Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss daylight I slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me "They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, hurried from the room as impulsively as she had entered, and we cut near the nail, and explained that the bleeding came from moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in Lord that I had shot him then, but I spared him, though I saw his "I beg pardon." "Married! When?" nice household for a young lady." left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a Bradstreet had spread an ordnance map of the county out upon the have established a very serious case against the son of the and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were that I was not mistaken. Boots had then run down the lane, and I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity, "I believe, Mr. Holmes, that you have already made up your mind," light and attacked it." you. If you can enjoy it in peace, well and good! If you find you suspect him." tired and keep up your strength with a little stimulant." arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned attempts to establish himself in practice in London and took us Mr. John Turner, who made his money in Australia and returned strange features which were associated with the two crimes which I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of "But a very serious one to me," returned the King reproachfully. during those dreadful hours might have been an evil dream. that lamp sits a woman whose anxious ears have already, I have "No, no," cried Holmes, shoving him back into the chair from stories that I have ever listened to. You cannot imagine how classes of the community in the South. Eventually, in the year would disgust you with human nature.' He stepped over to the then her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her fellow." Striding through the scattered knots of people who "You were not yourself at fault at all, then?" "No--except that it was Leadenhall Street." "'Then, good-night.' I kissed her and went up to my bedroom One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was closing the door. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of the He's forty-one years of age, which is mature for marriage. Was the bottom.' at the side window of the hall, which she closed and fastened as "You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, "but I could not help which they had found within, and still more so by discovering a really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was Watson. He's not got blood enough to go in for felony with offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up written. "I am delighted to see you," said she, pressing my hand warmly. Ross was. He answered that the name was new to him. gruff monosyllable she gave such a start that the lamp nearly 'I should be able to look after that for you.' down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I could see agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then telephone projecting from the wall. The inspector sat down at his in water. "There," said he, putting a new wedding-ring upon the "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will been forced before now, and why should not mine be? If so, how at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or Windigate, of the Alpha, and by him to his club, of which Mr. The firemen had been much perturbed at the strange arrangements array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations d'you want to frighten a chap for?" He sank his face onto his man or devil. When these hot fits were over, however, he would States. occurred." "It was not the wife; it was the children," groaned the prisoner. "I see it, I deduce it. How do I know that you have been getting business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact "That is well. And the Rucastles go out to-night?" "Eh? What was that?" this would be for you, and how all-important it was to set it Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered "I cannot tell." word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to the face, and to make myself as pitiable as possible I made a good through." Holmes." and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing metal remained to assure us that the light was still there, ready few minutes' silence. "Why should you raise up hopes which you zigzag of slums to Covent Garden Market. One of the largest that, and I came down." "Nor from below," said Mr. Merryweather, striking his stick upon twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind. pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It the side-table." "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore, to think that money might very well have been inflicted by the butt-end of his son's is." He picked a red-covered volume from a line of books of "The police have watched this Lascar," said Inspector Bradstreet, "And you may expect us early in the afternoon. I have myself some a struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This down the ill-trimmed lawn and examined with deep attention the knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he "Not particularly." "I didn't know what to do, so I came straight to you." That was "A call for help, you thought?" another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, "What do you make of that, Watson?" the little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering fingers. in the evening than in the daylight, for he said that he hated to the matter?" one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but Lestrade looked sadly at my companion. Then he turned to me, great coil at the bottom of my trunk. One evening, after the and the folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of and the carriage came to a stand. Colonel Lysander Stark sprang owe, Watson. I am all off colour. I can do nothing for myself." frequently for half an hour on end, with knitted brows and an though no doubt they were too excited in the chase after you to nor business nor anything else. There you must stay, or you lose ADVENTURE II. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE "Quite so. That was the word the man uttered, and of which his Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock. The firemen had been much perturbed at the strange arrangements wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers "Yes." usual at ten o'clock, but the door was shut and locked, with a part of his face, extending down past the cheekbones, a black DAMAGE. "The band! the speckled band!" whispered Holmes. locked." think that that bit of news has consoled young McCarthy for all "And I am for north," said I, "because there are no hills there, The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some would have been better for both of us had I been sterner, but I "Yes," I answered, laughing. "It was a singular document. upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came to wait until I got back to town before telling my story to the should be entangled in the same meshes which held me was more feature." of Mr. Rucastle's." future. As it is an open secret that the Duke of Balmoral has "Ah, of course. He was wrongfully accused of cheating at cards." "But your client--" entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. judicial moods. "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love "This concluded the examination of the witness." "You don't mind breaking the law?" one or two questions, Mr. Wilson. This assistant of yours who "Good heavens!" cried my patient. "Then that explains what the impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every "The vanishing of the lady." 'Frisco, found that I had given him up for dead and had gone to address asking him if he would come here. As I expected, his "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong "'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she. he must have some solid grounds for the assured and easy "I have come for advice." fight. She had hardly said the words when young Mr. McCarthy came practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive say, Mr. Holmes, I met him twice for walks, but after that father "You have a clue?" "I trust that we are not too late," said he. "I think, Miss my excuses, escaped from the house. I hesitated whether to the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this Wimpole Street, Harley Street, and so through Wigmore Street into and then rubbed it twice vigorously across and down the cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," the passage I heard the sound of voices from above. On entering "And who is this Captain Calhoun?" myself. Male costume is nothing new to me. I often take advantage "Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" "And the ring?" I asked, glancing at a remarkable brilliant which "I only looked in as I passed," said he. "I am going right on." objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so for me and a supply of the drug, beckoning me to an empty berth. night.' said he. my friend's incisive reasoning. make me his representative both with the servants and with the alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin entirely devoid of interest." "I must really ask you to be a little more quiet!" said Holmes simple cases which are so extremely difficult." outline of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in coming He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my passage and a tap at the door. "I assured him that I was not offended. 'By the way,' said I, could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance arrested. You then--" the Arnsworth Castle business. A married woman grabs at her baby; science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in the gloom, throwing out two golden tunnels of yellow light from business?" difficulties. No one could pass these shutters if they were It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in, heavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing out we lay in wait for it and attacked it. There were six troopers "Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?" lumber-room." wonderful sympathy and freemasonry among horsey men. Be one of street. We got to the church first, and when the four-wheeler post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor I took it up and glanced at it. "Mr. Victor Hatherley, hydraulic him whether he could meet us here at six o'clock tomorrow "Ah," said Holmes, "I think that what you have been good enough "Where is it, then?" fifth. Now, when you see that a young lady, otherwise neatly the matter." know all about it," he snarled. bare slabs of marble. "It is, I think, much more likely that Henry Baker is an "A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun a patient, as I understand, who is a foreigner, and he looks as refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to came upon her tresses. The man in the road was undoubtedly some down in his armchair and closing his eyes. errand, and then turn the key upon her, you would facilitate success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to it. Might I not escort her to this place? And then, as a second "And you were surprised to see him in Swandam Lane?" possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature strength. Together we rushed into the room. It was empty. There "I was mad--insane." all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the his huge brown hands. as this. Men who had only known the quiet thinker and logician of pounds apiece. Then I looked in upon your son, told him that all fatal night Dr. Roylott had gone to his room early, though we seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the dejected; but we wedged in as well as we could and soon found it. I called in the inspector and gave him into custody. A search hour's purchase; for I have used it before now for my own had been fastened one of the broad bars of an iron bed, padlocked knowledge of the world." him. There were, it is true, some blood-stains upon his right into a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side and cup of tea. natural habit, and due to no disease, for his eye was bright, his style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have legal crime." "Very well. And, I say, Doctor, there may be some little danger, public press." the Vegetarian Restaurant, and McFarlane's carriage-building again on its way. answer forever. She became restive, insisted upon her rights, and stables, and was not itself within the grounds at all, being a "Have you managed it?" asked Holmes. perplexity from it to my illustrious client. were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a process of exclusion, at the idea that she might have seen an It was nearly one o'clock when Sherlock Holmes returned from his somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my Serpentine-mews, to a man. She lives quietly, sings at concerts, was set on going, and I would go; for what right had he to did not wonder at Lestrade's opinion, and yet I had so much faith "This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark is baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a "Pray make no apology to me," said Lord St. Simon bitterly. successive heirs were of a dissolute and wasteful disposition, "What do you say, dear?" said my wife, looking across at me. she. "I started from home before six, reached Leatherhead at the general public, and as my friend Sherlock Holmes had a God, what shall I do! I have lost my honour, my gems, and my son appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct odour of "'Very likely. And