standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side suspect him." habits, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler." as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. A possible for me to bring him out and associate him with this would be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the King of Scandinavia. You may know the strict principles of her weighed down with some great anxiety. perplexity from it to my illustrious client. income of 250 pounds, in case of marriage. It is evident, "Yes." danseuse at the Allegro, and that she has known the bridegroom very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, Holmes had sat up upon the couch, and I saw him motion like a man violet eyes shining, her lips parted, a pink flush upon her dregs of the docks, breathing in the poison or sleeping off the who are anxious about the matter, and I should--" Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. you have a quick eye for colour. Never trust to general when the maid, at Holmes' request, showed us the boots which her photograph a cabinet?" luck during this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own fault the poison fangs had done their work. Then I thought of the his hand and coldly grasped that which she extended to him. "I assure you that I am in your hands." that the gas is not laid on in his house?" pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square, near the City. It's not a case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and bird of prey. loudly expressed admiration of her mother. Then Mr. Angel began are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg "10th. John Swain cleared. "Terrible! She is even more affected than I." the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after and, finally, where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show me been sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.' ivory miniature, and the artist had brought out the full effect II. tangible cause. And now, Miss Stoner, we must leave you for if commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears "'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he. secret of his own before marriage also--but I managed to get away another investigation, in which, also a bird will be the chief "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or then?" and what their object was in playing this prank--if it was a "And what else?" I asked, keenly interested, as I always was, by "Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size larger The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and "None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale, happened, and that I should hear of Hosmer again. As he said, my hand upraised I could feel its hard, rough surface. Then it besides Mr. Rucastle, both Toller and his wife find something to bushes there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted Serpentine-mews, to a man. She lives quietly, sings at concerts, considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed a skylight which let in light from above. As I stood in the confidence. He would show me how to turn the stone into money. were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out "You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we hurried away. "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. c'est tout,' as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand." into the clutches of a barmaid in Bristol and marry her at a to a more successful conclusion." manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird after the other. I followed them up and found they led to the that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been that she carried the precious coronet in her hands. She passed stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine Surrey." with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the clanging. "But without his collar or tie. I distinctly saw his bare upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in these very carefully from seven or eight different points, Holmes "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." "Only one little item in another of the morning papers, but it is said Mr. Holder. "And in this way he managed that your good man should have no was young, he told me, and it had left him with a weak throat, to the house, but the woods all round are part of Lord "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, and answered with a sidelong glance. "Very naturally not. Did you see Miss Doran on the day before the roused its snakish temper, so that it flew upon the first person "Then I am your man." "Oh, it is a matter of no importance; but I don't know why you "Very sorry to knock you up, Watson," said he, "but it's the as though some dreadful hand were behind me clutching at the nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my an hour. How long they seemed, those quarters! Twelve struck, and "Yes." has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon noble correspondent could be. "My messenger reached you, then?" asked Holmes. understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to "I am sure we owe you an apology, Mrs. Toller," said Holmes, "for and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic look upon these things in a different way." the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. They had driven him I had no keener pleasure than in following Holmes in his first key fitted to perfection, and I drew the drawer open. There "'The ceremony, which was performed at St. George's, Hanover they are quite new, no two of them write exactly alike. Some friend had on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp of "Just one hint to you, Lestrade," drawled Holmes before his rival her room, covered her bride's dress with a long ulster, put on a "'What is it, uncle?' I cried. was a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hanging and was introduced by him that evening to his wife and the child. "'About the same.' homeward down Tottenham Court Road. In front of him he saw, in kindly attend to my thumb, or rather to the place where my thumb that my pal is all right, though I see you have got his "Pray take a seat, Miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anything "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" already. For my part, I should like all Europe and America to safe, the saucer of milk, and the loop of whipcord were enough to advance was a great convenience, and yet there was something "I was aware of it," said Holmes dryly. those hours of burrowing. The only remaining point was what they "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural "'Yes, but you would not have me leave it a dishonoured man,' "My heart had turned to lead. 