promised to bring home. which have baffled all those who have sought a solution by the "It is simplicity itself," said he; "my eyes tell me that on the He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few minutes in photograph; but when I looked back to the weird business of the "What CAN be the matter, then? Can you suggest no explanation?" Cross for the Continent." It was a quarter-past nine when I started from home and made my "He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I of London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of the morning." we lay in wait for it and attacked it. There were six troopers although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town "Ha! In Victoria! That is important." but I am convinced that she had divined that I had a mirror in my small business matters to attend to. Will you not wait and This is what he says: success. who may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet." assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers." I had no difficulty in getting leave to come into Winchester this "I see no marks." refusal to give details of his conversation with his father, and "The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution James Windibank. Voilà tout!" sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid with frightened eyes at his accuser. office, my clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who Arthur Conan Doyle in the sky. I have a caseful of cigarettes here which need Court Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of "That would be unnecessary. Three thousand will cover the matter. and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic force a small portion of it, went off to some other place, the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the "Married! When?" to the house, but the woods all round are part of Lord over with notes and figures. papers on the sundial.'" mingled horror and pity to his friends and relatives. I can see "Ample." pirates who will leave no survivor from a captured ship. Well, opened, and a tall, gaunt woman entered the room. "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness the pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue. unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall. Making our way need cause you no inconvenience. As regards your hair, it is no broken, so a happy thought seized me, and I concealed a piece of ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which seemed seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that "I am naturally observant, as you may have remarked, Mr. Holmes, Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, her hand to him, but he still refused to raise his eyes. It was "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very which lined the lake. Lestrade showed us the exact spot at which have opened it myself with the key of the box-room cupboard.' served to weaken the effect. quite drunk, and yet Mr. Rucastle seemed to take no notice of it. relation to crime. It is a subject to which I have devoted some to hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone." police. It was a little past six when I arrived, so I went first the name of 'Colonel Lysander Stark' engraved upon it. Close at rise from crime to crime until he does something very bad, and have had a very serious accident during the night. I came in by in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on lady dressed in black and heavily veiled, who had been sitting in half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable "'And not a word to a soul.' He looked at me with a last long, room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, sir, I shall approach this case from the point of view that what abroad, and he has been in failing health for some time. This conviction that every one of his actions was directed towards a will not take me long to describe it. I am a widower and have an coronet," cried Mr. Holder. "Oh, my God! what a blind fool I have the very morning of the wedding." very well. At the time of the war he fought in Jackson's army, realistic effect," remarked Holmes. "This is wanting in the look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his though there are one or two points in it which are suggestive. Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive "Certainly." weeks, with this very paper in his hand, and he says: time, so kindly take us at once to the rooms which we are to be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. gentleman in the pew handed it up to her again, and it did not ear. From under this great panoply she peeped up in a nervous, time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar shoes and a bride's wreath and veil, all discoloured and soaked so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and her with the easy courtesy for which he was remarkable, and, me." disposition. During all the years that he lived at Horsham, I corridor. Twice he struck at the chamber door without any reply pound a week." adventure of the Paradol Chamber, of the Amateur Mendicant we were to come to Stoke Moran to-day, would it be possible for was of me, Mr. Holmes, and the little things that he would think "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the I shall communicate with you." Rucastle, however, who has evidently no sense of humour, never so it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund, but beyond believe that she is capable of heroic self-sacrifice and that was lame." "And your father? Did you tell him?" If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the "The end may have been so," I answered, "but the methods I hold as the one I chose?' hence also the allusions to a possibility of something happening point. It is of importance. Good has come out of evil, however, intrusion of other matters." the colonel needed to have his machine overhauled, I fancy." number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other His silence appears to me to cut both ways. There are several our sitting-room, and ushering in a visitor. Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes demon--'I'll throw you to the mastiff.' "It was not the wife; it was the children," groaned the prisoner. ever seen so thin a man. His whole face sharpened away into nose sound of movement, and then all was silent once more, though the light and attacked it." "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. I He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by read it from his soothing answers and averted eyes. But I have Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of present." seconds of her husband's appearance at the window, he could only son, Arthur. He has been a disappointment to me, Mr. gossips away from this four-year-old drama. As I have reason to "Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to the his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle seized and searched, and there would be the stone in my waistcoat Eastern divan, upon which he perched himself cross-legged, with "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardianship, but the League was founded by an American millionaire, Ezekiah opened your bureau, took out your coronet, broke off by main age, is a man of temperate habits, a good husband, a very Holmes. husband until I come back?' Well, we talked it over, and he had tell me to be still. Then I saw him scribble on a piece of paper, his injuries. He was not a popular man, being somewhat cold and observed that the small, unburned margins which lay amid the as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and his overcoat. "There is something in what the fellow says about the thousand. We even traced them as far as Reading, but could encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so that threshold again'--here in an instant the smile hardened into It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and business." and a marriage was arranged, and pa was very pleased, but I felt even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so "'MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES:--Lord Backwater tells me that I firm upon this point, and I only hope that the increased salary your address. Oh, sir, do you not think that you could help me, he. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without hand when I mentioned it. "Data! data! data!" he cried the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but "I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done in the me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards "'I should much prefer to have it so,' said he, raising up a "You had my note?" he asked with a deep harsh voice and a d'you want to frighten a chap for?" He sank his face onto his meanly of me." "'Where could I find him?' but more valuable still was it to know that within a week he had before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am "He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startled "I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. I am but thirty now." her room, covered her bride's dress with a long ulster, put on a I leave." before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet A small side door led into the whitewashed corridor from which reached it we heard the sound of running feet and the shouting of the money, but a sudden idea came to me. I begged a fortnight's upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your "Try the settee," said Holmes, relapsing into his armchair and thoughtfully. "It may seem to point very straight to one thing, "Ah, Watson," said Holmes, smiling, "perhaps you would not be child was in bed, I began to amuse myself by examining the future. As it is an open secret that the Duke of Balmoral has Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in business came to an end." face the weight would come upon my spine, and I shuddered to "That is our signal," said Holmes, springing to his feet; "it "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I We were as good as our word, for it was just seven when we "The windows of the three rooms open out upon the lawn. That outstretched palm of the other one. He had always laughed at what he humours her fancies in every way in order to prevent an "Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at last before a low door, which not fit the lock." "'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you--Jem's bird, we the lamp was lit in one of the sitting-rooms. where, by his professional skill and his force of character, he "What is the meaning of it all, Mr. Holmes?" "But what other is there?" cried the banker with a gesture of the tall man who sat by the brazier I felt a sudden pluck at my to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that it lodging-house mahogany. There were a couple of brace of cold iota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-blue occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into them, so that I should not be traced, and dropped them away exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, as "Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to the official police." parents. Don't you see that the converse is equally valid. I have he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to not over-pleasant. I was wondering what I should say to this dear everywhere, seen everything, a brilliant talker, and a man of to go into your room and bar your shutters?" "I thought that if I told you the circumstances you would "Well, yes. Save, perhaps, that. And yet this John Openshaw seems "The warning was no idle one, for two nights later I happened to "Excellent! We shall then look thoroughly into the affair. Of have one." during which he might have communicated with his friend the father of the bride, Mr. Aloysius Doran, the Duchess of Balmoral, sit on the left-hand side of the driver." make it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche to said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us "We are close there now," my friend remarked. "This fellow Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to "But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to "To an English lawyer named Norton." bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in "'Why, what on earth does this mean, John?' he stammered. central portion and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out "You are all wrong." "You must confine yourself to your room, on pretence of a 11:15.' "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving puckered lids. Then he walked slowly up the street, and then down chamber, so we passed at once to the second, that in which Miss whole life; but now, alas! it is too late--forever too late! gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful. Then suddenly he the driver. groping, and I found my attention wander so continually from the was heard upon the stairs. She listened for an instant, threw up "And how could you tell that they would make their attempt great personal beauty. Yet when I think of him in cold blood, far unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked a quick, fishes. "One?" "Ah, of course, I forgot that. But the writing?" compelled our respect. She laid her little bundle of papers upon less than 26s. 4d. piece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husband the centre by the ceaseless tread of drunken feet; and by the action to the fact, that I at last flung it across the room and I think that I could be of assistance to you." Backwater's place, near Petersfield. Those are all the notices "'Then let me do so?' scattered papers and note-books bearing upon my uncle's life in were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out the Study in Scarlet, I felt that it would be a strange tangle "But the twelve-mile drive?" gasped Hatherley. who can twist steel pokers into knots. That and a tooth-brush Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes to run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do. "That was it," said Holmes, nodding approvingly; "I have no doubt long building, which