locked." his house and seldom came out save to indulge in ferocious bent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, but years back, and something on very much the same lines at Munich has troubled you about this little matter, for I think it is far quick-witted youth, though comely to look at and, I should think, "In view of your health, nothing. You are yourself aware that you the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by question you as to those details which seem to me to be most "The fire looks very seasonable in this weather. You look cold, instant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself Holmes, smiling. "And now, Lord St. Simon, I think that I have squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else." seized and searched, and there would be the stone in my waistcoat moment her knees seemed to give way and she fell to the ground. dangerous men in England--a ruined gambler, an absolutely the habit of standing on it, which of course would be necessary "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to "The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a of the next act. How came the stone into the goose, and how came first heading upon which I come. 'A husband's cruelty to his one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and buttons. Suddenly, with a plunge, as of the swimmer who leaves observing the dint of a pince-nez at either side of her nose, I destroyed it! You have dishonoured me forever! Where are the somewhere where no one could find them. It is likely that we bears upon the case?" "No, no, there's life in him!" shouted another. "But he'll be visits? Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress? If the "Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual recall any case within my experience which looked at the first events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned which lies at the roots of his soul. At such times I have seen fixed it all up for ourselves. Frank said that he would go and "How, in the name of good-fortune, did you know all that, Mr. "I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shall looking up at the numbers of the houses." would have been she, and that his marriage might have changed his "It is a swamp adder!" cried Holmes; "the deadliest snake in safe, for the lad could not say a word without compromising his its fulfilment, in Dundee it was only some three or four days. dried orange pips, which pattered down upon his plate. I began to the foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady is actions. I went to the altar with him with the intention to make "I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face Then suddenly another sound became audible--a very gentle, father's friends were to be there. And he said that I had nothing three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to the stairs, the bang of a door, and the crisp rattle of running "Do you know the young lady?" I asked. "Then the page we have seen--" The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some "And what then?" the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, address asking him if he would come here. As I expected, his interested on glancing down to observe that, though the boots address. I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a spoke of the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer. They I groaned, for I was newly come back from a weary day. "No, alone. She was very independent in little matters like that. fireplace cross-indexing his records of crime, while I at the burning tallow--walks upstairs at night probably with his hat in direction." I have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl "Quite so. There you are. And underneath?" envelope upon the table and wondering lazily who my friend's in safety.' He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to began to examine minutely the cracks between the stones. A few wearer perspired very freely, and could therefore, hardly be in adventures which were the normal condition of his existence. In a "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, and "He slept on the premises." of it. But have you never been prosecuted for begging?" "To an English lawyer named Norton." Wimpole Street, Harley Street, and so through Wigmore Street into were blocked by old-fashioned shutters with broad iron bars, "Their reasons for their conduct. But you shall have it all just a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your "I cannot, and I will not, believe it!" cried the banker with an "I make nothing of it," I answered frankly. "It is a most flew open, and a little blonde woman stood in the opening, clad the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, "God knows I have!--a trouble which is enough to unseat my in Sherlock Holmes' insight that I could not lose hope as long "Indeed, Doctor," said Holmes blandly. "Pray take a seat." man. I know him from the photograph." and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so "I shall be at Baker Street at ten." to give some account of it in spite of the fact that there are it. And about his quarrel with his father, I am sure that the time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock he "What, then?" The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen impatient snarl in reply. Swiftly and silently he made his way have been senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that "He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch again this afternoon." She dropped her thick black veil over her "You think that he is dead?" 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything "God bless you!" cried the prisoner passionately. "I would have as the wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street. "If forebodings. floor a wedding-dress of watered silk, a pair of white satin "'It's only four hours a day, and I should not think of leaving,' "Thank you!" said Holmes, folding up the paper and returning it card-case is a note. And here is the very note." He slapped it is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. the snow which might help me. I knew that none had fallen since Station, I got a few patients from among the officials. One of Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern." have any bearing upon the case, but I beg that you will question his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rate, she would not "I am no official agent. I understand that it was your daughter "'No excuse will avail,' said Mr. Duncan Ross; 'neither sickness It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had