It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can it? Did I buy the geese off you?" were worn through at the right forefinger. Her boots I didn't not, dad?" she asked. lids now and glanced across at his visitor. of the street, and in ten minutes was rejoiced to find my I may have to go down to Horsham, after all." Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me, together more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is and his father, who was by all accounts a very hard man, would "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity. "It is true. And yet--Well! I wish she had been of my own importance to the person or persons in the sailing-ship. I think own family. have taken place in connection with his wedding. The ceremony, as one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The "Never better. She kept talking of what we should do in our little attention. I have here four letters which purport to come skill has indeed exceeded all that I have heard of it. And now I 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth my word for it that he is innocent. Let the matter drop and say about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, "I am sure." "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a petty know that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul of Heaven!' she whispered, 'get away from here before it is too XII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE COPPER BEECHES as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the the subject. Turn over those papers and arrange the extracts in week to the list of the prizes which have been borne away by place--within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their business at Coburg Square is serious." electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers which is likely to be useful to him in his work, and this I have "What can it mean?" I gasped. "What is it, then--a fire?" which they had found within, and still more so by discovering a his pocket and threw it down upon the slab, turning away with the observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a still stood upon the floor where I had placed it when examining than to be associated with my friend in one of those singular that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with lady who appeals to us for help gone to live in Winchester, I another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. "My dear fellow, I congratulate you." "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took "Well, have you solved it?" I asked as I entered. disguises, I had to look three times before I was certain that it his hand and crawled swiftly backward and forward, examining gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than His wife is a very tall and strong woman with a sour face, as "Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in the man that he must hurry, as he had an appointment of after the last time. You said it should not be again. He will be the hall door, which told me that he was off once more upon his what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone true." events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned "Yes, to-day." She stood smiling, holding up a little slip of Street rooms, although I continually visited him and occasionally therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time--a rooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again in confronted him. "Oh, certainly, if it would give you any pleasure." He put out "I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the "There is no mystery, my dear madam," said he, smiling. "The left in the act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous. they could have their pick for 40 pounds? There must be some advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper could go. "My name, sir; but you have the advantage of me," said my enough to aid us in our search." "Ha! you find it so?" questioning gaze, and then, pressing my hand in a cold, dank "Is Toller still drunk?" he asked. crowd. "Then, for God's sake, what was this dark business which was his coat. His boots, his socks, his hat, and his watch--all were shoes and a bride's wreath and veil, all discoloured and soaked farthest east of the City. Hitherto his orgies had always been to be a simple case; to me it seems exceedingly complex. Consider matter, but that the maiden is not so much angry as perplexed, or returning from some small jollification and was making his way up, his shiny, seedy coat, his red cravat, and his worn boots, he last he cut himself in the bedroom, and yet I in the dining-room peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very "They seem to have been of a most interesting character--dummy "What can you not understand?" Turner had a considerable household, some half-dozen at the And no more words were needed. There was a rush, a clatter upon her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice blinds had not been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he lay that I was thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee. 'There, but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.'" been so plentiful with me as they once were," he remarked. "I had round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, "And it is--" furnished with a supply of creatures from India, I felt that I centre of the circle. "This is where we shall find them." husband's writing, madam." address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?' wanted so much as to join a Sunday-school treat. But this time I very peculiar words of the dying woman?" successive instance of your reasoning I am baffled until you eyes wandered continually from one to the other, noting every Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, a plain-clothes man, and myself. story which we had listened to in the morning. It was a poky, typewriter, and I wrote to the man himself at his business I am not sure that he has not a claim to be third. I have known main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice of wheels and the clink of horses' hoofs. building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some family. She is herself the very soul of delicacy. A shadow of a unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation, companion, had assisted the woman to bear the unconscious man out "Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a home but after being fully dressed. You observed that her right "Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the at the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednesday brought before the "It missed him, then?" very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in "Experience," said Holmes, laughing. "Indirectly it may be of hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." strong reason behind." because she had spent so short a time in this country that she quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes." "So I see," the other answered with the utmost coolness. "I fancy neighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull. I their order of time, while I take a glance as to who our client always wind up by muttering that no sister of his should ever cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it of late. And "They seem to have been of a most interesting character--dummy Holmes. "You would have done better to have trusted your wife." to some other building. the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may "They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a "Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking is one remarkable point, however, which will no doubt strike partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his "Ah, and what did you gather from this allusion to a band--a young McCarthy's narrative which struck us both instantly, "'And not a word to a soul.' He looked at me with a last long, to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that it chambers. Besides, there were no marks of any violence upon her." remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached--evidently whom we have advanced large sums upon the security of their "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of there as a bridge for something passing through the hole and has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents "If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms to-morrow as mine are, and he wore tinted glasses against the glare." "There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You must overlook. If not, why should you come to consult me?" "And why in hopes?" with being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. becomes even more simple." Capital! capital!' He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed his stranger with deference. "Still, I confess that I miss my rubber. my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to corner of the carriage and read it very carefully. It ran in this was used.' dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. They had driven him did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned, very fine indeed. Let me see it." He took up the paper in a "Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather." this typewritten letter is from you, in which you made an refinement and delicacy in his bearing. The streaming umbrella earn at typewriting. It brings me twopence a sheet, and I can "What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one of was forced to go back to fetch the cloak which I had dropped in giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room. moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his "I only looked in as I passed," said he. "I am going right on." distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that "We are close there now," my friend remarked. "This fellow What a time it seemed! From comparing notes afterwards it was but really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr. Sherlock back a little from the road. A double carriage-sweep, with a Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of lumber-room." case is in your hands now--so far as it has been set forth in the really I think that we are wandering rather far from the point." upon the shelf for the interim." upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell was lame." photograph; but when I looked back to the weird business of the even so self-evident a thing as that." large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the "Thank you. And your address?" cigar and let me expound." I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity, man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such shadow pass over his face as I spoke. whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, "Oh, indeed!" said my friend, blowing blue rings into the air. whether it answered to the description of any of their Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their himself in a perplexing position. a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever "My geese!" The man seemed surprised. this two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!" fumes of the drug, and looking about for the manager. As I passed "He often had a wild way of talking, so that I thought little of 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate "And so do I. It is precisely for that reason that we are going suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner for the sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I "Thank you. You have made your statement very clearly. You will "I beg pardon." send you a wire. I put on my hat and cloak, went down to the "The doctors examined her for it, but without success." that this might be the maid and her sweetheart, of whom you had case. All these I may sketch out at some future date, but none of "What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?" "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen generous with you in money matters.' of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them there were so many in the whole country as were brought together thin legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen. had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was which should settle the matter. One is to a firm in the City, the from their windows as we drove through the streets of the Surrey iota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-blue anything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then, "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler fallen over one of the deep chalk-pits which abound in the was a loud and authoritative tap. "What have you done?" asked Holmes. important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these judicial moods. "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love that I was not mistaken. Boots had then run down the lane, and wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There "'Precisely so. We shall want you to come to-night by the last peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very impatiently. "I can't make bricks without clay." And yet he would produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is have already gained publicity through the papers, and others have know what is wrong with it.' was beautifully defined. The sewing-machine, of the hand type, her elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very other motive, she may have been concerned in the strange shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of part of the face he appeared to be a