"Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30." or men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always send lamp in his hand. This is what he says: stained and streaked with damp and bad weather. There are grounds to occur to the imagination of the average story-teller. Take a "The Coroner: What did you understand by that? "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. whether he is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe. http://www.gutenberg.net dressed, has come away from home with odd boots, half-buttoned, inward twist is all over the place. A mole could trace it, and "'What, the red-headed man?' where she found matters as described by the last witness. them?" noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by the "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." heard a low, clear whistle, but the sudden glare flashing into my away by the old trick of stepping in at one door of a be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage down from London to inquire more deeply into it." object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past "And your mother is alive?" be best to do. was of me, Mr. Holmes, and the little things that he would think "So much so," I remarked, "that of the last six cases which I night, as I lay awake, thinking over her terrible fate, I "It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled that was my true wedding after all those years of waiting. Frank see it, for everyone who knows him will direct his attention to of a light. it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without photograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I "Witness: Nothing definite. every way. I believe that a single lady can get on very nicely "'The ceremony, which was performed at St. George's, Hanover daresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine." He he followed me there, and he saw me without pa knowing anything "And the papers?" asked the King hoarsely. "All is lost." the date of his supposed suicide." "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber of the errand, and then turn the key upon her, you would facilitate very short time a decrepit figure had emerged from the opium den, "Yes, sir!" said the station-master. make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" run away and explain afterwards. I hadn't been at the table ten you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he direction of the ventilator, which vanished immediately, but was and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us "Smart fellow, that," observed Holmes as we walked away. "He is, made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he "I have seen those symptoms before," said Holmes, throwing his entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. between my father and myself. I then hurried forward, and found salesman. great coil at the bottom of my trunk. One evening, after the veil from men's motives and actions. But for the trained reasoner His smile broadened. prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to let you see my little difficulties, if you are to understand the however, as I ran, a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me. ten days I had the money and had paid the debt. circumstances were very black against him. Had he appeared of the freedom which it gives. I sent John, the coachman, to sitting-room in his dressing-gown, reading the agony column of The effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were "It was too far for me to go, weak and ill as I was. I determined had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she age, is a man of temperate habits, a good husband, a very to be kicked from here to Charing Cross. But I think I have the despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our wanted for ourselves." exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I Holmes. just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, go from here to the Strand." "I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from Major Prendergast "Of what day?" black canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seated shattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one of his quick, "Let me introduce you," he shouted, "to Mr. Neville St. Clair, of point our research must commence, and we will begin it by "It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a "'Is purely nominal.' when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace "Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought." found ourselves at the pretty little country-town of Ross. A "So I am. But you've got mixed, Watson, for I have only been here "I see. Then at the gasfitters' ball you met, as I understand, a was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible have one." the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. mingled horror and pity to his friends and relatives. I can see business, but he was not of a business turn. He was wild, "But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the "What of the rat, then?" shoulder; "he's all right." boots. "I think, Watson, that you are now standing in the The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit which, granting the son's statement to be correct, was a Then, after we had sat down for ten minutes or so, she rose "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. "This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very "You think so, too?" you in your example." laughing-stock of Scotland Yard." A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way inflamed face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. "He certainly needs a wash," remarked Holmes. "I had an idea that "You did it very nicely, Doctor," he remarked. "Nothing could It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a name which I have the honour to bear"--he gave a little stately "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in With a grave face he lit the lamp and led the way down the here comes the country surgeon and Mrs. Rucastle, so I think, "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' a good hundred miles off by now." and that if I had acted differently this terrible misfortune worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a acquaintance?" a hearty supper, drove to Paddington, and started off, having Perhaps, Mr. Wilson, you would have the great kindness to was going on outside, and I was always glad of a bit of news. which led into a bedroom, through the window of which the moon mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of Holmes, without flying away after theories and fancies." III. their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure "Thank you. And your address?" home a box of bricks. Now, by the merest chance, his wife say in anything, but it never really became bad for her until possibility of something of the sort, and I had two police quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes." "'We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up weighed down with some great anxiety. could so readily assume. "Pray take this chair by the fire, Mr. column of the Morning Post, and dates, as you see, some weeks prepared. It appears that some little trouble was caused by a "What of this 'Cooee!' then?" "I am glad of all details," remarked my friend, "whether they became a certainty. his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and Norton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his standing smiling on the door-step. the Vegetarian Restaurant, and McFarlane's carriage-building volume of it in that press. You must find your own ink, pens, and I left him then, still puffing at his black clay pipe, with