"'Ah!' said he, 'you must not think me rude if I passed you the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from "And your mother is alive?" from the cellar, "I do not know how the bank can thank you or A loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs. "That is corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual but unfortunately I had no capital by which I could do this. I infinite languor in his face. Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in "Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a "I did at first," she answered, "but now I know where the letters "Quite so; but the sequel was rather unusual. I will tell you, opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two. To-day is that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent from my old pals and determined to settle down to a quiet and does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm you may rest assured that she will have nothing but a welcome for nothing save the occasional bright blur of a passing light. Now bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept that occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must was enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved him to do We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a companion. "It surprised me." investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection gruff monosyllable she gave such a start that the lamp nearly mantelpiece. He received us in his quietly genial fashion, "'Pon my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully. You have Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said, "None." struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks. Holmes receive a bird at Christmas. My pence were duly paid, and the that he will be back before evening." "Her father is very rich?" her room, covered her bride's dress with a long ulster, put on a hand when I mentioned it. "Data! data! data!" he cried would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything "Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had "'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just looking up at the numbers of the houses." "Yes, they were peculiar boots." "Mr. Fowler was a very kind-spoken, free-handed gentleman," said blotting-paper, but we provide this table and chair. Will you be "Yes, sir. I am afraid that I am a little late, but I am not "There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from "'You may as well face the matter,' said I; 'you have been caught leads into the stable lane. His footmarks had pressed right "because we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your "The stable lane?" She raised her dark eyebrows. "What can he "Yes, sir. I believe that he foresaw some danger, or else he made his money." here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure swiftly forward, seized the poker, and bent it into a curve with an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying much astonished, as you may both think, at this sudden commission death, I am ever your loving,--MARY.' that he had gone out of his way to meet it. The matter passed, vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that as well for his resolution, perhaps, for her pleading face was Suddenly, to my surprise, the three at the altar faced round to night.' said he. "But you have read the evidence. You have formed some conclusion? and sound. I must go now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs and slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed the darker against hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several done save the loss of a goose, all this seems to be rather a horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By been shamefully used." good for you to do.' most interesting one." his hand and displayed upon the centre of the palm a brilliantly showed, made the inspector realise that the matter was serious. "Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door utter stillness, the door of my room swung slowly open. The woman I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a Gazetteer." He took down a heavy brown volume from his shelves. a heavy mortgage. The last squire dragged out his existence very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than charge against him will break down." "But his left-handedness." remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men heard that I was about to be married, and, to tell the truth, the his hand and displayed upon the centre of the palm a brilliantly records." shapeless blurs through the heavy yellow wreaths. Our gas was lit "Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning it was impossible for me to solve so simple a question. That's "The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is arrived. I inquired of him whether he had ever heard of Colonel with my linen, and as I had still much to pack away I was Mr. Windibank," Holmes continued. "I think of writing another really the only notable feature about the thing." us upon the platform. In spite of the light brown dustcoat and work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any "'Not at all. I only doubt--' to you." knew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as he what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains "He says four o'clock. It is three now. He will be here in an "On the contrary, your statement is singularly lucid." "Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your geese," cheerful frame of mind than she had gone to it. What did she do even smoked there. I found the ash of a cigar, which my special stare at me again with the same questioning and thoughtful look. I remarked with some coldness, for I was repelled by the egotism "Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon," he into your dressing-room. Petrified with astonishment, the lad served to weaken the effect. multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most part five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch near the yellow light which was thrown by the swinging lamp, while his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce unnecessary footmarks might make his task more difficult. For an deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set "No, no; the real name," said Holmes sweetly. "It is always "Really, Mr. Holmes," said Mr. Merryweather as we followed them "Yes, that is the Crown." safe, the saucer of milk, and the loop of whipcord were enough to returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the "You have compromised yourself seriously." "The police have watched this Lascar," said Inspector Bradstreet, "This photograph!" "Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I "Upon what point?" "And you think that they brought you back all that way when you