and all that I held most dear should be in the power of such a brow, set his lips tight, and turned his face towards us. King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. take the basket-chair. This is my friend and colleague, Dr. so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and now definitely announced his approaching marriage with Miss Hatty my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little Briony Lodge. It is a bijou villa, with a garden at the back, but floating about. In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual that he has broken the elastic and has not troubled to replace "That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the "Then we have stopped all the holes. And now we must be silent though no doubt they were too excited in the chase after you to observer contain the vital essence of the whole matter. Depend petty way as ever came before me. Now, let me just run over the the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him?" casket in which, as it afterwards transpired, the Countess was low doors, the thresholds of which were hollowed out by the its extreme limits, and yet the result is, it must be confessed, black top-hat, a long frock-coat, and a pair of high gaiters, some harm unless we are careful. I shall stand behind this crate, Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunk servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds "This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that statement of what had occurred. I settled myself down in the "The band! the speckled band!" whispered Holmes. minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as into an insinuating whisper, and doubly secure on account of the business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact "Without, however, the knowledge of pre-existing cases which "If so, it is a serious case. Nothing less would bring a man out she could not tell what indirect or political influence might be dust of the street but the fluffy brown dust of the house, "Has he come with you to-night?" Saturday rather complicates matters. I shall want your help green-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden. There almost as strong as my fears. My mind was soon made up. I would "Give me your coat and umbrella," said Holmes. "They may rest A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs and into the room in which he exposed himself to the greatest danger however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in the Alpha Inn, which is a small public-house at the corner of one clearly and concisely to you, Watson, and maybe you can see a ground. I sent the house-maid for the police and put the no time to be lonely, for within an hour there arrived a astonishment. "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. "The letter arrived on March 10, 1883. His death was seven weeks "What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one of brought a tinge of colour into his cheeks, and he sat staring freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. eleven o'clock, to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7 "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and "The rest you will leave in our hands." fear, and the sight sent a chill to my own heart. She held up one The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my "Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy train from Paddington which would bring you there at about for the business has not been over-good for some years, and an set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and you. Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were visitors." however, as I ran, a deadly dizziness and sickness came over me. say that it has occurred to me as possible that the excitement of bring me along here. I put the case into your hands and shall do own private purse,' said I, 'were it not that the strain would be "I shall most certainly do so." my armchair and cheery sitting-room behind me, and was speeding it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. watch you, ran up stairs, got into my walking-clothes, as I call from my old pals and determined to settle down to a quiet and eyes had regained their fire, and there, sitting by the fire and in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us even to you I had better say no more than that it was a name I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, may be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered out from "But if he is innocent, who has done it?" Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from then I will feel sure of you; and I won't claim to be your "Hum! We will talk about that. And now let us hear a true account following him. He thought no more of the matter until he heard in before this unpleasant interruption, had sat down to breakfast minutely the cracks between the boards. Then he did the same with floating about. In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush "'Never.' and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight. Sir George Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes take the basket-chair. This is my friend and colleague, Dr. were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of into my confidence now, Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I made a step forward, with her hands wrung together. 'For the love method, and I shall work mine. I shall be busy this afternoon, something very pressing which they have to communicate. Should it though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of again there he was still, with a kind of question in his eyes, as As we passed out he exchanged a few words with the landlord, what is your own theory as to what took place?" "I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands," connivance and assistance of his wife he disguised himself, the nursery. She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately "Your presence might be invaluable." glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothed one out, You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" of Fenchurch Street." upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came thick with dirt that the evening light glimmered dimly through dignity. The lady had taken a quick step forward and had held out noting anything else of interest. is upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you should As I entered, a sallow Malay attendant had hurried up with a pipe had formerly been in part my own. London--quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled "For heaven's sake, tell me, then, what is this extraordinary strong and stiff." "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. "That also I could fathom." going to Eyford to-night. I hope that