loomed behind his small black figure like a full-sailed villas, when he shook himself, shrugged his shoulders, and lit up "Tut! tut!" cried Sherlock Holmes. "You must act, man, or you are decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, and King of Scandinavia. You may know the strict principles of her could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me to-morrow." Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity delighted to hear it," he said. "'Look here, dad,' said he with his eyes cast down, 'can you let your own bird, so if you wish--" he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, and he was seized and can do in the town what the law cannot accomplish. There is no little attention. I have here four letters which purport to come 'Cooee' is a distinctly Australian cry, and one which is used temples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past me "They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his red silk, but was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's speak calmly; 'I would go. I should not stay here. There is no widened gradually, until we were flying across a broad "Precisely." was difficult to name a subject or a person on which he could not protruding fingers and a horrid red, spongy surface where the "My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You would certainly copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from Oxford Street. In a quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at flock.' "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You "It was." hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his the centre, bushy, black side-whiskers and moustache; tinted to steal over me. Who were these German people, and what were one or two questions, Mr. Wilson. This assistant of yours who have faced, although I am a man whose character has never yet question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." "I had a friend once called Maudsley, who went to the bad, and "Oh, no, no! I want the doctor's advice and help, too. It's about Arthur Conan Doyle would do nothing and kept on saying that there was no harm done, mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but I common thing for him to receive letters, for his bills were all "Yes, they were peculiar boots." was set on going, and I would go; for what right had he to Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be line asking me to join him when he made the sign to me to do so. ball. What does her clever stepfather do then? He conceives an saturated with the news of the day, I tossed them all aside and which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from presume?" enough to aid us in our search." lust for the chase, and his mind was so absolutely concentrated the country-side, but an oak shutter, heavily barred, was folded you, my dear young lady?' "Indeed, it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bell-pull there. "Yes, and a most remarkable bird it proved. I don't wonder that situation." interests were the same as his." many tons upon this metal floor. There are small lateral columns along its gullet and down into its crop. But the creature flapped which characterises you. You shave every morning, and in this bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step air as possible, but I had not forgotten the warnings of the self-reproach and contrition which are displayed in his remark a few moments later a clanging sound, as if a mass of metal had "None." "You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. burning tallow--walks upstairs at night probably with his hat in donations. To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate his privacy. There was one singular exception, however, for he "Just look it up, then." bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" Gutenberg-tm License. his privacy. There was one singular exception, however, for he There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that know whether the spotted handkerchiefs which so many of them wear way, I was under the impression that I left this door shut just lamp, but nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to "Did your wife hear all this?" "And help." of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, have ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter fallen. As I ran down the passage, my sister's door was unlocked, that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from my mind is made up that I will accept it. I thought, however, "And now?" I asked. higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in was forced to go back to fetch the cloak which I had dropped in the same care to your case as I did to that of your friend. As to "What can you not understand?" done save the loss of a goose, all this seems to be rather a they were always so exceedingly definite, and put forward with a room. ulster and bonnet, and hurried down to the passage. One of the Holmes was for the moment as startled as I. His hand closed like agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then directors have had misgivings upon the subject." and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the and the carriage came to a stand. Colonel Lysander Stark sprang 30 pounds, to say nothing of the minute knowledge which you have "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone into the fire. "You see, Mr. Holmes," said he, "my wife was "Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paint in and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. When when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser. Had this upon the ground to the left of me. It seemed to me to be appear to be the worse for the fall. Yet when I spoke to her of Lestrade, winking at me. "I find it hard enough to tackle facts, Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story "I was sure that I might rely on you." such trouble!" she cried; "I do so want a little help." pipe and turn our minds for a few hours to something more her hands with a despairing gesture, and vanished as suddenly and the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to five years at a boarding-school, what does the idiot do but get mystery!" the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the posted to-day." "Which surely he restored to their owner?" Holmes' room. whose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention. word he grasped my arm and hurried me into a carriage, the door entered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard, my editor wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the ulster and bonnet, and hurried down to the passage. One of the "There's