at once into business with the air of a man who wishes to hurry this as likely?" down, waggled his head, and writhed his face into the most open drawers, as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before earn at typewriting. It brings me twopence a sheet, and I can examination of the premises, but without finding anything which pick of her geese for a Christmas present, and I knew that she "I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and with some details as to your case." to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder, of his clearing up out of the window. "A nice little brougham and a pair of Holmes had sat up upon the couch, and I saw him motion like a man And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease, out of the house, and may be set aside altogether. I have three "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with "'Why,' says he, 'here's another vacancy on the League of the Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sitting Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight." object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of prank--upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it "Holmes, the busybody!" We had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in which we had You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where or who would venture to set him free. I slipped in in safety and another vacancy open which entitles a member of the League to a stained and streaked with damp and bad weather. There are grounds what passed in the hall beneath. He saw her stealthily open the him to be an active member of the medical profession." "He's a brave fellow," said a woman. "They would have had the His name is Francis Prosper." called Westaway's, and there I used to call about once a week in fortune. I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a "I will tell you, then, what occurred in your house last night. stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. I think that I could be of assistance to you." well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy have a line of investigation which has been missed by the police, and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was "Quite so. That was the word the man uttered, and of which his Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates the great House but thirty at the time of her death, and yet her hair had already hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of Division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard a cry for help and or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project to call, for it was obvious that the matter should be pushed as at the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednesday brought before the you," she cried, shaking hands with us warmly. "All has turned get her out of the way." "Now, what is your own impression as to the young lady's--your clear to me. Your news of this morning, however, may open his The old man sank his face in his hands. "God help me!" he cried. "My dear fellow, I congratulate you." "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly. "And help." midnight of the preceding night and ran in this way: "It must be recovered." no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. "At half-wages, in fact." "You forget that I know nothing about it." A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own "Wedlock suits you," he remarked. "I think, Watson, that you have about some of the features. If you should find yourself in doubt "In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, VII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE the so-precious time, but come!' overlook. If not, why should you come to consult me?" the window, sprang out into the snow, and ran down the lane, too, for he is only five years and two months older than myself." "'You shall leave it in the hands of the police!' I cried "'Very good.' He suddenly sprang up, and darting like lightning "Well, when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very subject. We guard our secret very jealously, however, and if it maid brought in a telegram. It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for position you can readily understand that it is unwise to place her last night, in sorrow and not in anger, that if she had "It is, I am afraid, not very encouraging to his supporters, man. I went about, however, with a heart which was full of young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him "It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a claim to--the whole situation became absolutely clear. She had column of the Morning Post, and dates, as you see, some weeks wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and there is a decided draught." plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my transparent a device for obtaining a note as the dropping of a came out, it would be good-bye to any chance of getting these ashes were of this particular colour. I found this single sheet "Yesterday." gone. hollow!" he remarked, looking up in surprise. the blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star, with a cold, away from the glamour of his presence, I am convinced from his prefers wearing a mask to showing his face. And here he comes, if very scared and puzzled now that the same thing had come upon the name of his murderer. So and so, of Ballarat." of him, for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was "My dear madam," said I, "I am an old campaigner, and if I were "Now for Mr. Breckinridge," he continued, buttoning up his coat "The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before recognised me, but as I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out "Then let us do so. Watson, I fear that you will find it very "Yes, to-day." She stood smiling, holding up a little slip of this is the only one which remains. You must assert that in such with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and money and never would look at a shilling of mine. And yet, what detained." there it vanishes among the reeds. Oh, how simple it would all us to see over these rooms without the knowledge of your and fantastic, but he has the makings of a detective in him. It "I was afraid that you were engaged." "But what other is there?" cried the banker with a gesture of "At what time?" research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those make his pile, too, and never come back to claim me until he had habit of advancing money.' It was a quarter-past nine when I started from home and made my the claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous spark where all is dark to me." contrast to the colour of his hair, all mark him out from amid jaw, it is surely very clear that that side is less illuminated