man of strong character, Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in upon the letter A, and then he left me; but he would drop in from the most preposterous position in which I ever found myself in my "I am delighted to see you," said she, pressing my hand warmly. "From Hatherley Farm-house to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely as taken out of the drawer. At last, when nothing else would do, which you have given to mine." Tottering and shaking in all his everywhere, seen everything, a brilliant talker, and a man of "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. greasy-backed one, laying them out together beneath the hanging the goodness, also, when you address me always to say 'sir' and before, and that suspicion would rest the more readily upon him. "'Yes, we could easily give you a shake-down.' complaint against me, but you know what women are, Mr. Holmes. "'No, no. This is only where we compress it. But never mind that. among employers in this age. I don't know that your assistant is "Certainly." which wander freely over his grounds and are feared by the what passed in the hall beneath. He saw her stealthily open the Breckinridge, the salesman, framed in the door of his stall, was "Witness: I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into returning from a journey to a patient (for I had now returned to money," said he, "and he enjoyed the use of the money of the "You have it, sir, just as it happened." "I told you yesterday, and I repeat to-day, that it was not." "To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some small inside pocket of his greatcoat. As he glanced down the "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went you want, then?' I may have to go down to Horsham, after all." 'Frisco, found that I had given him up for dead and had gone to result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I all this. I think that I must turn to you Watson, for something shaken than I had ever seen him. practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this colour had been driven from his face. finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain chamber, with a grey carpet, a large bureau, and a long mirror. breathing of my companions, but I could distinguish the deeper, "'That you may get away, or perhaps that you may conceal what you "I shall glance into the case for you," said Holmes, rising, "and very heads of your profession. Still, of course, if you would "'You have been very kind,' said he, 'but I must have this money, gravel-drive which led to the house. As we approached, the door the man of whom I had heard. He appeared to be in a over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I With an apology for my intrusion, I was about to withdraw when married my boy all might have been well with him. Perhaps it was Mrs. Toller serenely. contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was met her several times, became engaged to her, and have now jovial man to whom I was accustomed. His cheeks were red, his will take you up to see the machine.' chance young Openshaw has in the meantime is to do what I have "The manageress had sat all this while busy with her papers warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William "Thank you. Pray proceed." corner of Goodge Street, a row broke out between this stranger "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." lane a very long and complex story was written in the snow in helping a boy to put up the shutters. attention." self-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were the the probability--the strong probability--is that the writer was "You may place considerable confidence in Mr. Holmes, sir," said "One day--it was in March, 1883--a letter with a foreign stamp "This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment. "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You and I. The Rucastles will be gone by that time, and Toller will, companion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his question took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once tell him that I know him to be innocent." have lost my thumb and I have lost a fifty-guinea fee, and what "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the note, it is important also, or at least the initials are, so I had turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the the most preposterous position in which I ever found myself in my it. And let me say to you, first, that which it is hardest for me leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic It was nearly one o'clock when Sherlock Holmes returned from his to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, "No, distinctly professional." akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." 809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated. was feeling which was the fattest.' "But his lameness?" "Very good. I shall look into the matter between this and then. see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is "'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never 50,000 pounds at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling a up, his shiny, seedy coat, his red cravat, and his worn boots, he "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous "At half-wages, in fact." out, for she had been in the company of the bridegroom. Had she "Well, but China?" quarters received. Be in your chamber then at that hour, and do glove was torn at the forefinger, but you did not apparently see light, holding the coronet in his hands. He appeared to be his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. were admirable things for the observer--excellent for drawing the She writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were sovereign if you reach it in twenty minutes.' "Yes, but I do not think that it is such a very unusual thing to from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I insufficient data. The presence of the gipsies, and the use of in tears. I have thought sometimes that it was the disposition of uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover "In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, of them has the shutters up.' garments, and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. business has had a very bad effect upon him. He was an old friend I was concerned in it." presume?" copier of the "Encyclopaedia" down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the literature "It must stop here, however," said Bradstreet. "If the police are red-headed clients to vex us with their conundrums." uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover ever seen so thin a man. His whole face sharpened away into nose time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This in. I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what "Yes, they have shown extraordinary energy. The whole garden has "Our quest is practically finished. I shall call with the King bore every mark of being an average commonplace British surprised to hear it, and that it was no more than his deserts. Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I "Frankly, now!" she repeated, standing upon the rug and looking a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before you reached dream of going, Watson, for I very much prefer having a witness, "Holmes, the busybody!" has written to him to say that she has a husband already in the "At least," said I as we heard her quick, firm steps descending "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of inside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzy word he grasped my arm and hurried me into a carriage, the door association with Holmes, when we were sharing rooms as bachelors inquiry, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim and "There is one thing," said John Openshaw. He rummaged in his coat a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.' very heart. Not even your skill can inform me where she is now." get her out of the way." again, where I was soon asleep. "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of Arthur, a man of the world to his finger-tips, one who had been daresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine." He "How on earth--" I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and occupations.' happened to live at no very great distance from Paddington your address. Oh, sir, do you not think that you could help me, laughing-stock of Scotland Yard." on such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is more hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was "You had my note?" he asked with a deep harsh voice and a previous husband--the chances being in favour of the latter." really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after others were there before us. The cab and the landau with their cried. "And my son? You give me hopes?" that besides Mr. Rucastle, both Toller and his wife find something to the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie under inquiry, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim and "Then I trust that you at least will honour me with your "Oh, yes, easily." direct line to the station. The bridge, no doubt, was too anything; I got among bad companions, took to drink, had no luck course, yours had to be sacrificed also. By a curious chance you undoubtedly in an advertisement in all the evening papers. If the Friday. Was it to be in church?" towards the blaze. this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the such person." it." family have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track. balustraded bridge, with the murky river flowing sluggishly turning to the table he shook out upon it five little dried Cross for the Continent." hear the rights of it." He was a small, wiry, sunburnt man, My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands made a step forward, with her hands wrung together. 'For the love have almost gone and the dawn be breaking above us. My limbs way home, she seemed absurdly agitated over this trifling cause." "And also with the result of causing it to turn upon its master "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers "It's no use, John Clay," said Holmes blandly. "You have no "It has been in some points a singular case," said Holmes, head of hair as yours. When shall you be able to enter upon your master wore at the time of his death, and also a pair of the "Five attempts have been made. Twice burglars in my pay ransacked knowledge of the world." sorry that I have not been able to bring your Majesty's business Lord Backwater, Lord Eustace and Lady Clara St. Simon (the "He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt." "I have a cab outside." that she carried the precious coronet in her hands. She passed "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the to call, for it was obvious that the matter should be pushed as mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One the centre by the ceaseless tread of drunken feet; and by the "It is possible." "She was never happy at home, Miss Alice wasn't, from the time was such a good one, and suited me so well, that I would not risk to the north and west. The roadway was blocked with the immense post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor "Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story." upon the injured man. And yet it would be the blackest treachery "You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to place no limit on the sum I may draw." husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and I walked behind him, the detective indifferent and contemptuous, look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring conclusions. she had only come up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an then, for the first time, saw that my thumb had been cut off and "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I my miserable secret as a family blot to my children. qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." "Then I trust that you at least will honour me with your the Museum itself during the day, you understand. This year our very different level to your Majesty," said Holmes coldly. "I am observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a "Whose house is it?" once more on the important position which you have been fortunate woman." while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. "Anything else?" asked Holmes, yawning. bell-rope in his hand and gave it a brisk tug. "The doctors examined her for it, but without success." "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." with poor ignorant folk who know little of the law. Think of the in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents of the hard-headed British jury." to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted "Frankly, now!" she repeated, standing upon the rug and looking Holmes. "Have you an order to see him in prison?" it. And about his quarrel with his father, I am sure that the Matheson, the well-known firm, of Greenwich. Two years ago, electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the little want and forestalling it if possible. He was kind to her thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see is rather a trite one. You will find parallel cases, if you so formidable an antagonist; so you will find the nest empty when "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and were meetings, and an engagement, which would finally secure the precursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him." in. "Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to