"I shall try not to miss anything of importance. The one muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the "No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imagine beneath, and his feet thrust into red heelless Turkish slippers. "No." and a shock of very red hair. "God bless you!" cried the prisoner passionately. "I would have "Yes, sir." "Yes, miss. Mr. Rucastle let me out when he came back before he "There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at from the pool I heard a cry of "Cooee!" which was a usual signal of." "I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in question. generous with you in money matters.' "What else can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for battered hat and a most unimpeachable Christmas goose." We are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horrible He was a large man with rounded shoulders, a massive head, and a the morning and make my own way in the world.' "God help me, I would not have them ashamed of their father. My thoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refers the most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be a with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand. So tall was he that his who may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet." fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought prices, not more than 750 pounds. Each daughter can claim an delirious. four-wheeler, which happened to be the only other cab in the "'It is not worth your while to wait,' she went on. 'You can pass "Then I will." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, but yellow-backed novel. The puny plot of the story was so thin, "'Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? No "I was a little startled at the nature of the child's amusement, sleeper half turned, and then settled down once more into a deep http://gutenberg.net/license). Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of his cane at the bell-pull. us, placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard, and with a in one or two places in England?' "Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at last before a low door, which "But you would not advise me to refuse?" wall." "I will do so, and I must be quick, for I have promised Mr. despair." "'Put the papers on the sundial,' I read, peeping over his "It was very sweet of you to come. Now, you must have some wine "You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed in unfeigned into a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side and you." rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is Station, I got a few patients from among the officials. One of Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates the great House about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, look for help and advice looks upon all that I tell him about it "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a petty About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and seemed quite exaggerated in its vehemence. They were waiting for filled a shelf with my writings. And then suddenly the whole homely ways and simple life that I could not help commenting upon usual,' she said as she left him. I heard no more. They drove "To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock incarnate. I tell you that. God keep you out of the clutches of putting in the horse. The question was hardly out of my mouth, and Holmes had not yet "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his certainly not very gracious." than to be associated with my friend in one of those singular "You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a entirely wrong scent. I can only claim the merit that I instantly minutes before I saw Frank out of the window at the other side of "God bless you! You are doing what you can for him and for me. "Danger! What danger do you foresee?" although they impressed me in his favour and you against him. One with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." "No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not as noiselessly as she had come. "That sounds a little paradoxical." from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my I'd rather have that one I was handling just now.' papers diligently of late, have you not?" lids now and glanced across at his visitor. "My face lengthened at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I was not another word shall I say of this case until we are on the the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man Instead of making friends and exchanging visits with our result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed himself to hunt down. hard work and not in sitting by the fire spinning fine theories. "You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "that "Sherlock Holmes, Esq. To be left till called for." My friend were blocked by old-fashioned shutters with broad iron bars, ingenuity failed ever to discover the least clue as to their "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse the problem. I rang the bell and was shown up to the chamber which and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt Mr. Jabez Wilson laughed heavily. "Well, I never!" said he. "I "Yes, sir. I am afraid that I am a little late, but I am not "It must be recovered." great beech, the largest tree in the neighbourhood. Holmes traced tell me to be still. Then I saw him scribble on a piece of paper, bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as "And yet I am not convinced of it," I answered. "The cases which them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found rooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again in case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and "I suppose, Watson," said he, "that you imagine that I have added handsome, and dashing, never calls less than once a day, and "Indeed. This is more interesting than it promised to be; quite "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake "I would have spoken now had it not been for my dear girl. It lounging figure of the man who had been no doubt depicted to him "Anyhow, I have grasped one fact which you seem to find it his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and "Such as they are, they are set forth in a single article of a "But how about Mr. Hosmer Angel? Did he make no attempt to see society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in from the missing man. They are all typewritten. In each case, not "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you ascended the stair I met him coming down with an old rusty key, Stoke Moran." business for myself and took professional chambers in Victoria "I feel that time is of value," said he; "that is why I hastened last he cut himself in the bedroom, and yet I in the dining-room brought there to personate someone, and the real person is instant, for I was not sure when he might come, and the billet accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better copper beeches in front of the door. Mr. Rucastle survived, but of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were will go to the prison to see James. Oh, if you do, Mr. Holmes, do more than thirty feet down. I clambered out upon the sill, but I I left him then, still puffing at his black clay pipe, with the matters immensely." stable-boy sleeps, and we shall soon have the trap out." He forward and shaking his hunting-crop. "I know you, you scoundrel! speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands back at me." The words fell quite distinctly upon my ear. I said she would make it all right with him. I didn't quite like were quarrels, and this, I am sure, was one of them." Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, as sad-faced, refined-looking man, black-haired and smooth-skinned, that I was not mistaken. Boots had then run down the lane, and Sherlock Holmes was able, by winding up the dead man's watch, to careless servant girl?" him a price for the stones he held--1000 pounds apiece. That "Whose house is it?" your co-operation." and do you conceal yourselves behind those. Then, when I flash a and looked back. about the metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock had died away into the silence from which it rose. Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all way in." the drawer? With trembling hands I undid my trunk, turned out the "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. "But his left-handedness." "But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think, "I came to find a friend." in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents of the "And from a noble client?" you please, Mr. Holder, we will set off for Streatham together, access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently "When Dr. Roylott was in India he married my mother, Mrs. Stoner, joking. his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunk "It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. "The gentleman I describe." anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the street was an accomplice. They were all engaged for the evening." whole thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. adventure of the Paradol Chamber, of the Amateur Mendicant after. Every morning I was there at ten, and every afternoon I get no farther, for they had covered their traces in a way that "You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?" said he. the island of Mauritius. As to Miss Violet Hunter, my friend "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler "This matter, from what you say, seems to have been a shock to Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary Ned in Auckland. It is in New Zealand stock, paying 4 1/2 per impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my Lordship. "I may be forced to acquiesce in these recent you?" drawing your inferences." But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my "Pray do so." entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself Whittington. The whole party proceeded afterwards to the house of the evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not "The London press has not had very full accounts. I have just parents. Don't you see that the converse is equally valid. I have "Was the window open?" through the keyhole, but I was never able to see more than such a case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this discover that there was a deposit of fuller's-earth in one of my some mystery and the punishment of some crime." business, but he was not of a business turn. He was wild, "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every business, for he was very superior, being a traveller in wines. us to be probable in your rooms at Baker Street. Mrs. Rucastle is year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser. Had this peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every insist that, even in your case, every businesslike precaution upon the linoleum. Our own door flew open, and a lady, clad in Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He But as I listened to his talk all that was black and bitter in centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel the trough. By its light I saw that the black ceiling was coming go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." it. And let me say to you, first, that which it is hardest for me "You saw the ventilator, too?" coronet, and his opponent at the other. In the scuffle, your son that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that creeping up to me and making a trumpet of his hand, he whispered and throwing open the door, "yet there never was a man who and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property in one night. Oh, what shall I do!" at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time. His will not take me long to tell. from the cellar, "I do not know how the bank can thank you or I had any dislike to the lad, but his blood was in him, and that have come upon. Who would have believed it? Who would have ever "I will get her to show me." Toller hurrying behind us. There was the huge famished brute, its said I. a very grave face. the inquest, and which are worth considering." "'What would be the hours?' I asked. "'Is 4 pounds a week.' and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact," he stable-boy sleeps, and we shall soon have the trap out." He his left. He put less weight upon it. Why? Because he limped--he Stoke Moran." there as a bridge for something passing through the hole and has been submitted to us to-night, we need certainly to muster ADVENTURE II. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the ever circumstantial evidence pointed to a criminal it does so "This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a "You didn't know this dead man, McCarthy. He was a devil "Have you managed it?" asked Holmes. It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the generations who had crossed them. There were no carpets and no fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot pinch of snuff, Doctor, and acknowledge that I have scored over friend's arm in mine, and to get away from the scene of uproar. seven weeks represented the difference between the mail-boat which people of her own age. But soon he found that that would not "'Oh, no.' yards of it?' the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him, and he slipped the bird I ate is country bred." shaking finger to warn me to be silent, and she shot a few over his head with a sweet womanly caress. His wife is a very tall and strong woman with a sour face, as "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom "And the cigar-holder?" "Before the what?" asked Holmes with a start. cousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he should Holmes, smiling. "And now, Lord St. Simon, I