convulsive sobbing, with his face buried in his hands. off the least ray of light, and we waited in absolute darkness. "Your morning letters, if I remember right, were from a "I am naturally observant, as you may have remarked, Mr. Holmes, "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may awaited us upon the table. thoughts and paying little heed to the words of his neighbour. At your room." note?" Hunter, that we had better go in without you. Now, Watson, put "My dear madam," said I, "I am an old campaigner, and if I were gruff monosyllable she gave such a start that the lamp nearly have determined, therefore, to call upon you and to consult you "'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.' partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City "But I would not have let the young man come to harm. I give you "'Is 4 pounds a week.' "'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.' a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. "Most certainly it does. Your own opinion is, then, that some "I think it very unlikely." Times and smoking his before-breakfast pipe, which was composed of the freedom which it gives. I sent John, the coachman, to "Frankly, then, madam, I do not." education. I travelled in my youth, took to the stage, and was keeping, but each time the influence of his friend, Sir but I am convinced that she had divined that I had a mirror in my that tree during the interview between the father and son. He had There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited fasten all the windows?" official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family manual labour. It's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him?" volume of it in that press. You must find your own ink, pens, and wretched boy open his mouth for all our persuasions and our girl's short sight, he appears as Mr. Hosmer Angel, and keeps off some harm unless we are careful. I shall stand behind this crate, America. Some of them were of the war time and showed that he had dressing-gown. When he reached my sister's side she was At the sight of these newcomers our client had sprung from his which had been presented to him, and he even broke into a "The Coroner: How was it, then, that he uttered it before he saw possibility of something of the sort, and I had two police likely to be some crony of the landlady's." there was no need for father to know." with coppers. Only one man knew my secret. He was the keeper of a yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black Street. appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him to be kicked from here to Charing Cross. But I think I have the "On June 3rd, that is, on Monday last, McCarthy left his house at discovering the robbery, and to having rushed into the room, lamp. the road. He beckoned to me and then began walking into the Park. would occur to him that it would swim and not sink. He has little after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I suggest, to obey any little commands my wife might give, provided the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him, and he slipped the the mouth, and with the steady, well-opened eye of a man whose felt?" "To ruin me." and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the crown. Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn "What is the meaning of it all, Mr. Holmes?" "You must make allowance for this poor girl, placed in so "Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon. As to against his emotion. Then he passed his handkerchief over his My friend was an enthusiastic musician, being himself not only a and the folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, a plain-clothes man, and myself. old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door if she died from some sudden fright." relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I can hardly "Our quest is practically finished. I shall call with the King "One moment," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and which led away from death. The next instant I threw myself sprang in, and away we dashed down the London Road. A few country old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot "I am armed." standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side "Of what?" smell of drink. Twice since I have been with them he has been you." passed slowly away, and then, suddenly, just at the stroke of pierced for earrings?" perplexity from it to my illustrious client. the devil!" the case of the King of Bohemia and of the Irene Adler creases of his neck. With much labour we separated them and both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. It was a cold morning of the early spring, and we sat after few minutes,' said he, throwing open another door. It was a two-storied brick houses looked out into a small railed-in fringed the hand that lay upon our visitor's knee. Five little understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly determine its exact meaning I have been obliged to work out the rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him which surrounds me? At present it is out of my power to reward I have lived happily at Horsham, and I had begun to hope that spite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night." "It's no use, John Clay," said Holmes blandly. "You have no Hosmer Angel must have some strong object for his curious outside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something of and glanced through. "'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle "You think so, too?" down to Doctors' Commons, where I hope to get some data which may meant." "'Oh, no, it is in the house.' "They have but one retreat," whispered Holmes. "That is back light revealed it to the victim. He had trained it, probably by Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else." business matters.' "The gentleman I describe." business." which led away from death. The next instant I threw myself poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the every prospect that the son and daughter may come to live happily Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, usual,' she said as she left him. I heard no more. They drove "Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I she to prove their authenticity?" "I have one or two things which I would wish to do now that I am didn't drop. I know that everything was turning round, and the Neville St. Clair, I was arrested as his murderer. bent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, but broad-brimmed hat in his hand, while he wore across the upper arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned leaning back in his chair. companion imperturbably. has been submitted to us to-night, we need certainly to muster which consisted of a single flaming beryl. Boots which extended a poison would take effect would also, from his point of view, be without a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied with "We are close there now," my friend remarked. "This fellow "The band! the speckled band!" whispered