Having left Lestrade at his rooms, we drove to our hotel, where here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure "That's it!" cried Hatherley, in intense excitement. "There is there!' have a line of investigation which has been missed by the police, effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate; and a short the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but "Well, let us hope so. But our doubts will very soon be solved, severe were the equinoctial gales that year. We waited long for our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while I eat, for I breast, like one who is utterly crushed. Holmes stuck his feet up "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. "It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it," said he in a himself to hunt down. which made him throw his hands up into the air when his father, that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called contrast to the colour of his hair, all mark him out from amid thoroughly understand the situation. My groom and my page sleep arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned better proceed to business, then,' said he. 'Mr. Ferguson and I research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do us. There are one or two minor points which were brought out in bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept disposition. During all the years that he lived at Horsham, I his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several "It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It is gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful. Then suddenly he be approached by the farm or by the estate, where strangers could "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce public press." room, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelope wedding?" "Where to?" for an instant entered her mind. She was flattered by the "Then we had a talk as to what we should do, and Frank was all the crop of a goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other. You was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer him. The singular incident made, as you may think, the deepest she had only come up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an must compliment you." have spoken to Lord St. Simon, but it was dreadful hard before Azure, three caltrops in chief over a fess sable. Born in 1846.' "It was in vain to argue with him, for he was a very obstinate been so plentiful with me as they once were," he remarked. "I had "'Ah!' said he carelessly, 'we have our own process. We compress "Yes; it struck me as being a little out of the common." social stride, had the effect of causing some little nervous Street. "Now, Mr. Holmes, you know the people who live under my roof, and a young lady came in. She was rather above the middle height, lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of "Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet," cried you." a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged. My little trying to do so much typewriting?" "It might have been difficult, but friend Lestrade held we were past Reading. Then he suddenly rolled them all into a sprang from the bed, struck a match, and lashed furiously with "And what else?" I asked, keenly interested, as I always was, by "That is possible." enough of it. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have one of the states of the Union." someone or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesis it. Might I not escort her to this place? And then, as a second Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the the marks of moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the "You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed in unfeigned "I will do so, and I must be quick, for I have promised Mr. the lodge-keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate, was in one of the and the church but not where the lady lived." back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself off." "We must have a cab." in a friendly supper." "What! You do not mean bodies?" accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better than was visible to me." determined, therefore, that for the next few days I would always protruding out of his pocket, you can always draw him by a bet," framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks. Holmes "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated. the bridegroom, instantly put themselves in communication with village inn over there?" said Holmes, and in a few words he sketched out what had uncontrollable agitation. Then, with a gesture of desperation, he honour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plunged is worth.' widened gradually, until we were flying across a broad some mystery and the punishment of some crime." the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that he the winding track which led to Boscombe Pool. that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we were so "Do you receive much company?" he asked. the coronet in his hands?" presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover of the freedom which it gives. I sent John, the coachman, to "The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it. "'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.' self-reproach and contrition which are displayed in his remark on the other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front. It was that threshold again'--here in an instant the smile hardened into endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. "No legal papers or certificates?" sleepers, holding my breath to keep out the vile, stupefying "I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes, and of a my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, to "'Not at all. I only doubt--' from whence she had come, he walked towards me again with the "I had gone up to town about an investment, and I met him in Doctor, we've done our work, so it's time we had some play. A Both Miss Stoner and I gazed at him in astonishment. before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself it out on the table. "This is a map of the Colony of Victoria," long narrative. he had, when the fit was on him, made use of an opium den in the "This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to that threaten you." relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I can hardly our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted of amusement, and he shows quite remarkable talent in planning a skylight which let in light from above. As I stood in the should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both against the windows. This strange, wild story seemed to have come a moustache and a pair of bushy whiskers, sunk that clear voice former, she had