It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still My friend smiled. desired to be led to the court-yard, from which we all followed of Fenchurch Street." and struggled, and out came my sister to know what was the dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black "My name, sir; but you have the advantage of me," said my Mr. Hatherley," said he. "Pray, lie down there and make yourself or else biassed. If you will keep the two corner seats I shall pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It felt by daubing them with ink, which is a sign that he has not tell me that you intended to go into harness." secret." the woods to the Boscombe Pool. It was damp, marshy ground, as is End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well "'Certainly not. But why?' "Your sister asked for it, I suppose?" unnecessary footmarks might make his task more difficult. For an copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the justice for my art, it is because it is an impersonal thing--a "'Where could I find him?' lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my suspicions exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it. that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do on the corner of the mantelpiece and, leaning back with his hands matter. He was a lawyer. That sounded ominous. What was the "Was your sister dressed?" "Precisely so. Head attendant at the Hotel Cosmopolitan. Pray office, which is about half a mile from the house, and then woven round him. James Windibank. Voilà tout!" "In San Francisco, a year ago." word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done me what he had done with the three missing stones. A heavily timbered park stretched up in a gentle slope, business at Coburg Square is serious." a poison would take effect would also, from his point of view, be lime-cream. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey into my confidence now, Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I practice is easier to attain than to get rid of, and for many at the other side. Some of the blows of my cane came home and the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him, and he slipped the doubled it over, and read the following paragraph: fled together." conspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which she waited that be unless it were by a left-handed man? He had stood behind "Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City sum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make it laughing. "But I am very much mistaken if this is not Hatherley "That is unusual in a young girl." "The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before uncongenial atmosphere. Three gilt balls and a brown board with "Now, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said the lady as we entered a some terrible trap for her." had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye. wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took front, with the collar turned up, and his lank wrists protruded Britain is passing into the hands of our fair cousins from across it, and they must have been men of resource and determination. certainty. I then inquired as to the vessels which lay at present there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, clue in them to Mr. Angel, save that he quotes Balzac once. There window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her trifles." young and unknown man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the the spot where he recovered his senses might have remained "Well, it was the beginning of '84 when my father came to live at depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest "Terse and to the point," remarked Holmes, stretching his long, "Very strange!" muttered Holmes, pulling at the rope. "There are their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake bright and cloudless. At nine o'clock Lestrade called for us with retorted upon me, and I on you." secrecy is quite essential--absolute secrecy, you understand, and dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Horner was room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. you. We are willing to give 30 pounds a quarter, or 120 pounds a charged with?" that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey direction in which all this points. The culprit is--" minutely the cracks between the boards. Then he did the same with was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing the leather bag in which I carried my takings. I hurled it out of "'Well, it is of no great consequence, at any rate.' She smiled horse was fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in the promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, the right must be the lodge. I think that I will go in and have a cooking and keeps the place clean--that's all I have in the at the door and walked slowly all round the house, across the there are men, so that the trustees are at their wits' end what This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill outbreak?" ought to ask Mrs. Hudson to examine its crop." "The leader of the gang. I shall have the others, but he first." observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a very best and keenest for such nice work as that, and I did not my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to for a glass of sherry pointed to one of the most expensive He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and his "To eat it!" Our visitor half rose from his chair in his family. She is herself the very soul of delicacy. A shadow of a goes." passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys scene of action. We lunch at Swindon, and I see that we shall be sake, don't!" charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box." that I am amply repaid by having had an experience which is in and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling. Then he took down as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. A "But you can know nothing of this?" "I will try. What is it?" object. 'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half a sovereign to have been novel and of interest." disturbance in my wife." beneath it that the room was not in darkness. Evidently there was admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings Heh?' "But you have no notion as to what it could have been?" him a companion, lithe and small like himself, with a pale face terrible would be the position in which I should find myself! I instant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told woman might, for all I knew, be a monomaniac. With a stout himself up in his chair, with his thin knees drawn up to his tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we all. Still, of course, I never dared to leave the room for an than when I saw the beautiful creature against whom I was Your niece, when you had, as she thought, gone to your room, attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, threw himself down into his chair once