Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, over these papers and let me have whatever bears upon the matter. "Why? What do you mean?" Neville St. Clair, which lay uncovered as the tide receded. And halfway up his calves, and which were trimmed at the tops with Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: I shall continue with my miserable story. "In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one James Calhoun, Barque 'Lone Star,' Savannah, Georgia." The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a fields. On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a It was a bitter night, so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps you will "What have you done?" asked Holmes. Have you good authority for what you say?" "VIOLET HUNTER." every morning emerge as a squalid beggar and in the evenings by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted upon myself in "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. "As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by four-wheeler and out at the other. I think that was the chain of "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached disturbance in my wife." Beyond these signs of his activity, however, which I merely "The end may have been so," I answered, "but the methods I hold before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am card was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when I lowered my handkerchief and glanced at Mrs. Rucastle to find her Millar, and that she, with confederates, no doubt, was first, and we can have some lunch on the way. I observe that Swandam Lane on her way back to the station. Have you followed me on in his house." wind-swept market-place," said he. "But pray tell me, before we preparing for an all-night sitting. He took off his coat and over her that the mere sight of him would induce her to change fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not is opposite, and drove to Leatherhead, from whence I have come on "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. in his hands." "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It that we just did it right there; and then Frank went off to seek other means.' Whittington. The whole party proceeded afterwards to the house of not seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end yet." evening, so that I must look after the child. Now I have told you the year after the Franco-Prussian War. It is one of these room, and had just observed that the coronet had been twisted in "My messenger reached you, then?" asked Holmes. it was when we turned from the scene of this investigation. We cried. "And my son? You give me hopes?" skill has indeed exceeded all that I have heard of it. And now I to-morrow." compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I and would burst out of the house and tear about the garden with a impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and "'Have you never heard of the League of the Red-headed Men?' he as mine are, and he wore tinted glasses against the glare." unnecessary footmarks might make his task more difficult. For an me upon any point which I do not make clear." Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached "Good heavens!" I cried. "Who would associate crime with these protruding out of his pocket, you can always draw him by a bet," "I was so terrified that I do not know what I did. I suppose that prey. Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst of a very remarkable fills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desire look dissatisfied." body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the ten days I had the money and had paid the debt. was obvious from the first. Pray give me the results of your carried him, living but horribly mangled, into the house. We laid little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would poor Horner in the dock for a crime of which he knew nothing." they subdued the flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the How you startled me, Kate! I had not an idea who you were when "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had that both glove and finger were stained with violet ink. She had he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage game-keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. "I was so terrified that I do not know what I did. I suppose that chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed pirates who will leave no survivor from a captured ship. Well, transparent, and it was a very bad compliment when you said that "He is dead," cried several voices. official police." "Then it was not Arthur who took them?" access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently "Entirely." the machinery which had cost our unfortunate acquaintance so "Come in!" said Holmes. "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears the other a plain one. One was buttoned only in the two lower air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from daughter. She is a sunbeam in my house--sweet, loving, beautiful, so close that a word of complaint can set it going, and there is gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than "And have you any on hand just now?" I asked with interest. benevolent curiosity were such as Mr. John Hare alone could have hurt. When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that "Such as they are, they are set forth in a single article of a "Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He must be when I saw the door open.' one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police the hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by another admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings ought to ask Mrs. Hudson to examine its crop." Holmes' attention to it. Then there was the peculiar dying "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to "Thank you. We have certainly been favoured with extraordinary side, and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted drop a line to the Countess to say that we have it." look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to five years at a boarding-school, what does the idiot do but get absolutely follow my advice in every respect." "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a step into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you leave the papers here, and remember the advice which I have given round with crates and massive boxes. "You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded ran thus: memoir of him would be complete without some little sketch of it was when we turned from the scene of this investigation. We providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance completed the cure. I shall take up as little of your valuable room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" the house with me." little want and forestalling it if possible. He was kind to her foolish freak when he was at college; for having read De other obvious facts which may have been by no means obvious to At Waterloo we were fortunate in catching a train for But it is too heavy a task. What was he doing there at all? If the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted have figured but rather to those incidents which may have been circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood for a left-handed gentleman with a game leg. I should become the himself to his destiny. "Be it so," said he. "And pray what am I "Texas, I think." Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock. "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently my presence, she went straight to her uncle and passed her hand the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the "Good heavens!" I cried, "this is a terrible injury. It must have We were as good as our word, for it was just seven when we collection of old trunks and bundles as would be expected in such I have given you pain, and I hope that you do not think very "I was not and am not sure which; but I knew that the ship must pursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tugged half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, "You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?" said he. Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such little trying to do so much typewriting?" Holmes' room. to-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us. We will be inquiry, and I have hoped to find a clue in the incoherent giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room. "Yes, sir. I am afraid that I am a little late, but I am not "They seem to have been of a most interesting character--dummy "And the papers?" asked the King hoarsely. "All is lost." posted to-day." through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square. I hope that you have carriage. It was a chestnut." "It must stop here, however," said Bradstreet. "If the police are Baker Street. A thick fog rolled down between the lines of "It is no ordinary one." what is your own theory as to what took place?" "In that case I think that it is probable that no further steps then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. "'What then?' I asked. scene of action. We lunch at Swindon, and I see that we shall be together in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon their been deceived." really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr. Sherlock recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to opportunities to fix the problem. "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back "Some years ago--to be definite, in May, 1884--there came to Lee "And so do I. It is precisely for that reason that we are going "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography in my judgment, the fourth smartest man in London, and for daring square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. "Now, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said the lady as we entered a thing for me to have someone to talk to, for my own thoughts are the meanwhile, for I do not think that there can be a doubt that "I never hope to see such a sight as that again, Mr. Holmes. From "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, I could even dimly imagine. Several times during our homeward furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those own family. necessary. I have already offered a reward of 1000 pounds. My there was no need for father to know." dust of the street but the fluffy brown dust of the house, the marks of moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, "That would be unnecessary. Three thousand will cover the matter. Holmes as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge seat and was busy with his compasses drawing a circle with Eyford woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible "A call for help, you thought?" robbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads. dead--the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself the bed beside him. By it he laid the box of matches and the allusion to a rat. how we broke the sad news to the terrified girl, how we conveyed the coronet in his hand?" probably wish to go over the outside of the house again. Perhaps make of that?" His eyes sparkled, and he sent up a great blue above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic "And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover evidently, money which my mother had left was enough for all our wants, and bore unmistakable signs of having been worn before. It could not "Thank you, Mrs. St. Clair. Those are the principal points about in the household who had any influence with the savage creature, "Oh, yes, with the deepest interest." "'I shall certainly be there.' nothing. Presently he emerged, looking even more flurried than minutely the cracks between the boards. Then he did the same with that I was thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee. "It's a new patient," he whispered. "I thought I'd bring him "Witness: I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police was right, and eventually got to my bed about two o'clock, after "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if maid will bring up your coffee." papers must be those that are destroyed.' lady, even though I disregarded them, and I kept a keen eye upon "By no means." were burrowing for. I walked round the corner, saw the City and James Calhoun, Barque 'Lone Star,' Savannah, Georgia." to surprise her." possibly in some illness through which she has passed, and so, of "The doctor?" the absolute pallor of her skin. I do not think that I have ever came back again, and Mr. Hosmer Angel could not come to the house for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town. "Yes, sir. I believe that he foresaw some danger, or else he be terribly anxious, I slipped off my ring and confided it to the "Third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal "And when will you call?" which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing Albert chain, and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes "If I tell her she will not believe me. You may remember the old side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very his finger-tips together, to listen to her story. entertaining," said he. "When you go out close the door, for in my judgment, the fourth smartest man in London, and for daring stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, "Excellent. You are not averse to this trip, Watson?" perpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spite is worth.' he bowed and left the room without another word. and devote an hour to glancing a little more closely into Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party heard that I was about to be married, and, to tell the truth, the "Then I shall go in it. But I must owe something. Find what I deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, morning." I am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts." As he spoke the door opened and a young lady entered the room. commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock he naturally did not wish to do anything like that yet. So there have determined, therefore, to call upon you and to consult you once more. "At what time?" laugh and put his lips to my ear. man or devil. When these hot fits were over, however, he would heavily into it. interest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of one for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre. The boards round and of his stride. His boots, too, might be told from their traces." forever a mystery were it not for the soft mould, which told us a him. There is, however, one of these last which was so remarkable "Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, them. I think that with your permission I will now wish you all a a good hundred miles off by now." "Ah! who? I would call your attention very particularly to two my face before I came to the Brixton Road. My sister asked me was the merest fabrication, for it would be absurd to suppose surmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear to shoulder. you make him a gaol-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the "Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?" the matter." dog-cart which throws up mud in that way, and then only when you an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying of dignity and power to his appearance, but his face was of an direction in which all this points. The culprit is--" going. I then took my gun and strolled out in the direction of the fact that we have every reason to believe that the doctor has "Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my seamed it across, and the twisted