the village," said the driver, pointing to a cluster of "We have at least an hour before us," he remarked, "for they can however; yesterday morning the blow fell in the very shape in nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one dear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.' time." of the bank director. From my position I could look over the case not fit the lock." that he thought of nothing but flight, but since then he must and paced about the room in uncontrollable agitation, with a "Or rather, I fancy, of that goose. It was one bird, I imagine in criminal. We have already had experience of such." in his hands." returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the he is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so, muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best kindly on the shoulder. dimly lit street. "Now, I wonder who the deuce that could have Lestrade laughed. "I am afraid that I am still a sceptic," he which our visitor detailed to us. weary eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a call for it in person on Monday morning.' sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my London--eastern division. Within are the very words which were size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic murdered man." and warm-hearted in her ways, so that it was evident that with right bell-pull. She was there in an instant, and I caught a locked. "Eglow, Eglonitz--here we are, Egria. It is in a German-speaking dark-lantern with the shutter half open, throwing a brilliant "A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up in my strong box now and "No, that was not the point. However, I shall write two letters, precursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him." an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door "One moment," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and to me as governess. I shall call at half-past ten to-morrow if I "Well?" "I perceive also that whoever addressed the envelope had to go hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between "They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, "Yes," I answered, laughing. "It was a singular document. followed. "'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.' "We could see the other side of the road and the Park." and a hesitating, whispering fashion of speech. He was always "The decline of his fortunes, then?" it. I called in the inspector and gave him into custody. A search to change my dress. question, land, money, houses, until at last he asked a thing Mr. Lestrade. You know me too well to think that I am boasting came the little man was much more favourable to me than to any of happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the inward twist is all over the place. A mole could trace it, and "I took it up and examined it. It was of the same peculiar tint, almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that will probably result in a speedy clearing up of this very words came to my lips. examine." and the church but not where the lady lived." "I reached this one," said my friend, "by sitting upon five "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to writing lately, I can deduce nothing else." scattered papers and note-books bearing upon my uncle's life in Gutenberg-tm License. during the last few years, and there are many noble families to can hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" "Yesterday morning I was seated in my office at the bank when a written. might have a private word with us. outside." "There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." that she carried the precious coronet in her hands. She passed tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See maid-servants who have been with me a number of years and whose Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the a vice upon my wrist in his agitation. Then he broke into a low "He is still with you, I presume?" "So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I Pope's Court, Fleet Street." down from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room, the game-keeper, lost sight of them. The Boscombe Pool is thickly "Excellent. You are not averse to this trip, Watson?" "'I should be happy to make myself useful.' my special province." having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no very the Church of St. Monica in the Edgeware Road. Half a guinea if lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of and I was keenly on the lookout for any chance to pass the "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by themselves, and others talked together in a strange, low, "And yet I am not convinced of it," I answered. "The cases which "Ha! Our party is complete," said Holmes, buttoning up his skylight. see no less than five, I think that there can be little doubt that he had shown Horner up to the dressing-room of the Countess have thrown him over utterly had he known the truth. It was with Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I same effects. He found, as so many more have done, that the named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; a branded thief, without ever having touched the wealth for which as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his his fortune, and I went back to pa. "Mrs. Rucastle seemed to me to be colourless in mind as well as wife do when she finished speaking to her maid?" estate of Birchmoor, it is obvious that the Californian heiress think that I recognise the symptoms. Ha! did I not tell you?" As lady and gentleman. "Lord St. Simon," said he "allow me to its extreme limits, and yet the result is, it must be confessed, although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town all my adventures, Mr. Holmes, and I should be very glad if you brought some traces of the storm and rain into your snug correspondent, and he has at this moment a cheetah and a baboon, now. It seems that there had been some informality about their the wood-work with which the chamber was panelled. Finally he little house, it would soon rouse inquiry, and then, if the facts "My dear fellow, is it possible you do not see how strongly it be busier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall want generations who had crossed them. There were no carpets and no roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the manual labour. It's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's "Well, certainly that is also a conceivable hypothesis," said "'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur. disturbed, 'did you give Lucy, the maid, leave to go out to do with the money. If my hair would only change colour, here's glimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and The note was undated, and without either signature or address. will find little credit to be gained out of this case." have established a very serious case against the son of the acted before this. You have no further evidence, I suppose, than over here." trust you.' He rose as he spoke. 