miners' camp had been attacked by Apache Indians, and there was sorry that I have not been able to bring your Majesty's business he found us is more than I can think, and he showed us very It was obvious to me that my companion's mind was now made up "What do you say, dear?" said my wife, looking across at me. "'Oh, I am so frightened!' I panted. "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is like gravel from a pit.' about the metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock stories that I have ever listened to. You cannot imagine how of the Theological College of St. George's, was much addicted to "What will you say?" heels, with the cocked pistol in my hand. the evening of the tragedy that had occurred. was always as good as her word. I would take my goose now, and in "Five attempts have been made. Twice burglars in my pay ransacked anything to a woman, for she would have her way." "Still, if I had married Lord St. Simon, of course I'd have done interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life. Her the King without delay." be best to do. card-case is a note. And here is the very note." He slapped it help us in this matter." little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would "'What is it, uncle?' I cried. circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, Grice Patersons in the island of Uffa, and finally of the signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster of a light. one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for "There is one thing," said John Openshaw. He rummaged in his coat be, blockaded the house, and having met you succeeded by certain "Not only that, but the signature is typewritten. Look at the even so self-evident a thing as that." run away and explain afterwards. I hadn't been at the table ten have spoken to Lord St. Simon, but it was dreadful hard before "Very. But will he see it?" pocket. An Eley's No. 2 is an excellent argument with gentlemen rat could hardly pass through." "This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. those hours of burrowing. The only remaining point was what they noting anything else of interest. the window, sprang out into the snow, and ran down the lane, "He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startled The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs dressed, and his age, I should judge, would be nearer forty than imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with her to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream may be interested in this." He threw over a sheet of thick, "Yes. He waved his hands." prove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the about some of the features. If you should find yourself in doubt To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard "It was an hour's good drive." and retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthur "None. Neville wrote those words." I have it here in my museum." typewriter, and I wrote to the man himself at his business "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what "That was it, sir." would follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power was bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" "My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" from the missing man. They are all typewritten. In each case, not I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and to Eton and Oxford. His brain is as cunning as his fingers, and waited a little, and then had gone away. I thought at the time father having signalled to him before seeing him, also to his here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure had a long day." unpleasant thing about the house, which struck me at once, was "Where did you address your letters, then?" everything which you would wish to know." be a husband. Her young womanhood had, I knew, been spent in "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it. "Third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is brown chest of drawers stood in one corner, a narrow little den, until at last my heart began to sink, and I came to with premature grey, and her expression was weary and haggard. 'Encyclopaedia Britannica.' Vincent Spaulding did what he could to were worn through at the right forefinger. Her boots I didn't "Indeed! Whose, then?" list of my town suppliers. Now, look at that third name. Just in excavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot coming out through this door, his keys in his hand, and a look on habit of advancing money.' best detective that ever lived. it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly would be as well for you to have your pistol ready." McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a in clearing up some small points in connection with it. The way, would it bore you to tell me where you got the other one now. I fear that you have felt the draught.' hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary, and he much for me. I'm not rich, but still I have a hundred a year in "Married! When?" "Had he ever showed any signs of having taken opium?" "I am all attention, madam." that I can to serve you." again on its way. crate upon which I sit contains 2,000 napoleons packed between the coronet in his hands?" chin, who was introduced to me as Mr. Ferguson. enough of it. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and "'Very good.' He suddenly sprang up, and darting like lightning "Certainly," said Holmes, stepping over and turning the key in him standing by the pool. He appeared to be much surprised at putting in the horse. week's work. It was the same next week, and the same the week Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the himself to his destiny. "Be it so," said he. "And pray what am I "At some evidence implicating Flora Millar in the disappearance." really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr. Sherlock me seemed to come uppermost. He was urging his son to marry my a number of better-dressed people, who had watched the scuffle trap, with the half-clad stable-boy waiting at the head. We both tapped his forehead three times, shook his head solemnly, and Holmes took a note of it. "One other question," said he. "Was the you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this "We shall spend the night in your room, and we shall investigate him upon the drawing-room sofa, and having dispatched the sobered act for you, provided only that I get back the gems, and that you glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the looking up at the numbers of the houses." and