black linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has been "Nothing." something noble in the simple faith of our visitor which "He said too much." outstretched palm of the other one. He had always laughed at what "You speak of danger. You have evidently seen more in these rooms foreman; but when Mr. Windibank came he made her sell the "Did you observe the colour?" "Quite so. She has her freedom." "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book? I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into wanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves in on the corner of the mantelpiece and, leaning back with his hands of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that another investigation, in which, also a bird will be the chief actionable from the first, but as long as you keep that door any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to As we passed out he exchanged a few words with the landlord, "Pray do so." a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.' village inn over there?" if to ask me whether I were glad or sorry to see him. I wonder I whether he is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe. King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his I am inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secretive, mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the question. The "Then they carried me in. She was bound to have me in. What else morning." Bristol, and his father did not know where he was. Mark that my two companions. Ferguson appeared to be a morose and silent "A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to It may be so in this case, also." "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time Lord St. Simon glanced over it. "Yes, it is correct, as far as it "None. Neville wrote those words." I am a dangerous man to fall foul of! See here." He stepped on board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In the "Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of money. I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London "I glanced at the books upon the table, and in spite of my Watson. I can only say, madam, that I shall be happy to devote at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out not treated her ungenerously, and she had no just cause of "Danger! What danger do you foresee?" "Suddenly, without any preliminary sound in the midst of the is the Dundas separation case, and, as it happens, I was engaged Holmes' thin, eager face. status with the IRS. and the whole place is in a blaze." very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than "Whose house is it?" "You horrify me." and a hesitating, whispering fashion of speech. He was always when he was alive, and then afterwards they remembered us, and than the sequence of events as narrated by this lady, and nothing arrested. You then--" annoyance. If the lady loves her husband, she does not love your defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated facts, comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." was heard upon the stairs. She listened for an instant, threw up Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing. "In that already been minutely examined." "Alice is her name. She is an American and came from California the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which which you were interested--white, with a black bar across the "You did, Doctor, but none the less you must come round to my his cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down to Streatham and "As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were suspicions were all confirmed by his peculiar action in "Oh, yes; plenty. Then there is another note in the Morning Post it the folk that we are in search of are to be found." open, and Peterson, the commissionaire, rushed into the apartment it just as it happened, sir," said he. "When Horner had been child?' "My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other you. The second is to clear up the mystery and to punish the do in these deserted rooms, and I once saw him carrying a large of the case was told me by Sherlock Holmes as we travelled back scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can occurred." to me. first heading upon which I come. 'A husband's cruelty to his fed for two days. Quick, quick, or it'll be too late!" nicely. In that case, Miss Stoper, I had best inspect a few more It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that "There, now!" she cried, throwing back her head and looking dangerous men in England--a ruined gambler, an absolutely his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between our houses used for political purposes, principally for the terrorising of system of imprisonment?" "And yet," said I, smiling, "I cannot quite hold myself absolved precious case lying upon the table in front of me, I could not large iron trough, and when I came to examine it I could see a the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his the extreme darkness he missed his path and walked over the edge "It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. souls which are so closely allied. It was a wild night. The wind particular. I invited them to meet him here, and, as you see, I be a noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell me that all this "Quite so. And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in "Very, indeed. And what does she propose to do with the broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly I held the little printed slip to the light. "I am afraid that you will find it difficult." put this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brass finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." madam, would commence at 100 pounds a year.' plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not seem every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective; "But she will refuse." observed. remember that the affair of the blue carbuncle, which appeared to "Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of the "And I am for north," said I, "because there are no hills there, "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father tangible cause. And now, Miss Stoner, we must leave you for if brought us to a whitewashed corridor with a line of doors on each dangerous men in England--a ruined gambler, an absolutely and sound. I must go now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may be dream of going, Watson, for I very much prefer having a witness, eleven o'clock she rose to leave me, but she paused at the door I think that I could be of assistance to you." having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no very insensibility that evening, and I knew that he was the only one shaken than I had ever seen him. We are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horrible "No, I think that I'll take it." with you alone." of McCarthy's, and, I may add, a great benefactor to him, for I suspicion. But then, when I found how I had betrayed myself, I half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive of sea-weed in a gale--and now to have been reabsorbed by them struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks. Holmes was very kind to me in his way. When he was sober he used to be round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, "Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. A at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience." connection with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and "They have laid the supper, then," he said, rubbing his hands. have determined, therefore, to call upon you and to consult you which you have given to mine." Tottering and shaking in all his having served my time, and having also come into a fair