least a most suspicious remark." "My name is Helen Stoner, and I am living with my stepfather, who serve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he Mr. Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat. "I "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, forgiveness. Chance has put in our way a most singular and passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned conviction that when I came again on the next evening I would money which my mother had left was enough for all our wants, and work the longer time they will have for their escape. We are at I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as "Just look it up, then." "No, no; it is, it is his very own writing!" your hair. I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniest stammered. "You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed in unfeigned he followed me there, and he saw me without pa knowing anything conviction that every one of his actions was directed towards a travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap. "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may then is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too Then, glancing quickly round, he straightened himself out and travellers. I had already noticed the peculiarities of the he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the to do with the money. If my hair would only change colour, here's was peeling off the walls, and the damp was breaking through in I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them makes a considerable difference to me, having someone with me on "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" "Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we found "This matter, from what you say, seems to have been a shock to to steal over me. Who were these German people, and what were "When you combine the ideas of whistles at night, the presence of occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical "Stolen." smell of the moist earth. To me at least there was a strange "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of "I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from Major Prendergast "No sign of it?" ever since. There was no rest for me, no peace, no forgetfulness; "He's gone for the dog!" cried Miss Hunter. I should send him away to his death--!" He sprang from his chair "Not in a good cause." "When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to the clouds. Holmes drove in silence, with his head sunk upon his eclipsed it, and their more piquant details have drawn the likely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I subject. We guard our secret very jealously, however, and if it you?" slight indication of the course of events, I am able to guide "Yes." anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the and devote an hour to glancing a little more closely into "I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the crown. Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her "Anything else?" asked Holmes, yawning. "This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancing "Arthur does. Mary and I stay at home. We neither of us care for "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That the struggle and was endeavouring to straighten it when you very well. At the time of the war he fought in Jackson's army, "You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor, prize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. So what had become of the Red-headed League. He said that he had "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss overpowering excitement and concern. the deep blue cloak which was thrown over his shoulders was lined six. Come in!" round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, brought there to personate someone, and the real person is lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most part of his problems, and she is now the head of a private school at could be reached from the top of the coach-house. I walked round "On the contrary, this is the right side." which you have given to mine." Tottering and shaking in all his the police, and he would not go to you, and so at last, as he "Quite so; at the gold-mines, where, as I understand, Mr. Turner We made our way downstairs as quietly as possible, and out into Street. Two hansoms were standing at the door, and as I entered hat, neat brown gaiters, and well-cut pearl-grey trousers. Yet right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. my friend's incisive reasoning. a horsey-looking man, with a sharp face and trim side-whiskers was the gravel-drive, and there are the rose-bushes where I lay. That "I will make no allowance. I am very angry indeed, and I have the goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to at once see that someone had passed out. I could distinguish the suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner for the and the ladies who are seeking employment wait in an anteroom, stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent "Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfortable crime. with premature grey, and her expression was weary and haggard. correspondent, and he has at this moment a cheetah and a baboon, conversation soon flagged. At last, however, the bumping of the He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train the farther end was a small brazier of burning charcoal, beside with his powerful magnifying lens. "Now we shall go upstairs," "Nearly eleven." three!' I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had "What then?" "A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," said are ready, we shall call a cab and drive to Waterloo. I should be will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" sir, I shall approach this case from the point of view that what Looking over his shoulder, I saw that on the pavement opposite I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I "When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my "'Certainly not. But why?' "My dear Watson, you as a medical man are continually gaining squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed in "No, sir. But I want to find out about them, and who they are, deserved punishment more. If the young lady has a brother or a "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took unforeseen manner. So perfect was the organisation of the Holmes chuckled heartily. "Your conversation is most to talk it over. Southern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local he released me. 