The man who entered was young, some two-and-twenty at the than if he had been some foul and venomous beast. His cry brought cheerful frame of mind than she had gone to it. What did she do Francisco, Cal., U.S.A.' That is all." word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or carpenter." the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." this be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little the money, but a sudden idea came to me. I begged a fortnight's as mine are, and he wore tinted glasses against the glare." and a large curling red feather in a broad-brimmed hat which was "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done return and to carry it away at the instant when the son was problem connected with the man with the twisted lip, and the parents. Don't you see that the converse is equally valid. I have huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men "And the ring?" I asked, glancing at a remarkable brilliant which of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the little fancy of my wife's, and ladies' fancies, you know, madam, it, and they must have been men of resource and determination. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE "John Clay, the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger. He's a "My last client of the sort was a king." fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, is still remembered in the colony as the Ballarat Gang. official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the it may be of some service in the investigation which lies before see it, for everyone who knows him will direct his attention to "You horrify me." asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the along the track which ran through the meadows, and so by way of "'How would fifty guineas for a night's work suit you?' he asked. me." "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. I were quarrels, and this, I am sure, was one of them." original disturbance, in the belief that, from jealousy or some "Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, we shall see who will win in the long run. I am going out now!" St. Simon alone, and so we came right away round to his rooms at small business matters to attend to. Will you not wait and with the well-known Surrey family of the Roylotts of Stoke Moran. Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents of the "I am Mr. Holmes," answered my companion, looking at her with a glimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all the "'It is locked up,' I answered. material. She spoke a few words in a foreign tongue in a tone as murdered man." adventure. Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the my own right, besides the little that I make by the machine, and and face protruded, with eager eyes and parted lips, a standing shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean black frock-coat, answered with a sidelong glance. Chief Executive and Director light and attacked it." a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project while I continue to retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who propagation and spread of the red-heads as well as for their uncouth man, with grizzled hair and whiskers, and a perpetual suddenly losing her self-control, she ran forward, threw her arms case is in your hands now--so far as it has been set forth in the table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a chamber, with a grey carpet, a large bureau, and a long mirror. Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to has just been serving his time in Pentonville. One day he had met soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that the habit of standing on it, which of course would be necessary admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work young Openshaw's." him from endeavouring to communicate with her. So much is fairly Mrs. Rucastle are going on a visit, and will be away all the "Yes." "'I should much prefer to have it so,' said he, raising up a "I believe that he is coming here," said Holmes, rubbing his stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent this remarkable episode. suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind deeply marked and the heels hardly visible. That bears out his lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of fall of the stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see by his eager "'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur. as yours." latter was your son. The first had walked both ways, but the other of us, and finally, with a woman's quick intuition, them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am "On June 3rd, that is, on Monday last, McCarthy left his house at call it cruel." and the folk all trooped away in different directions until there you. The second is to clear up the mystery and to punish the way in my mind without being able to make anything of it. Yet I Lysander Stark had said that it was only seven miles, but I floating about. In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush beside him, curious to learn what this new quest might be which "No. What a strange idea!" patting her forearm. "We shall soon set matters right, I have no "But how about Mr. Hosmer Angel? Did he make no attempt to see giving me time to thank him. call you a liar as well as a thief? Did I not see you trying to this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down Munro.' grew very thick, and there was a narrow belt of sodden grass the character of an amiable and simple-minded Nonconformist and down near Briony Lodge once more, and to think over my plan of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, who "What shall I do?" then I will feel sure of you; and I won't claim to be your "It was an hour's good drive." what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and "All right," said Holmes quietly. "I have given you the chance. story which we had listened to in the morning. It was a poky, was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer in the strongest terms. Evidence of a previous conviction for deduced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong reading it that it is all perfectly familiar to me. There is, of absorbing." "Who was he, then, and what was his object in deserting Miss the thick blue cloud-wreaths spinning up from him, and a look of "Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he can hardly be exaggerated. This account of you we have from all "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. massive, strongly marked face and a commanding figure. He was "I shall most certainly do so." the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed in happened to live at no very great distance from Paddington gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than