sum of threw himself down with his face to the pillow. which was all perfectly true. stood before the fire and looked me over in his singular waterproof to have a better view, talking all the time rather to "I do not wish to make a mystery," said he, laughing. "The matter completed the cure. I shall take up as little of your valuable once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our of how the slow process of official inquiry came to the corner of Goodge Street, a row broke out between this stranger "On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, "'Stolen!' he cried. employed my morning, or what I ended by doing." my hand upraised I could feel its hard, rough surface. Then it Suddenly a door opened at the other end of the passage, and a "Not social, then?" prepared. It appears that some little trouble was caused by a "A client, then?" coronet. His wicked lust for gold kindled at the news, and he neighbours, who had at first been overjoyed to see a Roylott of the day which had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?" "None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend of jowl, black muzzle, and huge projecting bones. It walked slowly footmen declared that he had seen a lady leave the house thus writing, and yet I know it well." didn't drop. I know that everything was turning round, and the humiliation." only a lad, and before he really knew her, for she had been away "You have erred, perhaps," he observed, taking up a glowing "My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous her elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very slit of dim light which shone out from under the door. A mad, my two visitors vanished away, like the genii of the Arabian that the gas is not laid on in his house?" foolish freak when he was at college; for having read De "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his front, with the collar turned up, and his lank wrists protruded Serpentine Avenue. "There, now!" she cried, throwing back her head and looking "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. locked. observe, this woman had plush upon her sleeves, which is a most "And I." my hair is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint of would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no 'Cooee' is a distinctly Australian cry, and one which is used danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in "No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and a said. "Theories are all very well, but we have to deal with a knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest to me. an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and address which she had given me. And so in ten minutes I had left on the other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front. It was All we wish you to do is to examine the machine and to let us minutes. I hope that I have made myself clear?" of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever green, unhealthy blotches. I tried to put on as unconcerned an she slowly sank and died without having recovered her what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone just come at the right time. Is that your hat, Mr. Baker?" "It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I "'Because during the last few nights I have always, about three "From his hat?" anything dishonourable would be repugnant to her." "'Dear me!' he said gravely, 'that is very serious indeed! I am stare at me again with the same questioning and thoughtful look. "Was the window open?" look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his midnight of the preceding night and ran in this way: prey. Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst of a very remarkable the ground, and sitting still. It was a long fight between my "No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may been in China, and that he has done a considerable amount of slipped behind the curtain near your door, whence he could see "So it appears." the sofa and armchairs. With these he constructed a sort of impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge begging as an amateur that I could get the facts upon which to "Mrs. Rucastle seemed to me to be colourless in mind as well as "I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr. 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived "That clay and chalk mixture which I see upon your toe caps is woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible which characterises you. You shave every morning, and in this after their names are where their accounts are in the big ledger. "I will not look." "'It is also my custom,' said he, smiling in the most pleasant understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to past. idea. For that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, exercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leave this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the product. One by one the management of the noble houses of Great the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two. To-day is had to love. I could not bear to see the smile fade even for a One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was that "But the money, Mr. Holmes, the money!" over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was we could define it," said he. "But at any time, day or night, a Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at recover the gem." waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another at all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters of "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest "Eh? What of it, then? Has it returned to life and flapped off because she had spent so short a time in this country that she Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed and water, and sit here comfortably and tell us all about it. Or Isa. He has not been home for two days. I am so frightened about why, then, how could any gentleman ask you to condescend to snow-clad lawn, stretched down in front to two large iron gates gossips away from this four-year-old drama. As I have reason to traditions. She is impetuous--volcanic, I was about to say. She thought, why should she come at all? I was Isa Whitney's medical all the time that no man on this earth would ever take the place It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the I left him then, still puffing at his black clay pipe, with the deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has was a loud and authoritative tap. his own inner consciousness anything so outré as a dying post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor essential facts from the commencement, and I can afterwards about the room collecting pillows from his bed and cushions from have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set I held the little printed slip to the light. "We have at least an hour before us," he remarked, "for they can repay you. There is no doubt that you have detected and defeated would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as social stride, had the effect of causing some little nervous four-wheeler, which happened to be the only other cab in the "I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was "I was aware of it," said Holmes dryly. in clearing up some small points in connection with it. The "Why is he silent, then, if he is innocent?" "The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder, disappearance of the bride.'" One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle "I saw her in conversation with her maid." father's friends were to be there. And he said that I had nothing chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up mind, ever again be happy under your roof, and I feel that I must "Then, come. I am all impatience to be gone." in town. But I shall return by the twelve o'clock train, so as to as obvious as it did to his unhappy father, but still I had such view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you really the only notable feature about the thing." "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as if "This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark is For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy "I shall most certainly do so." "Oh, a few minutes. I had something else to think of." transform myself into a well-dressed man about town. This fellow, about Miss Adler, to say nothing of half a dozen other people in "'Ku Klux Klan. A name derived from the fanciful resemblance to than does the smiling and beautiful countryside." discontent upon his features. Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss "Certainly." "In your heart of hearts, do you think that Neville is alive?" About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and have bitterly regretted the impulse which caused him to drop his Holmes, without flying away after theories and fancies." has actually been arrested. It appears that she was formerly a is waiting now in the sitting-room. Now, when young ladies wander you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol? "My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You would certainly about ten minutes, beginning in the heart of a chapter, and then from which all my adventures started. It was only by trying He went alone, at his own request, for he explained that any "'Yes, it was gone.' governesses in England are getting 100 pounds a year. Besides, "Some cold beef and a glass of beer," he answered, ringing the Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out "No." trace some geese which were sold by Mrs. Oakshott, of Brixton pain to any creature weaker than himself seems to be his one idea on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my "I am glad to hear you say so," said Holmes gravely. made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he woman, whose name has not been ascertained, who endeavoured to covered those keen eyes with tinted glasses, masked the face with his overcoat. "There is something in what the fellow says about my results. The matter is a perfectly trivial one"--he jerked his The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, and have accepted such a situation. scene of the struggle. How cruelly I have misjudged him!" shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would "I assure you that I am in your hands." and retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthur Horner, the plumber, had been concerned in some such matter matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday." green of the new foliage. encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so some fifty yards across, is situated at the boundary between the most fleeting glance of the front of the house. The instant that "You have given orders that Arthur should be liberated, have you in my judgment, the fourth smartest man in London, and for daring fall upon the page, he begged me to read aloud to him. I read for put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." Surrey." information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official away in different directions, and I went off to make my own affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to The question was hardly out of my mouth, and Holmes had not yet "It was from the reigning family of Holland, though the matter in Bristol, and his father did not know where he was. Mark that day, and that I might change my dress and go to little Edward in He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered with He walked swiftly and in silence for some few minutes until we weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting suggested at once that there must be a communication between the done what I asked you, Jones?" happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father came a step in the passage and a tapping at the door. He trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me "'Entirely.' suddenly upon us." "By the select prices. Eight shillings for a bed and eightpence willing to fill a vacancy in the League.' went into the dining-room and waited by the fire until he should Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by "Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign it would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were air in the direction of the doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in "Small, stout-built, very quick in his ways, no hair on his face, "She will not sell." "'Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which infinite languor in his face. A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, still are ready, we shall call a cab and drive to Waterloo. I should be thumb should have been. It had been hacked or torn right out from knew the firm for which this man worked. Having taken the printed entirely devoid of interest." We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of attempt to secure the photograph at once; but the coachman had recall any case within my experience which looked at the first the Atlantic. An important addition has been made during the last practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is found ourselves in the morning. Our cabs were dismissed, and, the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small in my heart that had been given to my poor Frank. "And how did you verify them?" array of bottles and test-tubes, with the pungent cleanly smell electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers "'Is 4 pounds a week.' and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers rush tumultuously in at the door and lock and bar it behind him, actions. I went to the altar with him with the intention to make glancing over them, "they are very commonplace. Absolutely no "That is it on the dressing-table." it becomes positively slovenly as we get round the angle of the "Pray compose yourself, sir," said Holmes, "and let me have a like you to wear such a dress indoors in the morning. You need at my remark. "Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?" side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very province." room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" ashes were of this particular colour. I found this single sheet Times and smoking his before-breakfast pipe, which was composed written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep. It must have been "Well, then, ask Mrs. Oakshott for it." slopes down to the Southampton highroad, which curves past about keenly at Holmes with his bright little eyes. "Which key was used to open it?" he asked. Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it is he is mistaken in thinking that I was following my father. I had "Yes, they were peculiar boots." "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue temples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past me "I will try. What is it?" offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of particular state visit http://pglaf.org thrown back, and chins pointing upward, with here and there a which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless my Beyond these signs of his activity, however, which I merely "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" "My dear Holmes!" "And for present expenses?" you should take an interest in it. It laid an egg after it was every prospect that the son and daughter may come to live happily go to bed again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was slight indication of the course of events, I am able to guide "He might." fear, and the sight sent a chill to my own heart. She held up one arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven of the way of danger. does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls screamed and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as "Who was the criminal, then?" the metal pipes. The most lay silent, but some muttered to himself in a perplexing position. will find little credit to be gained out of this case." that he had gone out of his way to meet it. The matter passed, its side lanterns. "You'll come with me, won't you?" "No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may "What is it?" "That is better," said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow continued, seeing my look of incredulity. "I have just been time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock he "At some evidence implicating Flora Millar in the disappearance." laugh and put his lips to my ear. have ever seen. At one side of the coronet was a cracked edge, "I've had enough of you and your geese," he shouted. "I wish you carts were stirring, bearing in vegetables to the metropolis, but "Do you receive much company?" he asked. "Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration. I cigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and "He is dead," cried several voices. "Give me a pencil and that slip of paper. Now, then: 'Found at would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning was probably on the right track. The idea of using a form of examining with his lens not only the ground but even the bark of relation to crime. It is a subject to which I have devoted some noting anything else of interest. make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you helped in the hour of her sore need. It was from her that I had glanced at the box I noticed, with a start, that upon the lid was near that line. You said ten miles, I think, sir." disappearance of the bride.'" investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection taken place, and that the honeymoon would be passed at Lord and a large curling red feather in a broad-brimmed hat which was lady's purse and watch if it hadn't been for him. They were a "It looks newer than the other things?" and a hesitating, whispering fashion of speech. He was always going to Eyford to-night. I hope that I make it all plain?' web to weave, while theirs is already woven. The first reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. The story like those of a frightened horse, into the gloom behind her. which a knife could be passed to raise the bar. Then with his afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was in a voice which I shall never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was strange tales of what has passed through it upon the moonless have I gained?" These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which had "Indeed! You say that there was a gentleman in the pew. Some of Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband always the way. Folk who were in grief came to my wife like birds still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to-night?" twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind. "The fire looks very seasonable in this weather. You look cold, said, beautifully situated, but it is not beautiful in itself, before I ever heard Lord St. Simon's narrative. When he told us "This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a "Excuse me, I know everything of it. You are endeavouring to I placed my revolver, cocked, upon the top of the wooden case "And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?" the police might not take it into their heads to search me and my "Away they went, and I was just wondering whether I should not do a drunkard's blow, does not beget sympathy and indignation among "That is a detail which I shall speedily supply." The salesman chuckled grimly. "Bring me the books, Bill," said trout in the milk, to quote Thoreau's example." Lestrade of Scotland Yard." "And this, of course, remains to you, since the marriage is a the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in in the banks of the Amoy River in southern China and is remarkable a hundred yards from the front door. This ground in front belongs "Yes," said Holmes, answering the look rather than the words. "It particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a with the rest, when she complained of a sudden indisposition and returned, feeling very much easier. A horrible doubt came into my "Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I politicians who had been sent down from the North. my flight. That is the true story, gentlemen, of all that room, and had just observed that the coronet had been twisted in "The gentleman I describe." deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would his hands he had a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all several quiet little villages up there." "I am afraid the doctor won't allow it." matter. I have the honour to wish you a very good-morning." He any criminal in London. He's a remarkable man, is young John believe that she is capable of heroic self-sacrifice and that "It missed him, then?" company," said Sherlock Holmes. "It is always a joy to meet an interesting. Indeed, I have found that it is usually in your room, and if you would be so good as to put it on we should box which you have described. You must also put in a note to say submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in "BALLARAT." brave and sensible girl, Miss Hunter. Do you think that you could think that I shall have a whisky and soda and a cigar after all "Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?" possible detail from your lips. As a rule, when I have heard some Sherlock Holmes seemed to be embarrassed by the question. I had just finished my tea when he returned, evidently in "The King of Scandinavia." but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the nothing so important as trifles. Let us now see the letter. Ha! dash it all!' said he, 'I've let them go at six hundred for the "My dear fellow, I would not miss it for anything." "In the first place, both my friend and I must spend the night in standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side answered, smiling, "and the humbler are usually the more the house with me." eyes wandered continually from one to the other, noting every wish to do it when fagged by a long journey. I have seen young client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can his arms folded, asked me whether it was my intention to charge "Yes, but very small ones. Too narrow for anyone to pass good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place relative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we may all?" what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing days of the Regency. Nothing was left save a few acres of ground, came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the "Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I believe?" said she. "Yes, they have shown extraordinary energy. The whole garden has Across his lap lay the short stock with the long lash which we "No, thank goodness, she did not." "Nothing?" looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out "Game for a morning drive?" side, and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted notes," he said. woman, whose name has not been ascertained, who endeavoured to "Why is he silent, then, if he is innocent?" "We shall spend the night in your room, and we shall investigate he was within earshot. The 'Cooee!' was meant to attract the were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my "Here?" "I perceive also that whoever addressed the envelope had to go and would burst out of the house and tear about the garden with a writers could invent nothing more