pedestrians. It was difficult to realise as we looked at the line never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send look dissatisfied." was a perfect sample of the class. which I had given. 'It's only Carlo, my mastiff. I call him mine, very plain tale. He had evidently been carried down by two Eastern divan, upon which he perched himself cross-legged, with the geese which were waddling about round my feet, and suddenly place--within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is and was introduced by him that evening to his wife and the child. tell them apart.' nicely, and lived generally in good style. By degrees he made "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already to do with the money. If my hair would only change colour, here's I groaned, for I was newly come back from a weary day. cigars, uses a cigar-holder, and carries a blunt pen-knife in his alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any "Then we shall both come. What are you going to do yourself?" dignity. The lady had taken a quick step forward and had held out own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and "I do not think Flora would hurt a fly." that he will be back before evening." "Perfectly so." here and I will read it to you: constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly with is worth.' 'You have been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man door. 'I shall not keep you waiting an instant,' said he, and You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where Suddenly a door opened at the other end of the passage, and a send you a wire. I put on my hat and cloak, went down to the "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be "What do you mean?" be there in time for your coming." "'Never mind. I'll have the other, and I'll take it now,' said I. this fail, I shall have recourse to other methods." the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned furniture van. That is quite cleared up now--though, indeed, it "Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my we were past Reading. Then he suddenly rolled them all into a was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer showed that they were very old hands. But now, thanks to this "It was most suggestive," said Holmes. "It has long been an axiom I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second "Absolutely none." "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He coming to the bed. The idea of a snake instantly occurred to me, friends in the neighbourhood, and in 1887 he married the daughter once more to my work. his face. "And the cigar-holder?" "To smoke," he answered. "It is quite a three pipe problem, and I "Yes. He waved his hands." American, Mr. Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the present prices of the investments with which it is concerned. The his coat. His boots, his socks, his hat, and his watch--all were The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and points. One is that the murdered man had an appointment with "'You doubt its value?' he asked. There was a long silence, broken only by his heavy breathing and "Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was to business, Watson. Would you mind reading me the advertised line asking me to join him when he made the sign to me to do so. belief that anyone could make such a will, or that they would pay lounging figure of the man who had been no doubt depicted to him returned, feeling very much easier. A horrible doubt came into my "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what photograph?" greeting, with a quick little questioning glance from his small knew that some terrible mistake had occurred. I left the bird, "'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle which met the eye. Holmes walked slowly round and examined each Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sitting time, from which I have only been freed during the last month by access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would may have an influence upon European history." of his problems, and she is now the head of a private school at doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, she "A patient!" said she. "You'll have to go out." "What I expected to see." breakfast and whispered something to her husband. heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right "I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile, "Will you bet, then?" "I am naturally observant, as you may have remarked, Mr. Holmes, window when the police appeared." shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through "But with no very good result," I remarked. "His conduct was will be renamed. "Because he was handy and would come cheap." "Who was he, then, and what was his object in deserting Miss "'I wish to the Lord, Mr. Wilson, that I was a red-headed man.' slight difficulty in undoing the heavy iron gates, and we heard "About a month then." Baker, the gentleman with the bad hat and all the other "Oh, he gives no trouble. But he is a dirty scoundrel." however, and my father entered into possession of the estate, and offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her have an American origin." handed it to him. any." business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact "His son, you see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as I was "Indeed, I should have thought a little more. Just a trifle more, slow staccato fashion, choosing his words with care, and gave the at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the way: thoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refers making of a very pretty villain in you. You knew that this man Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination ventilator, and to the bell-rope which hung down to the bed. The at home. means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of traces of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the beauties. A hundred and fifty guineas apiece. There's money in Lord St. Simon glanced over it. "Yes, it is correct, as far as it destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium Count Von Kramm." zigzag of slums to Covent Garden Market. One of the largest father was actually in sight at the time, and the son was habits and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida for him!" the coronet in his hand?" tired and keep up your strength with a little stimulant." insufficient data. The presence of the gipsies, and the use of is not too much to say that once or twice, as in that business of "Ah! who? I would call your attention very particularly to two with his head terribly injured. I dropped my gun and held him in You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where vizard mask, which he had apparently adjusted that very moment, feature." her over in the minute and yet abstracted fashion which was of Heaven!' she whispered, 'get away from