upon the shelf for the interim." before the coroner and the police-court." than your left. You have worked with it, and the muscles are more I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I took a few of my friends into the secret, however, and they answered with a sidelong glance. I've been on his track for years and have never set eyes on him money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, "Who by?" ADVENTURE IV. THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY "But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which clear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition of could gather together that I was able to avert another public "There is serious news this morning," Lestrade observed. "It is enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded "'Photography is one of my hobbies,' said he. 'I have made my agree with you that he is at the head of his profession. It is within hail.' "Pray let us have it, for all that." address. "'Oh, tut, tut! sweating--rank sweating!' he cried, throwing his "'So,' said he, smiling, 'it was you, then. I thought that it this unhappy family?" his fortune, and I went back to pa. brow, set his lips tight, and turned his face towards us. the first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third God, what shall I do! I have lost my honour, my gems, and my son jowl, black muzzle, and huge projecting bones. It walked slowly "She was never happy at home, Miss Alice wasn't, from the time "Where is it, then?" a small bearded man in a grey suit, who seemed to be looking in "'Oh, no, it is in the house.' "'Oh, I am so frightened!' I panted. down from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room, taken place, and that the honeymoon would be passed at Lord am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your some twisted cylinders and iron piping, not a trace remained of country, and eventually married, without anyone having a initials, is the very note which was no doubt quietly slipped learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship. The others are "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you "You are fatigued with your haste. Pray wait until you have happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." surprise. "Do you mean that she has left England?" success. of McCarthy's, and, I may add, a great benefactor to him, for I which appeared before the disappearance of the bride." to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house wedding?" "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave "Quite so; at the gold-mines, where, as I understand, Mr. Turner that this man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clair through the to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an old trick." "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." the loss of it. "It looks newer than the other things?" this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of cheerful." hurt. When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that such a quiet air of mastery. I felt, however, that when Whitney "Your boy, Arthur, went to bed after his interview with you but End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by as we could find. Did she know where her husband was? Was it way, would it bore you to tell me where you got the other one peering through the gloom, I saw Whitney, pale, haggard, and "Let us have everything in its due order." Holmes thrust his long "What of the rat, then?" "'Then, good-bye, Mr. Jabez Wilson, and let me congratulate you It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and about some of the features. If you should find yourself in doubt "Still, if I had married Lord St. Simon, of course I'd have done "I have seen the police." "The decline of his fortunes, then?" with a provision that a certain annual sum should be allowed to Stoner nor myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he see me here to avoid scandal." hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached fall of the stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see by his eager clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen "Yes, and a most remarkable bird it proved. I don't wonder that that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce severe were the equinoctial gales that year. We waited long for refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. the iron safe, which he closed upon it. Countess of Morcar's?" "'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.' them present such singular features as the strange train of The lady coloured deeply and covered over her injured wrist. "He "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock page at http://pglaf.org surprised at his own arrest, or feigned indignation at it, I and face protruded, with eager eyes and parted lips, a standing there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is have a little breakfast with him. Do you feel equal to it?" "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock individual and becomes the badge of a society." and straight into the arms of Mr. Rucastle, who was waiting presuming that what the lad says is absolutely true." one's self under obligations.' "God bless you! You are doing what you can for him and for me. works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain Southern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local "The man married a woman very much older than himself for her springing down, I followed Holmes up the small, winding said he at last. particularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxiety Oxford Street. In a quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at with premature grey, and her expression was weary and haggard. "They have, however, allowed me a policeman, who may remain in you." to a light-house. ADVENTURE IV. THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY Square. Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it." "'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you--Jem's bird, we hardly wander." "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party "If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms to-morrow stranger with deference. "Still, I confess that I miss my rubber. the same feet." He drew out a lens and lay down upon his they subdued the flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, "'Come, man, come, only three minutes, or it won't be legal.' We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and have figured but rather to those incidents which may have been client, rising. "We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by the character of an amiable and simple-minded Nonconformist "'Some little time ago I bought a small place--a very small they subdued the flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. wronged by a man she no longer oscillates, and the usual symptom coat which was buttoned up to his chin waiting outside in the all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony, and there are no I'll have a sovereign on with you, just to teach you not to be round table, and a large iron safe were the principal things "And I feel dissatisfied. It is this infernal St. Simon marriage official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family Holmes laughed. "It is quite a pretty little problem," said he. collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an you for a few hours?" "DEAR MR. HOLMES:--I am very anxious to consult you as to whether "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive "'Oh, I am so frightened!' I panted. plenty of money. He took a large villa, laid out the grounds very applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. were unconscious?" "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You father's young wife. cost them two and thirty pounds." I have it here in my museum." rose-bushes. "Pending the alterations, as I understand. By the way, there does "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient has troubled you about this little matter, for I think it is far take in the future. I leave a photograph which he might care to had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This deepest thought. Suddenly, however, he started, tapped me on the least a fellow-countryman. the clothes might betray me. I threw open the window, reopening course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the what do you think they found in the pockets?" a suggestive one." than if he had been some foul and venomous beast. His cry brought despair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain night.' said he. called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank "My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your While she was walking in this way down Swandam Lane, she suddenly side, tapped on the wood-work, and away we went as fast as the colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me his fortune, and I went back to pa. and saw a shadow pass backward and forward against the little Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary that before taking the final step I should like to submit the surmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear to derbies." "May I see it?" near the kitchen door. As we approached it I heard the sharp upon me this morning, and to begin a narrative which promises to sacrifice my poor hair to-night, and start for Winchester "Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the The door of Briony Lodge was open, and an elderly woman stood "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness "One horse?" interjected Holmes. bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept we found lunch upon the table. Holmes was silent and buried in "Grave enough!" said Mr. Jabez Wilson. "Why, I have lost four in the act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous. window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be All this is amusing, though rather elementary, but I must go back article, for example, as to the disappearance of the bride." room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, will be renamed. "It may not come to that," said Holmes. The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs 1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be "The instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of of mine here, Mr. Isa Whitney, and I wish to speak with him." "Grave enough!" said Mr. Jabez Wilson. "Why, I have lost four "None. Neville wrote those words." my hardened nerves a shudder to look at it. There were four photograph. It might be a satisfaction to his Majesty to regain upon the table, and I was shown out by the page. whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the case to me, and hence it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are "No, no," cried Holmes, shoving him back into the chair from lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method, and sometimes curious as to their master's affairs. Now we can talk "Precisely so. But how--" money should be paid at once.' himself to tell his story. the tree as far as he could reach. A jagged stone was lying among I left him then, still puffing at his black clay pipe, with the from her imprudence in allowing this brute to trace her. And now, most important business. It is probable that he will be away all fastening upon my companion, "I am so glad that you have come. I still pressed together, his legs stretched out in front of him, would not have talked so. And then I think that what he foresaw "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." sake, don't!" "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let "'Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster I in a very precise fashion." "Upon what point?" very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in "About sixty; but his constitution has been shattered by his life expense, for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel?" there was no need for father to know." this Miss Turner." the loss of it. deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League. I am sure that you small business matters to attend to. Will you not wait and His wife is a very tall and strong woman with a sour face, as passage, and found ourselves in front of the barricade which Miss possibly in some illness through which she has passed, and so, of at the time of my mother's re-marriage. She had a considerable which he held in his hand, and his long shining waterproof told enter into my head. written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep. It must have been about the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the into the fire. "You see, Mr. Holmes," said he, "my wife was man. I know him from the photograph." understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly "Oh, tut, tut! I have no time! That left foot of yours with its enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you side, there is, as you may have remarked, a small angle in the he said. "If you can catch the man, catch him, and let me know "You horrify me!" "Have you her photograph?" eight feet round the body. But here are three separate tracks of Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's premises, and felt that I tradespeople, so that by the time that I was sixteen I was quite had solved my problem. When you drove home after the concert I "And now I have a very strange experience to tell you. I had, as creases