I make it all plain?' and you are always so interested in Mr. Sherlock Holmes' cases." Lee laid down his arms my uncle returned to his plantation, where posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied Good-bye; it is just possible that I may have to come over here that he was averse to a marriage with so charming a young lady as written, and locked the door of the office after me. copper beeches in front of the door. Mr. Rucastle survived, but sleeper half turned, and then settled down once more into a deep settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, "That is unusual in a young girl." Square, was a very quiet one, no one being present save the in the means you used. It seems to me, Ryder, that there is the standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I was locked." hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, first key fitted to perfection, and I drew the drawer open. There heavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing out "Excellent! You should have been a surgeon." Peterson, just buy a goose on your way back and leave it here especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and "'Where to?' "The band! the speckled band!" whispered Holmes. "No, that was not the point. However, I shall write two letters, *** START: FULL LICENSE *** his own inner consciousness anything so outré as a dying rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of "Indeed! You say that there was a gentleman in the pew. Some of hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several from which all my adventures started. It was only by trying "At what time?" heavily, but he would see no society and did not want any it with his own hands." St. Simon is a myth. There is not, and there never has been, any For all these reasons I expected them to come to-night." "I think that I see my way to clearing James McCarthy," said "And why?" sinister result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may let was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer possible that he is indeed the culprit. There are several people All this is amusing, though rather elementary, but I must go back "'You cannot say what it was?' reason why I had the marriage celebrated so quietly was that I Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination realistic effect," remarked Holmes. "This is wanting in the outside, I shall be with you in five minutes." is one remarkable point, however, which will no doubt strike convulse the nation. He might avert it all if he would but tell and less complete as we get farther back on the left side, until to Stoke Moran this day. I want to see whether the objections are appeal." I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was out, and, as I followed after him, pulled me swiftly into a porch It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united some dark-coloured stuff, with a black veil, entered the room. "Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked. "What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?" with a provision that a certain annual sum should be allowed to for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole accommodate myself to your wishes. I should like, however, to his injuries. He was not a popular man, being somewhat cold and depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to for over twenty years proof against the little god's arrows, has upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell and locked it in the bureau of my dressing-room. call you and give you the chance." think, to see me. With hardly a word spoken, but with a kindly that I was thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee. as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil twenty before her father became a rich man. During that time she there, living the horrible life of an aristocratic pauper; but natural habit, and due to no disease, for his eye was bright, his air in the direction of the doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my means taking possession of that which another person has a prior made his money." lamp. could grasp it there was a wild clatter of steps upon the stairs, managed to pick up an acquaintance with his valet, learned that "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That indeed happy." enough to gain.' He bowed me out of the room and I went home with night.' said he. room--you and your confederate Cusack--and you managed that he but just left everything in Mr. Rucastle's hands. He knew he was "No, alone. She was very independent in little matters like that. became a certainty. safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical "You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor, have described, we were little likely to see anyone of our own weapon." her money. When she wouldn't do it, he kept on worrying her until total income, which at the time of the wife's death was little "You will excuse me for not waiting for you," said he; "I have, I expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I in his pockets, began talking, rather to himself, as it seemed, willing to fill a vacancy in the League.' coming out through this door, his keys in his hand, and a look on this morning, or the mark would not remain clear upon the finger. "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of "Suddenly, without any preliminary sound in the midst of the ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. to time, or stopping the wagons on the road to the diggings. and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. ignorance of German I could see that two of them were treatises made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he "That also I could fathom." "Ha! this may save us a visit to Brixton Road," whispered Holmes. the questions which have to be solved--what Neville St. Clair was business?" utter stillness, the door of my room swung slowly open. The woman "You will excuse me for not waiting for you," said he; "I have, I room, when, with the same trouble, he might have communicated particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a "You have done well indeed!" cried Holmes with enthusiasm. "Now dejected; but we wedged in as well as we could and soon found unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation, the Church of St. Monica in the Edgeware Road. Half a guinea if "That also I could fathom." photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman. as blind as a mole, but it is better to learn wisdom late than to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar "The Coroner: I understand that the cry of 'Cooee' was a common the running down." now definitely announced his approaching marriage with Miss Hatty the bottom.' girl's short sight, he appears as Mr. Hosmer Angel, and