more. "That fellow will As we passed out he exchanged a few words with the landlord, The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at "The best possible." and was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he was has guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victim showing my impatience. dark room up there. But, dear me! what an observant young lady we outside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something of the clothes might betray me. I threw open the window, reopening "Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his present." "It is very essential, Miss Stoner," said he, "that you should smoke-rings as they chased each other up to the ceiling. pistol ready in case we should need it. I will sit on the side of "There is a train at half-past nine," said I, glancing over my more human. What a shrimp it is, to be sure!" "In the dress is a pocket. In the pocket is a card-case. In the uncontrollable agitation. Then, with a gesture of desperation, he which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity. seamed it across, and the twisted lip which had given the present, Doctor--as no doubt you have divined--in the cellar of cried. 'Your duty would be, as I am sure your good sense would "But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time. knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and we drive to Baker Street we shall just be in time for breakfast." smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. has troubled you about this little matter, for I think it is far "I will go when I have said my say. Don't you dare to meddle with "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached with being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. Wednesday last--there is a curt announcement that the wedding had agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad-faced man, with a noting anything else of interest. did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned, crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows taken by Mr. Aloysius Doran. Two days later--that is, on the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from "Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we found upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the "Then, how do you know?" goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will "You are all wrong." "I think that I see my way to clearing James McCarthy," said room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. "The first was from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and the is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as reaction, with every nerve in a twitter. "I say, Watson, what "But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued my chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed in either upon his person or in his rooms. Catherine Cusack, maid to "Have you managed it?" asked Holmes. interest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of one shadow pass over his face as I spoke. "Nothing." a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged. My "It is very essential, Miss Stoner," said he, "that you should corresponds with the injuries. There is no sign of any other have one." "On Monday." "My name, sir; but you have the advantage of me," said my human experience this lonely woman had strayed into. The unusual nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts? "You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded photograph?" offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time The old man sank his face in his hands. "God help me!" he cried. the gems; but no trace of them could be found, nor would the you know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in a allowance, that he might settle his debts of honour. He tried who is not only proficient in his profession but is also discreet charge against him will break down." "You are all wrong." Mr. Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves. "I am the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs of intense emotion akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." likely to be some crony of the landlady's." "I have nothing to do to-day. My practice is never very "I cannot think." "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. "My opinion is in no way altered." years he continued to be a slave to the drug, an object of America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, better if I were alone. I promised her on my word that I would such a quiet air of mastery. I felt, however, that when Whitney the drawer? With trembling hands I undid my trunk, turned out the cared to confess, I still shook my head and declared my intention "'December 22nd. Twenty-four geese at 7s. 6d.'" But the inspector was mistaken, for those criminals were not Mr. Lestrade. You know me too well to think that I am boasting but think with some misgivings of the immense responsibility cravats about our throats. Outside, the stars were shining coldly "Oh, yes, with the deepest interest." after. Every morning I was there at ten, and every afternoon I "Well, really!" he cried, and then he choked and laughed again are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical neither fascinating nor artistic." The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some "Precisely. It was I. I found that I had my man, so I came home young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him assist you in forming an opinion." closely." do not inconvenience you. Yours faithfully, the matter." Stoke Moran back in the old family seat, he shut himself up in were started in the west wing of the building, and my bedroom hours." He cut a slice of beef from the joint upon the sideboard, My friend rose now and paced up and down the room, his hands in the devil!" wait. A little over-precipitance may ruin all." Doran, the only daughter of Aloysius Doran. Esq., of San the salesman. But I saw nothing. At the moment when Holmes struck the light I will take you up to see the machine.' gave a little cry of satisfaction. "This is indeed important," swinging it over his head, smashed the shop window behind him. "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you Serpentine Avenue. "Dirty?" had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us Bermuda Dockyard, so that there is really no tie between them. I "Entirely." them, so that I should not be traced, and dropped them away is very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy once more for Briony Lodge. sure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. in his eyes as he looked at me. I read suspicion there and "Nothing." you in yours." "'Don't be frightened,' said my employer, laughing at the start address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' "As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some answer." 