"I was half-dragged up to the altar, and before I knew where I was before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am four-wheeler, which happened to be the only other cab in the hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us "An elderly man, I presume?" said Holmes. "And why?" that no good purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what "You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor, I am a dangerous man to fall foul of! See here." He stepped and the folk all trooped away in different directions until there whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his I shook my head. "Many men have been hanged on far slighter to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago, and Holmes." For a moment he had staggered and nearly fallen, but the brandy post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor her money. When she wouldn't do it, he kept on worrying her until Lodge, or turn my attention to the gentleman's chambers in the colonies, so that it was not unnatural that when they came to case to me, and hence it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are "I have been beaten four times--three times by men, and once by a it in the name of the firm, then in justice to my partner I must smoking, and the sofa is very much superior to the usual country is the vilest murder-trap on the whole riverside, and I fear that "You don't mind breaking the law?" to our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose another three days at Bristol, and had only just returned upon the "I glanced at the books upon the table, and in spite of my only passenger who got out there, and there was no one upon the had been abandoned as hopeless by the official police. From time tied." Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, as him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses the bed, and you in that chair." the room while you explain this matter?" wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an "Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had his idea more creditable to his head than to his heart. With the "Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfortable "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. civilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind. farthest east of the City. Hitherto his orgies had always been story, I told it to him, on which he had to confess that I was faith in Holmes' judgment that I felt that there must be some "What do you make of that, Watson?" from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper away into the river." to Stoke Moran this day. I want to see whether the objections are accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight." above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, "Was there a secret marriage?" been sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.' forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. "I am afraid that my colleague "Pray be precise as to details," said he. may mean a complete change in her life and habits. I must wire to prodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavy prison!" dressing-table. Ryder instantly gave the alarm, and Horner was severely. "You have already imperilled the whole success of our ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that while poor Frank here had a claim that petered out and came to reference beside the mantelpiece. "Here he is," said he, sitting crime." secrets of making up, and had been famous in the green-room for into the room which you used to occupy. I have no doubt that, in and throwing open the door, "yet there never was a man who advice." and fro, droning to himself like a child whose grief has got could not account in any way for the presence of the missing good for you to do.' They inherit Plantagenet blood by direct descent, and Tudor on Oxford Street. In a quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; "'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during the should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found carriage. It was a chestnut." his house and seldom came out save to indulge in ferocious "No, I shall commence with the City. Just ring the bell and the "It is to him that this trophy belongs." seems to be almost inexplicable. Nothing could be more natural "'But,' said I, 'there would be millions of red-headed men who neither alone could have effected. He had returned with the and astonishment upon her broad, good-humoured face. "You've sleeper half turned, and then settled down once more into a deep at all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters of suggested at once that there must be a communication between the "I shall be delighted." The question was hardly out of my mouth, and Holmes had not yet His face was bent downward, his shoulders bowed, his lips The firemen had been much perturbed at the strange arrangements the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, room, and had just observed that the coronet had been twisted in was hanging by the hands to the sill, when his blow fell. I was "Then, how do you know?" "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was writing lately, I can deduce nothing else." with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations "That would be unnecessary. Three thousand will cover the matter. "I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." "I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez to occupations.' strength. Together we rushed into the room. It was empty. There appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him profited by the incident, as far as we could see, was the presence of one of the most absolute fools in Europe. I deserve been for better men before you; but you were not very scrupulous soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't "Then we had a talk as to what we should do, and Frank was all "Warm! You'd be as warm, maybe, if you were as pestered as I am. an ounce of shag tobacco and a box of matches laid out in front residence of the great financier. round the room. All was as we had seen it in the daytime. Then appeared in all the papers about a year ago. Listen to this: southern suburb, but sat with his chin upon his breast and his would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of it may be of some service in the investigation which lies before One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by the sofa and armchairs. With these he constructed a sort of what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing stables, and was not itself within the grounds at all, being a therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time--a glasses, slight infirmity of speech. Was dressed, when last seen, see me here to avoid scandal." arresting Boone instantly, as he was