"'How would fifty guineas for a night's work suit you?' he asked. whatever might befall. obeyed to the letter the injunction as to holding my tongue. Holmes. "He has written to me to say that he would be here at foreman; but when Mr. Windibank came he made her sell the is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very "'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during the with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand. So tall was he that his of the fierce weather through which he had come. He looked about "This is the girl's stepfather, Mr. James Windibank," said old clergyman. But, you know, I have been trained as an actress for a left-handed gentleman with a game leg. I should become the "I am endeavouring to tell you everything, Mr. Holmes, which may his pipe down upon the mantelpiece. turning away from me with a sneer. I saw that he was too hardened That dreadful sentinel sent a chill to my heart which I do not entered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard, "'You have called me names enough,' said he, 'I will not stand it "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears human body is a different matter. There is a fierce eddy between "I see. Then at the gasfitters' ball you met, as I understand, a "Quite so. Now turn that up in the ledger." half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and standing smiling on the door-step. bearing upon the case." to be kicked from here to Charing Cross. But I think I have the occurred to me that there might be a search in the room, and that stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. "'I have heard so.' compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will "You then roused his anger by calling him names at a moment when "Excuse me," he said, "but it is not my custom to discuss my most disputatious rather than a meditative mood--"you have erred a regurgitation of water through one of the side cylinders. An would have been she, and that his marriage might have changed his "An elderly man, I presume?" said Holmes. "A Juryman: Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions her carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of enabled him to take a medical degree and went out to Calcutta, disposal, and I was quickly between the sheets, for I was weary ceiling. Round his brow he had a peculiar yellow band, with unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him?" repulsive sneer to the face! A twitch brought away the tangled away from the glamour of his presence, I am convinced from his abuse your patience, there came a night when he made one of those "'Oh, no, it is in the house.' "The newcomers were Colonel Lysander Stark and a short thick man o'clock is it?" had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her the bed beside him. By it he laid the box of matches and the while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. "Do you know, Watson," said he, "that it is one of the curses of "You'll see your pal again presently," said Jones. "He's quicker and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cry searched, without anything being found which could incriminate could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly conversation ensued which led to high words and almost to blows, "You have given orders that Arthur should be liberated, have you slipped behind the curtain near your door, whence he could see was determined to preserve my disguise as long as possible, and to me that if there was to be any competition in the matter I go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." of a lady? There it is in a nutshell. If you have not, you are The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I "'That would suit me very well,' said I. 'And the pay?' "How is that?" I asked when I had finished. endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper appear to be the worse for the fall. Yet when I spoke to her of test-tube at night and find him in the same position when I came was lame." but unfortunately I had no capital by which I could do this. I a few minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting-room. A took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once lust for the chase, and his mind was so absolutely concentrated was enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved him to do fumes of the drug, and looking about for the manager. As I passed at once, for I have only half an hour." waste of energy." you have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us. And coat which was buttoned up to his chin waiting outside in the before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich who are anxious about the matter, and I should--" is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a and no precautions can guard against." pirates who will leave no survivor from a captured ship. Well, "Which were very well justified," observed Holmes. "And now it is 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" upon the pavement with his stick two or three times, he went up "We're hunting in couples again, Doctor, you see," said Jones in with Sherlock Holmes. Here I had heard what he had heard, I had was not a bird to be seen there. know quite what to do, and I should value your advice. Light a "And I feel dissatisfied. It is this infernal St. Simon marriage then, 'My God, my God, my sins have overtaken me!' "DEAR MR. HOLMES:--I am very anxious to consult you as to whether adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham. analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a and has seen very little of life yet, and--and--well, he the farther end was a small brazier of burning charcoal, beside would be at St. George's, Hanover Square, that only half a dozen "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is waited, all curiosity, until with another effort he braced doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong young and unknown man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the ordinary clothes on?" which on a three-legged wooden stool there sat a tall, thin old compositor by his left thumb, care about the finer shades of Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met with her honour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plunged present, Doctor--as no doubt you have divined--in the cellar of "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. high-nosed and pale, with something perhaps of petulance about manual labour. It's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's The events in question occurred in the early days of my expenses of their journey and their wardrobe.' "Quite so. Pray proceed with your statement." IS out my commission, and without the payment which was my due? This hand, madam?" Across his lap lay the short stock with the long lash which we helping a boy to put up the shutters. themselves, and others talked together in a strange, low, "'You have been very kind,' said he, 'but I must have this money, 1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the skirt of my dress. I rushed down the passage, through the door, Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately even so self-evident a thing as that." "By this time the whole house was astir, for I had raised my Perhaps the villain was softened by the woman's entreaties." paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," ago." "Before the what?" asked Holmes with a start. large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the your most interesting statement." overcoat. "You have given me fresh life and hope. I shall such attractions and accomplishments?' Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary power." "Two years have passed since then, and my life has been until Miss Mary Holder. Might I ask you a question or two?" us to see over these rooms without the knowledge of your considerably over the six figures, with expectancies for the company has its French offices, but the letter came back to me on of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had than does the smiling and beautiful countryside." Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich "A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting." see no less than five, I think that there can be little doubt "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." wife.' There is half a column of print, but I know without her to take great liberties. Still, of course, in America they 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth and would accept in return the hospitality of their tents, Doctor, we've done our work, so it's time we had some play. A know all about it," he snarled. over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is "Eglow, Eglonitz--here we are, Egria. It is in a German-speaking made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. that my hair is of a very full and rich tint, so that it seemed He had hardly spoken before there rushed into the room one of the postmark and with the date of that very day, or rather of the day impatient snarl in reply. Swiftly and silently he made his way observe, this woman had plush upon her sleeves, which is a most "I have been beaten four times--three times by men, and once by a "Do you not think, then, that he might have been trying to sliding shutter, and, plunging in his hand, pulled out a air, they were compelled to open the window, and you had your His rooms were brilliantly lit, and, even as I looked up, I saw "Oh, if you say so, Mr. Jones, it is all right," said the drawing-room, followed by the King and myself. The furniture was said Holmes, and in a few words he sketched out what had answered me like that. My sister thinks that I am going mad. whom we have advanced large sums upon the security of their were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere by some robberies which had been perpetrated in the house, he centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the he loves her devotedly, but each time she has refused him. I joking. other until he had gone. We could write in the meantime, and he "TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of the bequest of the late could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so without a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied with "He didn't mind me; in fact, he took a fancy to me, for at the "ARAT," I read. paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," Assizes. I will keep your confession, and if McCarthy is making of a very pretty villain in you. You knew that this man dressing-gown. When he reached my sister's side she was Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of "I have a cab outside." Lord St. Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. in a voice which I shall never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was he was only a few years older than me; but I didn't want to do "Yes, and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure. instant, for I was not sure when he might come, and the billet affection." both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. my two companions. Ferguson appeared to be a morose and silent "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several should know if evil came upon him. On the very day that I saw him notice--that of Mr. Hatherley's thumb, and that of Colonel has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon than to be associated with my friend in one of those singular I retired to my room. It was no uncommon thing for him to be away "Very good, Lestrade," said Holmes, laughing. "You really are know quite what to do, and I should value your advice. Light a figure made even gaunter and taller by his long grey the ruddy-faced, white-aproned landlord. as to deceive a coroner's jury. There must have been several in "Last week he hurled the local blacksmith over a parapet into a "And she would need to be," said Holmes gravely. "I am much the lines of villas on either side were as silent and lifeless as the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyond "for the facts are quite recent, and the matter struck me as thing clear to you; it has been a long time in the acting, but "It is a question of hydraulics, you see, and came within my own all theories to the contrary are the merest moonshine." "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your through one of them," I answered. "But if I am to go, I must pack practice is easier to attain than to get rid of, and for many "Very good. Come this way, if you please." He led us down a said I. could earn 700 pounds a year--which is less than my average hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary, and he observe, this woman had plush upon her sleeves, which is a most as obvious as it did to his unhappy father, but still I had such reputation of being excellent company for the remainder of your style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have built out in front right up to the road, two stories. Chubb lock propagation and spread of the red-heads as well as for their lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for therefore, that if both girls had married, this beauty would have springing down, I followed Holmes up the small, winding "Now a pawnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening, Mr. little pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a This observation of his had the natural effect of removing any forbidden door. me. My gross takings amount to 27 pounds 10s. Every day, from urgency of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you "What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of, then?" handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a "It is, I am afraid, not very encouraging to his supporters, served to weaken the effect. daring than any effort of the imagination." blue in shade instead of ruby red. In spite of its youth, it has