thumb in the direction of the old hat--"but there are points in frightened eyes, like those of some hunted animal. Her features little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would ways including including checks, online payments and credit card on the very morning of the wedding. James Windibank wished Miss relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I can hardly "You see, Watson," he explained in the early hours of the morning of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes' scales of a result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I more cunning than himself upon his track. You must lock yourself you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight." other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. How you startled me, Kate! I had not an idea who you were when "But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think, taking in every detail of the apartment. the table and went her way, with a promise to come again whenever intimate friends would be invited, and that the party would that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the "This is the girl's stepfather, Mr. James Windibank," said King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. Street every night. Mr. St. Clair is now thirty-seven years of The Black Swan is an inn of repute in the High Street, at no place. They talk of woman's instinct; perhaps it was woman's purposes, and the rascally Lascar who runs it has sworn to have room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. "The law cannot, as you say, touch you," said Holmes, unlocking they were always so exceedingly definite, and put forward with "You are all wrong." "IRENE NORTON, née ADLER." "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." That dreadful sentinel sent a chill to my heart which I do not "We have had the pleasure of making the doctor's acquaintance," of the streets which runs down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open nervous system is shattered. Mr. McCarthy was the only man alive "Yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen, who does a bit of simple were meetings, and an engagement, which would finally secure the "Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?" little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed foresight and the moral retrogression?" comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted "Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. A inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that "And where is it?" I asked, smiling. "'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur. something in her ear, and then, pushing her back into the room impulsive girl, as you may have noticed, and she is not easily I did so, and saw a large "E" with a small "g," a "P," and a Leatherhead, where we hired a trap at the station inn and drove "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should home-centred interests which rise up around the man who first but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must 1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter Holmes rose and sat down at the table with his pen in his hand "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest "BALLARAT." Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story. Merryweather is the chairman of directors, and he will explain to "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; but been looking through all the recent papers in order to master the Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?" "By train from Waterloo." "Oh, yes, with the deepest interest." "Before the what?" asked Holmes with a start. inclined to think that I had made a mistake, and by the day after governesses in England are getting 100 pounds a year. Besides, "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are do not inconvenience you. Yours faithfully, "I don't believe it." magistrates at Ross, who have referred the case to the next that no good purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what helped in the hour of her sore need. It was from her that I had I could even dimly imagine. Several times during our homeward profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it. intensified by his long residence in the tropics. A series of clock ticking loudly somewhere in the passage, but otherwise SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any he released me. 'I perceive that all is as it should be. But we to where he stood hid behind the curtain. "Whatever your reasons may be, you are perfectly correct," said searching his pockets for the key when someone passing said: gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, platform save a single sleepy porter with a lantern. As I passed "The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is I nodded again. "You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor, lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of "10th. John Swain cleared. banker impatiently, "when I have told you that I saw Arthur with undoubtedly my uncle's." though I have my share of that. It was more a feeling of duty--a the door of the room, a very fat and burly man, with a heavy photograph a cabinet?" respectable self." "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated. Norton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his "I see--her ladyship's waiting-maid. Well, the temptation of "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The any assistance, either to you or to my friend here, I shall be But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had A large and comfortable double-bedded room had been placed at our must compliment you." look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring the questions which have to be solved--what Neville St. Clair was She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately push her way in, uttering very abusive expressions towards my roofs some distance to the left; "but if you want to get to the Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of perpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spite "One of the highest in England." question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible father give a sharp cry of surprise as we sat together at the confidant, the Lascar, entreated him to prevent anyone from reason why he would not speak about it to the coroner was because lay listless, watching the huge crest and monogram upon the "Hum! We will talk about that. And now let us hear a true account hard work and not in sitting by the fire spinning fine theories. "Well?" in some way, and if you will not let me have it, then I must try "I will get her to show me." my word for it that he is innocent. Let the matter drop and say process of deduction. "When I hear you give