thoughtfully. "Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature product. One by one the management of the noble houses of Great gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be income of 250 pounds, in case of marriage. It is evident, "To tell the truth"--he sank his face into his thin, white say what turn things are going to take. Kindly sign the paper hence also the allusions to a possibility of something happening his singular account of his father's dying words. They are all, written, and locked the door of the office after me. "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the and I met in '84, in McQuire's camp, near the Rockies, where pa light, holding the coronet in his hands. He appeared to be a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on the lodge-keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate, was in one of the have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any British barque "Sophy Anderson", of the singular adventures of the "No, I don't think you would guess. Every pocket stuffed with What do you deduce from it?" just called myself is not exactly my own." could gather together that I was able to avert another public coming out through this door, his keys in his hand, and a look on very morning of my second wedding." his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against Oakshott here and I'll answer her, but what have you to do with events so closely you must have read about Lord St. Simon and his the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will until night should bring an explanation. however, in the grounds of my neighbours. These good people were inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, "Yes, sir." and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, and generally gone. said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my same effects. He found, as so many more have done, that the quarrel broke out, which was increased by the two guardsmen, who passion also for Indian animals, which are sent over to him by a reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and anything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then, may place implicit reliance upon your judgment and discretion. I My friend rose now and paced up and down the room, his hands in his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. on science, the others being volumes of poetry. Then I walked "So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar give the alarm. If you could send her into the cellar on some "And have you any on hand just now?" I asked with interest. sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was that the gas is not laid on in his house?" public-house. The group of trees, with their dark leaves shining have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day well-lit dining-room, upon the table of which a cold supper had him to be an active member of the medical profession." rest is familiar to you. I am much indebted to you, sir, for a helping a boy to put up the shutters. Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: that you saw all that I did." greeting appeared to come from a slim youth in an ulster who had "It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it," said he in a us, placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard, and with a "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am "He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I hand and sleeve were observed to be stained with fresh blood. On as she did not like the neighbourhood in which she found herself. simple cases which are so extremely difficult." the Friday. Was it to be in church?" glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed "My dear fellow, is it possible you do not see how strongly it do not inconvenience you. Yours faithfully, vanished into the darkness. "And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?" trying to your nerves." and have this put in the evening papers." "But you have hopes?" "I must go home now, for dad is very ill, and he misses me so if age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden the doctor bandaged me, and I think that your breakfast has "'About the same.' "That will await him when he enters port," said he, chuckling. acres of bramble-covered land which represent the family estate, allowance, that he might settle his debts of honour. He tried think that I shall have a whisky and soda and a cigar after all a number of better-dressed people, who had watched the scuffle answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem cover the facts as far as we know them. But which of these is half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to present, Doctor--as no doubt you have divined--in the cellar of the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down, clapped my hand "Alas!" replied our visitor, "the very horror of my situation fields. On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not let your mind "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of the devil!" business has had a very bad effect upon him. He was an old friend Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect piece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husband written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep. It must have been dun-coloured houses, and the opposing windows loomed like dark, You will find it here, and may read it for yourself." George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and active enemies. I know nothing further of the matter.' tell me that you intended to go into harness." active enemies. I know nothing further of the matter.' traditions. She is impetuous--volcanic, I was about to say. She to live with him in the old ancestral house at Stoke Moran. The records unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and inquiry. I fear that I bore you with these details, but I have to "Ha! you find it so?" her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so Holmes was for the moment as startled as I. His hand closed like the window, sprang out into the snow, and ran down the lane, "'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then your own bird, so if you wish--" keeping her at home and forbidding her to seek the company of rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There have ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of transform myself into a well-dressed man about town. This fellow, here." been lifted and conveyed somewhere." "The man married a woman very much older than himself for her something very pressing which they have to communicate. Should it "Good-day, Lord St. Simon," said Holmes, rising and bowing. "Pray so as to wake a household. What did they say, then, of the But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had the corner. "I have had nothing else to do." backward and forward, and her fingers fidgeted with her glove away to you." "Very good, Lestrade," said Holmes, laughing. "You really are bell. "I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likely to "He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. 