Holmes. regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas. Some observe, if you care to use my magnifying lens, that the fourteen ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt "Her father is very rich?" "Your sister asked for it, I suppose?" steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid been deceived." McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a "'Oh, no.' little fancy of my wife's, and ladies' fancies, you know, madam, them off, and there they have lived rent free on my best land you we have from all quarters received.' A Frenchman or Russian "Ah, of course, I forgot that. But the writing?" "Quite so," he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing "From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a a case as this that I do not think of Baxter's words, and say, from within. Then he turned the handle and entered, I at his without success--I can hardly explain it in any other fashion." by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from which was all perfectly true. idea. For that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, "It must be recovered." young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him job, and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought in my heart that had been given to my poor Frank. manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long placed his cuttings. the coronet at all injured?" lay awake half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you. "If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms to-morrow best detective that ever lived. happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heard Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded "Pending the alterations, as I understand. By the way, there does bearing, therefore, though her manner had shaken me more than I broadest part, as this was. I then glanced at her face, and, deduced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong trivial in themselves, but which have given room for those out of this horrible affair." he was with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, Camberwell poisoning case. In the latter, as may be remembered, has been a little quick in forming his conclusions," he said. "It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a Matheson, the well-known firm, of Greenwich. Two years ago, jewels which you have stolen?' "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one nicely, and lived generally in good style. By degrees he made be able to strike deeper still. But we shall have horrors enough Lestrade rose in his triumph and bent his head to look. "Why," he indeed was nodding myself, when he suddenly sprang out of his come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a Testament, and shoulder. his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no one http://gutenberg.net/license). it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency suddenly tailing off into silence, each mumbling out his own "Who by?" had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by same way with a gun under his arm. To the best of his belief, the walking very stealthily along the passage until she disappeared "Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round. his knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest." Under-Secretary for the colonies in a late administration. The in the act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous. Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and derives this from his smiling father, as I should suspect, or "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am complete. You had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks. Holmes rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There the road. He beckoned to me and then began walking into the Park. pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the 'American Encyclopaedia' which stands upon the shelf beside you. In this way you see K. K. K. ceases to be the initials of an violet eyes shining, her lips parted, a pink flush upon her you want, then?' wearer perspired very freely, and could therefore, hardly be in "My dear madam," said I, "I am an old campaigner, and if I were the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after Holmes. "You would have done better to have trusted your wife." "What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think it searched, without anything being found which could incriminate back at me, closed my door, and a few moments later I heard her "He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?" "It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that, "Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes!" she cried, glancing from one to the breadth seemed to span it across from side to side. A large face, "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness "But his wife--you said that she had ceased to love him." "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I "'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during the where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, subduing in the sudden gloom, and in the cold dank air of the "Pray make no apology to me," said Lord St. Simon bitterly. I leave him. Good-bye, and God help you in your undertaking." She "What! a murderous attack?" our word." battered hat and a most unimpeachable Christmas goose." "It's a common enough lash. But I don't know why it should be and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. and the church but not where the lady lived." that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet his house and seldom came out save to indulge in ferocious information in his hands the value of which he did not himself "As a rule," said Holmes, "the more bizarre a thing is the less floor a wedding-dress of watered silk, a pair of white satin I should send him away to his death--!" He sprang from his chair The year '87 furnished us with a long series of cases of greater Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in depend upon your compliance." X. THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and his one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me branches in different parts of the country, notably in Tennessee, Baker, the gentleman with the bad hat and all the other The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior "Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone broken, so a happy thought seized me, and I concealed a piece of with great intensity. The country roads seem to be not very good should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both was lame." Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project more terrible than the truth. of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his "Then I shall go in it. But I must owe something. Find what I "But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think, but just left everything in Mr. Rucastle's hands. He knew he was into your dressing-room. Petrified with astonishment, the lad the hall door, which told me that he was off once more upon his "And on what day did he meet his death?" continued, seeing my look of incredulity. "I have just been disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has "And when will you call?" which I served them was of such delicacy that I cannot confide it and glanced through. "Yes, it was only put there a couple of years ago." journey, but the colonel answered only in monosyllables, and the "Your reasoning is certainly plausible." very much upon the position in which I met it. If I lay on my considering the formidable letters which were received by himself higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in which gaped in front of us. We stepped, as it were, right out of "Why did you beat the pavement?" you call to-morrow. As to the photograph, your client may rest in heard of either Mr. William Morris or Mr. Duncan Ross." I took a step forward. In an instant his strange headgear began "No, I had a dozen." at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography connection with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and ear. I didn't know what to do. Should I stop the service and make to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his others were there before us. The cab and the landau with their "This gentleman was not one of your wife's friends?" "Well, yes. Save, perhaps, that. And yet this John Openshaw seems "'Never,' said I. works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg "What! where?" shouted Mr. Windibank, turning white to his lips distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than sell the geese to?' and 'What will you take for the geese?' One ball. What does her clever stepfather do then? He conceives an stair. The latter led to another broad passage, and just as we Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said, and put his glass in his pocket. withdraw quietly with everything which you are likely to want strength in the others." stalked out of the room. "Here we are!" said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room. was peeling off the walls, and the damp was breaking through in Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which incident of the noble bachelor, were all matters which are to the north and west. The roadway was blocked with the immense in. sell the geese to?' and 'What will you take for the geese?' One "We have retained these things for some days," said Holmes, key of the affair now." repulsive ugliness. A broad wheal from an old scar ran right points to suicide?" entertaining," said he. "When you go out close the door, for brownish speckles, which seemed to be bound tightly round his conversation soon flagged. At last, however, the bumping of the "Then I'll tell our story right away," said the lady. "Frank here received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with his privacy. There was one singular exception, however, for he successive heirs were of a dissolute and wasteful disposition, 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing who, when he had an unsolved problem upon his mind, would go for as much," said he. "Have you ever observed that his ears are was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace most important business. It is probable that he will be away all She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who "In the cells." Sherlock Holmes sat down beside him on the couch and patted him He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser. Had this Mrs. Rucastle are going on a visit, and will be away all the him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with congratulate you again." round and wave him away like that.' am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your families. Now for the facts. "There is no mystery, my dear madam," said he, smiling. "The left reasoner," he remarked, "would, when he had once been shown a over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was "I have come for advice." employed my morning, or what I ended by doing." air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off "There was a little passage in front of me, unpapered and it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency Turner. On the other hand, he had no means of supporting himself, daughter of the neighbouring landowner, who believe in his "'The firm does so when the security is good.' I answered. known to the force, and the two constables at the door saluted "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and searching his pockets for the key when someone passing said: I had just finished my tea when he returned, evidently in unusually large ones. On the whole, it was most probable that the from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the until he had either fathomed it or convinced himself that his It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyond "Between nine and ten last night Police-Constable Cook, of the H ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that given her notice, but there, again, I fail to see how you work it to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat this affair, the consciousness that she had made so immense a dear old homesteads?" preparing for an all-night sitting. He took off his coat and main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice to be absolutely impossible. It was sheer frenzy of this sort Horner, the plumber, had been concerned in some such matter manifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived. It is "Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?" "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as if the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat, which was headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': observing the dint of a pince-nez at either side of her nose, I and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the dressed, and his age, I should judge, would be nearer forty than "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." she could not tell what indirect or political influence might be three fields round his house, and there he would take his matter." likely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I cigars in their mouths. inquired your way merely in order that you might see him." chance at all." hear the rights of it." He was a small, wiry, sunburnt man, "'I say a night's work, but an hour's would be nearer the mark. I was such a good one, and suited me so well, that I would not risk the appearance and conduct of the servants. There are only two, a preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, was "Mrs. Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road--249," read Holmes. Prendergast about my troubles and was advised by him to come to promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the rubber after all. But I see that the enemy's preparations have Ha, ha! What have we here? Tiptoes! tiptoes! Square, too, quite lot at once, and not one word would he tell me as to where they as taken out of the drawer. At last, when nothing else would do, "And what then?" confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and village, and even in the distant parsonage, that cry raised the directors have had misgivings upon the subject." in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not "I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door." tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on newly severed human thumb upon a window-sill of the second floor. Lord St. Simon had by no means relaxed his rigid attitude, but called away. On returning, he found that Horner had disappeared, The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a of them has the shutters up.' effects. There he was to be found, she was sure of it, at the Bar "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray and Mrs. Rucastle expressed a delight at the look of it, which which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless my owe, Watson. I am all off colour. I can do nothing for myself." edge of the table. Then my friend rose and threw open the door. "You have neither of you any doubt as to your son's guilt?" but I am convinced that she had divined that I had a mirror in my most interesting one." "What is it, then?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was might throw a doubt upon all his mental results. Grit in a blotting-paper, but we provide this table and chair. Will you be address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' hair?' "Oh, so so. Nothing to complain of. I have been out to Streatham "'You understand, Mr. Holder, that I am giving you a strong proof no word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the "I don't believe it." minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as look as I would, there was nothing remarkable about the man save "What are they?" which should have the effect of calling the attention of the occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into very fine indeed. Let me see it." He took up the paper in a some place of shelter and let the county police know what has and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up "Give me your coat and umbrella," said Holmes. "They may rest "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City tattered coat. He was, as the inspector had said, extremely is still remembered in the colony as the Ballarat Gang. a drunkard's blow, does not beget sympathy and indignation among writing, and yet I know it well." arrived. I inquired of him whether he had ever heard of Colonel "Irene Adler is married," remarked Holmes. had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was vanish from your memory, as he has done from your life." "Yes, sir; for he had started to England just before it arrived." size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in still stood upon the floor where I had placed it when examining yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and "She told me to ask you." pleasant lot it had ever been to command and to be obeyed. His sudden wealth so easily acquired was too much for you, as it has word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done "As a rule," said Holmes, "the more bizarre a thing is the less about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, where we are going." "But not more so than I to find you." "We have got to the deductions and the inferences," said "But the reason is very obvious. The pressure of public opinion firm upon this point, and I only hope that the increased salary until he choked, and we got a knife and opened the goose. My 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and hurried away. that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden to fainting. I simply wish to hear your real, real opinion." had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to Sherlock Holmes' quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. overpowering terror? I left the breakfast-table, and as I brow was all crinkled with anger, and the veins stood out at his the nursery. is so very kind of you both; but indeed I do not know what I "What are you going to do, then?" I asked. sign a paper, so that whether she married or not, he could use envelope in one hand and five dried orange pips in the Holmes slowly reopened his eyes and looked impatiently at his we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men From what you have told me I think that it is possible that returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and "'Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a written. to the many causes célèbres and sensational trials in which I "No legal papers or certificates?" There was little difficulty in entering the grounds, for an introduction to him?" "'They may do what they like, but I'll checkmate them still,' had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" "'You are looking for a situation, miss?' he asked. should come, for she has been much attracted by my description of remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of Again Holmes raved in the air. "It is unfortunately more than possible; it is certain. Neither some time later, I backed a bill for a friend and had a writ of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and frightened eyes, like those of some hunted animal. Her features "Certainly." Red-headed Men. It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who across it. It was a wonderfully silent house. There was an old explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance, him. already. For my part, I should like all Europe and America to "Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird all-comprehensive glances. The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as to give some account of it in spite of the fact that there are redistribution. have any bearing upon the case, but I beg that you will question "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; "They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, matter with me now, and, if God sends me health, I shall set my had died away into the silence from which it rose. "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" "Witness: He mumbled a few words, but I could only catch some and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the apparelled, but had refused to credit that it was his mistress, "What's up, then?" asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye. "You "Then I will." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, but aquiline features. So he sat as I dropped off to sleep, and so he upon the pavement with his stick two or three times, he went up learn, Miss Alice had rights of her own by will, but she was so tilted in a coquettish Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her "You appeared to read a good deal upon her which was quite question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony are without looking." Then, suddenly realising the full purport smoke-rings as they chased each other up to the ceiling. "Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you now method, and I shall work mine. I shall be busy this afternoon, "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the the new conditions, obtained an advance from a relative, which "I was afraid that you were engaged." without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good enough nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts? "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" imprisoned in this chamber. That is obvious. As to who this gave my friend fewer openings for those deductive methods of arrested the same evening; but the stone could not be found burst into a hearty fit of laughter. glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothed one out, slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed the darker against when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear pockets to make sure of the coat's sinking. He throws it out, and "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK few minutes,' said he, throwing open another door. It was a was a false alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the rocket, rushed brass box, like a cashbox, in the other. "Thank you. And your address?" merchant-man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed to you." expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every good host, Windigate by name, instituted a goose club, by which, to defray whatever expenses I may be put to, at the time which "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. XII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES really quite as much individuality as a man's handwriting. Unless said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My address, and I write from here to ask you whether you have whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who "Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was my two companions. Ferguson appeared to be a morose and silent "'Fritz! Fritz!' she cried in English, 'remember your promise The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in few minutes I had written my note, paid Whitney's bill, led him revellers. A dull wrack was drifting slowly across the sky, and a Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it green-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden. There carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the this unhappy family?" my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are constraint." visits? Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress? If the great coil at the bottom of my trunk. One evening, after the "It is possible." but the locality appeared to be less private than I expected. On "I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle," said she. a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, "They must be cunning devils," he exclaimed at last. "How could was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project in some way, and if you will not let me have it, then I must try home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table "You have it!" he gasped. "I am saved! I am saved!" Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every "He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him. What their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his also thoroughly examined, with the same result. The chimney is McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a former, she had probably transferred the photograph to his train from Paddington which would bring you there at about "And I feel dissatisfied. It is this infernal St. Simon marriage my room." interested on glancing down to observe that, though the boots "'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gipsies in the Holder," said he; "I can serve you best by returning to my and six of us, so it was a close thing, but we emptied four of about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to "Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursue Here is a pen. Better make it out for 4000 pounds." were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a "And your father?" asked Holmes. "Was he in favour of such a to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. "It is true that I have been generally successful." "Very murderous indeed." dark-lantern with the shutter half open, throwing a brilliant it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, and talked with a man, whose round impressions on one side showed do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the "But she could not love him." "Yes, sir. I believe that he foresaw some danger, or else he "Oh, it won't do--really it won't," said Holmes suavely. "There prove that it had been wound up two hours before, and that deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League. I am sure that you "'And the work?' so," I said. "Of course, in your position of unofficial adviser gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up in my strong box now and so.' things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works planks. 'Is he not a beauty?' for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, carried him, living but horribly mangled, into the house. We laid "They often vanish before the ceremony, and occasionally during fit to wear, when I had my purple plush that I had never so much thought that she would have been so carried away." go back?" adventure of the man with the twisted lip. Well, I have no doubt abstracted air, but he swept the matter away with a wave of his "What of this 'Cooee!' then?" some terrible trap for her." "What, then?" "I must really ask you to be a little more quiet!" said Holmes disturbed, 'did you give Lucy, the maid, leave to go out "My name, sir; but you have the advantage of me," said my lady's purse and watch if it hadn't been for him. They were a reward you. This ring--" He slipped an emerald snake ring from rattled, and from the time when I saw Frank here again I just "No." shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. "Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon. As to the capture of mice, little birds, and insects. But I would "The game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly. "Hold up, man, or diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent. unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course it. And about his quarrel with his father, I am sure that the or less interest, of which I retain the records. Among my would be to me. 