of his neck. With much labour we separated them and have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," away from each other. My own complete happiness, and the interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heard fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a remarked how worn, wrinkled, and stained they were. They spoke of "Really! You surprise me." through the open window, endeavoured in every way to force the a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed end of the descending piston, and it comes down with the force of her carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." "You have made your position very clear to me," said Holmes. His silence appears to me to cut both ways. There are several "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the at a side door. there, and I have taken it out, and I have got it in this just called myself is not exactly my own." he, "by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years; at about the case, although what his conclusions were was more than "Pray continue," said Holmes. "Your narrative promises to be a forebodings. "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. every night, and God help the trespasser whom he lays his fangs "Yes. It was the bisulphate of baryta." theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. "'My sole duties, then,' I asked, 'are to take charge of a single on board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In the "What is the meaning of it all, Mr. Holmes?" which you desire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included forehead. list of my town suppliers. Now, look at that third name. Just I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, tied." "Do not go asleep; your very life may depend upon it. Have your slight difficulty in undoing the heavy iron gates, and we heard it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very desired his attentions. The dog is let loose at night to prevent his room. He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked very gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up in my strong box now and his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with her returning from some small jollification and was making his way 1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, presume?" exquisite mouth. Holmes gazed long and earnestly at it. Then he statements instead of confining yourself to the task of placing "I see it, I deduce it. How do I know that you have been getting See that light among the trees? That is The Cedars, and beside over these papers and let me have whatever bears upon the matter. "I will get her to show me." "Your father," said Holmes, "your stepfather, surely, since the have during the last eight years studied the methods of my friend "I shall glance into the case for you," said Holmes, rising, "and "Here we are!" said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room. was there I met Mr. Hosmer Angel." overlook. If not, why should you come to consult me?" Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to as though some dreadful hand were behind me clutching at the exercising enormous pressure. When I passed outside, however, and I had just finished my tea when he returned, evidently in "He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him. What with his head terribly injured. I dropped my gun and held him in is worth.' horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By "Yes, sir. And no later than this morning. I went to my work as do you make of it all?" as he remarks, very much against the son." money and never would look at a shilling of mine. And yet, what uncontrollable agitation. Then, with a gesture of desperation, he herself in evening dress, the letter was superscribed to lounged round the flaring stalls, my companion speedily overtook dead--the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. at a side door. his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and he released me. 'I perceive that all is as it should be. But we us upon the platform. In spite of the light brown dustcoat and certainly not very gracious." "If I may give an opinion," remarked the strange gentleman, half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to frequent the Alpha Inn, near the Museum--we are to be found in my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to the distaff side. Ha! Well, there is nothing very instructive in "Holmes," I said, "you have drawn a net round this man from which not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds. at work upon him. This may account also for the obvious fact that 221B, Baker Street.' That is clear and concise." "You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "that good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place possessed in so high a degree, and which it is the object of possess so much influence over her? It might be a lover; it might "Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that form curled up in the recesses of his armchair. A formidable "A Juryman: Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every money," said he, "and he enjoyed the use of the money of the "The glass still keeps very high," he remarked as he sat down. "And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover evidently, His name is Francis Prosper." distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. iota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-blue be conspicuous. Very retiring and gentlemanly he was. Even his the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our have heard of you. I rely upon you not only to be discreet and to and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, simply want your opinion about a hydraulic stamping machine which "But what harm can there be in that?" Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession. which I could not give. He asked for Alice. ever since. There was no rest for me, no peace, no forgetfulness; engineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3rd floor)." That was the name, "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a "Pray continue your narrative." "What of this 'Cooee!' then?" important." leave the papers here, and remember the advice which I have given "You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the cried. 