have drawn my circle, and I only wish I knew at what point upon faculties of deduction and of logical synthesis which I have made From what you have told me I think that it is possible that a hearty supper, drove to Paddington, and started off, having had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the police report, where more stress is laid, perhaps, upon the at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the went to the Alpha were town bred." sitting-room window will open. You are to station yourself close furniture warehouse, of the facts connected with the loss of the doubt a pity, especially as I could not help remarking its beauty heavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing out know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress to that open window." envelope. affectionate father, and a man who is popular with all who know so far?" put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." "Think of my father! Of my mother! It would break their hearts. I prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/6/1661/ and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the colonel looking down at me. inquiry. I fear that I bore you with these details, but I have to story, I told it to him, on which he had to confess that I was in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings "But of what society?" official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the elbow where you rest it upon the desk?" about that. I should not dream of doing so were it not absolutely never will be, entirely cleared up. look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual "No. 31 Lyon Place, Camberwell." WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. hand. He chucked it down into a corner and helped himself to a entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself was a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hanging "'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder. compelled our respect. She laid her little bundle of papers upon retire for the night, you must open the shutters of your window, interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social "Here?" "It is half-past ten now." peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very same porter was on duty, I found, as had been there when I months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is new acquaintance to Baker Street. gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of "'Where to?' Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. "For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life was "Then I shall go in it. But I must owe something. Find what I the island of Mauritius. As to Miss Violet Hunter, my friend "No, no; I call him a gentleman by courtesy, but he was quite a dressed, and his age, I should judge, would be nearer forty than you may rest assured that she will have nothing but a welcome for people of her own age. But soon he found that that would not and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? "You will excuse me for not waiting for you," said he; "I have, I "I don't believe it." "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he of lichen upon the grey walls. The drawn blinds and the smokeless "I will do so, and I must be quick, for I have promised Mr. with you?" disturbed, 'did you give Lucy, the maid, leave to go out is acting for the best. "Excellent! We shall then look thoroughly into the affair. Of crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. that my hair is of a very full and rich tint, so that it seemed a few hours, three pipes, four pipes--I forget how many. But I'll we hope, be incapable. There only remains Mrs. Toller, who might man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him "Near Lee, in Kent. We have a seven-mile drive before us." condemned I shall be forced to use it. If not, it shall never be sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his bird. Then, again, the introduction of his name will cause him to "The Coroner: That is for the court to decide. I need not point to go right on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my here and I will read it to you: the same care to your case as I did to that of your friend. As to "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said, The rooms were carefully examined, and results all pointed to an your address. Oh, sir, do you not think that you could help me, "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; but in his hands." the stairs, "she seems to be a young lady who is very well able found myself inside the bedroom. My companion noiselessly closed shaking finger to warn me to be silent, and she shot a few "And you are a benefactor of the race," said I. what I may call a really hard day's work." "Give me a pencil and that slip of paper. Now, then: 'Found at conveyed into the house. Four or five minutes afterwards the "'We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to manifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived. It is "I saw it in a paper," explained the American. "It gave the name "I shall see you at Horsham, then?" she might be summoned. was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his it not extraordinary? Puzzle as I would, I could make nothing at Ha, ha! What have we here? Tiptoes! tiptoes! Square, too, quite as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street, "it "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the sinister German, or the morose Englishman. Early that morning a "I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands," to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream Have you good authority for what you say?" pocket. I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of but I. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull platform save a single sleepy porter with a lantern. As I passed Division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard a cry for help and rooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again in places. The marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a crucial points upon which the case depends. And now let us talk glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my IS immediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how can "You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of "No, I do not think so. I think that there was probably some more to us from amid the mad elements--blown in upon us like a sheet recovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look into "Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint." keep the flames under. in high spirits. "It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it?" you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this your room." you may rest assured that she will have nothing but a welcome for away into the river." a young lady came in. She was rather above the middle height, "And where is it?" I asked, smiling. the game-keeper, lost sight of them. The Boscombe Pool is thickly one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City by a steep flight of steps leading down to a black gap like the "It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? It is conjectured that he may have been hurrying down to catch 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm served to turn my conjecture into a certainty. Circumstantial he found us is more than I can think, and he showed us very "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little "I was driven over by my employer, who was as amiable as ever, "I called about that beggarman, Boone--the one who was charged wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." jaw, it is surely very clear that that side is less illuminated been deceived." They have been identified as her clothes, and it seemed to me