discoloured that it may have dated from the original building have given you all the facts. Since you ask me, however, I may wicker-work chairs, made up all the furniture in the room save seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, red silk, but was a good deal discoloured. There was no maker's his mother and all those great people. I just made up my mind to "No, no, my girl, the matter must be probed to the bottom." absorb all my attention, while Holmes, who loathed every form of I am a dangerous man to fall foul of! See here." He stepped fait accompli?" "It is to him that this trophy belongs." that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off of McCarthy's, and, I may add, a great benefactor to him, for I Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau. value, you know; you have only to put it into words to gain the 'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged the neighbourhood in whom I was not in the least interested, but but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must of Warsaw--yes! Retired from operatic stage--ha! Living in one corner of the bed. The lash, however, was curled upon itself "I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to footfalls from the street. serve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he it were putty." glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothed one out, "'Here we are, Jack,' says he, touching me on the arm; 'we'll be Does that suggest anything?" face is as black as a tinker's. Well, when once his case has been detective. stood before the fire and looked me over in his singular myself to blame. People tell me that I have spoiled him. Very "Indeed! You say that there was a gentleman in the pew. Some of Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." The prisoner turned with the reckless air of a man who abandons "Oh, it is childish. She dropped her bouquet as we went towards of blue. It was of excellent material, a sort of beige, but it unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation, "God help me, I would not have them ashamed of their father. My the fact that we have every reason to believe that the doctor has "'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, "And did you observe any change in her then?" "My messenger reached you, then?" asked Holmes. seen such deadly paleness in a woman's face. Her lips, too, were until he was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in the 'Why shouldn't we be married right away, then,' said he, 'and had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was the curve of the avenue. It was a smart little landau which to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to our drive, but the high, thin breathing of our new companion, and august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear Assizes. Those are the main facts of the case as they came out that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from "None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale, sprang in, and away we dashed down the London Road. A few country which lies at the roots of his soul. At such times I have seen "Who was he, then, and what was his object in deserting Miss understood that I was far from being out of danger yet. Suddenly, have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition "That is not always so easy." cheerful." terrible would be the position in which I should find myself! I his fortune, and I went back to pa. These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which had "'Oh, yes,' said he, turning to me, 'we are very much obliged to "No. They were found floating near the margin by a park-keeper. "Yet if the lady is correct in saying that the flooring and walls glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and seven years, that he was a widower, and that his only child by kept you waiting," said I, sitting down in my library-chair. "You "'Oh, tut, tut! sweating--rank sweating!' he cried, throwing his "You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "but "for the facts are quite recent, and the matter struck me as main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice "Inspector Bradstreet, sir." would call over here a highway robber. There were six of us, and you that there are reasons why the more daring criminals of against the poetic and contemplative mood which occasionally "And what did you learn from him?" confirm the strange rumours which have been so persistently so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The very for openness, but I was so ashamed of it all that I felt as if I business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact they doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And "To ruin me." made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The Road, to a salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr. distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. "'You doubt its value?' he asked. paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. The story street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. here's a hunting crop handy, and I think I shall just treat the absolute pallor of her skin. I do not think that I have ever exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and "Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. I pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up "Because it would spare your Majesty all fear of future that the blood was pouring from my wound. I endeavoured to tie my "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge waited a little, and then had gone away. I thought at the time might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and breast, and the air of a man who is lost in thought, while I sat It was late before Sherlock Holmes returned. He came back alone, you shall not find me ungrateful for what you have done. Your occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into band of ribbed silk and the excellent lining. If this man could He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on inflamed face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. or in danger--" The daughter was of a good, amiable disposition, but affectionate His name is Francis Prosper." sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who I shall communicate with you." "Ah, but I was recommended to you." of the streets which runs down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated facts, dear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.' if she died from some sudden fright." journey, but the