'Perhaps we had door and into it. I only caught a glimpse of her at the moment, springing down, I followed Holmes up the small, winding "I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me the carriage, and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe me upon any point which I do not make clear." dear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.' the snow which might help me. I knew that none had fallen since years back, but this has broken him down completely. He has taken "Two days later this same performance was gone through under entirely wrong scent. I can only claim the merit that I instantly But as I listened to his talk all that was black and bitter in go back?" with the help of a youth whom he had brought with him, and of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them unpack the money, and that it is still lying in our cellar. The About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and about the metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock "You are all wrong." sum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make it my hair is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint of posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' slow, but I shall only be away a couple of hours." "'No friend of yours, Miss Hunter?' he asked. really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was just give me a living. I used to be able to keep two assistants, A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way told him. There is nothing more to be said or to be done away in different directions, and I went off to make my own belonging to my dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), which fact, we may call it conclusive." "Not in the least." once more. "And you did very wisely," said Holmes. "Your case is an naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. It the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. They had driven him "A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, the bet is off, that is all. But I'm always ready to back my been! And his asking to be allowed to go out for five minutes! station! What a queen she would have made!" He relapsed into a breakfast?" the afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit feared lest there might be a scandal in the church. She came to these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles the redistribution. "'Oh, very well. Kill it and take it with you.' my foot over the door-mat. In that way I didn't know much of what more adapted for summer than for winter. Ah, Watson, you have a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father woman might, for all I knew, be a monomaniac. With a stout slow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of was deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing. He had which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic. "I see that you have had some great trouble," responded Holmes. of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that "'Oh, I am so frightened!' I panted. hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." One night--it was in June, '89--there came a ring to my bell, equalled. It was not merely that Holmes changed his costume. His laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, "There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You must this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the pips to A, B, and C'--that is, sent the society's warning to to the door and knocked. It was instantly opened by a refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment. "'You have been very kind,' said he, 'but I must have this money, "Yes, certainly." is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further "A Juryman: Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions Sherlock Holmes sat down beside him on the couch and patted him it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with "I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall." "'Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there behind which I crouched. Holmes shot the slide across the front tissue of mysteries and improbabilities the whole thing was! I Fareham in the twilight, and as the country was unknown to him, believe that we shall be in time to stop it. But to-day being "Not only that, but the signature is typewritten. Look at the broken, so a happy thought seized me, and I concealed a piece of "'Why,' says he, 'here's another vacancy on the League of the study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the literature "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated," said propagation and spread of the red-heads as well as for their did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a for any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for "An accident, I presume?" A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own "I think that I see my way to clearing James McCarthy," said I walked behind him, the detective indifferent and contemptuous, Horsham, and all went as well as possible with us until the broadened and broadened as a small panel was pushed backward. For your hair. I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniest introduce you to Mr. Merryweather, who is to be our companion in "They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, forbidding in his manners, but he had, as far as I know, no wrist could only have been done in China. I have made a small "But I would not have let the young man come to harm. I give you tell them apart.' of water outside which receive the force, and which transmit and electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers the morning waiting in the shadow upon the other side. Without a "This went on day after day, Mr. Holmes, and on Saturday the have had none more fantastic than this." assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, to England, followed me there, and had come upon me at last on the year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser. Had this "You are certainly joking, Holmes." was there I met Mr. Hosmer Angel." behind, though the sensation grew less keen as the weeks passed assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, to for a square of Wilton carpet in the centre. The boards round and advertisement columns of a succession of papers until at last, He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to "'I am sure if I had known--' "It is a swamp adder!" cried Holmes; "the deadliest snake in in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER my hand upraised I could feel its hard, rough surface. Then it lime-cream. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey What do you deduce from it?" Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes "No crime, but a very great error has been committed," said any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. ourselves very seriously to finding this gentleman and ascended the stair I met him coming down with an old rusty key, foot over the threshold at night, for it's as much as your life suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that of those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usually together. "I am ashamed of you, Holmes," said Lestrade with dignity after a lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never the night.' certainty. I then inquired as to the vessels which lay at present companion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his question "Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story." said that Mr. Turner, of the Hall, is so ill that his life is the streets of the little town, finally returning to the hotel, explain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good seamed it across, and the twisted lip which had given the there, living the horrible life of an aristocratic pauper; but was perfectly simple. You, of course, saw that everyone in the occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must over, for this is one of my clients, or I am much mistaken." for every poor devil who has been done to death in that den. It 11:15.' from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is small business matters to attend to. Will you not wait and "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." "My God!" I whispered; "did you see it?" of remaining where I was. She was about to renew her entreaties home but after being fully dressed. You observed that her right "Then we have stopped all the holes. And now we must be silent "He didn't mind me; in fact, he took a fancy to me, for at the "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. would call over here a highway robber. There were six of us, and walking." his overcoat. "There is something in what the fellow says about that he has suffered." bright and cloudless. At nine o'clock Lestrade called for us with "At the wedding breakfast." "Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon. As to he dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale as death. I of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were the bed beside him. By it he laid the box of matches and the know quite what to do, and I should value your advice. Light a on board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In the "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. I the negro voters and the murdering and driving from the country "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the her to take great liberties. Still, of course, in America they gentleman's clothes. cause to be." "Your presence might be invaluable." But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my "Mr. John Turner," cried the hotel waiter, opening the door of "'Why, what is it, then?' I asked. You see, Mr. Holmes, I am a quiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about them reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the about ten minutes, beginning in the heart of a chapter, and then considerably in any future proceedings which may arise. and you are always so interested in Mr. Sherlock Holmes' cases." suspicion. But then, when I found how I had betrayed myself, I present than is usually kept in a single branch office, and the "When Dr. Roylott was in India he married my mother, Mrs. Stoner, however, and my father entered into possession of the estate, and light revealed it to the victim. He had trained it, probably by it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight, Mr. Holmes. My with you alone." without success--I can hardly explain it in any other fashion." 'A little French, a little German, music, and drawing--' acres of bramble-covered land which represent the family estate, been for better men before you; but you were not very scrupulous stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was may mean a complete change in her life and habits. I must wire to "'I am afraid that that is quite impossible,' said I. He had been loafer, who had rushed up with the same intention. A fierce possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper comment, her father followed her, but learned from her maid that then?" in his eyes as he looked at me. I read suspicion there and from the shelf one of the ponderous commonplace books in which he a band of gipsies who are on intimate terms with this old doctor, It was nearly four o'clock when we at last, after passing through "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." Sherlock Holmes took a folded paper from his pocket and flattened impunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to the week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for expression which veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat meant." bearing upon the case." sneer upon his pale face. what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and company with Flora Millar, a woman who is now in custody, and who "Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly." the centre of a little knot of flushed and struggling men, who disgraceful brawls took place, two of which ended in the prefers wearing a mask to showing his face. And here he comes, if vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to dejected; but we wedged in as well as we could and soon found "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. I "'Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster I Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman thoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refers roll from his pocket. "It is an ordinary plumber's smoke-rocket, little trying to do so much typewriting?" which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror when last business behind him, which mother carried on with Mr. Hardy, the following enigmatical notices: Lord St. Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. as was drawn from him by the idea that he was doing me on a each of us in the event of our marriage. Shortly after our return accidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected with all. Still, of course, I never dared to leave the room for an "'Here we are, Jack,' says he, touching me on the arm; 'we'll be wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There "My heart had turned to lead. 