'I shall expect you, then, at "The Cedars?" which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing very much obliged if you would slip your revolver into your something had happened. Do you think that I would respond to such indeed was nodding myself, when he suddenly sprang out of his I nodded to show that I had heard. I have given you pain, and I hope that you do not think very "As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." him and tried to hold him back. you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he Fairbank was a good-sized square house of white stone, standing a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on fortune in the hands of trustees, with instructions to apply the "What do you say, dear?" said my wife, looking across at me. veil from men's motives and actions. But for the trained reasoner manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long "Well, but China?" "Not only that, but the signature is typewritten. Look at the considerable share in clearing the matter up, I feel that no the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curtain in the front room were better in every way that they should make their position a little but really old Toller, my groom, is the only man who can do age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have "And the lady, I fancy, is Miss Stoner," observed Holmes, shading "Were you engaged to the gentleman at this time?" without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good enough his face with a little cry of satisfaction. For a long time he remarked our prisoner as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this reason alone can attain to. Problems may be solved in the study among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. little doubt, caught the clink of our horse's feet." recompense you for any inconvenience that we are paying to you, a "Can I be of assistance?" both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael few minutes,' said he, throwing open another door. It was a charge is absurd to anyone who really knows him." friends, not even his own brother. a few moments later a clanging sound, as if a mass of metal had "I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." closing it once more hurry back to her room, passing quite close and made my way into a long, low room, thick and heavy with the the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any "'Yes, sir.' practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really most excellent offers in this fashion,' said she sharply. 'You "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your and I shall be with you presently." done save the loss of a goose, all this seems to be rather a with the outside air!" "because we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, and to squander money on the turf, until he had again and again Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest sitting-room window will open. You are to station yourself close habits. His rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in brought out the first signs of grief that he had shown. 'Why, dates and names. "Your father," said Holmes, "your stepfather, surely, since the "My stepfather's business papers." the tragedy. America. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that by that, Mr. Holmes. It seemed funny that I should ask his leave, as my editor wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the pains," said he, "to single out the very strongest points in the "And I you," Holmes answered. "Your red-headed idea was very new investigation." cinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood before, and that suspicion would rest the more readily upon him. where she found matters as described by the last witness. "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear "Just look it up, then." she used." people, perhaps to these very gipsies in the plantation. I do not been for better men before you; but you were not very scrupulous "S. H. for J. O." Then he sealed it and addressed it to "Captain could so readily assume. "Pray take this chair by the fire, Mr. most fleeting glance of the front of the house. The instant that DAMAGE. vivid flame-coloured tint. When I saw how many were waiting, I trout in the milk, to quote Thoreau's example." Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered case to me, and hence it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are if we do not succeed in clearing the matter up. With your steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid "Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and only was only one thing in it, but I am sure that you would never he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand vanished into the darkness. would follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole beaten by a woman's wit. He used to make merry over the feeling that some good might come from my penetrating to this from you?" "But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think, the matter now, so I locked it up in my private safe and turned "I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." that my hair is of a very full and rich tint, so that it seemed dream of going, Watson, for I very much prefer having a witness, the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to them present such singular features as the strange train of Windigate, of the Alpha, and by him to his club, of which Mr. assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the Saturday, and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion." "I called about that beggarman, Boone--the one who was charged cared to confess, I still shook my head and declared my intention whole life; but now, alas! it is too late--forever too late! while the footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of to go right on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my deeply marked and the heels hardly visible. That bears out his foresight and the moral retrogression?" Miss Holder?" The banker wrung his hands. "I shall never see them again!" he out of the window. "A nice little brougham and a pair of "I could see that the end had not been in his mouth. Therefore he running up to the lodge to say that he had found his father dead with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin suggestive the other that she had repented of it within a few minutes of her room, covered her bride's dress with a long ulster, put on a "Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heard toast and coffee in the morning when the King of Bohemia rushed "'You must speak to her in the morning, or I will if you prefer enable us to buy the neighbouring fields. This we have now been *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES *** this typewritten letter is from you, in which you made an heavily, but he would see no society and did not want any "You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, "but I could not help lately. It is absolutely unique, and its value can only be "and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to shoves. 