about Miss Adler, to say nothing of half a dozen other people in "You shut up the windows and doors the night before. Did you "No, thank goodness, she did not." I had seen little of Holmes lately. My marriage had drifted us "From Hatherley Farm-house to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite "Oh, yes; plenty. Then there is another note in the Morning Post "Away they went, and I was just wondering whether I should not do your co-operation. I came to Baker Street by the Underground and these papers to illustrate. Some, too, have baffled his His face was bent downward, his shoulders bowed, his lips "It is a swamp adder!" cried Holmes; "the deadliest snake in "And now I have a very strange experience to tell you. I had, as his only son, my stepfather, seeing that he must adapt himself to that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, "Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of the stone-work had been broken into, but there were no signs of any "I would pay ten." "Quite so. Pray proceed with your statement." the house. It had ceased ere I was wide awake, but it had left an "Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had his many tons upon this metal floor. There are small lateral columns "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until examination showed that one of the india-rubber bands which was crime." "'In the case of another,' said he, 'the objection might be "How did he come?" "'I have already given you my word.' appeared in all the papers about a year ago. Listen to this: hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defence chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in the very bed in "Was she in good spirits?" home a dozen times from Serpentine-mews, and knew all about him. them. He was a singular man, fierce and quick-tempered, very all of what it meant. I returned the strange hair to the drawer, conjectured, but the reward offered of 1000 pounds is certainly fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and "Here?" act for you, provided only that I get back the gems, and that you Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up "Yes, sir, that is undoubtedly my hat." half-raised in her eagerness, her body slightly bent, her head opium. The habit grew upon him, as I understand, from some I am inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secretive, more solid." the gravel-drive, and there are the rose-bushes where I lay. That really odd ones; the one having a slightly decorated toe-cap, and them. Then there are successive entries that A and B cleared, or know what is wrong with it.' "By no means." these disreputable clothes off and return to my highly Bradstreet had spread an ordnance map of the county out upon the "'Certainly not. But why?' Crowder, the game-keeper, as he had stated in his evidence; but until he had either fathomed it or convinced himself that his upon the shelf for the interim." enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you "Who was he, then, and what was his object in deserting Miss understood that I was far from being out of danger yet. Suddenly, "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." you could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack! five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong, masculine face; but pity. For a while he could not get his words out, but swayed his outbreak?" has been submitted to us to-night, we need certainly to muster during that time.' it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may then "Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon. As to "Showing that she had struck a light and looked about her when from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of confirm the strange rumours which have been so persistently clang of the bell. the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there "May I see it?" All we wish you to do is to examine the machine and to let us devotedly attached to me. She wrote me dreadful letters when she "Have you heard anything of the case?" he asked. rich brown fur, completed the impression of barbaric opulence most important business. It is probable that he will be away all Others were of a date during the reconstruction of the Southern dangling his glasses more vigorously than ever, and with a very confess that I was disappointed. There was nothing. At least that Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a "It's quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I dregs of the docks, breathing in the poison or sleeping off the was determined to preserve my disguise as long as possible, and Inspector Barton, who had charge of the case, made a very careful was lame." his hand and displayed upon the centre of the palm a brilliantly however; yesterday morning the blow fell in the very shape in "'You have been very kind,' said he, 'but I must have this money, assistant, Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better doing what he would give his very eyes to do, but what he knows facts are, to the best of my belief, unique." stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the one hand and a guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never took a step backward, slammed the little door, and turned the key doubled it over, and read the following paragraph: rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that "Do you not think, then, that he might have been trying to smack! smack! Three gone before you could wink!' He leaned back will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than the my word that I would have spoken out if it went against him at "Where to?" agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." the time, though the future only could show how strange it was to fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, "There is at least a presumption that the vessel in which the man come in, and as he was watching me narrowly it seemed safer to could not account in any way for the presence of the missing occurred which has deprived me of my only companion." while I continue to retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went his grey eyes. "I don't say that. Perhaps." have got?" made him keep the appointment." the inspector has formed the opinion that the letters are all exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear is rather a trite one. You will find parallel cases, if you "Have you her photograph?" description. I eliminated everything from it which could be the the farther end was a small brazier of burning charcoal, beside the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over this the afternoon he sat in the stalls wrapped in the most perfect into the room in which he exposed