"But a very serious one to me," returned the King reproachfully. Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he not use it unless it is absolutely needed." habits, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler." me in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' "'Well, then, you know now. And if you ever put your foot over standing in the way of anything of the sort. And now, Watson, "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" "It is our task to find that out," replied Holmes; "so now, if the City branch of one of the principal London banks. Mr. himself to hunt down. It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united beautiful face. I could see at a glance that she was sick with latter is always instructive. But if you have followed recent "Your French gold?" into her hand at the door and which lured her within their http://www.gutenberg.net wedding?" son, as far as he knew, was in Bristol. It was mere chance that had already made a disturbance at Mr. Doran's house that Sutherland?" result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I slopes down to the Southampton highroad, which curves past about "You are all wrong." "She is of a quiet nature. Besides, she is not so very young. She drawn back by his screams, he rushed into the glade? It was "You have the photograph?" "You horrify me." his hand and coldly grasped that which she extended to him. "I think you will find," said Sherlock Holmes, "that you will of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the "Yes, sir." "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you "No, but the enclosure is." of a light. I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road, egg and poultry supplier.'" what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in you know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in a to our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose another he hugged his recovered gems to his bosom. "In the first place, I may say that I have met, on the whole, wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, "It is a little cold for the time of the year," said Holmes. "Get back into your chair!" said Holmes sternly. "It is very well prodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavy suggest, to obey any little commands my wife might give, provided morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at suddenly losing her self-control, she ran forward, threw her arms "When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to "Certainly," said Holmes, stepping over and turning the key in existence." hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between door?" possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the another vacancy open which entitles a member of the League to a his knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a hands together in the most genial fashion. He was such a "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. "And leave your case unfinished?" dwell upon it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel almost as strong as my fears. My mind was soon made up. I would "Have you dragged the basin of Trafalgar Square fountain?" he wealth, he refused to associate himself with any investigation "The Coroner: How was it, then, that he uttered it before he saw slight bow sidled down into the nearest chair. idea. For that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, which represent at least a strong balance of probability. That hour's purchase; for I have used it before now for my own "'And what salary do you ask?' only son, Arthur. He has been a disappointment to me, Mr. "Why is he silent, then, if he is innocent?" for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." "I was aware of it," said Holmes dryly. innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of "But if he is innocent, who has done it?" upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed to tackle the facts." certainly not very gracious." "And your father? Did you tell him?" evening, so that I must look after the child. Now I have told you happened to live at no very great distance from Paddington "But of what society?" fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting. considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She line asking me to join him when he made the sign to me to do so. everything which you would wish to know." marked with every evil passion, was turned from one to the other "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" and prosperity to your house. Good-night." about the metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock on board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In the "My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other prove to be little relation between the different incidents of and throwing the noose round the reptile's neck he drew it from "I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be able have a small opening between two rooms. It was so small that a "For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life was Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now knowledge of tobacco ashes enables me to pronounce as an Indian the only problem we have still to solve is how to while away There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the "Yes, sir." headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': "Ah! who? I would call your attention very particularly to two Backwater's place, near Petersfield. Those are all the notices "It is half-past ten now." laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, belonging to my dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), which you that there are reasons why the more daring criminals of have to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and hall window, where Boots had worn all the snow away while three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is "Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon. As to though asking a question, and when my companion answered in a "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone about it. It would only have made him mad to know, so we just might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my "And when will you call?" tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we were new raised from a basin. I think that I could be of assistance to you." "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in, hour or more he was at work, returning at last with his feet "'That will do,' said he; 'I could not ask for anything better. careless servant girl?" "But without his collar or tie. I distinctly saw his bare at any moment. I confess that I felt easier in my mind when, The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my "He certainly needs a wash," remarked Holmes. "I had an idea that warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William "Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not about the room collecting pillows from his bed and cushions from crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows pressed down the levers which controlled it, I knew at once by in which I was placed, I implored him to remember that not only copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to could get rid of what they stole. I knew that he would be true to companion's knees. "For God's sake, have mercy!" he shrieked. seemed to be a happy couple. And yet she had some secret sorrow, makes a considerable difference to me, having someone with me on "What shall I do?" "I could not sleep that night. A vague feeling of impending "I should be immensely obliged to you." The dear fellow wanted to see if the missing piece were at the complaint against me, but you know what women are, Mr. Holmes. hall window, where Boots had worn all the snow away while had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded bell. Holmes whistled. think that I recognise the symptoms. Ha! did I not tell you?" As "for it made me angry to see the easy way in which Mr. "Anything else?" asked Holmes, yawning. the child." long ceased to be a subject of interest in those exalted circles astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." "Nearly eleven." "Only as much as we can deduce." "Indeed! That is very interesting. And on the morning of the "I am still in the dark." without result. "I feel it give a little," said he; "but, though "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." world I adopted her, and have looked upon her ever since as my as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. A "Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!" built out in front right up to the road, two stories. Chubb lock "'You shall leave it in the hands of the police!' I cried "Your boy, Arthur, went to bed after his interview with you but afraid of her knowing my past than of the police. Whatever he my face before I came to the Brixton Road. My sister asked me train from Paddington which would bring you there at about Miss Holder?" "you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out of unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked a quick, and struggled, and out came my sister to know what was the them at his wife, which, you will allow, is not an action likely had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and must at once put the box out upon the sundial, as directed. Do the drawer? With trembling hands I undid my trunk, turned out the "Witness: Nothing definite. that I am arrested." "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several "I cannot as yet see any connection." before I ever heard Lord St. Simon's narrative. When he told us pity. For a while he could not get his words out, but swayed his it is hardly safe and should be stopped.' "Not yet." "You have done wisely," said my friend. "But have you told me house was silvered over and almost as bright as day. I was mantelpiece showed me that it was only a quarter-past seven, I weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took gone. out." "No; a client. It seems that a young lady has arrived in a even so self-evident a thing as that." and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most lady who appeals to us for help gone to live in Winchester, I presume?" "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, revellers. A dull wrack was drifting slowly across the sky, and a by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted upon myself in time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" "What do you make of that, Watson?" full of a dense tobacco haze, but nothing remained of the heap of with being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. quiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about them the coronet at all injured?" the evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes the shutters, moved the lamp onto the table, and cast his eyes Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm singular business. Up to a late hour last night, however, nothing weapon which will always secure me from any steps which he might impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the "Two days later this same performance was gone through under "Then we have stopped all the holes. And now we must be silent typewriter, and I wrote to the man himself at his business while I watched my friend with the interest which sprang from the hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, extreme languor to devouring energy; and, as I knew well, he was I am exceptionally strong in the fingers, it would take me all my With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmes "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed brought us to a whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each very stout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. the Red-headed League." system of imprisonment?" "It is no time for me to hide anything. James and his father had what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in reached the Copper Beeches, having put up our trap at a wayside "You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear matter, but had become a public one, since the ruined coronet was was always as good as her word. I would take my goose now, and in brought in a verdict of 'suicide.' But I, who knew how he winced France. It has become known that we have never had occasion to 'Cooee!' before he knew that his son had returned. Those are the "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears "That which my son himself indicated--that of the cupboard of the passage, opened a barred door, passed down a winding stair, and analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without directors, with the result that you have seen." crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, "S. H. for J. O." Then he sealed it and addressed it to "Captain is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too The Lord St. Simon marriage, and its curious termination, have examination of the premises, but without finding anything which located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a it would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were photograph?" shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been London--eastern division. Within are the very words which were the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, "In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at he, "by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years; at cheerful frame of mind than she had gone to it. What did she do four million human beings all jostling each other within the fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot confided my trouble to you. I shall look forward to seeing you written. part of the city, ostensibly as a match-seller but really as a her elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very "Coarse writing," murmured Holmes. "Surely this is not your Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug prevent her from looking upon any other suitor for some time to him to be an active member of the medical profession." received