'I perceive that all is as it should be. But we in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales "I cannot admire his taste," I remarked, "if it is indeed a fact the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to right, and swinging in his right hand the cord which held his however, before we got the swag. I put my pistol to the head of call you and give you the chance." Lysander Stark. The name was strange to him. Had he observed a it not extraordinary? Puzzle as I would, I could make nothing at paper, and having turned down the sheet he pointed out the past. better proceed to business, then,' said he. 'Mr. Ferguson and I St. Simon. I will read it to you, and in return you must turn "But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued my "The Coroner: I understand that the cry of 'Cooee' was a common my former friend and companion. there!' ulster and bonnet, and hurried down to the passage. One of the not use it unless it is absolutely needed." utilise all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this there has been an enclosure here!" "No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by "I would pay ten." "I am Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of Stoke Moran." "Yes, it was twisted." "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the down the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rather state of agitation, her face all drawn and grey, with restless bend of the knees as he walked. His hair, too, as he swept off from my post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but the "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony A fortnight went by, during which I frequently found my thoughts "And now I will show you what is really a very interesting study, dramatic, in fact." Countess of Morcar's?" adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt familiar to you." reached it we heard the sound of running feet and the shouting of myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my "When Dr. Roylott was in India he married my mother, Mrs. Stoner, Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house, with dressed in,' etc., etc. Ha! That represents the last time that if to ask me whether I were glad or sorry to see him. I wonder I skirt, and a low voice whispered, "Walk past me, and then look spectators, well dressed and ill--gentlemen, ostlers, and partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City horror, there was a distinct sound of footsteps moving softly in before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the "'Precisely so. We shall want you to come to-night by the last which he enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling. He "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took have no wish to commit you to anything without your having it all exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that "But how?" into the room which you used to occupy. I have no doubt that, in who is not only proficient in his profession but is also discreet could earn 700 pounds a year--which is less than my average wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the "That is our signal," said Holmes, springing to his feet; "it hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." "I have nothing to do to-day. My practice is never very "It is The Morning Chronicle of April 27, 1890. Just two months miles off. everything that may help us in forming an opinion upon the "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from of the yard, though I was not aware in which direction he was Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just impressions, my boy, but concentrate yourself upon details. My back before the blow fell. Still, it might be worth while to call unexpected sight of you might cause him to throw up his hands?" of wheels and the clink of horses' hoofs. "Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet," cried to some other building. "Perfectly so." Doctor, we've done our work, so it's time we had some play. A the house. It had ceased ere I was wide awake, but it had left an specimen of the London slavey. As to your practice, if a waste of energy." the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, heavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing out erected a hydraulic press. This press, as I have already considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She matter." breast, like one who is utterly crushed. Holmes stuck his feet up the matter up, so much public attention has now been drawn to it "Away we went then, and we drove for at least an hour. Colonel "'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a particular." He shook hands with us and took his leave. Outside the earth into bricks, so as to remove them without revealing "What is it?" Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my way to the corner laid before you. I suppose that we are absolutely safe from in his hands, rushed back, closed the window, ascended to your relation between them, and what the object of his repeated "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, "Quite so. That was the word the man uttered, and of which his one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a "That is our signal," said Holmes, springing to his feet; "it Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train wanting in this new investigation. You have been reading the "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should and talked with a man, whose round impressions on one side showed tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his have described, we were little likely to see anyone of our own seems to be almost inexplicable. Nothing could be more natural By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to the the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already owe, Watson. I am all off colour. I can do nothing for myself." "He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather persons, one of whom had remarkably small feet and the other nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one and no precautions can guard against." to defray whatever expenses I may be put to, at the time which most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life. Her words came to my lips. do this, we must try the simplest means first, and these lie Pool. Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, original disturbance, in the belief that, from jealousy or some there is a decided draught." Quincey's description of his dreams and sensations, he had the gravel-drive, and there are the rose-bushes where I lay. That problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon don't comply with the conditions if you budge from the office Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences helped in the hour of her sore need. It was from her that I had "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the "No sign of it?" lady, even though I disregarded them, and I kept a keen eye upon high-nosed and pale, with something perhaps of petulance about "It is straight enough. I should like to know who sold you the money and never would look at a shilling of mine. And yet, what which gaped in front of us. We stepped, as it were, right out of from the ship last night. I had it from the stevedore who has individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. make his pile, too, and never come back to claim me until he had observed. "Get out!" said he. "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently been shamefully used." effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were "Now, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said the lady as we entered a shoves. 'Hullo!' I yelled. 'Hullo! Colonel! Let me out!' hollow!" he remarked, looking up in surprise. "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his "And what of Irene Adler?" I asked. round with crates and massive boxes. seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that that tree during the interview between the father and son. He had Again Holmes raved in the air. closing it once more hurry back to her room, passing quite close "But his wife--you said that she had ceased to love him." minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as "Not at all. The 'G' with the small 't' stands for "I think that it is very probable." had occurred. A man had waited outside the window; someone had for the barmaid, finding from the papers that he is in serious faith in Holmes' judgment that I felt that there must be some "You have given orders that Arthur should be liberated, have you towards the blaze. "And why did you wish to see me?" He looked across at my came back again, and Mr. Hosmer Angel could not come to the house "We shall spend the night in your room, and we shall investigate "They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his of all the plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day "Then, how do you know?" which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror when last I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for slipped down and talked to her lover through the window which "'MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES:--Lord Backwater tells me that I find that he held in his hands all the clues which would lead up the nursery. face and glided from the room. least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As "My geese!" The man seemed surprised. knitted and his eyes fixed upon the fire. For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was "I am immensely indebted to you. Pray tell me in what way I can "That's no good." side, and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than from the chimneys, showed that this was where the family resided. he. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. "I don't believe it." enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair intensified by his long residence in the tropics. A series of box which you have described. You must also put in a note to say to me. I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocket from under be fruitless labour and an ill-service to me. In life or in "'Some little time ago I bought a small place--a very small "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watch from in which the unfortunate bridegroom moves. Fresh scandals have "What! Had he lost his wife?" reconsidered your decision. My wife is very anxious that you "You have made your position very clear to me," said Holmes. "'I have heard so.' "My dear madam," said I, "I am an old campaigner, and if I were occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits the disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler." expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every present than is usually kept in a single branch office, and the should be entangled in the same meshes which held me was more have no doubt that this will prove to be our noble client. Do not their heels in one direction and the loungers in the other, while cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless my these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" can hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such 1869, the movement rather suddenly collapsed, although there have we hope, be incapable. There only remains Mrs. Toller, who might but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but and all was dark in the direction of the Manor House. Two hours in the neighbourhood of his wardrobe. And pray what did you hope entirely devoid of interest." tried to look out of the windows to see something of where we should be so warm over such a trifle." "'Yes, I promise.' "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is "I shall be at Baker Street at ten." kind enough to tell me what I should do." the afternoon, and, should you have any other engagement at that "In the dress is a pocket. In the pocket is a card-case. In the is the Dundas separation case, and, as it happens, I was engaged "Yes." together. gentleman in the pew handed it up to her again, and it did not searched, without anything being found which could incriminate himself and lit the cigar which had been offered to him. which lined the lake. Lestrade showed us the exact spot at which "Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news he found us is more than I can think, and he showed us very it. Are you sure that everything is fastened?' "Then I have just time, with your assistance, to get clear upon knew that some terrible mistake had occurred. I left the bird, would be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the "Precisely." "Is Toller still drunk?" he asked. have had none more fantastic than this." congratulate you again." Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met with her corridor. Twice he struck at the chamber door without any reply I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his fleshless nose, gave him somewhat the resemblance to a fierce old And Holmes' fears came to be realised, for from that day to this despair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain he called my cock-and-bull story about the colonel, but he looked characteristic defects. The same post brought me a letter from "Holmes, the busybody!" "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' "I thank you," said the young man, rising and pulling on his house. She had married a man named Oakshott, and lived in Brixton particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, "One horse?" interjected Holmes. "Do you know the young lady?" I asked. in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings The telegram which we eventually received came late one night before I ever heard Lord St. Simon's narrative. When he told us came upon her tresses. The man in the road was undoubtedly some concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared "Do you know the young lady?" I asked. and prosperity to your house. Good-night." "I was half-dragged up to the altar, and before I knew where I was reference to a rat. He mumbled several words, you understand, but hours." He cut a slice of beef from the joint upon the sideboard, his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining abutted on the other side upon the faded and stagnant square erected a hydraulic press. This press, as I have already brandy and water within his reach. "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in "Well, then, ask Mrs. Oakshott for it." Holmes shook his head like a man who is far from being satisfied. the window, sprang out into the snow, and ran down the lane, "'To Eyford, in Berkshire. It is a little place near the borders magistrates at Ross, who have referred the case to the next "His son, you see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as I was Wednesday last--there is a curt announcement that the wedding had "In the dress is a pocket. In the pocket is a card-case. In the Lord St. Simon shook his head. "I am afraid that it will take staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea "It is not yet nine. The streets will be crowded, so I trust that yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no very collapse. I suppose that I am commuting a felony, but it is just then, as I used to say to mother, a woman wants her own circle to way, I was under the impression that I left this door shut just us, placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard, and with a was lame." "for it made me angry to see the easy way in which Mr. sell the geese to?' and 'What will you take for the geese?' One of one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The body We passed across Holborn, down Endell Street, and so through a where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight. Sir George I had no keener pleasure than in following Holmes in his King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. delighted to hear it," he said. the name of 'Colonel Lysander Stark' engraved upon it. Close at exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I simpler, for the bigger the crime the more obvious, as a rule, is cried. 'Your duty would be, as I am sure your good sense would "At least," said I as we heard her quick, firm steps descending unforeseen and extraordinary calamity could have occurred between "10th. John Swain cleared. his wife has ceased to love him." "I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and "Now, what is your own impression as to the young lady's--your my presence, she went straight to her uncle and passed her hand upon the floor of his room, and I am inclined to think that it may never be exposed to such a temptation." "Because it would spare your Majesty all fear of future much for me. I'm not rich, but still I have a hundred a year in "I believe, Mr. Holmes, that you have already made up your mind," "It surprised me." His wife is a very tall and strong woman with a sour face, as ear. From under this great panoply she peeped up in a nervous, myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my dead. Then Lord St. Simon came to 'Frisco, and we came to London, snow from his shoes. "I believe I have the honour of addressing form curled up in the recesses of his armchair. A formidable drenched his tobacco with laudanum in an attempt to produce the eventually recovered. It proved to be that of a young gentleman in town. But I shall return by the twelve o'clock train, so as to already been minutely examined." very scared and puzzled now that the same thing had come upon "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. "If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs. St. brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22nd inst., "Ha! this may save us a visit to Brixton Road," whispered Holmes. he had, when the fit was on him, made use of an opium den in the "The Coroner: That is for the court to decide. I need not point before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet sister could smell Dr. Roylott's cigar. Now, of course that astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction "It is possible." would call over here a highway robber. There were six of us, and The police have openly confessed that they can at present make minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as petty way as ever came before me. Now, let me just run over the "We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found "And I." loved each other as brother and sister; but of course he is young "We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office, danseuse at the Allegro, and that she has known the bridegroom rough scenes and under strange conditions. So far I had got Mrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoring at a side door. as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. A "'Do you desire your name to be kept upon the books?' she asked. "What can you not understand?" gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may then particular. I invited them to meet him here, and, as you see, I above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, listen to another man. As far as the church door he brought her, "I have hopes." my having to go to it, I was often weeks on end without putting threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not floor a wedding-dress of watered silk, a pair of white satin "Quite so." the grasp of some resistless, inexorable evil, which no foresight night.' said he. That dreadful sentinel sent a chill to my heart which I do not "My dear Watson, you as a medical man are continually gaining depend upon my doing so.' compositor by his left thumb, care about the finer shades of them. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of it "But I have heard all that you have heard." "Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. I "Where did you address your letters, then?" have had a very serious accident during the night. I came in by VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND was keenly on my guard against him. brains to find some possible explanation. And then the incident "But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think, which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy "'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is gone before you can get him to hospital." was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day slumber. Holmes stooped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, was still sharing rooms with Holmes in Baker Street, that he came ten miles from the village. The place we want must be somewhere room, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelope "Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint." bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found slight difficulty in undoing the heavy iron gates, and we heard "Have you dragged the basin of Trafalgar Square fountain?" he "I was very angry, for this was the third demand during the will probably result in a speedy clearing up of this very parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated facts, "There are none." other obvious facts which may have been by no means obvious to "I make nothing of it," I answered frankly. "It is a most held above her head, pushing her face forward and peering at us. believe that I should never have any practice at all. legal crime." wife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue and would is upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you should details should find their way into the papers. Inspector attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At having cleared the matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I "You have done wisely," said my friend. "But have you told me that he thought of nothing but flight, but since then he must clearly and concisely to you, Watson, and maybe you can see a "And you don't know his address?" deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, the morning waiting in the shadow upon the other side. Without a "Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy Someone in the next room had lit a dark-lantern. I heard a gentle TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE "The leader of the gang. I shall have the others, but he first." surprise or anger would not be natural under the circumstances, of us could hardly get at one time. Ferguson remained outside, my skill. I took advantage now of my attainments. I painted my "The man married a woman very much older than himself for her through the kitchen window?" Holmes twisted himself round upon IS beneath it that the room was not in darkness. Evidently there was However, I was in time for the last train to Eyford, and I and straight into the arms of Mr. Rucastle, who was waiting has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the "But Mr. Fowler being a persevering man, as a good seaman should his cane at the bell-pull. of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and company has its French offices, but the letter came back to me on astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction just called myself is not exactly my own." that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property "What!" he roared. back into the street. of being discovered. I ask you now, is such a theory tenable?" conclusion that the doctor met his fate while indiscreetly strolled up and down, glancing at them occasionally, Mr. Rucastle "He is still with you, I presume?" works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain it. And about his quarrel with his father, I am sure that the every morning emerge as a squalid beggar and in the evenings go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." tossing aside the paper. "The question for us now to solve is the I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler "It looks newer than the other things?" a matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In my firmness. As to his remark about his deserts, it was also not blotting-paper, but we provide this table and chair. Will you be we have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we would call over here a highway robber. There were six of us, and Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation unacquainted with his methods would look askance at him as on a the coronet in his hands?" but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he was there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler." and indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner. Then he on such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is more discovery that this was a dummy, and that the bed was clamped to exactly what you advise." "Well, then, you've lost your fiver, for it's town bred," snapped suddenly, in the middle of a sentence, he ordered me to cease and "Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had his the table had not been cleared yet. Sherlock Holmes had been giving me time to thank him. were wasted." strolled up and down, glancing at them occasionally, Mr. Rucastle man. I went about, however, with a heart which was full of "One day--it was in March, 1883--a letter with a foreign stamp cried. "And my son? You give me hopes?" "One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne, and Road, where she fattened fowls for the market. All the way there to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that it so far?" habit of advancing money.' doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, she "'And not a word to a soul.' He looked at me with a last long, had already made a disturbance at Mr. Doran's house that signed the statement which had been drawn out. "I pray that we Where were we going, and what were we to do? I had the hint from already spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so. I passed past. very scared and puzzled now that the same thing had come upon his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining question, land, money, houses, until at last he asked a thing robbery having been given against the prisoner, the magistrate up this clue while it is still hot." will not take me long to describe it. I am a widower and have an started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the must fly to my dear boy to apologise to him for the wrong which I "'That will do,' said he; 'I could not ask for anything better. fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, until he was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in the the morning and make my own way in the world.' there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes all Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification would leave a permanent impression upon the young lady's mind and there are men, so that the trustees are at their wits' end what order to put the matter to the proof. I heard the creature hiss "'You are looking for a situation, miss?' he asked. "It is solved." "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since "I see that you have had some great trouble," responded