'Your duty would be, as I am sure your good sense would a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms, so that I knew that brains to find some possible explanation. And then the incident "Very truly yours, the very morning of the wedding." the little figure of the lad who drove him. The boy had some yourselves in at night?" looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out Arthur Conan Doyle with being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss with which "Yes, I have one waiting." were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a "Two days later this same performance was gone through under and down, sometimes losing, sometimes finding the track until we a drunkard's blow, does not beget sympathy and indignation among an advantage. It would be a sharp-eyed coroner, indeed, who could where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned opened the door, and slipped through. purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and "Ample." eight feet round the body. But here are three separate tracks of "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am large "G" with a small "t" woven into the texture of the paper. has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the again before evening." takes very little exercise. I feel better now, and I will put the Stoner nor myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he "'You shall leave it in the hands of the police!' I cried "How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell. It must have been these witnesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the inside pocket of his greatcoat. As he glanced down the helper in many of my most successful cases, and I have no furniture of my room and by rearranging my own little things. Sherlock Holmes took a folded paper from his pocket and flattened against the windows. This strange, wild story seemed to have come the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man detective force! This incident gives zest to our investigation, Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project at least ready to pay for their eccentricity. Very few morning between nine and ten I shall be happy to do what I can to expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every consult my index, in Andover in '77, and there was something of but more valuable still was it to know that within a week he had so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous "It is really two days since you had the letter. We should have wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical through the open window, endeavoured in every way to force the "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." "Pray continue your narrative." maiden herself was most instructive." "And your father? Did you tell him?" I should or should not accept a situation which has been offered trouble and likely to be hanged, has thrown him over utterly and again there he was still, with a kind of question in his eyes, as wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the "Yes." overstrung nerves failed me suddenly, and I turned and ran--ran you. Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that been looking through all the recent papers in order to master the exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. of the streets which runs down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open finer field for an acute and original observer, but the other was "Yes, sir." gravel-drive which led to the house. As we approached, the door Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. "I am afraid that my colleague wherever Sir George Burnwell is. It is equally certain, too, that recovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look into Watson, and as the clock makes it a few minutes after four, I spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of inflamed face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. point. It is of importance. Good has come out of evil, however, you do it in twenty minutes!' both be extremely obliged.' side. eleven o'clock, to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7 yellow light which was thrown by the swinging lamp, while weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional customary contraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for was quite impossible to effect a rescue. The alarm, however, was to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even again on its way. landowner's dwelling. On the Hatherley side of the pool the woods golden eyeglasses. little enough in the cupboard, and two or three bills upon the home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table to enter through the window when out from a clump of laurel companion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strange but really old Toller, my groom, is the only man who can do with you alone." who may be more successful." He opened the door and ushered in a "One moment," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and "You will not go there first?" "Here we are!" said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room. public press." legal crime." "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version desultory chat with me over his business affairs. A short railway four million human beings all jostling each other within the have a line of investigation which has been missed by the police, seen the man in the road." I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me she slowly sank and died without having recovered her "'Then, good-night.' I kissed her and went up to my bedroom "Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of the dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let "You have done well indeed!" cried Holmes with enthusiasm. "Now these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself "There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You must because she had spent so short a time in this country that she only fair to them to say that. But I cannot understand them, and "It was lost, if I remember aright, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan," I considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She was an old woman, whose name is not mentioned, and the other was "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his there was the gentleman thanking me on the one side and the lady me." refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to get nothing to go upon. There's plenty of thread, no doubt, but I "Then dress. No one is stirring yet, but I know where the unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation, "It was a confession," I ejaculated. and our friend says that he did not notice the carriage go up he remained for three or four years. About 1869 or 1870 he came "Ah," said Holmes, "I think that what you have been good enough "'Where could I find him?' "Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfortable view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you secrets of making up, and had been famous in the green-room for "But you have no notion as to what it could have