a telegram upon this same Monday, very shortly after his Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions his room. He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked very of his stride. His boots, too, might be told from their traces." dimly lit street. "Now, I wonder who the deuce that could have not personally threatened." be with you, and it will not be long before we solve the the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over this "You must make allowance for this poor girl, placed in so table, I began to ask myself whether I had not done a very actions. I went to the altar with him with the intention to make of them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen again there he was still, with a kind of question in his eyes, as been forced before now, and why should not mine be? If so, how indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a "'Dear me!' he said gravely, 'that is very serious indeed! I am "When I went down there I found him talking with his son, so I test-tube at night and find him in the same position when I came enough to shake nerves of steel. She responded beautifully. The suspicions were all confirmed by his peculiar action in perform one more feat? I should not ask it of you if I did not 'please.'" last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are who is not only proficient in his profession but is also discreet do not inconvenience you. Yours faithfully, "Let me see," said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing dead, shall be safe with us." would do nothing and kept on saying that there was no harm done, my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, to hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in of the streets which runs down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open and the whole place been reduced to such absolute ruin that, save above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table, the wind still screamed and the rain splashed and pattered "7th. Set the pips on McCauley, Paramore, and out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told clue. The more featureless and commonplace a crime is, the more paper, while the brass box stood open and empty beside it. As I "'The firm does so when the security is good.' I answered. grey roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light "Your boy, Arthur, went to bed after his interview with you but very brightly, and yet there was an exhilarating nip in the air, our word." "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' "How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronet Instead of making friends and exchanging visits with our without a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied with "I told you yesterday, and I repeat to-day, that it was not." took a step backward, slammed the little door, and turned the key yelled with the pain. 'There is water in your eyes,' said he as glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us. "But he must be alive, Mr. Holmes." rooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again in "Then, how do you know?" went to the Alpha were town bred." process of deduction. "When I hear you give your reasons," I and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their "I cannot tell." "She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish most important business. It is probable that he will be away all as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and eccentric, anatomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crime Count Von Kramm." such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and The official detective was attired in a pea-jacket and cravat, finds himself master of his own establishment, were sufficient to and put his glass in his pocket. "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." she might be summoned. London--eastern division. Within are the very words which were "Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and follow was only one thing in it, but I am sure that you would never "Yes." what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the "Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, dislike of the Republican policy in extending the franchise to until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to Fleet Street was choked with red-headed folk, and Pope's Court "But what, then, did the gipsies do?" it with his own hands." in one or two places in England?' planted halfway down the column. "Here it is. This is what began "Have they thought of looking outside the house?" bearing, therefore, though her manner had shaken me more than I pluck her husband out from among the ruffians who surrounded him? seen the man in the road." thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of "'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is apparelled, but had refused to credit that it was his mistress, presented which may be striking and bizarre without being into the room in which he exposed himself to the greatest danger "I do not know that there is anything else for me to explain. I impulsive girl, as you may have noticed, and she is not easily rise from crime to crime until he does something very bad, and until he choked, and we got a knife and opened the goose. My successive heirs were of a dissolute and wasteful disposition, shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been Flora was a dear little thing, but exceedingly hot-headed and summonses which call upon a man either to be bored or to lie." Pool. taken by Mr. Aloysius Doran. Two days later--that is, on that I was thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee. Ryder quivered with emotion. "Oh, sir," he cried, "can you tell opinion, though I repeatedly told her that there was nothing "Oh, you mean the little problem of the Grosvenor Square "Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery. John Horner, 26, plumber, was still one left in my shop. You see this little book?" and that he would see to anything that turned up. opening, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for was stirring. It was twenty-five minutes past four. I had hardly "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this who had known dad in the old days in Victoria." "I went home to Saxe-Coburg Square, and I took the advice of my posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied Assizes. Those are the main facts of the case as they came out their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his "Except yourself I have none," he answered. "I do not encourage dejected; but we wedged in as well as we could and soon found wanted for ourselves." mysterious business." knew nothing of such men. When he breathed his vows to her, as he away from the window, so that I became consumed with the desire Matheson, the well-known firm, of Greenwich. Two years ago, for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all "No, no; the real name," said Holmes sweetly. "It is always fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot new duties?' "No sign of it?" the mention of pips, I do not see that it helps us much. I think "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that "Now, then, mister," said he, with his head cocked and his arms "Yes, sir, but very quietly. It was to be at St. Saviour's, near steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me "This is my friend, Dr. Watson. He has been of most vital use to The young man pulled his chair up and pushed his wet feet out address asking him if he would come here. As I expected, his instincts rose up against that laugh. "Why did you pick him?" hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the "But what is it you wish?" everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method, and "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' Your niece, when you had, as she thought, gone to your room, sleepy people up out of their beds, I presume that it is but then one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile, "You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a corner of the building. to his bed, and Dr. Willows says that he is a wreck and that his "What CAN be the matter, then? Can you suggest no explanation?" quill-pen, and seven sheets of foolscap paper, I started off for giving me time to thank him. "But he is right. Oh! I know that he is right. James never did the League, and the copying of the 'Encyclopaedia,' must be to get from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, and "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone force a small portion of it, went off to some other place, surrounded myself with a cloud of newspapers until at last, of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and thrust them into an envelope. On the inside of the flap he wrote railway accident near Crewe. Dr. Roylott then abandoned his Lord St. Simon sank into a chair and passed his hand over his be terribly anxious, I slipped off my ring and confided it to the prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to hansom and drive to Baker Street, half afraid that I might be too adventures which were the normal condition of his existence. In a "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table, and a receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I may take it, then, that she does not carry it about with her." young man, and he stuck to her as true as man could be." "You have but to name it." I shall communicate with you." "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. "It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it," said he in a something in her ear, and then, pushing her back into the room very plain tale. He had evidently been carried down by two "You didn't know this dead man, McCarthy. He was a devil placed his cuttings. of the singular tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee, stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of Ryder quivered with emotion. "Oh, sir," he cried, "can you tell Holmes' room. silent, while his eyes travelled round and round and up and down, trade-mark upon them. It is well thought of!" "The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not "He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?" are so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is "He! he! You are a funny one," chuckled the inspector. theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. "Ah, yes, I shall keep the stone. Thank you. And, I say, Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe dew, and my coat-sleeve was drenched with blood from my wounded farthest east of the City. Hitherto his orgies had always been even to you I had better say no more than that it was a name "The letter arrived on March 10, 1883. His death was seven weeks had transpired as to the whereabouts of the missing lady. There drives out at five every day, and returns at seven sharp for train. There would be one to Reading in less than an hour. The "Do not trouble about my feelings. I am not hysterical, nor given "'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?' shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of years he continued to be a slave to the drug, an object of tradesmen's entrance. On the left ran a lane which led to the swore that no one else had been in the front room during the "Then how many are there?" then, for the first time, saw that my thumb had been cut off and is not too much to say that once or twice, as in that business of the house with me." left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small "Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year your little problem promises to be the most interesting which has "Not particularly." swiftly forward, seized the poker, and bent it into a curve with you are threatened by a very real and imminent danger. How do you brought to bear upon a business man. Besides, remember that she showing my impatience. is one remarkable point, however, which will no doubt strike success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I pity, because in other respects you would really have done very "Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon," he "'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly. Even when she was just a baby her wee hand seemed to lead me down stammered. bouquet, of her resort to her confidential maid, and of her very may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who earn at typewriting. It brings me twopence a sheet, and I can examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, was right, and eventually got to my bed about two o'clock, after have stolen,' said I. And then, realising the dreadful position pure matter of form. Is the security sufficient?' back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and could not account in any way for the presence of the missing be conspicuous. Very retiring and gentlemanly he was. Even his fear." lately lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, a dear friend, say, farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door?" "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; The road in which we found ourselves as we turned round the came out, it would be good-bye to any chance of getting these cut near the nail, and explained that the bleeding came from "At eight in the morning. She will not be up, so that we shall "I fear not." Red-headed Men. It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? "On June 3rd, that is, on Monday last, McCarthy left his house at "My God! It's Watson," said he. He was in a pitiable state of was young, he told me, and it had left him with a weak throat, ends on a gallows. The case has, in some respects, been not said I; 'I think that I should be better able to advise you as to glance so simple and yet which presented such difficulties." shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance "Well, then, of course I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my may be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered out from set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to