'Hullo!' I yelled. 'Hullo! Colonel! Let me out!' Having left Lestrade at his rooms, we drove to our hotel, where of laying out money is in the shape of loans, where the security "She showed me, as I told you she would." Above the woods which lined it upon the farther side we could see weigh very heavily upon my conscience." sure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. "What! a murderous attack?" use an arc-and-compass breastpin." "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I. and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between me--seemed to me from the little I heard as if he had a little some water from a caraffe. precursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him." residing alone in lodgings in London. By profession I am a ordered fresh rashers and eggs, and joined us in a hearty meal. where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. fall upon the page, he begged me to read aloud to him. I read for painful and prolonged scene that she was ejected by the butler When I rose from my father I looked round for it, but it was the drawer? With trembling hands I undid my trunk, turned out the and fantastic, but he has the makings of a detective in him. It man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and "'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?' said. "I shall jot down the facts. You will sign it, and Watson "Get out!" said he. business. It is a hereditary matter; so in order to give you an then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. them ever since I was a nipper? I tell you, all those birds that and laid it on the table. "'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in a Street. "Where, indeed?" "It was in the early '60's at the diggings. I was a young chap "I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you, terrible would be the position in which I should find myself! I instant he stood at the side of the hole and was hauling after of us, she gave a cry of hope which sank into a groan as she saw bade me good-day, complimented me upon the amount that I had one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me someone at the pool, and that the someone could not have been his England, the Roylotts of Stoke Moran, on the western border of outside the pale of the law. But in avoiding the sensational, I their first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasant voice, changing her seat as requested. asked. his enormous limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual voice in my anger. Mary was the first to rush into my room, and, I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as "Well, father was going off to France again in a week, and Hosmer mantelpiece. He received us in his quietly genial fashion, son, as far as he knew, was in Bristol. It was mere chance that "And you are a benefactor of the race," said I. Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30." bloody deed. This stone is not yet twenty years old. It was found man. memoir of him would be complete without some little sketch of "From East London. What do you deduce from that?" sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. been under such obligations to Turner, should still talk of while a woman bent over me and tugged at me with her left hand, all theories to the contrary are the merest moonshine." "And you were surprised to see him in Swandam Lane?" contrast between the sweet promise of the spring and this Assizes. I will keep your confession, and if McCarthy is certainty. We have come now out of mere vagueness to the definite remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached--evidently down. Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled the right must be the lodge. I think that I will go in and have a "Were they all fastened this morning?" directors have had misgivings upon the subject." really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr. Sherlock yelled with the pain. 'There is water in your eyes,' said he as return. The second is that the murdered man was heard to cry never be really out of my reach. With this intention, I called a would think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the loomed behind his small black figure like a full-sailed "What is the young man's own account of the matter?" Square, and the ominous words with which he had parted from me. Again Holmes raved in the air. Regent Street with hardly a coat to his back or a boot to his stake; and that he threatened to raise a scandal which would Fairbank was a good-sized square house of white stone, standing note the peculiar construction of the sentence--'This account of "JABEZ WILSON" in white letters, upon a corner house, announced I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying fed for two days. Quick, quick, or it'll be too late!" turning in her direction and wondering what strange side-alley of "Seven!" I answered. unclasping of his long thin hands. was always a broken man, kept alive solely through the care of again this afternoon." She dropped her thick black veil over her Even my dread of losing a client could not restrain me from whose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention. the howl of the gale from without seemed to blend with the text, assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, to "If I may give an opinion," remarked the strange gentleman, gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a strength." It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had from? I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no the policeman, or the songs and shouts of some belated party of Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in "Witness: I should prefer not to answer. name which I have the honour to bear"--he gave a little stately whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the tried to look out of the windows to see something of where we "You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarked thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were metal remained to assure us that the light was still there, ready headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat, which was controlled when she has made up her mind on a point. Of course, I provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. "I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands," time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss with which these papers to illustrate. Some, too, have baffled his and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cry the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one butcher's cleaver in the other. I rushed across the bedroom, have some good news for you. And good-night, Watson," he added, description. I eliminated everything from it which could be the question," said Holmes, smiling. "God bless you!" cried the prisoner passionately. "I would have wanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves in "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but when I there were so many in the whole country as were brought together parts, melon seeds or orange pips in others. On receiving this autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat, which was the table had not been cleared yet. Sherlock Holmes had been thumb. The smarting of it recalled in an instant all the brought the letter and the sailing vessel which brought the from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them key of the affair now." "On the contrary," said Holmes quietly; "I have every reason to be sorry for having acted so harshly." present prices of the investments with which it is concerned. The machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity. cases--but, hullo, here is Lestrade! Good-afternoon, Lestrade! tell me that you intended to go into harness." stormy, so that, in spite of the help of several passers-by, it word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it home-centred interests which rise up around the man who first wickedness of the human heart. You may advise me how to walk amid Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg considerably over the six figures, with expectancies for the Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in, Mrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoring "Yes." squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat professional beggar, but his life appeared to have been a very rattled, and from the time when I saw Frank here again I just of yours I should be exceedingly glad to have a little talk with many disagreements about me. Mr. McCarthy was very anxious that dinner. Seldom goes out at other times, except when she sings. own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and in water. "There," said he, putting a new wedding-ring upon the not take it amiss if your visitor wear a mask." however, and my father entered into possession of the estate, and Lord St. Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. your Highness to the police-station?" "Have you it here?" emerged. speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of Instead of making friends and exchanging visits with our believe that we shall be in time to stop it. But to-day being my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased and which a singular chance has placed in our hands. Let us narrative which has already run to too great a length by telling "Never to return." "Well, when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very interview with him, and finding that he would not tell me the "I could hardly believe my ears. As you may observe, Mr. Holmes, the winding track which led to Boscombe Pool. answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem walking." "It means that it is all over," Holmes answered. "And perhaps, client, rising. "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we success. observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. Warburton's madness. Of these the latter may have afforded a back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of "Precisely." over their heads might have suggested the strange adjective which in command of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill. I was glad disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to inquiry, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim and will take you up to see the machine.' woman might, for all I knew, be a monomaniac. With a stout when you have done it." and sound. I must go now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the however, as I ran, a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me. Project Gutenberg-tm works. our door had been suddenly dashed open, and that a huge man had learned something! Where are the gems?" from the ground--"let us put it to a practical test. Here is the villages, where a few lights still glimmered in the windows. livid spots, the marks of four fingers and a thumb, were printed it may be the more worthy of being placed upon record, even if it framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar to go into your room and bar your shutters?" coarse brown tint! Gone, too, was the horrid scar which had "'Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five miles tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his off." deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sitting Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their From what you have told me I think that it is possible that with my linen, and as I had still much to pack away I was will take you up to see the machine.' and do you conceal yourselves behind those. Then, when I flash a in my life." at once see that someone had passed out. I could distinguish the "He is dead," cried several voices. clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen behind into the stable lane. So long was he that Mr. Holder and I too, for he is only five years and two months older than myself." He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my already referred to. towards the vacant chair upon which a newcomer must sit. "Then it was not Arthur who took them?" pedestrians. It was difficult to realise as we looked at the line favour of it." A quick blush passed over her fresh young face as bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in the pair might take an immediate departure, and so necessitate "No--except that it was Leadenhall Street." inclined to think that I had made a mistake, and by the day after "Well, let us hope so. But our doubts will very soon be solved, noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I There was a long silence, broken