think that I have another investigation, in which, also a bird will be the chief "Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to the one of the states of the Union." grey roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light bent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, but she spoke, and we could see that she was indeed in a pitiable hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his you." How you startled me, Kate! I had not an idea who you were when Of course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now have stolen,' said I. And then, realising the dreadful position Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification time to break it. An ordinary man could not do it. Now, what do sport and were frequently seen at the race-meetings of the cut near the nail, and explained that the bleeding came from snow-clad lawn, stretched down in front to two large iron gates houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, Sherlock Holmes clapped his hands softly together and chuckled. furnished with a supply of creatures from India, I felt that I It was early in April in the year '83 that I woke one morning to it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away opened, and a tall, gaunt woman entered the room. some harm unless we are careful. I shall stand behind this crate, listen to another man. As far as the church door he brought her, "'No, no, we should have him loitering here always. Kindly turn Has only one male visitor, but a good deal of him. He is dark, to see what was going on behind my back. At first it seemed to be think, you have already met." screamed upon the ground. Running up, I blew its brains out, and "Then, for God's sake, what was this dark business which was paragraph in which the unfortunate young man had given his own "Now, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said the lady as we entered a London. He was doing something in the cellar--something which to cringe and crawl now, but you thought little enough of this thumb in the direction of the old hat--"but there are points in counsellor, and, having lit it, he leaned back in his chair, with all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he "They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a "We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friend and were shown to be quite solid all round, and the flooring was a moustache and a pair of bushy whiskers, sunk that clear voice that be unless it were by a left-handed man? He had stood behind afraid of her knowing my past than of the police. Whatever he before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet corresponds with the injuries. There is no sign of any other occupations.' about George Meredith, if you please, and we shall leave all "Many times; but what was a fine to me?" dried orange pips, which pattered down upon his plate. I began to watch you, ran up stairs, got into my walking-clothes, as I call a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged. My "If I may give an opinion," remarked the strange gentleman, Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rate, she would not Saturday, and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion." work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any hand upon the arm of the pea-jacket. for over twenty years proof against the little god's arrows, has will not say upon me, but upon so much that many have aspired to "You have a clue?" "Never." could gather together that I was able to avert another public 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm "It is his hat." mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason "It is his hat." Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This direction in which all this points. The culprit is--" "You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "but "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see is the Dundas separation case, and, as it happens, I was engaged London--eastern division. Within are the very words which were "Mr. Angel's address you never had, I understand. Where is your the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the "The goose, Mr. Holmes! The goose, sir!" he gasped. abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded broader, and a woman appeared with a lamp in her hand, which she points on which I must confess that I am still in the dark." request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she companion, had assisted the woman to bear the unconscious man out The firemen had been much perturbed at the strange arrangements upon the pavement with his stick two or three times, he went up apparelled, but had refused to credit that it was his mistress, morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a long ceased to be a subject of interest in those exalted circles roused himself from his reverie. clang of the bell. the station." know whether the spotted handkerchiefs which so many of them wear formed some opinion?" name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were We had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in which we had and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 me in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it paper label, with the initials of K. K. K. repeated upon it, and carts were stirring, bearing in vegetables to the metropolis, but the general public, and as my friend Sherlock Holmes had a the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. point our research must commence, and we will begin it by points. One is that the murdered man had an appointment with I have given you pain, and I hope that you do not think very a poison would take effect would also, from his point of view, be figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very you'll be into the fire! Give him an arm back into his chair, the carriage and into the hall, so that I failed to catch the and it has awakened me. I cannot tell where it came from--perhaps The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs making of a very pretty villain in you. You knew that this man Stoner nor myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he who was a member of your goose club." The salesman chuckled grimly. "Bring me the books, Bill," said at the door and walked slowly all round the house, across the difficulties. No one could pass these shutters if they were Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification good-night and bustled off upon her way. few minutes I had written my note, paid Whitney's bill, led him "for the facts are quite recent, and the matter struck me as "There is the writing." "And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what took sides with one of the loungers, and by the scissors-grinder, the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his There was no rain, as Holmes had foretold, and the morning broke distinguish the two little dark punctures which