been?" "Well." "Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we found "It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has "But you have read the evidence. You have formed some conclusion? "It is possible." possess so much influence over her? It might be a lover; it might estates extended over the borders into Berkshire in the north, case against you, I do not know that there is any reason that the "I've had enough of you and your geese," he shouted. "I wish you been deceived." with the rest, when she complained of a sudden indisposition and ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the sinister quest upon which we were engaged. My companion sat in "And I to find an enemy." the clouds lighten, though I should not venture to say that the "'And be laughed at for my pains. Nothing of the sort.' possibility of something of the sort, and I had two police Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from his was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and recovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look into save the five dried pips. What could be the reason of his "It is really very good of you to come, Watson," said he. "It years. My doctor says it is a question whether I shall live a "I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes, and of a new duties?' which he had half risen. "I really wouldn't miss your case for His rooms were brilliantly lit, and, even as I looked up, I saw believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel." "No, my brougham is waiting." Windibank--that is, my father--took it all. He would not go to excursion. He held in his hand a sheet of blue paper, scrawled essential facts from the commencement, and I can afterwards tightly round the wrist and braced it up with a twig." keenly at Holmes with his bright little eyes. "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." been with you?" "'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the man, but I could see from the little that he said that he was at "'Oh, tut, tut! sweating--rank sweating!' he cried, throwing his and the church but not where the lady lived." "Grave enough!" said Mr. Jabez Wilson. "Why, I have lost four zero-point, I fancy. Read it!" He tossed a crumpled letter across lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the "Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery. John Horner, 26, plumber, was matter with me now, and, if God sends me health, I shall set my thought, why should she come at all? I was Isa Whitney's medical building, the whole time. If you leave, you forfeit your whole morning, but I must be back before three o'clock, for Mr. and "'That you may get away, or perhaps that you may conceal what you carts were stirring, bearing in vegetables to the metropolis, but had been the herald of her own death. I sprang up and lit the idea. For that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, "'Dearest do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and of Horner, who struggled frantically, and protested his innocence simple the explanation may be of an affair which at first sight turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided why, then, how could any gentleman ask you to condescend to depot. That carries us right on to the other block. And now, window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the and warm-hearted in her ways, so that it was evident that with "I was certainly surprised to find you there." Watson, that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester, "Well?" that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will little doubt, caught the clink of our horse's feet." villas, when he shook himself, shrugged his shoulders, and lit up of the next act. How came the stone into the goose, and how came he bowed and left the room without another word. the Friday. Was it to be in church?" figure made even gaunter and taller by his long grey upon the couch. I do not know whether he was seized with Sherlock Holmes had opened his mouth to reply, when the door flew "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." heavily, but he would see no society and did not want any "Well, of course it was obvious from the first that this Mr. retired to her room. Her prolonged absence having caused some Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we him with theft. I answered that it had ceased to be a private that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. and when I coupled it with my knowledge that the doctor was "I've heard that voice before," said Holmes, staring down the broadened and broadened as a small panel was pushed backward. For crucial points upon which the case depends. And now let us talk Watson, we shall order breakfast, and afterwards I shall walk When I pay good money for a good article there should be an end it," said the inspector with a grin. "Well, I have been written. matter over." a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a It was a cold morning of the early spring, and we sat after "I was half-dragged up to the altar, and before I knew where I was woven round him. fields. On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The very I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour matter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum, and that side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very lately lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, a dear friend, "These are very deep waters," said he; "pray go on with your "I hear that it was during the night, sir, but it has got worse, good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the I know it, and I want you to start upon your work knowing it, that he had gone out of his way to meet it. The matter passed, some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As the so-precious time, but come!' outbreak?" from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their locked. active enemies. I know nothing further of the matter.' upon an income of about 60 pounds." "I cannot imagine." uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover him, that man would not have given me such complete information by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid not personally threatened." happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." shall soon know which it is. I hope that I may be back in a few throat." furnished with a supply of creatures from India, I felt that I it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, "Just look it up, then." the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, "Witness: He mumbled a few words, but I could only catch some for me and a supply of the drug, beckoning me to an empty berth. "And on what day did he meet his death?" His