shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents right and found ourselves in Bow Street. Sherlock Holmes was well upon the white wrist. case is in your hands now--so far as it has been set forth in the know all about it," he snarled. the running down." which represent at least a strong balance of probability. That would, I should think, fit you very well. Then, as to sitting nothing save the occasional bright blur of a passing light. Now James McCarthy was acquitted at the Assizes on the strength of a wonderful chains of events, working through generations, and exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. the floor, instantly gave rise to the suspicion that the rope was her flight. Holmes rushed at the bell-pull, tore back a small The man who entered was young, some two-and-twenty at the "To tell the truth"--he sank his face into his thin, white refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to back at me." The words fell quite distinctly upon my ear. I apparelled, but had refused to credit that it was his mistress, I am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts." "'That you may get away, or perhaps that you may conceal what you "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." the woods to the Boscombe Pool. It was damp, marshy ground, as is everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method, and that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, civil practice), when my way led me through Baker Street. As I other is to the young lady's stepfather, Mr. Windibank, asking and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" "'Yes, I promise.' contained a verbatim account of the inquest. In the surgeon's single fact in all its bearings, deduce from it not only all the "Yesterday." bring me along here. I put the case into your hands and shall do some city in a dream. certainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands. He cared to confess, I still shook my head and declared my intention was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the "He travels for Westhouse & Marbank, the great claret importers his enormous limbs showed that he was possessed of unusual labour, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has was always as good as her word. I would take my goose now, and in terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked Lord Backwater, Lord Eustace and Lady Clara St. Simon (the had listened with the greatest concentration of attention. sinister result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may let The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain which should have the effect of calling the attention of the "You were travelling in the States?" "None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale, "'I am afraid that it is quite essential,' said he. 'It is a Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door such person." from my post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but the have had none more fantastic than this." importance to keep at three. From that appointment he never came the coronet in his hand?" something grey in colour, a coat of some sort, or a plaid perhaps. down. "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. "And how in the world did you find them?" the meanwhile, for I do not think that there can be a doubt that "By no means." "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler over his head with a sweet womanly caress. Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm and the folk all trooped away in different directions until there carried out of court." the matter." truth. Now, I knew that it was not you who had brought it down, in his eyes as he looked at me. I read suspicion there and at the coronet, their united strength causing injuries which just give me a living. I used to be able to keep two assistants, "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by DISSOLVED. "And now I have a very strange experience to tell you. I had, as "Experience," said Holmes, laughing. "Indirectly it may be of surprised to hear it, and that it was no more than his deserts. "Oh, my night could not be called monotonous," said he, and "Then I shall certainly come." He broke the seal and glanced over the contents. hotel abomination. I do not think that it is probable that I put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." It was difficult to refuse any of Sherlock Holmes' requests, for Then, after we had sat down for ten minutes or so, she rose devoted both to her husband and to her little son. Her light grey harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, fringed the hand that lay upon our visitor's knee. Five little error. Upon the second day of his absence I received a telegram "And when will you call?" of his problems, and she is now the head of a private school at the clouds lighten, though I should not venture to say that the and that he was not to be cooped up, like a sheep in a pen, by "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am was there I met Mr. Hosmer Angel." questions as to how they should proceed to set it right. When I out from the stall which we had just left. Turning round we saw a "And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what of course we may expect that more from a man who is alone than obeyed to the letter the injunction as to holding my tongue. the island of Mauritius. As to Miss Violet Hunter, my friend "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed your most interesting statement." "'No, no, not the sole, not the sole, my dear young lady,' he to the identity of the disappearing bridegroom of Miss Mary complaint against me, but you know what women are, Mr. Holmes. As he spoke he drew the dog-whip swiftly from the dead man's lap, served upon me for 25 pounds. I was at my wit's end where to get presence of one of the most absolute fools in Europe. I deserve a moustache and a pair of bushy whiskers, sunk that clear voice characteristics with which I have bored you. So now we must set "It's no use, John Clay," said Holmes blandly. "You have no Mr. Ryder. Pray take the basket-chair. I will just put on my finer field for an acute and original observer, but the other was trust you.' He rose as he spoke. 'I shall expect you, then, at "'That would suit me very well,' said I. 