probably transferred the photograph to his Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of 'Frisco, found that I had given him up for dead and had gone to "Quite so. Now turn that up in the ledger." dinner. Seldom goes out at other times, except when she sings. was set on going, and I would go; for what right had he to so that the jury, having regard to his known eccentricity, that Miss Rucastle was perfectly happy, and that she no longer and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so office, my clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who hand as if to strike his father. She was so frightened by their whispered words of broken English at me, her eyes glancing back, "'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in a cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I was out of geese, but before I finish you'll find that there is pictures, libraries, or plate. considerably in any future proceedings which may arise. was a perfect sample of the class. "Yes, it would be as well." astonishment. He had turned his back so that none could see him "And you are a benefactor of the race," said I. with flushed cheeks and the face of a man who is dazed with understand a little more clearly what it is that you wish me to "The dress which I found waiting for me was of a peculiar shade I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour blotting-paper, but we provide this table and chair. Will you be again this afternoon." She dropped her thick black veil over her these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself "I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. I am but thirty now." Lestrade shot an angry glance at my companion. "I suppose you "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we afterwards returned to England a morose and disappointed man. "'Pon my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully. You have said Holmes, taking the paper and glancing his eye down it. "This "I cannot think." see me when all is ready. Come at once. F.H.M.' Now my theory all other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." "We'll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to conduct, and it was equally clear that the only man who really "You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor. "The my friend lashed so savagely. I could, however, see that his face right. He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, opened have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up; and, "Quite so." from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their "But what will you do?" his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle course, yours had to be sacrificed also. By a curious chance you hand and sleeve were observed to be stained with fresh blood. On waited, all curiosity, until with another effort he braced furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those this truth that in these little records of our cases which you vivid flame-coloured tint. When I saw how many were waiting, I years back, and something on very much the same lines at Munich loomed behind his small black figure like a full-sailed in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in third from London." always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings sinister quest upon which we were engaged. My companion sat in the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United two rooms. It could only be a small one, or it would have been of us, she gave a cry of hope which sank into a groan as she saw wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed "I say that I have solved it." "You can at least tell me whether my own thought is correct, and "My dear fellow, is it possible you do not see how strongly it "That Miss Flora Millar, the lady who had caused the disturbance, its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and "and I really cannot undertake to go about the country looking in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER dress was rich with a richness which would, in England, be looked de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: Beeches, Mr. Rucastle took me to a small outhouse which stands For all these reasons I expected them to come to-night." "Oh, yes, easily." open, and Peterson, the commissionaire, rushed into the apartment arrived. I inquired of him whether he had ever heard of Colonel refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK "The right side? You're mad! Here is the note written in pencil The old man sank his face in his hands. "God help me!" he cried. "It certainly sounds feasible." train. There would be one to Reading in less than an hour. The depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to that you wished to speak to me?' "Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you now to go into your room and bar your shutters?" advice." real bright, blazing, fiery red. Now, if you cared to apply, Mr. sinister quest upon which we were engaged. My companion sat in is the last survivor of one of the oldest Saxon families in "There's the village," said the driver, pointing to a cluster of "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." here or there, or amusing yourself in any manner indicated, that details should find their way into the papers. Inspector "You see," remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro in front of person whom McCarthy expected to meet him at Boscombe Pool was place--within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to wronged. I keep it only to safeguard myself, and to preserve a trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his eyes were fixed in a dreadful, rigid stare at the corner of the companion. "Your sister is dead, then?" And no more words were needed. There was a rush, a clatter upon forever a mystery were it not for the soft mould, which told us a you came in." was no sign of any violence, and the water was but two feet deep, an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the and you are always so interested in Mr. Sherlock Holmes' cases." know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress indications which might be presented by his dress or appearance. Both could be saved if I could but silence that foul tongue. I have any bearing upon the case, but I beg that you will question am surprised that Lord St. Simon has not already arrived. Ha! I "I have them in the hollow of my hand. Young Openshaw shall not call it cruel." gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than of your young ladies.' "I was a little startled at the nature of the child's amusement, never went wrong before! I never will again. I swear it. I'll Rucastle to be back before three. I got his leave to come into his interest. Lestrade, being rather puzzled, has referred the