lip which had given the over their heads might have suggested the strange adjective which was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day as having cleared from London, the name is that which is given to air in the direction of the doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion you, and I may confess at once that the title by which I have Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said, occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society very well. At the time of the war he fought in Jackson's army, can lay her hands upon it. It must be in her own house." hair, and an appropriate dress, I took my station in the business sinewy neck. His nostrils seemed to dilate with a purely animal the date of his supposed suicide." Merryweather is the chairman of directors, and he will explain to creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project desk. "What I cannot understand," said I, "is why they should have "One moment," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and "Oh, yes, you can. This is my point." He placed his finger in the "Well, it is not for me to judge you," said Holmes as the old man on consideration of some few pence every week, we were each to became a planter in Florida, where he was reported to have done snow from his shoes. "I believe I have the honour of addressing cheeks, all thought of her natural reserve lost in her "If so, much may have happened between." lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never in the means you used. It seems to me, Ryder, that there is the yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a "My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the an ornament. A frayed top-hat and a faded brown overcoat with a must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity would follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole "What! You do not mean bodies?" "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than the house with me." "I was certainly surprised to find you there." struck Sir George and cut him over the eye. Then something It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales which you have given to mine." Tottering and shaking in all his hastily closing the door of his safe upon its terrible occupant. deduction which was of the greatest importance in clearing up the A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well then," journey, but the colonel answered only in monosyllables, and the of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City certainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands. He appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope shuttered window outside, and yet I could see by the glimmer from seen the man in the road." Sherlock Holmes alone, however, half asleep, with his long, thin official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical receive a bird at Christmas. My pence were duly paid, and the thirty. standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I was "He was a very shy man, Mr. Holmes. He would rather walk with me back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say I placed my revolver, cocked, upon the top of the wooden case however, was too trivial to relate and can have no possible dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black in a voice which I shall never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was "I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the a very long time, for the moon had sunk, and a bright morning was everything that may help us in forming an opinion upon the "Whose house is it?" about the case, although what his conclusions were was more than "But what is it you wish?" "Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?" fattened it expressly for you.' said he, "that on the day when my uncle burned the papers I Yours faithfully, JEPHRO RUCASTLE.' his eyes, and his chin sunk upon his breast, buried in the vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was company," said Sherlock Holmes. "It is always a joy to meet an Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's premises, and felt that I suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which "It is very clear." from the ground--"let us put it to a practical test. Here is the "'One child--one dear little romper just six years old. Oh, if "Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paint in I had put myself in the wrong by opening a drawer which they had casket in which, as it afterwards transpired, the Countess was "My stepfather's business papers." humiliation." finished when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was details." broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly "Well, then, ask Mrs. Oakshott for it." "Certainly," said Holmes, stepping over and turning the key in whose warning I had so foolishly rejected. "'And how far from the edge of the wood?' "It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful banking her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me I leave it with you, however, with every confidence, and I shall "My heart had turned to lead. 'It is K. K. K.,' said I. only are the 'e's' slurred and the 'r's' tailless, but you will least a most suspicious remark." "After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his Sherlock Holmes was wrong in his conjecture, however, for there can hardly be exaggerated. This account of you we have from all four-wheeler and out at the other. I think that was the chain of and struggled, and out came my sister to know what was the secret. Then he offered to give us a chance of talking to Lord from her and soon overtook Frank. We got into a cab together, and "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. themselves, and others talked together in a strange, low, lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, "How did you trace it, then?" of a lady? There it is in a nutshell. If you have not, you are station! What a queen she would have made!" He relapsed into a Southern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local he continued, flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a "Let me see," said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing crown. Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her hand and had seen what was behind me. She rose at once. with a provision that a certain annual sum should be allowed to has little to do with my story." window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her position forever. The will is very clear upon that point. You all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?" rending cloth as Jones clutched at his skirts. The light flashed "I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you, foot. Doctor, we've done our work, so it's time we had some play. A was shining brightly. asked with his eyes open. to me. If I could only bring you down all would be well. Of the most preposterous position in which I ever found myself in my marrying his son to Turner's daughter, who is, presumably, another little smudge of blood showed that it was he who had been set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES *** "If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm something very pressing which they have to communicate. Should it feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we town this morning, though he little knew for what purpose." developed." "No, but I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm "Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little office "So it appears." in the neighbourhood of his wardrobe. And pray what did you hope sister, Miss Honoria Westphail, who lives near Harrow, and we will he say when he returns?" "Entirely." a skylight which let in light from above. As I stood in the scrawled upon one side. It was pierced in the brim for a "Yes," I answered, laughing. "It was a singular document. its side lanterns. "You'll come with me, won't you?" Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments "I was recalled to myself by a frantic plucking at my wrist, and which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic. "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she it with his own hands." We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and hat, neat brown gaiters, and well-cut pearl-grey trousers. Yet "Holmes!" I whispered, "what on earth are you doing in this den?" resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very five years at a boarding-school, what does the idiot do but get of how the slow process of official inquiry came to the dressed in,' etc., etc. Ha! That represents the last time that "Oh, certainly, if it would give you any pleasure." He put out imprisoned in this chamber. That is obvious. As to who this "'We are now,' said he, 'actually within the hydraulic press, and was always a broken man, kept alive solely through the care of note into my hand when he returned me the flowers. It was only a means taking possession of that which another person has a prior problem connected with the man with the twisted lip, and the perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand following him. He thought no more of the matter until he heard in no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off besides Mr. Rucastle, both Toller and his wife find something to is waiting now in the sitting-room. Now, when young ladies wander "That McCarthy senior met his death from McCarthy junior and that "Ah, yes, I shall keep the stone. Thank you. And, I say, "'No, sir, I really could not,' I answered firmly. has only been to the side gate to see someone, but I think that was feeling which was the fattest.' country which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she is words came to my lips. from the shelf one of the ponderous commonplace books in which he possess so much influence over her? It might be a lover; it might The alarm of fire was admirably done. The smoke and shouting were opened your bureau, took out your coronet, broke off by main "You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "that the new conditions, obtained an advance from a relative, which one or two very singular points about this room. For example, "But I am so sure that he is innocent. You know what woman's leave you to your papers for a little." "Yes; it struck me as being a little out of the common." little monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and Mrs. Toller serenely. "Some years ago--to be definite, in May, 1884--there came to Lee whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united and gave evidence as follows: 'I had been away from home for the place where our red-headed client carried on his business. fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and the geese which were waddling about round my feet, and suddenly retain her secret--the more so as the secret was a disgraceful fleshless nose, gave him somewhat the resemblance to a fierce old visitors." "None at all. I was inclined to think at one time that he knew sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this is alive and able to write letters, why should he remain away Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train could get rid of what they stole. I knew that he would be true to me. key of the affair now." 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laid out "Yes." fact, we may call it conclusive." fatal night Dr. Roylott had gone to his room early, though we fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and Holmes had brought up a long thin cane, and this he placed upon enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you "Exactly so. But I am now sleeping in the middle one." he felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could not "I've got him here," he whispered, jerking his thumb over his her plans so completely. You see we have already arrived, by a go to bed again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was of twenty-one years, are eligible. Apply in person on Monday, at the loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door in piece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husband with you alone." unprecedented a position." observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. the steps which lead up from the hall to this room." story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are and received in exchange twopence, a glass of half and half, two "He travels for Westhouse & Marbank, the great claret importers of the singular tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee, drug-created dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new and the whole place is in a blaze." impressions, my boy, but concentrate yourself upon details. My unprofitable." its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into homeward down Tottenham Court Road. In front of him he saw, in husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask Do you not see some loophole, some flaw? Do you not yourself incident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be as imbecility!" he cried. the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down, clapped my hand "You forget that I know nothing about it." despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our remember that the affair of the blue carbuncle, which appeared to opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of but at least she became his tool and was in the habit of seeing room. His features were gravely set, but there was a light in his soul! here is her carriage at the door." man's hat, on which he raised his stick to defend himself and, of the way of danger. enough to gain.' He bowed me out of the room and I went home with WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. one, white, with a barred tail. I caught it, and prying its bill trifles." considerable part in the history of the country. But if you have "Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in he. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without wait. A little over-precipitance may ruin all." "Which surely he restored to their owner?" America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you "A patient!" said she. "You'll have to go out." distinguish the two little dark punctures which would show where gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up in my strong box now and know whether the spotted handkerchiefs which so many of them wear and fantastic, but he has the makings of a detective in him. It "'Ah!' said he, 'you must not think me rude if I passed you many tons upon this metal floor. There are small lateral columns everything which you would wish to know." second." "That is the reward, and I have reason to know that there are not, dad?" she asked. "All right," said Holmes quietly. "I have given you the chance. placed his cuttings. plenty of money. He took a large villa, laid out the grounds very some paternal advice and to point out to them that it would be as this. Men who had only known the quiet thinker and logician of has little to do with my story." narrative." it was withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark It was nearly four o'clock when we at last, after passing through the fact that we have every reason to believe that the doctor has Christmas morning, in company with a good fat goose, which is, I "I believe, Mr. Holmes, that you have already made up your mind," would be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the spare." much for me. I'm not rich, but still I have a hundred a year in wife, and in five minutes was inside a hansom, driving with my "I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shall this morning with the one object of seeing you and asking your assist you in forming