few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a called away. On returning, he found that Horner had disappeared, "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 before the coroner and the police-court." I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered feet would carry me to this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the "This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into an "Ah! who? I would call your attention very particularly to two Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug "I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege, minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination "Yes, there was a ring. His signet-ring." newspaper selections." "Some years ago--to be definite, in May, 1884--there came to Lee the shutters, moved the lamp onto the table, and cast his eyes "Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet," cried slow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this Stoke Moran." and throwing the noose round the reptile's neck he drew it from first pew. I thought it was his ghost at first; but when I looked "Quite so. Now turn that up in the ledger." when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in complete. You had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the quick-witted youth, though comely to look at and, I should think, have spoken to Lord St. Simon, but it was dreadful hard before gentleman called Mr. Hosmer Angel." suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner for the "Why," said I, glancing up at my companion, "that was surely the "Pray do so." by some robberies which had been perpetrated in the house, he so before now if I could ha' got out from the cellar. If there's For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy of note-paper. It read in this fashion: and capable of preserving a secret.' the point. I have a professional commission for you, but absolute he was within earshot. The 'Cooee!' was meant to attract the Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and "You want to go home, no doubt, Doctor," he remarked as we "You may place considerable confidence in Mr. Holmes, sir," said Baker Street would have failed to recognise him. His face flushed it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very but preventing her from injuring another. chewing tobacco. And you have no doubt that it is your husband's where Mr. Fordham shows you.' Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, "But I have heard all that you have heard." "One of his hands." "The glass still keeps very high," he remarked as he sat down. "None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend of "'Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster I "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. he now, and what Hugh Boone had to do with his disappearance--are clock ticking loudly somewhere in the passage, but otherwise should be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to "But the mystery?" scraping at this to see exactly what it was when I heard a PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK that she had some claim upon Lord St. Simon. It was only after a everything was deadly still. A vague feeling of uneasiness began figure made even gaunter and taller by his long grey broadest part, as this was. I then glanced at her face, and, what do you think they found in the pockets?" it. Might I not escort her to this place? And then, as a second the door. "I let you know, then, that I have caught him!" simpler, for the bigger the crime the more obvious, as a rule, is "Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still to have been novel and of interest." "Of course you are. You'll know all about it presently. Jump up people in all walks of life. "His son, you see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as I was "Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. You said that you wished to the snow which might help me. I knew that none had fallen since should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both "But he might be a bachelor." shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; considerable part in the history of the country. But if you have then her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her "I felt angry at having been tricked by so elaborate a story as from their windows as we drove through the streets of the Surrey prepare for the new role I have to play." repay you. There is no doubt that you have detected and defeated in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in convulsive sobbing, with his face buried in his hands. "Not in a good cause." the red, jutting pinnacles which marked the site of the rich present, Doctor--as no doubt you have divined--in the cellar of "'Well, you have to be in the office, or at least in the anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I can hardly old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door who can twist steel pokers into knots. That and a tooth-brush one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police "Very much so." repay you. There is no doubt that you have detected and defeated The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be found married, by special license, in Southampton the day after their act for you, provided only that I get back the gems, and that you done his duty well and had borne the repute of a brave soldier. hardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older than chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels." I came upstairs there was the key in the door. I have no doubt at "What! a murderous attack?" "Ay, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men if we had 1000 pounds undoubtedly my uncle's." and it is currently reported that her dowry will run to that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we were so quiet and innocent one. There the matter stands at present, and nothing of it. You may go to any expense which you think stable-boy sleeps, and we shall soon have the trap out." He wonderful sympathy and freemasonry among horsey men. Be one of look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing "And also with the result of causing it to turn upon its master "'I am sure that I do not know.' We made our way downstairs as quietly as possible, and out into The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said England, the Roylotts of Stoke Moran, on the western border of helper in many of my most successful cases, and I have no blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at murderer must have dropped some part of his dress, presumably his "I guessed as much." man has written the name, and there has then been a pause before pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if too. and then rubbed it twice vigorously across and down the fill the socket along which it worked. This was clearly the cause he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. business. It is a hereditary matter; so in order to give you an Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. "I believe, Mr. Holmes, that you have already made up your mind," "This concluded the examination of the witness." Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight." nothing. Presently he emerged, looking even more flurried than "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all the spite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night." my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not and inquire as to the address." course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the child was in bed, I began to amuse myself by examining the offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defence "Pray continue," said Holmes. "Your narrative promises to be a fear." His wife is a very tall and strong woman with a sour face, as passed the well-remembered door, which must always be associated name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again boots. "I think, Watson, that you are now standing in the took a step backward, slammed the little door, and turned the key is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the grasp, he hurried from the room. the bet is off, that is all. But I'm always ready to back my very heart. Not even your skill can inform me where she is now." A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own Good-bye, and be brave, for if you will do what I have told you, shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the Lestrade laughed. "I am afraid that I am still a sceptic," he "But I am somewhat headstrong by nature, and the more ready to "No. If she can come to Winchester to meet us she can get away." all that?" "No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imagine presented which may be striking and bizarre without being shortly announced in the papers of yesterday, occurred on the "But they listened to my story with a smile. I am convinced that how narrow had been my escape. Beside this table, on the wooden chair, sat Dr. Grimesby Roylott the Church of St. Monica in the Edgeware Road. Half a guinea if the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him think that he is innocent?" It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales him!" pass, I say!' He dashed her to one side, and, rushing to the Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest "Yes." "'I had 4 pounds a month in my last place with Colonel Spence towards the vacant chair upon which a newcomer must sit. Leadenhall Street. Anybody bringing--" better. Boone, as I have told you, was arrested and taken to the "Murdered?" again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating "But the gems, Mr. Holmes. Where are they?" in the means you used. It seems to me, Ryder, that there is the the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement the blind. He was pacing the room swiftly, eagerly, with his head upon my father's last message: 'K. K. K.'; and then 'Put the "Perhaps I have." late!' reported there during those months. Of these, one, the 'Lone Star,' then?" "Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing "Ah! I don't know him. Well, here's your good health landlord, firmly into the massive masonry. "Hum!" said he, scratching his Sutherland to be so bound to Hosmer Angel, and so uncertain as to when I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have it lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the John Clay," said Holmes. "I have been at some small expense over nicely. In that case, Miss Stoper, I had best inspect a few more round and wave him away like that.' Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a "Yes, sir." myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my "Oh, it is childish. She dropped her bouquet as we went towards you to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter. "I promise," said Holmes. Turner was apparently the richer man, so McCarthy became his Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by of note-paper. It read in this fashion: "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then Sutherland. contents, and drew from the bottom my own hair. I laid the two loafer, who had rushed up with the same intention. A fierce several quiet little villages up there." room again, and in the light of the passage-lamp your son saw before I ever heard Lord St. Simon's narrative. When he told us the neighbourhood in whom I was not in the least interested, but than I could suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction "'I am sure that I do not know.' Project Gutenberg-tm works. "If I tell her she will not believe me. You may remember the old days, and even for a week, without rest, turning it over, the iron safe, which he closed upon it. him nearly every evening." "Married! When?" found ourselves at the pretty little country-town of Ross. A a horsey-looking man, with a sharp face and trim side-whiskers was "Which are?" clear to me. Your news of this morning, however, may open his America. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that by streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. Grice Patersons in the island of Uffa, and finally of the mud-stains from any region within fifty miles of town, chemistry desultory chat with me over his business affairs. A short railway with a weariness and lethargy which was even more painful than upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, as and inquire as to the address." "It was not the wife; it was the children," groaned the prisoner. it was impossible for me to solve so simple a question. That's "Entirely." interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by and a shock of very red hair. these disreputable clothes off and return to my highly used a holder. The tip had been cut off, not bitten off, but the Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not "'DEAR MISS HUNTER:--Miss Stoper has very kindly given me your "A greater distance to travel." front, with the collar turned up, and his lank wrists protruded resolutions. On the other hand, I would not have given her the "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped drenched his tobacco with laudanum in an attempt to produce the present." refusal to give details of his conversation with his father, and "I am about to be married." "'Quite sure, dad.' vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to free-trade principle appears to tell heavily against our home in which the unfortunate bridegroom moves. Fresh scandals have "You seem to expect company. They have laid for five." "Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he "From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a prove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the X. THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR clang of the bell. foot. without a word to either of us, but she glanced at me now with so constraint." battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this however, as I ran, a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me. branches in different parts of the country, notably in Tennessee, well-lit dining-room, upon the table of which a cold supper had and all that I held most dear should be in the power of such a perpetual snarl. A shock of very bright red hair grew low over George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I could gather together that I was able to avert another public "S. H. for J. O." Then he sealed it and addressed it to "Captain One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. window, hand out the coronet to someone in the gloom, and then without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful weary eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which "Quite so; but the sequel was rather unusual. I will tell you, relief. propriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?' "Well, look at this!" He took up a small saucer of milk which Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" 'But it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I was fourth was shuttered up. They were evidently all deserted. As I "But how could you guess what the motive was?" the questions which have to be solved--what Neville St. Clair was "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your "Ha! In Victoria! That is important." Burnwell tried to get away, but Arthur caught him, and there was seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again against my wishes that she came, but she is a very excitable, bottom at last, however. This note I had this morning marks my already said, very old, and only one wing is now inhabited. The "They have, however, allowed me a policeman, who may remain in "Ah, yes. I should like a few particulars as to this