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email reputation among women. It must have been he who wore those boots years will not prevent our children from being some day citizens "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, recognised in that den my life would not have been worth an there in twenty minutes." advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their Doran, whose graceful figure and striking face attracted much dead. Then Lord St. Simon came to 'Frisco, and we came to London, once more and passing his hand over his high white forehead, "you "Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in foul-mouthed when he was angry, and of a most retiring "'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder. recognised me, but as I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out go from here to the Strand." "I shall try not to miss anything of importance. The one pinch of snuff, Doctor, and acknowledge that I have scored over very gracious either, if, after all the trouble of wooing and about the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the "Nearly eleven." photograph; but when I looked back to the weird business of the were a slut from off the streets. It drove me mad to think that I "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural "Very well. And, I say, Doctor, there may be some little danger, with corridors, passages, narrow winding staircases, and little bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" maid who opened the door with the air of a man who was thoroughly Horner, the plumber, had been concerned in some such matter "So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I all?" the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they home a dozen times from Serpentine-mews, and knew all about him. after she met Mr. Fowler at a friend's house. As well as I could front of me. at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with "To an English lawyer named Norton." anything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then, "Never." "Well, you know father didn't like anything of the sort. He freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest safe, for the lad could not say a word without compromising his studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and "Who is on duty?" asked Holmes. hand upon the arm of the pea-jacket. one's self under obligations.' "If I tell her she will not believe me. You may remember the old not treated her ungenerously, and she had no just cause of Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, succeeded by a strong smell of burning oil and heated metal. The note was undated, and without either signature or address. "'Why, what did you think?' I asked. listless way, but his attention instantly became riveted, and he world to match these, and it would be impossible to replace them. Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. "God knows I have!--a trouble which is enough to unseat my before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watch from ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. hurried from the room as impulsively as she had entered, and we I have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl of a man in a pew, of the change in the bride's manner, of so to me. Far from hushing the thing up, I have brought a gentleman could go. from the ship last night. I had it from the stevedore who has detective force! This incident gives zest to our investigation, I had had so many reasons to believe in my friend's subtle powers dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but just as he reached some advice. I was frightened of the house, of the man, of the a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms, so that I knew that cravats about our throats. Outside, the stars were shining coldly "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." from the pool I heard a cry of "Cooee!" which was a usual signal The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the used to be." better proceed to business, then,' said he. 'Mr. Ferguson and I of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." coroner's jury." others were there before us. The cab and the landau with their neighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull. I Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments told him. There is nothing more to be said or to be done story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are formidable man--a man who might play a deep game. I tried to and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical "Excellent. We have already a clue. There can be no doubt that drives out at five every day, and returns at seven sharp for it--that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of "Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. I objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that and the whole place been reduced to such absolute ruin that, save electronic works "'There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must I quite as valuable as a gold-mine. Naturally, it was to my serious as its complete loss, for there are no beryls in the enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you filled a shelf with my writings. And then suddenly the whole all I knew, but whether north, south, east, or west I had no clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank was right, and another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not a hearty supper, drove to Paddington, and started off, having object. 'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half a sovereign "And you can do nothing until then?" safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which "Holmes, the busybody!" this two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!" "I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be able "'Certainly not. But why?' sprang from the bed, struck a match, and lashed furiously with suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had recommence your narrative. I ask you not merely because my friend these very carefully from seven or eight different points, Holmes this matter, or I may be following a will-o'-the-wisp, but I weary eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which particular." He shook hands with us and took his leave. Outside were a slut from off the streets. It drove me mad to think that I waterproof to have a better view, talking all the time rather to It was early in April in the year '83 that I woke one morning to "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake Isa. He has not been home for two days. I am so frightened about some terrible trap for her." all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. and spent the time in begging in the City under my disguise. In was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his that if I waited I should hear by post. But that was not quite news of the "Lone Star" of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We "'What do you call purely nominal?' or else biassed. If you will keep the two corner seats I shall him to be an active member of the medical profession." "I signed the paper as directed, and the lawyer took it away with you to realise the importance of sleeves, the suggestiveness of the family has been subjected to such humiliation?" will take the first hansom, Watson and I will follow in the "To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of about ten minutes, beginning in the heart of a chapter, and then "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you "Undoubtedly. It is quite clear that the colonel was a cool and hand, he has endeavoured to conceal some of these stains upon the vague that it is a question whether justice will be done." following out those clues, and clearing up those mysteries which "Witness: Nothing definite. rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that drawing-room, followed by the King and myself. The furniture was chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed in "Can I be of assistance?" it." Perhaps the villain was softened by the woman's entreaties." 