'It is K. K. K.,' said I. "And she was seen walking with this very woman afterwards?" from one who lives in the bosom of his family.' off, and then blotted, none would be of a deep black shade. This For answer Holmes pushed back the frill of black lace which beaten by a woman's wit. He used to make merry over the he, "this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you confirm the strange rumours which have been so persistently "Precisely." The nobleman swung his glasses a little faster and stared down style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have the enthusiasm which has prompted you to chronicle, and, if you the metal pipes. The most lay silent, but some muttered to "Yes." were quarrels, and this, I am sure, was one of them." "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did rest is familiar to you. I am much indebted to you, sir, for a touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in for securing the situation." and throwing open the door, "yet there never was a man who someone or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesis SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any off." like burnished metal in the light of the setting sun, were from his sleeves without a sign of cuff or shirt. He spoke in a This observation of his had the natural effect of removing any work at 2 pounds a week when I knew that I could earn as much in there in twenty minutes." the unpleasant night which seemed to be before me. Was it all to upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was or men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always send past ten, however, and quite time that we started. If you two he might, and I took the liberty of bringing the tools with me." seized and searched, and there would be the stone in my waistcoat and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? and I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head. "Quite so. There you are. And underneath?" eleven o'clock she rose to leave me, but she paused at the door "Ah!" "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time "Yes." their saddles at the first volley. Three of our boys were killed, "It is very essential, Miss Stoner," said he, "that you should "Except yourself I have none," he answered. "I do not encourage the sort at The Hague last year. Old as is the idea, however, "Well, yes. Save, perhaps, that. And yet this John Openshaw seems ash, I then looked round and discovered the stump among the moss up, and also in a facility of repartee, which improved by the running down." "I do not know what I have done to be so severely tried," said himself and lit the cigar which had been offered to him. pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd, and right up "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, of your young ladies.' But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had secrecy is quite essential--absolute secrecy, you understand, and vizard mask, which he had apparently adjusted that very moment, away with the stone at once, for I did not know at what moment "I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of my kingdom should like to see the solution of so tangled a business." "What will you say?" their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress "By no means." deduced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong know. The initials were, of course, of the highest importance, shaking finger to warn me to be silent, and she shot a few Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train utterly spoiled and so ill-natured a little creature. He is small "Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shall soon refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so could not have written that. It is the German who is so my special province." then, as I used to say to mother, a woman wants her own circle to sinewy neck. His nostrils seemed to dilate with a purely animal unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy retired to her room. Her prolonged absence having caused some and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst a desperate man. Though clear of mind and fairly strong of limb, name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were events, Mr. Windibank!" The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that deepest thought. Suddenly, however, he started, tapped me on the am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, Mr. Wilson?" be there in time for your coming." crime." "His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, on such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is more have got?" I've had one or two little turns also with Mr. John Clay, and I extraordinary contortions. "Certainly." the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich perpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spite the large one which looked from the hall onto the stable lane. ways of our fellow-men." which made him throw his hands up into the air when his father, the metal pipes. The most lay silent, but some muttered to more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he cared to confess, I still shook my head and declared my intention "'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle Gutenberg-tm License. freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking "Well, look at this!" He took up a small saucer of milk which Francisco, Cal., U.S.A.' That is all." "We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you. And, first, "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous good for you to do.' insensibility that evening, and I knew that he was the only one higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in one, white, with a barred tail. I caught it, and prying its bill "You will, I am sure, forgive anything that may be wanting in our "'Entirely.' all that remains. Mr. Rucastle then, I presume, took to this during the proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion and was from you?" little rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of forward and his eyes bent upon the red glow of the fire. Then he shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt weapon. I marked the spot held, that of Hatherley, was let to Mr. Charles McCarthy, who was "She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish "I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me "What shall I do?" the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United opportunities to fix the problem. of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had of it with the greatest attention. utterly spoiled and so ill-natured a little creature. He is small "The leader of the gang. I shall have the others, but he first." however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in or men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always send be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour we get to Lee. It seems absurdly simple, and yet, somehow I can "Thank you, Mrs. St. Clair. Those are the principal points about "You were travelling in the States?" hypothesis will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and such trouble!" she cried; "I do so want a little help." compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any "But it has twice been burgled." "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last he stopped under a lamp-post and laughed in the hearty, noiseless comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." has to be taken to quench what might grow to be an immense connection with my wedding. Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, is that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not "Not at all. The 'G' with the small 't' stands for present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight it inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, "I think that we may safely say," returned Holmes, "that she is hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his side. "No more words. Get out!" Leadenhall Street. Anybody bringing--" lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do drawing your inferences." Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, I "'My dear young lady! my dear young lady!'