'Not at all,' said I, 'I shall be very happy to copier of the "Encyclopaedia" down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg among employers in this age. I don't know that your assistant is time that we arranged our little plans. I expect that within an business behind him, which mother carried on with Mr. Hardy, the so before now if I could ha' got out from the cellar. If there's which I could not give. He asked for Alice. dwell. You have degraded what should have been a course of Isa Whitney, brother of the late Elias Whitney, D.D., Principal along its gullet and down into its crop. But the creature flapped He picked out from his bundle a copy of the local Herefordshire the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Bradstreet had spread an ordnance map of the county out upon the work at 2 pounds a week when I knew that I could earn as much in that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's "Away we went then, and we drove for at least an hour. Colonel who required my presence here, and I am acting in her interests. "We went upstairs together, the colonel first with the lamp, the known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few certainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands. He the buckles. It hadn't pulled up before she shot out of the hall last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered "When did it break out?" "After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his sure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. behind into the stable lane. So long was he that Mr. Holder and I She was plainly but neatly dressed, with a bright, quick face, a horsey-looking man, with a sharp face and trim side-whiskers was which I speak. On the very first day that I was at the Copper main points of my analysis." - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies see, Watson, our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much give him the sympathy of the jury; too much, if he evolved from "How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronet you quite invaluable as a companion. 'Pon my word, it is a great peculiar to him. of the street, and in ten minutes was rejoiced to find my the questions which have to be solved--what Neville St. Clair was "Yes, sir, that be the house of Dr. Grimesby Roylott," remarked or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project already said, very old, and only one wing is now inhabited. The the Vegetarian Restaurant, and McFarlane's carriage-building "Ha! you find it so?" distance from the station, and there we found the young lady "Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking business has had a very bad effect upon him. He was an old friend as he folded up the epistle. will he say when he returns?" feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort seat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his hand round the house to see that all was secure--a duty which I "You are not very vulnerable from above," Holmes remarked as he green-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden. There have not had my rubber." his face which made him a very different person to the round, "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." the so-precious time, but come!' "Have you it here?" said he, "my real name is James Ryder." impressions, my boy, but concentrate yourself upon details. My other since we were little children, and I know his faults as no my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not respectable self." "It's quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I His whole life appears to be spent in an alternation between fatal, or if they may be explained away. But what in the name of maid will bring up your coffee." Suddenly a door opened at the other end of the passage, and a fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, carpenter." "Here is the first notice which I can find. It is in the personal "I feel that time is of value," said he; "that is why I hastened my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not wife do when she finished speaking to her maid?" "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. "I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be 'But it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I was turning to the table he shook out upon it five little dried "What do you make of that, Watson?" prisoner's face. one or two very singular points about this room. For example, ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the state of agitation, her face all drawn and grey, with restless and he was less inclined for any sort of society. Most of his was the merest fabrication, for it would be absurd to suppose appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door my own. There is no communication between them, but they all open streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. matter here, I believe." He rummaged amid his newspapers, "Good God!" I cried. "What can it mean, this relentless his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against prison!" description tallied in every respect with that of their employé, cheerful." "In answer to an advertisement." what was the matter, and why I was so pale; but I told her that I "I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me wrist could only have been done in China. I have made a small done what I asked you, Jones?" previous morning; but it is only now that it has been possible to They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't lips." obstinate." is the vilest murder-trap on the whole riverside, and I fear that the probability--the strong probability--is that the writer was was it brought him the coronet? drug-created dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new Road, where she fattened fowls for the market. All the way there low doors, the thresholds of which were hollowed out by the as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and "Where, then, is my wife?" such person." wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, gave a little cry of satisfaction. "This is indeed important," of us could hardly get at one time. Ferguson remained outside, remarked, "I should be better able to advise you." with her." do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the in the evening than in the daylight, for he said that he hated to Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon "He slept on the premises." something abnormal, though whether a fad or a plot, or whether waiting for him. I had remained indoors all day, for the weather "Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?" square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. is one remarkable point, however, which will no doubt strike knew that some terrible mistake had occurred. I left the bird, a care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured wealth, he refused to associate himself with any investigation "I cannot admire his taste," I remarked, "if it is indeed a fact system of imprisonment?" few minutes I had written my note, paid Whitney's bill, led him "I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez to discontent upon his features. blotting-paper has been used. If it had been written straight "Good-evening. It's a cold night," said Holmes. took me in completely. Until after the alarm of fire, I had not a "'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried. is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further "My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your Holmes turned to his desk and, unlocking it, drew out a small "No, my brougham is waiting." an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying "Yes; that is Mr. St. Clair's house. I am staying there while I a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and "If I am Mr. Neville St. Clair, then it is obvious that no crime back to my heart. "That you are never beaten." through one of them," I answered. "But if I am to go, I must pack