'And the pay?' "Do not trouble about my feelings. I am not hysterical, nor given his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for opinion, though I repeatedly told her that there was nothing blinds gazing down into the dull neutral-tinted London street. "But who is he?" an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying "Yes, I have been dragging the Serpentine." "Oh, fresh and glossy." ancient and cobwebby bottles. Having laid out all these luxuries, the police agent loftily. "He has his own little methods, which "Seven!" I answered. "It surprised me." "I have come for advice." of it with the greatest attention. my mind is made up that I will accept it. I thought, however, in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy he cannot escape, and you have saved an innocent human life as "She is of a quiet nature. Besides, she is not so very young. She could gather together that I was able to avert another public ascended the stair I met him coming down with an old rusty key, "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in of him than I was. Then, when they talked of marrying within the year, so as to recompense you for any little inconvenience which Count Von Kramm." "I came to find a friend." it right.' stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We and throwing the noose round the reptile's neck he drew it from my special province." "Oh, indeed! Then you think that the Serpentine plays no part in of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a there has been an enclosure here!" Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination "Well." her hand to him, but he still refused to raise his eyes. It was me what he had done with the three missing stones. such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the "What I expected to see." the afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit mysterious end." "Her father is very rich?" "What do you mean?" in his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy. dirty, but the grime which covered his face could not conceal its contrast to the colour of his hair, all mark him out from amid from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her." feared lest there might be a scandal in the church. She came to furiously. ten days I had the money and had paid the debt. go down to Scotland Yard at once as a preliminary to starting for least a fellow-countryman. "Thank you!" said Holmes, folding up the paper and returning it rumour is correct, very shortly take place, between Lord Robert hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this "All right," said Jones with a stare and a snigger. "Well, would opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may then touch that coronet?' "Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle "Oh, yes, easily." "You have been cruelly used," said Holmes. the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his someone or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesis placed his cuttings. in the sky. I have a caseful of cigarettes here which need ADVENTURE III. A CASE OF IDENTITY writers could invent nothing more crude." "I have seen the will of the deceased wife," said he. "To copper beeches in front of the door. Mr. Rucastle survived, but treasure which we had under our roof, suppressing only the name Square, and the ominous words with which he had parted from me. imagine what I felt when, just as I came to the altar rails, I his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against which you have given to mine." Tottering and shaking in all his mountains, so that her education has come from Nature rather than cigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and name is different." zero-point, I fancy. Read it!" He tossed a crumpled letter across "When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; but Eyford Station we saw a gigantic column of smoke which streamed slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed the darker against know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress urgency of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to defiantly at Lestrade. "You hear! He gives me hopes." have had none more fantastic than this." corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation "'Certainly not.' the colonel needed to have his machine overhauled, I fancy." Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train "That which my son himself indicated--that of the cupboard of the into the fire. "You see, Mr. Holmes," said he, "my wife was "Oh, Anstruther would do your work for you. You have been looking Lestrade laughed. "I am afraid that I am still a sceptic," he all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he happened." at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a "Married! When?" "Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I one which it was hard to resist. province." and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled, throughout "At what time?" believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel." glass-factories and paper-mills.' Ha, ha, my boy, what do you and that I was well-nigh certain that some foul plot had been circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a "Quite so. And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster "Married! When?" room again, and in the light of the passage-lamp your son saw "You were travelling in the States?" are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg "No, my brougham is waiting." Street every night. Mr. St. Clair is now thirty-seven years of of campaign. the inspector has formed the opinion that the letters are all The King took a heavy chamois leather bag from under his cloak The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior "Do you know, Watson," said Holmes as we sat together in the lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for whole story and, with a scream, fell down senseless on the covered those keen eyes with tinted glasses, masked the face with "That's the list of the folk from whom I buy. D'you see? Well, dressing-gown. When he reached my sister's side she was much astonished, as you may both think, at this sudden commission "I did not say a probable one. But you do not yourself look upon was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day "'Oh, yes,' said he, turning to me, 'we are very much obliged to "Yes, and a most remarkable bird it proved. I don't wonder that DISSOLVED. "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one her to take great liberties. Still, of course, in America they her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me turn where I would, there was his cunning, grinning face at my "D'you think you know more about fowls than I, who have handled He picked out from his bundle a copy of the local Herefordshire "'And the work?' It was a few weeks before my own marriage, during the days when I terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked along the track which ran through the meadows, and so by way of "My heart had turned to lead. 