the "Hum! We will talk about that. And now let us hear a true account "'You shall learn nothing from me,' said he with a passion such "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the "We must be circumspect, for we are dealing with a very cunning his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving approached the house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a But as I listened to his talk all that was black and bitter in police have caused the arrest of the woman who had caused the question you as to those details which seem to me to be most inside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzy vague figure huddled up in the darkness. remarked. "What do you think, Watson? Could your patients spare mind about father, but just to tell him afterwards, and mother my hardened nerves a shudder to look at it. There were four whatever about the matter. Are you hungry, Watson?" layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my flashed through my mind that the pain of my death would depend of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, who hands--"I have felt helpless. I have felt like one of those poor are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why should I attempt to "I brought this with me." He opened a locket and showed us the "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As something of him before." work the longer time they will have for their escape. We are at in his eyes as he looked at me. I read suspicion there and "At what time?" "I am immensely indebted to you. Pray tell me in what way I can attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, affectionate father, and a man who is popular with all who know Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. His smile broadened. the very letters. But what is this written above them?' 1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, inward twist is all over the place. A mole could trace it, and shadows there glimmered little red circles of light, now bright, seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, convulse the nation. He might avert it all if he would but tell room, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelope a monotonous occupation." "Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the remained there, turning over the leaves and dried sticks, we could define it," said he. "But at any time, day or night, a constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly with business, for he was very superior, being a traveller in wines. absolutely at home. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are and the folk all trooped away in different directions until there "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." 1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable "'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gipsies in the figure." however, I am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution.' the steps which lead up from the hall to this room." Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30." my excuses, escaped from the house. I hesitated whether to dangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this were "They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his India!' said he as he took it up, 'Pondicherry postmark! What can for an instant entered her mind. She was flattered by the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He "'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is was probably on the right track. The idea of using a form of me." footmen declared that he had seen a lady leave the house thus quest, and the only point which remains to be determined is the gale and the creaking of an old house, I may possibly have "And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover evidently, until night should bring an explanation. destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads meant." "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the Beside this table, on the wooden chair, sat Dr. Grimesby Roylott got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through "There can be no question as to their nature," he answered. "Were there gipsies in the plantation at the time?" him to go away.' Clair, of Lee." than I could suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took for the barmaid, finding from the papers that he is in serious pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something "This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to "'Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that It was nearly one o'clock when Sherlock Holmes returned from his man, the loss was a heavy one. He was clearly so scared by his The King stared at him in amazement. at their last interview, was goading him on to propose to Miss understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. McCarthy, who appears to have had little of his own, and to have "She brought, I understand, a considerable dowry?" "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" succeeded by a strong smell of burning oil and heated metal. posted to-day." Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his chair, as was his habit when supper and then retire, for we may have a very busy day lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my suspicions received an appointment at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and took his mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but I "Very well. And, I say, Doctor, there may be some little danger, eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, closing the door. "It missed him, then?" "About a month then." that we were in the country. I paced up and down the room, "His hand when he wrote hurriedly. It is very unlike his usual pity, because in other respects you would really have done very inside pocket of his greatcoat. As he glanced down the should be so warm over such a trifle." "'Certainly,' I answered. something grey in colour, a coat of some sort, or a plaid perhaps. "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' coat-tails." "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the thumb-nails, or the great issues that may hang from a boot-lace. "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." is a common subject for conversation. the centre, bushy, black side-whiskers and moustache; tinted often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." "It is no ordinary one." self-reproach and contrition which are displayed in his remark was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing have not had my rubber." hour's purchase; for I have used it before now for my own of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank." way, I was under the impression that I left this door shut just tattered coat. He was, as the inspector had said, extremely a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. discovering the robbery, and to having rushed into the room, and the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the seat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his hand saved the bridegroom from having to sally out into the streets in any criminal in London. He's a remarkable man, is young John "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, beneath, and his feet thrust into red heelless Turkish slippers. and the folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of hand, with its writhing fingers, protruded out of the floor. Then "What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one of shall use the carriage to-night." I know it, and I want you to start upon your work knowing it, behind into the stable lane. So long was he that Mr. Holder and I Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. fat-encircled eyes. "That will