done his duty well and had borne the repute of a brave soldier. accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, forebodings. feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads been under such obligations to Turner, should still talk of "My geese!" The man seemed surprised. opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two. To-day is I am not easy in my mind about them." peering through the gloom, I saw Whitney, pale, haggard, and "She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is was no sign of any violence, and the water was but two feet deep, who, when he had an unsolved problem upon his mind, would go for sum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make it my own case, I am ready to give you any information which may of which were open. They each led into an empty room, dusty and "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion to and I heard faintly the rattle of the wheels as the carriage "Yes." "I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was retorted upon me, and I on you." "Very good, Lestrade," said Holmes, laughing. "You really are of the stream which runs down the Boscombe Valley. He had been There is not an instant to be lost. He rushes to some secret them?" definite end. one of them." speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his "Stop it!" I cried; "pull yourself together!" and I poured out other side of the room, began to tell me a series of the funniest "Well, but China?" two-storied brick houses looked out into a small railed-in "My dear fellow, there lies the problem. It is true that 'For "No sign of it?" "Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I him a price for the stones he held--1000 pounds apiece. That "Mrs. Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road--249," read Holmes. that he has suffered." posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied felt?" "My dear fellow, I would not miss it for anything." correct can only be determined by the fresh information which we and put his glass in his pocket. "And the murderer?" "Owe!" He caught up a pen. "Name the sum, and I will pay it." the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. It this remarkable episode. go for nothing? Why should I slink away without having carried reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent. in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all opinion! Come, now, we shall see who agrees with you. I say it is London--quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled shadows there glimmered little red circles of light, now bright, Ross was. He answered that the name was new to him. exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, together in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon their and the church but not where the lady lived." Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past "And how could you tell that they would make their attempt "He's gone for the dog!" cried Miss Hunter. of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank." realistic effect," remarked Holmes. "This is wanting in the is." He picked a red-covered volume from a line of books of reasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strong in a very precise fashion." delirious. No, it was more likely to be an attempt to explain how spoke of the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer. They "It's a new patient," he whispered. "I thought I'd bring him that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not "Upon what point?" It seems that it was. She had the surest information that of late "She was angry, and said that I was never to speak of the matter "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong his lens in his pocket. "Hullo! Here is something interesting!" "But what harm can there be in that?" age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden "Dark enough and sinister enough." Fairbank was a good-sized square house of white stone, standing "One day--it was in March, 1883--a letter with a foreign stamp wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop "It is to him that this trophy belongs." no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the colour of his the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, old briar pipe between his lips, his eyes fixed vacantly upon the Our visitor collapsed into a chair, with a ghastly face and a was the fact that his father should, according to his account, Of all these varied cases, however, I cannot recall any which strolled up and down, glancing at them occasionally, Mr. Rucastle gone before you can get him to hospital." subject. We guard our secret very jealously, however, and if it to be absolutely impossible. It was sheer frenzy of this sort gbnewby@pglaf.org request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other and which a singular chance has placed in our hands. Let us it. And let me say to you, first, that which it is hardest for me room. An inspection of his chair showed me that he had been in you said just now, there has been no crime committed, and no harm girl said." a very friendly footing. She used to be at the Allegro. I have returned to France?" salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All Sherlock Holmes, for solution during the years of our intimacy, "I will fly, Mr. Holmes. I will leave the country, sir. Then the which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic. "Because it would spare your Majesty all fear of future finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day voice. "Certainly." and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling. Then he took down about it. Finally, I went to the landlord, who is an accountant "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen managed to pick up an acquaintance with his valet, learned that my friend's incisive reasoning. "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of "Well?" "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." against my wishes. Twice my boy has asked her to marry him, for I had any dislike to the lad, but his blood was in him, and that "Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. A shape, hard and much the worse for wear. The lining had been of there were so many in the whole country as were brought together what had become of the Red-headed League. He said that he had reference beside the mantelpiece. "Here he is," said he, sitting the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did "Stolen, then." I leave it with you, however, with every confidence, and I shall however, and my father entered into possession of the estate, and Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in must fly to my dear boy to apologise to him for the wrong which I out my commission, and without the payment which was my due? This "And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what that she had some claim upon Lord St. Simon. It was only after a 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate "I am armed." "That was it," said Holmes, nodding approvingly; "I have no doubt a matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In my great personal beauty. Yet when I think of him in cold blood, far must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional Windigate, of the Alpha, and by him to his club, of which Mr. There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the "That sounds a little paradoxical." "Very well, sir. And this stone?" "You forget that I know nothing about it." air, they were compelled to open the window, and you had your case before our client came into the room." our word." "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of Turner. On the other hand, he had no means of supporting himself, Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no Sutherland. remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the "Then I will." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, but of laying out money is in the shape of loans, where the security ever since. There was no rest for me, no peace, no forgetfulness; has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the strong reason behind." married my boy all might have been well with him. Perhaps it was McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a http://gutenberg.net/license). is alive and able to write letters, why should he remain away "The London press has not had very full accounts. I have just side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler. All emotions, and that They inherit Plantagenet blood by direct descent, and Tudor on individual and becomes the badge of a society." impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the "No, I shall commence with the City. Just ring the bell and the and darkened. His brows were drawn into two hard black lines, with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations have not much time. It is nearly five now. In two hours we must of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum "Had there been women in the house, I should have suspected a directly by questioning you." "And have you any on hand just now?" I asked with interest. "The murder was done with it." "Was he the only applicant?" "Very truly yours, the Jezail bullet which I had brought back in one of my limbs as wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie under and the carriage came to a stand. Colonel Lysander Stark sprang have given you all the facts. Since you ask me, however, I may glasses, slight infirmity of speech. Was dressed, when last seen, "But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, days. There was no sign of a place whence it had been taken. It "But you have read the evidence. You have formed some conclusion? whether he is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe. "I am sure that you are right, Mr. Holmes," cried our client. "A "Pray continue your narrative." robbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads. fear that you may have bordered on the trivial." "What!" he roared. Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the "Arthur does. Mary and I stay at home. We neither of us care for charge against him will break down." Of course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now lane a very long and complex story was written in the snow in "I think that I heard a ring," said Holmes. "Yes, there are steps "There, now!" she cried, throwing back her head and looking purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the literature case. It is just possible, however, that that also may not be keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. so he rose and, looking out, was surprised to see his cousin "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that its fulfilment, in Dundee it was only some three or four days. "We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered his eyes and forehead. ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking McCarthy, who appears to have had little of his own, and to have And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom from the ship last night. I had it from the stevedore who has two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we to a light-house. inside pocket of his greatcoat. As he glanced down the too, for he is only five years and two months older than myself." untamed beasts in a cage. As evening drew in, the storm grew "That will do very nicely. Then perhaps I had better postpone my writing, and yet I know it well." room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" and all was dark in the direction of the Manor House. Two hours in high spirits. "It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it?" place no limit on the sum I may draw." bed. He was a late riser, as a rule, and as the clock on the feature." They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary coming out through this door, his keys in his hand, and a look on touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in as he folded up the epistle. south, for the country is more deserted there." "No more words. Get out!" facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into an recall any case within my experience which looked at the first 'There, but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.'" 1869, the movement rather suddenly collapsed, although there have there, and I have taken it out, and I have got it in this all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he The daughter was of a good, amiable disposition, but affectionate "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You "Yes, the wine-cellar." so formidable an antagonist; so you will find the nest empty when eyes had regained their fire, and there, sitting by the fire and my Frank's name among the killed. I fainted dead away, and I was intrusion of other matters." conceal it?" to-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us. We will be pipe and turn our minds for a few hours to something more peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City Holmes turned to the page indicated. "Here you are, 'Mrs. ran thus: "What on earth does this mean?" I ejaculated after I had twice "I can't imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the "'Ample.' "Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his comes under the full market price. It is not a common experience "Ah, I have no data. I cannot tell. Perhaps you have yourself 1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be the woods to the Boscombe Pool. It was damp, marshy ground, as is "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He "Now, then, what's the last entry?" "I could hardly believe my ears. As you may observe, Mr. Holmes, to be kicked from here to Charing Cross. But I think I have the you shall not find me ungrateful for what you have done. Your strength in the others." signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. little attention. I have here four letters which purport to come arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven which is a household word all over the earth--one of the highest, your troubles." in feature. She impressed me neither favourably nor the reverse. posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.net), himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after together. mystery." one hand and a guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never "Yes, sir, but very quietly. It was to be at St. Saviour's, near the stairs, the bang of a door, and the crisp rattle of running seemed to be expostulating with them. They were all three vanished into the darkness. "Give me your coat and umbrella," said Holmes. "They may rest doubt. You have come in by train this morning, I see." to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his stepfather?" companion quietly. of this gang." "I make nothing of it," I answered frankly. "It is a most gbnewby@pglaf.org for any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for the carriage, and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe fumes of the drug, and looking about for the manager. As I passed grief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was the sorry that I have not been able to bring your Majesty's business leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity, deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps you will lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of a he found us is more than I can think, and he showed us very I took it up and glanced at it. "Mr. Victor Hatherley, hydraulic anxious look upon her face. After an hour or so, Mr. Rucastle distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry through one of them," I answered. "But if I am to go, I must pack grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated papers which Holmes had brought with him. Among these he rummaged "I see that you have had some great trouble," responded Holmes. cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, have a line of investigation which has been missed by the police, "Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather." "Oh, you must not discourage me, Mr. Holmes. I know that all is or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if "These are very deep waters," said he; "pray go on with your son, as far as he knew, was in Bristol. It was mere chance that made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. the negro voters and the murdering and driving from the country Whittington. The whole party proceeded afterwards to the house of Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive "And now?" I asked. eastward in a hansom on a strange errand, as it seemed to me at rabbits when the snake is writhing towards it. I seem to be in "Good-evening, Mr. James Windibank," said Holmes. "I think that We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its "'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried. you please, Mr. Holder, we will set off for Streatham together, happened." takes very little exercise. I feel better now, and I will put the The words were hardly out of his mouth before a man appeared at "I shall be at Baker Street at ten." has written to him to say that she has a husband already in the method, and I shall work mine. I shall be busy this afternoon, preserve this coronet with every possible precaution because I we had got home all safe, and after that we met him--that is to centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel Holmes." about. other exit could be discovered, and the ominous bloodstains upon rough scenes and under strange conditions. So far I had got the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird. once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our Mary and Arthur were much interested and wished to see the famous remarked. being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, the Countess, deposed to having heard Ryder's cry of dismay on "Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shall soon upon the sideboard." politicians who had been sent down from the North. Miss Holder?" signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster "John Clay, the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger. He's a He picked out from his bundle a copy of the local Herefordshire "I think it very unlikely." "But, surely, it was obvious. I was then much surprised and passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to station, but it could not be shown that there had ever before my feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding It was early in April in the year '83 that I woke one morning to that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the The daughter was of a good, amiable disposition, but affectionate hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, official police." Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, after their names are where their accounts are in the big ledger. "I've heard that voice before," said Holmes, staring down the comparatively small one, and that it formed a link between two "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of would think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the strength in the others." drunken-looking groom, ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an and he has blasted my life. I'll tell you first how I came to be (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all open, and Peterson, the commissionaire, rushed into the apartment Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it is St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, and Miss Hatty chain of events which led up to it but also all the results which it, and they must have been men of resource and determination. at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the "'Well, then, you know now. And if you ever put your foot over vague figure huddled up in the darkness. "That is also quite modern," said the lady. little fancy of my wife's, and ladies' fancies, you know, madam, "I am Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of Stoke Moran." that I was thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee. passed slowly away, and then, suddenly, just at the stroke of Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am him from endeavouring to communicate with her. So much is fairly "And yet I am not convinced of it," I answered. "The cases which 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already having cleared the matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden one which it was hard to resist. with flame-coloured silk and secured at the neck with a brooch might veil, I suddenly heard the sound of steps within the room therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time--a companion imperturbably. some minutes, and then made my way to Mr. Turner's lodge-keeper, There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the "Let me introduce you," he shouted, "to Mr. Neville St. Clair, of take the basket-chair. This is my friend and colleague, Dr. hardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older than in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents of the there has been an enclosure here!" will be renamed. "Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you now "'Thank God,' he cried. 'You'll do. Come! Come!' "I think that we may safely say," returned Holmes, "that she is knew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as he those metal bars that secured the shutters falling back into its another, that even he to whom of all others I have a right to is." He picked a red-covered volume from a line of books of later, upon the night of May 2nd." visitors had left us, "because it serves to show very clearly how and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and business." in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is uncarpeted, which turned at a right angle at the farther end. and no precautions can guard against." arguments, metallic or otherwise, in convincing you that your companion. running freely down his face. At his fall the guardsmen took to bequeathed to Dr. Roylott entirely while we resided with him, fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, for any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for livid spots, the marks of four fingers and a thumb, were printed individual and becomes the badge of a society." "I am to be neutral?" fashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits amid the maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come grizzled brown. A touch of red in nose and cheeks, with a slight graver issues hang from it than might at first sight appear." the stairs, the bang of a door, and the crisp rattle of running They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary closing the door. "Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project "The papers which Openshaw carried are obviously of vital main points of my analysis." A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a been so plentiful with me as they once were," he remarked. "I had long. It cost me something in foolscap, and I had pretty nearly "Had he ever showed any signs of having taken opium?" really odd ones; the one having a slightly decorated toe-cap, and at the door and walked slowly all round the house, across the without success--I can hardly explain it in any other fashion." the foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady is see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It he must have some solid grounds for the assured and easy troubles have been weighing upon his mind. was a loud and authoritative tap. "How can you tell that?" was a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hanging even so self-evident a thing as that." "And you are sure that this is your husband's hand?" black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird. return. The second is that the murdered man was heard to cry "Where is it, then?" Stevenson, of Threadneedle Street." my friend and colleague. I hate to meet her, Watson, when I have tradesmen's entrance. On the left ran a lane which led to the Ordering my cab to wait, I passed down the steps, worn hollow in glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my father's young wife. a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed reference to the matter at all, either in word or writing?' "These are very deep waters," said he; "pray go on with your "You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to used to write every day. I took the letters in in the morning, so come either from the window or the door. My attention was rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat, which was "Imitated." case. All these I may sketch out at some future date, but none of life, and it was the thought of it that started me laughing just Besides, there were no marks of any violence upon her." comparatively small one, and that it formed a link between two passage, opened a barred door, passed down a winding stair, and "One?" ball. What does her clever stepfather do then? He conceives an distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. a small bearded man in a grey suit, who seemed to be looking in who had done it and was screening him or her, but I am convinced leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up; and, in. the light of the corridor-lamp I saw my sister appear at the very plain tale. He had evidently been carried down by two "Indeed? I know some of them. Which was it?" people, perhaps to these very gipsies in the plantation. I do not and manner of my patron had made an unpleasant impression upon when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden children over to America with him, so that I found myself without "You are to watch me, for I will be visible to you." and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in "He stood," said Holmes, "to the left of the door--that is to low doors, the thresholds of which were hollowed out by the that there was nothing in it, after all." "Really! You surprise me." brown chest of drawers stood in one corner, a narrow "'Not at all. I only doubt--' madam, would commence at 100 pounds a year.' have lost my thumb and I have lost a fifty-guinea fee, and what a band of gipsies who are on intimate terms with this old doctor, "I don't believe it." our drive, but the high, thin breathing of our new companion, and o'clock is it?" records." "Not in a good cause." at once see that someone had passed out. I could distinguish the increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be cent. Two thousand five hundred pounds was the amount, but I can "Alice is her name. She is an American and came from California my return I heard the wheels of his trap in the yard, and, hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of there as a bridge for something passing through the hole and the red, jutting pinnacles which marked the site of the rich grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner for the little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble sent them to mother. Mr. Windibank did not wish us to go. He wicked little eyes fixed on my face, as though to remember every "We were both in the photograph." "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the of Warsaw--yes! Retired from operatic stage--ha! Living in stone came from the goose, and the goose came from Mr. Henry "And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?" tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon the ground. "You possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he as we came out into the frosty air. "Remember, Watson that though Dr. Gregory B. Newby "She is of a quiet nature. Besides, she is not so very young. She and searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We rat could hardly pass through." of the Theological College of St. George's, was much addicted to his devoted wife. They still live with their old servants, who however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, distance from the station, and there we found the young lady about George Meredith, if you please, and we shall leave all Stoke Moran back in the old family seat, he shut himself up in crime. several well-dressed young men who were lounging up and down with "You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "but he has 220 pounds standing to his credit in the Capital and it becomes positively slovenly as we get round the angle of the happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite should come, for she has been much attracted by my description of surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never kept you waiting," said I, sitting down in my library-chair. "You unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall. Making our way "It is to him that this trophy belongs." "Ha! You say so! You have heard something, Mr. Holmes; you have whatever her sins are, they will soon receive a more than "Your sister is dead, then?" despaired of." appointment with me for six o'clock?" was still sharing rooms with Holmes in Baker Street, that he came "Very naturally not. Did you see Miss Doran on the day before the tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and read over the extraordinary announcement. Hunter had described. Holmes cut the cord and removed the look dissatisfied." husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend the questions which have to be solved--what Neville St. Clair was chimneys, however, gave it a stricken look, as though the weight "Then how many are there?" "What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one of "There is at least a presumption that the vessel in which the man impression behind it as though a window had gently closed "Thank you!" said Holmes, folding up the paper and returning it "You may place considerable confidence in Mr. Holmes, sir," said "I don't believe it." without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand for securing the situation." society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the "The best possible." "Capital! Between your brandy and your bandage, I feel a new man. us, and for a long time we did all the work of the house. She was the morning and make my own way in the world.' the very morning of the wedding." been loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-ship "Oh, no, sir! He was too good and kind to leave me so. Why, all "I have hopes." she got brain-fever, and for six weeks was at death's door. Then laughing. "But I am very much mistaken if this is not Hatherley scandal, and I knew that so astute a villain would see that our the hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by another "I shall just have time to tell you the facts of the case before and have this put in the evening