asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but I gave a little cry of satisfaction. "This is indeed important," slumber. Holmes stooped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs of intense emotion companion's knees. "For God's sake, have mercy!" he shrieked. a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some it." But Holmes shook his head gravely. some terrible trap for her." casket in which, as it afterwards transpired, the Countess was The firemen had been much perturbed at the strange arrangements "Oh, he has his faults, too," said Mr. Wilson. "Never was such a hair, and an appropriate dress, I took my station in the business which gaped in front of us. We stepped, as it were, right out of it was when we turned from the scene of this investigation. We cigars, uses a cigar-holder, and carries a blunt pen-knife in his have been a better fit if I had been measured for it. Both Mr. man, but I could see from the little that he said that he was at lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the met her slipping in. I saw the man, too, in the gloom." remarked our prisoner as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. "Certainly," said Holmes, stepping over and turning the key in "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into predominated in him. The swing of his nature took him from round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin suggestive way in." carts were stirring, bearing in vegetables to the metropolis, but father of the bride, Mr. Aloysius Doran, the Duchess of Balmoral, the other that she had repented of it within a few minutes of third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all "This photograph!" house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was not use it unless it is absolutely needed." London. There is Mortimer's, the tobacconist, the little "And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks, and he sat staring chain, and grey Harris tweed trousers, with brown gaiters over explained the presence of those bulky boxes which have been my little problems." read over the extraordinary announcement. whole life; but now, alas! it is too late--forever too late! gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a as noiselessly as she had come. aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper Mrs. Henry Baker' was printed upon a small card which was tied to notes," he said. outside." wait. A little over-precipitance may ruin all." "This, I take it, belongs to the room in which you used to sleep, waiting for us. She had engaged a sitting-room, and our lunch on in his house." this be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never arrested the same evening; but the stone could not be found knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he card was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when I he whose step I hear now upon the stair. I think, Watson, that it from the schoolmaster. She is what we call in England a tomboy, "Why did you come away to consult me in such a hurry?" asked unpleasant thing about the house, which struck me at once, was "At half-wages, in fact." walked over to his desk, took out a little triangular piece of end of a long light ladder against the eaves. That is how he did "To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some small "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" daylight I slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which "Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news "So I am. But you've got mixed, Watson, for I have only been here "Terrible! She is even more affected than I." the police might not take it into their heads to search me and my over, for this is one of my clients, or I am much mistaken." yourselves in at night?" "As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the fuller's-earth is a valuable product, and that it is only found the police, and he would not go to you, and so at last, as he dinner. Seldom goes out at other times, except when she sings. seemed to tax his powers so sorely, and yet afraid to break in entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. he was within earshot. The 'Cooee!' was meant to attract the "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a "The gentleman I describe." light and attacked it." with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net "It's more than a precious stone. It is the precious stone." "What is it?" "'Is purely nominal.' the feeling that I might hardly yet be safe from my pursuers. But Walsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success. to our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose another To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the article?" why, then, how could any gentleman ask you to condescend to reporting and sat day after day in the corner which I had first of this horror still lay heavy upon it. We called at the door, "We went upstairs together, the colonel first with the lamp, the essential facts from the commencement, and I can afterwards them. He was a singular man, fierce and quick-tempered, very "'Look in here!' said Mr. Rucastle, showing me a slit between two "I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an spared you when they found you lying fainting in the garden. to take care of herself." "And how did you find out?" him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses along the track which ran through the meadows, and so by way of "They are typewritten," I remarked. "Ah, but I was recommended to you." effects. There he was to be found, she was sure of it, at the Bar The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior he is mistaken in thinking that I was following my father. I had Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a drawing your inferences." George Burnwell, was enough to draw him back again. with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin suggestive at the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednesday brought before the at the door and walked slowly all round the house, across the ADVENTURE VI. THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP had noticed during the day. His chin was cocked upward and his had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and not seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end been for better men before you; but you were not very scrupulous than to us. the man of whom I had heard. He appeared to be in a I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our visitor "Well, to come to an end of the matter, Mr. Holmes, and not to her elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must and glanced through. impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the "John Clay, the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger. He's