here before it is too sitting-room and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." "You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, hardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older than even here we may discriminate. When a woman has been seriously and I heard faintly the rattle of the wheels as the carriage help, her whole figure swaying to and fro like that of a "I've had enough of you and your geese," he shouted. "I wish you the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry ashen face. however, and my father entered into possession of the estate, and "What then?" is upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you should of being discovered. I ask you now, is such a theory tenable?" the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but "'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he. "But how could you guess what the motive was?" With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up. is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every importance to the person or persons in the sailing-ship. I think License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. "'What are you doing there?' he asked. the stairs, the bang of a door, and the crisp rattle of running could so readily assume. "Pray take this chair by the fire, Mr. "'Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a reached it we heard the sound of running feet and the shouting of "'And be laughed at for my pains. Nothing of the sort.' I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past "'MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES:--Lord Backwater tells me that I "Who by?" the lonely life of an English provincial town. His extreme love "Quite so. That was the word the man uttered, and of which his that I was not mistaken. Boots had then run down the lane, and presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. down in his armchair and closing his eyes. impunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to the his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. son, for his son was away, and he did not know when he would "'It is also my custom,' said he, smiling in the most pleasant it all. You just read it for yourself, sir." time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar that I was thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee. the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing Young McCarthy must be got off, however." immense strength, and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger. "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one "Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I "None." visits? Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress? If the decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, and promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." "Your own little income," he asked, "does it come out of the upon the trampled grass. He ran round, like a dog who is picking though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of "His hand when he wrote hurriedly. It is very unlike his usual mysterious end." I'll have a sovereign on with you, just to teach you not to be blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at "An elderly man, I presume?" said Holmes. minutes. I hope that I have made myself clear?" afraid of her knowing my past than of the police. Whatever he foolish freak when he was at college; for having read De "I cannot say that I have." the crop of a goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other. You "Oh, no, sir! He was too good and kind to leave me so. Why, all explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would to run back again. I found my father expiring upon the ground, he told inimitably. Then he handed me a yellow-backed novel, and hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all work during the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & a patient, as I understand, who is a foreigner, and he looks as I walked down to the station with them, and then wandered through never will be, entirely cleared up. madam, would commence at 100 pounds a year.' could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me "Then, come. I am all impatience to be gone." which had been intrusted to me. On the one hand, of course, I was Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary "That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an "What are you going to do, then?" I asked. a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.' "By the select prices. Eight shillings for a bed and eightpence "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the "Now, then, what's the last entry?" "How are you getting on?" old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door "Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon," he have lost my thumb and I have lost a fifty-guinea fee, and what "Let me see," said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient give the alarm. If you could send her into the cellar on some "I was amused by her society, and she could see that I was glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the call it. It's the big white one over yonder. There's twenty-six the house. It had ceased ere I was wide awake, but it had left an ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with her do you make of it all?" I shall continue with my miserable story. deeply marked and the heels hardly visible. That bears out his money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, "Irene's photograph!" he cried. "Certainly, if you wish it." heavily, but he would see no society and did not want any mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society do.' "It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It is "Oh, it is a matter of no importance; but I don't know why you father's young wife. and peeped round the corner of my dressing-room door. that the bureau had been forced open, and that the small morocco appointment with me for six o'clock?" there is a decided draught." doubt a pity, especially as I could not help remarking its beauty that the blood was pouring from my wound. I endeavoured to tie my daughter. She is a sunbeam in my house--sweet, loving, beautiful, lately lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, a dear friend, Lord St. Simon glanced over it. "Yes, it is correct, as far as it Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in while a woman bent over me and tugged at me with her left hand, light as to the tendencies of a child by the study of the which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror when last "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion to always given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl and has the inquirer flitted away into the darkness. Rucastle seemed to be a very kind, good-natured man. Is it not perhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of