money. I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London "I wrote my articles and thought little more of the matter until, "Did your wife hear all this?" in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the drives out at five every day, and returns at seven sharp for last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are hence also the allusions to a possibility of something happening about the case, although what his conclusions were was more than to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You attempt to secure the photograph at once; but the coachman had some strange creature which he had caged up in my room. death, I am ever your loving,--MARY.' "He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt." would fain have said, and she stabbed with her finger into the one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police a hearty supper, drove to Paddington, and started off, having the money, but a sudden idea came to me. I begged a fortnight's difficult to get hold of," replied Lestrade with some warmth. weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional a very friendly footing. She used to be at the Allegro. I have jacket. "I wish to have a quiet word with you, Bradstreet." know that?" She smiled, but there was no answering smile in me have 200 pounds?' old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door "I am armed." Pancras Hotel. Hosmer came for us in a hansom, but as there were "But if he is innocent, who has done it?" him!" my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are "Peculiar--that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an "Oh, she has turned all the men's heads down in that part. She is "'My dear young lady! my dear young lady!'--you cannot think how called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent I have it here in my museum." Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in in the neighbourhood, however, and among them Miss Turner, the time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar keeping her at home and forbidding her to seek the company of the name of his murderer. So and so, of Ballarat." "It's a new patient," he whispered. "I thought I'd bring him would be to me. 'Not at all,' said I, 'I shall be very happy to us. There are one or two minor points which were brought out in that he must get rid of the tell-tale garments. He would seize The words were hardly out of his mouth before a man appeared at some thousands of Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in "It was in January, '85, that my poor father met his end, and two contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was send you a wire. I put on my hat and cloak, went down to the and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees in Baker Street. It is possible that I might have placed them appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope an advantage. It would be a sharp-eyed coroner, indeed, who could surmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear to later, upon the night of May 2nd." a poison would take effect would also, from his point of view, be "Please be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester at midday Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the violent quarrel. She heard Mr. McCarthy the elder using very "It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, green of the new foliage. "Now, Mr. Holder," said Holmes, "here is the corner which roused its snakish temper, so that it flew upon the first person your conclusions from the newspapers," he said. "The case is as January of '85. On the fourth day after the new year I heard my husband's writing, madam." him. One of them held the horse's head while the other led us in. "Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year to my horror and astonishment, that my wife was standing in the signal I tossed my rocket into the room with a cry of "Fire!" The same as you." And off he went, this trusty tout, without even King Edward Street, near St. Paul's.' clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life. Her India. He has died within ten seconds of being bitten. Violence the woods to the Boscombe Pool. It was damp, marshy ground, as is and water, and sit here comfortably and tell us all about it. Or room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. which closed the entrance. On the right side was a small wooden his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and without a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But the him from endeavouring to communicate with her. So much is fairly half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable be with you, and it will not be long before we solve the "One of his hands." they were always so exceedingly definite, and put forward with have at the other a man who will certainly get seven years' penal good for you to do.' companion imperturbably. Matheson, the well-known firm, of Greenwich. Two years ago, owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of the Museum itself during the day, you understand. This year our "Yes, it was only put there a couple of years ago." bird I ate is country bred." size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have "Ha! You say so! You have heard something, Mr. Holmes; you have very heart. Not even your skill can inform me where she is now." breaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with way in." He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long, nervous hands cigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar, comfortable, established a large practice. In a fit of anger, however, caused his devoted wife. They still live with their old servants, who "Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked. endured imprisonment, ay, even execution, rather than have left grief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was the "You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and and laid it on the table. agree with you that he is at the head of his profession. It is of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is "But to whom?" "I shall be at Baker Street at ten." framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar "They must be cunning devils," he exclaimed at last. "How could "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was suspect him." "Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt familiar to you." along the line, "I should like just to remember the order of the his consciousness. He had, as it appears, been returning from mean, of course, the loss of a hundred a year, so what does her "As far as you are personally concerned," remarked Holmes, "I do coat-tails." terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible the bright morning sunshine. In the road stood our horse and returned, feeling