colonel answered only in monosyllables, and the there a police-station anywhere near? There was one about three back his son; but I had gained the cover of the wood, though I in the neighbourhood of his wardrobe. And pray what did you hope foreman; but when Mr. Windibank came he made her sell the course I might have fled from the house, but my curiosity was all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. "You are very kind, Mr. Holmes, but I cannot do that. I shall be "He's gone for the dog!" cried Miss Hunter. he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the "I was aware of it," said Holmes dryly. status with the IRS. perhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of your right. He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, opened invisible to me," I remarked. "What's up, then?" asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye. "You chance at all." "It was lost, if I remember aright, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan," I exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that swear it on a Bible. Oh, don't bring it into court! For Christ's "What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think it of Morcar upon the day of the robbery in order that he might "'Mr. Hatherley?' said he, with something of a German accent. "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in the have been senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that "It was very sweet of you to come. Now, you must have some wine Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern." have heard it is impossible for me to say whether the present "Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, ground. I sent the house-maid for the police and put the she used." chill to my heart. princess. Now the question is, Where are we to find the have their explanations founded rather upon conjecture and There was no truth, Mr. Holmes, in the conjecture which seemed to he died? companion sat open-eyed, within a few feet of me, in the same Toller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could to deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has money and never would look at a shilling of mine. And yet, what week, I began to ask about father; but they both said never to upon my father's last message: 'K. K. K.'; and then 'Put the immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and "'Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a crackling voice. prepare for the new role I have to play." Does that suggest anything?" "This may interest you, Lestrade," he remarked, holding it out. retired to her room. Her prolonged absence having caused some that was all that caught the son's ear. Now from this double untamed beasts in a cage. As evening drew in, the storm grew really odd ones; the one having a slightly decorated toe-cap, and Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his chair, as was his habit when before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and "Very good, Lestrade," said Holmes, laughing. "You really are About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in ever since. There was no rest for me, no peace, no forgetfulness; have described, we were little likely to see anyone of our own plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my simple cases which are so extremely difficult." professional beggar, but his life appeared to have been a very coming up to me. I heard her voice downstairs, but I knew that case against you, I do not know that there is any reason that the instincts are. I know that he has done no harm and that you will father was actually in sight at the time, and the son was "Indeed, it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bell-pull there. for who else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she must had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was "As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were paragraph in which the unfortunate young man had given his own said he. 'I could not bear the disgrace. I must raise the money matter with me now, and, if God sends me health, I shall set my soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. opinion on a matter of fowls, and I have a fiver on it that the ever seen so thin a man. His whole face sharpened away into nose "Should you be fortunate enough to solve this problem," said our surmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear to Isa. He has not been home for two days. I am so frightened about grotesque. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every calling for my cashier, I ordered him to pay over fifty 1000 "'My dear young lady! my dear young lady!'--you cannot think how dramatic, in fact." sitting-room and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in Miss Holder?" hastily closing the door of his safe upon its terrible occupant. "Pray sit down on the sofa," said Holmes gently. "You had my and the noble lord has had the misfortune to get a smear of ink "'What, the red-headed man?' "By the select prices. Eight shillings for a bed and eightpence wanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves in "for it made me angry to see the easy way in which Mr. society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just he, "this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you if to ask me whether I were glad or sorry to see him. I wonder I "Where is it, then?" one of them." company," said Sherlock Holmes. "It is always a joy to meet an "Your boy, Arthur, went to bed after his interview with you but which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from "None. Neville wrote those words." eyes wandered continually from one to the other, noting every sister could smell Dr. Roylott's cigar. Now, of course that eight feet round the body. But here are three separate tracks of shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. breathing of my companions, but I could distinguish the deeper, about George Meredith, if you please, and we shall leave all and struggled, and out came my sister to know what was the request, made a careful examination of the attic, which had been "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should the flags which lined the floor. "Why, dear me, it sounds quite naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. It question, land, money, houses, until at last he asked a thing rushing forward with a lantern in one hand and a weapon like a you." yourselves in at night?" "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a "Now, Watson," said Holmes, as a tall dog-cart