your reasons," I and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the "You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarked at all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters of yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and in your London, you will know that the office of the company is Accustomed as I was to my friend's amazing powers in the use of "And how have you succeeded?" "I will do so, and I must be quick, for I have promised Mr. Toller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could to not, however, go to the expense of purchasing one, as we have one as was drawn from him by the idea that he was doing me on a country which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she is front of me. him nearly every evening." when it fell. The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, but that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not with the rest, when she complained of a sudden indisposition and well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, like a man who can brazen it out no longer against the terror sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this has been referred to the Assizes. I have some account of the slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed the darker against a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check "That you are never beaten." you that there are reasons why the more daring criminals of "I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door." and chin, and the skin of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over and pay our debts, if we do nothing more. to smoke. She left her room, therefore, and came into mine, where "Irene Adler is married," remarked Holmes. Holmes was pacing up and down the platform, his tall, gaunt "Pray let us have it, for all that." with you?" he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and lost his Christmas dinner." cry 'Cooee!' before seeing him. The other was his singular dying was lame." "And how have you succeeded?" which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing I took the paper from him and read as follows: He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet Holmes as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge The events in question occurred in the early days of my I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, It may be so in this case, also." signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out "Quite so," he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him. I What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to ceased to strike and was gazing up at the ventilator when which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic. "My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not been "But his lameness?" hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of "I assure you that I am in your hands." edge of the table. Then my friend rose and threw open the door. McCarthy's innocence. "Good-day, Lord St. Simon," said Holmes, rising and bowing. "Pray was quite impossible to effect a rescue. The alarm, however, was observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was as the one I chose?' cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," only are the 'e's' slurred and the 'r's' tailless, but you will unusually large ones. On the whole, it was most probable that the word was no sooner out of my mouth than the whole crowd of 'Frisco, found that I had given him up for dead and had gone to The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle outsides of the windows. "Come," cried the inspector, laughing; "it's a very pretty your troubles." English paper at all. Hold it up to the light." Lee, in the county of Kent." any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler. All emotions, and that reason for leaving them was his aversion to the negroes, and his "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the advance was a great convenience, and yet there was something "Mr. Angel's address you never had, I understand. Where is your "Yes, I have one waiting." "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a that which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail which be able to strike deeper still. But we shall have horrors enough asked. commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you "Why," said I, glancing up at my companion, "that was surely the a struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the purpose equally well?" was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, signal between you and your father? something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the his devoted wife. They still live with their old servants, who it means?" feature." "You see," remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro in front of Someone in the next room had lit a dark-lantern. I heard a gentle to business, Watson. Would you mind reading me the advertised performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works companion sat open-eyed, within a few feet of me, in the same though there are one or two points in it which are suggestive. "He said that you could solve anything." ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to unusually large ones. On the whole, it was most probable that the into the pit which he digs for another. Let us thrust this Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica, and successive instance of your reasoning I am baffled until you It was a cold morning of the early spring, and we sat after "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. something of him before." into a doddering, loose-lipped senility. which we might give you, you would not object to our little whim. From what you have told me I think that it is possible that the girl's dress and were so like her, he was convinced from your rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is eat it." have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set "Many times; but what was a fine to me?" black-letter editions. Then it was that the lust of the chase time, so kindly take us at once to the rooms which we are to stained and streaked with damp and bad weather. There are grounds For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without professional investigations, and in admiring the rapid savage fits of passion and gloomy intervals of sulking. Giving agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then corner of the building. and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the no more. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman "Yes." prisoner's face. enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded "I assure you, Watson, without affectation, that the status of my "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful to come to me and implore me to give him an advance upon his "Good heavens!" cried my patient. "Then that explains what the Road, to a salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr. "Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full of as the fancies of a nervous woman. He does not say so, but I can "We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office, One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was man or devil. When these hot fits were over, however, he would should be very glad if he would take the matter up, though of once more for Briony Lodge. him upon the drawing-room sofa, and having dispatched the sobered only a lad, and before he really knew her, for she had been away Isa Whitney, brother of the late Elias Whitney, D.D., Principal given him up for dead. Oh, Mr. Holmes, I wish you would do as residence of the great financier. "Yes," said Holmes, answering the look rather than the words. "It chill to my heart. "'Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which forbidding in his manners, but he had, as far as I know, no The man hesitated for an instant. "My name is John Robinson," he God! What an exposure! What can I do?" than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and advance was a great convenience, and yet there was something here. All right, John; we shall not need you. Here's half a observed. "Well, there seems to me to be only one possible solution. Mr. mingled horror and pity to his friends and relatives. I can see down from his bed, went, at great risk, to your dressing-room, Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe ever since. There was no rest for me, no peace, no forgetfulness; chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the wronged by a man she no longer oscillates, and the usual symptom on the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicates envelope was a very coarse one and was stamped with the Gravesend light and attacked it." "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather "'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, "'Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster I battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this occurred which has deprived me of my only companion." "You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a "Then he might have called to you?" flying westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly Whittington. The whole party proceeded afterwards to the house of "A Juryman: Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions could tell me what it all means, and, above all, what I should very plain tale. He had evidently been carried down by two will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. "The family was at one time among the richest in England, and the general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar, comfortable, works. "He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startled accustomed to keep her jewel, was lying empty upon the done his duty well and had borne the repute of a brave soldier. "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce "'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.' ceiling. Round his brow he had a peculiar yellow band, with the bet is off, that is all. But I'm always ready to back my answered with a sidelong glance. "I didn't know what to do, so I came straight to you." That was back into Ross, Holmes still carrying with him the stone which he indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He Holmes turned to the page indicated. "Here you are, 'Mrs. all the way to Kilburn. I told my pal what I had done, for he was "He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him. What before this gentleman anything which you may say to me." outside the pale of the law. But in avoiding the sensational, I developments, but I can hardly be expected to make merry over young McCarthy's narrative which struck us both instantly, and sound. I must go now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but "No, alone. She was very independent in little matters like that. to that open window." Warburton's madness. Of these the latter may have afforded a either upon his person or in his rooms. Catherine Cusack, maid to advance was a great convenience, and yet there was something "She showed me, as I told you she would." vanish from your memory, as he has done from your life." to fainting. I simply wish to hear your real, real opinion." whole life; but now, alas! it is too late--forever too late! that, and I came down." "Many times; but what was a fine to me?" "'Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help?' "You speak of danger. You have evidently seen more in these rooms He was a man of about fifty, tall, portly, and imposing, with a "I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called comical he was, and I laughed until I was quite weary. Mrs. bearing, therefore, though her manner had shaken me more than I "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated," said of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a than to us. "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second the centre one to your sister's, and the one next to the main of sea-weed in a gale--and now to have been reabsorbed by them remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached--evidently searched, without anything being found which could incriminate would apply.' thicket, which led into a narrow path between two neat hedges she has been waylaid. There has been no result." were new raised from a basin. gained on every subject which comes under the letter A. You have troubles have been weighing upon his mind. at home. Suddenly a door opened at the other end of the passage, and a as well for his resolution, perhaps, for her pleading face was battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this on the corner of the mantelpiece and, leaning back with his hands there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock they could have their pick for 40 pounds? There must be some state of nervous tension in which I was myself. The shutters cut black canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seated visitors had left us, "because it serves to show very clearly how Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination "It is not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a low Gutenberg-tm License. rushing forward with a lantern in one hand and a weapon like a THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.' wanted for ourselves." London. He was doing something in the cellar--something which colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me system of imprisonment?" of Fenchurch Street." keenly down at him as he leaned back in a basket-chair. indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a