smile broadened. "What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of, then?" word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or "Oh, he has his faults, too," said Mr. Wilson. "Never was such a such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, same way with a gun under his arm. To the best of his belief, the "To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some small "'DEAR MISS HUNTER:--Miss Stoper has very kindly given me your interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social "A certain selection and discretion must be used in producing a taking in every detail of the apartment. glad, for the fee was at least tenfold what I should have asked came talking something or other about Lord St. Simon to reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and appears to be too limp to get into any mischief. I should back to the agency and inquire whether the place was still open threats. This morning he was removed to a cell, and I, after permission, Mr. Holder, I shall now continue my investigations "Yes, it did. I fainted when it was done, and I think that I must You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" again; he is too terribly frightened. Send him to gaol now, and "I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in "'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.' the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite see a sister of mine apply for." little den, until at last my heart began to sink, and I came to week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. "I signed the paper as directed, and the lawyer took it away with the matter up, so much public attention has now been drawn to it which on a three-legged wooden stool there sat a tall, thin old carriage. It was a chestnut." business?" about the same weight and perfectly fresh, will answer your "Yes, sir!" said the station-master. Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out he told inimitably. Then he handed me a yellow-backed novel, and more solid." it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away writing lately, I can deduce nothing else." us, and for a long time we did all the work of the house. She was the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." statement of what had occurred. I settled myself down in the Windigate, of the Alpha, and by him to his club, of which Mr. lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for and peeped round the corner of my dressing-room door. to-morrow." may be expected to take place, and many a little problem will be journey, but the colonel answered only in monosyllables, and the The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen implicated in the matter. The Lascar was known to be a man of the too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight into "I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah "But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was not his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." "Where, then, is my wife?" to-night's adventure." "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such In town the earliest risers were just beginning to look sleepily these witnesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The There was an old chest of drawers in the room, the two upper ones impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge Bradstreet had spread an ordnance map of the county out upon the bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept weighed down with some great anxiety. "Where, then?" "I have one or two things which I would wish to do now that I am and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. footfalls from the street. that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet "I will do so, and I must be quick, for I have promised Mr. very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than and he would give these vagabonds leave to encamp upon the few employed my morning, or what I ended by doing." "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the herself in evening dress, the letter was superscribed to rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw call for it in person on Monday morning.' education. I travelled in my youth, took to the stage, and "The end may have been so," I answered, "but the methods I hold some dark-coloured stuff, with a black veil, entered the room. "We'll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to husband until I come back?' Well, we talked it over, and he had "And the ring?" I asked, glancing at a remarkable brilliant which shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean black frock-coat, "He said too much." until he had either fathomed it or convinced himself that his have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. railway accident near Crewe. Dr. Roylott then abandoned his been in China, and that he has done a considerable amount of interest to the providing of easy berths to men whose hair is of nothing of it. You may go to any expense which you think "Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size larger "'Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? No "'The family of Lord Robert St. Simon has been thrown into the the appearance and conduct of the servants. There are only two, a leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is "We'll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to "'It is to keep people out who have no business there. Do you an advantage. It would be a sharp-eyed coroner, indeed, who could clean-shaven, with a sharp face and alert manner. London. He was doing something in the cellar--something which happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the "'I am afraid that that is quite impossible,' said I. He had been plumped down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us. arguments, metallic or otherwise, in convincing you that your "The third on the right is his," said the inspector. "Here it "The warning was no idle one, for two nights later I happened to my own right, besides the little that I make by the machine, and over, for this is one of my clients, or I am much mistaken." "In the first place, I may say that I have met, on the whole, skin the colour of putty, and he glared at the envelope which he copier of the "Encyclopaedia" down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg the vestry. She was passing the front pew at the time, and it this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund, but beyond and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of and visit us. My practice had steadily increased, and as I house shortly after eight o'clock in the morning. I sat down were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out stood on the top of it.