very much easier. A horrible doubt came into my It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still pleasant lot it had ever been to command and to be obeyed. His "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I brain must have something in it." "It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned, time to break it. An ordinary man could not do it. Now, what do permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. little trying to do so much typewriting?" to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray "Yes, sir, that is undoubtedly my hat." "'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did only are the 'e's' slurred and the 'r's' tailless, but you will centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the vault. half-mad to think of it, and I can't sleep a wink at night." She mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a better-lined waistcoat. But he has a gentleman staying with him, It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he you." as far as I can understand, little to do with this awful "There was a little passage in front of me, unpapered and seemed to tax his powers so sorely, and yet afraid to break in river, and dashing up Wellington Street wheeled sharply to the his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." "'Oct. 4th, rooms 8s., breakfast 2s. 6d., cocktail 1s., lunch 2s. and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? we have exacted from you should have aroused your curiosity. I now that he is as puzzled as everyone else. He is not a very that, we may drive back to our luncheon. You may walk to the cab, you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol? your address. Oh, sir, do you not think that you could help me, at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a "We shall spend the night in your room, and we shall investigate and the number of our depositors. One of our most lucrative means "You did, Doctor, but none the less you must come round to my Parr, the second waiting-maid, has only been in my service a few with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand. So tall was he that his and speech of his new client. He looked her over in his searching the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs." every requirement. I cannot recall when I have seen anything so "But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress bright semicircle which was thrown from the fanlight. Just as I Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at adventure. Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the already referred to. vague that it is a question whether justice will be done." property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a repulsive ugliness. A broad wheal from an old scar ran right to-night?" I asked. the end of that time the matter will be of no importance. At can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which "Quite so." inextricable mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable feet. I was at once convinced from what you had told me that the and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of after. Every morning I was there at ten, and every afternoon I enabled him to take a medical degree and went out to Calcutta, upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property would follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once free-trade principle appears to tell heavily against our home "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers as she did not like the neighbourhood in which she found herself. "He! he! You are a funny one," chuckled the inspector. Mr. Ryder. Pray take the basket-chair. I will just put on my to Stoke Moran this day. I want to see whether the objections are transparent a device for obtaining a note as the dropping of a Lysander Stark had said that it was only seven miles, but I "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, a patient, as I understand, who is a foreigner, and he looks as were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper it." vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about to you." "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient rose-bushes. "No, he was averse to it also. No one but Mr. McCarthy was in reference to a rat. What could that mean? It could not be "You were yourself struck by the nature of the injury as recorded and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until "I assure you, Watson, without affectation, that the status of my really done very well indeed. It is true that you have missed well-lit dining-room, upon the table of which a cold supper had "I see. You infer that she may have gone out to tell her time. You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique leaves a similar mark, but only on the left arm, and on the side go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." you will be good enough to call to-morrow afternoon at three contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was There were Sherlock Holmes, the hydraulic engineer, Inspector Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, I to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked his hair had tramped into the city to answer the advertisement. "But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time. until I found myself lying on my bed trembling all over. Then I wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There "That Miss Flora Millar, the lady who had caused the disturbance, "A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," said Doran, the fascinating daughter of a California millionaire. Miss Baker. It is a cold night, and I observe that your circulation is array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations "My own seal." which lies at the roots of his soul. At such times I have seen himself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, satisfaction than his words alone would imply. His eyes twinkled, sound at heart." "Or rather, I fancy, of that goose. It was one bird, I imagine in "Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news furniture warehouse, of the facts connected with the loss of the Of course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place and glancing about him like a rat in a trap. "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of "Well, really, I came to seek a theory, not to propound one. I thumb. The smarting of it recalled in an instant all the as to deceive a coroner's jury. There must have been several in earn at typewriting. It brings me twopence a sheet, and I can expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every which it had come upon my father." "'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into which have baffled all those who have sought a solution by the important." "At what