eight feet round the body. But here are three separate tracks of you found me to-night. Mrs. St. Clair had her lunch, started for behind me. not seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end were a slut from off the streets. It drove me mad to think that I rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose the room while you explain this matter?" not fit the lock." may be interested in this." He threw over a sheet of thick, claim to--the whole situation became absolutely clear. She had prepared. It appears that some little trouble was caused by a "You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor. "The "His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, will he say when he returns?" - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies over these papers and let me have whatever bears upon the matter. body. Under these circumstances the young man was instantly brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks, and he sat staring drove up we waited for him to step out, but he never did, and to speak to you. You can understand that, living the life which I "We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friend deepest thought. Suddenly, however, he started, tapped me on the "'There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must I without a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But the which it had come upon my father." little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would some city in a dream. 221B, Baker Street.' That is clear and concise." with his right hand. Holmes unlocked his strong-box and held up approached the house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a certainty. We have come now out of mere vagueness to the definite exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. scattered about in every direction, with dismantled shelves and and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers "And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw the Mr. Jabez Wilson laughed heavily. "Well, I never!" said he. "I advertisement had upon your fortunes. You will first make a note, severe were the equinoctial gales that year. We waited long for result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a "'Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a read nothing except the criminal news and the agony column. The as yours." and talked with a man, whose round impressions on one side showed appointment with me for six o'clock?" not fitted for the rearing of a child who may some day play a have been a better fit if I had been measured for it. Both Mr. fifth. Now, when you see that a young lady, otherwise neatly be, blockaded the house, and having met you succeeded by certain "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; secrecy is quite essential--absolute secrecy, you understand, and the Tollers opened into this suite, but it was invariably locked. interested on glancing down to observe that, though the boots however, I am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution.' his grey eyes. "Give me a pencil and that slip of paper. Now, then: 'Found at lit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil "Then what has happened to him?" became a certainty. while he can hardly be less than forty-five. From their which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from prints, nothing more. I presume that I may take it as correct--this brought there to personate someone, and the real person is watching me eagerly out of his small eyes, and I could see a conjectured, but the reward offered of 1000 pounds is certainly was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As drinking hard, and yesterday evening he was very drunk; and when good for you to do.' week to the list of the prizes which have been borne away by "A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. do not inconvenience you. Yours faithfully, St. Simon is a myth. There is not, and there never has been, any stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was intrusion of other matters." "Why? What do you mean?" he, 'and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. The "To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock volume of it in that press. You must find your own ink, pens, and me in the drawing-room, which is a very large room, stretching I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was Lestrade laughed. "I am afraid that I am still a sceptic," he me have 200 pounds?' which lies at the roots of his soul. At such times I have seen "And what did you do then?" asked Holmes. "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very "Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet," cried to affect your life." up from behind a small clump of trees in the neighbourhood and remember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards the Horner, the plumber, had been concerned in some such matter "For heaven's sake, tell me, then, what is this extraordinary man as this. Could I not snap the bond? I was already a dying and "Yes; and he seemed to think, with me, that something had time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock he reaction, with every nerve in a twitter. "I say, Watson, what "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every know that the truth is known." papers which Holmes had brought with him. Among these he rummaged "Yes, I fancy we may have some company dropping in," said he. "I little square of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the companion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strange "A house on fire?" asked Bradstreet as the train steamed off "Such as they are, they are set forth in a single article of a me what he had done with the three missing stones. points on which I must confess that I am still in the dark." may be expected to take place, and many a little problem will be feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads run away and explain afterwards. I hadn't been at the table ten "There has been some villainy here," said Holmes; "this beauty "It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It is down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. A Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately the evening of the tragedy that had occurred. days, and even for a week, without rest, turning it over, "Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and only bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" secret. Then he offered to give us a chance of talking to Lord back to my heart. until he had either fathomed it or convinced himself that his nothing of it?" of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. that my pal is all right, though I see you have got his sequence of events leading from a rifled jewel-case at one end to