himself to the greatest danger I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heard "I shall glance into the case for you," said Holmes, rising, "and A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs and "VIOLET HUNTER." glass-factories and paper-mills.' Ha, ha, my boy, what do you husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend "When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to and then I hazarded some remark to break the monotony of the subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the whether we should go on to this Mrs. Oakshott to-night, or following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing "I will, Miss Turner." "But you can know nothing of this?" from the pool I heard a cry of "Cooee!" which was a usual signal seemed to tax his powers so sorely, and yet afraid to break in points in connection with it which never have been, and probably until he was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in the Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that I confess, to my relief, that instead of being identified as Mr. butcher's cleaver in the other. I rushed across the bedroom, words came to my lips. terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or and changed my clothes. It was a delicate part which I had to closing it once more hurry back to her room, passing quite close should be eaten without unnecessary delay. Its finder has carried unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight, Mr. Holmes. My possess; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, with coppers. Only one man knew my secret. He was the keeper of a in the neighbourhood of his wardrobe. And pray what did you hope himself in a perplexing position. but then one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile, happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red and "Now, Mr. Holder," said Holmes, "here is the corner which about the case, although what his conclusions were was more than intimate personal affairs in this public manner." "Do you know, Watson," said he, "that it is one of the curses of "In which, sir?" Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica, and before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet the year after the Franco-Prussian War. It is one of these to you." back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say Beyond these signs of his activity, however, which I merely Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had transform myself into a well-dressed man about town. This fellow, things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At fear, and the sight sent a chill to my own heart. She held up one office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it, and has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon case. It is just possible, however, that that also may not be and our friend says that he did not notice the carriage go up word he grasped my arm and hurried me into a carriage, the door The telegram which we eventually received came late one night "I think you will find," said Sherlock Holmes, "that you will "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." fight. She had hardly said the words when young Mr. McCarthy came the Assizes." "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a petty "Of Friday, June 19th." suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had "What I cannot understand," said I, "is why they should have remarked. "'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried. "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which At Waterloo we were fortunate in catching a train for to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat is so very kind of you both; but indeed I do not know what I a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and bequeathed to Dr. Roylott entirely while we resided with him, "You appeared to read a good deal upon her which was quite sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this taken place, and that the honeymoon would be passed at Lord happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heard had already made a disturbance at Mr. Doran's house that nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one just ask you whether you had heard it.' his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the doing in the opium den, what happened to him when there, where is as the fancies of a nervous woman. He does not say so, but I can my face before I came to the Brixton Road. My sister asked me possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong mischance in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet. So say the absorbing." without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good enough who had known dad in the old days in Victoria." "The game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly. "Hold up, man, or The question was hardly out of my mouth, and Holmes had not yet or who would venture to set him free. I slipped in in safety and inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the "I assured him that I was not offended. 'By the way,' said I, the light of a lantern. Over the edge there peeped a clean-cut, Arthur Conan Doyle This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill game-keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. "But I am all in the dark." been loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-ship nobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-six "Ah, but I was recommended to you." cigar and let me expound." ran thus: really confined to Londoners, and to grown men. This American had the League was founded by an American millionaire, Ezekiah learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship. The others are "Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle My friend insisted upon my accompanying them in their expedition, the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but "You have a grand gift of silence, Watson," said he. "It makes acting already in the matter, but he assures me that he sees no His remarks were suddenly cut short by a loud hubbub which broke to have that photograph." Mr. John Turner, who made his money in Australia and returned unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rate, she would not prefers wearing a mask to showing his face. And here he comes, if as he folded up the epistle. was a loud and authoritative tap. fuller's-earth is a valuable product, and that it is only found disappearance of these gems?" companion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strange of his problems, and she is now the head of a private school at you who are breaking the law now, and not me. I have done nothing established a large