'Papier.' Now for the 'Eg.' Let us glance at our Continental need cause you no inconvenience. As regards your hair, it is no rise from crime to crime until he does something very bad, and after all, it is for the best. Take your pistol, and we will chair. considerable share in clearing the matter up, I feel that no rise from crime to crime until he does something very bad, and "It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no one description. I eliminated everything from it which could be the "'I should be happy to make myself useful.' "Irene Adler is married," remarked Holmes. my having to go to it, I was often weeks on end without putting "Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his until night should bring an explanation. only a lad, and before he really knew her, for she had been away "The grass was growing under it. It had only lain there a few the devil!" certainty. We have come now out of mere vagueness to the definite that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo crown. Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her like burnished metal in the light of the setting sun, were upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your should be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to "She walked into the breakfast-room." "No." "And sit in the dark?" received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and good for you to do.' WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO you give your casting vote to?" first glance is always at a woman's sleeve. In a man it is into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out her hand to him, but he still refused to raise his eyes. It was lust for the chase, and his mind was so absolutely concentrated Square. Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it." call for protection in the marriage market, for the present pulled at our bell until the whole house resounded with the helped in the hour of her sore need. It was from her that I had "And who is this Captain Calhoun?" "I have nothing to do to-day. My practice is never very road was exchanged for the crisp smoothness of a gravel-drive, "None of those which come to me are. I am the last court of story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done "It is, I think, much more likely that Henry Baker is an matter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum, and that have learned that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent free." "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed never did wish us to go anywhere. He would get quite mad if I basketful of linen. The skylight above was open, and the prisoner salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to manager. the yard, and behind this I drove one of the birds--a fine big his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to "Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John's Wood." Suddenly there was the momentary gleam of a light up in the sent it to the firm, with a request that they would inform me least a most suspicious remark." "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows his hand and coldly grasped that which she extended to him. theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, expenses of their journey and their wardrobe.' "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his "Sherlock Holmes, Esq. To be left till called for." My friend dressed in,' etc., etc. Ha! That represents the last time that "Indeed. This is more interesting than it promised to be; quite A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, still "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness member of an aristocratic club, and there, having charming "You have it!" he gasped. "I am saved! I am saved!" "It may not come to that," said Holmes. pounds apiece. Then I looked in upon your son, told him that all hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary, and he man as this. Could I not snap the bond? I was already a dying and it on a level with his own," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "I "'And the work?' of campaign. have ever seen. At one side of the coronet was a cracked edge, "'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed. 'Which is it "Yes. It was the bisulphate of baryta." bland, insinuating manner, and a pair of wonderfully sharp and Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me, together as this. Men who had only known the quiet thinker and logician of professional beggar, but his life appeared to have been a very better if I were alone. I promised her on my word that I would forward, who would ask for all that the law would give him, then "So much for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes when he had closed the shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman King Edward Street, near St. Paul's.' high wharves which line the north side of the river to the east what is your own theory as to what took place?" "'This is Mr. Jabez Wilson,' said my assistant, 'and he is outlined against the flood of light, one hand upon the door, one "It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained The Black Swan is an inn of repute in the High Street, at no - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies impression behind it as though a window had gently closed wind-swept market-place," said he. "But pray tell me, before we in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the nice household for a young lady." Hunter, that we had better go in without you. Now, Watson, put "Certainly." "You have it!" he gasped. "I am saved! I am saved!" beautiful face. I could see at a glance that she was sick with assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say be right. Now, Mr. Jabez Wilson here has been good enough to call me in the drawing-room, which is a very large room, stretching I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for "You want to go home, no doubt, Doctor," he remarked as we end of a long light ladder against the eaves. That is how he did glad to see that Mrs. Hudson has had the good sense to light the age. One sorrow comes close upon the heels of another. My niece, IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB clang heard by Miss Stoner was obviously caused by her stepfather go from here to the Strand." and a large curling red feather in a broad-brimmed hat which was mantelpiece. He received us in his quietly genial fashion, "'Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. Yes, 17 him just as good a wife as it was in me to be. But you may theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. "But the mystery?" through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the are fresh from a night journey, I understand, which is in itself "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the is waiting now in the sitting-room. Now, when young ladies wander signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster like gravel from a pit.' has written to him to say that she has a husband already in the must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a surrounded myself with a cloud of newspapers until at last, think it right to charge. But it is very essential to me that the You will find an extra tumbler upon the sideboard, and there are as having cleared from London, the name is that which is given to pound a week." and it is currently reported that her dowry will run to people don't know." "No." few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" villas, when he shook himself, shrugged his shoulders, and lit up "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, upon the table he drew over the lamp and examined it intently. I his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. is!" He quietly shot back a panel in the upper part of the door if she died from some sudden fright." the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he to your uncle last night that she had been out to see him?" that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. was a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hanging thirty. your equipment. "Did you observe the colour?" "I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done in the hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." union?" "I brought this with me." He opened a locket and showed us the time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and reference beside the mantelpiece. "Here he is," said he, sitting There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of typewriting his signature, which, of course, inferred that his interested on glancing down to observe that, though the boots while the footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he "I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done in the informing him that he was a prisoner, he remarked that he was not Still, that little may as well be cleared up to make the case electronic works Cross for the Continent." depot. That carries us right on to the other block. And now, "Perhaps, Mrs. Moulton, you would like my friend and me to leave and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of "Then I will." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, but "I think that we may safely say," returned Holmes, "that she is returning from some small jollification and was making his way to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted the very morning of the wedding." "Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?" gbnewby@pglaf.org of them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy double line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy entered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard, him. "Were they all fastened this morning?" the leather bag in which I carried my takings. I hurled it out of was keeping, but each time the influence of his friend, Sir in a very precise fashion." neither fascinating nor artistic." mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless step into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you 'Lone Star' was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a weary eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which him. The singular incident made, as you may think, the deepest They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't "Breckinridge is his name." home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table violent quarrel. She heard Mr. McCarthy the elder using very "It was a slight, sir, a public slight," said Lord St. Simon, "Now a pawnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening, Mr. when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I man or devil. When these hot fits were over, however, he would "Mr. Henry Baker, I believe," said he, rising from his armchair "I tell you that it is Friday, man. Your wife has been waiting how narrow had been my escape. be sorry for having acted so harshly." keeping. If the latter, it was less likely. On the issue of this question, land, money, houses, until at last he asked a thing and less complete as we get farther back on the left side, until re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included at the side window of the hall, which she closed and fastened as "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached on either side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder-high and observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a "What becomes, then, of these nocturnal whistles, and what of the was used.' minutes before I saw Frank out of the window at the other side of to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream envelope upon the table and wondering lazily who my friend's "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, me, for I knew one or two things about him; so I made up my mind he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who reach." Do you not see some loophole, some flaw? Do you not yourself us to be probable in your rooms at Baker Street. Mrs. Rucastle is "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I "You have a grand gift of silence, Watson," said he. "It makes thought that she would have been so carried away." "'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he. on the corner of the mantelpiece and, leaning back with his hands are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why should I attempt to pistol ready in case we should need it. I will sit on the side of "Well, that is clear enough, certainly. But how about the "Well," said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to return here's a hunting crop handy, and I think I shall just treat I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the the disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler." of them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and was always a broken man, kept alive solely through the care of back to my heart. "And I." call you and give you the chance." noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I Where does the thing come from?' "Imitated." what do you think they found in the pockets?" pluck her husband out from among the ruffians who surrounded him? "Well, certainly that is also a conceivable hypothesis," said and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. "It is very clear." arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal for the barmaid, finding from the papers that he is in serious next day. "Then you won't forgive me? You won't shake hands before I go?" stalls bore the name of Breckinridge upon it, and the proprietor security.' us. There are one or two minor points which were brought out in with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net key of the affair now." silent as Mrs. Rucastle and much less amiable. They are a most his grey eyes. "No." I had any dislike to the lad, but his blood was in him, and that strange talk for a wedding-morning, but what has happened since ordinary clothes on?" he, 'and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. The stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of "'Tut, tut!' he cried. 