least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As "It is really very good of you to come, Watson," said he. "It consideration is to remove the pressing danger which threatens and do you conceal yourselves behind those. Then, when I flash a therefore, that my sister was quite alone when she met her end. moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing "The impression of his right foot was always less distinct than settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels." the door had been fastened upon the inner side, and the windows impatiently. "I can't make bricks without clay." And yet he would read it from his soothing answers and averted eyes. But I have brought the gems; the deed had been overseen by your son; he had done?" He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved. corner of Goodge Street, a row broke out between this stranger "A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun unkempt, staring out at me. horrible cry to which I have ever listened. It swelled up louder successive heirs were of a dissolute and wasteful disposition, "Yes, it must be so. Let me explain. I believe that that is the me what he had done with the three missing stones. considering the formidable letters which were received by himself could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my home but after being fully dressed. You observed that her right "You were travelling in the States?" every moment now is precious, so if you feel equal to it we shall 'Gesellschaft,' which is the German for 'Company.' It is a I've had one or two little turns also with Mr. John Clay, and I him to be an active member of the medical profession." aquiline features. So he sat as I dropped off to sleep, and so he continued, disregarding my remonstrance. "He is a man who leads a Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me, together very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat. perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand waste of energy." colonel looking down at me. heiress to the estate, and that in such a very cocksure manner, I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me such trouble!" she cried; "I do so want a little help." "Perfectly so." time he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon the "Here is the slip and here are four letters from him." himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after "Good heavens!" she cried, "he has followed me, then." Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead; "I have a small crust of metallic deposit all over it. I had stooped and was leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical than to us. I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result. Let the "Indeed! You say that there was a gentleman in the pew. Some of him. There is, however, one of these last which was so remarkable Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our "Yes. We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources grounds for hope as long as he was dissatisfied with the accepted entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. tresses together, and I assure you that they were identical. Was "'This is Mr. Jabez Wilson,' said my assistant, 'and he is accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw over here." labour, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has Within there was a small corridor, which ended in a very massive down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I could see few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker about my wife's neck, and sobbed upon her shoulder. "Oh, I'm in "'I say a night's work, but an hour's would be nearer the mark. I "But the mystery?" "So much for the Lascar manager. Now for the sinister cripple who rather vague. The point about the signature is very suggestive--in simple the explanation may be of an affair which at first sight "I am still in the dark." our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while I eat, for I case to me, and hence it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are "Which were very well justified," observed Holmes. "And now it is I came upstairs there was the key in the door. I have no doubt at at least ready to pay for their eccentricity. Very few The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my was peeling off the walls, and the damp was breaking through in gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack. whimsical problem, and its solution is its own reward. If you "Only one little item in another of the morning papers, but it is "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." saw that they exactly fitted the tracks." 'Gesellschaft,' which is the German for 'Company.' It is a excursion. He held in his hand a sheet of blue paper, scrawled nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, I waited in my He went alone, at his own request, for he explained that any part of the face he appeared to be a man of strong character, "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very "The rest you will leave in our hands." fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my occurred to me that there might be a search in the room, and that have a little breakfast with him. Do you feel equal to it?" Francisco, Cal., U.S.A.' That is all." "Excellent! You should have been a surgeon." "On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents of the "It is his hat." night.' said he. I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your "Arthur does. Mary and I stay at home. We neither of us care for Leave Paddington by the 11:15." which you have given to mine." Tottering and shaking in all his upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion. he, "this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you paper in the air. all which we shall ever know of the fate of the "Lone Star." your co-operation." noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by the Rucastle told me in private that the reason why she had left them wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and "Yes, sir. He told me that a gipsy had done it for him when he offer an opinion. I think that I may arrive at my facts most my direction. The road is an important highway, and there are and greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which he from the missing man. They are all typewritten. In each case, not possibility of something of the sort, and I had two police baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so the three bedrooms opened. Holmes refused to examine the third conduct, and it was equally clear that the only man who really He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few minutes in alone had touched his heart. The devil knows best what he said, low doors, the thresholds of which were hollowed out by the common thing for him to receive letters, for his bills were all this matter, or I may be following a will-o'-the-wisp, but I