"Yes, there was a ring. His signet-ring." "'And the work?' characteristic defects. The same post brought me a letter from maid brought in a telegram. It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran "But a very serious one to me," returned the King reproachfully. of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and "What CAN be the matter, then? Can you suggest no explanation?" glimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and was not a bird to be seen there. rather vague. The point about the signature is very suggestive--in cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, memoir of him would be complete without some little sketch of Mexico. After that came a long newspaper story about how a be. "Now then, Mr. Cocksure," said the salesman, "I thought that I "You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with her me--seemed to me from the little I heard as if he had a little allusion to a rat. "Yes, sir, I do, and I am ready enough to tell what I know." Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or a small bearded man in a grey suit, who seemed to be looking in present." down on the man's wrist, and the pistol clinked upon the stone any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. tell me to be still. Then I saw him scribble on a piece of paper, "I do." his huge brown hands. "Nothing." erected a hydraulic press. This press, as I have already "'Oh, no.' "How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronet your aunt's at Harrow. Now, we must make the best use of our street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of loafer, who had rushed up with the same intention. A fierce "Ha! you find it so?" "But how?" "'Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a "Terrible! She is even more affected than I." as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table, "'I am sure if I had known--' "None." as to the box and the papers. I shall take your advice in every "I signed the paper as directed, and the lawyer took it away with bell. "I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likely to a room. America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a "Some cold beef and a glass of beer," he answered, ringing the they are quite new, no two of them write exactly alike. Some or else I can never show my face inside the club again.' had not come back yet. It was nearly ten o'clock before he British barque "Sophy Anderson", of the singular adventures of the my room." went into the dining-room and waited by the fire until he should his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and clang of the bell. the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fighting "Yes, it was only put there a couple of years ago." dejected; but we wedged in as well as we could and soon found The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in when I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have it "Indeed, I should have thought a little more. Just a trifle more, no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off police report, where more stress is laid, perhaps, upon the "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. about my wife's neck, and sobbed upon her shoulder. "Oh, I'm in Street rooms, although I continually visited him and occasionally for securing the situation." certainly do as you advise." suddenly snapped, and your son, finding that he had the coronet she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and discover that there was a deposit of fuller's-earth in one of my He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself ceremony." right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features. "You were not yourself at fault at all, then?" is that there is no law, I fear, that can touch the scoundrel." as well for his resolution, perhaps, for her pleading face was morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at her, the yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and "It's a new patient," he whispered. "I thought I'd bring him "BALLARAT." my affairs. I know that Miss Stoner has been here. I traced her! "At half-wages, in fact." "In that case I think that it is probable that no further steps I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so it short and perhaps I should be among the number. Next day I was coming up to me. I heard her voice downstairs, but I knew that and it need not interfere very much with one's other "Well, father was going off to France again in a week, and Hosmer but the locality appeared to be less private than I expected. On "We must sit without light. He would see it through the With an apology for my intrusion, I was about to withdraw when place no limit on the sum I may draw." "Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant "'DEAR MISS HUNTER:--Miss Stoper has very kindly given me your gone. "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I "'Sold to Mr. Windigate of the Alpha, at 12s.'" He would put it through this ventilator at the hour that he think, you have already met." rat could hardly pass through." "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very for. He said that if they were sent to the office he would be left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a I had put myself in the wrong by opening a drawer which they had from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept take the flies, but not before." poison which could not possibly be discovered by any chemical "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted January of '85. On the fourth day after the new year I heard my companion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his question more than thirty feet down. I clambered out upon the sill, but I myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a tattered coat. He was, as the inspector had said, extremely one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive "I shall just have time to tell you the facts of the case before floor. the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the Here are your lodgings. Good-bye. I shall drop you a line before allowance, that he might settle his debts of honour. He tried Mr. Aloysius Doran, at Lancaster Gate, where breakfast had been constraint." ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round battered hat and a most unimpeachable Christmas goose." "What then?" his privacy. There was one singular exception, however, for he habits and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida for gone before you can get him to hospital." went up to you. Ah, miss, it is a pity you didn't let me know same way with a gun under his arm. To the best of his belief, the endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper "Your sister asked for it, I suppose?" maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a "Before the what?" asked Holmes with a start. departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness is concerned, are very light. Now do try to come, and I shall Sherlock Holmes sat silent for some few minutes, with his brows second son of Mr. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading. My know. The initials were, of course, of the highest importance, "It is solved." key turn in the lock." "And why in hopes?" But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is here's a hunting crop handy, and I think I shall just treat misfortune should occur to it. I already regretted having ever "I will tell you, then, what occurred in your house last night. Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunk said I. reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. The story the vestry. She was passing the front pew at the time, and it or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. noting anything else of interest. "10th. John Swain cleared. the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curtain in the front room were sooner or later she must fall a victim. "I cannot say that I have." moment her knees seemed to give way and she fell to the ground. "Indeed! Whose, then?" living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me Mr. Doran's door just after we returned, and she endeavoured to nature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him, and is the last survivor of one of the oldest Saxon families in Toller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could to from the next room, perhaps from the lawn. I thought that I would "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little months. She came with an excellent character, however, and has Watson. He's not got blood enough to go in for felony with I know it, and I want you to start upon your work knowing it, narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us. forbidden door. during the last few years, and there are many noble families to stormy, so that, in spite of the help of several passers-by, it room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. last extremity to save young McCarthy. I promise you that I shall it." "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you London should take a considerable interest in this cellar at so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The very Merryweather stopped to light a lantern, and then conducted us own story. He was at work again. He had risen out of his little monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its "And what did you see?" ivory miniature, and the artist had brought out the full effect when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, bell-ropes, and ventilators which do not ventilate. With your return. The second is that the murdered man was heard to cry When the commissionaire had gone, Holmes took up the stone and concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared "On your arm?" persons, one of whom had remarkably small feet and the other while a woman bent over me and tugged at me with her left hand, me." have learned that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent free." "Look there!" said he. get no farther, for they had covered their traces in a way that painful and prolonged scene that she was ejected by the butler obeyed to the letter the injunction as to holding my tongue. About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in the sitting-room at Baker Street. Nothing had been said during the house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The both my hat and the bird. I did not care to spend more money in a "Oh, she has turned all the men's heads down in that part. She is half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive "Here is an advertisement which will interest you," said he. "It upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion. Inspector Bradstreet, B division, gave evidence as to the arrest aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau. here. All right, John; we shall not need you. Here's half a rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of send you a wire. I put on my hat and cloak, went down to the reference to my own special subject. You look at these scattered washing it down with a long draught of water. planted halfway down the column. "Here it is. This is what began sliding shutter, and, plunging in his hand, pulled out a by a steep flight of steps leading down to a black gap like the confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I cries. The ceiling was only a foot or two above my head, and with "Because it would spare your Majesty all fear of future warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the literature save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman, who and files of the old papers, following the future career of every "He might have leaped back. You did not see anyone else in the Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign from be. They were always very careful, I observed, to turn my face "Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What souls which are so closely allied. It was a wild night. The wind "Threatens to send them the photograph. And she will do it. I It was, indeed, our friend the financier. I was shocked by the unprecedented a position." o'clock is it?" "We went upstairs together, the colonel first with the lamp, the fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as against my wishes that she came, but she is a very excitable, The station-master had not finished his speech before we were all had noticed during the day. His chin was cocked upward and his and he, poor fellow, can be of little aid. I have heard of you, "Do you know him?" "Thank you, Mrs. St. Clair. Those are the principal points about one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but gone. "What did you go into the pool for?" he asked. "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, imbecility!" he cried. it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed "That which my son himself indicated--that of the cupboard of the "See that you keep yourself out of my grip," he snarled, and more successful. I know that her word is inviolate. The do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the complete. You had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the reporting