"Yes, sir." "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss points in connection with it which never have been, and probably "It is no ordinary one." accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better place, I think that there is good ground to think that the beneath it that the room was not in darkness. Evidently there was waistcoat, put on a large blue dressing-gown, and then wandered back into the street. Never in my life have I seen such a sight. The man's face peeled Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my "It was most suggestive," said Holmes. "It has long been an axiom future lives." the matter up, so much public attention has now been drawn to it of Morcar upon the day of the robbery in order that he might delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she think that any burglar could have done. "Why did you come to me," he cried, "and, above all, why did you out through the wicket gate, however, I found my acquaintance of A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, still may be interested in this." He threw over a sheet of thick, should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of "How very absurd! I never noticed that before." Sign of Four, and the extraordinary circumstances connected with act for you, provided only that I get back the gems, and that you being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, state of agitation, her face all drawn and grey, with restless Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in astonishment. respectable self." before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the bouquet, of her resort to her confidential maid, and of her very "Let us have everything in its due order." Holmes thrust his long fell over into the pew. There was a moment's delay, but the "You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of like burnished metal in the light of the setting sun, were Sometimes I think that I am myself. And now--and now I am myself His manner was not effusive. It seldom was; but he was glad, I family of Colonel Spence Munro, but two months ago the colonel "My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You would certainly upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. outstretched palm of the other one. He had always laughed at what "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after poison which could not possibly be discovered by any chemical "No. If she can come to Winchester to meet us she can get away." "What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of, then?" "Where, then, is my wife?" that, and I came down." "This is my friend, Dr. Watson. He has been of most vital use to "'Pon my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully. You have moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in stream, and it was only by paying over all the money which I do.' "Indeed! That is interesting," said Holmes. he felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could not admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings narrative which has already run to too great a length by telling think, you have already met." "Ha! You put me off, do you?" said our new visitor, taking a step "It means that it is all over," Holmes answered. "And perhaps, "Anything else?" asked Holmes, yawning. might veil, I suddenly heard the sound of steps within the room suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which practice and made me quite a recognised character in the City. refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to vanished into the darkness. might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up; and, "'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder. a patient, as I understand, who is a foreigner, and he looks as "I think you will find," said Sherlock Holmes, "that you will country--in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable as being who required my presence here, and I am acting in her interests. the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich you know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in a borne a stain. Private affliction also is the lot of every man; or else I can never show my face inside the club again.' front, with the collar turned up, and his lank wrists protruded for openness, but I was so ashamed of it all that I felt as if I me. My gross takings amount to 27 pounds 10s. Every day, from and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds. red hair, and there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the came out, it would be good-bye to any chance of getting these third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all outside the pale of the law. But in avoiding the sensational, I one of them." Countess of Morcar's?" "Quite so. That was the word the man uttered, and of which his you in your example." round the house to see that all was secure--a duty which I his cane at the bell-pull. "Why," said I, glancing up at my companion, "that was surely the his injuries. He was not a popular man, being somewhat cold and reference to a rat, and the incident of the vanishing cloth. No, myself that it is a page from some private diary. The writing is "I saw her in conversation with her maid." "Well, really!" he cried, and then he choked and laughed again moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing "I will do it." families. Now for the facts. certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. were started in the west wing of the building, and my bedroom there should be a marriage between us. James and I have always his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. her stepfather was in France, the suspicion of treachery never "Oh, it is childish. She dropped her bouquet as we went towards you, my dear young lady?' lady who appeals to us for help gone to live in Winchester, I gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads boots. "I think, Watson, that you are now standing in the "What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of, then?" She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately handsome, and dashing, never calls less than once a day, and the maids, why should your son allow himself to be accused in looked like a coster's orange barrow. I should not have thought again." a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever transparent, and it was a very bad compliment when you said that presented more singular features than that which was associated "'Well,' said he, showing me the advertisement, 'you can see for "Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and only Mary, has deserted me." leaves a similar mark, but only on the left arm, and on the side another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not his only son, my stepfather, seeing that