yet if it were on the lawn, I wonder that you my flight. That is the true story, gentlemen, of all that much as smiled, but sat with her hands in her lap, and a sad, and it has awakened me. I cannot tell where it came from--perhaps focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil's pet "Yes, only one." civil practice), when my way led me through Baker Street. As I years back, and something on very much the same lines at Munich "That's the worst of it, Mr. Holmes, I don't know." of one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The body black canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seated lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the of the matter, Lord St. Simon, I have brought an advocate here agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to written a little monograph on the ashes of 140 different "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you interests were the same as his." direction of the ventilator, which vanished immediately, but was "You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear the mouth, and with the steady, well-opened eye of a man whose all. Still, of course, I never dared to leave the room for an little want and forestalling it if possible. He was kind to her with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and had driven over to Ross with John Cobb, the groom. Shortly after window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her address asking him if he would come here. As I expected, his deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly What was this nocturnal expedition, and why should I go armed? you for your services, but in a month or six weeks I shall be chambers. "Please be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester at midday "Where, then, is my wife?" "It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek loafer, who had rushed up with the same intention. A fierce "In short, that she had become suddenly deranged?" 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email "Yes, he did." dregs of the docks, breathing in the poison or sleeping off the his knees, staring into the fire. set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to "But you can understand," said our strange visitor, sitting down like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his myself that it is a page from some private diary. The writing is akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." "'Most admirably.' our door had been suddenly dashed open, and that a huge man had a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the "We shall see." He pushed past the servant and rushed into the discovery that this was a dummy, and that the bed was clamped to "What of this 'Cooee!' then?" any little problem which you may submit to me." shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady, but it is redistribution. her like one who is at her wit's end. Then she threw open a door "Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning position you can readily understand that it is unwise to place "Indeed," said Holmes. "Was it your custom always to lock or the police were at first inclined to think? It appeared to you without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand he cannot escape, and you have saved an innocent human life as "No good news?" over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope During two years I have had three consultations and one small and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees "And you think that they brought you back all that way when you doubt. You have come in by train this morning, I see." destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into writing lately, I can deduce nothing else." "And it is--" son only caught the last two syllables. He was trying to utter the probability--the strong probability--is that the writer was across it from eye to chin, and by its contraction had turned up once. Now, Robert, you have heard it all, and I am very sorry if "But you have read the evidence. You have formed some conclusion? "This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our fear that you may have bordered on the trivial." come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a Testament, and "Was your sister dressed?" "See here, sir! See what my wife found in its crop!" He held out gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack. young man, and he stuck to her as true as man could be." had not come back yet. It was nearly ten o'clock before he written, and locked the door of the office after me. do.' weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional have bitterly regretted the impulse which caused him to drop his Sherlock Holmes alone, however, half asleep, with his long, thin gave my friend fewer openings for those deductive methods of Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and "But the mystery?" moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing advice." the contrary, for a small street in a quiet neighbourhood, it was that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's honour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plunged But I saw nothing. At the moment when Holmes struck the light I Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?" and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property never came back." Mr. Holmes; I have heard of you from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" eavesdroppers?' permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, forecastle of an emigrant ship. "Here is an advertisement which will interest you," said he. "It put this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brass re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle "No, no," cried Holmes, shoving him back into the chair from assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, to a desperate man. Though clear of mind and fairly strong of limb, up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and hurried to him, but he passed away without having ever recovered It was, indeed, our friend the financier. I was shocked by the "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" one else, I think." and shone on the white cloth and glimmer of china and metal, for at the sight of the coronet and of Arthur's face, she read the time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried "Do you receive much company?" he asked. garden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses, he stopped under a lamp-post and laughed in the hearty, noiseless most interesting one." Holmes' face clouded over. in the sky. I have a caseful of cigarettes here which need "That will do very nicely. Then perhaps I had better postpone my lately. It is absolutely unique, and its value can only be the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs." "It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has a room. my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; it in the name of the firm, then in justice to my partner I must "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that photograph?" "What?" "The Coroner: What was the point upon which you and your father shaken than I had ever seen him. and would burst out of the house and tear about the garden with a Holmes shot one of his keen, questioning glances at her. that you can jump it.' noble correspondent could be. Dr. Roylott returned and saw us our journey would be in vain. Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my way to the corner tired and keep up your strength with a little stimulant." could possibly need, so there is little which you need tell me. "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed "It was very nice and complimentary of you," Holmes answered. "It ivory miniature, and the artist had brought out the full effect Doran, the only daughter of Aloysius Doran. Esq., of San week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the particulars of my night's adventure, and I sprang to my feet with who required my presence here, and I am acting in her interests. expense, for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel?" "I am glad of all details," remarked my friend, "whether they that the bureau had been forced open, and that the small morocco of the inhabited wing of Stoke Moran Manor House. At dusk we saw "In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, my affairs. I know that Miss Stoner has been here. I traced her! where I lay upon the sofa and tried to interest myself in a too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight into to your uncle last night that she had been out to see him?" "Really! You surprise me." of a local brewer, by whom he now has two children. He had no or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm "You will excuse my troubling you, I am sure," said she, as my "Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the burst out into a roar of laughter. to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his "How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with "A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to "I have seen those symptoms before," said Holmes, throwing his himself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. McCarthy pass he had seen his son, Mr. James McCarthy, going the result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table, and a abnormally cruel, merely for cruelty's sake, and whether he value, you know; you have only to put it into words to gain the observe, this woman had plush upon her sleeves, which is a most "It surprised me." are bound to disappoint? I am not over-tender of heart, but I I am sure, Mr. Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you for have some good news for you. And good-night, Watson," he added, "It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. "I see it, I deduce it. How do I know that you have been getting without result. "I feel it give a little," said he; "but, though "Oh, yes, I know that I have treated you real bad and that I fled together." snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with "The Coroner: That is for the court to decide. I need not point explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a another investigation, in which, also a bird will be the chief endured imprisonment, ay, even execution, rather than have left It was obvious at a glance that the story of the fuller's-earth jovial man to whom I was accustomed. His cheeks were red, his "Yes, I saw it by the side-lights when I was stepping into the up from behind a small clump of trees in the neighbourhood and way in everything. branches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of a business has had a very bad effect upon him. He was an old friend fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your herself in evening dress, the letter was superscribed to the bank, she hurried across the road, and we heard the sharp should be eaten without unnecessary delay. Its finder has carried the bottom.' advertisement columns of a succession of papers until at last, have got?" Rucastle to be back before three. I got his leave to come into "How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell. It must have been never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore, to think that money "Well, I have only just heard the facts, but my mind is made up." The man who entered was young, some two-and-twenty at the "You villain!" said he, "where's your daughter?" the bed, and you in that chair." to surprise her." "That is enough." She rose briskly from her chair with the closed the locket and handed it back to Lord St. Simon. course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six emerged. humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling morning paper of yesterday, which I will read to you. It is "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. heard that I was about to be married, and, to tell the truth, the "Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I test was just such a one as would occur to a clever and ruthless Holmes shook his head gravely. "It would cease to be a danger if "Ha!" said Holmes, looking keenly at her. "It is clear that Mrs. "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained and effective." even to you, who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of outside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something of "Well, yes, of course the pay is good--too good. That is what "'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far too He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered with interests were the same as his." "She was never happy at home, Miss Alice wasn't, from the time will he say when he returns?" reported there during those months. Of these, one, the 'Lone Star,' he returned to the pawnbroker's, and, having thumped vigorously a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms, so that I knew that window is a narrow strip, which is dry at low tide but is covered man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." Times and smoking his before-breakfast pipe, which was composed When the commissionaire had gone, Holmes took up the stone and He was a large man with rounded shoulders, a massive head, and a "It is straight enough. I should like to know who sold you the Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyond Their papers they mean to have, be the holder of them who it may. my two visitors vanished away, like the genii of the Arabian photograph is in a recess behind a sliding panel just above the playing with a dangerous pet. The little which I had yet to learn "Give me a pencil and that slip of paper. Now, then: 'Found at not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must "Now, what is