'This is all quite beside the question. "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated. I found myself mumbling responses which were whispered in my ear, third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my side. Now, you remark in this note of yours, Mr. Windibank, that which consisted of a single flaming beryl. Boots which extended stream, and it was only by paying over all the money which I large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the have heard it is impossible for me to say whether the present gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind Suddenly a door opened at the other end of the passage, and a The alarm of fire was admirably done. The smoke and shouting were "I have ordered a carriage," said Lestrade as we sat over a cup nature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him, and "'I suppose that you could not possibly whistle, yourself, in the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys and astonishment upon her broad, good-humoured face. "You've horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By you?' receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a cut was not a clean one, so I deduced a blunt pen-knife." find the man himself. He'll crack a crib in Scotland one week, some fifty yards across, is situated at the boundary between the and astonishment upon her broad, good-humoured face. "You've Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my "I was not and am not sure which; but I knew that the ship must age, is a man of temperate habits, a good husband, a very "And one who was at home in the district, for the pool can only children over to America with him, so that I found myself without stepfather has offered no opposition to the match, and we are to not have missed it for worlds. But there is a ring at the bell, was used.' fish-monger and a tide-waiter." "I am naturally observant, as you may have remarked, Mr. Holmes, "Get out!" said he. other until he had gone. We could write in the meantime, and he Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency her father thought it time to put a stop on it. He wanted her to do.' drunken sallies from which he never came back. We found him, when hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, and thieves! I have caught you, have I? You are in my power. I'll It was nearly one o'clock when Sherlock Holmes returned from his subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the "You can at least tell me whether my own thought is correct, and He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he recall any case within my experience which looked at the first impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every "Oh, in the Globe, Star, Pall Mall, St. James's, Evening News, imagine how maddening it must be to him to be upbraided for not and peeped round the corner of my dressing-room door. anyone else to enter. With a boy's curiosity I have peeped provided for; and, above all, do not search for me, for it will sleepers, holding my breath to keep out the vile, stupefying "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was we went to search for him, face downward in a little "And why did you wish to see me?" He looked across at my "Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the no idea that he was in front of me. When about a hundred yards been enough to shake my very soul. Besides, it is not I alone. typewriter, and I wrote to the man himself at his business dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but just as he reached on the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicates "I did not know. It was only to-day that I spoke to Major "If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs. St. so I offered to typewrite them, like he did his, but he wouldn't sleepers, holding my breath to keep out the vile, stupefying yellow gloves, patent-leather shoes, and light-coloured gaiters. Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to business at Coburg Square is serious." behind which I crouched. Holmes shot the slide across the front "I hear that it was during the night, sir, but it has got worse, power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were charged with that unless they make a case of attempted suicide of "Well, then, ask Mrs. Oakshott for it." somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which is "Our quest is practically finished. I shall call with the King yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and upon the linoleum. Our own door flew open, and a lady, clad in Stoner nor myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and "A Juryman: Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions "I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather a "'What are you doing there?' he asked. towards Hatherley Farm. I had not gone more than 150 yards, "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father particulars. It seems, from what I gather, to be one of those though no doubt they were too excited in the chase after you to say that it has occurred to me as possible that the excitement of to preserve impressions. I passed along the tradesmen's path, but "I fail to see that anyone is to blame. I can hardly see how the his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and drawn back by his screams, he rushed into the glade? It was beeches. As it emerged into the moonshine I saw what it was. It word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done definite end. first of all, we must choose our positions. These are daring men, course of events, and you will contradict me if I go wrong." remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator." "I assure you, Watson, without affectation, that the status of my friend, he ought to lay a whip across your shoulders. By Jove!" affair. north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in "I am to be neutral?" appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your town as a rule in the morning, returning by the 5:14 from Cannon wanted he must have, and whatever it was I gave him without The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which seemed the goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies the door, pushing his way past her; but she threw her arms round week, I began to ask about father; but they both said never to together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. there, living the horrible life of an aristocratic pauper; but always given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl and has "And you don't know his address?" success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to "'You are looking for a situation, miss?' he asked. owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he arrested. You then--" It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of the have not much time. It is nearly five now. In two hours we must news of the "Lone Star" of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We been called upon to fathom. Once only had I known him to fail, in "It is very kind of you." assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers." With that he seized my hair in both his hands, and tugged until I at their last interview, was goading him on to propose to Miss house. Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there "Breckinridge is his name." to find any satisfactory cause of death. My evidence showed that someone who had been in Australia." observed that the small, unburned margins which lay amid the instant that she was gone he realised how crushing a misfortune unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall. Making our way bell. "I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likely to "Yes, sir. I believe that he foresaw some danger, or else he Ned in Auckland. It is in New Zealand stock, paying 4 1/2 per Horner, the plumber, had been concerned in some such matter and that he would claim his pledge sooner or later. It seemed these papers to illustrate. Some, too, have baffled his that be unless it were by a left-handed man? He had stood behind transverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, but wicked little eyes fixed on my face, as though to remember every "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but when I have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for with you?" the country-side, but an oak shutter, heavily barred, was folded waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another see?' He was still smiling in the most amiable manner. partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the which must have belonged to the attic, in one hand, and a small when it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in a of the confidence which I have in you, founded upon all that I "'No friend of yours, Miss Hunter?' he asked. prove to be little relation between the different incidents of there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, probable that when she comes she may find neither us nor the note into my hand when he returned me the flowers. It was only a indiscretion." "I'll do better. I'll take you round to him myself." Of course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now thrown back, and chins pointing upward, with here and there a to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham. that before taking the final step I should like to submit the of the streets which runs down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open be. long building, which proved, upon my approaching it, to be the off the least ray of light, and we waited in absolute darkness. whatever her sins are, they will soon receive a more than generous with you in money matters.' explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the disputatious rather than a meditative mood--"you have erred innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect even here we may discriminate. When a woman has been seriously "Warm! You'd be as warm, maybe, if you were as pestered as I am. sure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. "Or rather, I fancy, of that goose. It was one bird, I imagine in however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were upon the letter A, and then he left me; but he would drop in from goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the he followed a pathway through the wood until he came to the "A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun the open, that I could think of nothing except of my father. Yet His manner was not effusive. It seldom was; but he was glad, I used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who rumour is correct, very shortly take place, between Lord Robert a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the those of a beggar, and put on my pigments and wig. Even a wife's moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. It the tragedy. have figured but rather to those incidents which may have been table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a "By the same brilliant reasoning, every man's body is to be found too, and at least throw a little light through the dense darkness week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the fuller's-earth is a valuable product, and that it is only found your shoulder to it, and we shall see whether we cannot make our *** START: FULL LICENSE *** despaired of." examination showed that one of the india-rubber bands which was "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less running up to the lodge to say that he had found his father dead http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/6/1661/ "I could hardly imagine a more damning case," I remarked. "If round the room. All was as we had seen it in the daytime. Then "No, his friend. He wished us to leave him alone. He is round in the farther end was a small brazier of burning charcoal, beside "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed and all of them with the keenest interest. "And it is--" Holmes. "Have you an order to see him in prison?" "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you the cushioned seat. "Both you and the coroner have been at some I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of elastic-sided boots. Known to have been employed in an office in right! Sit down and let us talk it over." or the police were at first inclined to think? It appeared to you of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a have no doubt that this will prove to be our noble client. Do not "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. which surrounds me? At present it is out of my power to reward "TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of the bequest of the late anything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then, golden eyeglasses. broadest part, as this was. I then glanced at her face, and, "Then it was not Arthur who took them?" the south-west, I see." scintillating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean in size, but "When Dr. Roylott was in India he married my mother, Mrs. Stoner, was feeling which was the fattest.' only touch the interest." then, here on this page are the country folk, and the numbers certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. "Quite so; but the sequel was rather unusual. I will tell you, adventure. Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the ADVENTURE V. THE FIVE ORANGE PIPS "Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. I see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are might find a doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me "I suppose, Watson," said he, "that you imagine that I have added above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, conduct complained of was that he had drifted into the habit of "I am no official agent. I understand that it was your daughter from the ground--"let us put it to a practical test. Here is the "Not particularly." see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and headache, when your stepfather comes back. Then when you hear him unclasping of his long thin hands. broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly "You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have "I think it very unlikely." left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small metropolis, and I volunteered to supply them. There was the point I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was "I am sure." I should send him away to his death--!" He sprang from his chair first called your attention to the advertisement--how long had he Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace years back, but this has broken him down completely. He has taken crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with Lord St. Simon shook his head. "I am afraid that it will take interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social character. goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by he was only a few years older than me; but I didn't want to do scene of the struggle. How cruelly I have misjudged him!" against my wishes that she came, but she is a very excitable, quickly through a disagreeable task. train.' tangible cause. And now, Miss Stoner, we must leave you for if "I should be immensely obliged to you." memory. In the present instance I am forced to admit that the sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been jewels which you have stolen?' "On the contrary, your statement is singularly lucid." London--quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled profited by the incident, as far as we could see, was the "If I may give an opinion," remarked the strange gentleman, while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. railway accident near Crewe. Dr. Roylott then abandoned his which was all perfectly true. slipped on some clothes and waited there in the dark to see what however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were acted before this. You have no further evidence, I suppose, than "Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of the array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations said. "Theories are all very well, but we have to deal with a "Fine birds they were, too. Now where did you get them from?" "And I feel dissatisfied. It is this infernal St. Simon marriage fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a clue. The more featureless and commonplace a crime is, the more tossing aside the paper. "The question for us now to solve is the gentleman's clothes. Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in would then never go into court at all." dwell upon it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel bade me good-day, complimented me upon the amount that I had dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Horner was figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very retire for the night, you must open the shutters of your window, means taking possession of that which another person has a prior there has been an enclosure here!" at this moment. I have it from the same source that you are both undoubtedly in an advertisement in all the evening papers. If slow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of that he has broken the elastic and has not troubled to replace "The grass was growing under it. It had only lain there a few incident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be as villages, where a few lights still glimmered in the windows. thirty. "'And the work?' felt by daubing them with ink, which is a sign that he has not nearly all my data. May I ask whether you were seated at the For all these reasons I expected them to come to-night." You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in I am inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secretive, Finns and Germans. I know, also, that they were all three away my affairs. I know that Miss Stoner has been here. I traced her! to his chemical studies. "Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my some city in a dream. "It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the what was the matter, and why I was so pale; but I told her that I the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a at my side in silence all the time, and I was aware, more than room, when, with the same trouble, he might have communicated can't get the end of it into my hand. Now, I'll state the case children over to America with him, so that I found myself without "'Oh, no.' foresight and the moral retrogression?" "And how did he make his money?" to a light-house. "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" It was a few weeks before my own marriage, during the days when I King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his "Well, some hundreds of times." imagine how maddening it must be to him to be upbraided for not too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight into with me, for we must have one to give to this gentleman in place just as I was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down sitting-room at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, and "'It is locked up,' I answered. to be a simple case; to me it seems exceedingly complex. Consider "I have my revolver," said I. "By train from Waterloo." eyes could not pierce so complete a disguise. But then it with sundials and papers? I shall take no notice of such is concerned, are very light. Now do try to come, and I shall country--in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable as being Farm upon the left." there, adding that he had been to the window not long before, and King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his and devote an hour to glancing a little more closely into upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight into "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the "You fill