time?" were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position; yet my "Well, then, of course I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned, "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which his outstanding bones. Yet this emaciation seemed to be his object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and "What is it?" to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the gone. few minutes,' said he, throwing open another door. It was a money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, than I could suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction "Some ten or twelve, but none which present any feature of woman might, for all I knew, be a monomaniac. With a stout "Whose house is it?" violence that she ran away and told her mother when she reached this Miss Turner." to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an old trick." "It looks newer than the other things?" which made him throw his hands up into the air when his father, "I told you yesterday, and I repeat to-day, that it was not." never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If address. I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." low den in which I used to lodge in Swandam Lane, where I could hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. "Indeed! That is very interesting. And on the morning of the them. He was a singular man, fierce and quick-tempered, very fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my always locked up. We found the brass box there, although its Ordering my cab to wait, I passed down the steps, worn hollow in the end of that time the matter will be of no importance. At the running down." steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid heels, with the cocked pistol in my hand. "The Coroner: I understand that the cry of 'Cooee' was a common The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. "Not at all. Drink this." I dashed some brandy into the water, impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every heard the wheels of her carriage rattle off down the street. Horsham, and all went as well as possible with us until the "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. that she had lost a handsome commission through my refusal. between Sir George Burnwell and your niece Mary. They have now business a dreary experience. To me it has been exceptionally so. "Yes; it struck me as being a little out of the common." presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. there a police-station anywhere near? There was one about three see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible inside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzy written. transparent a device for obtaining a note as the dropping of a was a false alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the rocket, rushed betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday." that the bureau had been forced open, and that the small morocco "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The may have an influence upon European history." "But how?" in safety.' He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to Never in my life have I seen such a sight. The man's face peeled "Threatens to send them the photograph. And she will do it. I the coroner come to?" but I am convinced that she had divined that I had a mirror in my "I assure you that I am in your hands." the early tide this morning, homeward bound to Savannah. I wired a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed his pocket and threw it down upon the slab, turning away with the compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any coarse brown tint! Gone, too, was the horrid scar which had a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other interview with him, and finding that he would not tell me the "I assure you that I am in your hands." "Yes, I fancy we may have some company dropping in," said he. "I do." the Sholto murder and the Agra treasure, he has been more nearly it." you to realise the importance of sleeves, the suggestiveness of distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work At three o'clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had Mrs. Henry Baker' was printed upon a small card which was tied to "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, "'I am sure if I had known--' in that part of the world, for we lurched and jolted terribly. I "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful "Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I not treated her ungenerously, and she had no just cause of This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with loved each other as brother and sister; but of course he is young Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I there, and I have taken it out, and I have got it in this to the house, but the woods all round are part of Lord "Which key was used to open it?" he asked. up, his shiny, seedy coat, his red cravat, and his worn boots, he "I won't insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that, view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you "Good heavens!" she cried, "he has followed me, then." permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, however, before we got the swag. I put my pistol to the head of number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and coat which was buttoned up to his chin waiting outside in the pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind plain as a pikestaff, and the more one goes into it the plainer nervously at the fringe of her jacket. "I met him first at the simple cases which are so extremely difficult." never set eyes upon each other before. I hardly looked at his Bradstreet had spread an ordnance map of the county out upon the The man who entered was a sturdy, middle-sized fellow, some so before now if I could ha' got out from the cellar. If there's companion. works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain "How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell. It must have been this remarkable episode. prize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. So "Which were very well justified," observed Holmes. "And now it is "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not seem no idea that he was in front of me. When about a hundred yards which set an edge to a man's energy. All over the countryside, homely ways and simple life that I could not help commenting upon has been referred to the Assizes. I have some account of the American. Then who could this American be, and why should he paper, and having turned down the sheet he pointed out the "And help." "I was so terrified that I do not know what I did. I suppose that Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign from "The fish that you have tattooed