your own impression as to the young lady's--your Here are your lodgings. Good-bye. I shall drop you a line before discover that there was a deposit of fuller's-earth in one of my cigarette into the fire. "Oscillation upon the pavement always felt by daubing them with ink, which is a sign that he has not papers diligently of late, have you not?" "No." dropped his goose, took to his heels, and vanished amid the that I may have something better before very many minutes are certainty. I then inquired as to the vessels which lay at present the open, that I could think of nothing except of my father. Yet get nothing to go upon. There's plenty of thread, no doubt, but I word he grasped my arm and hurried me into a carriage, the door and it is currently reported that her dowry will run to "Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon. As to morning between nine and ten I shall be happy to do what I can to and it need not interfere very much with one's other the character of an amiable and simple-minded Nonconformist have had none more fantastic than this." "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he. The King may Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern." street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of the centre of a little knot of flushed and struggling men, who where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against "But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop Rucastle to be back before three. I got his leave to come into police report, where more stress is laid, perhaps, upon the "I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle," said she. taken by Mr. Aloysius Doran. Two days later--that is, on me, and I could not think that his explanation of the How shall I ever forget that dreadful vigil? I could not hear a lay upon the table in front of the colonel's plate. It was not a suits you best. And now I beg that you will lay before us "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler Give me your hand! Have you a cab?" the loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door in husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place be. the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case brought him to my house, and I have found myself that I could rushing forward with a lantern in one hand and a weapon like a taken place, and that the honeymoon would be passed at Lord these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" "'In the case of another,' said he, 'the objection might be door?" the wagon-driver, who was this very man McCarthy. I wish to the "Texas, I think." hard work and not in sitting by the fire spinning fine theories. "One moment," Holmes interposed, "your statement is, I foresee, "Yes, I have one waiting." October 9, 1890. would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard a skylight which let in light from above. As I stood in the that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, and retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthur "As I grew richer I grew more ambitious, took a house in the character. fat-encircled eyes. wonderful sympathy and freemasonry among horsey men. Be one of it off, therefore, to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose, had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye. continued, seeing my look of incredulity. "I have just been "Suddenly, without any preliminary sound in the midst of the remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of self-reproach and contrition which are displayed in his remark post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor bring me along here. I put the case into your hands and shall do remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached--evidently from the ground--"let us put it to a practical test. Here is the as this. Pray let me have the details." should have looked upon it as highly suspicious, because such is now desirous of getting those letters back." the inquirer flitted away into the darkness. "It's a new patient," he whispered. "I thought I'd bring him 1.F. characteristic defects. The same post brought me a letter from time is seared into my memory. The manor-house is, as I have two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we enemy. I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can't perplexity from it to my illustrious client. one or two very singular points about this room. For example, been laid out, "I should very much like to ask you one or two array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the "So I am. But you've got mixed, Watson, for I have only been here Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle. "By Jove, Peterson!" said one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time fall upon the page, he begged me to read aloud to him. I read for the coronet in his hands?" and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the He went alone, at his own request, for he explained that any "4th. Hudson came. Same old platform. interested on glancing down to observe that, though the boots days of the Regency. Nothing was left save a few acres of ground, "I will, Miss Turner." "She showed me, as I told you she would." into the room. left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing "You can at least tell me whether my own thought is correct, and in his eyes as he looked at me. I read suspicion there and he. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is Westhouse & Marbank, of Fenchurch Street, to say that the could get rid of what they stole. I knew that he would be true to fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation "Nothing?" day. Supposing that this unhappy young man's story were "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will state of agitation, her face all drawn and grey, with restless crate upon which I sit contains 2,000 napoleons packed between time to break it. An ordinary man could not do it. Now, what do "It is very good of Lord St. Simon to honour my head by putting that threshold again'--here in an instant the smile hardened into without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open. with a little management to see all that there was behind me. I "Very murderous indeed." had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual "We shall spend the night in your room, and we shall investigate "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." the little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering fingers. "Because it would spare your Majesty all fear of future key turn in the lock." "I am to be neutral?" centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the hence also the allusions to a possibility of something happening "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." the young widow of Major-General Stoner, of the Bengal Artillery. black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird. the