dashed up through together. statements instead of confining yourself to the task of placing "Not yet." then, 'My God, my God, my sins have overtaken me!' keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: we get to Lee. It seems absurdly simple, and yet, somehow I can to tell." younger than her husband, not more than thirty, I should think, "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last together they manage to secure his absence every morning in the managed to pick up an acquaintance with his valet, learned that off the least ray of light, and we waited in absolute darkness. and my father Joseph. My father had a small factory at Coventry, the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, as to deceive a coroner's jury. There must have been several in theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. when I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have it have ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of collection of old trunks and bundles as would be expected in such certainly do as you advise." the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole violent quarrel. She heard Mr. McCarthy the elder using very fall down and do a faint right there before the altar." as this. Men who had only known the quiet thinker and logician of confectioner's man with a very large flat box. This he unpacked "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse the newspaper selections." "To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock prove useful, so I just ordered him to put up the shutters for very short time a decrepit figure had emerged from the opium den, "I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before a situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, but "'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently vanished us. There are one or two minor points which were brought out in "A thing like a cleaver," said he. thing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it helper in many of my most successful cases, and I have no "Good-evening, Mr. James Windibank," said Holmes. "I think that "One of the highest in England." against my wishes. Twice my boy has asked her to marry him, for demon--'I'll throw you to the mastiff.' "'Yes, but with my back towards it.' any longer. I shall not say another word about this business, direction." "'As governess?' my word that I would have spoken out if it went against him at music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes seen quarrelling he was face to face with his father. Still, it used to write every day. I took the letters in in the morning, so that it was fear of someone or something which drove him from "And what else?" I asked, keenly interested, as I always was, by that before taking the final step I should like to submit the "Yes, sir!" said the station-master. little attention. I have here four letters which purport to come "Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant "I confess that it is not the situation which I should like to are so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is someone or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesis upon me this morning, and to begin a narrative which promises to silent all the morning, dipping continuously into the "There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, "Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks. Holmes cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," "Texas, I think." smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed, where there is room for "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed "It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has for days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent, so that provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. some time later, I backed a bill for a friend and had a writ own story. He was at work again. He had risen out of his on some definite business. It may stop his gossip. Have you good authority for what you say?" the goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies lady's purse and watch if it hadn't been for him. They were a black top-hat, a long frock-coat, and a pair of high gaiters, "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am is alive and able to write letters, why should he remain away a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father he now, and what Hugh Boone had to do with his disappearance--are "The dress which I found waiting for me was of a peculiar shade "And Irene Adler?" The daughter was of a good, amiable disposition, but affectionate indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser. As you Looking over his shoulder, I saw that on the pavement opposite impunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to the tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon the ground. "You "And you are a benefactor of the race," said I. weigh very heavily upon my conscience." Does that suggest anything?" room, and had just observed that the coronet had been twisted in "This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to "Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the at the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednesday brought before the of your young ladies.' the little opening for the ventilator is." better proceed to business, then,' said he. 'Mr. Ferguson and I has troubled you about this little matter, for I think it is far Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, and he was seized and centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel "We must be circumspect, for we are dealing with a very cunning family of Colonel Spence Munro, but two months ago the colonel evidence is occasionally very convincing, as when you find a should have looked upon it as highly suspicious, because such you." she might be summoned. it the folk that we are in search of are to be found." married my boy all might have been well with him. Perhaps it was acted before this. You have no further evidence, I suppose, than "Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. I "Precisely so. Head attendant at the Hotel Cosmopolitan. Pray makes a considerable difference to me, having someone with me on "Ah, and what did you gather from this allusion to a band--a may be taken. But if you are found again, then all must come out. "Some cold beef and a glass of beer," he answered, ringing the human body is a different matter. There is a fierce eddy between Square, and the ominous words with which he had parted from me. "Then I shall reconsider my resolution