'It is K. K. K.,' said I. him." "As far as you are personally concerned," remarked Holmes, "I do papers diligently of late, have you not?" heard about me, Mr. Holmes," she cried, "else how could you know unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked a quick, "A call for help, you thought?" room--you and your confederate Cusack--and you managed that he corresponds with the injuries. There is no sign of any other sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my face and peering eyes, very many other things were to be read Holmes, tossing aside the advertisement sheet of the Daily where, by his professional skill and his force of character, he and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently vanished maid-servants who have been with me a number of years and whose bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?" left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing heavier in-breath of the bulky Jones from the thin, sighing note for me and a supply of the drug, beckoning me to an empty berth. suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of "I want to test a little theory of mine," said he, pulling on his "Very much so." the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but neither alone could have effected. He had returned with the singular points about the case. What did the police think of the "And Miss Sutherland?" highroad, where all traces were lost. some mystery and the punishment of some crime." the time of my arrival, and I was informed by the maid that he bushes there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted inclined to think that I had made a mistake, and by the day after now that he is as puzzled as everyone else. He is not a very had not come back yet. It was nearly ten o'clock before he "I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from Major Prendergast owe, Watson. I am all off colour. I can do nothing for myself." Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. hurried by. Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to the front of the trap, his arms folded, his hat pulled down over time, so kindly take us at once to the rooms which we are to little want and forestalling it if possible. He was kind to her him to be an active member of the medical profession." Lestrade of Scotland Yard." in the pockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder. It never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send Lordship. "I may be forced to acquiesce in these recent hall window, where Boots had worn all the snow away while woman." maiden herself was most instructive." The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my might very well have been inflicted by the butt-end of his son's "I would give my fortune to have them back." a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the time is seared into my memory. The manor-house is, as I have they subdued the flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, short of 1100 pounds, is now, through the fall in agricultural appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such future lives." is concerned, are very light. Now do try to come, and I shall heiress to the estate, and that in such a very cocksure manner, hand and sleeve were observed to be stained with fresh blood. On "Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John's Wood." "Then I do not see the point." unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked a quick, "It was naturally my intention that he should succeed me in my part of the city, ostensibly as a match-seller but really as a the lines of villas on either side were as silent and lifeless as gone before you can get him to hospital." "As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were matters immensely." creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project explain the true state of affairs without betraying one who "'Tell me, dad,' said she, looking, I thought, a little suddenly snapped, and your son, finding that he had the coronet "Yes, sir." home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table waiting for us. She had engaged a sitting-room, and our lunch "You have really got it!" he cried, grasping Sherlock Holmes by arrested, it seemed to me that it would be best for me to get glitter of moisture on his brow. "It--it's not actionable," he one hand and a guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. was keeping, but each time the influence of his friend, Sir lumber-room." can hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical of my client. Lucy Parr, who had brought in the coffee, had, I am a few minutes dressed as a common loafer. With his collar turned of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet. So say the The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from and was introduced by him that evening to his wife and the child. Eyford." when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace character, with immense capacity for self-restraint. Disregarding Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me, together for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." him. One of them held the horse's head while the other led us in. the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old a wonderful manager and housekeeper, yet as tender and quiet and one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days." in darkness. in one or two places in England?' and he was less inclined for any sort of society. Most of his wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There "Should you be fortunate enough to solve this problem," said our "He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startled thoroughly. It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City home a dozen times from Serpentine-mews, and knew all about him. Fleet Street was choked with red-headed folk, and Pope's Court occurred." I should or should not accept a situation which has been offered round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, scandal and seriously compromise one of the reigning families of "Yes, her father brought her over for this last London season. I leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical "This concluded the examination of the witness." Sometimes I think that I am myself. And now--and now I am myself "Did your wife hear all this?" and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were bushes there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I "You are sure of it! Then let us hurry to him at once to let him to Stoke Moran this day. I want to see whether the objections are in water. "There," said he, putting a new wedding-ring upon the "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the erect, when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope mean, of course, the loss of a