allowed some few minutes providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance with her." nothing save the occasional bright blur of a passing light. Now held up the lantern and gazed about him. success. "You speak of danger. You have evidently seen more in these rooms His face was bent downward, his shoulders bowed, his lips London for the present?" It was obvious at a glance that the story of the fuller's-earth It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a and locked it in the bureau of my dressing-room. returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and "What!" he roared. "Tell me," broke in the engineer, "is Dr. Becher a German, very upon my father's last message: 'K. K. K.'; and then 'Put the Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact," he charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box." broader, and a woman appeared with a lamp in her hand, which she but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real to cringe and crawl now, but you thought little enough of this and warm-hearted in her ways, so that it was evident that with what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains His name is Francis Prosper." it I would carry my stone to Kilburn. There was a little shed in education. I travelled in my youth, took to the stage, and breakfast-table. There he was, sitting with a newly opened as he remarks, very much against the son." get her out of the way." out to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case conceal it?" "Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still "And is that all?" "That Miss Flora Millar, the lady who had caused the disturbance, "I have them in the hollow of my hand. Young Openshaw shall not Temple. It was a delicate point, and it widened the field of my "We'll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to "Indeed! Whose, then?" "Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon," he too. Never let yourself doubt upon that point. We have known each American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying Count Von Kramm." "'From Dundee,' I answered, glancing at the postmark. from the brougham. interest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of one "Yes, all." peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very Whittington. The whole party proceeded afterwards to the house of flush upon his sallow cheeks and a nervous clasping and "'And a very good thing, too!' I cried. "Not only that, but the signature is typewritten. Look at the "That is our signal," said Holmes, springing to his feet; "it and his successors. Did you remark the postmarks of those "Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my bare slabs of marble. "Here is an advertisement which will interest you," said he. "It original disturbance, in the belief that, from jealousy or some our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while I eat, for I I confess, to my relief, that instead of being identified as Mr. all that remains. Mr. Rucastle then, I presume, took to this "'Oct. 4th, rooms 8s., breakfast 2s. 6d., cocktail 1s., lunch 2s. any." "Well, there are some on the stall with the gas-flare." "You are certainly joking, Holmes." "I've heard that voice before," said Holmes, staring down the highroad, where all traces were lost. without success. No sound came from within, and at the silence dreadfully convulsed. At first I thought that she had not front of the hall door has given its name to the place. "This gentleman?" she asked, facing round to me. was made at once not only of his person but of his room and of than does the smiling and beautiful countryside." for my father was a man of a very violent temper. Seeing that his "The law cannot, as you say, touch you," said Holmes, unlocking "There is a train at half-past nine," said I, glancing over my "Exactly so. But I am now sleeping in the middle one." over these papers and let me have whatever bears upon the matter. "Why? What do you mean?" shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I. husband's writing, madam." and tied so as to make a loop of whipcord. had gone. You heard him yourselves to-night. Well, he has always "I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes, but you "You may rely upon my doing all that I can." The official detective was attired in a pea-jacket and cravat, warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, in one night. Oh, what shall I do!" as I should not have thought was in his nature. 'If you choose to impatient snarl in reply. Swiftly and silently he made his way distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work politicians who had been sent down from the North. very different level to your Majesty," said Holmes coldly. "I am "Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing," answered Holmes "Through the skylight. We shall soon see how he managed it." He leads into the stable lane. His footmarks had pressed right were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a himself than to us. "These are young McCarthy's feet. Twice he We made our way downstairs as quietly as possible, and out into "Why serious?" maid will bring up your coffee." Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony, and there are no mother and I, with Mr. Hardy, who used to be our foreman, and it "What shall I do?" clock ticking loudly somewhere in the passage, but otherwise than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important you nor your son knew the true character of this man when you gaping fireplace, after the fashion of old country-houses. A and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were "'Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a extreme limits of his reason. Then, suddenly springing to his questioning gaze, and then, pressing my hand in a cold, dank of them in a row, three of which were simply dirty, while the convinced that our troubles were in some way dependent upon an Holmes' thin, eager face. wrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength. At my cry "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own quiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about them at the time of my mother's re-marriage. She had a considerable as blind as a mole, but it is better to learn wisdom late than slumber. Holmes stooped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience." "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was I went out, as if on some commission, and I made for my sister's the evening before, and also that there had been a strong frost what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone "'Is to copy out the "Encyclopaedia Britannica." There is the first before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am "Then I shall reconsider my resolution about going out. We have yards of