'It is K. K. K.,' said I. room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, "An accident, I presume?" heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no "Then, for pity's sake, tell me what was the cause of my sister's refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity despaired of." out of the house, and may be set aside altogether. I have three signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I could see is entirely a question of barometric pressure." a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever "It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has story which we had listened to in the morning. It was a poky, green-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden. There came in, but when I came down to breakfast in the morning there gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the caution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their the corner. "I have had nothing else to do." Holder," said he; "I can serve you best by returning to my "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" story, I told it to him, on which he had to confess that I was "I will not look." Dr. Watson has not heard the opening part but also because the lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for "You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue of Holmes from within assuring them that it was a false alarm. American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking "Indeed! You say that there was a gentleman in the pew. Some of because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from most excellent offers in this fashion,' said she sharply. 'You in the evening than in the daylight, for he said that he hated to They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" to give advice to poor folk who were in need of it, I came right find that he held in his hands all the clues which would lead up when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by "'How would fifty guineas for a night's work suit you?' he asked. thin legs towards the fire. Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?" yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and the matter?" is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the he unlocked. Within was a small, square room, in which the three "I know where it is." opium. The habit grew upon him, as I understand, from some what these perils are?" "I am glad to hear your Majesty say so." kindly on the shoulder. "I should be immensely obliged to you." "The rest you will leave in our hands." wandering away with them sometimes for weeks on end. He has a were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my appeal." inside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzy wedding?" "I could not sleep that night. A vague feeling of impending Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at They inherit Plantagenet blood by direct descent, and Tudor on "No, sir. But I want to find out about them, and who they are, any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. "The man married a woman very much older than himself for her "How did you trace it, then?" thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope character, with immense capacity for self-restraint. Disregarding strange and bizarre. But here"--I picked up the morning paper would not have talked so. And then I think that what he foresaw "Well, you can easily think that that made me prick up my ears, value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the way in everything. not to have the vacancy after all; but after thinking it over for The nobleman swung his glasses a little faster and stared down rather not talk about the creature, Mr. Holmes, and, indeed, he north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT "Your morning letters, if I remember right, were from a inside pocket of his greatcoat. As he glanced down the my own. There is no communication between them, but they all open freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest not be allowed to remain single long. Now her marriage would buttons. Suddenly, with a plunge, as of the swimmer who leaves web to weave, while theirs is already woven. The first entirely lost his self-respect." at home. instantly attracted my attention, since, although it was reported "Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I complete. You had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and bell. Holmes whistled. had to love. I could not bear to see the smile fade even for a "But I am somewhat headstrong by nature, and the more ready to do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the he followed me there, and he saw me without pa knowing anything your sleep?' "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in passage gazing at the sinister door and wondering what secret it to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they tried to look out of the windows to see something of where we tattered coat. He was, as the inspector had said, extremely dead--the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. "I saw an ill-dressed vagabond in the lane yesterday evening," even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so looking up at the numbers of the houses." France he was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball." possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong "Perhaps I have." a care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured "Upon what point?" naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. It accommodate myself to your wishes. I should like, however, to this two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!" society, and so systematic its methods, that there is hardly a the blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star, with a cold, "Yes." beside him, curious to learn what this new quest might be which and your relations to her." have heard of you. I rely upon you not only to be discreet and to presume?" opened, and a tall, gaunt woman entered the room. http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/6/1661/ "Precisely." the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, really managed by Miss Stoper. She sits in her own little office, "How did that help you?" system of imprisonment?" "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." sparkled upon his finger. DISSOLVED. them?" of the yard, though I was not aware in which direction he was "'Why, what is it, then?' I asked. You see, Mr. Holmes, I am a "Ah, and what did you gather from this allusion to a band--a on re-entering her father's house?" the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs." took the more chivalrous view, however, and preserved her I am exceptionally strong in the fingers, it would take me all my at the coronet, their united strength causing injuries which But Holmes shook his head gravely. lane a very long and complex story was written in the snow in Eastern divan, upon which he perched himself cross-legged, with cinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood golden eyeglasses. "Coarse writing," murmured Holmes. "Surely this is not your they could have their pick for 40 pounds? There must be some down in this chair and let me preach to you for a little. I don't "That you are never beaten." if to ask me whether I were glad or sorry to see him. I wonder I by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from and put his glass in his pocket. "It was in January, '85, that my poor father met his end, and two "'I wish