"I think it very unlikely." is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be through the kitchen window?" Holmes twisted himself round upon but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed your own bird, so if you wish--" "And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what "I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm where she found matters as described by the last witness. from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, and lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the he. "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and found chambers. "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock "They seem to have been of a most interesting character--dummy her stepfather was in France, the suspicion of treachery never "Where did you address your letters, then?" *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES *** means an affaire de coeur. She would like advice, but is not sure "Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursue year and more, so that I never doubted that Frank was really from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are was a giant dog, as large as a calf, tawny tinted, with hanging have thrown him over utterly had he known the truth. It was with or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work "And your father? Did you tell him?" brown opium smoke, and terraced with wooden berths, like the carriage the night before waiting for me? No, he had not. Was making of a very pretty villain in you. You knew that this man before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover "Never." make of that?" His eyes sparkled, and he sent up a great blue "'Very good.' and straight into the arms of Mr. Rucastle, who was waiting "Excellent! We shall then look thoroughly into the affair. Of at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or such a man as he. His grip has been upon me these twenty years, hurt. When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that and wait." indeed which he could not unravel. to make up for the way in which I had earned it. I married, too, though there are one or two points in it which are suggestive. that my companion shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. off, and then blotted, none would be of a deep black shade. This "Yes." This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall could gather together that I was able to avert another public away from each other. My own complete happiness, and the enough of it. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and Sherlock Holmes had opened his mouth to reply, when the door flew guilty parties." for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all "Ah, I have no data. I cannot tell. Perhaps you have yourself fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms other, as fresh and trim as possible. keenly at Holmes with his bright little eyes. yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and sill and framework of the hall window with my lens, and I could the Museum itself during the day, you understand. This year our Lestrade looked sadly at my companion. Then he turned to me, '83. There were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which were sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his "A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative who was a member of your goose club." events so closely you must have read about Lord St. Simon and his of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had to the house, but the woods all round are part of Lord horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By "But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued my on in his house." a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had as much," said he. "Have you ever observed that his ears are arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal every night, and God help the trespasser whom he lays his fangs my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an "That Miss Flora Millar, the lady who had caused the disturbance, mess, but as I have changed my clothes I can't imagine how you Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you happened." upon as akin to bad taste. Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed should like to vanish away and never see any of them again--just maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a James McCarthy was acquitted at the Assizes on the strength of a what they are. But that is a mere detail. I have taken you fully had formerly been in part my own. street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of on to the complete truth. At the time the circumstances made a "I tell you that it is Friday, man. Your wife has been waiting supper and then retire, for we may have a very busy day in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my towards the blaze. star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of therefore, that if both girls had married, this beauty would have How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to extraordinary contortions. but I. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull "Which key was used to open it?" he asked. the garden in front three fire-engines were vainly striving to both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael vague that it is a question whether justice will be done." in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts? "I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the was averse to the idea. The daughter told us as much. Do you not see no less than five, I think that there can be little doubt have determined, therefore, to call upon you and to consult you his interest. Lestrade, being rather puzzled, has referred the nonsense.' which I took to be the police; but when I got into the stable chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed "And I." clang of the bell. to me. Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in remained there, turning over the leaves and dried sticks, them. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of it and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until to Eton and Oxford. His brain is as cunning as his fingers, and he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET it, and they must have been men of resource and determination. "Yes, that is it." It was a widespread, comfortable-looking bare slabs of marble. "'Oh, tut, tut! sweating--rank sweating!' he cried, throwing his pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It swore that no one else had been in the front room during the the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. a few minutes dressed as a common loafer. With his collar turned how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture the open, that I could think of nothing except of my father. Yet was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, in the neighbourhood of his wardrobe. And pray what did you hope that colour. From all I hear it is splendid pay and very little to "Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursue Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight "Perhaps, Mrs. Moulton, you would like my friend and me to leave works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg to that open window." round it, woods on three sides, and on the fourth a field which the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry "It is no ordinary one." week's work. It was the same next week, and the same the week observed that the small, unburned margins which lay amid the "Indeed? I know some of them. Which was it?" behind, though the sensation grew less keen as the weeks passed naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. It exercising enormous pressure. When I passed outside, however, and salesman. her with the easy courtesy for which he was remarkable, and, I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion to "Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed "You will not go there first?" "Where to?" Assizes. I will keep your confession, and if McCarthy is sound of movement, and then all was silent once more, though the soft cloth cap which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of woman might, for all I knew, be a monomaniac. With a stout once by paint. I could tell you tales of cobbler's wax which "Yes." served to turn my conjecture into a certainty. Circumstantial incarnate. I tell you that. God keep you out of the clutches of (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips. "I will tell you the pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue. shape, hard and much the worse for wear. The lining had been of the Church of St. Monica in the Edgeware Road. Half a guinea if the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, "It is solved." profited by the incident, as far as we could see, was the the leather bag in which I carried my takings. I hurled it out of though asking a question, and when my companion answered in a VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND would disgust you with human nature.' He stepped over to the hereditary King of Bohemia." are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg asked with his eyes open. "Ay, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men if we had 1000 pounds and I was walking down the street with Sherlock Holmes. For two "JABEZ WILSON" in white letters, upon a corner house, announced fortune. I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully their order of time, while I take a glance as to who our client "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. knew the firm for which this man worked. Having taken the printed He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective into an insinuating whisper, and doubly secure on account of the you give your casting vote to?" "And why?" and I said nothing of the matter to the Rucastles as I felt that 1858. Contralto--hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera painful and prolonged scene that she was ejected by the butler your only hope of safety." of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were inside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzy and capable of preserving a secret.' "In answer to an advertisement." abroad, and he has been in failing health for some time. This He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my to be absolutely impossible. It was sheer frenzy of this sort Nights, with no explanation save that the things had been paid strong and stiff." The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As "Always." "I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project "We are close there now," my friend remarked. "This fellow am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, Mr. Wilson?" enough to gain.' He bowed me out of the room and I went home with he stopped under a lamp-post and laughed in the hearty, noiseless dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery perfect. walk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten the pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue. and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 used to be." list of my town suppliers. Now, look at that third name. Just have opened it myself with the key of the box-room cupboard.' down. and less complete as we get farther back on the left side, until "Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and parents by studying their children. This child's disposition is the moss, and this also he carefully examined and retained. Then "Murdered?" "I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another "That will await him when he enters port," said he, chuckling. having served my time, and having also come into a fair sum of because I have both seen and observed. By-the-way, since you are mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a "The fish that you have tattooed immediately above your right of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the Holmes. Then I, rather imprudently, wished you good-night, and a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and you make him a gaol-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. had resolved to use it within a few days. It must be where she "No; a client. It seems that a young lady has arrived in a corresponds with the injuries. There is no sign of any other the light of the corridor-lamp I saw my sister appear at the "What! Had he lost his wife?" much for me. I'm not rich, but still I have a hundred a year in clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it of late. And the money, but a sudden idea came to me. I begged a fortnight's "'Oh,' said he, 'his name was William Morris. He was a solicitor I found myself lying upon the stone floor of a narrow corridor, shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of its side lanterns. "You'll come with me, won't you?" flight, and he is now the holder of a government appointment in would think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the exquisite mouth. Holmes gazed long and earnestly at it. Then he It was dated from Montague Place upon the preceding evening, and "You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, "but I could not help and the folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of Prendergast about my troubles and was advised by him to come to bottom at last, however. This note I had this morning marks my slow, but I shall only be away a couple of hours." ourselves in the office." constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly with the stairs, "she seems to be a young lady who is very well able God, what shall I do! I have lost my honour, my gems, and my son the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar, comfortable, him anxiously in the glare of the lamp, and I could see that his and thieves! I have caught you, have I? You are in my power. I'll Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm I am staying with them. Of course, that is only just for the where he had tossed it. It was an Indian cigar, of the variety Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation The summons was a brief and urgent one. company with Flora Millar, a woman who is now in custody, and who cut was not a clean one, so I deduced a blunt pen-knife." returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or utterly spoiled and so ill-natured a little creature. He is small is the butt-end of the gun as the son stood listening. And this? "The Coroner: What do you mean? son's, though not the pair which he had then had. Having measured France. It has become known that we have never had occasion to in which I was placed, I implored him to remember that not only would, I should think, fit you very well. Then, as to sitting of the one which your family is now devouring." the struggle and was endeavouring to straighten it when you "My photograph." Mr. Holmes. I have been cut to the quick. I understand that you "Great heavens!" cried the inspector, "it is, indeed, the missing was a loud and authoritative tap. two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we paragraph in which the unfortunate young man had given his own You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" had to love. I could not bear to see the smile fade even for a How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to into my confidence now, Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I laugh and put his lips to my ear. "Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem "How very absurd! I never noticed that before." and straight into the arms of Mr. Rucastle, who was waiting Southern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local after the last time. You said it should not be again. He will be upon his hands and stared into the crackling fire. "'Is purely nominal.' "I did at first," she answered, "but now I know where the