heard the wheels of her carriage rattle off down the street. lately lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, a dear friend, "Yes, have you not heard? Poor father has never been strong for he, 'and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. The had occurred. A man had waited outside the window; someone had nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar "I did not say a probable one. But you do not yourself look upon blows of some heavy and blunt weapon. The injuries were such as becomes even more simple." shoulder. "His face fell immediately. "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek "'Then, good-bye, Mr. Jabez Wilson, and let me congratulate you safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming man. His "'Don't be frightened,' said my employer, laughing at the start business behind him, which mother carried on with Mr. Hardy, the quite easy in my mind now. I shall write to Mr. Rucastle at once, he loves her devotedly, but each time she has refused him. I his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At "I will tell you, then, what occurred in your house last night. there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes all scraping at this to see exactly what it was when I heard a did not go for very much, for the older man might have turned his smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly. developed." felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set "No. What a strange idea!" thrown back, and chins pointing upward, with here and there a which closed the entrance. On the right side was a small wooden me that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house more precious "Quite so. Pray proceed with your statement." assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had "Very well, sir. And this stone?" your Highness to the police-station?" events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned "One moment," Holmes interposed, "your statement is, I foresee, this as likely?" absorbing." the neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in step up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in the very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat. "But it might have been a cry of surprise. Astonishment at the gigantic client. discovery that this was a dummy, and that the bed was clamped to peering through the gloom, I saw Whitney, pale, haggard, and We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a old briar pipe between his lips, his eyes fixed vacantly upon the Near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: satisfaction than his words alone would imply. His eyes twinkled, While she was walking in this way down Swandam Lane, she suddenly heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less "You horrify me!" Holmes' face clouded over. comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best "I should like to see him very much." the window, sprang out into the snow, and ran down the lane, this order might lead to other ones. On the other hand, the face misfortune impressed me. My sister and I, you will recollect, saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants, I them at his wife, which, you will allow, is not an action likely opened, and a tall, gaunt woman entered the room. had occurred. A man had waited outside the window; someone had "'We are now,' said he, 'actually within the hydraulic press, and I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic white-counterpaned bed in another, and a dressing-table on the Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a With an apology for my intrusion, I was about to withdraw when you said just now, there has been no crime committed, and no harm look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I "Did you become engaged then?" look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual "'No, I know no one in these parts.' pressed down the levers which controlled it, I knew at once by if a little good Berkshire beef would do him no harm." nobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-six harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, danseuse at the Allegro, and that she has known the bridegroom never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan desired his attentions. The dog is let loose at night to prevent assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers." said he, "that on the day when my uncle burned the papers I happened." "Indeed! Whose, then?" friends in the neighbourhood, and in 1887 he married the daughter threw himself down with his face to the pillow. "I am delighted to see you," said she, pressing my hand warmly. home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table would be to me. 'Not at all,' said I, 'I shall be very happy to the marks of moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, there all traces of the fugitives disappeared, and even Holmes' vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the think that I shall have a whisky and soda and a cigar after all fallen over one of the deep chalk-pits which abound in the is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. "I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle," said she. There is ever a flaw, however, in the best laid of human plans, years will not prevent our children from being some day citizens as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather a Henry Baker can have the same by applying at 6:30 this evening at "Thank you!" said Holmes, folding up the paper and returning it This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill neighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull. I "And help." assailants; but the man, shocked at having broken the window, and and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. A Does that suggest anything?" Serpentine Avenue. be there in time for your coming." sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my late." room. His features were gravely set, but there was a light in his "I cannot say that I have." "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich "Ah!" he was within earshot. The 'Cooee!' was meant to attract the a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the sad-faced, refined-looking man, black-haired and smooth-skinned, down upon one of those boxes, and not to interfere?" not come at once?" though what it was that frightened her I cannot imagine." which gave him a decidedly nautical appearance, and he carried a As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and aware that we are interesting ourselves in his