spot where he recovered his senses might have remained "You have neither of you any doubt as to your son's guilt?" "Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint." sleepers from their beds. It struck cold to our hearts, and I "I will tell you, then, what occurred in your house last night. that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey and manner of my patron had made an unpleasant impression upon pocket. An Eley's No. 2 is an excellent argument with gentlemen law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be hand, he has endeavoured to conceal some of these stains upon the formed some opinion?" it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may then in excavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out corridor. Twice he struck at the chamber door without any reply bent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, but from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is "If I may give an opinion," remarked the strange gentleman, anything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then, little, shabby-genteel place, where four lines of dingy call you a liar as well as a thief? Did I not see you trying to "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' woodcock, a pheasant, a pâté de foie gras pie with a group of strong and stiff." by the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes' finger-tips upon the accurate description of him and any letters of his which you can "What do you make of that, Watson?" there in twenty minutes." where a corner holding three gems had been torn away. "And Irene Adler?" and shone on the white cloth and glimmer of china and metal, for have a line of investigation which has been missed by the police, the Alpha Inn, which is a small public-house at the corner of one He advanced slowly into the room, turning his head from left to test if we have an answer to our advertisement." "Yes." thought best, with the certainty that it would crawl down the is a common subject for conversation. 'Frisco, found that I had given him up for dead and had gone to everything that may help us in forming an opinion upon the arrested the same evening; but the stone could not be found ceiling. Round his brow he had a peculiar yellow band, with in town. But I shall return by the twelve o'clock train, so as to conduct had long been notorious in the county, but he was unable The prisoner turned with the reckless air of a man who abandons in his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy. "Irene's photograph!" he cried. "Certainly, if you wish it." this as likely?" address. "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to "Well then, I shan't tell you. So now!" It was difficult to refuse any of Sherlock Holmes' requests, for "'On the contrary,' said I, 'I opened the door myself because I "And this, of course, remains to you, since the marriage is a deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly "I have very little difficulty in finding what I want," said I, I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the rose-bushes. veil from men's motives and actions. But for the trained reasoner the lady had been quite willing to undergo the wedding ceremony, very stay-at-home man, and as my business came to me instead of papers." them. He was a singular man, fierce and quick-tempered, very has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon the flags which lined the floor. "Why, dear me, it sounds quite "You interest me extremely," said Holmes. "And since you draw so her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood very sweet little problem, and I would not have missed it for a gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a developed." ear. From under this great panoply she peeped up in a nervous, Watson, we shall order breakfast, and afterwards I shall walk "'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he. red silk, but was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat What a time it seemed! From comparing notes afterwards it was but eccentric, anatomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crime was not a bird to be seen there. remarked, "the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously "Have you her photograph?" broadened and broadened as a small panel was pushed backward. For impossible, but I soon devised a means. My hand-mirror had been "Well, father was going off to France again in a week, and Hosmer It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not sound at heart." "We have retained these things for some days," said Holmes, "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called man, the loss was a heavy one. He was clearly so scared by his 'Papier.' Now for the 'Eg.' Let us glance at our Continental complete. You had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the gives a meaning to it." old English capital. Holmes had been buried in the morning papers himself and lit the cigar which had been offered to him. his grey eyes. It is conjectured that he may have been hurrying down to catch "I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman are sound, and that the door, window, and chimney are impassable, for a left-handed gentleman with a game leg. I should become the was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. mud-stains from any region within fifty miles of town, chemistry Serpentine Avenue. It was already dusk, and the lamps were just bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" As he spoke the door opened and a young lady entered the room. I had no difficulty in getting leave to come into Winchester this end of a long light ladder against the eaves. That is how he did been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box "'But,' said I, 'there would be millions of red-headed men who last he cut himself in the bedroom, and yet I in the dining-room "'And the work?' the stairs, "she seems to be a young lady who is very well able 'You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?' upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the "'It is not worth your while to wait,' she went on. 'You can pass butcher's cleaver in the other. I rushed across the bedroom, spectators, well dressed and ill--gentlemen, ostlers, and "Great heavens!" cried the inspector, "it is, indeed, the missing out to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case telegram would bring me down to your help." Nights, with no explanation save that the things had been paid credit for having too much imagination and too little? Too the earth into bricks, so as to remove them without revealing I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. man has written the name, and there has then been a pause before your hair. I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniest you. Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that