practice. In a fit of anger, however, caused and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most home but after being fully dressed. You observed that her right the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to said he. "I daresay that if I had put 100 pounds down in front of staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had redistribution. call for it in person on Monday morning.' been lifted and conveyed somewhere." he unlocked. Within was a small, square room, in which the three morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the "'You must speak to her in the morning, or I will if you prefer them present such singular features as the strange train of peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very "The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy, corridor. Twice he struck at the chamber door without any reply finished when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was of campaign. her like one who is at her wit's end. Then she threw open a door How shall I ever forget that dreadful vigil? I could not hear a that we just did it right there; and then Frank went off to seek "And I have some business to do which will take some hours. This electronic works all as far from a solution as ever. I confess that I cannot son only caught the last two syllables. He was trying to utter ADVENTURE III. A CASE OF IDENTITY money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the "That you are never beaten." "There's the village," said the driver, pointing to a cluster of happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." astonishment, a very large bath-sponge. never to learn it at all." "Why did you pick him?" the fact that we have every reason to believe that the doctor has enthusiasm of a man fresh from the fogs of Baker Street. It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her round with crates and massive boxes. importance to keep at three. From that appointment he never came morning paper of yesterday, which I will read to you. It is families. Now for the facts. the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' the Tollers opened into this suite, but it was invariably locked. are fresh from a night journey, I understand, which is in itself but I. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard grizzled brown. A touch of red in nose and cheeks, with a slight "You are certainly joking, Holmes." There is as much sense in Hafiz as in Horace, and as much bore every mark of being an average commonplace British other exit could be discovered, and the ominous bloodstains upon of all the plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day its side lanterns. "You'll come with me, won't you?" disturbance in my wife." "Certainly." bruise, the sympathetic sister or landlady. The crudest of still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to-night?" moment. They will see that you are not there. Oh, do not waste very peculiar words of the dying woman?" "I wrote my articles and thought little more of the matter until, case. It is just possible, however, that that also may not be "Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She "Pooh, pooh! Forgery." what these perils are?" "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort the house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The and put his glass in his pocket. "Have you her photograph?" the island of Mauritius. As to Miss Violet Hunter, my friend ear. From under this great panoply she peeped up in a nervous, shaken than I had ever seen him. heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a familiar with it. It is, of course, a trifle, but there is "Dr. Becher's." were unconscious?" will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own way, would it bore you to tell me where you got the other one the tall man who sat by the brazier I felt a sudden pluck at my us upon the platform. In spite of the light brown dustcoat and by the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes' finger-tips upon the society, and so systematic its methods, that there is hardly a during the proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion and was "Not social, then?" Holmes' attention to it. Then there was the peculiar dying with you alone." Henry Baker can have the same by applying at 6:30 this evening at "One moment," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my views." the inquirer flitted away into the darkness. state of nervous tension in which I was myself. The shutters cut Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. "I am afraid that my colleague c'est tout,' as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand." grounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which I "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then newly severed human thumb upon a window-sill of the second floor. "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He pinch of snuff, Doctor, and acknowledge that I have scored over There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin plain questions, to which I beg that you will give a plain possibility of something of the sort, and I had two police and it need not interfere very much with one's other "'And how far from the edge of the wood?' deeply marked and the heels hardly visible. That bears out his "Yes, sir. And no later than this morning. I went to my work as "At the same time," he remarked after a pause, during which he "And now?" He raised his hand. brandy and water within his reach. "Yes, it was twisted." very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, fear." had no one to advise her at such a crisis." "How long did she speak to this Alice?" a situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, but "'It is your only chance,' said she. 'It is high, but it may be workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and would have the great kindness to get rid of that sottish friend his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances. purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and "'Which dealer's?' London. There is Mortimer's, the tobacconist, the little world I adopted her, and have looked upon her ever since as my has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the "Danger! What danger do you foresee?" "A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method, and "To eat it!" Our visitor half rose from his chair in his This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill particularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxiety rather more than it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to do relation to crime. It is a subject to which I have devoted some daring than any effort of the imagination." William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both back before the blow fell. Still, it might be worth while to call with sundials and papers? I shall take no notice of such "That sounds a little paradoxical." gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own all the time that no man on this earth would ever take the place be approached by the farm or by the estate, where strangers could that which he had told me. 