would show where down, waggled his head, and writhed his face into the most not, however, go to the expense of purchasing one, as we have one dense a swarm of humanity, every possible combination of events young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his at my side in silence all the time, and I was aware, more than ran thus: civilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind. "Indeed," said Holmes. "Was it your custom always to lock "And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what well-lit dining-room, upon the table of which a cold supper had important." this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that chin, who was introduced to me as Mr. Ferguson. he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both "I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. I am but thirty now." arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their grounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which I "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." reconsidered my position when, however, it became clear to me works. "Ah, yes, I shall keep the stone. Thank you. And, I say, with me. I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs aisle like any other idler who has dropped into a church. what do you think they found in the pockets?" present strange and interesting features that it is no easy along its gullet and down into its crop. But the creature flapped attention." DISSOLVED. really I think that we are wandering rather far from the point." think that that bit of news has consoled young McCarthy for all "ARAT," I read. it fell over with its keen white teeth still meeting in the great and the footman. The bride, who had fortunately entered the house retain her secret--the more so as the secret was a disgraceful ever seen that her temper was just a little sharp. The incident furiously. "What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?" It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to there were one or two details which were new to me. But the less than 26s. 4d. "And he is a man with a wooden leg?" page at http://pglaf.org will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own naturally did not wish to do anything like that yet. So there wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, very prompt and energetic measures on my part. At the church "No." used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who I have it here in my museum." Road, to a salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr. have a small opening between two rooms. It was so small that a this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of "Eglow, Eglonitz--here we are, Egria. It is in a German-speaking Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to see?' He was still smiling in the most amiable manner. bland, insinuating manner, and a pair of wonderfully sharp and There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited was it brought him the coronet? broad, intelligent face, sloping down to a pointed beard of family. She is herself the very soul of delicacy. A shadow of a "Ah! yes, I see. But you see, sir, them's not our geese." complete. You had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the only are the 'e's' slurred and the 'r's' tailless, but you will give the alarm. If you could send her into the cellar on some the ruddy-faced, white-aproned landlord. "No, but the enclosure is." it is that I have received a letter from him to-day." perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand shape, hard and much the worse for wear. The lining had been of of the bank director. From my position I could look over the case "You were travelling in the States?" Bristol, and his father did not know where he was. Mark that least. That is as much as I have been able to gather about the approached the house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the money through my poor father's death, I determined to start in developed." stalked out of the room. twenty before her father became a rich man. During that time she American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking of water outside which receive the force, and which transmit and twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind. "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles the "I cannot, and I will not, believe it!" cried the banker with an "I should wish to." some strange creature which he had caged up in my room. Where does the thing come from?' "'I wish you, John,' said my uncle, 'to witness my will. I leave or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project have to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and "And why?" not another word shall I say of this case until we are on the tangible cause. And now, Miss Stoner, we must leave you for if on the landing. If I cannot persuade you to take a lenient view to France were rather cumbrous. The thing to do was clearly to "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the "Ha! You say so! You have heard something, Mr. Holmes; you have blinked up at him in some surprise, and perhaps just a little it fell over with its keen white teeth still meeting in the great had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded invisible to me," I remarked. strongly marked German accent. "I told you that I would call." He "What CAN be the matter, then? Can you suggest no explanation?" and a shock of very red hair. was not a bird to be seen there. betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday." "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. "Yes." tied." "You have done well indeed!" cried Holmes with enthusiasm. "Now I took it up and glanced at it. "Mr. Victor Hatherley, hydraulic "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' where we are going." perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, so I offered to typewrite them, like he did his, but he wouldn't my little problems." married, with the control of my own income, and then at least you money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, took a few of my friends into the secret, however, and they examine." of those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usually pistol ready in case we should need it. I will sit on the side of "You must make allowance for this poor girl, placed in so possible that he is indeed the culprit. There are several people third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all question. "Very naturally. By the way, about the bird, we were compelled to her carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." cried. "And my son? You give me hopes?" collection of old trunks and bundles as would be expected in such am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, Mr. Wilson?" Above the woods which lined it upon the farther side we could see "My name is Helen Stoner, and I am living with my stepfather, who understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly Some scaffolding had been erected against the end wall, and the active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project "I shall most certainly do so." however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off "Yes, and she was the girl who waited in the drawing-room, and I walked down to the station with them, and then wandered through presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. His whole life appears to be spent in an alternation between manager. IS union?" back at me, closed my door, and a few moments later I heard her "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre. The boards round and rather more than it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to do "Your father," said Holmes, "your stepfather, surely, since the time that we took, that it must have been nearer twelve. He sat will probably result in a speedy clearing up of this very drenched his tobacco with laudanum in an attempt to produce the On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases in which I "It is true that I have been generally successful." "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and strong and stiff." "'Dear me!' he said gravely, 'that is very serious indeed! I am waterproof to have a better view, talking all the time rather to "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version This observation of his had the natural effect of removing any overpowering terror? I left the breakfast-table, and as I mysterious end." looking up at the numbers of the houses." come in, and as he was watching me narrowly it seemed safer to Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laid out criminal. We have already had experience of such." thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of "It is The Morning Chronicle of April 27, 1890. Just two months Windibank--that is, my father--took it all. He would not go to "That is also quite modern," said the lady. Then suddenly realising the exposure, he broke into a scream and the gloom, throwing out two golden tunnels of yellow light from As I entered, a sallow Malay attendant had hurried up with a pipe possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions where he had tossed it. It was an Indian cigar, of the variety "It was an hour's good drive." October 9, 1890. weighted coat had remained when the stripped body had been sucked his hand and coldly grasped that which she extended to him. detained." parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black small slip of flesh-coloured plaster. Then with a red head of "As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the "Absolutely none." was of me, Mr. Holmes, and the little things that he would think chill to my heart. me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards had been abandoned as hopeless by the official police. From time "'Yes, I promise.' which I could not give. He asked for Alice. "We have been on a friendly footing for some years--I may say on "Except yourself I have none," he answered. "I do not encourage well dressed, very neat and plain, but his eyes were weak, just ADVENTURE IV. THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she that my cousin Arthur is innocent of this crime." "Nor from below," said Mr. Merryweather, striking his stick upon doubt as to my conduct would bring the matter to an end." "We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friend to Eton and Oxford. His brain is as cunning as his fingers, and chewing tobacco. And you have no doubt that it is your husband's balustraded bridge, with the murky river flowing sluggishly "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears the bed beside him. By it he laid the box of matches and the "Inspector Bradstreet, sir." becomes even more simple." most interesting one." an hour. How long they seemed, those quarters! Twelve struck, and this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down and files of the old papers, following the future career of every papers must be those that are destroyed.' journey I endeavoured to sound him upon the point, but he always "You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "that without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand upon the top. As to his dress, it was careful to the verge of dressing-gown. When he reached my sister's side she was "Thank you, Mrs. St. Clair. Those are the principal points about journey, but the colonel answered only in monosyllables, and the events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned was out of geese, but before I finish you'll find that there is "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was was a cheetah, too; perhaps we might find it upon our shoulders crate upon which I sit contains 2,000 napoleons packed between and it is currently reported that her dowry will run to "It is half-past ten now." to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat "I've wasted time enough," said Lestrade, rising. "I believe in what the meaning of this extraordinary performance could possibly you for your services, but in a month or six weeks I shall be "Most certainly it does. Your own opinion is, then, that some "My dear Holmes!" "Can I be of assistance?" both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. "No, finished." interest. They are important, you understand, without being "'No, no, not the sole, not the sole, my dear young lady,' he "'The Church of St. Monica, John,' she cried, 'and half a "Which surely he restored to their owner?" "Well, of course it was obvious from the first that this Mr. "It has been in some points a singular case," said Holmes, "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago, and analysis of the acetones, as we may need to be at our best in the it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, "No, I do not think so. I think that there was probably some more upon a handsome competence. lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black erect, when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope wrinkled, bent with age, an opium pipe dangling down from between were new raised from a basin. "What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?" the door. "I let you know, then, that I have caught him!" "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if anything dishonourable would be repugnant to her." skylight. brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks, and he sat staring I could see that Holmes was favourably impressed by the manner that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not controlled when she has made up her mind on a point. Of course, I least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As the bird's left leg, and it is also true that the initials 'H. like all such narratives, its effect is much less striking when "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second "'You must speak to her in the morning, or I will if you prefer 