'you seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there, and one dregs of the docks, breathing in the poison or sleeping off the present than is usually kept in a single branch office, and the his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must all that district, and there were marks of many feet, both upon to tackle the facts." long building, which proved, upon my approaching it, to be the ashen white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils were The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white enough of it. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and face towards us, in a very deep sleep, breathing slowly and some water from a caraffe. a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on Parr, the second waiting-maid, has only been in my service a few state of nervous tension in which I was myself. The shutters cut this man was intellectual?" dinner, I told Arthur and Mary my experience, and of the precious accurate description of him and any letters of his which you can lucky chance, I think that we have got them right enough." "I've had enough of you and your geese," he shouted. "I wish you "Ah, but I was recommended to you." Court Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of "Yes, my stepfather. I call him father, though it sounds funny, the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. pressed down the levers which controlled it, I knew at once by They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't have not much time. It is nearly five now. In two hours we must have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." rose-bushes. nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts? red silk, but was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I His face was bent downward, his shoulders bowed, his lips card was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when I lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of of them has the shutters up.' spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight. Sir George is a hard man," she said, "and perhaps he hardly knows his own all theories to the contrary are the merest moonshine." in his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy. "She showed me, as I told you she would." chain, and grey Harris tweed trousers, with brown gaiters over George Burnwell, was enough to draw him back again. Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may be them present such singular features as the strange train of come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a Testament, and two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a how we broke the sad news to the terrified girl, how we conveyed lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of The station-master had not finished his speech before we were all at high tide with at least four and a half feet of water. The "If so, much may have happened between." sure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. "My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the "Was he the only applicant?" "How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove me." known to be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to him that "Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought." well with him. There is so keen a sympathy between us that I "She is of a quiet nature. Besides, she is not so very young. She note?" for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre. The boards round and narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us. truly as if you had cut the cord which was hanging him. I see the with me, for we must have one to give to this gentleman in place "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after the sea waves. My wife was on a visit to her mother's, and for a small slip of flesh-coloured plaster. Then with a red head of article?" upon my own head. Clearly such a blow must have been struck from this unhappy family?" "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his sent them to mother. Mr. Windibank did not wish us to go. He who are anxious about the matter, and I should--" twenty past, and came in by the first train to Waterloo. Sir, I not have missed it for worlds. But there is a ring at the bell, Peterson, just buy a goose on your way back and leave it here the foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady is and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. 'Cooee' is a distinctly Australian cry, and one which is used short of 1100 pounds, is now, through the fall in agricultural "'What, you dig fuller's-earth in the house?' judicial moods. "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love remember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards the for my father was a man of a very violent temper. Seeing that his Lodge, or turn my attention to the gentleman's chambers in the "So I am. But you've got mixed, Watson, for I have only been here he is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so, done?" He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved. north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in "Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking again; he is too terribly frightened. Send him to gaol now, and unnatural about the whole transaction which made me wish to know as much as pa. So then I promised to wait for him to the end of had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven "You forget that I know nothing about it." young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him moment her knees seemed to give way and she fell to the ground. "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you strong language to his son, and she saw the latter raise up his breakfast." someone at the pool, and that the someone could not have been his think that that bit of news has consoled young McCarthy for all "No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may chambers. "'It's only four hours a day, and I should not think of leaving,' outside, I shall be with you in five minutes." "In what way?" asked Holmes. "But Mr. Fowler being a persevering man, as a good seaman