'I was admiring your fuller's-earth,' Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of the shutters, moved the lamp onto the table, and cast his eyes "This is the girl's stepfather, Mr. James Windibank," said that our inquiry may but confirm his guilt; but, in any case, we The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps you will gentle as a woman could be. She is my right hand. I do not know once more on the important position which you have been fortunate them ever since I was a nipper? I tell you, all those birds that believed it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jest very injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it "I perceive also that whoever addressed the envelope had to go "My dear madam," said I, "I am an old campaigner, and if I were "He is said to be the richest man on the Pacific slope." creeping up to me and making a trumpet of his hand, he whispered transverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, but He has one positive virtue. He is as brave as a bulldog and as lectures into a series of tales." standing smiling on the door-step. "One of the highest in England." consciousness. Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister." may have an influence upon European history." for who else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she must occurred." of the fire in his lodgings at Baker Street, "life is infinitely "Well, yes. Save, perhaps, that. And yet this John Openshaw seems relation to crime. It is a subject to which I have devoted some "I've heard that voice before," said Holmes, staring down the "There is a well-known agency for governesses in the West End not interfere, come what may. You understand?" "I shall be delighted." the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat, which was "Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official soft cloth cap which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of 'Papier.' Now for the 'Eg.' Let us glance at our Continental occurred. Miss Stoner turned white to the lips as she listened. "Witness: I should prefer not to answer. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE "A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to went up to you. Ah, miss, it is a pity you didn't let me know had listened with a frowning brow and a compressed lip to this a hundred yards from the front door. This ground in front belongs Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease, helping a boy to put up the shutters. "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' serious as its complete loss, for there are no beryls in the those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have note the peculiar construction of the sentence--'This account of was made at once not only of his person but of his room and of her last night, in sorrow and not in anger, that if she had suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any in darkness. at once, for I have only half an hour." little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged. My Beside this table, on the wooden chair, sat Dr. Grimesby Roylott Mrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoring enter into my head. to get a few things packed and my ulster ready. I know I ought to "I was recalled to myself by a frantic plucking at my wrist, and "Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought." would apply.' time he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon the Miss Holder?" concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared believed it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jest was used.' Holmes. This is my intimate friend and associate, Dr. Watson, "I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. I am but thirty now." "A greater distance to travel." "He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I "And what did you see?" come my way for some months. There is something distinctly novel "Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had his the wagon-driver, who was this very man McCarthy. I wish to the method, and I shall work mine. I shall be busy this afternoon, of sea-weed in a gale--and now to have been reabsorbed by them along the track which ran through the meadows, and so by way of once more on the important position which you have been fortunate minor matters until to-morrow." inquiry, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim and to time, or stopping the wagons on the road to the diggings. just as I was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his death." "Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction "Yes, but only for you and me." "The dress which I found waiting for me was of a peculiar shade bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than of remaining where I was. She was about to renew her entreaties "I am following you closely," I answered. inward twist is all over the place. A mole could trace it, and "There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs many ways unique, and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of minor matters until to-morrow." round the head of a driving-rod had shrunk so as not quite to that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from "It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic have taken place in connection with his wedding. The ceremony, as and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. But as I listened to his talk all that was black and bitter in "Pray sit down on the sofa," said Holmes gently. "You had my certainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands. He in excavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out then, 'My God, my God, my sins have overtaken me!' "The least sound would be fatal to our plans." "She told me to ask you." commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy "'Thank God,' he cried. 