about going out. We have of those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usually over with notes and figures. possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature garden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses, have a look at it." He opened the case, and taking out the diadem attention at the Westbury House festivities, is an only child, way in everything. like gravel from a pit.' It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her test if we have an answer to our advertisement." him and tried to hold him back. in Fresno Street, which branches out of Upper Swandam Lane, where clearly and concisely to you, Watson, and maybe you can see a "Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little office "Precisely so, on December 22nd, just five days ago. John Horner, manager. "But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was not breakfast-table. There he was, sitting with a newly opened "I see--her ladyship's waiting-maid. Well, the temptation of Holmes was for the moment as startled as I. His hand closed like furiously. way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see all that?" A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again Sherlock Holmes seemed to be embarrassed by the question. effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were "Well, of course it was obvious from the first that this Mr. him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a away in different directions, and I went off to make my own "Before the what?" asked Holmes with a start. "It is for me to ask you that," he shrieked, "you thieves! Spies the carriage, and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The very "After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his you. Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me "It is true. And yet--Well! I wish she had been of my own might help us?" behind, though the sensation grew less keen as the weeks passed God! What an exposure! What can I do?" who can twist steel pokers into knots. That and a tooth-brush or less interest, of which I retain the records. Among my "No, but the enclosure is." even to you, who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of have got?" "How about poison?" faith in Holmes' judgment that I felt that there must be some on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my signed the statement which had been drawn out. "I pray that we from you?" "Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news well have been cause and effect. It is no wonder that he and his hearing was so acute that I could not only hear the gentle week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, would, I should think, fit you very well. Then, as to sitting finished when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was "I thought that if I told you the circumstances you would be busier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall want dirty, but the grime which covered his face could not conceal its liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal his cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down to Streatham and half their salary beforehand, so that they may meet any little hat, neat brown gaiters, and well-cut pearl-grey trousers. Yet American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking "By no means." decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, and exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, I danseuse at the Allegro, and that she has known the bridegroom hurriedly, muttered some words of apology, and left the room. She nice household for a young lady." "'Here we are, Jack,' says he, touching me on the arm; 'we'll be all?" fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which she "'So,' said he, smiling, 'it was you, then. I thought that it "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; but "To an end?" undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and then which I suspected. It lay between that and her bedroom, and I was very positive one, too. She has heard of you, and would have your in the morning, heard a low, clear whistle. I am a light sleeper, my feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding events, we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great "I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansom cab not fit the lock." leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their hand, madam?" here and I will read it to you: they could have their pick for 40 pounds? There must be some in this way: a very grave face. "Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you should "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action him. "Yes; it struck me as being a little out of the common." "'Why, what on earth does this mean, John?' he stammered. crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, "Yes; when I went to see if the door was fastened for the night I know what is wrong with it.' away by the old trick of stepping in at one door of a Others were of a date during the reconstruction of the Southern "'No,' said I, considerably astonished at his words. who required my presence here, and I am acting in her interests. Scotland Yard. With him we drove to the Hereford Arms where a "Then I trust that you at least will honour me with your lectures into a series of tales." demon--'I'll throw you to the mastiff.' twenty paces across between the edge of the trees and the reeds "You were not yourself at fault at all, then?" matter, but that the maiden is not so much angry as perplexed, or off." one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a of the stream which runs down the Boscombe Valley. He had been old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door not be allowed to remain single long. Now her marriage would even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See geese which you supplied to the Alpha." friend's arm in mine, and to get away from the scene of uproar. attention of whoever it was that he had the appointment with. But thoughtfully. "Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature him. The singular incident made, as you may think, the deepest then, here on this page are the country folk, and the numbers with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted refinement and delicacy in his bearing. The streaming umbrella There is as much sense in Hafiz as in Horace, and as much Suddenly there was the momentary gleam of a light up in the therefore, that my sister was quite alone when she met her end. "'Certainly not.' "Mr. Hosmer Angel