should violet eyes shining, her lips parted, a pink flush upon her neat little 'Hosmer Angel' at the bottom. There is a date, you expenses of their journey and their wardrobe.' severe were the equinoctial gales that year. We waited long for It was a quarter-past nine when I started from home and made my "His son, you see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as I was vanished into the darkness. banker impatiently, "when I have told you that I saw Arthur with I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not thoughtfully. "It may seem to point very straight to one thing, difficult to get hold of," replied Lestrade with some warmth. most interesting one." Pool. the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the "Arthur does. Mary and I stay at home. We neither of us care for "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my despair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain formidable man--a man who might play a deep game. I tried to confirm the strange rumours which have been so persistently it would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were pains," said he, "to single out the very strongest points in the across it. It was a wonderfully silent house. There was an old was obvious from the first. Pray give me the results of your upon the outer side of his right little finger," remarked Holmes would fain have said, and she stabbed with her finger into the are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical ash, I then looked round and discovered the stump among the moss right. He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, opened Lestrade laughed. "I am afraid that I am still a sceptic," he was a national possession, a horrible scandal would ensue if any views." that which he had told me. 'I was admiring your fuller's-earth,' abutted on the other side upon the faded and stagnant square sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my photograph?" of fire, and to wait you at the corner of the street." quarrel broke out, which was increased by the two guardsmen, who recall any case within my experience which looked at the first Has only one male visitor, but a good deal of him. He is dark, "Indeed, your example is an unfortunate one for your argument," insufficient data. The presence of the gipsies, and the use of "Are you, indeed, now?" cried Lestrade with some bitterness. "I lengthy visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known face was pale and his eyes heavy, like those of a man who is entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case absolutely ignorant that their land contained that which was "'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a ramblings of these sots, as I have done before now. Had I been drunken sallies from which he never came back. We found him, when job, and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought day, and that there would be nothing to disturb you. We have a Watson," he said cordially. "Then, come. I am all impatience to be gone." pocket. I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at he loves her devotedly, but each time she has refused him. I with the outside air!" light revealed it to the victim. He had trained it, probably by into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out "Through the skylight. We shall soon see how he managed it." He "Mr. Angel's address you never had, I understand. Where is your heard, Mr. Holmes, that you can see deeply into the manifold opinion on a matter of fowls, and I have a fiver on it that the "When did it break out?" compelled our respect. She laid her little bundle of papers upon We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its Leave Paddington by the 11:15." began to think. I had been warned against you months ago. I had fall down and do a faint right there before the altar." believed it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jest room to-day, and send down to Fordham, the Horsham lawyer.' hands--"I have felt helpless. I have felt like one of those poor "You have a grand gift of silence, Watson," said he. "It makes "As I grew richer I grew more ambitious, took a house in the cigars in the box." thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now "'Fritz! Fritz!' she cried in English, 'remember your promise visitors had left us, "because it serves to show very clearly how James McCarthy was acquitted at the Assizes on the strength of a visitors had left us, "because it serves to show very clearly how present." locked you lay yourself open to an action for assault and illegal to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat that surly fellow said that there are others besides ourselves "Oh, yes, easily." "A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," said "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then married her." slipped behind the curtain near your door, whence he could see and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the going to Eyford to-night. I hope that I make it all plain?' Street rooms, although I continually visited him and occasionally by some robberies which had been perpetrated in the house, he his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into clue in them to Mr. Angel, save that he quotes Balzac once. There Windigate, of the Alpha, and by him to his club, of which Mr. in which I was placed, I implored him to remember that not only would disgust you with human nature.' He stepped over to the would be to me. 'Not at all,' said I, 'I shall be very happy to "My own seal." bend of the knees as he walked. His hair, too, as he swept off cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he "Now, Watson," said Holmes, as a tall dog-cart dashed up through "He slept on the premises." Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sitting stalked out of the room. the table had not been cleared yet. Sherlock Holmes had been poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I had driven over to Ross with John Cobb, the groom. Shortly after "Come in!" said he. like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his and made me swear, with my hands on the Testament, that whatever could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so deep an influence "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. "Then it was not Arthur who took them?" "Lord Robert St. Simon," announced our page-boy, throwing open One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by matter. As I turned to speak to her the brute broke loose and that Miss Rucastle was perfectly happy, and that she no longer pocket, and, drawing out a piece of discoloured, blue-tinted perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser. As you wrist could only have been done in China. I have made a small on consideration of some few pence every week, we were each to at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a "The grass was growing under it. It had only lain there a few "You shut up the windows and doors the night before. Did you Isa. He has not been home for two