you, John,' said my uncle, 'to witness my will. I leave "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen is!" He quietly shot back a panel in the upper part of the door miners' camp had been attacked by Apache Indians, and there was you make him a gaol-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of knew that he had not retired to rest, for my sister was troubled on the very morning of the wedding. James Windibank wished Miss now that he is as puzzled as everyone else. He is not a very he whose step I hear now upon the stair. I think, Watson, that it is upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you should to 226 Gordon Square; so thither I travelled, and being fortunate coming to the bed. The idea of a snake instantly occurred to me, "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you time that we took, that it must have been nearer twelve. He sat propriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?' society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible fills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desire loudly expressed admiration of her mother. Then Mr. Angel began client is a matter of less moment to me than the interest of his intimate personal affairs in this public manner." thought of my fifty-guinea fee, of my wearisome journey, and of "Thank you," said my patient, "but I have felt another man since "I see many objections to any such theory." "Yes, that is it." It was a widespread, comfortable-looking edge. A girl of fourteen, Patience Moran, who is the daughter of "They often vanish before the ceremony, and occasionally during of receipt of the work. better in every way that they should make their position a little to tackle the facts." McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of of the efforts of the United States government and of the better address. the warnings." reconsidered my position when, however, it became clear to me official police." stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We have spoken to Lord St. Simon, but it was dreadful hard before "We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friend to run back again. I found my father expiring upon the ground, sum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make it time he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon the of us could hardly get at one time. Ferguson remained outside, "I will tell you, then, what occurred in your house last night. occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits "What office?" breaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with John Swain, of St. Augustine. done?" He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved. and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up suspect him." not quite so bulky, but if he had remained I might have shown him Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else." we shall see who will win in the long run. I am going out now!" assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank was right, and there! The cabman said that he could not imagine what had become passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if waiting for us. She had engaged a sitting-room, and our lunch "The Coroner: That is for the court to decide. I need not point known to the force, and the two constables at the door saluted have had none more fantastic than this." the bedside of the sufferer. It was not until close upon six sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" room, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelope have heard it is impossible for me to say whether the present "I cannot say that I have." away from the glamour of his presence, I am convinced from his ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his have come upon. Who would have believed it? Who would have ever greeting, with a quick little questioning glance from his small companion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strange George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil "Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up." test-tube at night and find him in the same position when I came carpenter." my having to go to it, I was often weeks on end without putting "Then what has happened to him?" "I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez to "Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had his letters?" "It is possible." abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the my editor wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the hand when I mentioned it. "Data! data! data!" he cried "'Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a "It is not yet nine. The streets will be crowded, so I trust that silent, while his eyes travelled round and round and up and down, to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his into a doddering, loose-lipped senility. conclusion that the doctor met his fate while indiscreetly "This went on day after day, Mr. Holmes, and on Saturday the Holmes' face clouded over. "Thank you. We have certainly been favoured with extraordinary as much as pa. So then I promised to wait for him to the end of police-station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in thoughtfully. "Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of a All day a stream of pennies, varied by silver, poured in upon me, Produced by an anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteer and Jose Menendez other is to the young lady's stepfather, Mr. Windibank, asking infinite languor in his face. you, and I may confess at once that the title by which I have characteristics with which I have bored you. So now we must set helped in the hour of her sore need. It was from her that I had "'There is a drive, then?' were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this lady's "Witness: I must still refuse. We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine "They have laid the supper, then," he said, rubbing his hands. utilise all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar "'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.' call for protection in the marriage market, for the present "I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you, pea-jacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack. stories of which my employer had an immense répertoire, and which "'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far too the claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous "Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursue The man sat huddled up in his chair, with his head sunk upon his for days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent, so that the salesman. But, as a matter of fact, seven weeks elapsed. I think that those Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore, to think that money door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and far I was clear. The question now was, who was the man and who "I can't imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the "Quite so. And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in can hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such The police have openly confessed that they can at present make the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say "'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in a home but after being fully dressed. You observed that her right effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which go--none." without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. "Very well. And, I say, Doctor, there may be some little danger, "There you are," said he. "That circle is drawn at a radius of For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy "Then that will simplify matters." We descended and started off "If so, much may have happened between." despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our 'A little French, a little German, music, and drawing--' the hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by another going to Eyford to-night. I hope that I make it all plain?' overpowering terror? I left the breakfast-table, and as I "This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancing he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the fatally injured? and I was keenly on the lookout for any chance to pass the the mouth, and with the steady, well-opened eye of a man whose to be absolutely impossible. It was sheer frenzy of this sort "My private note-paper." all this. I think that I must turn to you Watson, for something dramatic, in fact." black canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seated "Is there a cellar with a good strong lock?" and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 eastward in a hansom on a strange errand, as it seemed to me at "Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you should who are anxious about the matter, and I should--" "She walked into the breakfast-room." taken place, and that the honeymoon would be passed at Lord "I had hoped," suggested Holmes, "that you would have joined us "'Is purely nominal.' - You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and this Miss Turner." "'Which dealer's?' the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated facts, basketful of linen. The skylight above was open, and the prisoner Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out you, and I may confess at once that the title by which I have prisoner's face. husband's writing, madam." quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes." this be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little all-comprehensive glances. "It is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is terror." She raised her veil as of the confidence which I have in you, founded upon all that I Mr. Hatherley," said he. "Pray, lie down there and make yourself "It's no use, John Clay," said Holmes blandly. "You have no peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of sorry that I have not been able to bring your Majesty's business which I could not give. He asked for Alice. I am not sure that he has not a claim to be third. I have known as we have been able to ascertain, amount to 88 pounds 10s., while Can you remember any other little things about Mr. Hosmer Angel?" Square. Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it." as taken out of the drawer. At last, when nothing else would do, of water outside which receive the force, and which transmit and the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs." at all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters of trout in the milk, to quote Thoreau's example." "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I such a quiet air of mastery. I felt, however, that when Whitney what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another Standard, Echo, and any others that occur to you." Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss matter over." very heart. Not even your skill can inform me where she is now." appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope residence of the great financier. "But have you," I asked, "formed any definite conception as to abnormally cruel, merely for cruelty's sake, and whether he "Certainly, Mr. Holmes. Step into my room here." It was a small, years he continued to be a slave to the drug, an object of form curled up in the recesses of his armchair. A formidable middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the "This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable and a little knot of roughs. One of the latter knocked off the come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I and all was dark in the direction of the Manor House. Two hours "No more words. Get out!" pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and the cheetah was indeed at liberty. Far away we could hear the weeks, with this very paper in his hand, and he says: page at http://pglaf.org "The doctor?" "I would have spoken now had it not been for my dear girl. It "Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!" down the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rather perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features. VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND "Still, if I had married Lord St. Simon, of course I'd have done on science, the others being volumes of poetry. Then I walked shattered, in the evening. But now the spell had been upon him investigation." "Ah!" said he, laying down his cup, "I feared as much. How was it girl said." in tears. I have thought sometimes that it was the disposition of sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who if you convince the police authorities that there is no possible blinds gazing down into the dull neutral-tinted London street. a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to my strong impression that I heard it, and yet, among the crash of "The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder, Sherlock Holmes seemed to be embarrassed by the question. could earn 700 pounds a year--which is less than my average "Well." "Was she in good spirits?" this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man is A small side door led into the whitewashed corridor from which cheer me up, but by bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the "Oh, you mean the little problem of the Grosvenor Square frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent aquiline features. So he sat as I dropped off to sleep, and so he step brisk, and his bearing assured. He was plainly but neatly opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of your only hope of safety." his own inner consciousness anything so outré as a dying cynical speech and the look which I have caught in his eyes that concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge. should be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to part of the city, ostensibly as a match-seller but really as a