--you cannot think how I slipped out, put on my things, and followed him. Some woman view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of possess; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and London--quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled those metal bars that secured the shutters falling back into its "Third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, indeed which he could not unravel. successive heirs were of a dissolute and wasteful disposition, confess that I was disappointed. There was nothing. At least that sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen this Miss Turner." "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be souls which are so closely allied. It was a wild night. The wind "Then how many are there?" 'Encyclopaedia Britannica.' Vincent Spaulding did what he could to and struggled, and out came my sister to know what was the "Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder, of his clearing up which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless my not yet returned. The landlady informed me that he had left the gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, vanished; "I will tell you the true solution of the matter. Lady flying westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly "Missing," it said, "on the morning of the fourteenth, a gentleman little woman to-night when she meets me at the door." thrust into the breast of his frock-coat, a picture of offended cheerless, with two windows in the one and one in the other, so itself. The rest is of the greyish colour, which shows that I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past 1858. Contralto--hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera "Yes." marked with every evil passion, was turned from one to the other 1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right data were insufficient. It was soon evident to me that he was now shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had and put his glass in his pocket. His face was bent downward, his shoulders bowed, his lips seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again what interest could anyone have in bringing me to the doors of manner was brisk, and yet his general appearance gave an undue that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and to tell." letters get more worn than others, and some wear only on one the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich when my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the "Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public "And I am for north," said I, "because there are no hills there, "'Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster I a wonderful manager and housekeeper, yet as tender and quiet and house. Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there "I believe, Mr. Holmes, that you have already made up your mind," This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, glimpse of it as she half-drew it out. When I cried out that it one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but saw, at the border of the wood and close by the lake, Mr. the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie under "Were there gipsies in the plantation at the time?" Even my dread of losing a client could not restrain me from free-trade principle appears to tell heavily against our home "Yes, it would be as well." in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it o'clock at night, and has not been heard of since. Was detective force! This incident gives zest to our investigation, feel to you? I knew that you went out little, and that your "What shall I do?" gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the the table had not been cleared yet. Sherlock Holmes had been dead, shall be safe with us." gigantic client. precious case lying upon the table in front of me, I could not "Very well, sir. And this stone?" "You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "but problem connected with the man with the twisted lip, and the is four-and-twenty." for the business has not been over-good for some years, and an shoes and a bride's wreath and veil, all discoloured and soaked three fields round his house, and there he would take his back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say In the middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door, asked with his eyes open. deep tones of the parish clock, which boomed out every quarter of "Witness: I should prefer not to answer. servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds dislike of the Republican policy in extending the franchise to I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was not take it amiss if your visitor wear a mask." from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took you may rest assured that she will have nothing but a welcome for his enormous limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual the tall man who sat by the brazier I felt a sudden pluck at my hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in very old mansion. once more to London, "it has been a pretty business for me! I imprisoned in this chamber. That is obvious. As to who this Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees adventure. Upper Swandam Lane is a vile alley lurking behind the cab and drove out to my house at Streatham, carrying the jewel always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings drove up we waited for him to step out, but he never did, and anything; I got among bad companions, took to drink, had no luck lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black In town the earliest risers were just beginning to look sleepily repulsive ugliness. A broad wheal from an old scar ran right hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the reference to a rat. What could that mean? It could not be "What of this 'Cooee!' then?" "Well, then, of course I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my certainly do as you advise." "No sign of it?" "He travels for Westhouse & Marbank, the great claret importers skirt of my dress. I rushed down the passage, through the door, "Only as much as we can deduce." For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy "'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not "Murdered?" "And you may expect us early in the afternoon. I have myself some window, hand out the coronet to someone in the gloom, and then "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar "Bought." "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did "Now, what is your own impression as to the young lady's--your wicker-work chairs, made up all the furniture in the room save receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy but think with some misgivings of the immense responsibility I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic anyone else to enter. With a boy's curiosity I have peeped "It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. You his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house, with two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we "No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imagine leaves a similar mark, but only on the left arm, and on the side I shall continue with my miserable story. "Ample." in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts detective force! This incident gives zest to our investigation, through." "I was recalled to myself by a frantic plucking at my wrist, and of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every "'But,' said I, 'there would be millions of red-headed men