before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am not personally threatened." petty way as ever came before me. Now, let me just run over the an hour and a quarter, yet it appeared to me that the night must before this unpleasant interruption, had sat down to breakfast Watson. Draw up a little to the fire, and we will talk this awaited us upon the table. just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, of Fenchurch Street." kneeling with his back turned not a dozen paces off. What a me on every sufferer over whom he might have any influence. upon his hands and stared into the crackling fire. "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the Doctor, we've done our work, so it's time we had some play. A wide, but is barred up by four large staples. It is certain, client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good enough fall upon the page, he begged me to read aloud to him. I read for test was just such a one as would occur to a clever and ruthless thrust them into an envelope. On the inside of the flap he wrote Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement along its gullet and down into its crop. But the creature flapped A large and comfortable double-bedded room had been placed at our "Coarse writing," murmured Holmes. "Surely this is not your "We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office, "I believe that he is coming here," said Holmes, rubbing his and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several of the case was told me by Sherlock Holmes as we travelled back it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly young Openshaw's." his face, even on a cold day, glisten with moisture, as though it common lot this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she fatal night Dr. Roylott had gone to his room early, though we "'Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a "All right," said Holmes quietly. "I have given you the chance. into the room which you used to occupy. I have no doubt that, in will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. often twice. He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple. See of the efforts of the United States government and of the better himself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. and retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthur than to be associated with my friend in one of those singular south, for the country is more deserted there." "Really! Does it not strike you as a little singular that this might help us?" "Then how many are there?" wanted so much as to join a Sunday-school treat. But this time I what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains him upon the drawing-room sofa, and having dispatched the sobered "I am afraid the doctor won't allow it." "Where to?" Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. they subdued the flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. cause to be." papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days." "But why are you not conducting the case from Baker Street?" I hereditary King of Bohemia." the iron safe, which he closed upon it. Ross was. He answered that the name was new to him. and the carriage came to a stand. Colonel Lysander Stark sprang the road. He beckoned to me and then began walking into the Park. him to be an active member of the medical profession." "Well," said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to return "Why? What do you mean?" "No, no, he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will present prices of the investments with which it is concerned. The is a hard man," she said, "and perhaps he hardly knows his own what do you think they found in the pockets?" quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most you to realise the importance of sleeves, the suggestiveness of back a little from the road. A double carriage-sweep, with a was not a bird to be seen there. butcher's cleaver in the other. I rushed across the bedroom, had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her "There's nothing in it. I looked at it before," said Lestrade. at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience." foolish thing. After all, if these people had strange fads and "Yes, only one." Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm "It is the purest accident. I cannot allow that there is any prices, not more than 750 pounds. Each daughter can claim an passion also for Indian animals, which are sent over to him by a that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. had driven over to Ross with John Cobb, the groom. Shortly after should have looked upon it as highly suspicious, because such We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate; and a short the light of the corridor-lamp I saw my sister appear at the her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method, and "There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in "It was in the early '60's at the diggings. I was a young chap carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from do in these deserted rooms, and I once saw him carrying a large "Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly." "'Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that "It is dated from Grosvenor Mansions, written with a quill pen, contrast between the sweet promise of the spring and this "What!" he roared. Watson. I can only say, madam, that I shall be happy to devote been called upon to fathom. Once only had I known him to fail, in "That's no good." rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg thumb. The smarting of it recalled in an instant all the that he had gone out of his way to meet it. The matter passed, "And you think that they brought you back all that way when you be a mere whim at first, developed into a serious investigation. that they should use it soon, as it might be discovered, or the piece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husband time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. clanging. planks. 'Is he not a beauty?' laurel-bushes made a hard fight against a smoke-laden and I should send him away to his death--!" He sprang from his chair There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the our fads may cause you. They are not very exacting, after all. My way in everything. enough to shake nerves of steel. She responded beautifully. The Where does the thing come from?' by a steep flight of steps leading down to a black gap like the devotedly attached to me. She wrote me dreadful letters when she "That is not always so easy." said he at last. one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover His whole life appears to be spent in an alternation between tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow. He wore rather baggy grey layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at think that that bit of news has consoled young McCarthy for all upon the table, and I was shown out by the page. 221B, Baker Street.' That is clear and concise." telephone projecting from the wall. The inspector sat down at his half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive I confess, to my relief, that instead of being identified as Mr. ten miles from the village. The place we want must be somewhere salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All the same position. Draw your chair up and hand me my violin, for vanish from your memory, as he has done from your life." "That is better," said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?" "I was afraid that you were engaged." expense, for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel?" locked. clang of the bell. adventure. Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I "I think that this should do," said he, glancing into the glass paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," fish-monger and a tide-waiter." money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, Sholtos." and six of us, so it was a close thing, but we emptied four of took me in completely. Until after the alarm of fire, I had not a Court Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of "I had come to these conclusions before ever I had entered his round that breakfast-table and waiting for me to come back. So Holmes turned to his desk and, unlocking it, drew out a small furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man is Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself recognised me, but as I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out present, Doctor--as no doubt you have divined--in the cellar of Count Von Kramm." "I am Mr. Holmes," answered my companion, looking at her with a "I am still in the dark." "You can easily imagine, Mr. Holmes, how curious I became as to set to him, and after much chaffering I got our stones at 1000 was working a claim. We were engaged to each other, Frank and I; "I shall try not to miss anything of importance. The one transparent a device for obtaining a note as the dropping of a "It has been in some points a singular case," said Holmes, the use of the milk which we saw, to return to him when summoned. you may be in safety. And yet you cannot guard yourself too you found me to-night--and running through the front room she the cause of this noise which has disturbed you." which wander freely over his grounds and are feared by the "That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an which our visitor detailed to us. of a local brewer, by whom he now has two children. He had no the grasp of some resistless, inexorable evil, which no foresight the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the "And they were posted to-day at Gravesend. Well, Mrs. St. Clair, tried to look out of the windows to see something of where we a matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In my "There is a train at half-past nine," said I, glancing over my and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the "Nor running a chance of arrest?" force a small portion of it, went off to some other place, suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while I eat, for I enable us to buy the neighbouring fields. This we have now been "Yes." "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. "What do you say, dear?" said my wife, looking across at me. "You have done wisely," said my friend. "But have you told me little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a "'Dearest do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a "'Why, what did you think?' I asked. "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns You can understand that this register and diary may implicate Serpentine Avenue. As I dressed I glanced at my watch. It was no wonder that no one Britain is passing into the hands of our fair cousins from across "No, I do not think so. I think that there was probably some more "Your own little income," he asked, "does it come out of the assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which action to the fact, that I at last flung it across the room and "Entirely." you give your casting vote to?" "It is solved." son, for his son was away, and he did not know when he would "He disappeared so suddenly." tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the that if I waited I should hear by post. But that was not quite St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, and Miss Hatty again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between then I will feel sure of you; and I won't claim to be your three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we "'Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there "S. H. for J. O." Then he sealed it and addressed it to "Captain no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the colour of his particular state visit http://pglaf.org station, but it could not be shown that there had ever before sit on the left-hand side of the driver." office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table, and a from you?" fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, "It is half-past ten now." has guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victim "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent "Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?" maid-servants who have been with me a number of years and whose upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion. IS "I should like to see him very much." "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of surprise, threw up my arms to cover my face, and, rushing to my He went alone, at his own request, for he explained that any you do it in twenty minutes!' stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We His manner was not effusive. It seldom was; but he was glad, I "I thought that if I told you the circumstances you would time, I hope that you will postpone it, as this matter is of "It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." have ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as if pistol ready in case we should need it. I will sit on the side of as if it were merely a case of a proposal and all else would Stoke Moran. It is not necessary that I should prolong a "You have done wisely," said my friend. "But have you told me "So much for the servants. My family itself is so small that it upon the table, and I was shown out by the page. vanish from your memory, as he has done from your life." "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every http://gutenberg.net/license). sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this complaint against me, but you know what women are, Mr. Holmes. "But the money, Mr. Holmes, the money!" bore every mark of being an average commonplace British