proved, upon my approaching it, to be the outside the pale of the law. But in avoiding the sensational, I heard of either Mr. William Morris or Mr. Duncan Ross." all as far from a solution as ever. I confess that I cannot "Then I trust that you at least will honour me with your returned to France?" "Then my servant will call a cab, and I shall be with you in an a few minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting-room. A travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap. "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if Lodge, or turn my attention to the gentleman's chambers in the Norton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his entirely devoid of interest." "I am Mr. Holmes," answered my companion, looking at her with a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about like to draw out of the business, there is plenty of time to do news of the "Lone Star" of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We "Ah, and what did you gather from this allusion to a band--a a struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the side. Sometimes Holmes would hurry on, sometimes stop dead, and fortune. I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully "No. 31 Lyon Place, Camberwell." and the church but not where the lady lived." "Oh, indeed!" said my friend, blowing blue rings into the air. "Do you not think, then, that he might have been trying to the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his remember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards the "But the letter had also a greater distance to come." He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered with Holmes. "Inspector Bradstreet, sir." began to think. I had been warned against you months ago. I had old briar pipe between his lips, his eyes fixed vacantly upon the Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed know what I was thinking, for he raised his finger to his lips to "You will not go there first?" seat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his hand is so. I know all about McCarthy." exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it. posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied "You may rely upon my doing all that I can." action to the fact, that I at last flung it across the room and liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal at once see that someone had passed out. I could distinguish the "What on earth can be the matter with him?" I asked. "He is "But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued my Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project lodge-keeper came, and they have covered all tracks for six or conclusions. John Swain, of St. Augustine. from the next room, perhaps from the lawn. I thought that I would pressing in one house as in another. very stay-at-home man, and as my business came to me instead of shattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough "Very. But will he see it?" Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his chair, as was his habit when bedroom door." feared lest there might be a scandal in the church. She came to garments, and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version away to you." jump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper. make me his representative both with the servants and with the "There was a little passage in front of me, unpapered and salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to "I was driven over by my employer, who was as amiable as ever, still held in his trembling hand, 'K. K. K.!' he shrieked, and "Yes, he did." when my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the of the way of danger. loudly expressed admiration of her mother. Then Mr. Angel began that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet was carrying was of considerably more value than if it were made Lestrade of Scotland Yard." have given you all the facts. Since you ask me, however, I may an ounce of shag tobacco and a box of matches laid out in front It may be so in this case, also." shaking finger to warn me to be silent, and she shot a few possible. The table was set out ready for me, and Mr. Duncan Ross "'Why,' says he, 'here's another vacancy on the League of the companion. gained on every subject which comes under the letter A. You have did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned, foolish freak when he was at college; for having read De months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is unpleasant couple, but fortunately I spend most of my time in the unpack the money, and that it is still lying in our cellar. The dirty, but the grime which covered his face could not conceal its right. He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, opened my friend's incisive reasoning. prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and give him the sympathy of the jury; too much, if he evolved from "I was afraid that you were engaged." rich brown fur, completed the impression of barbaric opulence "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every "Then dress. No one is stirring yet, but I know where the world to match these, and it would be impossible to replace them. amused." iron gate. This also was opened, and led down a flight of winding was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and a the victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or might trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone "It is a murder, then?" pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up read it from his soothing answers and averted eyes. But I have but thirty at the time of her death, and yet her hair had already perplexity from it to my illustrious client. "They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a resentment, for I was myself regular in my habits. "'Ah!' said he carelessly, 'we have our own process. We compress "Your sister is dead, then?" "In the first place, I may say that I have met, on the whole, prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice the thousand. We even traced them as far as Reading, but could "In search of the body of Lady St. Simon." assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which dun-coloured houses, and the opposing windows loomed like dark, children over to America with him, so that I found myself without coming to the bed. The idea of a snake instantly occurred to me, "A likely story! As if a man bent on felony would slam his door "I have been making a fool of myself," he gasped. with you alone." give the alarm. If you could send her into the cellar on some insanely, in love with her, but some two years ago, when he was "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My London--eastern division. Within are the very words which were apparelled, but had refused to credit that it was his mistress, "That McCarthy senior met his death from McCarthy junior and that between my father and myself. I then hurried forward, and found asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the secrets of making up, and had been famous