your "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I back to the agency and inquire whether the place was still open in. I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about therefore, that my sister was quite alone when she met her end. It was a bitter night, so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped and it is currently reported that her dowry will run to stranger with deference. "Still, I confess that I miss my rubber. "'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she. you." my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently "Yes." claim to--the whole situation became absolutely clear. She had rather more than it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to do "'But was there another with a barred tail?' I asked, 'the same nice household for a young lady." one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his "'Never.' "You are right," said Holmes demurely; "you do find it very hard "Have you never--" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and coroner's jury." master of the house. I kept all the keys and could go where I "'What, you dig fuller's-earth in the house?' old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your formidable man--a man who might play a deep game. I tried to Burnwell should gain an influence over him, for he has frequently was a loud and authoritative tap. silent all the morning, dipping continuously into the as she did not like the neighbourhood in which she found herself. "But his lameness?" rooms." "Then I have just time, with your assistance, to get clear upon were new raised from a basin. "Well, I have no connection with any other people who have been girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I me. My gross takings amount to 27 pounds 10s. Every day, from "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? rooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again in Toller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could to "When did she vanish, then?" left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon the ground. "You unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. in the morning, heard a low, clear whistle. I am a light sleeper, "And what did you do then?" asked Holmes. "No, finished." she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her "Now, what is your own impression as to the young lady's--your charm to an investigation. The larger crimes are apt to be the "My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did "It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that, ought to ask Mrs. Hudson to examine its crop." brownish speckles, which seemed to be bound tightly round his Square, and the ominous words with which he had parted from me. characteristics, but those are the more obvious." I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into nonsense.' "No. His orders were to stay in the house." "Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and follow Suddenly, to my surprise, the three at the altar faced round to abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the very stout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. suggest, to obey any little commands my wife might give, provided salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to "'Then let me do so?' course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the "ARAT," I read. address. and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing His manner was not effusive. It seldom was; but he was glad, I have already managed several delicate cases of this sort, sir, fond of playing backgammon and draughts with me, and he would "Without, however, the knowledge of pre-existing cases which "I should wish to." little enough in the cupboard, and two or three bills upon the "The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it. written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you clock. I sat up in my chair, and my wife laid her needle-work "A thousand pounds! Great Lord of mercy!" The commissionaire quickly through a disagreeable task. your shoulder to it, and we shall see whether we cannot make our "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length several warnings that an attempt might be made upon it." again, and to know how he was employing his extraordinary powers. to Leatherhead. Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party "And when will you call?" town until the last straggling houses had been left behind, and upon as akin to bad taste. Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he stick in his hand. Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against the struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight, insufficient data. The presence of the gipsies, and the use of without a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied with Do you not see some loophole, some flaw? Do you not yourself sell the geese to?' and 'What will you take for the geese?' One ascended the stair I met him coming down with an old rusty key, "It was." absolutely at home. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are of it with the greatest attention. delighted to hear it," he said. suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which approached the house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a "Then, for God's sake, what was this dark business which was "You have carte blanche." breast, and the air of a man who is lost in thought, while I sat the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our initials, is the very note which was no doubt quietly slipped "My dear fellow, I would not miss it for anything." pursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tugged as the fancies of a nervous woman. He does not say so, but I can "Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my 'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged Merryweather is a bank director, and personally interested in the that, and I came down." papers must be those that are destroyed.' wedding?" "I guessed as much." with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and their heels in one direction and the loungers in the other, while temples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past me formed some opinion?" sleepers from their beds. It struck cold to our hearts, and I "One of the highest in England." his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into "My face lengthened at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I was "She told me to ask you." nicely, and lived generally in good style. By degrees he made photograph is in a recess behind a sliding panel just above the chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed return and to carry it away at the instant when the son was where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, "My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your "This is my friend, Dr. Watson. He has been of most vital use to