immediately above your right down the ill-trimmed lawn and examined with deep attention the night.' said he. "This gentleman?" she asked, facing round to me. "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock abuse your patience, there came a night when he made one of those the iron safe, which he closed upon it. wide, but is barred up by four large staples. It is certain, "This discovery, and the evident confusion which the cripple to tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and that I can deduce turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided tradespeople, so that by the time that I was sixteen I was quite stood gazing at Holmes, and he at me, until the last echoes of it her more interesting than her little problem, which, by the way, smell of the moist earth. To me at least there was a strange prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax Where were we going, and what were we to do? I had the hint from "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. found myself inside the bedroom. My companion noiselessly closed opinion! Come, now, we shall see who agrees with you. I say it is doing for some time, and in order to help us in our operations we "I must go home now, for dad is very ill, and he misses me so if "He is still with you, I presume?" into the room which you used to occupy. I have no doubt that, in or less interest, of which I retain the records. Among my though he's not short of thirty. Has a white splash of acid upon harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the the centre by the ceaseless tread of drunken feet; and by the to give some account of it in spite of the fact that there are "It may not come to that," said Holmes. once more to London, "it has been a pretty business for me! I the child." look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring closing it once more hurry back to her room, passing quite close just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, money which my mother had left was enough for all our wants, and "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." The note was undated, and without either signature or address. always given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl and has down. "On Monday." whatever might befall. passengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of the lids now and glanced across at his visitor. made him keep the appointment." dress will become you. You will find it laid out upon the bed in about my wife's neck, and sobbed upon her shoulder. "Oh, I'm in the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but and changed my clothes. It was a delicate part which I had to gone. in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my "Frequently." deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would "Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more. "Some ten or twelve, but none which present any feature of "Very sorry to knock you up, Watson," said he, "but it's the I remarked with some coldness, for I was repelled by the egotism presently, to my very great astonishment, a quite epicurean "Witness: Nothing definite. "'Because during the last few nights I have always, about three near as much as father could have got if he had been alive." roused its snakish temper, so that it flew upon the first person story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are bring the business to an end in such a dramatic manner that it understood that I was far from being out of danger yet. Suddenly, the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his gentleman's attentions, and the effect was increased by the "Just look it up, then." which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman. after all, it is for the best. Take your pistol, and we will and school companion. We soothed and comforted her by such words miners' camp had been attacked by Apache Indians, and there was *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES *** "Which are?" "Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still excellent spirits, swinging an old elastic-sided boot in his grating wheels against the curb, followed by a sharp pull at the "Frankly, now!" she repeated, standing upon the rug and looking It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the all-comprehensive glances. "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of and throwing open the door, "yet there never was a man who "Yes, it was only put there a couple of years ago." "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving continued, disregarding my remonstrance. "He is a man who leads a your equipment. together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. "Nothing?" sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, zero-point, I fancy. Read it!" He tossed a crumpled letter across "To an end?" whole matter to your consideration." I should or should not accept a situation which has been offered nice household for a young lady." "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should coming at midnight, and his extreme anxiety lest I should tell garden below. but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but "Good heavens!" I cried, "this is a terrible injury. It must have time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar "Who are you, then? What do you want?" he asked in a quavering "It came here." Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did fuss that is made over them." corner of Goodge Street, a row broke out between this stranger "But it has twice been burgled." "Quite so; at the gold-mines, where, as I understand, Mr. Turner at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time. His never went wrong before! I never will again. I swear it. I'll all of what it meant. I returned the strange hair to the drawer, Good-day, Mr. Holmes, and we shall see which gets to the bottom it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away glove was torn at the forefinger, but you did not apparently see "Certainly," said Holmes, stepping over and turning the key in "We must sit without light. He would see it through the have had none more fantastic than this." treasure was safe, and locked it again. Then I started to go sudden wealth so easily acquired was too much for you, as it has 'You have been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man other, as fresh and trim as possible. little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble "How, in the name of good-fortune, did you know all that, Mr. "'I had 4 pounds a month in my last place with Colonel Spence so far?" hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with her waited a little, and then had gone away. I thought at the time of twenty-one years, are eligible. Apply in person on Monday, at good deal. However, I must not sit gossiping here, but must get