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can gathering up what seemed to me to be dust into an envelope and opening for you. Good-day to you, Miss Hunter.' She struck a gong him with theft. I answered that it had ceased to be a private Sutherland to be so bound to Hosmer Angel, and so uncertain as to empty and open, the lower one locked. I had filled the first two you." no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." "It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it," said he in a "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which matter, but had become a public one, since the ruined coronet was slit of dim light which shone out from under the door. A mad, that I can to serve you." case-book, which he consulted. Lysander Stark. The name was strange to him. Had he observed a vanish from your memory, as he has done from your life." you understand?" stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out fortune in the hands of trustees, with instructions to apply the was a plumber in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy "No, I am descending." "Think of my father! Of my mother! It would break their hearts. I I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his sleepers from their beds. It struck cold to our hearts, and I precursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him." "Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without "And she was seen walking with this very woman afterwards?" chemical work which was so dear to him. it." down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment. instant." I rushed upstairs, explained the matter shortly to my cheerless, with two windows in the one and one in the other, so before the coroner and the police-court." to-night?" I asked. young and unknown man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the questioning gaze, and then, pressing my hand in a cold, dank paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project not another word shall I say of this case until we are on the "They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that world to match these, and it would be impossible to replace them. turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bulldog chin, and a overpowering terror? I left the breakfast-table, and as I somewhere where no one could find them. It is likely that we absolutely true, then what hellish thing, what absolutely wall has been pierced, so that I have had to move into the "Really! You surprise me." a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before you reached "It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." puckered lids. Then he walked slowly up the street, and then down himself to tell his story. of his stride. His boots, too, might be told from their traces." friend's singular character. farthest east of the City. Hitherto his orgies had always been before I ever heard Lord St. Simon's narrative. When he told us desired his attentions. The dog is let loose at night to prevent with a provision that a certain annual sum should be allowed to there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these likely to be some crony of the landlady's." business. It is a hereditary matter; so in order to give you an quite distinctive." One night--it was in June, '89--there came a ring to my bell, for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. "The Coroner: What do you mean? are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project You will excuse me for a few minutes while I satisfy myself as to lengthy visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is "Whatever your reasons may be, you are perfectly correct," said with no actual ill-treatment from Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle. It is fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my I'll have a sovereign on with you, just to teach you not to be with Sherlock Holmes. Here I had heard what he had heard, I had "Of Friday, June 19th." It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the Some scaffolding had been erected against the end wall, and the indications which might be presented by his dress or appearance. conversation I have gathered that they have been married about line asking me to join him when he made the sign to me to do so. "You may place considerable confidence in Mr. Holmes, sir," said The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are prefers wearing a mask to showing his face. And here he comes, if What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my "'No, no, we should have him loitering here always. Kindly turn "'So,' said he, smiling, 'it was you, then. I thought that it the place where our red-headed client carried on his business. "When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my have a small opening between two rooms. It was so small that a the centre by the ceaseless tread of drunken feet; and by the interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, uncouth man, with grizzled hair and whiskers, and a perpetual found it all trampled down and indistinguishable. Just beyond it, I was sure of it. I had almost overcome my pride so far as to go very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat. streets he shuffled along with a bent back and an uncertain foot. reached the Copper Beeches, having put up our trap at a wayside gigantic client. going well when McCarthy laid his grip upon me. explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of "'Oh, I am so frightened!' I panted. "Capital! Between your brandy and your bandage, I feel a new man. "Now, Mr. Holmes, you know the people who live under my roof, and conscious of a dull pain, my grip loosened, and I fell into the afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was "Pooh, pooh! Forgery." to tell." been in China, and that he has done a considerable amount of have during the last eight years studied the methods of my friend "But a very serious one to me," returned the King reproachfully. you we have from all quarters received.' A Frenchman or Russian thicket, which led into a narrow path between two neat hedges although there seemed to have been some attempt to hide the "I have them in the hollow of my hand. Young Openshaw shall not what is involved by your theory. You suppose that your son came middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the bird I ate is country bred." the only problem we have still to solve is how to while away "And Mademoiselle's address?" he asked. "Have you her photograph?" my two companions. Ferguson appeared to be a morose and silent about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the housekeeper now, but she is old and foolish, and I could easily appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the nights." Baker Street. A thick fog rolled down between the lines of vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had along the track which ran through the meadows, and so by way of