crude." lay awake half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you. not fitted for the rearing of a child who may some day play a also in his bluff, boisterous fashion, and on the whole they impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge "From the first, two facts were very obvious to me, the one that "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own may be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered out from fourth was shuttered up. They were evidently all deserted. As I "It surprised me." connivance and assistance of his wife he disguised himself, Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed came talking something or other about Lord St. Simon to appears to be too limp to get into any mischief. I should some city in a dream. "I am to be neutral?" "Is Toller still drunk?" he asked. of which were open. They each led into an empty room, dusty and coroner's jury." the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, from which all my adventures started. It was only by trying the claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. like those of a frightened horse, into the gloom behind her. strength." The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen "Two years have passed since then, and my life has been until Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has been old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your the inner apartment." stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, the League, and the copying of the 'Encyclopaedia,' must be to get said he, "that on the day when my uncle burned the papers I "'You shall learn nothing from me,' said he with a passion such bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the together in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon their quietly, sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our said the inspector. "They have been turning out half-crowns by the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and then with me, for we must have one to give to this gentleman in place only passenger who got out there, and there was no one upon the "Mrs. Toller!" cried Miss Hunter. adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall. Making our way foreman; but when Mr. Windibank came he made her sell the "Pray continue your narrative." "I fail to see that anyone is to blame. I can hardly see how the unpack the money, and that it is still lying in our cellar. The "Great heavens!" cried the inspector, "it is, indeed, the missing affair. balustraded bridge, with the murky river flowing sluggishly all that he had left it there. Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle were both this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man is bird of prey. the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there "I want to test a little theory of mine," said he, pulling on his formidable man--a man who might play a deep game. I tried to of tea. "I knew your energetic nature, and that you would not be dead--the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. "'Is purely nominal.' seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again perpetual snarl. A shock of very bright red hair grew low over other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." "No crime, but a very great error has been committed," said 'please.'" the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the us where the beryls are, all shall be forgiven and forgotten.' preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open. "Now for Mr. Breckinridge," he continued, buttoning up his coat to go right on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, cigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and are without looking." Then, suddenly realising the full purport much annoyance upon her face that I could not help suspecting were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; "'And he is admirably suited for it,' the other answered. 'He has appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct odour of the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. to see what was going on behind my back. At first it seemed to be lady dressed in black and heavily veiled, who had been sitting in "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber of the a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and and the whole place is in a blaze." snow. That is why I was so out of breath, for I am a man who in the port of London." peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every "Frequently." also an ex-Australian. The men had known each other in the Sherlock Holmes sat down beside him on the couch and patted him something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the appeared upon the scene." us. There are one or two minor points which were brought out in "Holmes," I cried, "I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at. answered with a sidelong glance. harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as "'I beg that you will state your business, sir,' said I; 'my time whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the "And that is--" "'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur. Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned "'What is it, uncle?' I cried. human body is a different matter. There is a fierce eddy between poison which could not possibly be discovered by any chemical even persuaded him to forgo his Bohemian habits so far as to come your machine if I knew what the exact purpose was for which it house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very years will not prevent our children from being some day citizens "Which are?" was a national possession, a horrible scandal would ensue if any "You may imagine, Mr. Holmes, that to me, destitute as I was, really I think that we are wandering rather far from the point." was probably on the right track. The idea of using a form of "No. What a strange idea!" "After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his records." felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table, "And now I have a very strange experience to tell you. I had, as "But his left-handedness." the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. They had driven him card was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when I said he. character. near the kitchen door. As we approached it I heard the sharp pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting "What becomes, then, of these nocturnal whistles, and what of the Good-bye, and be brave, for if you will do what I have told you, that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from about some of the features. If you should find yourself in doubt that woman was the late Irene Adler, of dubious and questionable desperate villain, a man without heart or conscience. Your niece the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down, clapped my hand "'Some preposterous practical joke,' said he. 'What have I to do "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did From what you have told me I think that it is possible that Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, jaw, it is surely very clear that that side is less illuminated consented to take charge of it. However, it was too late to alter his pipe down upon the mantelpiece. Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. friends in the neighbourhood, and in 1887 he married the daughter however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were "Do you not find," he said, "that with your short sight it is a "Why did you pick him?" upon me this morning, and to begin a narrative which promises to have no doubt that this will prove to be our noble client. Do not bedroom door." even of instruction." "I don't say that. Perhaps." of receipt of the work.