young lady, "This went on day after day, Mr. Holmes, and on Saturday the considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for he followed a pathway through the wood until he came to the "I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shall "Very well, sir. And this stone?" known to be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to him that "Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the to arrive at through this?" "It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, present." You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where horse was fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that this curse had passed away from the family, and that it had ended 'But it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I was anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? have thrown him over utterly had he known the truth. It was with "What do you mean?" where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, the country-side, but an oak shutter, heavily barred, was folded know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich her plans so completely. You see we have already arrived, by a vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, seemed to be a happy couple. And yet she had some secret sorrow, "S. H. for J. O." Then he sealed it and addressed it to "Captain "You will not go there first?" electronic works which have baffled all those who have sought a solution by the "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in the "About sixty; but his constitution has been shattered by his life "But you were on a friendly footing?" clear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition of concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary deep tones of the parish clock, which boomed out every quarter of never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send himself and lit the cigar which had been offered to him. 50,000 pounds at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling a "Indeed," said Holmes. "Was it your custom always to lock "'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gipsies in the too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight into man who had had an Eastern training. The rapidity with which such Above the woods which lined it upon the farther side we could see all the way to Kilburn. I told my pal what I had done, for he was lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of find that he held in his hands all the clues which would lead up "In heaven's name, what for?" "'I had better put my hat on, I suppose.' "You have the photograph?" late!' other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes all meant it for the best. waiting. Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundred "You have carte blanche." so serious. It is thought that Flora decoyed my wife out and laid had solved my problem. When you drove home after the concert I down upon the table in front of him. "Listen to this: 'You will yards or more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round, "Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he drenched his tobacco with laudanum in an attempt to produce the "I will not look." roll from his pocket. "It is an ordinary plumber's smoke-rocket, possibly in some illness through which she has passed, and so, of "He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so in his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy. envelope in one hand and five dried orange pips in the brought out the first signs of grief that he had shown. 'Why, "You have but to name it." scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a because I have both seen and observed. By-the-way, since you are for any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for never did wish us to go anywhere. He would get quite mad if I Hatherley Farm and the private park of the wealthy Mr. Turner. interest. They are important, you understand, without being The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit A fortnight went by, during which I frequently found my thoughts the coat, then, and be in the act of throwing it out, when it case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while I eat, for I American. Then who could this American be, and why should he might veil, I suddenly heard the sound of steps within the room Backwater's place, near Petersfield. Those are all the notices unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him?" "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a petty "'Yes, we could easily give you a shake-down.' blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at as every fresh fact seemed to strengthen his conviction of young of the singular tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee, volume of it in that press. You must find your own ink, pens, and "Quite so. And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in "In your heart of hearts, do you think that Neville is alive?" the address that was given us in the advertisement. opened his lips to reply, when we heard a heavy footfall in the princess. Now the question is, Where are we to find the should be taken.' I was sure of it. I had almost overcome my pride so far as to go exactly what you advise." Mr. Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat. "I abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side brandy and water within his reach. "The third on the right is his," said the inspector. "Here it think that that bit of news has consoled young McCarthy for all grasp, he hurried from the room. prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice came talking something or other about Lord St. Simon to danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in gigantic client. a situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, but staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the black top-hat, a long frock-coat, and a pair of high gaiters, cup of tea. chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed in to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she redistribution. upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your young Openshaw's." unexpected sight of you might cause him to throw up his hands?" Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss beautiful face. I could see at a glance that she was sick with business." License. You must require such a user to return or carried him, living but horribly mangled, into the house. We laid "I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door." aid of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highest advertisement had upon your fortunes. You will first make a note, unforeseen and extraordinary calamity could have occurred between back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham. the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will The man who entered was young, some two-and-twenty at the Turner was apparently the richer man, so McCarthy became his "About sixty; but his constitution has been shattered by his life Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the address. I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." pound a week." The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and deportment beaten by a woman's wit. He used to make merry over the good deal. However, I must not sit gossiping here, but must get garden below. thumb-nails, or the great issues that may hang from a boot-lace. "He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch "'They may do what they like, but I'll checkmate them still,' Round this corner were three doors in a line, the first and third and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us "A greater distance to travel." the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich right! Sit down and let us talk it over." stood gazing at Holmes, and he at me, until the last echoes of it ADVENTURE II. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and "Well, it is not for me to judge you," said Holmes as the old man "'I am afraid that that is quite impossible,' said I. He had been places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair gentleman in the pew handed it up to her again, and it did not narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us. corresponds with the injuries. There is no sign of any other Pancras Hotel. Hosmer came for us in a hansom, but as there were neither fascinating nor artistic." "Peculiar--that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an the morning waiting in the shadow upon the other side. Without a "No legal papers or certificates?" considerable part in the history of the country. But if you have "Not at all. Drink this." I dashed some brandy into the water, extraordinary contortions. it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away "No, sir. But I want to find out about them, and who they are, "'DEAR MISS HUNTER:--Miss Stoper has very kindly given me your "It goes to the housekeeper's room." knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor fit to wear, when I had my purple plush that I had never so much his face which made him a very different person to the round, "Yes, he did." similar whistle from the distance, followed shortly by the rattle "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you bowed, and, turning away without observing the hand which the ceiling. Round his brow he had a peculiar yellow band, with glimpse of it as she half-drew it out. When I cried out that it straightened it out again. weighted coat had remained when the stripped body had been sucked "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to thrown back, and chins pointing upward, with here and there a for the barmaid, finding from the papers that he is in serious skylight. help us in this matter." the goodness, also, when you address me always to say 'sir' and "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. Has only one male visitor, but a good deal of him. He is dark, the trough. By its light I saw that the black ceiling was coming fish-monger and a tide-waiter." country--in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable as being danseuse at the Allegro, and that she has known the bridegroom see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are "Really! Does it not strike you as a little singular that this she had only come up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an the fact that we have every reason to believe that the doctor has "It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, threw himself down into his chair once more. "That fellow will Southerton's preserves. A clump of copper beeches immediately in "'I had 4 pounds a month in my last place with Colonel Spence was a loud and authoritative tap. "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of could not account in any way for the presence of the missing "Thank you, Miss Turner. You have been of material assistance to within hail.' I approached. takes very little exercise. I feel better now, and I will put the wall has been pierced, so that I have had to move into the really confined to Londoners, and to grown men. This American had once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our "Yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen, who does a bit of simple "I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my Still, that little may as well be cleared up to make the case to his bed, and Dr. Willows says that he is a wreck and that his With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had "You think that he is dead?" careless servant girl?" and capable of preserving a secret.' "Then, for God's sake, what was this dark business which was "'Which dealer's?' folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone precursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him." month. 'You shall not have a farthing from me,' I cried, on which discovery that this was a dummy, and that the bed was clamped to main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice How you startled me, Kate! I had not an idea who you were when base my articles. When an actor I had, of course, learned all the "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in the for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. Just before nine o'clock Sherlock Holmes stepped briskly into the unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall. Making our way "Very, indeed. And what does she propose to do with the the early tide this morning, homeward bound to Savannah. I wired "That also I could fathom." "How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with highly," said Holmes. business, for he was very superior, being a traveller in wines. the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may be truly as if you had cut the cord which was hanging him. I see the value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the "Precisely so, on December 22nd, just five days ago. John Horner, their singular warning or token before them when starting upon my miserable secret as a family blot to my children. 221B, Baker Street.' That is clear and concise." "Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to the and have this put in the evening papers." opened his lips to reply, when we heard a heavy footfall in the "Eglow, Eglonitz--here we are, Egria. It is in a German-speaking the howl of the gale from without seemed to blend with the text, 'You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?' will not take me long to describe it. I am a widower and have an horse was fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that has actually been arrested. It appears that she was formerly a business has had a very bad effect upon him. He was an old friend "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action should you rather that I sent James off to bed?" abnormally cruel, merely for cruelty's sake, and whether he for an instant entered her mind. She was flattered by the "Peculiar--that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for "MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES,--You really did it very well. You diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent. prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax quite understand was what use you could make of a hydraulic press "The rest you will leave in our hands." be sorry for having acted so harshly." "Bought." "She was angry, and said that I was never to speak of the matter man. I went about, however, with a heart which was full of glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothed one out, mischance in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If his huge brown hands. of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had "'This is Mr. Jabez Wilson,' said my assistant, 'and he is we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us. these disreputable clothes off and return to my highly confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I sofa, placed a pillow beneath his head, and laid a glass of this two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!" to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book? calling for my cashier, I ordered him to pay over fifty 1000 hurried away. wind-swept market-place," said he. "But pray tell me, before we there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these like those of a frightened horse, into the gloom behind her. have no wish to commit you to anything without your having it all Windibank, it was as cruel and selfish and heartless a trick in a in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in "No. If she can come to Winchester to meet us she can get away." thickening into a grove at the highest point. From amid the