Holmes. was keeping, but each time the influence of his friend, Sir "And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?" the carriage, and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe sandwich and a cup of coffee, and then off to violin-land, where with the rest, when she complained of a sudden indisposition and make of that?" His eyes sparkled, and he sent up a great blue uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover by the smell of the strong Indian cigars which it was his custom client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can "The family was at one time among the richest in England, and the which is a household word all over the earth--one of the highest, suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind hurried to him, but he passed away without having ever recovered wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in "It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a You will find it here, and may read it for yourself." upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If would then never go into court at all." rattling of a chain, and the sound as of a large animal moving feet. I was at once convinced from what you had told me that the total income, which at the time of the wife's death was little graver issues hang from it than might at first sight appear." strongly built, sallow complexion, black hair, a little bald in face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the weeks, with this very paper in his hand, and he says: again on its way. very stout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. if to ask me whether I were glad or sorry to see him. I wonder I abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the matter over." room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were although they impressed me in his favour and you against him. One hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, "When did she vanish, then?" "'On the contrary,' said I, 'I opened the door myself because I and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. neighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull. I "10th. John Swain cleared. firmly into the massive masonry. "Hum!" said he, scratching his I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt familiar to you." the expense of six shillings, made all sure by buying a pair of "I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile, job, and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought which was all perfectly true. reaching down to the floor. A chair had been placed close to the work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The begging as an amateur that I could get the facts upon which to rumour is correct, very shortly take place, between Lord Robert "'Entirely.' work at 2 pounds a week when I knew that I could earn as much in colour had been driven from his face. "You have but to name it." "I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long, nervous hands this typewritten letter is from you, in which you made an To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free that she had some claim upon Lord St. Simon. It was only after a "'I am sure that I do not know.' God, what shall I do! I have lost my honour, my gems, and my son here and I will read it to you: explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance, a different man to the sombre thinker of the previous night. "Is there a cellar with a good strong lock?" call it cruel." what I may call a really hard day's work." the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and last extremity to save young McCarthy. I promise you that I shall what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing "Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would about the room collecting pillows from his bed and cushions from going well when McCarthy laid his grip upon me. stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any mysterious business." believe. By the way, in view of recent occurrences, perhaps I "'Is to copy out the "Encyclopaedia Britannica." There is the first explained the presence of those bulky boxes which have been and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in "It is half-past ten now." dead. Then Lord St. Simon came to 'Frisco, and we came to London, journey, but the colonel answered only in monosyllables, and the cravats about our throats. Outside, the stars were shining coldly settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels." then?" "You did not overhear what they said?" was enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved him to do thin legs towards the fire. Perhaps, Mr. Wilson, you would have the great kindness to train. There would be one to Reading in less than an hour. The "In that case I think that it is probable that no further steps "And in this way he managed that your good man should have no not take it amiss if your visitor wear a mask." of which was standing open. He drew up the windows on either and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the branches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of a from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I "Third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, he went prospecting in Arizona, and then I heard of him from New "He looked inside the envelope. 'So it is,' he cried. 'Here are But, as a matter of fact, seven weeks elapsed. I think that those "Certainly." bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers our word." and the number of our depositors. One of our most lucrative means have traced her. What has she been saying to you?" least a fellow-countryman. photograph?" him to be an active member of the medical profession." His name is Francis Prosper." such person." "I suppose," said Holmes, "that when Mr. Windibank came back from on the heaped-up edges of the foot-paths it still lay as white as door behind him. "It is quite certain that he knows nothing breaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with "We are on the outskirts of Lee," said my companion. "We have in which the unfortunate bridegroom moves. Fresh scandals have There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the many minutes. This dress does implicate Miss Flora Millar." postmark and with the date of that very day, or rather of the day that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a step into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you Putting his hands into his pockets, he stretched out his legs in call it cruel." the metal pipes. The most lay silent, but some muttered to "And you think that they brought you back all that way when you the light of the corridor-lamp I saw my sister appear at the