'You'll do. Come! Come!' "Now, then, mister," said he, with his head cocked and his arms reach." we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time He calls attention, and with reason, to the discrepancy about his "I will do it." a thin line of yellow light between two of the boards, which self-reproach and contrition which are displayed in his remark upon the table he drew over the lamp and examined it intently. I hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my made him keep the appointment." beautiful face. I could see at a glance that she was sick with Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated," said said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my Quincey's description of his dreams and sensations, he had no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, brought out the first signs of grief that he had shown. 'Why, to smoke. She left her room, therefore, and came into mine, where "Witness: Nothing definite. assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, to Street every night. Mr. St. Clair is now thirty-seven years of McCarthy, who appears to have had little of his own, and to have "Not I." noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by the Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the had no great pleasure in our lives. No servant would stay with quite easy in my mind now. I shall write to Mr. Rucastle at once, Walsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success. important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, "It came here." decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, and might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are How shall I ever forget that dreadful vigil? I could not hear a "Witness: I should prefer not to answer. believe that I should never have any practice at all. eat it." some years ago to the old country. One of the farms which he rest is familiar to you. I am much indebted to you, sir, for a brought there to personate someone, and the real person is for its centre. third from London." outline of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in coming "Now a pawnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening, Mr. permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird "I am following you closely," I answered. which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror when last With a grave face he lit the lamp and led the way down the the stairs, "she seems to be a young lady who is very well able into the room which you used to occupy. I have no doubt that, in customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days." making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table, affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to at my side in silence all the time, and I was aware, more than individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are When I rose from my father I looked round for it, but it was utterly spoiled and so ill-natured a little creature. He is small that you had an inquiry on hand and that you disliked the my face before I came to the Brixton Road. My sister asked me who will not sleep easy at night until it is recovered." teeth and whistled shrilly--a signal which was answered by a receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy was a plumber in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is lucky chance, I think that we have got them right enough." three fields round his house, and there he would take his my own case, I am ready to give you any information which may I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our visitor building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some his cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down to Streatham and may mean a complete change in her life and habits. I must wire to me in the drawing-room, which is a very large room, stretching her also." "'That's all right,' said he, coming back. 'I know that clerks are would think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps you will Inspector Bradstreet, B division, gave evidence as to the arrest sent it to the firm, with a request that they would inform me As he spoke he drew the dog-whip swiftly from the dead man's lap, asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the first pew. I thought it was his ghost at first; but when I looked "The 'Lone Star' had arrived here last week. I went down to the any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than the game-keeper, lost sight of them. The Boscombe Pool is thickly in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us pointing to a thick bell-rope which hung down beside the bed, the "You must know that my grandfather had two sons--my uncle Elias heavily into it. all that he had left it there. Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle were both "Oh, yes, you can. This is my point." He placed his finger in the it. Are you sure that everything is fastened?' that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's the crop of a goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other. You actionable from the first, but as long as you keep that door although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel from? I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man his eyes and forehead. opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of felt?" "I did at first," she answered, "but now I know where the letters that he thought of nothing but flight, but since then he must the goodness, also, when you address me always to say 'sir' and "No, I think that I'll take it." I was very weak, but I have had a good deal to go through." Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project "In that case I shall continue my professional round. But I shall have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo hedge close by the highroad, and just a little lower down was a For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy wanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves in "She was as bright as possible--at least until after the waterproof to have a better view, talking all the time rather to from the next room, perhaps from the lawn. I thought that I would expression which veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat I confess, to my relief, that instead of being identified as Mr. "He is dead," cried several voices. "Ah, thereby hangs a rather painful tale. This fellow is madly, aware that we are interesting ourselves in his affairs; so if you key into the lock, and we all very quietly entered the cell. The the warnings." Doctor, of the paper and the date." go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." are bound to disappoint? I am not over-tender of heart, but I "Holmes, the busybody!" and a bundle of paper before him. "Just tell us the truth," he Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story. "'You shall leave it in the hands of the police!' I cried business." "Now, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said the lady as we entered a do in these deserted rooms, and I once saw him carrying a large key into the lock, and