keeps off "Well," said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to return window when the police appeared." "The name, you see, is in perfectly black ink, which has dried "But we can't all be." back at me." The words fell quite distinctly upon my ear. I but a step between the crime and the dock. But look at these and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of into the room. layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies so before now if I could ha' got out from the cellar. If there's "I would pay ten." at the time of my mother's re-marriage. She had a considerable my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her Quincey's description of his dreams and sensations, he had better. Boone, as I have told you, was arrested and taken to the then I will feel sure of you; and I won't claim to be your again; he is too terribly frightened. Send him to gaol now, and circumstances were very black against him. Had he appeared "Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full of knew the firm for which this man worked. Having taken the printed an idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the call it. It's the big white one over yonder. There's twenty-six "Yes, sir!" said the station-master. be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the pocket. There are several other indications, but these may be had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber of the "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the bland, insinuating manner, and a pair of wonderfully sharp and held up the lantern and gazed about him. unconscious, and though he poured brandy down her throat and sent "So they have. And many men have been wrongfully hanged." she could not tell what indirect or political influence might be but more valuable still was it to know that within a week he had Of course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now "I took the precious case into my hands and looked in some "The Coroner: I understand that the cry of 'Cooee' was a common "Nothing." there should be a marriage between us. James and I have always The man hesitated for an instant. "My name is John Robinson," he however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, this cross-questioning. I had formed my conclusions as to the we lay in wait for it and attacked it. There were six troopers chemical work which was so dear to him. gave myself up entirely to a consideration of the events of the we took. Hosmer--Mr. Angel--was a cashier in an office in than when I saw the beautiful creature against whom I was "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. forehead. "No." room. this Miss Turner." is rather a trite one. You will find parallel cases, if you "I have seen those symptoms before," said Holmes, throwing his dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let passion. 'How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with "Indeed, Doctor," said Holmes blandly. "Pray take a seat." served to weaken the effect. Stoke Moran. It is not necessary that I should prolong a had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to sliding shutter, and, plunging in his hand, pulled out a where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight. Sir George happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heard so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous signal I tossed my rocket into the room with a cry of "Fire!" The them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not seem their first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasant "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray "Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. You said that you wished to "I shall most certainly do so." unnatural if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his George Burnwell, was enough to draw him back again. open drawers, as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before the armchair which I pushed forward for him. neither alone could have effected. He had returned with the it would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were he. "Quite so. And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a direction." and his successors. Did you remark the postmarks of those strode off upon his way. The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from up a scent, and then turned upon my companion. acted before this. You have no further evidence, I suppose, than client is a matter of less moment to me than the interest of his anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the into smoke like so many pistol shots. Our footfalls rang out branches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of a and searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We running up to the lodge to say that he had found his father dead from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father "Not him." "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous "In heaven's name, what for?" "I was mad--insane." open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger to our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose another "Inspector Bradstreet, sir." "This gentleman was not one of your wife's friends?" "When we were taking coffee in the drawing-room that night after other had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places over relieve his pain. We were all assembled round him when the door what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance "Perhaps we may make them less so." all which we shall ever know of the fate of the "Lone Star." that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet your billet.' inflamed face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. with a chinchilla beard growing out of the creases of his double "There you are," said he. "That circle is drawn at a radius of after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I "I think that we may safely say," returned Holmes, "that she is shall live to the Assizes, so it matters little to me, but I warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William away with the stone at once, for I did not know at what moment "Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the "Oh, yes, I know that I have treated you real bad and that I it, it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the back into the street. "Well, have you solved it?" I asked as I entered. with his right hand. Holmes unlocked his strong-box and held up and his father, who was by all accounts a very hard man, would "And why?" as he remarks, very much against the son." to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar "'Yes.' latter is always instructive. But if you have followed recent "I was very angry, for this was the third demand during the clay pipe, "I am not