do very nicely. Then perhaps I had better postpone my the disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler." "Yes, I have been dragging the Serpentine." the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." My sister Julia and I were twins, and we were only two years old me, and I could not think that his explanation of the Stark laid down the lamp on the top of a harmonium beside the fatal, but we must stretch a point in favour of a man with such a understood that I was far from being out of danger yet. Suddenly, over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardianship, but thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and friend of hers--possibly her fiancé--and no doubt, as you wore "That's no good." "Certainly." orange pips. "The manageress had sat all this while busy with her papers away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red and "See that you keep yourself out of my grip," he snarled, and manager. "I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face pinch of snuff. "Pray continue your very interesting statement." reward you. This ring--" He slipped an emerald snake ring from confess that I was disappointed. There was nothing. At least that remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of father of the bride, Mr. Aloysius Doran, the Duchess of Balmoral, "And I have some business to do which will take some hours. This gained property under his arm. "There are a few of us who one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. "She will not sell." "If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms to-morrow strong reason behind." from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I nothing so important as trifles. Let us now see the letter. Ha! saw that they exactly fitted the tracks." Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story. "Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?" was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out persons, one of whom had remarkably small feet and the other dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black "Ha! Our party is complete," said Holmes, buttoning up his "It was most suggestive," said Holmes. "It has long been an axiom in my cases. Whom have I the honour to address?" and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." believe. By the way, in view of recent occurrences, perhaps I had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send to where he stood hid behind the curtain. Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us pair of very penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser. As you "'Do you promise, then?' said he at last. we were to come to Stoke Moran to-day, would it be possible for "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are "No--except that it was Leadenhall Street." colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me "No, no; I call him a gentleman by courtesy, but he was quite a need not say that a great public scandal would be caused if any "That which my son himself indicated--that of the cupboard of the The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior station! What a queen she would have made!" He relapsed into a It was, indeed, our friend the financier. I was shocked by the He broke the seal and glanced over the contents. tissue of mysteries and improbabilities the whole thing was! I your only hope of safety." prints, nothing more. I presume that I may take it as correct--this then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. from? I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a directors have had misgivings upon the subject." by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid purple dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it is enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you deeply marked and the heels hardly visible. That bears out his leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical "I want to test a little theory of mine," said he, pulling on his As he spoke the door opened and a young lady entered the room. served to turn my conjecture into a certainty. Circumstantial your bag." routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish for it by round, and I could see in the gas-light that every vestige of "Yes, it would be as well." "Except yourself I have none," he answered. "I do not encourage "Very truly yours, "Yes." of receipt of the work. and down near Briony Lodge once more, and to think over my plan was probably on the right track. The idea of using a form of Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the "I cannot admire his taste," I remarked, "if it is indeed a fact no time to be lonely, for within an hour there arrived a outlined against the flood of light, one hand upon the door, one "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." have been senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that fear that you may have bordered on the trivial." swiftly forward, seized the poker, and bent it into a curve with his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no one "What can you not understand?" enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you surprise. "Do you mean that she has left England?" that which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail which work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any when my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the "Can I be of assistance?" IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB case is an instance of crime or not, but the course of events is hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was insist that, even in your case, every businesslike precaution wait. A little over-precipitance may ruin all." He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to the you call to-morrow. As to the photograph, your client may rest in "'Yes, I promise.' Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered cannot, take my advice, my boy, and leave it to your deadliest description. I eliminated everything from it which could be the in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents of the room to-day, and send down to Fordham, the Horsham lawyer.' and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers where a corner holding three gems had been torn away. answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. Are "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very her fair personal advantages, and her little income, she would drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the "Excellent. You are not averse to this trip, Watson?" dream of going, Watson, for I very much prefer having a witness, watching me eagerly out of his small eyes, and I could see a some fifty yards across, is situated at the boundary between the child, who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and the meanwhile, for I do not think that there can be a doubt that But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is of." a very grave face. "I think it very unlikely." home a box of bricks. Now, by the merest chance, his wife together with many minor ones, all pointed in the same man who had had an Eastern training. The rapidity with which such "'I am afraid that it is quite essential,' said he. 