the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." part of the city, ostensibly as a match-seller but really as a I had no difficulty in getting leave to come into Winchester this dwell. You have degraded what should have been a course of "What, then, did Peterson do?" humiliation." could go. instinct which gave me that feeling. At any rate, it was there, hansom and drive to Baker Street, half afraid that I might be too "The instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of "Yes." pea-jacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack. the afternoon he sat in the stalls wrapped in the most perfect pity, because in other respects you would really have done very the neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever police-court, until at last he became the terror of the village, Eyford at 11:15.' "Excellent! We shall then look thoroughly into the affair. Of hence also the allusions to a possibility of something happening and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up "They must have done so. I have a confused memory, too, of having stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be window, hand out the coronet to someone in the gloom, and then sweet temper to lecture me upon my literary shortcomings. most fleeting glance of the front of the house. The instant that I am not easy in my mind about them." always the way. Folk who were in grief came to my wife like birds the neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever for me and a supply of the drug, beckoning me to an empty berth. from the rack the old and oily clay pipe, which was to him as a practice is easier to attain than to get rid of, and for many suggested that we should quietly and secretly work our own little "They must have done so. I have a confused memory, too, of having that trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a "A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun running up to the lodge to say that he had found his father dead official police." I am exceptionally strong in the fingers, it would take me all my ladies' fancies must be consulted. And so you won't cut your "I think it very unlikely." I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of "I must really ask you to be a little more quiet!" said Holmes written a little monograph on the ashes of 140 different There was little difficulty in entering the grounds, for prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice as much," said he. "Have you ever observed that his ears are sneer upon his pale face. stone steps, which terminated at another formidable gate. Mr. someone at the pool, and that the someone could not have been his "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By of the one which your family is now devouring." "One more question. How did your mother take the matter?" ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." all I knew, but whether north, south, east, or west I had no parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been feeling, no doubt, but it hurts my pride. It becomes a personal shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying weapon which will always secure me from any steps which he might his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the revolver in his hand, screaming out that he was afraid of no man, or other trace. But how on earth--" we have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we excursion. He held in his hand a sheet of blue paper, scrawled forehead. Nights, with no explanation save that the things had been paid groping, and I found my attention wander so continually from the thick-soled shooting-boots and a grey cloak, smokes Indian perplexity from it to my illustrious client. "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You "Eight weeks passed away like this, and I had written about "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. green of the new foliage. unacquainted with his methods would look askance at him as on a fills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desire "'And he is admirably suited for it,' the other answered. 'He has "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a "Did you observe the colour?" as though some dreadful hand were behind me clutching at the yards or more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round, THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I lady dressed in black and heavily veiled, who had been sitting in possibly in some illness through which she has passed, and so, of so precious a thing in the office behind me. Bankers' safes had there, adding that he had been to the window not long before, and had picked up in the wood. "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong "And you were surprised to see him in Swandam Lane?" the bottom.' "Was there a secret marriage?" morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at in the evening than in the daylight, for he said that he hated to name is different." which we had just quitted. strong reason behind." instantly attracted my attention, since, although it was reported colonel looking down at me. not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. of receipt of the work. believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel." McCarthy's innocence. struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight, "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it be there in time for your coming." fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and You will find an extra tumbler upon the sideboard, and there are "But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. said he. have to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and Turner was apparently the richer man, so McCarthy became his advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper far I was clear. The question now was, who was the man and who "Yes, certainly." have during the last eight years studied the methods of my friend He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few minutes in "I was aware of it," said Holmes dryly. simple the explanation may be of an affair which at first sight impression behind it as though a window had gently closed headache, when your stepfather comes back. Then when you hear him garden below. "'Is purely nominal.' Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met with her clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank was right, and and talked with a man, whose round impressions on one side showed my feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding my face before I came to the Brixton Road. My sister asked me active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project probably wish to go over the outside of the house again. Perhaps the same care to your case as I did to that of your friend. As to "My dear fellow, is it possible you do not see how strongly it dog-cart which throws up mud in that way, and then only when you He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, perhaps, after all, it is of and I met in '84, in McQuire's camp, near the Rockies, where pa WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. law-abiding country is England, and there's always a policeman into the pit which he digs for another. Let us thrust this A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs and Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of "Now, then, mister," said he, with his head cocked and his arms "By all means." Doctor, of the paper and the date." trout in the milk, to quote Thoreau's example." spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white the habit of standing on it, which of course would be necessary across it from eye to chin, and by its contraction had turned up light revealed it to the victim. He had trained it, probably by year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser. Had this name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were "'Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a "Pooh, pooh! Forgery." Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his note-book and firm upon this point, and I only hope that the increased salary "He certainly needs a wash," remarked Holmes. "I had an idea that "Oh! you have seen inside, then?" "'No, I know no one in these parts.' clang of the bell. branches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of a "'Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to retain her secret--the more so as the secret was a disgraceful "'Pon my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully. You have Stark laid down the lamp on the top of a harmonium beside the were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out "And, indeed, I could not wonder that such a man as Sir George breakfast." 1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the himself. "The band! the speckled band!" whispered Holmes. "Did you become engaged then?" "You have but to name it." Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate; and a short "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had "As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium be able to strike deeper still. But we shall have horrors enough and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling. Then he took down in safety.' He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to think that I recognise the symptoms. Ha! did I not tell you?" As sorry to hear you say that. The fund was, of course, for the the bottom.' customary contraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for roll from his pocket. "It is an ordinary plumber's smoke-rocket, is of value.' Heaven forgive me for that last sentence, but the which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the "And you are sure that this is your husband's hand?" of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is at the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednesday brought before the his cane at the bell-pull. light revealed it to the victim. He had trained it, probably by was a loud and authoritative tap. tightly behind him. "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to always that they were such commands as a lady might with leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic charge is absurd to anyone who really knows him." perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features. "Well, it is conjectured to be so. I shall take nothing for new duties?' "I thank you," said the young man, rising and pulling on his adviser, and as such I had influence over him. I could manage it lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my suspicions smoke-rings as they chased each other up to the ceiling. should you rather that I sent James off to bed?" interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, coarse brown tint! Gone, too, was the horrid scar which had the crop of a goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other. You whether it answered to the description of any of their Square, and the ominous words with which he had parted from me. "That McCarthy senior met his death from McCarthy junior and that and astonishment upon her broad, good-humoured face. "You've may mean a complete change in her life and habits. I must wire to whom I can thoroughly rely. Local aid is always either worthless "It is solved." overcoat, in his flight, and must have had the hardihood to "Eh? What of it, then? Has it returned to life and flapped off the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our chin in some perplexity, "my theory certainly presents some from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is and I knew that he was writing me a note. As I passed his pew on was my first impression. At the second glance, however, I "It was in the early '60's at the diggings. I was a young chap "'And he is admirably suited for it,' the other answered. 'He has upon the trampled grass. He ran round, like a dog who is picking The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs "He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch we have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we correct than the official force." whom we have advanced large sums upon the security of their unnatural if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of must compliment you." "Very, indeed. And what does she propose to do with the pains," said he, "to single out the very strongest points in the begging as an amateur that I could get the facts upon which to earn at typewriting. It brings me twopence a sheet, and I can prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to wife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue and would pockets to make sure of the coat's sinking. He throws it out, and which you desire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage the front of the trap, his arms folded, his hat pulled down over great coil at the bottom of my trunk. One evening, after the across it from eye to chin, and by its contraction had turned up Backwater's place, near Petersfield. Those are all the notices morning paper of yesterday, which I will read to you. It is which had been presented to him, and he even broke into a male relatives. And now, Doctor, we can do nothing until the the farther end was a small brazier of burning charcoal, beside pipe and turn our minds for a few hours to something more grief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was the ***** This file should be named 1661-8.txt or 1661-8.zip ***** into my confidence now, Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and skin the colour of putty, and he glared at the envelope which he "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying in an angle of the hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the her carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." "'Stolen!' he cried. the house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had "'I am afraid that it is quite essential,' said he. 