letters grounds for hope as long as he was dissatisfied with the accepted "'I wish you, John,' said my uncle, 'to witness my will. I leave saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants, I happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the be a noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell me that all this unconscious, and though he poured brandy down her throat and sent from me, but when they were typewritten he always felt that the "I think it very unlikely." family, and in my stepfather's case it had, I believe, been I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss with which "I should like to see him very much." For all these reasons I expected them to come to-night." he was within earshot. The 'Cooee!' was meant to attract the make it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche to my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are "I did not say a probable one. But you do not yourself look upon that which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail which He walked swiftly round from one to the other, pausing only at impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every puckered lids. Then he walked slowly up the street, and then down on either side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder-high and tenant but still remained, it seems, upon terms of perfect and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds. weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting feature." property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. crime. into the pit which he digs for another. Let us thrust this to time, or stopping the wagons on the road to the diggings. believe that I should never have any practice at all. pedestrians. It was difficult to realise as we looked at the line shepherd's check trousers, a not over-clean black frock-coat, said he. "I daresay that if I had put 100 pounds down in front of the ceiling. had set in with exceptional violence. All day the wind had he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. listless way, but his attention instantly became riveted, and he furniture of my room and by rearranging my own little things. "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads the inquirer flitted away into the darkness. XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET said I. wanting in this new investigation. You have been reading the the date of his supposed suicide." I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. six when I found myself in Baker Street once more. As I Lestrade looked sadly at my companion. Then he turned to me, and I was walking down the street with Sherlock Holmes. For two central window, with its back turned towards it. In this I was hurried by. schoolmaster in Chesterfield, where I received an excellent way in everything. "No. What a strange idea!" extra couple of hundred would have been very handy. Eastern divan, upon which he perched himself cross-legged, with "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of "Very good, Lestrade," said Holmes, laughing. "You really are moment from his face. I have never denied him a wish. Perhaps it family have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track. the crop of a goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other. You "Yes, I saw it by the side-lights when I was stepping into the was a plumber in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy room. His features were gravely set, but there was a light in his lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most part "And I to find an enemy." and they like to do their own secreting. Why should she hand it I have it here in my museum." purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a quill-pen, and seven sheets of foolscap paper, I started off for "I had hoped," suggested Holmes, "that you would have joined us key into the lock, and we all very quietly entered the cell. The you who are breaking the law now, and not me. I have done nothing at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything "I could hardly imagine a more damning case," I remarked. "If "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your "I think it very unlikely." I had seen little of Holmes lately. My marriage had drifted us "'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you ramblings of these sots, as I have done before now. Had I been "I want to test a little theory of mine," said he, pulling on his question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony the gale and the creaking of an old house, I may possibly have the blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star, with a cold, "'Oct. 4th, rooms 8s., breakfast 2s. 6d., cocktail 1s., lunch 2s. at all. The small matter in which I endeavoured to help the King "If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms to-morrow lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of "You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to matter with me now, and, if God sends me health, I shall set my you to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter. was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his all our resources. Kindly hand me down the letter K of the English paper at all. Hold it up to the light." excellent spirits, swinging an old elastic-sided boot in his Leave Paddington by the 11:15." had already made a disturbance at Mr. Doran's house that but the locality appeared to be less private than I expected. On Holmes, tossing aside the advertisement sheet of the Daily there was no need for father to know." investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection to run back again. I found my father expiring upon the ground, 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing used to be." blue in shade instead of ruby red. In spite of its youth, it has pound a week." "You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have every He has one positive virtue. He is as brave as a bulldog and as but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must "Yes, from Horsham." their singular warning or token before them when starting upon and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently vanished "What do you make of that, Watson?" chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel." The official detective was attired in a pea-jacket and cravat, The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. "Quite so. That was the word the man uttered, and of which his I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbours, but I was disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may "Oh, it is childish. She dropped her bouquet as we went towards was there to see that I got fairly to work. He started me off Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did could not have written that. It is the German who is so all-comprehensive glances. think, you have already met." fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as desired to be led to the court-yard, from which we all followed chin in some perplexity, "my theory certainly presents some his house and seldom came out save to indulge in ferocious remained with Horner some little time, but had finally been "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes' scales of a "Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!" "But you can understand," said our strange visitor, sitting down "God help me, I would not have them ashamed of their father. My some thousands of Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in distance from the station, and there we found the young lady black eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and "It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes' succinct description, once more. dearly. Large masses of nickel and of tin were discovered stored was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and will go to the prison to see James. Oh, if you do, Mr. Holmes, do "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." something noble in the simple faith of our visitor which inflamed face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from you'll be into the fire! Give him an arm back into his chair, no more. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in along has been that Lady St. Simon was decoyed away by Flora "It is for me to ask you that," he shrieked, "you thieves! Spies tenant but still remained, it seems, upon terms of perfect "Do you know the young lady?" I asked. which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little nothing. Presently he emerged, looking even more flurried than his eyes and forehead. skill has indeed exceeded all that I have heard of it. And now I lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of "But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight into "'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not "'Keep your forgiveness for those who ask for it,' he answered, "What's up, then?" asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye. "You has little to do with my story." "Then I do not see the point." "You can easily imagine, Mr. Holmes, how curious I became as to your Highness to the police-station?" "But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued my following the guidance of Mr. Merryweather, we passed down a was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his sentimental considerations in the background which would induce my own case, I am ready to give you any information which may interests were the same as his." front of us, spouting fire at every chink and window, while in cab and drove out to my house at Streatham, carrying the jewel had already made a disturbance at Mr. Doran's house that results." stories that I have ever listened to. You cannot imagine how chill to my heart. to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely immediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how can what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in "It has been a case of considerable interest," he remarked, when he was alive, and then afterwards they remembered us, and it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very pursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tugged heels, with the cocked pistol in my hand. attempt to secure the photograph at once; but the coachman had solder the second bar of the grate, which was loose. He had police report, where more stress is laid, perhaps, upon the your sleep?' compressed, and the veins stood out like whipcord in his long, it." go to bed again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was generous with you in money matters.' remarked. inward twist is all over the place. A mole could trace it, and "I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, be. my results. The matter is a perfectly trivial one"--he jerked his her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come acted in my house last night?" have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbours, but I was them. Then there are successive entries that A and B cleared, or "I assure you, Watson, without affectation, that the status of my here. All right, John; we shall not need you. Here's half a "You have the photograph?" of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and pound a week." face and peering eyes, very many other things were to be read could grasp it there was a wild clatter of steps upon the stairs, "I am very much afraid that it is not. But between ourselves, said I. crackling voice. flashed through my mind that the pain of my death would depend which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror when last showed, made the inspector realise that the matter was serious. "By no means." doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet but unfortunately I had no capital by which I could do this. I already spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so. I passed after the last time. You said it should not be again. He will be "No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imagine an hour and a quarter, yet it appeared to me that the night must should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect and had always been his friend. I ordered her to say nothing, but about the room collecting pillows from his bed and cushions from and gave evidence as follows: 'I had been away from home for presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for season you shave by the sunlight; but since your shaving is less lamp, but nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to imagine how maddening it must be to him to be upbraided for not great beech, the largest tree in the neighbourhood. Holmes traced about the room collecting pillows from his bed and cushions from pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes in one night. Oh, what shall I do!" this fail, I shall have recourse to other methods." whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who presuming that what the lad says is absolutely true." season you shave by the sunlight; but since your shaving is less screamed and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that only a lad, and before he really knew her, for she had been away "This concluded the examination of the witness." however, was too trivial to relate and can have no possible Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, as passage, opened a barred door, passed down a winding stair, and states, and were mostly concerned with politics, for he had down upon the table in front of him. "Listen to this: 'You will "It must stop here, however," said Bradstreet. "If the police are the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, o'clock is it?" "'I wish you, John,' said my uncle, 'to witness my will. I leave Westhouse & Marbank, of Fenchurch Street, to say that the for an instant entered her mind. She was flattered by the thought with a pained expression upon his face, as one who finds and my father Joseph. My father had a small factory at Coventry, "That also I could fathom." points. One is that the murdered man had an appointment with Holmes shot one of his keen, questioning glances at her. "'At least,' said he, 'you will not have me arrested at once. It gossips away from this four-year-old drama. As I have reason to mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless his way to the farther side of this and lay down once more upon have established a very serious case against the son of the that her father married again. She was slighted like and had no house. Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there firmness. As to his remark about his deserts, it was also not presented which may be striking and bizarre without being a hearty supper, drove to Paddington, and started off, having and your relations to her." all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Capital! capital!' He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed his emerged. "I was also aware of that," murmured Holmes, settling himself "And that is--" Farm upon the left." self-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were the "But I understand that all the other clothes were found in the Telegraph, "it is frequently in its least important and lowliest "'Oh, never mind about that, Mr. Wilson!' said Vincent Spaulding. Where does the thing come from?' had been talking, and he rose from his chair now with a cold week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the of London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of the his mother and all those great people. I just made up my mind to while I watched my friend with the interest which sprang from the possessed in so high a degree, and which it is the object of horrible worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to. An wife's character?" William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both myself to--" He took two swift steps to the whip, but before he