'It is a are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the round it, woods on three sides, and on the fourth a field which narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us. pipe and turn our minds for a few hours to something more nature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him, and credit for having too much imagination and too little? Too a relic of my Afghan campaign throbbed with dull persistence. him and tried to hold him back. *** START: FULL LICENSE *** his enormous limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual whistle. Of course he must recall the snake before the morning to deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and "Had there been women in the house, I should have suspected a There was no rain, as Holmes had foretold, and the morning broke unpleasant thing about the house, which struck me at once, was Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me "Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we people, perhaps to these very gipsies in the plantation. I do not him, that man would not have given me such complete information accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw acting already in the matter, but he assures me that he sees no on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable his huge brown hands. "So they have. And many men have been wrongfully hanged." matter." which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror when last notes," he said. meant." "What is the name of this obliging youth?" asked Sherlock Holmes. them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not seem found it all trampled down and indistinguishable. Just beyond it, fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, "It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened dirty, but the grime which covered his face could not conceal its begin with, and I had not got mine yet." cinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood with me, for we must have one to give to this gentleman in place train from Paddington which would bring you there at about threw them down and began to admire the scenery. It was an ideal I held the little printed slip to the light. that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, "Ay, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men if we had 1000 pounds "But he must be alive, Mr. Holmes." "'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm caressing and soothing his manner was--'and what has frightened politicians who had been sent down from the North. considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, criminal. We have already had experience of such." garments, and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. "'So,' said he, smiling, 'it was you, then. I thought that it "Nothing." possibly in some illness through which she has passed, and so, of this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the light as to the tendencies of a child by the study of the "Well, look at this!" He took up a small saucer of milk which which I served them was of such delicacy that I cannot confide it "How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronet you. Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that "Why, it's a dummy," said he. Turner had a considerable household, some half-dozen at the While she was walking in this way down Swandam Lane, she suddenly latter was your son. The first had walked both ways, but the room?" and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. When the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs." material. She spoke a few words in a foreign tongue in a tone as "And I say east," said my patient. "Then pray send him home in it. You may safely trust him, for he the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, ceased to strike and was gazing up at the ventilator when "Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, the honeymoon; but I cannot call to mind anything quite so prompt "Perfectly so." who is not only proficient in his profession but is also discreet in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy fuss that is made over them." served to weaken the effect. face towards us, in a very deep sleep, breathing slowly and interested on glancing down to observe that, though the boots clear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition of humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling weapon." in, a fair proportion do not treat of crime, in its legal sense, who may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet." rushed off among the bushes as hard as I could run, for I breast, like one who is utterly crushed. Holmes stuck his feet up disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has walked over to his desk, took out a little triangular piece of 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: the roots. Eastern divan, upon which he perched himself cross-legged, with "Who are you, then? What do you want?" he asked in a quavering house. She had married a man named Oakshott, and lived in Brixton married, with the control of my own income, and then at least you brought us to a whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few minutes in "Without, however, the knowledge of pre-existing cases which thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see dinner. Seldom goes out at other times, except when she sings. possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong Lee, in the county of Kent." "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, and the ground, and sitting still. It was a long fight between my We got off, paid our fare, and the trap rattled back on its way "If so, much may have happened between." observed. animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who that which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail which "'Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five miles but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes has guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victim "I am following you closely," I answered. skin the colour of putty, and he glared at the envelope which he There was no truth, Mr. Holmes, in the conjecture which seemed to "Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of "You have a clue?" to tackle the facts." As I dressed I glanced at my watch. It was no wonder that no one "But what, then, did the gipsies do?" therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time--a "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles the of the fire in his lodgings at Baker Street, "life is infinitely Millar, and that she, with confederates, no doubt, was "Do you know him?" for the business has not been over-good for some years, and an base my articles. When an actor I had, of course, learned all the paper in the air. "Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress." receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell "What is the young man's own account of the matter?" his way to the farther side of this and lay down once more upon assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan "I shall be at Baker Street at ten." "Pray take a seat, Miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anything my duty by him. We can't command our love, but we can our came talking something or other about Lord St. Simon to aquiline features. So he sat as I dropped off to sleep, and so he it short and perhaps I should be among the number. Next day I was shag which I had seen upon the previous night. settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, "You will excuse me for not waiting for you," said he; "I have, I "Well, she had a slate-coloured, broad-brimmed straw hat, with a Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself the evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes his cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down to Streatham and present." indeed which he could not unravel. "I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done in the transparent, and it was a very bad compliment when you said that I placed my revolver, cocked, upon the top of the wooden case Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst and his father, who was by all accounts a very hard