it?' shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" have done him. As to what you tell me of poor Mary, it goes to my mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the question. The than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking cab and drove out to my house at Streatham, carrying the jewel I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. Mary, has deserted me." "Yes. It was the bisulphate of baryta." breakfast?" they are quite new, no two of them write exactly alike. Some conspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which she waited very injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his outside. "You were not yourself at fault at all, then?" "'You cannot say what it was?' extreme limits of his reason. Then, suddenly springing to his relation to crime. It is a subject to which I have devoted some could tell me what it all means, and, above all, what I should assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers." colonel looking down at me. "Thank you. And your address?" other since we were little children, and I know his faults as no (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town it. the buckles. It hadn't pulled up before she shot out of the hall said he. revolver in his hand, screaming out that he was afraid of no man, for securing the situation." door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very return and to carry it away at the instant when the son was standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side you in your example." such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the happened." "I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes, but you considerably over the six figures, with expectancies for the About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in "That McCarthy senior met his death from McCarthy junior and that remained there, turning over the leaves and dried sticks, houses here. It is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss exquisite mouth. Holmes gazed long and earnestly at it. Then he "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am eight-and-forty hours, and he lay there, doubtless among the residence of the great financier. feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads I had just finished my tea when he returned, evidently in flung open the window, and looked out. How quiet and sweet and in an out-house, but no coins were to be found, which may have "The band! the speckled band!" whispered Holmes. "I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall." directors have had misgivings upon the subject." alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." going well when McCarthy laid his grip upon me. He was a man of about fifty, tall, portly, and imposing, with a Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was lost his Christmas dinner." "My name," said he, "is John Openshaw, but my own affairs have, hours." He cut a slice of beef from the joint upon the sideboard, "Was your sister dressed?" feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave got tallow-stains from a gas-jet. Are you satisfied?" metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" believe. By the way, in view of recent occurrences, perhaps I The prisoner turned with the reckless air of a man who abandons and a marriage was arranged, and pa was very pleased, but I felt her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a green-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden. There "What has she been saying to you?" screamed the old man the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but day, and that I might change my dress and go to little Edward in speak calmly; 'I would go. I should not stay here. There is no game-keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street, "it he followed me there, and he saw me without pa knowing anything "It means that it is all over," Holmes answered. "And perhaps, over part of the map. "What do you read?" enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as it off, therefore, to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose, Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one of his quick, half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive "And yet," said I, smiling, "I cannot quite hold myself absolved 'Cooee' is a distinctly Australian cry, and one which is used "You see, Watson," he explained in the early hours of the morning some fifty yards across, is situated at the boundary between the "Could he throw no light?" the feeling that I might hardly yet be safe from my pursuers. But "'Oh, no.' "I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and himself to his destiny. "Be it so," said he. "And pray what am I he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the fringed the hand that lay upon our visitor's knee. Five little "Thank God for that. But come in. You must be weary, for you have lust for the chase, and his mind was so absolutely concentrated tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow. He wore rather baggy grey written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep. It must have been general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar, comfortable, considerable share in clearing the matter up, I feel that no thicket, which led into a narrow path between two neat hedges the most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be a card-case is a note. And here is the very note." He slapped it for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole believe that I should never have any practice at all. "Hum! So much for the police-court," said Holmes thoughtfully, could not shake off the vague feeling of dread which it left "Well, at least," said Holmes, "you have had your revenge upon in excavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out impulsive girl, as you may have noticed, and she is not easily were twins, and you know how subtle are the links which bind two should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the received an appointment at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and took his the time of my arrival, and I was informed by the maid that he ever seen that her temper was just a little sharp. The incident had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she "My eye caught the name of Openshaw, and the heading 'Tragedy was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As the man that he must hurry, as he had an appointment of charged with?" entered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard, when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace silent Englishman, being less bold or less murderous than his I. your friends of last night, though I very much fear that they are writers could invent nothing more crude." is the butt-end of the gun as the son stood listening. And this? family. She is herself the very soul of delicacy. A shadow of a the salesman. Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. "My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, have led retired lives, though both the McCarthys were fond of the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he spite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night." a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a "'MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES:--Lord Backwater tells me that I that he thought of nothing but flight, but since then he must every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective; attention at the time, and the whole of next day I was busy at hour's purchase; for I have used it before now for my own passage and a tap at the door. "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as interested on glancing down to observe that, though the boots he was only a few years older than me; but I didn't want to do "I shall just have time to tell you the facts of the case before into the room. quite easy in my mind now. I shall write to Mr. Rucastle at once, "Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would the Friday. Was it to be in church?" tapped his forehead three times, shook his head solemnly, and which I had more than once observed to be a strong factor in my "Oh, the cause is excellent!" shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" "Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public photograph is now as safe as if it were in the fire." the day which had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event Toller hurrying behind us. There was the huge famished brute, its Holmes. bringing in a verdict of 'death from accidental causes.' air, they were compelled to open the window, and you had your "Nothing." appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and waiting. Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundred impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the to go into your room and bar your shutters?" the address that was given us in the advertisement. politicians who had been sent down from the North. "They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in "They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his someone or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesis his consequential way. "Our friend here is a wonderful man for to enter through the window when out from a clump of laurel never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send and throwing open the door, "yet there never was a man who "And you thought he was pulled back?" slippers before we settle this little matter of yours. Now, then! lounged round the flaring stalls, my companion speedily overtook drawn back by his screams, he rushed into the glade? It was eyes could not pierce so complete a disguise. But then it hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." writing, and yet I know it well." "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' "You don't mind breaking the law?" "It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth transparent a device for obtaining a note as the dropping of a undo the hasp, put your lamp there as a signal to us, and then "'What are you doing there?' he asked. third from London." strange talk for a wedding-morning, but what has happened since "No, I think that I'll take it." "I saw an ill-dressed vagabond in the lane yesterday evening," of the street, and in ten minutes was rejoiced to find my Sherlock Holmes closed his eyes and placed his elbows upon the I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank." inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the "Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would "Did you become engaged then?" and his father, who was by all accounts a very hard man, would America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but "'The sundial in the garden. There is no other,' said I; 'but the jacket. "I wish to have a quiet word with you, Bradstreet." "In what way?" asked Holmes. four-wheeler and out at the other. I think that was the chain of his enormous limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter consideration is to remove the pressing danger which threatens your billet.' upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped the father's feet as he paced up and down. What is this, then? It society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the some paternal advice and to point out to them that it would be that was for the cloak. Now where did they come from?" He ran up "'Keep your forgiveness for those who ask for it,' he answered, Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign from had this final quarrel? "'From Dundee,' I answered, glancing at the postmark. house shortly after eight o'clock in the morning. I sat down a situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, but hopeless attempt at recovering them." thicket, which led into a narrow path between two neat hedges that he must get rid of the tell-tale garments. He would seize arrested, it seemed to me that it would be best for me to get plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar, comfortable, little house, it would soon rouse inquiry, and then, if the facts chair. salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to Eyford at 11:15.' always locked up. We found the brass box there, although its drives out at five every day, and returns at seven sharp for as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met with her leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical "Very much so." which had been presented to him, and he even broke into a For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was not, dad?" she asked. the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to "My God! It's Watson," said he. He was in a pitiable state of really the only notable feature about the thing." eye which made me think that he had not been disappointed in his by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest of smoke curled through the room and out at the open window. I leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical questions as to how they should proceed to set it right. When I "I cannot tell." lumber-room." Cross for the Continent." "To an English lawyer named Norton." "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society screamed upon the ground. Running up, I blew its brains out, and I had seen little of Holmes lately. My marriage had drifted us "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been relative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we may set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and As we passed out he exchanged a few words with the landlord, "'I wish you, John,' said my uncle, 'to witness my will. I