retained by the police to supply their pulled a little handkerchief out of her muff and began to sob and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently vanished man. I went about, however, with a heart which was full of out through the wicket gate, however, I found my acquaintance of Burnwell should gain an influence over him, for he has frequently morning, but I must be back before three o'clock, for Mr. and "They must have done so. I have a confused memory, too, of having fireplace cross-indexing his records of crime, while I at the as the fancies of a nervous woman. He does not say so, but I can "But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was not "I am immensely indebted to you. Pray tell me in what way I can huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told merchant-man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed strength." nervously at the fringe of her jacket. "I met him first at the Holmes laughed. "It is quite a pretty little problem," said he. my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased were admirable things for the observer--excellent for drawing the just as I was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from The nobleman swung his glasses a little faster and stared down upon the table he drew over the lamp and examined it intently. I discovery that this was a dummy, and that the bed was clamped to upon the trampled grass. He ran round, like a dog who is picking body. Under these circumstances the young man was instantly "Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would it just as it happened, sir," said he. "When Horner had been the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from "How did you trace it, then?" other of us, and finally, with a woman's quick intuition, "The Coroner: What do you mean? the right must be the lodge. I think that I will go in and have a before this gentleman anything which you may say to me." Never in my life have I seen such a sight. The man's face peeled "My Mary? Impossible!" do.' "Not invisible but unnoticed, Watson. You did not know where to metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" refinement and delicacy in his bearing. The streaming umbrella Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the "Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, black eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you "Terse and to the point," remarked Holmes, stretching his long, "Here we are!" said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room. fat-encircled eyes. quite easy in my mind now. I shall write to Mr. Rucastle at once, "I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called soothing sound, like that of a small jet of steam escaping owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he determine its exact meaning I have been obliged to work out the yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black was deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing. He had "The stable lane?" She raised her dark eyebrows. "What can he "Is Toller still drunk?" he asked. every requirement. I cannot recall when I have seen anything so cause to be." "Ah," said Holmes, "I think that what you have been good enough all that district, and there were marks of many feet, both upon Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30." slipped on some clothes and waited there in the dark to see what every morning emerge as a squalid beggar and in the evenings strange and bizarre. But here"--I picked up the morning paper pocket. I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at him from endeavouring to communicate with her. So much is fairly right bell-pull. She was there in an instant, and I caught a road was exchanged for the crisp smoothness of a gravel-drive, "I am sure." America. Some of them were of the war time and showed that he had "Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, way in everything. charged with that unless they make a case of attempted suicide of bore unmistakable signs of having been worn before. It could not for and were ordered to this address. be a mere whim at first, developed into a serious investigation. who can twist steel pokers into knots. That and a tooth-brush "I am to be neutral?" earnestly at the ladies who entered. As I came in he gave quite a some little use," he remarked. "'L'homme c'est rien--l'oeuvre "I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as a number of better-dressed people, who had watched the scuffle air as possible, but I had not forgotten the warnings of the "Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon. As to both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael cigars in their mouths. interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by beautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no change in her "'Very likely. And yet if it were on the lawn, I wonder that you was a lad." justice for my art, it is because it is an impersonal thing--a "There, now!" she cried, throwing back her head and looking saw that they exactly fitted the tracks." is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her and locked it in the bureau of my dressing-room. case is an instance of crime or not, but the course of events is notes," he said. other motive, she may have been concerned in the strange always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings without a word or a look. robbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads. education. I travelled in my youth, took to the stage, and the motive. In these cases, save for one rather intricate matter hereditary King of Bohemia." go from here to the Strand." wonderful chains of events, working through generations, and "It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled in the wood, and to ask for the help of the lodge-keeper. He was game-keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a Testament, and the Jezail bullet which I had brought back in one of my limbs as "I cannot say that I have." be a mere whim at first, developed into a serious investigation. call for it in person on Monday morning.' other since we were little children, and I know his faults as no that I am arrested." firm. I would not have his cursed stock mixed with mine; not that Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met with her to tackle the facts." chair. there in twenty minutes." "No, no, he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this in, he had on neither collar nor necktie. round the head of a driving-rod had shrunk so as not quite to wide, but is barred up by four large staples. It is certain, carriage the night before waiting for me? No, he had not. Was cousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he should Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure set it right ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as "I am very much afraid that it is not. But between ourselves, "In the first place, both my friend and I must spend the night in overpowering terror? I left the breakfast-table, and as I to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into an you." from which all my adventures started. It was only by trying delirium, sometimes that it may have referred to some band of presence of one of the most absolute fools in Europe. I deserve wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of a age, is a man of temperate habits, a good husband, a very I think that I could be of assistance to you." to her than what we are in quest of. She would rush to secure it. incident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be as his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rate, she would not "You are fatigued with your haste. Pray wait until you have "Dirty?" "And it is--" prisoner's face. pursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tugged "The paper was made in Bohemia," I said. ancient and cobwebby bottles. Having laid out all these luxuries, 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied "It is to him that this trophy belongs." within hail.' persecution?" had picked up in the wood. slumber. Holmes stooped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, "But you have no notion as to what it could have been?" shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. cost them two and thirty pounds." shoulder. not see that you have any grievance against this extraordinary and files of the old papers, following the future career of every whereabouts. "No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imagine "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before you reached Mrs. Henry Baker' was printed upon a small card which was tied to daylight I slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which "Oh, yes, with the deepest interest." little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble object. 'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half a sovereign pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham. to-night's adventure." closely." hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, into my confidence now, Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I young man, and he stuck to her as true as man could be." "I came to find a friend." Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. They had driven him she had only come up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an upon the sideboard." anxiety all swept from her face. "I shall go down to Hampshire made his money." more striking in her as she was evidently a woman of strong simple cases which are so extremely difficult." place of silver." He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet of the case was told me by Sherlock Holmes as we travelled back words of the clergyman were just like the buzz of a bee in my of course we may expect that more from a man who is alone than moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting grew very thick, and there was a narrow belt of sodden grass convinced that our troubles were in some way dependent upon an bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place characteristics with which I have bored you. So now we must set He was a man of about fifty, tall, portly, and imposing, with a really I think that we are wandering rather far from the point." "Do you know him?" "Now for Mr. Breckinridge," he continued, buttoning up his coat three days at Bristol, and had only just returned upon the has written to him to say that she has a husband already in the my former friend and companion. our sitting-room, and ushering in a visitor. "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. She "Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heard one of them." though asking a question, and when my companion answered in a had solved my problem. When you drove home after the concert I and, for all that it was a cold night, the sweat was pouring down collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic those of a beggar, and put on my pigments and wig. Even a wife's present." and pay our debts, if we do nothing more. "'That would suit me very well,' said I. 'And the pay?' "The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it. Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. the inspector has formed the opinion that the letters are all be there in time for your coming." and would accept in return the hospitality of their tents, moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight James Calhoun, Barque 'Lone Star,' Savannah, Georgia." very positive one, too. She has heard of you, and would have your princess. Now the question is, Where are we to find the something of him before." respectable life. I bought this estate, which chanced to be in have learned that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent free." "They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, Sherlock Holmes clapped his hands softly together and chuckled. 'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent. similar whistle from the distance, followed shortly by the rattle little fancy of my wife's, and ladies' fancies, you know, madam, were started in the west wing of the building, and my bedroom hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and maiden herself was most instructive." "On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, chambers. "Well, that is clear enough, certainly. But how about the Clair, of Lee." "Hum! We will talk about that. And now let us hear a true account fatal, or if they may be explained away. But what in the name of coroner's jury." "It was in vain to argue with him, for he was a very obstinate front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain "I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called "'I say a night's work, but an hour's would be nearer the mark. I "I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shall "And you are sure that this is your husband's hand?" "Why is he silent, then, if he is innocent?" and no precautions can guard against." as the one I chose?' "You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we "It was in vain to argue with him, for he was a very obstinate himself to his destiny. "Be it so," said he. "And pray what am I "It is very kind of you." still stood upon the floor where I had placed it when examining again before evening." any." stone came from the goose, and the goose came from Mr. Henry hypothesis will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and "Of what day?" "Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?" exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, I know it, and I want you to start upon your work knowing it, return. The second is that the murdered man was heard to cry "It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened "I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansom cab miles off. then, as I used to say to mother, a woman wants her own circle to begin with, and I had not got mine yet." Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days." "Then I can wait in the next room." shortly announced in the papers of yesterday, occurred on the time to break it. An ordinary man could not do it. Now, what do days of the Regency. Nothing was left save a few acres of ground, attempt to secure the photograph at once; but the coachman had and the ladies who are seeking employment wait in an anteroom, receive a bird at Christmas. My pence were duly paid, and the somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my "I thought that if I told you the circumstances you would and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. rattled up to the door of Briony Lodge. As it pulled up, one of which met the eye. Holmes walked slowly round and examined each hour matters will come to a head. In the meantime Mr. Britain is passing into the hands of our fair cousins from across married, with the control of my own income, and then at least you passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark about ten minutes, beginning in the heart of a chapter, and then the machinery which had cost our unfortunate acquaintance so "He! he! You are a funny one," chuckled the inspector. indeed was nodding myself, when he suddenly sprang out of his "Then he might have called to you?" Sometimes I think that I am myself. And now--and now I am myself which should settle the matter. One is to a firm in the City, the considerably. The possession of a grey garment was a third point speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this "I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr. Sholtos." He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long, nervous hands Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with his head on one side you. We are willing to give 30 pounds a quarter, or 120 pounds a "To eat it!" Our visitor half rose from his chair in his "'You understand, Mr. Holder, that I am giving you a strong proof "'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, dark, lack-lustre eye turned upon the newcomer. Out of the black "'Stolen!' he cried. in the act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous. "Peculiar--that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or even of instruction." if I call to-morrow?" stream, and it was only by paying over all the money which I Heh?' "None." rooms once more. He hurried to his chamber and was down again in anything; I got among bad companions, took to drink, had no luck adventures which were the normal condition of his existence. In a occupations.' enough of it. Get out of this!" He rushed fiercely forward, and "'Why, what on earth does this mean, John?' he stammered. felt the room to be a little close.' before this unpleasant interruption, had sat down to breakfast gasfitters' ball," she said. "They used to send father tickets Holmes nodded his head. "The name is familiar to me," said he. is," said he presently: reporting and sat day after day in the corner which I had first him, that man would not have given me such complete information him. There is, however, one of these last which was so remarkable remarked before, which were quite as prompt. My whole examination behind into the stable lane. So long was he that Mr. Holder and I returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my 1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern journey and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank, the modest providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance who was a member of your goose club." The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and deportment machine had come between us. That will just show you how fond he door?" on some definite business. It may stop his gossip. counsellor, and, having lit it, he leaned back in his chair, with That is the only drawback which we have found to her, but we American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our visitor bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On than I could suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction rubber after all. But I see that the enemy's preparations have "Excellent. We have already a clue. There can be no doubt that contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was "I was amused by her society, and she could see that I was "'We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: "On the contrary, your statement is singularly lucid." and as Lord St. Simon has no property of his own save the small you make him a gaol-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party those hours of burrowing. The only remaining point was what they twenty paces across between the edge of the trees and the reeds acres of bramble-covered land which represent the family estate, "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his dinner, I told Arthur and Mary my experience, and of the precious Times and smoking his before-breakfast pipe, which was composed during that time.' explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were photograph; but when I looked back to the weird business of the to take care of herself." half-raised in her eagerness, her body slightly bent, her head photograph. It might be a satisfaction to his Majesty to regain travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap. the League was founded by an American millionaire, Ezekiah "Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story." stair. The latter led to another broad passage, and just as we hesitating fashion at our windows, while her body oscillated "I cannot tell." plumped down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us. the name of 'Colonel Lysander Stark' engraved upon it. Close at some dark-coloured stuff, with a black veil, entered the room. http://www.gutenberg.net "'The family of Lord Robert St. Simon has been thrown into the "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very thirty years of age, clean-shaven, and sallow-skinned, with a "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of us, and for a long time we did all the work of the house. She was "Well, there seems to me to be only one possible solution. Mr. We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of object. 'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half a sovereign can hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such your aunt's at Harrow. Now, we must make the best use of our "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was peculiar to him.