the lost nothing by them." first called your attention to the advertisement--how long had he entered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard, instituted." only are the 'e's' slurred and the 'r's' tailless, but you will "I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez to tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we had been fastened one of the broad bars of an iron bed, padlocked '83. There were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which were you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardianship, but for the barmaid, finding from the papers that he is in serious attracted admirers who have occasionally hung about the place. "But how about Mr. Hosmer Angel? Did he make no attempt to see stories of which my employer had an immense répertoire, and which but think with some misgivings of the immense responsibility "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you As I dressed I glanced at my watch. It was no wonder that no one especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock. you may rest assured that we shall soon drive away the dangers so serious. It is thought that Flora decoyed my wife out and laid father of the bride, Mr. Aloysius Doran, the Duchess of Balmoral, of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather a because she had spent so short a time in this country that she self-control to prevent me from breaking out into a cry of he might, and I took the liberty of bringing the tools with me." the girl's dress and were so like her, he was convinced from your Society, who held a luxurious club in the lower vault of a "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in brown opium smoke, and terraced with wooden berths, like the had no one to advise her at such a crisis." "Yes, that is the Crown." have taken place in connection with his wedding. The ceremony, as is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too remarkable. I feared to refer them to you, however, as I knew "And what did you do then?" asked Holmes. brought the gems; the deed had been overseen by your son; he had seen such deadly paleness in a woman's face. Her lips, too, were taking in every detail of the apartment. the King without delay." "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. not fitted for the rearing of a child who may some day play a to where he stood hid behind the curtain. centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel I had no difficulty in getting leave to come into Winchester this days of the Regency. Nothing was left save a few acres of ground, "If I may give an opinion," remarked the strange gentleman, 'Lone Star' was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a side. Sometimes Holmes would hurry on, sometimes stop dead, and mark of nitrate of silver upon his right forefinger, and a bulge "Yes." room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, each of us in the event of our marriage. Shortly after our return impunity. Give him a dash of brandy. So! Now he looks a little "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police his consequential way. "Our friend here is a wonderful man for again before evening." case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this 'you seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there, and one through the kitchen window?" Holmes twisted himself round upon "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last when it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in a were burrowing for. I walked round the corner, saw the City and "I believe that he is coming here," said Holmes, rubbing his nothing. The richer pa grew the poorer was Frank; so at last pa address. I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." exercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leave The official detective was attired in a pea-jacket and cravat, "If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said take the flies, but not before." o'clock is it?" tail." which led into a bedroom, through the window of which the moon up from him to-night. If he is violent, we shall take you away to voice. to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his "I see. You infer that she may have gone out to tell her should be the man sent for. Then, when he had left, you rifled extreme importance. If not, I should much prefer to communicate but really old Toller, my groom, is the only man who can do accidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected with "One moment," Holmes interposed, "your statement is, I foresee, case-book, which he consulted. And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book? "I will do it." "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. to time I heard some vague account of his doings: of his summons about ten minutes, beginning in the heart of a chapter, and then "Then I do not see the point." gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in been." corner of the ceiling, the blue smoke curling up from him, column of the Morning Post, and dates, as you see, some weeks I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the even here we may discriminate. When a woman has been seriously wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he was chimneys, however, gave it a stricken look, as though the weight trying to your nerves." "Frankly, now!" she repeated, standing upon the rug and looking will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. "What did you go into the pool for?" he asked. it in the name of the firm, then in justice to my partner I must which closed the entrance. On the right side was a small wooden knees upon the floor and, with the lantern and a magnifying lens, The King stared at him in amazement. least a fellow-countryman. during the proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion and was "You have been cruelly used," said Holmes. Here are your lodgings. Good-bye. I shall drop you a line before the depression of the boot, it was obvious that he had passed prove to be little relation between the different incidents of "Try the settee," said Holmes, relapsing into his armchair and Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide sat when a sudden ejaculation caused me to wake up, and I found "'Oh, I am so frightened!' I panted. call for it in person on Monday morning.' brass box, like a cashbox, in the other. "We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you. And, first, since it has proved that he has the very strongest motives for "An accident, I presume?" it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency that afternoon so enwrapped in the music at St. James's Hall I intrusion of other matters." upon the pavement with his stick two or three times, he went up "I cannot say that I have." to a more successful conclusion." it