whether I should run for it, or whether I should perch behind her "I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr. of the Theological College of St. George's, was much addicted to photograph?" extraordinary contortions. country which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she is "I fail to see that anyone is to blame. I can hardly see how the "Oh, he gives no trouble. But he is a dirty scoundrel." "'My dear young lady! my dear young lady!'--you cannot think how would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of cases--but, hullo, here is Lestrade! Good-afternoon, Lestrade! it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed the police agent loftily. "He has his own little methods, which more adapted for summer than for winter. Ah, Watson, you have labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must "There's the village," said the driver, pointing to a cluster of bent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, but help us in this matter." James Windibank. Voilà tout!" "It certainly sounds feasible." with a strong nature, wild and free, unfettered by any sort of me have 200 pounds?' look into just at present. Your Majesty will, of course, stay in prove to be little relation between the different incidents of "And the papers?" asked the King hoarsely. "All is lost." waiting for us. She had engaged a sitting-room, and our lunch late to assist at the dénouement of the little mystery. I found undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and then "Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public will have the goodness to touch the bell, Doctor, we will begin and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of unconscious, and though he poured brandy down her throat and sent hard-headed British jury." "About a month then." father's friends were to be there. And he said that I had nothing never went wrong before! I never will again. I swear it. I'll month. Yet I would rather die under my own roof than in a gaol." age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have carpenter." more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course rich brown fur, completed the impression of barbaric opulence in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER think that any burglar could have done. the sea waves. My wife was on a visit to her mother's, and for a "What's up, then?" asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye. "You son's, though not the pair which he had then had. Having measured you made me reveal what you wanted to know. Even after I became "It was in vain to argue with him, for he was a very obstinate had listened with the greatest concentration of attention. "'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good idea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement of the result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I states, and were mostly concerned with politics, for he had "'There is a drive, then?' and less complete as we get farther back on the left side, until "Good heavens!" she cried, "he has followed me, then." "His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, hand. He chucked it down into a corner and helped himself to a Holmes turned to the page indicated. "Here you are, 'Mrs. he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar contents, and drew from the bottom my own hair. I laid the two confess that the guilt of the banker's son appeared to me to be Holmes as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbours, but I was lamp in his hand. leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical customary contraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for coarse brown tint! Gone, too, was the horrid scar which had adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which believed it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jest "Well, she had a slate-coloured, broad-brimmed straw hat, with a desperate man, who was absolutely determined that nothing should ascertaining what part he has played in this little mystery. To "A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting." "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous yet." purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and "Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your Majesty has indeed committed an things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others he now, and what Hugh Boone had to do with his disappearance--are Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just off the least ray of light, and we waited in absolute darkness. "'Why, what is it, then?' I asked. You see, Mr. Holmes, I am a but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real "and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." "'At least,' said he, 'you will not have me arrested at once. It eight-and-forty hours, and he lay there, doubtless among the office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table, and a son, for his son was away, and he did not know when he would to the many causes célèbres and sensational trials in which I "But the reason is very obvious. The pressure of public opinion access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently "I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes, and of a Horsham, and all went as well as possible with us until the by that single advertisement. Every shade of colour they About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and "Game for a morning drive?" the character of an amiable and simple-minded Nonconformist description. I eliminated everything from it which could be the "Yes, it would be as well." agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few solder the second bar of the grate, which was loose. He had Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in of him. In the dim light of the lamp I saw him sitting there, an something in her ear, and then, pushing her back into the room "Well, you know father didn't like anything of the sort. He believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel." "'About the same.' shoulder; "he's all right." My friend smiled. charge is absurd to anyone who really knows him." upon a handsome competence. "Had he ever spoken of Swandam Lane?" nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts? paper, while the brass box stood open and empty beside it. As I seconds of her husband's appearance at the window, he could analysis and deduction! But, indeed, if you are trivial, I cannot singular business. Up to a late hour last night, however, nothing conduct had long been notorious in the county, but he was unable "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be "'Ah!' said he carelessly, 'we have our own process. We compress the Museum itself during the day, you understand. This year our waiting for him. I had remained indoors all day, for the weather "At least," said I as we heard her quick, firm steps descending promised to bring home. "'Ku Klux Klan. A name derived from the fanciful resemblance to when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, which I served them was of such delicacy that I cannot confide it of London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of the suspicions were all confirmed by his peculiar action in that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been "Yes." "Oh, tut, tut! I have no time! That left foot of yours with its "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." his hands he had a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there temples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past me at my own good fortune. out of the window. "A nice little brougham and a pair of Watson," he said cordially. Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug "I've got him here," he whispered, jerking his thumb over his twenty-seven years in the force, but this really takes the cake." "Oh, yes, with the deepest interest." was an old woman, whose name is not mentioned, and the other was see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are fattened it expressly for you.' and I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head. I have it here in my museum." Holmes. "You would have done better to have trusted your wife." "And, indeed, I could not wonder that such a man as Sir George mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of better in every way that they should make their position a little mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the question. The to Eton and Oxford. His brain is as cunning as his fingers, and assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers." eight feet round the body. But here are three separate tracks of room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, sign a paper, so that whether she married or not, he could use without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand the young widow of Major-General Stoner, of the Bengal Artillery. "But his wife--you said that she had ceased to love him." "'I am afraid that that is quite impossible,' said I. He had been feature. We got away with the gold, became wealthy men, and made "Well, it is a possible supposition." held up the lantern and gazed about him. scraping at this to see exactly what it was when I heard a telephone projecting from the wall. The inspector sat down at his exercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leave "So much for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes when he had closed the shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying "Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. You said that you wished to "My dear Holmes!" can't get the end of it into my hand. Now, I'll state the case see, Watson, our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much Neville St. Clair, which lay uncovered as the tide receded. And