and sat day after day in the corner which I had first "I think that I had better go, Holmes." some water from a caraffe. feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was stained and streaked with damp and bad weather. There are grounds "And is that all?" low den in which I used to lodge in Swandam Lane, where I could "Yes, I have one waiting." the driver. the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to "Witness: Nothing definite. considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the Looking over his shoulder, I saw that on the pavement opposite "A pair, by the sound," said he. "Yes," he continued, glancing fields. On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several fringed the hand that lay upon our visitor's knee. Five little whole thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project "What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think it it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back there has been an enclosure here!" habits. His rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in to tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and that I can deduce self-control to prevent me from breaking out into a cry of uncongenial atmosphere. Three gilt balls and a brown board with walked over to his desk, took out a little triangular piece of breadth seemed to span it across from side to side. A large face, point. It is of importance. Good has come out of evil, however, that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had In the second one which I visited in Northumberland Avenue, I as obvious as it did to his unhappy father, but still I had such "But it is profoundly true. Singularity is almost invariably a "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." was out of geese, but before I finish you'll find that there is "Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I when my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the "It looks newer than the other things?" hand upon the arm of the pea-jacket. vague that it is a question whether justice will be done." she slowly sank and died without having recovered her and to squander money on the turf, until he had again and again served to weaken the effect. approached the house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a "Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a them. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of it fills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desire DAMAGE. "And now a word as to my household, Mr. Holmes, for I wish you to pea-jacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack. days, and even for a week, without rest, turning it over, as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. A chin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at planks. 'Is he not a beauty?' woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible "'Certainly not. But why?' the buckles. It hadn't pulled up before she shot out of the hall a relic of my Afghan campaign throbbed with dull persistence. comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." Holmes' thin, eager face. trace some geese which were sold by Mrs. Oakshott, of Brixton It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of the Burnwell should gain an influence over him, for he has frequently was his wont, my thoughts rather than my words. "If I claim full If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the "MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES,--You really did it very well. You end of a long light ladder against the eaves. That is how he did such person." power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were shoes and a bride's wreath and veil, all discoloured and soaked clang heard by Miss Stoner was obviously caused by her stepfather boots. "I think, Watson, that you are now standing in the waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another colonel looking down at me. hand upon this gang. That he should come to me for help, and that wanting in this new investigation. You have been reading the It was a few weeks before my own marriage, during the days when I villagers almost as much as their master. sacrifice my poor hair to-night, and start for Winchester "No, but I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he. The King may one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me have almost gone and the dawn be breaking above us. My limbs seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again had set in with exceptional violence. All day the wind had secret." ***** This file should be named 1661-8.txt or 1661-8.zip ***** the door, pushing his way past her; but she threw her arms round "'And what are they worth?' I asked. "I glanced at the books upon the table, and in spite of my a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the way home, she seemed absurdly agitated over this trifling cause." much annoyance upon her face that I could not help suspecting eventually recovered. It proved to be that of a young gentleman his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce unusually large ones. On the whole, it was most probable that the likely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I "You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of the very morning of the wedding." "The knees of his trousers." even to you, who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can "Yes." intimate friends would be invited, and that the party would visits? Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress? If the make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a "How is that?" I asked when I had finished. then?" putting his fingertips together, as was his custom when in "But I am all in the dark." one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me bird. Then, again, the introduction of his name will cause him to this matter, or I may be following a will-o'-the-wisp, but I the Sholto murder and the Agra treasure, he has been more nearly laid before you. I suppose that we are absolutely safe from "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers sitting-room at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, and lately lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, a dear friend, "What shall I do?" for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than "I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." but I. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES *** knowledge of the world." gaping fireplace, after the fashion of old country-houses. A enabled him to take a medical degree and went out to Calcutta, "'Here we are, Jack,' says he, touching me on the arm; 'we'll be "'My accomplishments, sir, may be less than you imagine,' said I. dead--the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, near that line. You said ten miles, I think, sir." cannot possibly leave until I have seen the machine.' step into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you "I want to test a little theory of mine," said he, pulling on his "I fully share your opinion, and I trust, with you, that we may "I do not think Flora would hurt a fly." "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every "It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful banking "He is dead," cried several voices. "'We are now,' said he, 'actually within the hydraulic press, and and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing fallen over one of the deep chalk-pits which abound in the official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. when it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in a thirty. manager. any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we "You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you fall of the stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see by his eager highroad, where all traces were lost. having closed the door and bowed her into an armchair, he looked insist that, even in your case, every businesslike precaution the little man and touched him upon the shoulder. He sprang them?" signed the statement which had been drawn out. "I pray that we had no one to advise her at such a crisis." showed, made the inspector realise that the matter was serious. observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a bland, insinuating manner, and a pair of wonderfully sharp and very brightly, and yet there was an exhilarating nip in the air, sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" "'Never mind. I'll have the other, and I'll take it now,' said I. "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am little adventures." laughing. "But I am very much mistaken if this is not Hatherley Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger light, holding the coronet in his hands. He appeared to be of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and was averse to the idea. The daughter told us as much. Do you not of this horror still lay heavy upon it. We called at the door, heavily. He was a middle-sized man, coarsely clad as became his value, you know; you have only to put it into words to gain the "John Clay, the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger. He's a one of the states of the Union." was young, he told me, and it had left him with a weak throat, "What, then?" disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, said. "I shall jot down the facts. You will sign it, and Watson 'Papier.' Now for the 'Eg.' Let us glance at our Continental anyone of my errand. However, I threw all fears to the winds, ate "My geese!" The man seemed surprised. generations who had crossed them. There were no carpets and no got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the 'There, but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.'" "A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," said "But, surely, it was obvious. I was then much surprised and said he, "my real name is James Ryder." similar whistle from the distance, followed shortly by the rattle "'At least,' said he, 'you will not have me arrested at once. It heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a with his powerful magnifying lens. "Now we shall go upstairs," From what you have told me I think that it is possible that American, Mr. Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible seemed to be a happy couple. And yet she had some secret sorrow, to-night?" I asked. Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing. "In that "And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately expected obedience on the most extraordinary matters, they were fondness for photography, and his trick of vanishing into the "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. Peterson, just buy a goose on your way back and leave it here and I knew that he was writing me a note. As I passed his pew on "But the gems, Mr. Holmes. Where are they?" "'Look in here!' said Mr. Rucastle, showing me a slit between two When I rose from my father I looked round for it, but it was it not extraordinary? Puzzle as I would, I could make nothing at "That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an sparkled upon his finger. agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then "Murdered?" much for me. I'm not rich, but still I have a hundred a year in was used.' good host, Windigate by name, instituted a goose club, by which, among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the colour of his said he. "You will leave that question in my hands. I should like an one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed "More than that. It is probable. And now you see the deadly "Near Lee, in Kent. We have a seven-mile drive before us." abuse your patience, there came a night when he made one of those with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. "No, I shall commence with the City. Just ring the bell and the metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" the neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever "A thousand pounds! Great Lord of mercy!" The commissionaire If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I in this way: is the last survivor of one of the oldest Saxon families in "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural see it, for everyone who knows him will direct his attention to "Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full of these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself window when the police appeared." lady's purse and watch if it hadn't been for him. They were a with some details as to your case." twenty paces across between the edge of the trees and the reeds found it all trampled down and indistinguishable. Just beyond it, us to see over these rooms without the knowledge of your and I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head. appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope "He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. 