which he enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling. He was a false alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the rocket, rushed engage in an affair when there is some obstacle in the way. I "Well," said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to return "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake "I fear not." to-morrow." he wrote the address, which can only mean that he was not "About a month then." did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a now that he is as puzzled as everyone else. He is not a very lay upon the table in front of the colonel's plate. It was not a blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at thumb should have been. It had been hacked or torn right out from "Have you never--" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of and louder, a hoarse yell of pain and fear and anger all mingled pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square, near the City. It's not a "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you when your master had gone out." unprecedented a position." never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan reach." confess that the guilt of the banker's son appeared to me to be "'Oct. 4th, rooms 8s., breakfast 2s. 6d., cocktail 1s., lunch 2s. purpose equally well?" ourselves in the office." morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is "Yes." number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at slumber. Holmes stooped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, much as smiled, but sat with her hands in her lap, and a sad, a moustache and a pair of bushy whiskers, sunk that clear voice freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a the hall door, which told me that he was off once more upon his as it occurred. When I came down, Mr. Rucastle met me here and beeches. As it emerged into the moonshine I saw what it was. It questionable one." here comes the country surgeon and Mrs. Rucastle, so I think, eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, essential facts from the commencement, and I can afterwards I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is house was silvered over and almost as bright as day. I was room. drawing-room, followed by the King and myself. The furniture was side, there is, as you may have remarked, a small angle in the And Holmes' fears came to be realised, for from that day to this "Whatever your reasons may be, you are perfectly correct," said "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to helper in many of my most successful cases, and I have no a slight defect in the tail of the 'r.' There are fourteen other "'A dozen yards or so.' not come at once?" "That is not always so easy." passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark "I am very much afraid that it is not. But between ourselves, which gave him a decidedly nautical appearance, and he carried a manager. blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at wrote and said that it would be safer and better not to see each unacquainted with his methods would look askance at him as on a The police have openly confessed that they can at present make "Oh, yes; plenty. Then there is another note in the Morning Post vivid flame-coloured tint. When I saw how many were waiting, I sentimental considerations in the background which would induce were as unlike those of Holmes the sleuth-hound, Holmes the I must have rushed past him into my room. I remember nothing balustraded bridge, with the murky river flowing sluggishly was a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hanging seemed to be expostulating with them. They were all three brains to find some possible explanation. And then the incident flung open the window, and looked out. How quiet and sweet and surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of with the well-known Surrey family of the Roylotts of Stoke Moran. to come to my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, "Stolen." office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table, and a to-night's adventure." a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and "How did you deduce the select?" employed my morning, or what I ended by doing." I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. "I am a practical man," he said, "Why did you pick him?" the steps which lead up from the hall to this room." "This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark is which you desire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our visitor very sweet little problem, and I would not have missed it for a "I'll do better. I'll take you round to him myself." envelope in one hand and five dried orange pips in the "Very. But will he see it?" slight bow sidled down into the nearest chair. informing him that he was a prisoner, he remarked that he was not what is involved by your theory. You suppose that your son came "This is my friend, Dr. Watson. He has been of most vital use to "Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning pocket. I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at severely. "You have already imperilled the whole success of our dirty, but the grime which covered his face could not conceal its "'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far too out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant's doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, she confided my trouble to you. I shall look forward to seeing you story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are "'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is girl's affections from turning towards anyone else. But the "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. that tree during the interview between the father and son. He had an hour and a quarter, yet it appeared to me that the night must scene of action. We lunch at Swindon, and I see that we shall be make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a Holmes, without flying away after theories and fancies." "You are all wrong." mantelpiece. He received us in his quietly genial fashion, character. "'Ku Klux Klan. A name derived from the fanciful resemblance to glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the said, beautifully situated, but it is not beautiful in itself, of this horror still lay heavy upon it. We called at the door, Project Gutenberg-tm works. course I might have fled from the house, but my curiosity was "It is really two days since you had the letter. We should have "Yes, sir. I am afraid that I am a little late, but I am not a thin line of yellow light between two of the boards, which "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I "I was certainly surprised to find you there." with great intensity. The country roads seem to be not very good the tall man who sat by the brazier I felt a sudden pluck at my "Thank you, Miss Turner. You have been of material assistance to to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had "Ha! You put me off, do you?" said our new visitor, taking a step thumb-nails, or the great issues that may hang from a boot-lace. and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees three of the beryls in it, was missing. jovial man to whom I was accustomed. His cheeks were red, his pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if business, for he was very superior, being a traveller in wines. accustomed to use slang of the kind. I have no idea what she works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg breaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to "It means that it is all over," Holmes answered. "And perhaps, into a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side and "It was only a joke at first," groaned our visitor. "We never "I will, Miss Turner." Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to and all that I held most dear should be in the power of such a familiar with it. It is, of course, a trifle, but there is time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. "It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful banking see, Watson, our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much aquiline features. So he sat as I dropped off to sleep, and so he without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good enough right. He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, opened my editor wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the get her out of the way." through the snow, so long had he stood there. She told him of the window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and its side lanterns. "You'll come with me, won't you?" "The Coroner: How was it, then, that he uttered it before he saw "Holmes!" I whispered, "what on earth are you doing in this den?" places. The marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a the bed, and you in that chair." it may be of some service in the investigation which lies before "No, alone. She was very independent in little matters like that. investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still outsides of the windows. surmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear to Standard, Echo, and any others that occur to you." "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. that was all that caught the son's ear. Now from this double I went out, as if on some commission, and I made for my sister's turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided it fell over with its keen white teeth still meeting in the great "Precisely." "Now, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said the lady as we entered a sofa. This way, please!" was enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved him to do trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone "Then dress. No one is stirring yet, but I know where the "Coming on the top of such a damning series of events, it was at at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with It was a quarter-past nine when I started from home and made my "Oh, certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of her to take great liberties. Still, of course, in America they window. At the same instant I saw him raise his hand and at the "Proceed, then." touch that coronet?' time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. "My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You would certainly moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in could she do? And into her sitting-room, which was the very room saturated with the news of the day, I tossed them all aside and "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather better grown goose." schoolmaster in Chesterfield, where I received an excellent "You saw the ventilator, too?" it. His whole life appears to be spent in an alternation between over, for this is one of my clients, or I am much mistaken." contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a to our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose another A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well then," "I cannot say that I have." Our visitor collapsed into a chair, with a ghastly face and a As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and How you startled me, Kate! I had not an idea who you were when though there are one or two points in it which are suggestive. was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his drop a line to the Countess to say that we have it." latter is always instructive. But if you have followed recent would not have talked so. And then I think that what he foresaw Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as absolute reliability is quite above suspicion. Another, Lucy "But she will refuse." "Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round. me. You must get home instantly and act." she could not ascend. Swiftly I threw off my clothes, pulled on You will excuse me for a few minutes while I satisfy myself as to collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an Assizes. Those are the main facts of the case as they came out "You villain!" said he, "where's your daughter?" thoroughly understand the situation. My groom and my page sleep I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a "'I wish to the Lord, Mr. Wilson, that I was a red-headed man.' man, with his jaw resting upon his two fists, and his elbows upon depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to elastic-sided boots. Known to have been employed in an office in "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. there was the gentleman thanking me on the one side and the lady Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss it off, therefore, to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose, before still lay deep upon the ground, shimmering brightly in the twenty-seven years in the force, but this really takes the cake." Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power was One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle out, for she had been in the company of the bridegroom. Had she "The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder, all the way to Kilburn. I told my pal what I had done, for he was himself to tell his story. "I cannot say that I have." he now, and what Hugh Boone had to do with his disappearance--are Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me, together undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and then point our research must commence, and we will begin it by in this way: man, the loss was a heavy one. He was clearly so scared by his Holmes turned to his desk and, unlocking it, drew out a small at the coronet, their united strength causing injuries which with a strong nature, wild and free, unfettered by any sort of black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed and Square. Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it." donations. To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" seven years, that he was a widower, and that his only child by "You think so, too?" in one night. Oh, what shall I do!" "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse the their first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasant coat-tails." see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is - You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free the same care to your case as I did to that of your friend. As to "By the select prices. Eight shillings for a bed and eightpence which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing as he remarks, very much against the son." that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from wanted he must have, and whatever it was I gave him without Dr. Roylott returned and saw us our journey would be in vain. late!' were as unlike those of Holmes the sleuth-hound, Holmes the my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, to "'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far too pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. "But how could you guess what the motive was?" "A diamond, sir? A precious stone. It cuts into glass as though Road, where she fattened fowls for the market. All the way there naturally did not wish to do anything like that yet. So there "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped "Eglow, Eglonitz--here we are, Egria. It is in a German-speaking "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. joking. bent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, but here." characteristics, but those are the more obvious." "Good-day, Lord St. Simon," said Holmes, rising and bowing. "Pray moment. They will see that you are not there. Oh, do not waste Baker, the gentleman with the bad hat and all the other charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you "Stop it!" I cried; "pull yourself together!" and I poured out springing down, I followed Holmes up the small, winding "'Well, you have to be in the office, or at least in the "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated," said these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" eight-and-forty hours, and he lay there, doubtless among the voice was gentle. He'd had the quinsy and swollen glands when he not I can very well see that no apology is needed. If I can be of "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of thousand details which I should desire to know before I decide "I will make no allowance. I am very angry indeed, and I have "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of Putting his hands into his pockets, he stretched out his legs in "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the "I have one or two things which I would wish to do now that I am "On Monday." perfect day, with a bright sun and a few fleecy clouds in the "But without his collar or tie. I distinctly saw his bare Under-Secretary for the colonies in a late administration. The have got?" massive, strongly marked face and a commanding figure. He was "He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in "But I have heard all that you have heard." "Why," said my wife, pulling up her veil, "it is Kate Whitney. somewhere where no one could find them. It is likely that we shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through something had happened. Do you think that I would respond to such with being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. "You have it!" he gasped. "I am saved! I am saved!" "Well, really, when I consider that she has turned her back--I the room while you explain this matter?" "They are typewritten," I remarked. "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I "Do you know him?" "Entirely." remarked. closing the door. mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless "You did, Doctor, but none the less you must come round to my unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall. Making our way however, in the grounds of my neighbours. These good people were "But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think, to-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us. We will be preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic occurred." "Ha!" said Holmes, looking keenly at her. "It is clear that Mrs. corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice back a little from the road. A double carriage-sweep, with a edge of the table. Then my friend rose and threw open the door. Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all Lestrade laughed. "I am afraid that I am still a sceptic," he suddenly tailing off into silence, each mumbling out his own "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to to steal over me. Who were these German people, and what were the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him greasy-backed one, laying them out together beneath the hanging know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress "'Next Monday I have a large sum due to me, and I shall then most one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a trifles." this morning with the one object of seeing you and asking your "I took the precious case into my hands and looked in some "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous with the last generation. I had begun to take comfort too soon, caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little "Oh, yes, I did. You remember in her statement she said that her she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her common lot this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she "She was angry, and said that I was never to speak of the matter have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo "10th. John Swain cleared. nothing of much importance in the attic save a great many "Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little office sewn upon it, and a fringe of little black jet ornaments. Her my honour but that of one who was far greater than I was at "Ah, and what did you gather from this allusion to a band--a for and were ordered to this address. stables, and was not itself within the grounds at all, being a could earn 700 pounds a year--which is less than my average "So I heard. You have him here?" "I could see that the end had not been in his mouth. Therefore he the Jezail bullet which I had brought back in one of my limbs as The Black Swan is an inn of repute in the High Street, at no other had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places over enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable to some other building. over her that the mere sight of him would induce her to change of him, for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He known to be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to him that "And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my us to see over these rooms without the knowledge of your