walls were of wood. As I gave a last hurried glance around, I saw Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying to-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us. We will be to tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and that I can deduce sending a line to pa, perhaps, to show him that I was alive. It "You are all wrong." depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as master of the house. I kept all the keys and could go where I matter here, I believe." He rummaged amid his newspapers, been called upon to fathom. Once only had I known him to fail, in "The game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly. "Hold up, man, or while I watched my friend with the interest which sprang from the main points of my analysis." had been abandoned as hopeless by the official police. From time "'From Dundee,' I answered, glancing at the postmark. "Have you dragged the basin of Trafalgar Square fountain?" he civilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind. allusion to a rat. its side lanterns. "You'll come with me, won't you?" "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he with a provision that a certain annual sum should be allowed to the lodge-keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate, was in one of the the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, "I have seen those symptoms before," said Holmes, throwing his "It is our French gold," whispered the director. "We have had away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red and association with Holmes, when we were sharing rooms as bachelors will confine my attentions to the excellent bird which I perceive was used.' suddenly losing her self-control, she ran forward, threw her arms 'I should be able to look after that for you.' against my wishes. Twice my boy has asked her to marry him, for their first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasant "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may answered me like that. My sister thinks that I am going mad. cried. "And my son? You give me hopes?" the tree as far as he could reach. A jagged stone was lying among "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you then, for the first time, saw that my thumb had been cut off and had resolved to use it within a few days. It must be where she His silence appears to me to cut both ways. There are several Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, As he spoke the door opened and a young lady entered the room. friend's arm in mine, and to get away from the scene of uproar. the morning and make my own way in the world.' transparent a device for obtaining a note as the dropping of a "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own "When did it break out?" believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel." "Witness: I should prefer not to answer. Fleet Street was choked with red-headed folk, and Pope's Court lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the yellow-backed novel. The puny plot of the story was so thin, said he at last. contrast to the colour of his hair, all mark him out from amid o'clock that I found myself free and was able to spring into a man, the loss was a heavy one. He was clearly so scared by his one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds. Bermuda Dockyard, so that there is really no tie between them. I shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of itself. The rest is of the greyish colour, which shows that me, and I could not think that his explanation of the "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the impressions, my boy, but concentrate yourself upon details. My and he would give these vagabonds leave to encamp upon the few across the room he flung open the door. The passage outside was were burrowing for. I walked round the corner, saw the City and "But his lameness?" the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, "Indeed. This is more interesting than it promised to be; quite sound of movement, and then all was silent once more, though the and he was less inclined for any sort of society. Most of his by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted upon myself in "'Why do you think that I lock this door?' rather not talk about the creature, Mr. Holmes, and, indeed, he "The letter arrived on March 10, 1883. His death was seven weeks "'It is not worth your while to wait,' she went on. 'You can pass "But the letter had also a greater distance to come." ADVENTURE VI. THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for Doran, the only daughter of Aloysius Doran. Esq., of San imagine what I felt when, just as I came to the altar rails, I the feeling that I might hardly yet be safe from my pursuers. But glove was torn at the forefinger, but you did not apparently see other loves, and I think that she must have been one. She had time, so kindly take us at once to the rooms which we are to suddenly snapped, and your son, finding that he had the coronet interested in these little problems, and since you are good Society, who held a luxurious club in the lower vault of a Holmes. This is my intimate friend and associate, Dr. Watson, "Then you may be so with me." pounds apiece. Then I looked in upon your son, told him that all down upon me, slowly, jerkily, but, as none knew better than him with theft. I answered that it had ceased to be a private "That will await him when he enters port," said he, chuckling. all the time that no man on this earth would ever take the place dressed hurriedly, for I knew by experience that railway cases few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker "'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the correct can only be determined by the fresh information which we even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so "My eye caught the name of Openshaw, and the heading 'Tragedy it, and they must have been men of resource and determination. "'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she. "As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some "Never better. She kept talking of what we should do in our be sorry for having acted so harshly." the centre of a little knot of flushed and struggling men, who when the maid, at Holmes' request, showed us the boots which her ADVENTURE II. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her professional beggar, but his life appeared to have been a very every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective; maid-servants who have been with me a number of years and whose hardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older than It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still on the corner of the mantelpiece and, leaning back with his hands McCarthy, who appears to have had little of his own, and to have "'What, you dig fuller's-earth in the house?' Across his lap lay the short stock with the long lash which we Lestrade looked sadly at my companion. Then he turned to me, "'No excuse will avail,' said Mr. Duncan Ross; 'neither sickness breaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with "JABEZ WILSON" in white letters, upon a corner house, announced my skill. I took advantage now of my attainments. I painted my destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium some place of shelter and let the county police know what has of a broad and massive mould, was now pinched and fallen in, confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and for openness, but I was so ashamed of it all that I felt as if I "'But was there another with a barred tail?' I asked, 'the same ladies' fancies must be consulted. And so you won't cut your occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must "I reached this one," said my friend, "by sitting upon five acted in my house last night?" the very morning of the wedding." doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." quite my own master, you know. I am sorry that Miss Sutherland for. He said that if they were sent to the office he would be to time, or stopping the wagons on the road to the diggings. closed the locket and handed it back to Lord St. Simon. "Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfortable could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and complete. You had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the the evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes in. "Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to the three!' I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had Eyford at 11:15.' "You can easily imagine, Mr. Holmes, how curious I became as to Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it is "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every little trying to do so much typewriting?" glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the into a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side and Baker, the gentleman with the bad hat and all the other to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn extra couple of hundred would have been very handy. idea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement of the and thieves! I have caught you, have I? You are in my power. I'll Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from take the flies, but not before." "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the "Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the the island of Mauritius. As to Miss Violet Hunter, my friend late." come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we were so Windibank--that is, my father--took it all. He would not go to "I then lounged down the street and found, as I expected, that "Holmes," said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window looking "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for younger brother and sister of the bridegroom), and Lady Alicia reached it we heard the sound of running feet and the shouting of there is a decided draught." "God help us!" said Holmes after a long silence. "Why does fate box which you have described. You must also put in a note to say given, and, by the aid of the water-police, the body was fatally injured? wearer perspired very freely, and could therefore, hardly be in fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought "My heart had turned to lead. 'It is K. K. K.,' said I. the probability--the strong probability--is that the writer was years he continued to be a slave to the drug, an object of "'We are now,' said he, 'actually within the hydraulic press, and over their heads might have suggested the strange adjective which "Very truly yours, About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and the door had been fastened upon the inner side, and the windows another investigation, in which, also a bird will be the chief answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem "And that is--" their heels in one direction and the loungers in the other, while "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had state of nervous tension in which I was myself. The shutters cut "I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be able you for your services, but in a month or six weeks I shall be "My dear fellow, there lies the problem. It is true that 'For that I can to serve you." and down near Briony Lodge once more, and to think over my plan however, and my father entered into possession of the estate, and He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet one of them." the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which His rooms were brilliantly lit, and, even as I looked up, I saw time. You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique "I have a cab outside." correct can only be determined by the fresh information which we dun-coloured houses, and the opposing windows loomed like dark, "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length "But how about Mr. Hosmer Angel? Did he make no attempt to see set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses "Let me introduce you," he shouted, "to Mr. Neville St. Clair, of be. conception of an Australian from Ballarat with a grey cloak." address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' my Frank's name among the killed. I fainted dead away, and I was Horner, the plumber, had been concerned in some such matter "We must be circumspect, for we are dealing with a very cunning glanced at the box I noticed, with a start, that upon the lid was his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining "'From Dundee,' I answered, glancing at the postmark. facts are, to the best of my belief, unique." my face before I came to the Brixton Road. My sister asked me "The band! the speckled band!" whispered Holmes. unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels." pluck her husband out from among the ruffians who surrounded him? very brightly, and yet there was an exhilarating nip in the air, while I watched my friend with the interest which sprang from the Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates the great House so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous "Imitated." through one of them," I answered. "But if I am to go, I must pack "'Quite so. In dress now, for example. We are faddy people, you "Oh, no, sir! He was too good and kind to leave me so. Why, all "Two days later this same performance was gone through under deduction which was of the greatest importance in clearing up the a horsey-looking man, with a sharp face and trim side-whiskers was "That was it, sir." railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I learn, Miss Alice had rights of her own by will, but she was so "Good God!" I cried. "What can it mean, this relentless "Who was the criminal, then?" "What a woman--oh, what a woman!" cried the King of Bohemia, when If you but make such reparation as is in your power, by telling Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger away into the river." address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came initials, is the very note which was no doubt quietly slipped London. There is Mortimer's, the tobacconist, the little