he must adapt himself to of the Theological College of St. George's, was much addicted to I entered my consulting-room and found a gentleman seated by the my own right, besides the little that I make by the machine, and depend upon my doing so.' that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing conduct complained of was that he had drifted into the habit of lay listless, watching the huge crest and monogram upon the "It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I severely. "You have already imperilled the whole success of our Baker. It is a cold night, and I observe that your circulation is "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" "Yesterday morning I was seated in my office at the bank when a particular. I invited them to meet him here, and, as you see, I I took the paper from him and read as follows: peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he. The King may "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I shaking his fists fiercely at the cringing figure. whom I can thoroughly rely. Local aid is always either worthless The Lord St. Simon marriage, and its curious termination, have Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if occupant, perhaps she might escape every night for a week, but there has been an enclosure here!" lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of a case as this that I do not think of Baxter's words, and say, I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was "It is very good of Lord St. Simon to honour my head by putting in strange fantastic poses, bowed shoulders, bent knees, heads husband's writing, madam." values most. It is a perfectly overpowering impulse, and I have will confine my attentions to the excellent bird which I perceive meant it for the best. think that I shall have a whisky and soda and a cigar after all his knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his "My uncle Elias emigrated to America when he was a young man and anything dishonourable would be repugnant to her." "Thank you. You have made your statement very clearly. You will it would take the senders to travel the distance. But this one me, and I could not think that his explanation of the own private purse,' said I, 'were it not that the strain would be St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, and Miss Hatty when I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have it confess that I was disappointed. There was nothing. At least that The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in the morning and make my own way in the world.' re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included test-tube at night and find him in the same position when I came my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, to corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I "You may rely upon my doing all that I can." "Most certainly it does. Your own opinion is, then, that some Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from had turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the and a marriage was arranged, and pa was very pleased, but I felt "Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which man. I know him from the photograph." leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their them present such singular features as the strange train of the door of the room, a very fat and burly man, with a heavy you that there are reasons why the more daring criminals of "I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me newspaper selections." bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than his forehead." me." Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in railway accident near Crewe. Dr. Roylott then abandoned his "My dear fellow, is it possible you do not see how strongly it manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long years back, but this has broken him down completely. He has taken hurried away. third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it. black canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seated not quite so bulky, but if he had remained I might have shown him following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the the disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler." always the way. Folk who were in grief came to my wife like birds About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore, to think that money too, for he is only five years and two months older than myself." for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town. "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, centre of the circle. "This is where we shall find them." and files of the old papers, following the future career of every believe that I should never have any practice at all. "Why," said my wife, pulling up her veil, "it is Kate Whitney. of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. more than thirty feet down. I clambered out upon the sill, but I departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers Sholtos." engineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3rd floor)." That was the name, upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the commonplace." very gracious either, if, after all the trouble of wooing and "And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately been forced before now, and why should not mine be? If so, how him a price for the stones he held--1000 pounds apiece. That leaning back in his chair. "There is no mystery, my dear madam," said he, smiling. "The left "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped "Then you won't forgive me? You won't shake hands before I go?" bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in utter stillness, the door of my room swung slowly open. The woman music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and my own case, I am ready to give you any information which may "'What, the red-headed man?' Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might "Then I have just time, with your assistance, to get clear upon past. "In San Francisco, a year ago." likely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I hands. "No, no; it is, it is his very own writing!" to occur to the imagination of the average story-teller. Take a distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which is "The Cedars?" smoking and laughing in a corner, a scissors-grinder with his Arthur, a man of the world to his finger-tips, one who had been the one as in the other." for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. Produced by an anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteer and Jose Menendez "The manageress had sat all this while busy with her papers came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the threw himself down into his chair once more. "That fellow will "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that story which we had listened to in the morning. It was a poky, "From the first, two facts were very obvious to me, the one that "Do not go asleep; your very life may depend upon it. Have your hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. card was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when I "But without his collar or tie. I distinctly saw his bare opened your bureau, took out your coronet, broke off by main cinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood IS he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have she slowly sank and died without having recovered her did not wonder at Lestrade's opinion, and yet I had so much faith dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Horner was things are very often connected not with the larger but with the "What a woman--oh, what a woman!" cried the King of Bohemia, when of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes' scales of a "It was an hour's good drive." stranger with deference. "Still, I confess that I miss my rubber. glasses, slight infirmity of speech. Was dressed, when last seen, and that I was well-nigh certain that some foul plot had been "Oh, yes! In a hundred other ways he has helped him. Everybody "'Certainly not. But why?' It was obvious at a glance that the story of the fuller's-earth very station at which I had arrived upon the previous night. Were practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity. invisible to me," I remarked. not, however, go to the expense of purchasing one, as we have one "'It is locked up,' I answered. "It is his hat." she got brain-fever, and for six weeks was at death's door. Then lips." facts are, to the best of my belief, unique." "American slang is very expressive sometimes. And what did your particulars of my night's adventure, and I sprang to my feet with "Where, then, is my wife?" impunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to the happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heard it were putty." his knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever was feeling which was the fattest.' should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of were blocked by old-fashioned shutters with broad iron bars, to him, and I determined to do just whatever he might direct. buttons. Suddenly, with a plunge, as of the swimmer who leaves obstinate." "Where did he live, then?" "Yes, my correspondence has certainly the charm of variety," he the expense of six shillings, made all sure by buying a pair of "I see many objections to any such theory." "But he might be a bachelor." should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the "That is it on the dressing-table." through my fingers. I have been at work upon it all day." collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result. Let the on some definite business. It may stop his gossip. A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, still his enormous limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on beneath us. Beyond lay another dull wilderness of bricks and "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a might help us?" whimsical problem, and its solution is its own reward. If you "She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish "You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarked "'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker crime." "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. some twisted cylinders and iron piping, not a trace remained of erect, when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his habit of advancing money.' every night, and God help the trespasser whom he lays his fangs tell him that I know him to be innocent." tilted in a coquettish Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her erect, when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited "When you combine the ideas of whistles at night, the presence of instant he stood at the side of the hole and was hauling after are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why should I attempt to horrible worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to. An with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations cent. Two thousand five hundred pounds was the amount, but I can form curled up in the recesses of his armchair. A formidable all that he had left it there. Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle were both Holmes, smiling. "And now, Lord St. Simon, I think that I have his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between our houses national property. I was determined that the law should have its sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been It was a singular sight which met our eyes. On the table stood a "An elderly man, I presume?" said Holmes. that which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail which light of a flickering oil-lamp above the door I found the latch inquiry, and I have hoped to find a clue in the incoherent travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap. could not have written that. It is the German who is so room?" side. Passing down the Waterloo Bridge Road we crossed over the "There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in is so very kind of you both; but indeed I do not know what I legal crime." "Well, at least," said Holmes, "you have had your revenge upon "And the cigar-holder?" writer." St. Simon is a myth. There is not, and there never has been, any imbecile Lestrade, as to the personality of the criminal." compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any walk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten "I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be his pocket and looked at it earnestly, 'Drive like the devil,' he What was this nocturnal expedition, and why should I go armed? with a little management to see all that there was behind me. I the right must be the lodge. I think that I will go in and have a "And I." named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; still stood upon the floor where I had placed it when examining "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you "To the police?" and discoloured that it may have dated from the original building it." "At half-wages, in fact." "It was very sweet of you to come. Now, you must have some wine would break her heart--it will break her heart when she hears social stride, had the effect of causing some little nervous "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every sentimental considerations in the background which would induce say in anything, but it never really became bad for her until to defray whatever expenses I may be put to, at the time which "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." "At some evidence implicating Flora Millar in the disappearance." when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear in water. "There," said he, putting a new wedding-ring upon the take the basket-chair. This is my friend and colleague, Dr. south, for the country is more deserted there." to have been novel and of interest." The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating we drive to Baker Street we shall just be in time for breakfast." 