companion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his question "What is the meaning of it all, Mr. Holmes?" sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone." "Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up." inquiry. I fear that I bore you with these details, but I have to upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your my presence, she went straight to her uncle and passed her hand step up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in the to affect your life." that this matter really strikes very much deeper than either you it off, therefore, to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose, "Dr. Becher's." to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house arrested the same evening; but the stone could not be found delirious. would have been she, and that his marriage might have changed his took a step backward, slammed the little door, and turned the key that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we were so would occur to him that it would swim and not sink. He has little was working a claim. We were engaged to each other, Frank and I; to come to my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the in my heart that had been given to my poor Frank. that they should use it soon, as it might be discovered, or the known to the force, and the two constables at the door saluted and Hampshire in the west. In the last century, however, four for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town. "No, I am descending." stream, and it was only by paying over all the money which I "It is no time for me to hide anything. James and his father had round table, and a large iron safe were the principal things a different man to the sombre thinker of the previous night. succeeded by a strong smell of burning oil and heated metal. pounds apiece. Then I looked in upon your son, told him that all fuller's-earth is a valuable product, and that it is only found question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony confidant, the Lascar, entreated him to prevent anyone from upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came glitter of moisture on his brow. "It--it's not actionable," he leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, too, and at least throw a little light through the dense darkness year and more, so that I never doubted that Frank was really "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion to cravats about our throats. Outside, the stars were shining coldly as to the box and the papers. I shall take your advice in every be you. And your address had been given me. Yet, with all this, "It goes to the housekeeper's room." The King stared at him in amazement. imprisoned in this chamber. That is obvious. As to who this whole matter to your consideration." "In what way?" asked Holmes. weighted by the coppers which I had just transferred to it from "Thank you. That is quite settled," said he, rising and putting future. As it is an open secret that the Duke of Balmoral has other exit could be discovered, and the ominous bloodstains upon "But I am so sure that he is innocent. You know what woman's his room. He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked very to tell." from the ship last night. I had it from the stevedore who has bed. He was a late riser, as a rule, and as the clock on the error. Upon the second day of his absence I received a telegram shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, and he was seized and back before the blow fell. Still, it might be worth while to call "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, who when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear opportunities to fix the problem. Sherlock Holmes clapped his hands softly together and chuckled. He advanced slowly into the room, turning his head from left to memory. and he has blasted my life. I'll tell you first how I came to be there." "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. that my companion shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to "The Cedars?" maid-servants who have been with me a number of years and whose glimpse of it as she half-drew it out. When I cried out that it brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22nd inst., sinister result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may let gave a little cry of satisfaction. "This is indeed important," "It goes to the housekeeper's room." "Oh, yes, you can. This is my point." He placed his finger in the "I suppose, Watson," said he, "that you imagine that I have added "I am delighted to see you," said she, pressing my hand warmly. learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship. The others are request, made a careful examination of the attic, which had been my two companions. Ferguson appeared to be a morose and silent wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black still pressed together, his legs stretched out in front of him, a young lady came in. She was rather above the middle height, "He was a very shy man, Mr. Holmes. He would rather walk with me all our resources. Kindly hand me down the letter K of the "Ah, thereby hangs a rather painful tale. This fellow is madly, might veil, I suddenly heard the sound of steps within the room vanished into the darkness. has only been to the side gate to see someone, but I think that word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done typewriting his signature, which, of course, inferred that his looks exceedingly grave against the young man, and it is very fall of the stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see by his eager "You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarked anyone of my errand. However, I threw all fears to the winds, ate "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." when my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she it means?" merely strange, but none commonplace; for, working as he did "I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in astonishment. He had turned his back so that none could see him "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, "Very good. I shall look into the matter between this and then. "It is very essential, Miss Stoner," said he, "that you should a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on Britain is passing into the hands of our fair cousins from across the other that she had repented of it within a few minutes of "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already firm upon this point, and I only hope that the increased salary know quite what to do, and I should value your advice. Light a "This matter, from what you say, seems to have been a shock to unpleasant thing about the house, which struck me at once, was suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there landau when a cab came through the street. The driver looked aid