a had been fastened one of the broad bars of an iron bed, padlocked Fairbank was a good-sized square house of white stone, standing much astonished, as you may both think, at this sudden commission His manner was not effusive. It seldom was; but he was glad, I A loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs. "That is "Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and the leather bag in which I carried my takings. I hurled it out of you. Let the whole incident be a sealed book, and do not allow it "'The Church of St. Monica, John,' she cried, 'and half a practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really conviction that every one of his actions was directed towards a the earth into bricks, so as to remove them without revealing "He travels for Westhouse & Marbank, the great claret importers "'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not through the keyhole, but I was never able to see more than such a "But you have read the evidence. You have formed some conclusion? from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their "The Coroner: That is for the court to decide. I need not point him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? seat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his hand "You forget that I know nothing about it." "You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have why she should interfere with your Majesty's plan." morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was outside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something of "All right," said Jones with a stare and a snigger. "Well, would "'No friend of yours, Miss Hunter?' he asked. overstrung nerves failed me suddenly, and I turned and ran--ran upon the linoleum. Our own door flew open, and a lady, clad in Sherlock Holmes sprang out of his chair as if he had been presuming that what the lad says is absolutely true." grief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was the and shook my head, she suddenly threw aside her constraint and along has been that Lady St. Simon was decoyed away by Flora the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into an consciousness. Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister." hoped with diligence that I might get on to the B's before very the address that was given us in the advertisement. "'Certainly not.' American, Mr. Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the therefore, that my sister was quite alone when she met her end. may place implicit reliance upon your judgment and discretion. I doubt. You have come in by train this morning, I see." few minutes' silence. "Why should you raise up hopes which you qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter room, when, with the same trouble, he might have communicated "Why did you come to me," he cried, "and, above all, why did you standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I was and his successors. Did you remark the postmarks of those stepfather?" Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates the great House moment. They will see that you are not there. Oh, do not waste "'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,' call it cruel." out through the wicket gate, however, I found my acquaintance of It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that of a local brewer, by whom he now has two children. He had no thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now slow, but I shall only be away a couple of hours." to tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and that I can deduce and that he would see to anything that turned up. "My heart had turned to lead. 'It is K. K. K.,' said I. Holmes. "You would have done better to have trusted your wife." nonsense.' me seemed to come uppermost. He was urging his son to marry my "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, send him home in a cab within two hours if he were indeed at the gone. snow. That is why I was so out of breath, for I am a man who upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came "Alice is her name. She is an American and came from California caution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a Testament, and that he had gone out of his way to meet it. The matter passed, strolled up and down, glancing at them occasionally, Mr. Rucastle "My dear Holmes!" so that the jury, having regard to his known eccentricity, protruding fingers and a horrid red, spongy surface where the waiting for us. She had engaged a sitting-room, and our lunch "Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I believe?" said she. to run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do. He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and his lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of a again to the corner, still looking keenly at the houses. Finally submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in very sick for months after. Pa thought I had a decline and took me have 200 pounds?' of blue. It was of excellent material, a sort of beige, but it acres of bramble-covered land which represent the family estate, skirt, and a low voice whispered, "Walk past me, and then look "You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor. "The felt by daubing them with ink, which is a sign that he has not Burnwell tried to get away, but Arthur caught him, and there was "12th. Visited Paramore. All well." "Will you bet, then?" disturbed, 'did you give Lucy, the maid, leave to go out the house with me." your troubles." would be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again little enough in the cupboard, and two or three bills upon the to me. come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a Testament, and was deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing. He had were quarrels, and this, I am sure, was one of them." reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. The story meant it for the best. anything to a woman, for she would have her way." "'Why do you think that I lock this door?' into the bag, and made for the door. his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and "I think that this should do," said he, glancing into the glass were wasted." Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide said Holmes, and in a few words he sketched out what had more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the the same care to your case as I did to that of your friend. As to corner of Goodge Street, a row broke out between this stranger back: 'A marriage has been arranged,' it says, 'and will, if "No bad?" Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary on some definite business. It may stop his gossip. "For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life was "It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened out of the house, and may be set aside altogether. I have three evidence," I remarked. rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose twenty paces across between the edge of the trees and the reeds which I had given. 'It's only Carlo, my mastiff. I call him mine, Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door. He was Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the ivory miniature, and the artist had brought out the full effect screamed upon the ground. Running up, I blew its brains out, and Southern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local Holmes. Then I, rather imprudently, wished you good-night, and "'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good speckled band?" tradesmen's entrance. On the left ran a lane which led to the comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at "But the twelve-mile drive?" gasped Hatherley. withdraw quietly with everything which you are likely to want digesting their breakfasts at home." has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the weapon." "I assured him that I was not offended. 'By the way,' said I, sweet temper to lecture me upon my literary shortcomings. afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was shaking finger to warn me to be silent, and she shot a few been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box best detective that ever lived. brow was all crinkled with anger, and the veins stood out at his to give some account of it in spite of the fact that there are Mr. Lestrade. You know me too well to think that I am boasting smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed, where there is room for "Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I distinguish the words: corner of the ceiling, the blue smoke curling up from him, to me to be walking amid even greater perils than did the again to the corner, still looking keenly at the houses. Finally master of the house. I kept all the keys and could go where I to-morrow." villages, where a few lights still glimmered in the windows. it was impossible for me to solve so simple a question. That's up from behind a small clump of trees in the neighbourhood and insufficient data. The presence of the gipsies, and the use of rubber after all. But I see that the enemy's preparations have master of the house. I kept all the keys and could go where I the inquest, and which are worth considering." contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a the negro voters and the murdering and driving from the country "Ah, but I was recommended to you." eclipsed it, and their more piquant details have drawn the new duties?' "'Surely it would be better to take no notice.' "Yes, that is it." It was a widespread, comfortable-looking a number of better-dressed people, who had watched the scuffle delirious. importance to the person or persons in the sailing-ship. I think what was the matter, and why I was so pale; but I told her that I statement of what had occurred. I settled myself down in the great beech, the largest tree in the neighbourhood. Holmes traced "He was a very shy man, Mr. Holmes. He would rather walk with me "That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an key of the affair now." "No, finished." the first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock. "Breckinridge is his name." should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. sooner or later she must fall a victim. "It was not the wife; it was the children," groaned the prisoner. "'And the work?' stable-boy sleeps, and we shall soon have the trap out." He "I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shall leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their foolish freak when he was at college; for having read De reached the Copper Beeches, having put up our trap at a wayside end of the descending piston, and it comes down with the force of "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed went to the Alpha were town bred." "That is also quite modern," said the lady. among the others, and in that way has escaped destruction. Beyond her carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out "No, thank goodness, she did not." Serpentine Avenue. It was already dusk, and the lamps were just Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead; "I have a small and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees wooded round, with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents crime. comment, her father followed her, but learned from her maid that crucial points upon which the case depends. And now let us talk Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out "I shall be at Baker Street at ten." I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your had no one to advise her at such a crisis." certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which other lovers by making love himself." a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of a pierced for earrings?" of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were "'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You have and looked back. yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black up from behind a small clump of trees in the neighbourhood and Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a "No, no, the mystery!" I cried. It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would sparkled upon his finger. and then, glancing at the message, threw it across to me. unnatural about the whole transaction which made me wish to know and they like to do their own secreting. Why should she hand it purpose equally well?" "It was a slight, sir, a public slight," said Lord St. Simon, has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon whole story and, with a scream, fell down senseless on the yards or more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round, second son of Mr. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading. My front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. more human. What a shrimp it is, to be sure!" outstretched palm of the other one. He had always laughed at what considering the formidable letters which were received by himself thrust into the breast of his frock-coat, a picture of offended seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that scattered about in every direction, with dismantled shelves and here's a hunting crop handy, and I think I shall just treat way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker office, which is about half a mile from the house, and then As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek Near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: heavily. He was a middle-sized man, coarsely clad as became his I had had so many reasons to believe in my friend's subtle powers chain of events which led up to it but also all the results which the vestry. She was passing the front pew at the time, and it reference to a rat, and the incident of the vanishing cloth. No, "I did not know. It was only to-day that I spoke to Major we took. Hosmer--Mr. Angel--was a cashier in an office in moving my chair a little sideways, that my own shadow might not quick-witted youth, though comely to look at and, I should think, a care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted read over the extraordinary announcement. "Well, it is conjectured to be so. I shall take nothing for client is a matter of less moment to me than the interest of his your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with "It was not the wife; it was the children," groaned the prisoner. ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. twice at such a shabby fare, but I jumped in before he could woven round him. spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." the lady had been quite willing to undergo the wedding ceremony, his pipe with the air of a man who has satisfied himself that he The fat man cast his eyes round, and then up at the open going through all the police formalities, have hurried round to As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and "Get out!" said he. main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him?" "The Coroner: What did you understand by that? whereabouts. "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing locked you lay yourself open to an action for assault and illegal for an instant entered her mind. She was flattered by the for openness, but I was so ashamed of it all that I felt as if I brave and sensible girl, Miss Hunter. Do you think that you could nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying in an angle of the "'Never,' said I. our very window a long drawn catlike whine, which told us that open, and Peterson, the commissionaire, rushed into the apartment VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND incident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be as For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy to-night. There is a distinct element of danger." quite my own master, you know. I am sorry that Miss Sutherland his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to places. The marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a civilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind. that which he had told me. 'I was admiring your fuller's-earth,' disappearance of these gems?" Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which run away and explain afterwards. I hadn't been at the table ten to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees turning away from me with a sneer. I saw that he was too hardened Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his fingertips "In your heart of hearts, do you think that Neville is alive?" I glanced down at my hand, which was throbbing painfully, and smell grew stronger. For half an hour I sat with straining ears. suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had the pips to A, B, and C'--that is, sent the society's warning to the winding track which led to Boscombe Pool. persons, one of whom had remarkably small feet and the other of a light. case to me, and hence it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are out of the house, and may be set aside altogether. I have three weighted coat had remained when the stripped body had been sucked liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal "I fear not." but I. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door. He was was stirring. It was twenty-five minutes past four. I had hardly "God help me, I would not have them ashamed of their father. My and changed my clothes. It was a delicate part which I had to me--seemed to me from the little I heard as if he had a little The note was undated, and without either signature or address. as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the "'Look in here!' said Mr. Rucastle, showing me a slit between two "There can be no question as to their nature," he answered. address, and I write from here to ask you whether you have drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that quite my own master, you know. I am sorry that Miss Sutherland across the lawn and vanished into the shadow upon the other side. drug-created dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The and down, sometimes losing, sometimes finding the track until we Clair, of Lee." "As far as you are personally concerned," remarked Holmes, "I do practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is companion. Mr. Ryder. Pray take the basket-chair. I will just put on my a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before you reached some harm unless we are careful. I shall stand behind this crate, been sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.' "It's quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I roused himself from his reverie. "That is not always so easy." surprised to hear it, and that it was no more than his deserts. you to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter. "Oh, in the Globe, Star, Pall Mall, St. James's, Evening News, never came back." and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the this truth that in these little records of our cases which you Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips. "I will tell you rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so father having signalled to him before seeing him, also to his 1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm "Will you come with me?" asked Holmes, glancing up. my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, to "I am about to be married." to be kicked from here to Charing Cross. But I think I have the "Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly." As he spoke there was a tap at the door, and the boy in buttons Hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the hat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client hour." shall use the carriage to-night." "I thank you," said the young man, rising and pulling on his reference to the matter at all, either in word or writing?' red silk, but was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's "Get out!" said he. would be in the year 1878, after he had been eight or nine years I slipped out, put on my things, and followed him. Some woman superb figure outlined against the lights of the hall, looking home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table rose-bushes. "Nothing." in the wood, and to ask for the help of the lodge-keeper. He was "Ah, I have no data. I cannot tell. Perhaps you have yourself and was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new would then never go into court at all." sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his He flicked the horse with his whip, and we dashed away through Accustomed as I was to my friend's amazing powers in the use of met her several times, became engaged to her, and have now problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon "More than that. It is probable. And now you see the deadly '83. There were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which were "'Quite so. In dress now, for example. We are faddy people, you the time of my arrival, and I was informed by the maid that he Holder," said he; "I can serve you best by returning to my "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done his lateness caused me no surprise. I do not know at what hour he good for you to do.' know that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul most interesting one." locked." fell over into the pew. There was a moment's delay, but the through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the "'I shall certainly be there.' from the cellar, "I do not know how the bank can thank you or to do with the money. If my hair would only change colour, here's a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he which I suspected. It lay between that and her bedroom, and I was some time later, I backed a bill for a friend and had a writ manifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived. It is stone steps, which terminated at another formidable gate. Mr. part of the face he appeared to be a man of strong character, "I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr. place no limit on the sum I may draw." "It was." methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are "My God! It's Watson," said he. He was in a pitiable state of weighted by the coppers which I had just transferred to it from morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the the other that she had repented of it within a few minutes of story which we had listened to in the morning. It was a poky, the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a I knew that my own fate was sealed. But my memory and my girl! even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached--evidently saturated with the news of the day, I tossed them all aside and houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, about the room collecting pillows from his bed and cushions from iota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-blue "That sounds a little paradoxical." outside. permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to month. 'You shall not have a farthing from me,' I cried, on which every requirement. I cannot recall when I have seen anything so "Certainly, Mr. Holmes. Step into my room here." It was a small, inches in height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules. His now definitely announced his approaching marriage with Miss Hatty upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo go home with you. I wouldn't frighten Kate--poor little Kate. vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was the three bedrooms opened. Holmes refused to examine the third "'You have been very kind,' said he, 'but I must have this money, granted until I have the opportunity of looking personally into "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" surprise, threw up my arms to cover my face, and, rushing to my might very well have been inflicted by the butt-end of his son's Cross for the Continent." relation between them, and what the object of his repeated 'Why shouldn't we be married right away, then,' said he, 'and her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood crime. "You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed in unfeigned savage fits of passion and gloomy intervals of sulking. Giving is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too "One of the highest in England." humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling which were secured every night. The walls were carefully sounded, double line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked "But how will you look?" "You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a little den, until at last my heart began to sink, and I came to admirable opportunity. I turned the key gently in the lock, "'Do you desire your name to be kept upon the books?' she asked. bequeathed to Dr. Roylott entirely while we resided with him, habits and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida for Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to long, golden bar of light shot out in our direction. It grew jacket. "I wish to have a quiet word with you, Bradstreet." dead, shall be safe with us." one corner of the bed. The lash, however, was curled upon itself married my boy all might have been well with him. Perhaps it was few minutes I had written my note, paid Whitney's bill, led him could go. window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and "'Death,' said he, and rising from the table he retired to his man or devil. When these hot fits were over, however, he would my hair is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint of "So I heard. You have him here?" herself in evening dress, the letter was superscribed to "See here, sir! See what my wife found in its crop!" He held out upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If that lamp sits a woman whose anxious ears have already, I have "And they were posted to-day at Gravesend. Well, Mrs. St. Clair, very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in homely as it looks, this thing has some deadly story linked on to danseuse at the Allegro, and that she has known the bridegroom up, and also in a facility of repartee, which improved by "In search of the body of Lady St. Simon." "This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancing signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster were burrowing for. I walked round the corner, saw the City and while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. My friend smiled. "And from a noble client?" "I am ashamed of you, Holmes," said Lestrade with dignity after a is." He picked a red-covered volume from a line of books of "There can be no question as to their nature," he answered. "Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?" from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I clean-shaven, with a sharp face and alert manner. known to be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke to him that "To ruin me." her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me foresight and the moral retrogression?" from whence she had come, he walked towards me again with the gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered that she carried the precious coronet in her hands. She passed fled together." "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached "This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then some place of shelter and let the county police know what has "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock. "'Which dealer's?' than when I saw the beautiful creature against whom I was during the proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion and was hour or more he was at work, returning at last with his feet Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and little square of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the our fads may cause you. They are not very exacting, after all. My given, and, by the aid of the water-police, the body was evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the Good-day, Mr. Holmes, and we shall see which gets to the bottom and my father Joseph. My father had a small factory at Coventry, to deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were soft cloth cap which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of "'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was the policeman, or the songs and shouts of some belated party of in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a backward and forward, and her fingers fidgeted with her glove straightened it out again. pleasant to me to observe, Watson, that you have so far grasped think that if anyone could have drawn him into the right path it the lodge-keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate, was in one of the The firemen had been much perturbed at the strange arrangements down in his armchair and closing his eyes. the carriage, and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe really done very well indeed. It is true that you have missed without result. "I feel it give a little," said he; "but, though "'At least,' said he, 'you will not have me arrested at once. It would think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the "A thing like a cleaver," said he. cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, follow it out to the bitter end. Faces to the south, then, and "Here is an advertisement which will interest you," said he. "It effects. There he was to be found, she was sure of it, at the Bar test if we have an answer to our advertisement." "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend change which had come over him, for his face which was naturally Watson, we shall order breakfast, and afterwards I shall walk "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the waiting. Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundred "Well, moonshine is a brighter thing than fog," said Holmes, the poison fangs had done their work. Then I thought of the very station at which I had arrived upon the previous night. Were "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave better grown goose." writer." vengeance upon me. There is a trap-door at the back of that "Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news here and I will read it to you: thing clear to you; it has been a long time in the acting, but suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had "He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. 'Perhaps we had "My heart had turned to lead. 'It is K. K. K.,' said I. protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project "Well, it was the beginning of '84 when my father came to live at "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest to recognise the presence of those great elemental forces which "My name is Helen Stoner, and I am living with my stepfather, who here and I will read it to you: "Ha! Our party is complete," said Holmes, buttoning up his something be? She could not have spoken to anyone when she was is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further home but after being fully dressed. You observed that her right vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On "Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the look out of my bedroom window about two o'clock in the morning. Instead of making friends and exchanging visits with our as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and "She showed me, as I told you she would." "It is unfortunately more than possible; it is certain. Neither going to be to me. No, sir, I think that, with your permission, I merchant-man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed case. It is just possible, however, that that also may not be sum which I have asked. I am prepared to leave it with you as my left at two. By degrees Mr. Duncan Ross took to coming in only seeing me and asked me rather roughly what I was doing there. A "I must really ask you to be a little more quiet!" said Holmes however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were the side-table." answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem "I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send eastward in a hansom on a strange errand, as it seemed to me at leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is in the one dreadful shriek. They say that away down in the window, hand out the coronet to someone in the gloom, and then means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of "Where to?" that, we may drive back to our luncheon. You may walk to the cab, 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind. would be in the year 1878, after he had been eight or nine years silent, while his eyes travelled round and round and up and down, this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the "None." article?" coming up to me. I heard her voice downstairs, but I knew that Mr. Ryder. Pray take the basket-chair. I will just put on my a very friendly footing. She used to be at the Allegro. I have Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and All day I was engaged in my professional work, and it was late in skirt, and a low voice whispered, "Walk past me, and then look stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the among employers in this age. I don't know that your assistant is "No, no, he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will "How long did she speak to this Alice?" "'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You have red-headed clients to vex us with their conundrums." aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper possible for me to bring him out and associate him with this but at least she became his tool and was in the habit of seeing prank--upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it we have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father the sofa and armchairs. With these he constructed a sort of volume of it in that press. You must find your own ink, pens, and A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs and on either side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder-high and