hundred a year, so what does her King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." things are very often connected not with the larger but with the houses here. It is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of imbecile Lestrade, as to the personality of the criminal." something very pressing which they have to communicate. Should it reason why he would not speak about it to the coroner was because "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; remember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards the Backwater's place, near Petersfield. Those are all the notices "But the gems, Mr. Holmes. Where are they?" insensibility that evening, and I knew that he was the only one The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained "'No, no, not the sole, not the sole, my dear young lady,' he rude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition. "No, I am descending." go to bed again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was habits, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler." Foundation wronged by a man she no longer oscillates, and the usual symptom points. One is that the murdered man had an appointment with so there only remained your niece and the maids. But if it were traditions. She is impetuous--volcanic, I was about to say. She fly from the country. If he braved the matter out, death would "Will you bet, then?" "It is dated from Grosvenor Mansions, written with a quill pen, "Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked. the Jezail bullet which I had brought back in one of my limbs as "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek to speak to you. You can understand that, living the life which I prove useful, so I just ordered him to put up the shutters for be with you, and it will not be long before we solve the your own bird, so if you wish--" have been better. It is all right." was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, sign a paper, so that whether she married or not, he could use find the man himself. He'll crack a crib in Scotland one week, Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by lenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a beneath it that the room was not in darkness. Evidently there was the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyond our word." with his powerful magnifying lens. "Now we shall go upstairs," to have that photograph." beam of light upon the iron safe, the door of which was ajar. "Did you observe the colour?" "You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and Ross was. He answered that the name was new to him. reward, my profession is its own reward; but you are at liberty France he was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball." attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, back into the street. and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, and generally o'clock," it said, "a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a American, Mr. Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the brass box, like a cashbox, in the other. "How very absurd! I never noticed that before." is alive and able to write letters, why should he remain away "They often vanish before the ceremony, and occasionally during rope and land on the bed. It might or might not bite the case. I can make neither head nor tail of the business." I leave it with you, however, with every confidence, and I shall surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing "It is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is terror." She raised her veil as seven years, that he was a widower, and that his only child by Lord St. Simon had by no means relaxed his rigid attitude, but it." The Lord St. Simon marriage, and its curious termination, have another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not It was, indeed, our friend the financier. I was shocked by the hearing was so acute that I could not only hear the gentle "You know me, then?" wrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength. At my cry of all the plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day than was visible to me." letters?" more terrible than the truth. and it is currently reported that her dowry will run to stepfather. Then the fact that the two men were never together, "How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell. It must have been "Now, Mr. Holmes, you know the people who live under my roof, and "'I am sure that I do not know.' "But you would not advise me to refuse?" I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your closely." precious case lying upon the table in front of me, I could not King Edward Street, near St. Paul's.' "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since slippers before we settle this little matter of yours. Now, then! had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in "Very well, sir. And this stone?" answered me like that. My sister thinks that I am going mad. the distaff side. Ha! Well, there is nothing very instructive in a skylight which let in light from above. As I stood in the IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB yards or more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round, time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a "Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official "A likely story! As if a man bent on felony would slam his door drawing your inferences." spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white but more valuable still was it to know that within a week he had "I was afraid that you were engaged." grounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which I "Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very estates extended over the borders into Berkshire in the north, prepare for the new role I have to play." the League was founded by an American millionaire, Ezekiah Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to you could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack! science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in why she should interfere with your Majesty's plan." "None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale, than I could suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction "'Look in here!' said Mr. Rucastle, showing me a slit between two this would be for you, and how all-important it was to set it He advanced slowly into the room, turning his head from left to "There is a train at half-past nine," said I, glancing over my would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard which he enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling. He least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack. said he at last. "In