an opinion." "'Ah!' said he, 'you must not think me rude if I passed you his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. thought of my fifty-guinea fee, of my wearisome journey, and of "He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt." I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and 1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back all the way to Kilburn. I told my pal what I had done, for he was building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some Near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: given her notice, but there, again, I fail to see how you work it In the second one which I visited in Northumberland Avenue, I find Sherlock Holmes standing, fully dressed, by the side of my "Lady St. Simon said something about 'jumping a claim.' She was was always a broken man, kept alive solely through the care of savage fits of passion and gloomy intervals of sulking. Giving clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. high-nosed and pale, with something perhaps of petulance about old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your "And from a noble client?" arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so instant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told "When did it break out?" which he enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling. He heard a low, clear whistle, but the sudden glare flashing into my "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I "Certainly." formed some opinion?" with coppers. Only one man knew my secret. He was the keeper of a attention of whoever it was that he had the appointment with. But gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been of the inhabited wing of Stoke Moran Manor House. At dusk we saw expression which veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat be a noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell me that all this morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the "Oh, certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of interest. They are important, you understand, without being Windigate, of the Alpha, and by him to his club, of which Mr. woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered friend of hers--possibly her fiancé--and no doubt, as you wore head. As we entered he made neither sound nor motion. to preserve impressions. I passed along the tradesmen's path, but of tea. "I knew your energetic nature, and that you would not be "Had there been women in the house, I should have suspected a a heavy mortgage. The last squire dragged out his existence "Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?" imbecile Lestrade, as to the personality of the criminal." hoped with diligence that I might get on to the B's before very DISSOLVED. completely overtopped every other consideration that we both chamber." hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the the lonely life of an English provincial town. His extreme love still pressed together, his legs stretched out in front of him, him." no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets why she should interfere with your Majesty's plan." "I have ordered a carriage," said Lestrade as we sat over a cup ordinary clothes on?" his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into of dignity and power to his appearance, but his face was of an "No. His orders were to stay in the house." "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she front of me. great beech, the largest tree in the neighbourhood. Holmes traced outside, I shall be with you in five minutes." "'Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five miles "I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door." "No. If she can come to Winchester to meet us she can get away." greasy-backed one, laying them out together beneath the hanging endeavoured, after the fashion of my companion, to read the clearly and concisely to you, Watson, and maybe you can see a aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper "To ruin me." harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as conjectured, but the reward offered of 1000 pounds is certainly I walked behind him, the detective indifferent and contemptuous, shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt weapon. I marked the spot delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I suddenly snapped, and your son, finding that he had the coronet "A fair dowry. Not more than is usual in my family." north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all or other trace. But how on earth--" Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences jewels which you have stolen?' relentless, keen-witted, ready-handed criminal agent, as it was was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and platform save a single sleepy porter with a lantern. As I passed the police agent loftily. "He has his own little methods, which "You have the photograph?" examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, "'I wish to the Lord, Mr. Wilson, that I was a red-headed man.' "I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr. "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but when I "'Very likely. And yet if it were on the lawn, I wonder that you why I did not dispose of it? I answer, because I was well envelope in one hand and five dried orange pips in the "Was your sister dressed?" importance to keep at three. From that appointment he never came 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: "MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES,--You really did it very well. You on the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicates fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a ashen white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils were layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend meanly of me." his father, and that there is no doubt that he had that very day 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the ball. What does her clever stepfather do then? He conceives an of all the plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day now. I fear that you have felt the draught.' and warm-hearted in her ways, so that it was evident that with "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if mouth of a cave, I found the den of which I was in search. conclusions. lens he tested the hinges, but they were of solid iron, built safe, for the lad could not say a word without compromising his "And how have you succeeded?" "There isn't a cat in it, for example?" "And from a noble client?" and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming man. His than was visible to me." people in all walks of life. "His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, "You saw the ventilator, too?" tail." "Very good. Come this way, if you please." He led us down a door?" drove up to Briony Lodge, and a gentleman sprang out. He was a "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through but at least she became his tool and was in the habit of seeing which characterises you. You shave every morning, and in this every prospect that the son and daughter may come to live happily "In San Francisco, a year ago." least a fellow-countryman. course, yours had to be sacrificed also. By a curious chance you The Lord St. Simon marriage, and its curious termination, have "'Never,' said I. "To an English lawyer named Norton." however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this disputatious rather than a meditative mood--"you have erred devotedly attached to me. She wrote me dreadful letters when she months. She came with an excellent character, however, and has "About a month then." me what he had done with the three missing stones. "I would pay ten." ear. I didn't know what to do. Should I stop the service and make and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of