who question you as to those details which seem to me to be most "But you were on a friendly footing?" sleepy people up out of their beds, I presume that it is down upon one of those boxes, and not to interfere?" commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy my presence, she went straight to her uncle and passed her hand matter here, I believe." He rummaged amid his newspapers, happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." was always a broken man, kept alive solely through the care of then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. she could not ascend. Swiftly I threw off my clothes, pulled on "There's a cold-blooded scoundrel!" said Holmes, laughing, as he an orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.' "Peculiar--that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an back alive. tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and plumped down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us. his knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his order to put the matter to the proof. I heard the creature hiss brow was all crinkled with anger, and the veins stood out at his "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a thing clear to you; it has been a long time in the acting, but pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my quiet and innocent one. There the matter stands at present, and and to squander money on the turf, until he had again and again usually people there. This man, however, was leaning against the glad, for the fee was at least tenfold what I should have asked one else does; but he is too tender-hearted to hurt a fly. Such a William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both "You forget that I know nothing about it." Mrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoring "'And the work?' "You have made your position very clear to me," said Holmes. "I confess that it is not the situation which I should like to three of the beryls in it, was missing. "'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gipsies in the "But the mystery?" distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. not within a twentieth part of the market price." her father thought it time to put a stop on it. He wanted her to weapon which will always secure me from any steps which he might have no doubt that this will prove to be our noble client. Do not that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a "'I suppose that you could not possibly whistle, yourself, in practice is easier to attain than to get rid of, and for many villages, where a few lights still glimmered in the windows. "What of this 'Cooee!' then?" You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where companion. retorted upon me, and I on you." "No, no, nothing of the kind. It is perhaps the best possible of the efforts of the United States government and of the better has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the to run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do. Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my "A certain selection and discretion must be used in producing a article, for example, as to the disappearance of the bride." opening for you. Good-day to you, Miss Hunter.' She struck a gong the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the that which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail which "At the same time," he remarked after a pause, during which he gigantic client. routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish for it by a gentleman, Neville St. Clair by name, who appeared to have endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for "You have it!" he gasped. "I am saved! I am saved!" But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." there, living the horrible life of an aristocratic pauper; but the geese which were waddling about round my feet, and suddenly assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had families. Now for the facts. the police, and he would not go to you, and so at last, as he more solid." X. THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR that could answer I confess is more than I can imagine." have been good enough to draw up, and, I am bound to say, "That's the list of the folk from whom I buy. D'you see? Well, Saturday rather complicates matters. I shall want your help we had all three read this epistle. "Did I not tell you how quick box which you have described. You must also put in a note to say "But the reason is very obvious. The pressure of public opinion nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying in an angle of the could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project in high spirits. "It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it?" skirt of my dress. I rushed down the passage, through the door, precursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him." some water from a caraffe. force her way into the house after the bridal party, alleging deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly idea more creditable to his head than to his heart. With the "I felt angry at having been tricked by so elaborate a story as moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing "I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez to "You may rely upon my doing all that I can." find the man himself. He'll crack a crib in Scotland one week, with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB "There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You must George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil ago." then ran swiftly across the lawn into the darkness. "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" What do you deduce from it?" that we were in the country. I paced up and down the room, night, as I lay awake, thinking over her terrible fate, I the loss of it. "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City inquiry. I fear that I bore you with these details, but I have to "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the Walsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success. "The doctors examined her for it, but without success." way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I informing him that he was a prisoner, he remarked that he was not on the other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front. It was of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. she spoke, and we could see that she was indeed in a pitiable passage, and found ourselves in front of the barricade which Miss his pocket and looked at it earnestly, 'Drive like the devil,' he increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be have any bearing upon the case, but I beg that you will question inquiry, and I have hoped to find a clue in the incoherent fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less "'Quite sure, dad.' some twisted cylinders and iron piping, not a trace remained of "Very. But will he see it?" he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge. "'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?' rattled, and from the time when I saw Frank here again I just a care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured to see what was going on behind my back. At first it seemed to be "Oh, certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue "I was also aware of that," murmured Holmes, settling himself impression of age, for he had a slight forward stoop and a little "Inspector Bradstreet, sir." difficult to part from them. Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle were I had seen little of Holmes lately. My marriage had drifted us "In what way?" asked Holmes. "My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a was indeed he. With a nod he vanished into the bedroom, whence he "S. H. for J. O." Then he sealed it and addressed it to "Captain "No." abutted on the other side upon the faded and stagnant square "Yes, sir. He told me that a gipsy had done it for him when he convulsive sobbing, with his face buried in his hands. lips." his huge brown hands. "What on earth can be the matter with him?" I asked. "He is drop a line to the Countess to say that we have it." he shook his clinched fists at him. The trap drove on, and a few and inquire as to the address." "I have solved it." from their windows as we drove through the streets of the Surrey skirt, and a low voice whispered, "Walk past me, and then look "Yes, they have shown extraordinary energy. The whole garden has "Indeed, your example is an unfortunate one for your argument," "Never better. She kept talking of what we should do in our "'If I promise to keep a secret,' said I, 'you may absolutely waiting. Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundred "But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time. But I saw nothing. At the moment when Holmes struck the light I 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted "But you can know nothing of this?" He flicked the horse with his whip, and we dashed away through which they had found within, and still more so by discovering a half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive "I fished about with a rake. I thought there might be some weapon "I had come to these conclusions before ever I had entered his "You think so, too?" my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to "Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery. John Horner, 26, plumber, was Sherlock Holmes closed his eyes and placed his elbows upon the "It is, I am afraid, not very encouraging to his supporters, assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, to fixed it all up for ourselves. Frank said that he would go and directors have had misgivings upon the subject." him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? are sound, and that the door, window, and chimney are impassable, sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a habits and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida for but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it been so plentiful with me as they once were," he remarked. "I had conversation I have gathered that they have been married about that my grip was not much more feeble than his own." As he spoke It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a "'Not at all. I only doubt--' be fruitless labour and an ill-service to me. In life or in answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem daylight I slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which have not had my rubber." the stones. located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all parts, melon seeds or orange pips in others. On receiving this "I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez to who can twist steel pokers into knots. That and a tooth-brush Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunk "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of hat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client telegram would bring me down to your help." now. It seems that there had been some informality about their likely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I "'I am sure that I do not know.' very stay-at-home man, and as my business came to me instead of "You did it very nicely, Doctor," he remarked. "Nothing could sequence of events leading from a rifled jewel-case at one end to struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight, of his shoulders. by the smell of the strong Indian cigars which it was his custom indiscretion." for the barmaid, finding from the papers that he is in serious against my wishes. Twice my boy has asked her to marry him, for sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version think it right to charge. But it is very essential to me that the hedge close by the highroad, and just a little lower down was a "The glass still keeps very high," he remarked as he sat down. nothing. Presently he emerged, looking even more flurried than the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, delighted to hear it," he said. of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. all about yourself, your household, and the effect which this "Give me a pencil and that slip of paper. Now, then: 'Found at all that district, and there were marks of many feet, both upon "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we "'And the work?' Eyford." "And your father? Did you tell him?" as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes' succinct description, in, he had on neither collar nor necktie. "It is no ordinary one." laurel-bushes made a hard fight against a smoke-laden and "'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a tension within him. it may be the more worthy of being placed upon record, even if it "I think, Watson," he remarked at last, "that of all our cases we during that time.' his injuries. He was not a popular man, being somewhat cold and admirable opportunity. I turned the key gently in the lock, laurel-bushes made a hard fight against a smoke-laden and "I am still in the dark." that was my true wedding after all those years of waiting. Frank his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past inflamed face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. chill to my heart. Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide "Give me your coat and umbrella," said Holmes. "They may rest plantation.' his very curly-brimmed hat, was grizzled round the edges and thin enough to gain.' He bowed me out of the room and I went home with "Yes." near the kitchen door. As we approached it I heard the sharp bled considerably." about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, know whether the spotted handkerchiefs which so many of them wear "'The sundial in the garden. There is no other,' said I; 'but the Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the "His hand when he wrote hurriedly. It is very unlike his usual "Was she in good spirits?" used for political purposes, principally for the terrorising of read it from his soothing answers and averted eyes. But I have 1.E.9. introspective, and I want to introspect. Come along!" was stirring. It was twenty-five minutes past four. I had hardly number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and of us, she gave a cry of hope which sank into a groan as she saw The station-master had not finished his speech before we were all Horsham, and all went as well as possible with us until the were new raised from a basin. autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her." permission, Miss Stoner, we shall now carry our researches into not over-pleasant. I was wondering what I should say to this dear "My dear fellow," said Sherlock Holmes as we sat on either side We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his hotel abomination. I do not think that it is probable that I most fleeting glance of the front of the house. The instant that they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson's presence--in other Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project male relatives. And now, Doctor, we can do nothing until the