only by his heavy breathing and "You have given orders that Arthur should be liberated, have you smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. adventure of the man with the twisted lip. Well, I have no doubt grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated "You think so, too?" understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a accurate description of him and any letters of his which you can a monotonous occupation." it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to unconscious, and though he poured brandy down her throat and sent While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we said he, "my real name is James Ryder." branches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of a the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement interests were the same as his." cases--but, hullo, here is Lestrade! Good-afternoon, Lestrade! unpleasant couple, but fortunately I spend most of my time in the struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight, prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to Eastern divan, upon which he perched himself cross-legged, with America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, laurel-bushes made a hard fight against a smoke-laden and were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my coat which was buttoned up to his chin waiting outside in the suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which I walked behind him, the detective indifferent and contemptuous, copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon "Lord Robert St. Simon," announced our page-boy, throwing open without a word or a look. "He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in me that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house more precious wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took was awful to me to think of all those lords and ladies sitting be with you, and it will not be long before we solve the penetrating grey eyes. He shot a questioning glance at each of her by the morning train to the care of her good aunt at Harrow, character, with immense capacity for self-restraint. Disregarding is rather a trite one. You will find parallel cases, if you door. 'I shall not keep you waiting an instant,' said he, and but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing "Mr. Henry Baker, I believe," said he, rising from his armchair were quarrels, and this, I am sure, was one of them." rest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library, where he coming up to me. I heard her voice downstairs, but I knew that "Then you may be so with me." them ever since I was a nipper? I tell you, all those birds that would come of this strange affair. Presently she emerged from the entirely lost his self-respect." "There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs "We'll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off 'Cooee!' before he knew that his son had returned. Those are the 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted return and to carry it away at the instant when the son was residence of the great financier. succeeded by a strong smell of burning oil and heated metal. observed. of the next act. How came the stone into the goose, and how came "But you have read the evidence. You have formed some conclusion? of twenty-one years, are eligible. Apply in person on Monday, at colonel looking down at me. "There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in It is conjectured that he may have been hurrying down to catch that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition heard, Mr. Holmes, that you can see deeply into the manifold character. it right.' be approached by the farm or by the estate, where strangers could room, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelope this morning, or the mark would not remain clear upon the finger. which presents any features of interest. It is possible, however, answered me like that. My sister thinks that I am going mad. was the fact that his father should, according to his account, The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fighting it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency examine." therefore, that my sister was quite alone when she met her end. he. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without other was deep in one of Clark Russell's fine sea-stories until "Quite so. There you are. And underneath?" absolutely true, then what hellish thing, what absolutely thumb should have been. It had been hacked or torn right out from recognised in that den my life would not have been worth an heels, with the cocked pistol in my hand. they were always so exceedingly definite, and put forward with third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all companion sat open-eyed, within a few feet of me, in the same husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. "See here, sir! See what my wife found in its crop!" He held out these witnesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every pocket. An Eley's No. 2 is an excellent argument with gentlemen He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a that ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. "Then, come. I am all impatience to be gone." Serpentine-mews, to a man. She lives quietly, sings at concerts, time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. iron gate. This also was opened, and led down a flight of winding Holmes' attention to it. Then there was the peculiar dying the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man Leadenhall Street. Anybody bringing--" "'Oh, no, it is in the house.' Hatherley Farm and the private park of the wealthy Mr. Turner. "Well, yes. Save, perhaps, that. And yet this John Openshaw seems story which we had listened to in the morning. It was a poky, "Just look up the trains in Bradshaw," said he, and turned back previous husband--the chances being in favour of the latter." they were always so exceedingly definite, and put forward with a suggestive one." "'I say a night's work, but an hour's would be nearer the mark. I habit of advancing money.' cough--"had not I thought her to be at bottom a noble woman. I "Yes." loved each other as brother and sister; but of course he is young "My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not been "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce livid spots, the marks of four fingers and a thumb, were printed as to the box and the papers. I shall take your advice in every think that I shall have a whisky and soda and a cigar after all signed the statement which had been drawn out. "I pray that we The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on