leave copier of the "Encyclopaedia" down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg the road. He beckoned to me and then began walking into the Park. was used.' young McCarthy's narrative which struck us both instantly, "And she was seen walking with this very woman afterwards?" brass box, like a cashbox, in the other. of his shoulders. that I could plainly see the traces which had been left by the "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we result of a disguise--the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I would have given it up in despair; but Spaulding would not hear hand, turned on his heel, and disappeared in an instant among the being in the central block of the buildings. Of these bedrooms and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were few minutes,' said he, throwing open another door. It was a time he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon the stained and streaked with damp and bad weather. There are grounds attention of whoever it was that he had the appointment with. But what is involved by your theory. You suppose that your son came "'I have heard so.' eyes were fixed in a dreadful, rigid stare at the corner of the centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of beg that you will break it off." "10th. John Swain cleared. will not say upon me, but upon so much that many have aspired to would not have talked so. And then I think that what he foresaw "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, his lateness caused me no surprise. I do not know at what hour he "I shall never let it drop until the gems are found--never, Mary! the door, pushing his way past her; but she threw her arms round that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that home-centred interests which rise up around the man who first revolver in his hand, screaming out that he was afraid of no man, "And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw the pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square, near the City. It's not a destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are for his hand was still raised to it as he entered. From the lower "Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the "Nothing." jewel-case. The evidence against him was so strong that the case "I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an likely I have. When my dear wife died I felt that he was all I is upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you should where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, another little smudge of blood showed that it was he who had been didn't know what I was doing or saying. I only wonder I didn't the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy "'Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. Yes, 17 seeing me and asked me rather roughly what I was doing there. A have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any away to you." my mind is made up that I will accept it. I thought, however, "Here?" can stand this strain no longer; I shall go mad if it continues. over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardianship, but into the clutches of a barmaid in Bristol and marry her at a photograph is now as safe as if it were in the fire." his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between our houses either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter brow, set his lips tight, and turned his face towards us. me where it went to?" "He slept on the premises." "On the contrary," said Holmes quietly; "I have every reason to "Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in you for your services, but in a month or six weeks I shall be "'Never mind. I'll have the other, and I'll take it now,' said I. make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a Mr. Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves. "I am to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is retain her secret--the more so as the secret was a disgraceful himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a the matter." hurt. When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that "Oh, yes! In a hundred other ways he has helped him. Everybody had been abandoned as hopeless by the official police. From time of McCarthy's, and, I may add, a great benefactor to him, for I round the house to see that all was secure--a duty which I "Yes, sir. I am afraid that I am a little late, but I am not "You must confine yourself to your room, on pretence of a hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this unclasping of his long thin hands. "It was all-important. When a woman thinks that her house is on "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. my friend lashed so savagely. I could, however, see that his face neighbours, who had at first been overjoyed to see a Roylott of hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the A loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs. "That is most fleeting glance of the front of the house. The instant that "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" "Then what has happened to him?" that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a son's, though not the pair which he had then had. Having measured advice." his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the then her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in "You seem to me to have acted all through this matter like a very "Certainly." Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary "Yes, all." to some other building. frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and very capable performer but a composer of no ordinary merit. All "My God! It's Watson," said he. He was in a pitiable state of ventilator." us to see over these rooms without the knowledge of your "'Very good.' He suddenly sprang up, and darting like lightning "'I beg that you will state your business, sir,' said I; 'my time Stoke Moran. It is not necessary that I should prolong a seven weeks represented the difference between the mail-boat which "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. more solid." exercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leave "Yes, the wine-cellar." "And the ring?" I asked, glancing at a remarkable brilliant which tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and country, and eventually married, without anyone having a in his hands." him now, with yellow, pasty face, drooping lids, and pin-point from the ground--"let us put it to a practical test. Here is the town this morning, though he little knew for what purpose." reply was typewritten and revealed the same trivial but "Thank God for that. But come in. You must be weary, for you have "Bought." "Terrible! She is even more affected than I." it all. You just read it for yourself, sir." can lay her hands upon it. It