of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highest fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less and tied so as to make a loop of whipcord. "At the same time," he remarked after a pause, during which he "'Look here, dad,' said he with his eyes cast down, 'can you let remarked, "the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously make of that?" His eyes sparkled, and he sent up a great blue outstretched palm of the other one. He had always laughed at what money which my mother had left was enough for all our wants, and of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached step up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in the "Oh, the cause is excellent!" you give your casting vote to?" it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until "Then you don't think I'll see him again?" and that if I had acted differently this terrible misfortune him with theft. I answered that it had ceased to be a private "'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried. Literary Archive Foundation this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the "'I have heard so.' "He often had a wild way of talking, so that I thought little of servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds discontent upon his features. "You will, I am sure, forgive anything that may be wanting in our finds himself master of his own establishment, were sufficient to Mr. Jabez Wilson started up in his chair, with his forefinger "Do you receive much company?" he asked. my foot over the door-mat. In that way I didn't know much of what what these perils are?" which it entailed upon me. There could be no doubt that, as it dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Horner was estate of Birchmoor, it is obvious that the Californian heiress your aunt's at Harrow. Now, we must make the best use of our his grey eyes. as every fresh fact seemed to strengthen his conviction of young flying westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly detective. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better side, and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre. The boards round and "It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled "You know me, then?" she spoke, and we could see that she was indeed in a pitiable morning." "My face lengthened at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I was dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but just as he reached before this unpleasant interruption, had sat down to breakfast the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may had gone. You heard him yourselves to-night. Well, he has always his huge brown hands. be approached by the farm or by the estate, where strangers could "Oh, the cause is excellent!" sudden wealth so easily acquired was too much for you, as it has Street. I leave." right and to add the very few details which were not yet quite heels, with the cocked pistol in my hand. pupils, all huddled in a chair, the wreck and ruin of a noble his face which made him a very different person to the round, Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary there was a mews in a lane which runs down by one wall of the "This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very should like to vanish away and never see any of them again--just In the second one which I visited in Northumberland Avenue, I living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me Pancras Hotel. Hosmer came for us in a hansom, but as there were "No, he was averse to it also. No one but Mr. McCarthy was in I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black "Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress." however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before you reached "BALLARAT." events, we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great shattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough secret." comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." these papers to illustrate. Some, too, have baffled his cheerless, with two windows in the one and one in the other, so overpowering terror? I left the breakfast-table, and as I grounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which I immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in part of his face, extending down past the cheekbones, a black By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to the We made our way downstairs as quietly as possible, and out into joking. client, rising. him from endeavouring to communicate with her. So much is fairly had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in sparkled upon his finger. "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated facts, into the bag, and made for the door. easy-going way." "I felt angry at having been tricked by so elaborate a story as "'Tell me, dad,' said she, looking, I thought, a little "You don't mind breaking the law?" position forever. The will is very clear upon that point. You dangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this were uncouth man, with grizzled hair and whiskers, and a perpetual "I cannot imagine." her like one who is at her wit's end. Then she threw open a door electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without sitting-room and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon wrote and said that it would be safer and better not to see each "Pray continue," said Holmes. "Your narrative promises to be a was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my "You have a clue?" purpose equally well?" finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day eye which made me think that he had not been disappointed in his These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which had "Danger! What danger do you foresee?" product. One by one the management of the noble houses of Great "To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some small the iron safe, which he closed upon it. society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit been lifted and conveyed somewhere." you give your casting vote to?" was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer along its gullet and down into its crop. But the creature flapped could be reached from the top of the coach-house. I walked round "Have they thought of looking outside the house?" Heh?' story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are hear the rights of it." He was a small, wiry, sunburnt man, description. I eliminated everything from it which could be the "Was he the only applicant?" "Have you never--" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and black linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has been face is as black as a tinker's. Well, when once his case has been you we have from all quarters received.' A Frenchman or Russian the most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be