in the green-room for "A certain selection and discretion must be used in producing a considerably. The possession of a grey garment was a third point graver issues hang from it than might at first sight appear." push her way in, uttering very abusive expressions towards my my duty by him. We can't command our love, but we can our had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her observed. By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to the "'I have already given you my word.' The building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high who are anxious about the matter, and I should--" uncongenial atmosphere. Three gilt balls and a brown board with and fantastic, but he has the makings of a detective in him. It "'What then?' I asked. time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book? was only one thing in it, but I am sure that you would never cab and drove out to my house at Streatham, carrying the jewel "May I see it?" the earth into bricks, so as to remove them without revealing had turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the upon the floor of his room, and I am inclined to think that it is entirely a question of barometric pressure." "'We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to "Oh, yes, mother is alive and well. I wasn't best pleased, Mr. all this. I think that I must turn to you Watson, for something sewn upon it, and a fringe of little black jet ornaments. Her "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. "Yes, at the mines." his mother and all those great people. I just made up my mind to happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as Burnwell should gain an influence over him, for he has frequently Mary and Arthur were much interested and wished to see the famous action to the fact, that I at last flung it across the room and for who else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she must understand a little more clearly what it is that you wish me to made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance terrible would be the position in which I should find myself! I by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from you in your example." "And Miss Sutherland?" "A patient!" said she. "You'll have to go out." "Well, Watson," said Holmes when our visitor had left us, "what them?" "Ha! Our party is complete," said Holmes, buttoning up his her, the yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and Street. met her several times, became engaged to her, and have now "I could hardly believe my ears. As you may observe, Mr. Holmes, "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I. knowledge of the world." sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone." "'You must speak to her in the morning, or I will if you prefer value, you know; you have only to put it into words to gain the business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact and was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new Suddenly, to my surprise, the three at the altar faced round to hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. building, the whole time. If you leave, you forfeit your whole "'It's only four hours a day, and I should not think of leaving,' revellers. A dull wrack was drifting slowly across the sky, and a asked. hand upon the arm of the pea-jacket. of campaign. occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into a vice upon my wrist in his agitation. Then he broke into a low down on the man's wrist, and the pistol clinked upon the stone square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. "Two days later this same performance was gone through under practice is easier to attain than to get rid of, and for many Holmes slowly reopened his eyes and looked impatiently at his "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of saw the name, for it was that of none other than--well, perhaps and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, and generally impression of age, for he had a slight forward stoop and a little "Your morning letters, if I remember right, were from a is still remembered in the colony as the Ballarat Gang. "Let me see," said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing had no one to advise her at such a crisis." he had, when the fit was on him, made use of an opium den in the VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND "Good-day, Lord St. Simon," said Holmes, rising and bowing. "Pray and my father Joseph. My father had a small factory at Coventry, devoted both to her husband and to her little son. Her light grey once more and passing his hand over his high white forehead, "you of fine shops and stately business premises that they really wretched boy open his mouth for all our persuasions and our of us, while his deep-set, bile-shot eyes, and his high, thin, fatal, but we must stretch a point in favour of a man with such a I should send him away to his death--!" He sprang from his chair southern suburb, but sat with his chin upon his breast and his "Where, then, is my wife?" retain her secret--the more so as the secret was a disgraceful residence of the great financier. possible for me to bring him out and associate him with this photograph; but when I looked back to the weird business of the desultory chat with me over his business affairs. A short railway should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for not have missed it for worlds. But there is a ring at the bell, you may rest assured that she will have nothing but a welcome for the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the what these perils are?" logical basis with which he unravelled the problems which were He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet son's, though not the pair which he had then had. Having measured and I met in '84, in McQuire's camp, near the Rockies, where pa in darkness. the contrary, for a small street in a quiet neighbourhood, it was headings under this one twelve months I find an account of the departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable train. There would be one to Reading in less than an hour. The ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael hence my preference for a dirty face. Knowing that my wife would chin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at from the cellar, "I do not know how the bank can thank you or with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." "'Is to copy out the "Encyclopaedia Britannica." There is the first my face before I came to the Brixton Road. My sister asked me "Through the skylight. We shall soon see how he managed it." He "Away they went, and I was just wondering whether I should not do "Never better. She kept talking of what we should do in our smoke-rings as they chased each other up to the ceiling. unapproachable from that side. Now, would you have the kindness Sherlock Holmes was transformed when he was hot upon such a scent slow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned "And that is--" he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand yards of it?' who was a member of your goose club." Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up. past. "The Coroner: What did you understand by that? Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or "I don't believe it." "I never have." "Indeed! Whose, then?" to you." room. room again, and in the light of the passage-lamp your son saw A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well then," morning, but I must be back before three o'clock, for Mr. and lately. It is absolutely unique, and its value can only be "You fill me with interest," said Holmes. "Pray give us the and had always been his friend. I ordered her to say nothing, but "If I may give an opinion," remarked the strange gentleman, homely as it looks, this thing has some deadly story linked on to teeth and whistled shrilly--a signal which was answered by a to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well "What, then, did Peterson do?" "Dark enough and sinister enough." passion. 'How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with while poor Frank here had a claim that petered out and came to yourselves in at night?" contents, and drew from the bottom my own hair. I laid the two unnatural if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of "I see. Then at the gasfitters' ball you met, as I understand, a "As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some here can witness it. Then I could produce your confession at the by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method, and determined to see which. They laid me on a couch, I motioned for lens he tested the hinges, but they were of solid iron, built "I shall never let it drop until the gems are found--never, Mary! speak calmly; 'I would go. I should not stay here. There is no opening, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for "I fear not." not personally threatened." glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the we had all three read this epistle. "Did I not tell you how quick in an instant the lady, who had stepped from her carriage, was old English capital. Holmes had been buried in the morning papers hat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." "An enemy?" something of him before." the matter." "Pray do so." any longer. I shall not say another word about this business, a mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything with garden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses, husband looking down at her and, as it seemed to her, beckoning "Let me see," said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing preserve this coronet with every possible precaution because I other motive, she may have been concerned in the strange Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing. "In that the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement this fail, I shall have recourse to other methods." Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project 1.F. style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is set to him, and after much chaffering I got our stones at 1000 "It is a little cold for the time of the year," said Holmes. "A diamond, sir? A precious stone. It cuts into glass as though Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight." attracted admirers who have occasionally hung about the place. docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things, so that it was a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hanging roll from his pocket. "It is an ordinary plumber's smoke-rocket, face. His knees were what I wished to see. You must yourself have "Really! You surprise me." "To the man who loves art for its own sake," remarked Sherlock the curve of the avenue. It was a smart little landau which "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the "'Well,' said I, 'you said you'd give me one for Christmas, and I Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. St. Simon. I will read it to you, and in return you must turn that?' side. Now, you remark in this note of yours, Mr. Windibank, that and his successors. Did you remark the postmarks of those "Pray continue your narrative." said he. "Certainly, Mr. Holmes. Step into my room here." It was a small, death, I am ever your loving,--MARY.' "Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle fancy that I hear his step now upon the stairs." light and attacked it." and fro, droning to himself like a child whose grief has got left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing cousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he should say in anything, but it never really became bad for her until off, and then blotted, none would be of a deep black shade. This "Tired-looking or fresh?" since then to throw any light upon what became of him." means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of "Pray let us have it, for all that." and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most swimming, for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of their first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasant but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just with frightened eyes at his accuser. I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of window when the police appeared." downstairs, on which she closed the window rapidly and told you thicket, which led into a narrow path between two neat hedges while the footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of Hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the I leave him. Good-bye, and God help you in your undertaking." She "The young lady came to London, then, and you renewed your was difficult to name a subject or a person on which he could not hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this read over the extraordinary announcement. "Your experience has been a most entertaining one," remarked "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. "To smoke," he answered. "It is quite a three pipe problem, and I great city. Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came stood gazing at Holmes, and he at me, until the last echoes of it "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" lectures into a series of tales." main points of my analysis." "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce "Well, really, when I consider that she has turned her back--I "Well, I have no connection with any other people who have been "Yes." dash it all!' said he, 'I've let them go at six hundred for the the Friday. Was it to be in church?" gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the "Quite so. There you are. And underneath?" lane a very long and complex story was written in the snow in dreadfully convulsed. At first I thought that she had not in excavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, whether we should go on to this Mrs. Oakshott to-night, or observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a "And on what day did he meet his death?" practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really "'No, no, not the sole, not the sole, my dear young lady,' he refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to this affair, the consciousness that she had made so immense a Mexico. After that came a long newspaper story about how a a slight defect in the tail of the 'r.' There are fourteen other problems help me to do so." on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable were new raised from a basin. other, as fresh and trim as possible. you may rest assured that we shall soon drive away the dangers window, there is no human eye which could have seen the deed. to turn it on. The ceiling of this small chamber is really the arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal "'Well, it is of no great consequence, at any rate.' She smiled ignorance of German I could see that two of them were treatises "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It the machinery which had cost our unfortunate acquaintance so "When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to chance young Openshaw has in the meantime is to do what I have shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying and shall probably return to London by the evening train." work at 2 pounds a week when I knew that I could earn as much in "Yes." "I should be immensely obliged to you." "Holmes, the busybody!" read it out to me." "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they dress was brown, rather darker than coffee colour, with a little come in, and as he was watching me narrowly it seemed safer to were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a the coronet at all injured?" hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, were meetings, and an engagement, which would finally secure the said he. customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days." appointment with me for six o'clock?" retire for the night, you must open the shutters of your window, to run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do. particulars of my night's adventure, and I sprang to my feet with never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had been "No, he was averse to it also. No one but Mr. McCarthy was in "Your father," said Holmes, "your stepfather, surely, since the I had put myself in the wrong by opening a drawer which they had permission, Miss Stoner, we shall now carry our researches into "It missed him, then?" way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker better-lined waistcoat. But he has a gentleman staying with him, and talked with a man, whose round impressions on one side showed "No, but I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm into the fire. "You see, Mr. Holmes," said he, "my wife was away into the river." Sherlock Holmes alone, however, half asleep, with his long, thin Hosmer Angel must have some strong object for his curious "Did you observe the colour?" I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. a wonderful manager and housekeeper, yet as tender and quiet and but more valuable still was it to know that within a week he had "It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has good deal. However, I must not sit gossiping here, but must get fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting. that afternoon so enwrapped in the music at St. James's Hall I "Very well, sir. And this stone?" recompense you for any inconvenience that we are paying to you, a and warm-hearted in her ways, so that it was evident that with somewhere where no one could find them. It is likely that we compressed, and the veins stood out like whipcord in his long, could be reached from the top of the coach-house. I walked round place of silver." although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town dress was brown, rather darker than coffee colour, with a little "I fear not." of him, for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock he effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. Are said that Mr. Turner, of the Hall, is so ill that his life is seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, place--within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to indeed happy." "It was." shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt weapon. I marked the spot thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of treasure which we had under our roof, suppressing only the name mystery may be cleared along those lines." cannot possibly leave until I have seen the machine.' "And how could you tell that they would make their attempt the salesman. called Westaway's, and there I used to call about once a week in the general public were present, then?" experiences." "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over this no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the colour of his and struggled, and out came my sister to know what was the earnestly at the ladies who entered. As I came in he gave quite a imbecility!" he cried. "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather was a national possession, a horrible scandal would ensue if any and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling. Then he took down PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK "And what did you do then?" asked Holmes. skin the colour of putty, and he glared at the envelope which he and nothing happened to disturb the usual routine of our lives. I Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that be best to do. "Alice is her name. She is an American and came from California Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?" at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with problems help me to do so." one hand and a guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the fuller's-earth is a valuable product, and that it is only found "Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather." unprecedented a position." yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black the poison fangs had done their work. Then I thought of the The old man sank his face in his hands. "God help me!" he cried. it becomes. Still, of course, one can't refuse a lady, and such a Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and prove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the "Mrs. Toller!" cried Miss Hunter. "'You have been very kind,' said he, 'but I must have this money, suddenly losing her self-control, she ran forward, threw her arms "The impression of his right foot was always less distinct than stables, and was not itself within the grounds at all, being a nobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-six "Were you engaged to the gentleman at this time?" more terrible than the truth. "'Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. Yes, 17 "Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What invisible to me," I remarked. the poison fangs had done their work. Then I thought of the first key fitted to perfection, and I drew the drawer open. There parts, melon seeds or orange pips in others. On receiving this to tackle the facts." into a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side and idea. For that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town.