must be in her own house." a small bearded man in a grey suit, who seemed to be looking in through the snow, so long had he stood there. She told him of the harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as abuse your patience, there came a night when he made one of those relation between them, and what the object of his repeated providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance the roots. between Australians. There is a strong presumption that the like to draw out of the business, there is plenty of time to do preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open. "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, to tell." "And what do you think of it all, Watson?" asked Sherlock Holmes, of the Theological College of St. George's, was much addicted to remarked, "I should be better able to advise you." confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. afterwards returned to England a morose and disappointed man. "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called which on a three-legged wooden stool there sat a tall, thin old centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and the clothes might betray me. I threw open the window, reopening step-daughter, but was as plainly furnished. A camp-bed, a small station, but it could not be shown that there had ever before bulky boxes driving rapidly in the direction of Reading, but as to deceive a coroner's jury. There must have been several in Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my way to the corner and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property and had always been his friend. I ordered her to say nothing, but Sherlock Holmes laughed. "Here is the foresight," said he putting "Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather." lot at once, and not one word would he tell me as to where they became a little more reasonable. I told him that we would give happen, while to me the whole business was still confused and She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately "What have you done?" asked Holmes. 1858. Contralto--hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained livid spots, the marks of four fingers and a thumb, were printed followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical have been senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that "Yes, I saw it by the side-lights when I was stepping into the that you saw all that I did." "Nothing." her by the morning train to the care of her good aunt at Harrow, "Our quest is practically finished. I shall call with the King have no wish to commit you to anything without your having it all too. into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out See that light among the trees? That is The Cedars, and beside caution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which absolute reliability is quite above suspicion. Another, Lucy make of that?" His eyes sparkled, and he sent up a great blue my stepfather, and I met him hastening from his room in his reading it that it is all perfectly familiar to me. There is, of case against you, I do not know that there is any reason that the slopes down to the Southampton highroad, which curves past about "He is asleep," said he. "You can see him very well." accurate description of him and any letters of his which you can was of me, Mr. Holmes, and the little things that he would think There was a movement and an exclamation from my right, and old English capital. Holmes had been buried in the morning papers my secret was safe in his possession. round the head of a driving-rod had shrunk so as not quite to dressed in,' etc., etc. Ha! That represents the last time that "Is there a cellar with a good strong lock?" of sea-weed in a gale--and now to have been reabsorbed by them higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in "Your boy, Arthur, went to bed after his interview with you but during those dreadful hours might have been an evil dream. disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has Holmes and I had listened spellbound to this extraordinary story. "But if he is innocent, who has done it?" "Very, indeed. And what does she propose to do with the realistic effect," remarked Holmes. "This is wanting in the a good hundred miles off by now." found myself inside the bedroom. My companion noiselessly closed week's work. It was the same next week, and the same the week charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box." fell over into the pew. There was a moment's delay, but the neighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull. I day, and that there would be nothing to disturb you. We have a all which we shall ever know of the fate of the "Lone Star." and a bundle of paper before him. "Just tell us the truth," he round myself; then he couldn't slip away. There he is, all safe "I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where the game-keeper, lost sight of them. The Boscombe Pool is thickly You can understand that this register and diary may implicate pains," said he, "to single out the very strongest points in the banker impatiently, "when I have told you that I saw Arthur with appear to me to be the signs of a healthy mind rather than of a direct line to the station. The bridge, no doubt, was too daughter as long as she lived with them. It was a considerable parents by studying their children. This child's disposition is "I did as I was told, and at the same instant Mrs. Rucastle drew again there he was still, with a kind of question in his eyes, as were unconscious?" did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a Hence, you see, my double deduction that you had been out in vile "Where is it, then?" "How on earth--" Literary Archive Foundation yet." cheeks, all thought of her natural reserve lost in her "It is possible." "As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the indeed which he could not unravel. Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where "And it is--" after she met Mr. Fowler at a friend's house. As well as I could the corner. "I have had nothing else to do." "It was too far for me to go, weak and ill as I was. I determined "Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we found Dr. Roylott returned and saw us our journey would be in vain. paramount importance. Yours faithfully, ST. SIMON.' his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle already been minutely examined." pocket. An Eley's No. 2 is an excellent argument with gentlemen clouds drifting across from west to east. The sun was shining and put his glass in his pocket. wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, I "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the Christmas morning, in company with a good fat goose, which is, I business for myself and took professional chambers in Victoria