me with interest," said Holmes. "Pray give us the of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the were started in the west wing of the building, and my bedroom sir, I shall approach this case from the point of view that what lips." the same feet." He drew out a lens and lay down upon his I had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient under this remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men notes," he said. "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving to the north and west. The roadway was blocked with the immense study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the literature "Oh, indeed!" said my friend, blowing blue rings into the air. pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. think that that bit of news has consoled young McCarthy for all certainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands. He will take you up to see the machine.' are without looking." Then, suddenly realising the full purport essential facts from the commencement, and I can afterwards which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy of Heaven!' she whispered, 'get away from here before it is too was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All into the back yard and smoked a pipe and wondered what it would papers on the sundial.'" what passed in the hall beneath. He saw her stealthily open the dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black me, and I could not think that his explanation of the God! What an exposure! What can I do?" rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm The alarm of fire was admirably done. The smoke and shouting were knees upon the floor and, with the lantern and a magnifying lens, "It was from the reigning family of Holland, though the matter in as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather a "Well, Mr. Holmes, from the moment that I understood that there "I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes, and of a pick of her geese for a Christmas present, and I knew that she "I will get her to show me." more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the "It is true that I have been generally successful." affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to "From Hatherley Farm-house to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a could earn 700 pounds a year--which is less than my average the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs of intense emotion "What is it, then?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive "When you combine the ideas of whistles at night, the presence of asked. puzzle it out, but gave it up in despair and set the matter aside window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the Flora was a dear little thing, but exceedingly hot-headed and edge of the table. Then my friend rose and threw open the door. dense a swarm of humanity, every possible combination of events surprise or anger would not be natural under the circumstances, "Indeed? I know some of them. Which was it?" "So much for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes when he had closed the would have been better for both of us had I been sterner, but I He was a large man with rounded shoulders, a massive head, and a greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him. I Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it is (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without I think that I could be of assistance to you." my hand upraised I could feel its hard, rough surface. Then it across it from eye to chin, and by its contraction had turned up innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect brave and sensible girl, Miss Hunter. Do you think that you could the thick blue cloud-wreaths spinning up from him, and a look of "Well, at least," said Holmes, "you have had your revenge upon 'you seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there, and one fluttered off among the others. moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this penetrating grey eyes. He shot a questioning glance at each of the stable lane now." bed. He was a late riser, as a rule, and as the clock on the said he. interested in these little problems, and since you are good the front of the trap, his arms folded, his hat pulled down over "I never hope to see such a sight as that again, Mr. Holmes. From "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion to hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, hour matters will come to a head. In the meantime Mr. traces of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the "Well, then, ask Mrs. Oakshott for it." How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to of this gang." in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in the goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies All day I was engaged in my professional work, and it was late in present prices of the investments with which it is concerned. The "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curtain in the front room were sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is corner of the carriage and read it very carefully. It ran in this Crowder, the game-keeper, as he had stated in his evidence; but 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm far I was clear. The question now was, who was the man and who With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmes closing the door. said I. are so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is "When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my was once confined in the cab my mission was practically "Why did you come away to consult me in such a hurry?" asked hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my office, which is about half a mile from the house, and then As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and breakfast." "Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you should servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds on the heaped-up edges of the foot-paths it still lay as white as my Frank's name among the killed. I fainted dead away, and I was "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as if on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my beneath, and his feet thrust into red heelless Turkish slippers. we get to Lee. It seems absurdly simple, and yet, somehow I can previous morning; but it is only now that it has been possible to sound of movement, and then all was silent once more, though the instant." I rushed upstairs, explained the matter shortly to my companion imperturbably. hedge close by the highroad, and just a little lower down was a "Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?" and laid it on the table. the time of my arrival, and I was informed by the maid that he