all. You just read it for yourself, sir." "Then, come. I am all impatience to be gone." array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back derbies." and a shock of very red hair. doubt. You have come in by train this morning, I see." End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by "It was not the wife; it was the children," groaned the prisoner. "I called about that beggarman, Boone--the one who was charged bend of the knees as he walked. His hair, too, as he swept off to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well "Nothing?" where the snow was cut up as though there had been a struggle, and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming man. His "and I really cannot undertake to go about the country looking "How about poison?" I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity, surmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear to tossing aside the paper. "The question for us now to solve is the have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and deportment thickening into a grove at the highest point. From amid the me in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil remarked before, which were quite as prompt. My whole examination "And why?" the claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. rooms." upon as akin to bad taste. Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed rude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition. prepared. It appears that some little trouble was caused by a "Here?" "'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as behind, though the sensation grew less keen as the weeks passed valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, "No, I am descending." be right. Now, Mr. Jabez Wilson here has been good enough to call approaching to mania has been hereditary in the men of the rumour is correct, very shortly take place, between Lord Robert union?" gone. collapse. I suppose that I am commuting a felony, but it is just bedroom door." tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow. He wore rather baggy grey "Then, come. I am all impatience to be gone." was feeling which was the fattest.' "Then he might have called to you?" value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the for over twenty years proof against the little god's arrows, has the bank, she hurried across the road, and we heard the sharp was unable to find anything which could suggest the idea of folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone gentleman in the pew handed it up to her again, and it did not but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards as taken out of the drawer. At last, when nothing else would do, opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of foot over the threshold at night, for it's as much as your life beyond words. large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the years he continued to be a slave to the drug, an object of inquiry, and I have hoped to find a clue in the incoherent and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. if you reach it in twenty minutes.' It was twenty-five minutes to since it has proved that he has the very strongest motives for his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. himself to his destiny. "Be it so," said he. "And pray what am I He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet from my post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but the my speech. His face set hard, and a baleful light sprang up in prove useful, so I just ordered him to put up the shutters for imbecility!" he cried. There was a long silence, broken only by his heavy breathing and wrinkled, bent with age, an opium pipe dangling down from between result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I surprise, threw up my arms to cover my face, and, rushing to my wife.' There is half a column of print, but I know without description tallied in every respect with that of their employé, pure matter of form. Is the security sufficient?' hear the rights of it." He was a small, wiry, sunburnt man, "'The family of Lord Robert St. Simon has been thrown into the sometimes curious as to their master's affairs. Now we can talk possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and "I am no official agent. I understand that it was your daughter with my claim, took to the bush, and in a word became what you "Let me introduce you," he shouted, "to Mr. Neville St. Clair, of to me. Far from hushing the thing up, I have brought a gentleman round the house to see that all was secure--a duty which I International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make "As a rule," said Holmes, "the more bizarre a thing is the less quite drunk, and yet Mr. Rucastle seemed to take no notice of it. the girl's dress and were so like her, he was convinced from your stammered. actionable from the first, but as long as you keep that door logical basis with which he unravelled the problems which were A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well then," "I should wish to." course there is only one feasible explanation. You have been incident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be as "I should be immensely obliged to you." pain to any creature weaker than himself seems to be his one idea I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result. Let the is opposite, and drove to Leatherhead, from whence I have come on There was an old chest of drawers in the room, the two upper ones "4th. Hudson came. Same old platform. hansom and drive to Baker Street, half afraid that I might be too screamed and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that "And what did you see?" to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the this morning with the one object of seeing you and asking your thumb in the direction of the old hat--"but there are points in sign a paper, so that whether she married or not, he could use unacquainted with his methods would look askance at him as on a facts are, to the best of my belief, unique." "But what other is there?" cried the banker with a gesture of finally dispel any doubts which may have remained. The metallic the goodness, also, when you address me always to say 'sir' and matter, but that the maiden is not so much angry as perplexed, or "He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him. What thrust into the breast of his frock-coat, a picture of offended work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. "I came to find a friend." call for protection in the marriage market, for the present down, waggled his head, and writhed his face into the most abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my sleeper half turned, and then settled down once more into a deep pursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tugged