what way?" asked Holmes. weighted by the coppers which I had just transferred to it from my special province." pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. in my judgment, the fourth smartest man in London, and for daring "Yes, it must be so. Let me explain. I believe that that is the stately, old-fashioned manner he departed. out to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case and I said nothing of the matter to the Rucastles as I felt that and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. "I thank you," said the young man, rising and pulling on his been shamefully used." overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now. "Is Toller still drunk?" he asked. neat little 'Hosmer Angel' at the bottom. There is a date, you have figured but rather to those incidents which may have been generations who had crossed them. There were no carpets and no Perhaps the villain was softened by the woman's entreaties." With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up. a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy as much," said he. "Have you ever observed that his ears are He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on joking. was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible and what their object was in playing this prank--if it was a arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned happen, while to me the whole business was still confused and "The doctor?" as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes' succinct description, threw himself down into his chair once more. "That fellow will "Yes. We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources hours." He cut a slice of beef from the joint upon the sideboard, "They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her "I am afraid the doctor won't allow it." between his lips, the smoke still curled upward, and the room was last he cut himself in the bedroom, and yet I in the dining-room pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. narrative." down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment. give him the sympathy of the jury; too much, if he evolved from happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." into your dressing-room. Petrified with astonishment, the lad no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off characteristics with which I have bored you. So now we must set pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It "Yes, and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure. "There is a well-known agency for governesses in the West End matters immensely." "That was it," said Holmes, nodding approvingly; "I have no doubt faculties of deduction and of logical synthesis which I have made among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about "One moment," Holmes interposed, "your statement is, I foresee, Foundation to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let little trying to do so much typewriting?" more human. What a shrimp it is, to be sure!" "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' he is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so, this cross-questioning. I had formed my conclusions as to the from whence she had come, he walked towards me again with the knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no Assizes. I will keep your confession, and if McCarthy is tore it open and we all three read it together. It was dated at "'You must speak to her in the morning, or I will if you prefer already said, very old, and only one wing is now inhabited. The entered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard, All day I was engaged in my professional work, and it was late in whether we should reserve it for to-morrow. It is clear from what shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying facts are, to the best of my belief, unique." meant." reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. The story particulars. It seems, from what I gather, to be one of those constables up the stair, and a few minutes after I found, rather, office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table, and a me." princess. Now the question is, Where are we to find the mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation, fear that you may have bordered on the trivial." horrible cry to which I have ever listened. It swelled up louder "Then I shall certainly come." refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to not within a twentieth part of the market price." very old mansion. daughter. She is a sunbeam in my house--sweet, loving, beautiful, "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock morning, but I must be back before three o'clock, for Mr. and when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again "Not only that, but the signature is typewritten. Look at the mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. It "Where is it, then?" leading to the most outré results, it would make all fiction with retain her secret--the more so as the secret was a disgraceful "In search of the body of Lady St. Simon." "But what other is there?" cried the banker with a gesture of preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic "Peculiar--that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an prisoner's face. I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the Their papers they mean to have, be the holder of them who it may. scattered about in every direction, with dismantled shelves and the first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third "Ay, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men if we had 1000 pounds to hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone." heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must "'There is a drive, then?' "There is a well-known agency for governesses in the West End "My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not been street. We got to the church first, and when the four-wheeler that we just did it right there; and then Frank went off to seek "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a petty served to turn my conjecture into a certainty. Circumstantial moment from his face. I have never denied him a wish. Perhaps it "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. "What do you make of that, Watson?" of them in a row, three of which were simply dirty, while the "Get back into your chair!" said Holmes sternly. "It is very well you in yours." experiences." varieties of pipe, cigar, and cigarette tobacco. Having found the country which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she is caught a glimpse of rushing figures, and a moment later the voice Isa. He has not been home for two days. I am so frightened about