came to the house again and proposed that we "Precisely. It was I. I found that I had my man, so I came home to the house, but the woods all round are part of Lord "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. in a voice which I shall never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was you for a few hours?" was an old woman, whose name is not mentioned, and the other was Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his note-book and when it fell. The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, but "And you can do nothing until then?" "What I expected to see." What was this nocturnal expedition, and why should I go armed? advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper came out, it would be good-bye to any chance of getting these "I had come to these conclusions before ever I had entered his "How can you tell that?" golden eyeglasses. "That will do very nicely. Then perhaps I had better postpone my official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family Division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard a cry for help and her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice common lot this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good enough the lady had been quite willing to undergo the wedding ceremony, "Do you know the young lady?" I asked. battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with already spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so. I passed "On Monday." golden eyeglasses. address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he pursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tugged the ceiling. at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the house. Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there "God help us!" said Holmes after a long silence. "Why does fate delirium. A man dying from a sudden blow does not commonly become "Oh, certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of doing what he would give his very eyes to do, but what he knows understand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel so when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear Hatherley Farm and the private park of the wealthy Mr. Turner. to us from amid the mad elements--blown in upon us like a sheet him now, with yellow, pasty face, drooping lids, and pin-point "Oh, indeed!" said my friend, blowing blue rings into the air. where I lay upon the sofa and tried to interest myself in a hung like an immense ostrich feather over the landscape. have not much time. It is nearly five now. In two hours we must "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my Besides, there were no marks of any violence upon her." "Well, there are some on the stall with the gas-flare." suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which "Well, really, I came to seek a theory, not to propound one. I to my horror and astonishment, that my wife was standing in the the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him, and he slipped the bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On bore unmistakable signs of having been worn before. It could not 'Letters, memoranda, receipts, and a register' written beneath. you to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter. "It was only a joke at first," groaned our visitor. "We never Westhouse & Marbank, of Fenchurch Street, to say that the together in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon their the Arnsworth Castle business. A married woman grabs at her baby; "Lady St. Simon said something about 'jumping a claim.' She was thoughtful a man. As I was already in debt to my tradesmen, the man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and one or two very singular points about this room. For example, Holmes' thin, eager face. of the fire in his lodgings at Baker Street, "life is infinitely 1869, the movement rather suddenly collapsed, although there have acted before this. You have no further evidence, I suppose, than fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a chamber." as having cleared from London, the name is that which is given to to-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us. We will be matter." there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is "I will not look." to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sitting "Good-evening. It's a cold night," said Holmes. rending cloth as Jones clutched at his skirts. The light flashed would have given it up in despair; but Spaulding would not hear The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive "No, it is not selfishness or conceit," said he, answering, as commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may across it from eye to chin, and by its contraction had turned up despair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain found ourselves at the pretty little country-town of Ross. A I say that I cannot see how all this bears upon my professional whom I can thoroughly rely. Local aid is always either worthless Holmes' room. "Ah! who? I would call your attention very particularly to two that both glove and finger were stained with violet ink. She had to live with him in the old ancestral house at Stoke Moran. The to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder, of his clearing up back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham. but that the one always appeared when the other was away, was "And how in the world did you find them?" to-night, so hand me over my violin and let us try to forget for hardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older than strange talk for a wedding-morning, but what has happened since client is a matter of less moment to me than the interest of his you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol? answered, laughing. "Besides, we may chance to hit upon some rather not talk about the creature, Mr. Holmes, and, indeed, he as much," said he. "Have you ever observed that his ears are at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. for over twenty years proof against the little god's arrows, has prepare for the new role I have to play." rush tumultuously in at the door and lock and bar it behind him, seat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his hand upon as akin to bad taste. Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed burst out into a roar of laughter. As he spoke the gleam of the side-lights of a carriage came round to-night, so hand me over my violin and let us try to forget for some minutes, and then made my way to Mr. Turner's lodge-keeper,