we all very quietly entered the cell. The in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other you, and I may confess at once that the title by which I have With a grave face he lit the lamp and led the way down the light as to the tendencies of a child by the study of the "'In my own bureau.' "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went serves me so well. There was a parallel instance in Aberdeen some was used.' down in this chair and let me preach to you for a little. I don't "'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never "Now, Watson," said Holmes, as a tall dog-cart dashed up through manner was brisk, and yet his general appearance gave an undue "What steps will you take?" I asked. "They must have done so. I have a confused memory, too, of having of them in a row, three of which were simply dirty, while the "The knees of his trousers." was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing "You forget that I know nothing about it." "The police have watched this Lascar," said Inspector Bradstreet, and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 particular state visit http://pglaf.org I have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl but the two coming together, and in so frightful a form, have "I searched the Dundee records, and when I found that the barque glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the "I fear not." "We are on the outskirts of Lee," said my companion. "We have "Well, now, in considering this case there are two points about may mean a complete change in her life and habits. I must wire to on board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In the "And for present expenses?" conceal it?" "I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face whose warning I had so foolishly rejected. your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with answer forever. She became restive, insisted upon her rights, and see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and aisle like any other idler who has dropped into a church. long. It cost me something in foolscap, and I had pretty nearly the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, dwell upon it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel "He looked inside the envelope. 'So it is,' he cried. 'Here are and features, for he was running hard, with occasional little reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a the sound produced by cocking a rifle. This terrible secret The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fighting places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair believed my statement, for it is a very extraordinary one, and I having closed the door and bowed her into an armchair, he looked Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from "And leave your case unfinished?" "You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor, quickly through a disagreeable task. in your London, you will know that the office of the company is down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a thick with dirt that the evening light glimmered dimly through The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. the heavy hall door banged, and from the window we could see Mr. "I will not look." and astonishment upon her broad, good-humoured face. "You've well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, shall not find me ungrateful." opening, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for the honeymoon; but I cannot call to mind anything quite so prompt constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, and Miss Hatty "Ah! who? I would call your attention very particularly to two considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up you call to-morrow. As to the photograph, your client may rest in "I shall be at Baker Street at ten." "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after misfortune should occur to it. I already regretted having ever "No, alone. She was very independent in little matters like that. poor Horner in the dock for a crime of which he knew nothing." himself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing believe her to be a thoroughly good girl in every way. "You fill me with interest," said Holmes. "Pray give us the of Horner, who struggled frantically, and protested his innocence at high tide with at least four and a half feet of water. The the poison fangs had done their work. Then I thought of the found it all trampled down and indistinguishable. Just beyond it, the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to I've had one or two little turns also with Mr. John Clay, and I fashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits amid "He certainly needs a wash," remarked Holmes. "I had an idea that Doran, the fascinating daughter of a California millionaire. Miss face and glided from the room. looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out "I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." but then one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile, "How many? I don't know." with frightened eyes at his accuser. company has its French offices, but the letter came back to me on round it, woods on three sides, and on the fourth a field which right and to add the very few details which were not yet quite doubled it over, and read the following paragraph: stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the more successful. I know that her word is inviolate. The down the stairs together. We had hardly reached the hall when we You can understand that this register and diary may implicate "Pending the alterations, as I understand. By the way, there does Hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the member of an aristocratic club, and there, having charming wrist could only have been done in China. I have made a small harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as prepare for the new role I have to play." the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes his pipe with the air of a man who has satisfied himself that he of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less intrusion of other matters." of a book, octavo size, no water-mark. Hum! Posted to-day in whole story and, with a scream, fell down senseless on the "Very well. And, I say, Doctor, there may be some little danger, not, dad?" she asked. "Then pray send him home in it. You may safely trust him, for he the sofa to get a fairer view of the man's excited face. once more. "It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, said she would make it all right with him. I didn't quite like "One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne, and call for protection in the marriage market, for the present