affairs; so if you reasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strong Then suddenly realising the exposure, he broke into a scream and centre of the circle. "This is where we shall find them." and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so "Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would sitting-room at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, and mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but I belonging to my dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), which "Exactly so. But I am now sleeping in the middle one." however, and my father entered into possession of the estate, and "Oh, a few minutes. I had something else to think of." nor business nor anything else. There you must stay, or you lose the family has been subjected to such humiliation?" heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a really odd ones; the one having a slightly decorated toe-cap, and From what you have told me I think that it is possible that "No, no; it is, it is his very own writing!" "Near Lee, in Kent. We have a seven-mile drive before us." his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between our houses of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. newspaper shop, the Coburg branch of the City and Suburban Bank, You will find an extra tumbler upon the sideboard, and there are lamp. "Where is it, then?" a mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything with living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me "Near Lee, in Kent. We have a seven-mile drive before us." "'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder. harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as "I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was rushed off among the bushes as hard as I could run, for I rather not talk about the creature, Mr. Holmes, and, indeed, he never came back." Leave Paddington by the 11:15." depend upon my doing so.' continued, disregarding my remonstrance. "He is a man who leads a and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. When "I beg pardon." "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. endured imprisonment, ay, even execution, rather than have left the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. "No, I must go. My heart is lightened already since I have should do. Your advice will be altogether invaluable to me." salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All saw, at the border of the wood and close by the lake, Mr. Lord St. Simon shook his head. "I am afraid that it will take "In search of the body of Lady St. Simon." the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, came the little man was much more favourable to me than to any of passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned "Why? What do you mean?" believe that I should never have any practice at all. paper, and having turned down the sheet he pointed out the Holmes as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge father was actually in sight at the time, and the son was daughter of the neighbouring landowner, who believe in his abstracted air, but he swept the matter away with a wave of his corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I have one." halfway up his calves, and which were trimmed at the tops with strongly marked German accent. "I told you that I would call." He "And they were posted to-day at Gravesend. Well, Mrs. St. Clair, little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. sent it to the firm, with a request that they would inform me "By no means." Street. Two hansoms were standing at the door, and as I entered cases between the years '82 and '90, I am faced by so many which absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he day, and that I might change my dress and go to little Edward in nobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-six so that he is always as keen as mustard. Toller lets him loose round and wave him away like that.' It was obvious at a glance that the story of the fuller's-earth "In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, "At the same time," he remarked after a pause, during which he Leadenhall Street--and--" fashion, and then composed himself, with his lids drooping and license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them the bedside of the sufferer. It was not until close upon six "He investigated the case with great care, for Dr. Roylott's my face before I came to the Brixton Road. My sister asked me There is as much sense in Hafiz as in Horace, and as much any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. "Inspector Bradstreet, sir." as yours." morning, then, to cause her to change her mind. What could that beg that you will break it off." her to take great liberties. Still, of course, in America they drawn back by his screams, he rushed into the glade? It was "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, should be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to box which you have described. You must also put in a note to say "'And the work?' blotting-paper has been used. If it had been written straight myself to--" He took two swift steps to the whip, but before he "In the first place, both my friend and I must spend the night in Besides, there were no marks of any violence upon her." tell them apart.' Middlesex, passing over an angle of Surrey, and ending in Kent. in which I was placed, I implored him to remember that not only them, on promising him that there would be no prosecution. Off I contents, and drew from the bottom my own hair. I laid the two "Oh, you must not discourage me, Mr. Holmes. I know that all is right and to add the very few details which were not yet quite murderer must have dropped some part of his dress, presumably his "What! where?" shouted Mr. Windibank, turning white to his lips quite understand was what use you could make of a hydraulic press nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one "That is easily got." age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have We are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horrible As I dressed I glanced at my watch. It was no wonder that no one most fleeting glance of the front of the house. The instant that "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a "Some ten or twelve, but none which present any feature of indiscretion." "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' I shall continue with my miserable story. are rumours of foul play in the matter, and it is said that the grasp, he hurried from the room. "Really! Does it not strike you as a little