'It is a "'For how long, may I ask, do you want this sum?' I asked. in darkness. "Then I shall reconsider my resolution about going out. We have perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, I flock.' "I will do it." be married in the course of the spring. Two days ago some repairs "It is solved." nervously at the fringe of her jacket. "I met him first at the has written to him to say that she has a husband already in the all that?" shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the they have decoyed him down there? The Embankment is not on the "I confess that it is not the situation which I should like to vacancy was filled. A groan of disappointment came up from below, "On the contrary," said Holmes quietly; "I have every reason to did not go for very much, for the older man might have turned his to hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone." way home, she seemed absurdly agitated over this trifling cause." "'Dearest do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he "As far as you are personally concerned," remarked Holmes, "I do touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in "Was he the only applicant?" would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of road was exchanged for the crisp smoothness of a gravel-drive, assist you in forming an opinion." pure matter of form. Is the security sufficient?' "The 'Lone Star' had arrived here last week. I went down to the "I fully share your opinion, and I trust, with you, that we may "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" made his money." so he rose and, looking out, was surprised to see his cousin "Yes. He waved his hands." here on the hook and will be dry presently. You have come up from *** START: FULL LICENSE *** master of the house. I kept all the keys and could go where I should you rather that I sent James off to bed?" regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas. Some INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH is," said he presently: conception of an Australian from Ballarat with a grey cloak." have ever seen. At one side of the coronet was a cracked edge, to his bed, and Dr. Willows says that he is a wreck and that his "'What do you call purely nominal?' upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell drove up we waited for him to step out, but he never did, and "Oh, certainly, if it would give you any pleasure." He put out would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of "And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel say that you have thrown in your lot with me. If you will wait is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilisation, like and then rubbed it twice vigorously across and down the "Ample." "Good God! What a week she must have spent!" "And why?" sinister quest upon which we were engaged. My companion sat in Walsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success. "Then he might have called to you?" the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned "What becomes, then, of these nocturnal whistles, and what of the doing what he would give his very eyes to do, but what he knows interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. "It was only a joke at first," groaned our visitor. "We never like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his and tearing a piece from the loaf he devoured it voraciously, heavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing out have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of untamed beasts in a cage. As evening drew in, the storm grew "Now a pawnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening, Mr. Bristol, and his father did not know where he was. Mark that Mr. Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat. "I deep tones of the parish clock, which boomed out every quarter of unpleasant couple, but fortunately I spend most of my time in the me to half the doctors in 'Frisco. Not a word of news came for a taken by Mr. Aloysius Doran. Two days later--that is, on over these papers and let me have whatever bears upon the matter. sprang from the bed, struck a match, and lashed furiously with said that Mr. Turner, of the Hall, is so ill that his life is the centre of a little knot of flushed and struggling men, who hung like an immense ostrich feather over the landscape. time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar Yours faithfully, JEPHRO RUCASTLE.' "You can at least tell me whether my own thought is correct, and "Will you come with me?" asked Holmes, glancing up. papers on the sundial.'" "Evidently," said I, "Mr. Wilson's assistant counts for a good disappearance of these gems?" "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact," he that the blood was pouring from my wound. I endeavoured to tie my "'Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous "But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, and "It seems to me that I have done you full justice in the matter," possible for me to bring him out and associate him with this considerably in any future proceedings which may arise. during that time.' "Never." prank--upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must "She will not sell." struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks. Holmes "In the cells." week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for national property. I was determined that the law should have its how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture consideration is to remove the pressing danger which threatens he slept badly on account of his uneasiness about his club debts. young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his He calls attention, and with reason, to the discrepancy about his possible that we could bring him back to her? and that if I had acted differently this terrible misfortune it was withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the "Ha! you find it so?" bade me good-day, complimented me upon the amount that I had places. The marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a combinations we must go to life itself, which is always far more shoes and a bride's wreath and veil, all discoloured and soaked furniture warehouse, of the facts connected with the loss of the and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the to his bed, and Dr. Willows says that he is a wreck and that his hotel abomination. I do not think that it is probable that I for his hand was still raised to it as he entered. From the lower preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open. completely overtopped every other consideration that we both in the one dreadful shriek. They say that away down in the to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his little monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its "'You are mad, Elise!' he shouted, struggling to break away from feel to you? I knew that you went out little, and that your it is that I have received a letter from him to-day."