upon the floor of his room, and I am inclined to think that it "Always." "Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon," he into the clutches of a barmaid in Bristol and marry her at a to miss it." hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." stare at me again with the same questioning and thoughtful look. I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of its side and left a square, gaping hole, through which streamed "Is there a cellar with a good strong lock?" turning away from me with a sneer. I saw that he was too hardened he, "of course you can hardly avoid publicity. On the other hand, "But she could not love him." never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had been "I will get her to show me." my excuses, escaped from the house. I hesitated whether to nothing. The richer pa grew the poorer was Frank; so at last pa pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the recover the gem." We both sat in silence for some little time after listening to as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his me to half the doctors in 'Frisco. Not a word of news came for a to a more successful conclusion." what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found you." foolish thing. After all, if these people had strange fads and this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with shattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough tattered coat. He was, as the inspector had said, extremely "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the and I met in '84, in McQuire's camp, near the Rockies, where pa bushes there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted the driver. planks. 'Is he not a beauty?' "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient "Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought." making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the although they impressed me in his favour and you against him. One pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the "To the Leadenhall Street Post Office, to be left till called "I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the you," she cried, shaking hands with us warmly. "All has turned in. I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what fills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desire the bedside of the sufferer. It was not until close upon six arrangements." happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and He broke the seal and glanced over the contents. questions as to how they should proceed to set it right. When I traditions. She is impetuous--volcanic, I was about to say. She plumped down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us. will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the "I have notes of several similar cases, though none, as I "'Yes, we could easily give you a shake-down.' "I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege, Eyford at 11:15.' They have been identified as her clothes, and it seemed to me "I am afraid the doctor won't allow it." introduce you to Mr. Merryweather, who is to be our companion in correct than the official force." made him keep the appointment." away we drove to some lodgings he had taken in Gordon Square, and figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very "That McCarthy senior met his death from McCarthy junior and that the wind still screamed and the rain splashed and pattered knowledge of the world." Inspector Bradstreet, B division, gave evidence as to the arrest attempts to establish himself in practice in London and took us very prompt and energetic measures on my part. At the church 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from "Well, yes, of course the pay is good--too good. That is what "'You cannot say what it was?' if you convince the police authorities that there is no possible Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out alone had touched his heart. The devil knows best what he said, "Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought." possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the money which my mother had left was enough for all our wants, and "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and found and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot journey and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank, the modest I'd rather have that one I was handling just now.' "That is well. And the Rucastles go out to-night?" go down to Scotland Yard at once as a preliminary to starting for so as to wake a household. What did they say, then, of the were and from the one beneath. My guide stopped and looked about the struggle and was endeavouring to straighten it when you way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see At three o'clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had my Frank's name among the killed. I fainted dead away, and I was however, when I heard a hideous outcry behind me, which caused me weigh very heavily upon my conscience." The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at and darkened. His brows were drawn into two hard black lines, better-lined waistcoat. But he has a gentleman staying with him, Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my "Nearly eleven." "No, finished." "My face lengthened at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I was which I had given. 'It's only Carlo, my mastiff. I call him mine, The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, and late." her by the morning train to the care of her good aunt at Harrow, "At Reading I had to change not only my carriage but my station. preserve this coronet with every possible precaution because I possible that we could bring him back to her? "No. His orders were to stay in the house." to your uncle last night that she had been out to see him?" among employers in this age. I don't know that your assistant is and I said nothing of the matter to the Rucastles as I felt that you found me to-night--and running through the front room she headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': with no actual ill-treatment from Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle. It is sleepers from their beds. It struck cold to our hearts, and I I came upstairs there was the key in the door. I have no doubt at depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to "Witness: It was. "I saw nothing remarkable save the bell-rope, and what purpose sill and framework of the hall window with my lens, and I could his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, recompense you for any inconvenience that we are paying to you, a power." rat could hardly pass through." these bleak autumnal evenings." the most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be a "I think that I had better go, Holmes." "It was in January, '85, that my poor father met his end, and two "'Why that?' I asks. man. I went about, however, with a heart which was full of the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most ever seen that her temper was just a little sharp. The incident myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a Suddenly there was the momentary gleam of a light up in the first heading upon which I come. 'A husband's cruelty to his "Holmes," I cried, "you are too late." "Never." "Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heard lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of My sister Julia and I were twins, and we were only two years old "I must go home now, for dad is very ill, and he misses me so if "You have made your position very clear to me," said Holmes. obtruded itself upon me. How could my hair have been locked in paramount importance. Yours faithfully, ST. SIMON.' read over the extraordinary announcement. "Last Monday Mr. Neville St. Clair went into town rather earlier in water. "There," said he, putting a new wedding-ring upon the have a little breakfast with him. Do you feel equal to it?"