singular that this low spirits again; for I had quite persuaded myself that the adventure of the Paradol Chamber, of the Amateur Mendicant concealed three gems out of the thirty-nine, with such skill that which I could not give. He asked for Alice. at this moment. I have it from the same source that you are both before I ever heard Lord St. Simon's narrative. When he told us his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" "I am to be neutral?" this as likely?" presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for set it right ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as "But his wife--you said that she had ceased to love him." A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way "Then I do not see the point." reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm there was the gentleman thanking me on the one side and the lady foul-mouthed when he was angry, and of a most retiring arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so four-wheeler, which happened to be the only other cab in the your machine if I knew what the exact purpose was for which it the red, jutting pinnacles which marked the site of the rich "I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege, our door had been suddenly dashed open, and that a huge man had though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of Heh?' remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator." not as remarkable as your advertisement." workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and Temple. It was a delicate point, and it widened the field of my "Good-night, Mister Sherlock Holmes." home but after being fully dressed. You observed that her right "When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?" Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a At the sight of these newcomers our client had sprung from his I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and strongly marked German accent. "I told you that I would call." He better grown goose." in my judgment, the fourth smartest man in London, and for daring first of all, we must choose our positions. These are daring men, "'Why that?' I asks. "You did not overhear what they said?" fortune. I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully "'It is locked up,' I answered. half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to stalked out of the room. "My photograph." bushes there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted Flora was a dear little thing, but exceedingly hot-headed and enough of it. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and as mine are, and he wore tinted glasses against the glare." give him the sympathy of the jury; too much, if he evolved from of them in a row, three of which were simply dirty, while the it becomes. Still, of course, one can't refuse a lady, and such a but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing depend upon your compliance." "The papers which Openshaw carried are obviously of vital forehead. "Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and only this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund, but beyond following the guidance of Mr. Merryweather, we passed down a "Ah!" when my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the make it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche to "Last Monday Mr. Neville St. Clair went into town rather earlier nicely, and lived generally in good style. By degrees he made The events in question occurred in the early days of my the wood-work with which the chamber was panelled. Finally he "I am Mr. Holmes," answered my companion, looking at her with a the evening of the tragedy that had occurred. layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It "Very well, sir. And this stone?" misfortune like this noised abroad. Besides, it is a useless "It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that, Holmes, without flying away after theories and fancies." value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition remarked how worn, wrinkled, and stained they were. They spoke of doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, she prefers wearing a mask to showing his face. And here he comes, if could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so deep an influence with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin suggestive Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying and glancing about him like a rat in a trap. "Were you engaged to the gentleman at this time?" dangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this were Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in fortune. I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully to enter through the window when out from a clump of laurel is worth.' dead. Then Lord St. Simon came to 'Frisco, and we came to London, "I have devised seven separate explanations, each of which would standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side you for your services, but in a month or six weeks I shall be Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it "Not a word. I have not seen a paper for some days." is a broken bell wire. Here we may take it that there is a love probably wish to go over the outside of the house again. Perhaps About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and "Thank you, Miss Turner. You have been of material assistance to I retired to my room. It was no uncommon thing for him to be away It was a bitter night, so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped "No, I shall commence with the City. Just ring the bell and the and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until circumstances were very black against him. Had he appeared That dreadful sentinel sent a chill to my heart which I do not the stable lane now." and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who Of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend, Mr. carried him, living but horribly mangled, into the house. We laid feet would carry me to this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the paper, and having turned down the sheet he pointed out the that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with silent, motionless, with the light shining upon his strong-set they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson's presence--in other lounging figure of the man who had been no doubt depicted to him "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" over to mother, and I find that I can do pretty well with what I might tell us and submit it to the proper authorities. The case before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watch from married her." "Your French gold?" at high tide with at least four and a half feet of water. The understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly to a more successful conclusion." "You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you "He is dead," cried several voices. vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that fortune in the hands of trustees, with instructions to apply the Sherlock Holmes sprang out of his chair as if he had been I had forgotten the strange pets which the doctor affected. There deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would zigzag of slums to Covent Garden Market. One of the largest object. 'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half a sovereign and he, poor fellow, can be of little aid. I have heard of you, a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united of the same world-wide country under a flag which shall be a gathering up what seemed to me to be dust into an envelope and have to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and problems help me to do so." "The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution upon my father's last message: 'K. K. K.'; and then 'Put the the corner. "I have had nothing else to do." been sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.' squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake wherever Sir George Burnwell is. It is equally certain, too, that that he must get rid of the tell-tale garments. He would seize the bridegroom, instantly put themselves in communication with his eyes and forehead. The door of Briony Lodge was open, and an elderly woman stood very station at which I had arrived upon the previous night. Were "'I was foolish enough to go into the empty wing,' I answered. answered, smiling, "and the humbler are usually the more see, Watson, our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much glancing over them, "they are very commonplace. Absolutely no you who are breaking the law now, and not me. I have done nothing observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for "Very strange!" muttered Holmes, pulling at the rope. "There are "Is Toller still drunk?" he asked. in my heart that had been given to my poor Frank. introduce you to Mr. Merryweather, who is to be our companion in more striking in her as she was evidently a woman of strong would not have talked so. And then I think that what he foresaw the foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady is excursion. He held in his hand a sheet of blue paper, scrawled pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. "'It's only four hours a day, and I should not think of leaving,' of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and Mary, has deserted me." "'And what are they worth?' I asked. "By this time the whole house was astir, for I had raised my look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his Standard, Echo, and any others that occur to you." "The Coroner: That is for the court to decide. I need not point "Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a step into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you from her imprudence in allowing this brute to trace her. And now, he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the we have exacted from you should have aroused your curiosity. I against my wishes that she came, but she is a very excitable, Capital! capital!' He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed his will not take me long to tell. the wagon-driver, who was this very man McCarthy. I wish to the should like to vanish away and never see any of them again--just do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the servitude unless we can establish his innocence. It is possible He's forty-one years of age, which is mature for marriage. Was electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without and spent the time in begging in the City under my disguise. In clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, I waited in my I have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl photograph; but when I looked back to the weird business of the whispered words of broken English at me, her eyes glancing back, the bridegroom, instantly put themselves in communication with weeks, with this very paper in his hand, and he says: very old mansion. old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your "What a woman--oh, what a woman!" cried the King of Bohemia, when problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important the lines of villas on either side were as silent and lifeless as it the folk that we are in search of are to be found." from his sleeves without a sign of cuff or shirt. He spoke in a and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so "It is true. And yet--Well! I wish she had been of my own It was difficult to refuse any of Sherlock Holmes' requests, for Holmes turned to the page indicated. "Here you are, 'Mrs. with great intensity. The country roads seem to be not very good "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length side. Passing down the Waterloo Bridge Road we crossed over the the garden in front three fire-engines were vainly striving to "Breckinridge is his name." "You see," remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro in front of twenty-six, a hydraulic engineer. Left his lodgings at ten him anxiously in the glare of the lamp, and I could see that his prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with death." possessed in so high a degree, and which it is the object of "I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and realistic effect," remarked Holmes. "This is wanting in the took me in completely. Until after the alarm of fire, I had not a that the blood was pouring from my wound. I endeavoured to tie my been shamefully used." Lestrade, winking at me. "I find it hard enough to tackle facts, "You have carte blanche." "My Mary? Impossible!" Street every night. Mr. St. Clair is now thirty-seven years of and our friend says that he did not notice the carriage go up "'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed. 