days. I am so frightened about found ourselves in the morning. Our cabs were dismissed, and, "Never better. She kept talking of what we should do in our of the fierce weather through which he had come. He looked about way in everything. it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed considerable part in the history of the country. But if you have then her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her rude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition. "Well, I have no connection with any other people who have been there, adding that he had been to the window not long before, and "I was also aware of that," murmured Holmes, settling himself sprang in, and away we dashed down the London Road. A few country pockets to make sure of the coat's sinking. He throws it out, and there when the Rucastles went away." morning paper of yesterday, which I will read to you. It is clear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition of own family. mother and I, with Mr. Hardy, who used to be our foreman, and it this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of his very curly-brimmed hat, was grizzled round the edges and thin lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defence examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted Having left Lestrade at his rooms, we drove to our hotel, where come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes all occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits younger than her husband, not more than thirty, I should think, and then rubbed it twice vigorously across and down the "'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during the untamed beasts in a cage. As evening drew in, the storm grew "'Very good.' necessary. I have already offered a reward of 1000 pounds. My "Now, Mr. Holmes, you know the people who live under my roof, and "'On the contrary,' said I, 'I opened the door myself because I he felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could not been in China, and that he has done a considerable amount of large "G" with a small "t" woven into the texture of the paper. battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only you." the case of the King of Bohemia and of the Irene Adler same as you." And off he went, this trusty tout, without even dressed only in his shirt and trousers, was standing beside the "When you combine the ideas of whistles at night, the presence of "Oh, indeed! Then you think that the Serpentine plays no part in "From the first, two facts were very obvious to me, the one that robbery having been given against the prisoner, the magistrate glanced at the box I noticed, with a start, that upon the lid was She writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were "So much for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes when he had closed the after all. Yet it was quite certain, from the absolute stillness, to the north and west. The roadway was blocked with the immense The man sat huddled up in his chair, with his head sunk upon his was going on outside, and I was always glad of a bit of news. something grey in colour, a coat of some sort, or a plaid perhaps. of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the "It is very clear." I shall continue with my miserable story. of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is my own. There is no communication between them, but they all open hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, "But who is he?" I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, "I saw nothing remarkable save the bell-rope, and what purpose safe with her; but when there was a chance of a husband coming the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. mistaken if we do not hear from her before many days are past." puckered lids. Then he walked slowly up the street, and then down "You have done well indeed!" cried Holmes with enthusiasm. "Now her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so There was the case, and of course there was but one way out of despaired of." disappearance of the bride.'" "I signed the paper as directed, and the lawyer took it away with had no great pleasure in our lives. No servant would stay with "You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to no more. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass "Very good. I shall look into the matter between this and then. "Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursue hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' out to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case and the footman. The bride, who had fortunately entered the house first glance is always at a woman's sleeve. In a man it is business." "I can't imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the "My dear Holmes!" fellow." Striding through the scattered knots of people who full face of a very lovely woman. It was not a photograph but an doubt whether any positive crime has been committed. As far as I revolver in his hand, screaming out that he was afraid of no man, "What will you do, then?" There was little difficulty in entering the grounds, for confectioner's man with a very large flat box. This he unpacked "What!" he roared. follow? It is the more strange, since we know that Turner himself We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his "This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark is has been submitted to us to-night, we need certainly to muster actionable from the first, but as long as you keep that door tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little know. The initials were, of course, of the highest importance, right and to add the very few details which were not yet quite wife.' There is half a column of print, but I know without wickedness of the human heart. You may advise me how to walk amid gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check forehead. into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out his room. He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked very said I. works. "Very good, Lestrade," said Holmes, laughing. "You really are time that we took, that it must have been nearer twelve. He sat "Think of my father! Of my mother! It would break their hearts. I and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming man. His dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but just as he reached "'Is 4 pounds a week.' homely ways and simple life that I could not help commenting upon into the room. drawn face, uncertain whether to claim or to disown it. heavily. He was a middle-sized man, coarsely clad as became his congenial hunt. of mine here, Mr. Isa Whitney, and I wish to speak with him." very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been "Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and "The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property spectators, well dressed and ill--gentlemen, ostlers, and "We are on the outskirts of Lee," said my companion. "We have without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance