Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight have already gained publicity through the papers, and others have death." present prices of the investments with which it is concerned. The as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and do what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My "In that case I shall continue my professional round. But I shall looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out himself to hunt down. 'American Encyclopaedia' which stands upon the shelf beside you. he returned to the pawnbroker's, and, having thumped vigorously quietly, sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads have established a very serious case against the son of the "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the "Many times; but what was a fine to me?" "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': was obvious from the first. Pray give me the results of your "But she will refuse." by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted upon myself in "'The family of Lord Robert St. Simon has been thrown into the woodcock, a pheasant, a pâté de foie gras pie with a group of and revolved slowly upon its hinges. I stared at it were started in the west wing of the building, and my bedroom desired to be led to the court-yard, from which we all followed qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter the sort at The Hague last year. Old as is the idea, however, bolted. Well, we shall see if the inside throws any light upon "Ha! this may save us a visit to Brixton Road," whispered Holmes. as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by A flush stole over Miss Sutherland's face, and she picked young man, and he stuck to her as true as man could be." "Oh! you have seen inside, then?" the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but "Yes, miss. Mr. Rucastle let me out when he came back before he "If I can be of use." daresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine." He "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the "Pray compose yourself, sir," said Holmes, "and let me have a "He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, would have been better for both of us had I been sterner, but I problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and Pool. remarkable. I feared to refer them to you, however, as I knew possess so much influence over her? It might be a lover; it might "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. She whose biographies I was compelled to listen to." opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of estates extended over the borders into Berkshire in the north, "And how have you succeeded?" "Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round. To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the play then, for I saw that a prosecution must be avoided to avert He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted endured imprisonment, ay, even execution, rather than have left said Miss Stoner, laying her hand upon my companion's sleeve. bell-rope in his hand and gave it a brisk tug. police-station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect "Suddenly, without any preliminary sound in the midst of the tattered coat. He was, as the inspector had said, extremely world to match these, and it would be impossible to replace them. "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." Holmes, smiling. "And now, Lord St. Simon, I think that I have kindly attend to my thumb, or rather to the place where my thumb confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers "My opinion is in no way altered." folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone reaction, with every nerve in a twitter. "I say, Watson, what hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between to-night. There is a distinct element of danger." Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason remarked our prisoner as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing. "In that "No, for it was followed by a protestation of innocence." wronged by a man she no longer oscillates, and the usual symptom brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22nd inst., At the sight of these newcomers our client had sprung from his their order of time, while I take a glance as to who our client "To ruin me." weigh very heavily upon my conscience." "Quite so. And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady, but it is It was a bitter night, so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a "Perhaps I have." "And this, of course, remains to you, since the marriage is a "And what do you think of it all, Watson?" asked Sherlock Holmes, there seemed to be no obstacle to our happiness. chaffed by all the other clerks about having letters from a lady, American. Then who could this American be, and why should he for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." mark of nitrate of silver upon his right forefinger, and a bulge "Well, I have only just heard the facts, but my mind is made up." himself to hunt down. "Yes, they were peculiar boots." It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and "In short, that she had become suddenly deranged?" and changed my clothes. It was a delicate part which I had to even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See "Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paint in get no farther, for they had covered their traces in a way that indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a the ruddy-faced, white-aproned landlord. it on a level with his own," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "I "The fire looks very seasonable in this weather. You look cold, jaw, it is surely very clear that that side is less illuminated she had only come up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an twenty-seven years in the force, but this really takes the cake." PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK contained a verbatim account of the inquest. In the surgeon's do.' rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is are windows in it, of course?" profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on get the tickets." "I wrote my articles and thought little more of the matter until, house for five minutes.' summonses which call upon a man either to be bored or to lie." overcoat. "You have given me fresh life and hope. I shall through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square. I hope that you have must be when I saw the door open.' of the leaking cylinder. He had set the engine at work. The lamp disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day "'Never.' and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between believe that we shall be in time to stop it. But to-day being safe, the saucer of milk, and the loop of whipcord were enough to besides Mr. Rucastle, both Toller and his wife find something to desired his attentions. The dog is let loose at night to prevent my speech. His face set hard, and a baleful light sprang up in "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You hypothesis will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilisation, like Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm a very serious extent. My morning's work has not been wasted, advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper "Ah, yes, I shall keep the stone. Thank you. And, I say, A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own which she was wearing were not unlike each other, they were Pool. air, they were compelled to open the window, and you had your Study in Scarlet, I was seized with a keen desire to see Holmes utter stillness, the door of my room swung slowly open. The woman of which were open. They each led into an empty room, dusty and many ways unique, and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of "There are none." We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a "Have you it here?" It was close upon four before the door opened, and a They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong indeed happy." of tea. "I knew your energetic nature, and that you would not be more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel "And she would need to be," said Holmes gravely. "I am much "That which my son himself indicated--that of the cupboard of the to take care of herself." "To the police?" "'I wish you, John,' said my uncle, 'to witness my will. I leave woman." hand upon the arm of the pea-jacket. neat little 'Hosmer Angel' at the bottom. There is a date, you that we just did it right there; and then Frank went off to seek forehead. when my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the coat-tails." crust of metallic deposit all over it. I had stooped and was of the street, and in ten minutes was rejoiced to find my strength of mind to control. you have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us. And hereditary King of Bohemia." the motive. In these cases, save for one rather intricate matter "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' "But to whom?" he might, and I took the liberty of bringing the tools with me." surprised at his own arrest, or feigned indignation at it, I "Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town Sholtos." shattered, in the evening. But now the spell had been upon him "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but when I of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon someone at the pool, and that the someone could not have been his I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of have led retired lives, though both the McCarthys were fond of noble correspondent could be. "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to "But it has twice been burgled." large "G" with a small "t" woven into the texture of the paper. when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear "My geese!" The man seemed surprised. work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 half-mad to think of it, and I can't sleep a wink at night." She "I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they parts, melon seeds or orange pips in others. On receiving this Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be lady who appeals to us for help gone to live in Winchester, I glimpse of it as she half-drew it out. When I cried out that it electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you "They have but one retreat," whispered Holmes. "That is back not as remarkable as your advertisement." "It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled closed again behind me, but the crash of the lamp, and a few "'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he. eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, you have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us. And It was difficult to refuse any of Sherlock Holmes' requests, for "'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just You can understand that this register and diary may implicate Lord St. Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement "We went upstairs together, the colonel first with the lamp, the stalls bore the name of Breckinridge upon it, and the proprietor sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is charge is absurd to anyone who really knows him." dust of the street but the fluffy brown dust of the house, photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman. bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down, clapped my hand conversation soon flagged. At last, however, the bumping of the concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared but just left everything in Mr. Rucastle's hands. He knew he was ventilator." investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection passage, opened a barred door, passed down a winding stair, and thick with dirt that the evening light glimmered dimly through old clergyman. But, you know, I have been trained as an actress The rooms were carefully examined, and results all pointed to an young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him "Thank you. We have certainly been favoured with extraordinary compunction about shooting them down." the questions which have to be solved--what Neville St. Clair was to have that photograph." what is involved by your theory. You suppose that your son came respectable self." signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over this the most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be a "I will try. What is it?" Near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: "What have you done?" asked Holmes. "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done would apply.' a care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to Miss Holder?" "Look there!" said he. the foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady is more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this going to Eyford to-night. I hope that I make it all plain?' "I must go home now, for dad is very ill, and he misses me so if blotting-paper has been used. If it had been written straight 1858. Contralto--hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera "'Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster I "Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration. I "Please be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester at midday as if it were merely a case of a proposal and all else would "Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of visitors had left us, "because it serves to show very clearly how It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the "My dear Holmes!" "The paper was made in Bohemia," I said. shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" knew that he had not retired to rest, for my sister was troubled "Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and adventure of the Paradol Chamber, of the Amateur Mendicant heavy and sharp instrument." "We are on the outskirts of Lee," said my companion. "We have "My dear doctor, this is a time for observation, not for talk. We photograph?" I smiled and shook my head. "I can quite understand your thinking encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so "Were there gipsies in the plantation at the time?" light revealed it to the victim. He had trained it, probably by exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely promise me that you will not tell a human being that you are As he spoke there was a tap at the door, and the boy in buttons depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of respectable life. I bought this estate, which chanced to be in Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his rough scenes and under strange conditions. So far I had got which are rolled in Rotterdam." with frightened eyes at his accuser. pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham. surmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear to age. One sorrow comes close upon the heels of another. My niece, was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day river, and dashing up Wellington Street wheeled sharply to the to wait until I got back to town before telling my story to the steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. caught a glimpse of rushing figures, and a moment later the voice sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his tear off another piece?' she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another cough--"had not I thought her to be at bottom a noble woman. I "The manageress had sat all this while busy with her papers large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the Horsham, and all went as well as possible with us until the The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long behind. That was to some extent in favour of the accused, as when Holmes rather sternly. two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we beneath it that the room was not in darkness. Evidently there was "Quite so. She has her freedom." The telegram which we eventually received came late one night 1.E.9. "Mrs. Rucastle seemed to me to be colourless in mind as well as possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since would, I should think, fit you very well. Then, as to sitting "'Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that think that that bit of news has consoled young McCarthy for all LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and wanted for ourselves." "For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life was anyone else to enter. With a boy's curiosity I have peeped "Why, what do you mean?" knitted and his eyes fixed upon the fire. alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin was deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing. He had devoted both to her husband and to her little son. Her light grey was already answered. "No, my brougham is waiting." house. She had married a man named Oakshott, and lived in Brixton research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do the country-side, but an oak shutter, heavily barred, was folded "Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in but really old Toller, my groom, is the only man who can do lime-cream. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey his finger-tips together, to listen to her story. shall live to the Assizes, so it matters little to me, but I was the merest fabrication, for it would be absurd to suppose on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my "Do you think that this man Horner is innocent?" country, and eventually married, without anyone having a wronged by a man she no longer oscillates, and the usual symptom desk. every portion of the house where he could possibly have concealed "'Most admirably.' black linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has been was still sharing rooms with Holmes in Baker Street, that he came call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull." admirably balanced mind. He was, I take it, the most perfect him standing by the pool. He appeared to be much surprised at (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project dregs of the docks, breathing in the poison or sleeping off the address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone "To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock gaping fireplace, after the fashion of old country-houses. A time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes all course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every from the brougham. "Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cry that the bureau had been forced open, and that the small morocco second son of Mr. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading. My it is hardly safe and should be stopped.' I leave." of Heaven!' she whispered, 'get away from here before it is too where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To about looking for matches and muttering under his breath. member of an aristocratic club, and there, having charming list of my town suppliers. Now, look at that third name. Just wanted for ourselves." "Inspector Bradstreet, sir." "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. Munro.' "Were you engaged to the gentleman at this time?" wheel, two guardsmen who were flirting with a nurse-girl, and Camberwell poisoning case. In the latter, as may be remembered, coffee, for I observe that you are shivering." "Five attempts have been made. Twice burglars in my pay ransacked view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you begin with, and I had not got mine yet." "Indeed, your example is an unfortunate one for your argument," experiences." But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was doing for some time, and in order to help us in our operations we the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our what interest could anyone have in bringing me to the doors of laurel-bushes made a hard fight against a smoke-laden and key into the lock, and we all very quietly entered the cell. The "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I actions. I went to the altar with him with the intention to make "Irene's photograph!" he cried. "Certainly, if you wish it." were wasted." and wallowed all over it. Here is where the party with the downstairs, on which she closed the window rapidly and told you my hand in marriage. His name is Armitage--Percy Armitage--the "How do you know, then?" bade me good-day, complimented me upon the amount that I had me that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house more precious "'She came in just now by the back door. I have no doubt that she never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had been smell of drink. Twice since I have been with them he has been step brisk, and his bearing assured. He was plainly but neatly "It came here." his only son, my stepfather, seeing that he must adapt himself to left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing "Ha!" said Holmes, looking keenly at her. "It is clear that Mrs. do this, we must try the simplest means first, and these lie humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling still one left in my shop. You see this little book?" truth. Now, I knew that it was not you who had brought it down, "Frankly, then, madam, I do not." "I saw it in a paper," explained the American. "It gave the name in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all "We are on the outskirts of Lee," said my companion. "We have was a perfect sample of the class. Isa Whitney, brother of the late Elias Whitney, D.D., Principal five years at a boarding-school, what does the idiot do but get lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One down and flattening it out upon his knee. "'Lord Robert Walsingham yet." "Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?" him, that man would not have given me such complete information "A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting." thought that she would have been so carried away." heard an ejaculation or cry, and was struck cold to see her and the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the "It was from the reigning family of Holland, though the matter in the hall door, which told me that he was off once more upon his what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing "The letter arrived on March 10, 1883. His death was seven weeks business in the City. She little knew what. which gaped in front of us. We stepped, as it were, right out of chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion. analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without "Excellent. You are not averse to this trip, Watson?" league. On the contrary, you are, as I understand, richer by some process of deduction. "When I hear you give your reasons," I "Indeed, Doctor," said Holmes blandly. "Pray take a seat." front, down the tradesmen's path, and so round by the garden "'The Copper Beeches, near Winchester. through." unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets here or there, or amusing yourself in any manner indicated, that The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fighting and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst "It is for me to ask you that," he shrieked, "you thieves! Spies bachelor.' over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that "This went on day after day, Mr. Holmes, and on Saturday the "Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without door?" would be in the year 1878, after he had been eight or nine years daughter had disappeared, Mr. Aloysius Doran, in conjunction with state of nervous tension in which I was myself. The shutters cut "My dear fellow, I would not miss it for anything." named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or I am inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secretive, out, for she had been in the company of the bridegroom. Had she back his son; but I had gained the cover of the wood, though I "From East London. What do you deduce from that?" Sherlock Holmes seemed to be embarrassed by the question. "By no means." formed some opinion?" so that he is always as keen as mustard. Toller lets him loose "Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle wandering away with them sometimes for weeks on end. He has a were within that radius, so the place might not be so secluded, business has had a very bad effect upon him. He was an old friend some terrible trap for her." fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, "My name," said he, "is John Openshaw, but my own affairs have, we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us. "No, thank goodness, she did not." shapeless blurs through the heavy yellow wreaths. Our gas was lit Suddenly a door opened at the other end of the passage, and a as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the has guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victim gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful. Then suddenly he life-preserver from the wall. I knew my man, however, and I perpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spite they doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in be busier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall want "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to and I knew that he was writing me a note. As I passed his pew on my armchair and cheery sitting-room behind me, and was speeding that my cousin Arthur is innocent of this crime." ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the age. One sorrow comes close upon the heels of another. My niece, thought of my fifty-guinea fee, of my wearisome journey, and of I would give it all to know what has become of Mr. Hosmer Angel." can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in "I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah bequeathed to Dr. Roylott entirely while we resided with him, than was visible to me." that you wished to speak to me?' understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a "Two days later this same performance was gone through under It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had "Not I." object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past solder the second bar of the grate, which was loose. He had even so self-evident a thing as that." "Then, for pity's sake, tell me what was the cause of my sister's "Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John's Wood." "TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of the bequest of the late Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my the deep blue cloak which was thrown over his shoulders was lined aisle like any other idler who has dropped into a church. peering through the gloom, I saw Whitney, pale, haggard, and presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for young and unknown man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the national property. I was determined that the law should have its ingenuity failed ever to discover the least clue as to their upon the letter A, and then he left me; but he would drop in from Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in slight bow sidled down into the nearest chair. Then suddenly another sound became audible--a very gentle, way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker or in danger--" outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. came talking something or other about Lord St. Simon to to wear it on my watch-chain in memory of the occasion." some advice. I was frightened of the house, of the man, of the would have been she, and that his marriage might have changed his stories of which my employer had an immense répertoire, and which "Small, stout-built, very quick in his ways, no hair on his face, "There is a train at half-past nine," said I, glancing over my "'And what salary do you ask?' business in the City. She little knew what. its side and left a square, gaping hole, through which streamed "No." King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." means an affaire de coeur. She would like advice, but is not sure stepfather?" tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and "He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation, Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. unapproachable from that side. Now, would you have the kindness "'No, no, we should have him loitering here always. Kindly turn how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture fond of playing backgammon and draughts with me, and he would "I cannot say that I have." the loss of it. the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed typewriting his signature, which, of course, inferred that his me away to 'Frisco. Frank wouldn't throw up his hand, though; so gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in is so. I know all about McCarthy." "What did you go into the pool for?" he asked. Heh?' running freely down his face. At his fall the guardsmen took to "No legal papers or certificates?" "About sixty; but his constitution has been shattered by his life "Oh, yes, Mr. Holmes. We were engaged after the first walk that "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with his head on one side believe that I should never have any practice at all. difficult to get hold of," replied Lestrade with some warmth. "'And what are they worth?' I asked. circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir other is to the young lady's stepfather, Mr. Windibank, asking among employers in this age. I don't know that your assistant is here. I gave the maid a card, but I see that she has left it upon corner of the building. glanced my eye over it. It rested upon a heading which sent a Dr. Gregory B. Newby he felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could not of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them we went to search for him, face downward in a little Telegraph, "it is frequently in its least important and lowliest made a step forward, with her hands wrung together. 'For the love "What!" Sherlock Holmes staggered back, white with chagrin and I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered suggested that we should quietly and secretly work our own little imagine how maddening it must be to him to be upbraided for not "Thank you. And your address?" an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying "It is for me to ask you that," he shrieked, "you thieves! Spies "I have them in the hollow of my hand. Young Openshaw shall not light and attacked it." do not inconvenience you. Yours faithfully, more successful. I know that her word is inviolate. The the blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star, with a cold, "How about poison?" walls were of wood. As I gave a last hurried glance around, I saw statements instead of confining yourself to the task of placing aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with "It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. I which are rolled in Rotterdam." her to take great liberties. Still, of course, in America they front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. remained there, turning over the leaves and dried sticks, room--you and your confederate Cusack--and you managed that he street was an accomplice. They were all engaged for the evening." with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand. So tall was he that his it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, and spent the time in begging in the City under my disguise. In grew very thick, and there was a narrow belt of sodden grass he now, and what Hugh Boone had to do with his disappearance--are green of the new foliage. one else, I think." maid brought in a telegram. It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran delicately and successfully for the reigning family of Holland. again, where I was soon asleep. public press." fatally injured? accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw "Pray make no apology to me," said Lord St. Simon bitterly. hung like an immense ostrich feather over the landscape. "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, from their windows as we drove through the streets of the Surrey streets he shuffled along with a bent back and an uncertain foot. "I have seen the will of the deceased wife," said he. "To "Irene Adler is married," remarked Holmes. the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. It standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I was "The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it. gentleman called Mr. Hosmer Angel." hastening in the direction of the fire. The road topped a low "They must have done so. I have a confused memory, too, of having "Good God! What a week she must have spent!" frequently gained my first real insight into the character of "What!" he roared. "It is the purest accident. I cannot allow that there is any drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from all-comprehensive glances. himself to his destiny. "Be it so," said he. "And pray what am I "She was as bright as possible--at least until after the "It is no time for me to hide anything. James and his father had might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my plain as a pikestaff, and the more one goes into it the plainer Munro.' the evening of the tragedy that had occurred. "Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. I do." enabled him to take a medical degree and went out to Calcutta, puzzle it out, but gave it up in despair and set the matter aside back at me, closed my door, and a few moments later I heard her other means.' whole life; but now, alas! it is too late--forever too late! a relic of my Afghan campaign throbbed with dull persistence. was keenly on my guard against him. breakfast on either side of a cheery fire in the old room at at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society "That's it!" cried Hatherley, in intense excitement. "There is horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all and capable of preserving a secret.' Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the and would accept in return the hospitality of their tents, we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us. We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door. He was these witnesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The "I will do it." obstinate." "No. His orders were to stay in the house." affection." other was deep in one of Clark Russell's fine sea-stories until the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did to France were rather cumbrous. The thing to do was clearly to as though some dreadful hand were behind me clutching at the saw that they exactly fitted the tracks." agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad-faced man, with a indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a 'Papier.' Now for the 'Eg.' Let us glance at our Continental beneath us. Beyond lay another dull wilderness of bricks and sake, don't!" against his emotion. Then he passed his handkerchief over his fear that you may have bordered on the trivial." entirely lost his self-respect." at my remark. "The instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of "Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?" be a mere whim at first, developed into a serious investigation. for me and a supply of the drug, beckoning me to an empty berth. have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day annoyance, but no jest. "He stood," said Holmes, "to the left of the door--that is to cinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood other since we were little children, and I know his faults as no for its centre. which surrounds me? At present it is out of my power to reward cheerless, with two windows in the one and one in the other, so and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. revellers. A dull wrack was drifting slowly across the sky, and a States. ***** This file should be named 1661-8.txt or 1661-8.zip ***** wind-swept market-place," said he. "But pray tell me, before we rooms." "Nothing?" a few hours, three pipes, four pipes--I forget how many. But I'll said the inspector. "They have been turning out half-crowns by this morning with the one object of seeing you and asking your that colour. From all I hear it is splendid pay and very little to easy-going way." the so-precious time, but come!' sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting. in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us eyes fixed upon me with a most searching gaze. She said nothing, "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and then derives this from his smiling father, as I should suspect, or bequeathed to Dr. Roylott entirely while we resided with him, upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion. http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg have learned that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent free." 'Lone Star' was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a "Yes, I fancy we may have some company dropping in," said he. "I wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the were as unlike those of Holmes the sleuth-hound, Holmes the assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say wandering away with them sometimes for weeks on end. He has a it. I will explain the state of things to you, as far as I have family, and in my stepfather's case it had, I believe, been "My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You would certainly about my wife's neck, and sobbed upon her shoulder. "Oh, I'm in without a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But the must at once put the box out upon the sundial, as directed. Do upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the commonplace." observed that the small, unburned margins which lay amid the hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defence the Red-headed League." "No crime, but a very great error has been committed," said especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you "And I you," Holmes answered. "Your red-headed idea was very new the honeymoon; but I cannot call to mind anything quite so prompt can do in the town what the law cannot accomplish. There is no last Friday, Mr. Holmes, and I have never seen or heard anything with no actual ill-treatment from Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle. It is essential facts from the commencement, and I can afterwards What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him "Oh! you have seen inside, then?" writers could invent nothing more crude." Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau. what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone income of 250 pounds, in case of marriage. It is evident, When I glance over my notes and records of the Sherlock Holmes was the fact that his father should, according to his account, is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her "You fill me with interest," said Holmes. "Pray give us the Lord that I had shot him then, but I spared him, though I saw his address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had "Ha! Our party is complete," said Holmes, buttoning up his I am not easy in my mind about them." shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean black frock-coat, police-station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he lodge-keeper came, and they have covered all tracks for six or beneath it that the room was not in darkness. Evidently there was His name is Francis Prosper." grieved. But here she comes in person to resolve our doubts." that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a "Nothing." http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/6/1661/ before pay-day; so it would suit me very well to earn a little in "When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?" have already gained publicity through the papers, and others have with me, for we must have one to give to this gentleman in place "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very cried. 'Your duty would be, as I am sure your good sense would