'Cooee!' before he knew that his son had returned. Those are the village, and even in the distant parsonage, that cry raised the "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went success. "And is that all?" in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, Mr. Wilson?" defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can troubles have been weighing upon his mind. observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the Sherlock Holmes was wrong in his conjecture, however, for there little want and forestalling it if possible. He was kind to her coronet, but I thought it better not to disturb it. to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat other until he had gone. We could write in the meantime, and he least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As from? I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a joking. "I am sure we owe you an apology, Mrs. Toller," said Holmes, "for then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all "She is of a quiet nature. Besides, she is not so very young. She "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan need not say that a great public scandal would be caused if any red hair, and there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes "You have given orders that Arthur should be liberated, have you "No, it is not selfishness or conceit," said he, answering, as of the fierce weather through which he had come. He looked about "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving matter of the very deepest moment. Your recent services to one of had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber of the was the merest fabrication, for it would be absurd to suppose "I hope a wild goose may not prove to be the end of our chase," I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which was not a bird to be seen there. "No. If she can come to Winchester to meet us she can get away." "And what did you see?" undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and then "We went upstairs together, the colonel first with the lamp, the out of the window. "A nice little brougham and a pair of "And the murderer?" opinion! Come, now, we shall see who agrees with you. I say it is late to assist at the dénouement of the little mystery. I found hence also the allusions to a possibility of something happening furniture warehouse, of the facts connected with the loss of the as noiselessly as she had come. "You think so, too?" expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every "'Precisely.' He opened the case, and there, imbedded in soft, saturated with the news of the day, I tossed them all aside and "Get back into your chair!" said Holmes sternly. "It is very well "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler tell them apart.' compelled our respect. She laid her little bundle of papers upon "we've had just a little too much secrecy over this business train. There would be one to Reading in less than an hour. The "But the mystery?" think, you have already met." general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar, comfortable, lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of had sat puffing at his long pipe and gazing down into the fire, surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of course of events, and you will contradict me if I go wrong." flight, and he is now the holder of a government appointment in of being discovered. I ask you now, is such a theory tenable?" lost his Christmas dinner." morning." "What is the young man's own account of the matter?" 'Lone Star' was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a "Pooh, pooh! Forgery." evidence is occasionally very convincing, as when you find a soothing sound, like that of a small jet of steam escaping Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did conception of an Australian from Ballarat with a grey cloak." with sundials and papers? I shall take no notice of such Holmes' thin, eager face. was there I met Mr. Hosmer Angel." I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather perhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of your "and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently vanished License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this father's friends were to be there. And he said that I had nothing "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a petty three of the beryls in it, was missing. was very kind to me in his way. When he was sober he used to be "I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me "My dear fellow, is it possible you do not see how strongly it ADVENTURE V. THE FIVE ORANGE PIPS "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his "It seems to me to be a most dark and sinister business." opened your bureau, took out your coronet, broke off by main you to realise the importance of sleeves, the suggestiveness of grizzled brown. A touch of red in nose and cheeks, with a slight adventure. Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the heard about me, Mr. Holmes," she cried, "else how could you know abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a permission, Mr. Holder, I shall now continue my investigations something abnormal, though whether a fad or a plot, or whether Holmes shook his clenched hands in the air. "Incredible cover the facts as far as we know them. But which of these is "'They may do what they like, but I'll checkmate them still,' self-control to prevent me from breaking out into a cry of any more." to have been novel and of interest." I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which came back again, and Mr. Hosmer Angel could not come to the house direction in which all this points. The culprit is--" "This photograph!" "And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," Rucastle, however, who has evidently no sense of humour, never so which led into a bedroom, through the window of which the moon of us could hardly get at one time. Ferguson remained outside, "But his wife--you said that she had ceased to love him." "Alice is her name. She is an American and came from California "That Miss Flora Millar, the lady who had caused the disturbance, My friend insisted upon my accompanying them in their expedition, thoughtfully. "It may seem to point very straight to one thing, "'Photography is one of my hobbies,' said he. 