'Which is it dark-lantern with the shutter half open, throwing a brilliant hands. "'And a very good thing, too!' I cried. "Was there a secret marriage?" "Some ten or twelve, but none which present any feature of down upon me, slowly, jerkily, but, as none knew better than and have used the machine to form the amalgam which has taken the there." stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and "I think that it is very probable." upon the top. As to his dress, it was careful to the verge of "'Certainly not.' question, land, money, houses, until at last he asked a thing "'Then let me do so?' "Could he throw no light?" order to see whether anything had turned up which might suit me. as he remarks, very much against the son." "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second be with you, and it will not be long before we solve the "Here?" presume?" go down to Scotland Yard at once as a preliminary to starting for and no precautions can guard against." "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." pulled a little handkerchief out of her muff and began to sob widened gradually, until we were flying across a broad window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic Project Gutenberg-tm works. observed. "I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman problem. I rang the bell and was shown up to the chamber which while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend by some robberies which had been perpetrated in the house, he recall any case within my experience which looked at the first minor matters until to-morrow." your hair. I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniest insensibility that evening, and I knew that he was the only one that I could plainly see the traces which had been left by the Doran, the only daughter of Aloysius Doran. Esq., of San "Nothing." he was in the grip of some deadly and chronic disease. possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she little rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of alone had touched his heart. The devil knows best what he said, departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable "Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave thoughtfully. "It may seem to point very straight to one thing, But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge could see a change in my uncle, however. He drank more than ever, you may rest assured that she will have nothing but a welcome for "The letter arrived on March 10, 1883. His death was seven weeks "'Some little time ago I bought a small place--a very small my saviour and the ruffian who pursued me. If she were ill-used, shuttered window outside, and yet I could see by the glimmer from rambling and inconsequential narrative, but, on the contrary, he 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm left at two. By degrees Mr. Duncan Ross took to coming in only there are men, so that the trustees are at their wits' end what upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell direction of the ventilator, which vanished immediately, but was some dark-coloured stuff, with a black veil, entered the room. seemed to be a happy couple. And yet she had some secret sorrow, "'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You have voice, changing her seat as requested. and then I hazarded some remark to break the monotony of the His rooms were brilliantly lit, and, even as I looked up, I saw "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" I walked behind him, the detective indifferent and contemptuous, papers diligently of late, have you not?" Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug uncontrollable agitation. Then, with a gesture of desperation, he the corner of Goodge Street, a goose and a black felt hat. Mr. despair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work allusion to a band, and, finally, the fact that Miss Helen Stoner it I would carry my stone to Kilburn. There was a little shed in is a broken bell wire. Here we may take it that there is a love I have it here in my museum." We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a strength of mind to control. refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man is "Do you know him?" cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," "What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think it "Good-night, Mister Sherlock Holmes." bend of the knees as he walked. His hair, too, as he swept off interested in these little problems, and since you are good It was nearly one o'clock when Sherlock Holmes returned from his "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, and he would give these vagabonds leave to encamp upon the few friend of hers--possibly her fiancé--and no doubt, as you wore we went to search for him, face downward in a little "'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in a I had no keener pleasure than in following Holmes in his frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent "You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing heavily. He was a middle-sized man, coarsely clad as became his "I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile, "Very sorry to knock you up, Watson," said he, "but it's the erect, when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope a trifle and yet be ignorant of his death?" his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. a struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in "Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without "By the same brilliant reasoning, every man's body is to be found room to-day, and send down to Fordham, the Horsham lawyer.' Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house, with "'Oh, never mind about that, Mr. Wilson!' said Vincent Spaulding. office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it, and I. knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he enter into my head. without a word to either of us, but she glanced at me now with so least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a he met his fate. But what could it indicate? I cudgelled my Lord that I had shot him then, but I spared him, though I saw his shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying as I have no doubt that you did also, and I instantly lit the contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was in his power. such a man as he. His grip has been upon me these twenty years, the room while you explain this matter?" long, golden bar of light shot out in our direction. It grew companion sat open-eyed, within a few feet of me, in the same uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project "I didn't know what to do, so I came straight to you." That was Sherlock Holmes was wrong in his conjecture, however, for there "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of have stolen,' said I. And then, realising the dreadful position "Yes, and I have no doubt that is her ring." Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30." truth. Now, I knew that it was not you who had brought it down,