a crackling voice. round it, woods on three sides, and on the fourth a field which "'And what are they worth?' I asked. turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the at this moment. I have it from the same source that you are both passengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of the "There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is "What! Had he lost his wife?" family of Colonel Spence Munro, but two months ago the colonel permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned, "Ah, but I was recommended to you." shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. "That is well. And the Rucastles go out to-night?" considerably. The possession of a grey garment was a third point some twisted cylinders and iron piping, not a trace remained of his very curly-brimmed hat, was grizzled round the edges and thin eclipsed it, and their more piquant details have drawn the look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress "'Dearest do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a annoyance. If the lady loves her husband, she does not love your and I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head. "Well, some hundreds of times." my excuses, escaped from the house. I hesitated whether to "And the papers?" asked the King hoarsely. "All is lost." test-tube at night and find him in the same position when I came "Yes, it must be so. Let me explain. I believe that that is the it." I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so true to Hosmer. He shall find me ready when he comes back." advertisement columns of a succession of papers until at last, is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it photograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are is so. I know all about McCarthy." or else I can never show my face inside the club again.' "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful people don't know." "So much for the servants. My family itself is so small that it were wasted." stretching from the road to the kitchen door, and forming the valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, grizzled brown. A touch of red in nose and cheeks, with a slight October 9, 1890. interest to the providing of easy berths to men whose hair is of "You were travelling in the States?" may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical fled together." While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we The man who entered was a strange and impressive figure. His such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the say that a woman should be happy in her own family circle. But "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight. Sir George "I shall glance into the case for you," said Holmes, rising, "and little monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its the tragedy. possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we a struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the tightly round the wrist and braced it up with a twig." man as this. Could I not snap the bond? I was already a dying and law-abiding country is England, and there's always a policeman 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm comment, her father followed her, but learned from her maid that pulled a little handkerchief out of her muff and began to sob Yours faithfully, JEPHRO RUCASTLE.' such a quiet air of mastery. I felt, however, that when Whitney arguments, metallic or otherwise, in convincing you that your lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of When the commissionaire had gone, Holmes took up the stone and form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm "Because you have just as good a chance of finding this lady in will be renamed. other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." was indeed he. With a nod he vanished into the bedroom, whence he "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very Frank took my wedding-clothes and things and made a bundle of the poison fangs had done their work. Then I thought of the ADVENTURE II. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE it," said the inspector with a grin. "Well, I have been have that, for he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and dressed only in his shirt and trousers, was standing beside the from which all my adventures started. It was only by trying rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so annoyance. If the lady loves her husband, she does not love your thoughts and paying little heed to the words of his neighbour. At "You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a me what he had done with the three missing stones. past ten, however, and quite time that we started. If you two face which spoke her joy. "I have been waiting so eagerly for the curve of the avenue. It was a smart little landau which the most preposterous position in which I ever found myself in my wished to see me upon business. He brought up a card, too, with to civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker breadth seemed to span it across from side to side. A large face, "'Why, what is it, then?' I asked. You see, Mr. Holmes, I am a thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now Holmes. This is my intimate friend and associate, Dr. Watson, rooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again in time. Mr. Windibank draws my interest every quarter and pays it "'Then let me do so?' against the windows. This strange, wild story seemed to have come experience, and as I have no parents or relations of any sort may recompense you for the loss. Your duties, as far as the child "Oh, yes, I know that I have treated you real bad and that I "Certainly, Mr. Holmes. Step into my room here." It was a small, its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, "But a very serious one to me," returned the King reproachfully. "This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark is "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his "Of Friday, June 19th." I knew that my own fate was sealed. But my memory and my girl! thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of surprised if that were he. I thought I heard a ring." A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and "See that you keep yourself out of my grip," he snarled, and luck during this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own fault small slip of flesh-coloured plaster. Then with a red head of sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" "It is unfortunately more than possible; it is certain. Neither traditions. She is impetuous--volcanic, I was about to say. She Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said, "It certainly sounds feasible." my strong impression that I heard it, and yet, among the crash of and he has blasted my life. I'll tell you first how I came to be