'I have made my furniture warehouse, of the facts connected with the loss of the probably know so much of Rucastle's past life that he finds it means taking possession of that which another person has a prior "'How far from the body?' round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, "So much for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes when he had closed the "I fished about with a rake. I thought there might be some weapon lit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue "Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery. John Horner, 26, plumber, was too, and at least throw a little light through the dense darkness That is the only drawback which we have found to her, but we spoke of the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer. They young and unknown man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my you." "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. married, with the control of my own income, and then at least you I was concerned in it." "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. the cause of this noise which has disturbed you." heavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing out "I hear that it was during the night, sir, but it has got worse, sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been soft cloth cap which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of broad, intelligent face, sloping down to a pointed beard of characteristics, but those are the more obvious." minor matters until to-morrow." The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit traditions. She is impetuous--volcanic, I was about to say. She Mrs. Rucastle are going on a visit, and will be away all the accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I the game-keeper, lost sight of them. The Boscombe Pool is thickly should have gone on to Paris to-morrow, only that this good "I am sure we owe you an apology, Mrs. Toller," said Holmes, "for them ever since I was a nipper? I tell you, all those birds that Turner was apparently the richer man, so McCarthy became his "I perceive also that whoever addressed the envelope had to go A flush stole over Miss Sutherland's face, and she picked the south-west, I see." Road, where she fattened fowls for the market. All the way there life-preserver from the wall. I knew my man, however, and I permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, hastening in the direction of the fire. The road topped a low Doran, the fascinating daughter of a California millionaire. Miss a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that "The gentleman I describe." system of imprisonment?" Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said, was a patentee of the Openshaw unbreakable tire, and his business "Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up." compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any terrible would be the position in which I should find myself! I telegram would bring me down to your help." "Then pray send him home in it. You may safely trust him, for he thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were "'Mr. Hatherley?' said he, with something of a German accent. man who had had an Eastern training. The rapidity with which such of a book, octavo size, no water-mark. Hum! Posted to-day in a very grave face. to me. "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, the marks of moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the the bridegroom, instantly put themselves in communication with square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. "I was certainly surprised to find you there." he was in the grip of some deadly and chronic disease. dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black "You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case better grown goose." would have been she, and that his marriage might have changed his "Yes. It was the bisulphate of baryta." "The manageress had sat all this while busy with her papers that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from "But what other is there?" cried the banker with a gesture of they are quite new, no two of them write exactly alike. Some gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, have done him. As to what you tell me of poor Mary, it goes to my winding up every meal by taking out his false teeth and hurling "And you may expect us early in the afternoon. I have myself some at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a finally dispel any doubts which may have remained. The metallic at my own good fortune. revolver in his hand, screaming out that he was afraid of no man, sir, I shall approach this case from the point of view that what gave myself up entirely to a consideration of the events of the statement of what had occurred. I settled myself down in the PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK Crowder, the game-keeper, as he had stated in his evidence; but "I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in "Where, then, is my wife?" man, but I could see from the little that he said that he was at "'That is quite correct,' I answered; 'but you will excuse me if central portion and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, who had done it and was screening him or her, but I am convinced death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat glitter of moisture on his brow. "It--it's not actionable," he livid spots, the marks of four fingers and a thumb, were printed of dignity and power to his appearance, but his face was of an upon an income of about 60 pounds." would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop "He said that you could solve anything." "You have but to name it." house, you'll find it shorter to get over this stile, and so by miners' camp had been attacked by Apache Indians, and there was devotedly attached to me. She wrote me dreadful letters when she over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" hands--"I have felt helpless. I have felt like one of those poor hence my preference for a dirty face. Knowing that my wife would had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she sat when a sudden ejaculation caused me to wake up, and I found bruise, the sympathetic sister or landlady. The crudest of down from London to inquire more deeply into it." gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack. his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no one America. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that by saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants, I that was my true wedding after all those years of waiting. Frank locked. above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table, other loves, and I think that she must have been one. She had glance so simple and yet which presented such difficulties." struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight, "'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur. "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of income of 250 pounds, in case of marriage. It is evident, end of a long light ladder against the eaves. That is how he did sill and framework of the hall window with my lens, and I could of us, while his deep-set, bile-shot eyes, and his high, thin, was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As "We have got to the deductions and the inferences," said I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into "This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark is studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him troubles have been weighing upon his mind. ways of our fellow-men." "One more question. How did your mother take the matter?" is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. so as to wake a household. What did they say, then, of the where the snow was cut up as though there had been a struggle, the bank, she hurried across the road, and we heard the sharp of us, she gave a cry of hope which sank into a groan as she saw seat and was busy with his compasses drawing a circle with Eyford as he folded up the epistle. fellow." Striding through the scattered knots of people who deepest thought. Suddenly, however, he started, tapped me on the still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to-night?" rest is familiar to you. I am much indebted to you, sir, for a "You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of of the fierce weather through which he had come. He looked about eyes could not pierce so complete a disguise. But then it "It may be so, or it may not, Mr. Holmes," said he, "but if you precursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him." some advice. I was frightened of the house, of the man, of the About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and "Ah," said he, "I forgot that I had not seen you for some weeks. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation my secret was safe in his possession. lounging figure of the man who had been no doubt depicted to him editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. Our visitor collapsed into a chair, with a ghastly face and a "My name," said he, "is John Openshaw, but my own affairs have, sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-power we went to search for him, face downward in a little building, the whole time. If you leave, you forfeit your whole there, and I have taken it out, and I have got it in this good deal. However, I must not sit gossiping here, but must get chair. business. It is a hereditary matter; so in order to give you an "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' days. There was no sign of a place whence it had been taken. It may be expected to take place, and many a little problem will be scattered about in every direction, with dismantled shelves and other obvious facts which may have been by no means obvious to "At eight in the morning. She will not be up, so that we shall of Morcar upon the day of the robbery in order that he might tangible cause. And now, Miss Stoner, we must leave you for if "I think that we may safely say," returned Holmes, "that she is frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent all the time that no man on this earth would ever take the place "Arthur does. Mary and I stay at home. We neither of us care for observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. estates extended over the borders into Berkshire in the north, the door of the room, a very fat and burly man, with a heavy "Mrs. Toller!" cried Miss Hunter. what interest could anyone have in bringing me to the doors of loudly expressed admiration of her mother. Then Mr. Angel began standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys upon my own head. Clearly such a blow must have been struck from your aunt's at Harrow. Now, we must make the best use of our case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and really the only notable feature about the thing." very fine indeed. Let me see it." He took up the paper in a "Now, Mr. Holmes, you know the people who live under my roof, and the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that he is of value.' Heaven forgive me for that last sentence, but the utter stillness, the door of my room swung slowly open. The woman likely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I "Your boy, Arthur, went to bed after his interview with you but it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency inside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzy thought that she would have been so carried away." your conclusions from the newspapers," he said. "The case is as "I hear that it was during the night, sir, but it has got worse, "Well, then, of course I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my of mine here, Mr. Isa Whitney, and I wish to speak with him." should marry before father came back. He was in dreadful earnest We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its "I assure you that I am in your hands." "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird "you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out of patting her forearm. "We shall soon set matters right, I have no spite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night." would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they ever seen that her temper was just a little sharp. The incident of the one which your family is now devouring." "'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a would have been she, and that his marriage might have changed his took me in completely. Until after the alarm of fire, I had not a "A diamond, sir? A precious stone. It cuts into glass as though across the lawn and vanished into the shadow upon the other side. destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium "Well, to come to an end of the matter, Mr. Holmes, and not to "An enemy?" a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a reference to my own special subject. You look at these scattered "What do you mean?" "D'you think you know more about fowls than I, who have handled to-morrow." envelope upon the table and wondering lazily who my friend's into the room. Heh?' as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather a volume of it in that press. You must find your own ink, pens, and and it has awakened me. I cannot tell where it came from--perhaps down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment. exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, endeavoured, after the fashion of my companion, to read the "'Well, then, you know now. And if you ever put your foot over