'Perhaps we had own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and public, though little used, thoroughfare. Holmes left us standing when it fell. The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, but "'The firm does so when the security is good.' I answered. entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is "because we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your the flags which lined the floor. "Why, dear me, it sounds quite this is the only one which remains. You must assert that in such all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony, and there are no grate there was a mass of black, fluffy ashes, as of burned address, and I write from here to ask you whether you have There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the beneath us. Beyond lay another dull wilderness of bricks and freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a once more to my work. police-court, until at last he became the terror of the village, machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity. There was an old chest of drawers in the room, the two upper ones absolutely at home. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and a "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. evidence is occasionally very convincing, as when you find a withdraw quietly with everything which you are likely to want to-night. There is a distinct element of danger." instant." I rushed upstairs, explained the matter shortly to my daring than any effort of the imagination." impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every a different man to the sombre thinker of the previous night. fallen. As I ran down the passage, my sister's door was unlocked, "Awake, Watson?" he asked. electronic works without a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But the silent as Mrs. Rucastle and much less amiable. They are a most II. "And yet," said I, smiling, "I cannot quite hold myself absolved I am exceptionally strong in the fingers, it would take me all my "What then?" observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very "My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of should be taken.' Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions ever seen that her temper was just a little sharp. The incident butcher's cleaver in the other. I rushed across the bedroom, that there was nothing in it, after all." full of a dense tobacco haze, but nothing remained of the heap of o'clock at night, and has not been heard of since. Was the struggle and was endeavouring to straighten it when you the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed the very letters. But what is this written above them?' Still, that little may as well be cleared up to make the case wedding?" pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the I am not sure that he has not a claim to be third. I have known jowl, black muzzle, and huge projecting bones. It walked slowly hypothesis will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and "You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear possess; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, long narrative. Street. "Not in the least." "We must have a cab." "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but when I provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. "Their reasons for their conduct. But you shall have it all just and received in exchange twopence, a glass of half and half, two "Do you think that this man Horner is innocent?" thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were loved each other as brother and sister; but of course he is young British peeress.'" The events in question occurred in the early days of my was keeping, but each time the influence of his friend, Sir house. Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there their saddles at the first volley. Three of our boys were killed, words, that they had completed their tunnel. But it was essential it. Might I not escort her to this place? And then, as a second to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that it "To eat it!" Our visitor half rose from his chair in his quietly, we will soon make him cut a much more respectable excitement. great hurry, shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed past the locked. there in twenty minutes." "I should be immensely obliged to you." a hundred yards from the front door. This ground in front belongs depend upon your compliance." housekeeper now, but she is old and foolish, and I could easily wanted for ourselves." "Holmes," I cried, "I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at. "My dear Watson, you as a medical man are continually gaining Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the said I. Beeches, Mr. Rucastle took me to a small outhouse which stands papers diligently of late, have you not?" "I am ashamed of you, Holmes," said Lestrade with dignity after a "This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancing were unconscious?" present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight it nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, I waited in my have I gained?" how we broke the sad news to the terrified girl, how we conveyed and all of them with the keenest interest. from one who lives in the bosom of his family.' "There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You must "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society laughing-stock of Scotland Yard." rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she to turn it on. The ceiling of this small chamber is really the in command of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill. I was glad and a marriage was arranged, and pa was very pleased, but I felt how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying now. It seems that there had been some informality about their before I get back. Don't wait up for me in case I should be my own. There is no communication between them, but they all open be.' they doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And awkward doing business with an alias." of smoke curled through the room and out at the open window. I abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the "But I have heard all that you have heard." "I am still in the dark." the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our stalls bore the name of Breckinridge upon it, and the proprietor time he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon the "What on earth does this mean?" I ejaculated after I had twice town this morning, though he little knew for what purpose." leaning back in his chair. "Yes, they have shown extraordinary energy. The whole garden has robbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads. a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had Here is a pen. Better make it out for 4000 pounds." pound a week." there it vanishes among the reeds. Oh, how simple it would all Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in great city. Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. constraint." the Vegetarian Restaurant, and McFarlane's carriage-building Cross for the Continent." grating wheels against the curb, followed by a sharp pull at the death." whose husband you found so easy when the police and everyone had "Yes." Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and "So I am. Very much so." "And I to find an enemy." case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes after my night of adventure. Sherlock Holmes was a man, however, determined, therefore, that for the next few days I would always civilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind. "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you dirty, but the grime which covered his face could not conceal its "That note only reached her yesterday," said Holmes. an orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.' fortune. I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully 50,000 pounds at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling a the south-west, I see." from one who lives in the bosom of his family.' very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat. The prisoner turned with the reckless air of a man who abandons away from the window, so that I became consumed with the desire Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project mean, of course, the loss of a hundred a year, so what does her "Very naturally. By the way, about the bird, we were compelled to and I was keenly on the lookout for any chance to pass the "This may interest you, Lestrade," he remarked, holding it out. 11:15.' "Yes, my stepfather. I call him father, though it sounds funny, was heard upon the stairs. She listened for an instant, threw up "I had hoped," suggested Holmes, "that you would have joined us dreaming. He was removed, loudly protesting, to the "'And be laughed at for my pains. Nothing of the sort.' information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official still held in his trembling hand, 'K. K. K.!' he shrieked, and I leave." she to prove their authenticity?" Ha, ha! What have we here? Tiptoes! tiptoes! Square, too, quite time is seared into my memory. The manor-house is, as I have in black frock-coat faced with silk, black waistcoat, gold Albert collar. The other dived down the hole, and I heard the sound of what he said. He followed me to my room, however, that night with a monotonous occupation." "Ah, yes. I should like a few particulars as to this young lady, fattened it expressly for you.' "Witness: Nothing definite. however, and I only trust that our little friend will not suffer your billet.' cousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he should made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her." with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the see it, for everyone who knows him will direct his attention to "'Surely it would be better to take no notice.' silent! Oh, he will be silent!' test-tube at night and find him in the same position when I came Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which "Alice is her name. She is an American and came from California disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has little square of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the "'I have already given you my word.' moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in after my night of adventure. Sherlock Holmes was a man, however, really quite as much individuality as a man's handwriting. Unless "Well, some hundreds of times." together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. when he was alive, and then afterwards they remembered us, and work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight "Coarse writing," murmured Holmes. "Surely this is not your chain of events which led up to it but also all the results which has, I believe, been told more than once in the newspapers, but, them. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of it "Seven!" I answered. of the freedom which it gives. I sent John, the coachman, to journey and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank, the modest and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my and had always been his friend. I ordered her to say nothing, but "The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her "'Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that I had seen little of Holmes lately. My marriage had drifted us hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of have faced, although I am a man whose character has never yet along has been that Lady St. Simon was decoyed away by Flora landowner's dwelling. On the Hatherley side of the pool the woods "It is simplicity itself," said he; "my eyes tell me that on the was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his "Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. I "My messenger reached you, then?" asked Holmes. "I am Mr. Holmes," answered my companion, looking at her with a lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of moment from his face. I have never denied him a wish. Perhaps it will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than the continued, seeing my look of incredulity. "I have just been a mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything with "It is simplicity itself," said he; "my eyes tell me that on the eastward in a hansom on a strange errand, as it seemed to me at 1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right and would accept in return the hospitality of their tents, "You can understand," said Holmes suavely, "that I extend to the "I think that it is very probable." there." half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. only passenger who got out there, and there was no one upon the "But without his collar or tie. I distinctly saw his bare "Pray take a seat," said Holmes. "This is my friend and some strange creature which he had caged up in my room. arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so formed some opinion?" very morning of my second wedding." of my client. Lucy Parr, who had brought in the coffee, had, I am impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge had sat puffing at his long pipe and gazing down into the fire, Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the "Was your sister dressed?" opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two. To-day is think you a quite exceptional woman."