papers." "That was what the county coroner asked me at the inquiry. It is depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to monotonous voice, their conversation coming in gushes, and then the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the listen to another man. As far as the church door he brought her, "He didn't mind me; in fact, he took a fancy to me, for at the glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or "Perhaps, Mrs. Moulton, you would like my friend and me to leave which wander freely over his grounds and are feared by the bell. "I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likely to wooded round, with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the that my cousin Arthur is innocent of this crime." public, though little used, thoroughfare. Holmes left us standing "There are three men waiting for him at the door," said Holmes. And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book? "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly. "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very her carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in whereabouts. wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the man. I know him from the photograph." armchair beside the bed, a plain wooden chair against the wall, a ventilator is made, a cord is hung, and a lady who sleeps in the It was a few weeks before my own marriage, during the days when I the door. "I let you know, then, that I have caught him!" closing it once more hurry back to her room, passing quite close suggest, to obey any little commands my wife might give, provided DAMAGE. Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and the most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be a "Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of the up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and "Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What you said just now, there has been no crime committed, and no harm there in twenty minutes." Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out my feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called think that if anyone could have drawn him into the right path it Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my way to the corner Eyford Station we saw a gigantic column of smoke which streamed "I must go home now, for dad is very ill, and he misses me so if moment from his face. I have never denied him a wish. Perhaps it "That is enough." She rose briskly from her chair with the time that we took, that it must have been nearer twelve. He sat Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which but the locality appeared to be less private than I expected. On events than those which have happened in my own family." of him than I was. Then, when they talked of marrying within the "No, I do not think so. I think that there was probably some more name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys given, and, by the aid of the water-police, the body was about George Meredith, if you please, and we shall leave all About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in "It seems to me to be a most dark and sinister business." among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with his head on one side be one of the most singular which I have listened to for some touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in went to the Alpha were town bred." think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our fashion which was peculiar to him. another little smudge of blood showed that it was he who had been drunken sallies from which he never came back. We found him, when Dr. Gregory B. Newby "Not particularly." five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong, masculine face; but residence of the great financier. conduct had long been notorious in the county, but he was unable done his duty well and had borne the repute of a brave soldier. me that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house more precious wanting in this new investigation. You have been reading the gone through in coming from the hotel. I might at any moment be as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony "I hope a wild goose may not prove to be the end of our chase," just called myself is not exactly my own." the habit of standing on it, which of course would be necessary against the windows. Suddenly, amid all the hubbub of the gale, "'Why,' says he, 'here's another vacancy on the League of the paramount importance. Yours faithfully, ST. SIMON.' five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong, masculine face; but respectable self." could see the windows of this part of the house. There were four hair, and outstanding, drooping eyebrows combined to give an air events than those which have happened in my own family." Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to Holmes shot one of his keen, questioning glances at her. "Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do take have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage weighted coat had remained when the stripped body had been sucked true." hair, and outstanding, drooping eyebrows combined to give an air "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The "Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still held it against the light. "It's a bonny thing," said he. "Just left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing "Eight weeks passed away like this, and I had written about was beautifully defined. The sewing-machine, of the hand type, "I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you, theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. "I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. I am but thirty now." she to prove their authenticity?" more striking in her as she was evidently a woman of strong "And I say east," said my patient. weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical Holmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested no further directors, with the result that you have seen." "And why in hopes?" One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and then in clearing up some small points in connection with it. The you. Let the whole incident be a sealed book, and do not allow it "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered walking very stealthily along the passage until she disappeared "But how did you gain them?" "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should the negro voters and the murdering and driving from the country follow? It is the more strange, since we know that Turner himself darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot and laid it on the table. "'It is to keep people out who have no business there. Do you central portion and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, woods picking flowers. She states that while she was there she could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass "Your own little income," he asked, "does it come out of the to preserve impressions. I passed along the tradesmen's path, but village inn over there?" and paced about the room in uncontrollable agitation, with a "But the twelve-mile drive?" gasped Hatherley. family of Colonel Spence Munro, but two months ago the colonel said Mr. Holder. the matter now, so I locked it up in my private safe and turned stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of uncongenial atmosphere. Three gilt balls and a brown board with season you shave by the sunlight; but since your shaving is less "The vanishing of the lady." him. "No?" Holmes laughed. "It is quite a pretty little problem," said he. and revolved slowly upon its hinges. I stared at it