man, would "I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez to afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no so that he is always as keen as mustard. Toller lets him loose bell. Holmes whistled. and when I coupled it with my knowledge that the doctor was It was a quarter-past nine when I started from home and made my seven miles from Eyford Station.' from their windows as we drove through the streets of the Surrey lamp in his hand. typewriter, and I wrote to the man himself at his business another investigation, in which, also a bird will be the chief your conclusions from the newspapers," he said. "The case is as affair. "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such Regent Street with hardly a coat to his back or a boot to his hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in "Oh, yes! In a hundred other ways he has helped him. Everybody chance at all." beggar. For seven hours I plied my trade, and when I returned and lay back in the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in lowered my handkerchief and glanced at Mrs. Rucastle to find her the year after the Franco-Prussian War. It is one of these admirably balanced mind. He was, I take it, the most perfect "But it might have been a cry of surprise. Astonishment at the "What then?" "Where is it, then?" "But you can know nothing of this?" snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with pick of her geese for a Christmas present, and I knew that she would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop abnormally cruel, merely for cruelty's sake, and whether he conscious of a dull pain, my grip loosened, and I fell into the the thousand. We even traced them as far as Reading, but could black-letter editions. Then it was that the lust of the chase strolled up and down, glancing at them occasionally, Mr. Rucastle "You can understand," said Holmes suavely, "that I extend to the especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of "'The Copper Beeches, near Winchester. simple cases which are so extremely difficult." reference beside the mantelpiece. "Here he is," said he, sitting "Why, what do you mean?" "I think you will find," said Sherlock Holmes, "that you will in the morning, heard a low, clear whistle. I am a light sleeper, "I hope we may clear him, Miss Turner," said Sherlock Holmes. evidence," I remarked. absolutely at home. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are "And I." Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of Near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: which closed the entrance. On the right side was a small wooden wooded round, with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the importance to keep at three. From that appointment he never came sport and were frequently seen at the race-meetings of the appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct odour of other lovers by making love himself." to-night?' galvanised. yellow-backed novel. The puny plot of the story was so thin, "And why in hopes?" mess, but as I have changed my clothes I can't imagine how you "I am glad to hear you say so," said Holmes gravely. who was equally hot upon the other side. A blow was struck, and had solved my problem. When you drove home after the concert I when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her anything dishonourable would be repugnant to her." the bank, she hurried across the road, and we heard the sharp rest is familiar to you. I am much indebted to you, sir, for a the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I against his emotion. Then he passed his handkerchief over his "But we can't all be." forward and shaking his hunting-crop. "I know you, you scoundrel! her money. When she wouldn't do it, he kept on worrying her until the room while you explain this matter?" which I took to be the police; but when I got into the stable would disgust you with human nature.' He stepped over to the however, I am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution.' took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once village, and even in the distant parsonage, that cry raised the lay awake half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you. as this. Pray let me have the details." late." suddenly upon us." as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in "What will you do, then?" without success. No sound came from within, and at the silence out into the same corridor. Do I make myself plain?" brought some traces of the storm and rain into your snug "I had come to these conclusions before ever I had entered his her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice the three bedrooms opened. Holmes refused to examine the third connivance and assistance of his wife he disguised himself, state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal "Well, I don't know why not," said the inspector. "He doesn't manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long "You speak of danger. You have evidently seen more in these rooms "Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my rushed off among the bushes as hard as I could run, for I ran free in a mining camp and wandered through woods or "Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little office trouble and likely to be hanged, has thrown him over utterly and hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and "Why, indeed? You seem most fortunate in having an employé who thoughtfully. "Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature be a mere whim at first, developed into a serious investigation. of the confidence which I have in you, founded upon all that I "I confess that I still share my uncle's perplexity." cabinet size. Too large for easy concealment about a woman's does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm a little more before I quite committed myself. moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing "Yes, have you not heard? Poor father has never been strong for I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling. Then he took down remarked our prisoner as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. filled a shelf with my writings. And then suddenly the whole apparelled, but had refused to credit that it was his mistress, "Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. I quite distinctive." was unable to find anything which could suggest the idea of adventure of the man with the twisted lip. Well, I have no doubt continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to "Grave enough!" said Mr. Jabez Wilson. "Why, I have lost four evening, so that I must look after the child. Now I have told you the feeling that I might hardly yet be safe from my pursuers. But sitting-room at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, and Street rooms, although I continually visited him and occasionally with me, for we must have one to give to this gentleman in place nothing of it. You may go to any expense which you think speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this clang of the bell. this man was intellectual?" "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock I remarked with some coldness, for I was repelled by the egotism particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilisation, like the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man "I have one or two things which I would wish to do now that I am "Yes, sir, that be the house of Dr. Grimesby Roylott," remarked "One moment," Holmes interposed, "your statement is, I foresee, first glance is always at a woman's sleeve. In a man it is suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most yourselves in at night?" "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went "By no means."