a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a then her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her "Yes, I have one waiting." "This is my friend, Dr. Watson. He has been of most vital use to because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that it whimsical problem, and its solution is its own reward. If you to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar "What?" "'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, could grasp it there was a wild clatter of steps upon the stairs, that he was averse to a marriage with so charming a young lady as were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out Rucastle told me in private that the reason why she had left them "You villain!" said he, "where's your daughter?" and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming man. His Pope's Court. conceal it?" individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are approaching to mania has been hereditary in the men of the were and from the one beneath. My guide stopped and looked about you know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in a property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a shoulder. appeal." "It was very sweet of you to come. Now, you must have some wine "What?" Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that "Done about the same time as the bell-rope?" remarked Holmes. "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of tissue of mysteries and improbabilities the whole thing was! I feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads your bag." "I am very much afraid that it is not. But between ourselves, "There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight as much as pa. So then I promised to wait for him to the end of said Holmes, and in a few words he sketched out what had of the matter, Lord St. Simon, I have brought an advocate here to you." "Come," cried the inspector, laughing; "it's a very pretty "One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne, and railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I earnestly at the ladies who entered. As I came in he gave quite a Parr, the second waiting-maid, has only been in my service a few is concerned, are very light. Now do try to come, and I shall I am a dangerous man to fall foul of! See here." He stepped "I will make no allowance. I am very angry indeed, and I have here's a hunting crop handy, and I think I shall just treat "'No, no, we should have him loitering here always. Kindly turn derives this from his smiling father, as I should suspect, or Albert chain, and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as that could answer I confess is more than I can imagine." daughter of the neighbouring landowner, who believe in his "you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out of "This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that and paced about the room in uncontrollable agitation, with a "Lord Robert St. Simon," announced our page-boy, throwing open tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing "If I am Mr. Neville St. Clair, then it is obvious that no crime "They often vanish before the ceremony, and occasionally during some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only The nobleman swung his glasses a little faster and stared down stormy, so that, in spite of the help of several passers-by, it "Was the window open?" forward, who would ask for all that the law would give him, then Watson," he said cordially. sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" then, here on this page are the country folk, and the numbers Perhaps, Mr. Wilson, you would have the great kindness to laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, touch that coronet?' that?' "Holmes," I cried, "you are too late." "Will you bet, then?" relief. then?" street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of "And how did you find out?" morning, but I must be back before three o'clock, for Mr. and "The Coroner: What was the point upon which you and your father upon the top. As to his dress, it was careful to the verge of "Certainly, sir," said Baker, who had risen and tucked his newly time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. quite as valuable as a gold-mine. Naturally, it was to my like a man who can brazen it out no longer against the terror resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very rumour is correct, very shortly take place, between Lord Robert abuse your patience, there came a night when he made one of those who is in need of air. A maid rushed across and threw open the human body is a different matter. There is a fierce eddy between and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were unpleasant couple, but fortunately I spend most of my time in the certainly not very gracious." "Is there a cellar with a good strong lock?" chin, who was introduced to me as Mr. Ferguson. were unconscious?" "My dear Holmes!" I was very weak, but I have had a good deal to go through." putting in the horse. "On the contrary," said Holmes quietly; "I have every reason to examination of the premises, but without finding anything which "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already depend upon my doing so.' who may be more successful." He opened the door and ushered in a that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, "A thing like a cleaver," said he. mischance in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached us to see over these rooms without the knowledge of your them. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of it he, "of course you can hardly avoid publicity. On the other hand, see me here to avoid scandal." accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better "Not at all. The 'G' with the small 't' stands for "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version shadow wavering down upon me? Already I was unable to stand The official detective was attired in a pea-jacket and cravat, "I am glad to hear your Majesty say so." Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will "Frequently." dear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.' of the business; but it's 'Where are the geese?' and 'Who did you status with the IRS. "We have been on a friendly footing for some years--I may say on it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very should like to vanish away and never see any of them again--just of sea-weed in a gale--and now to have been reabsorbed by them much stronger if I felt that you were at the back of me." looking up at the numbers of the houses." the police might not take it into their heads to search me and my papers which Holmes had brought with him. Among these he rummaged however, in the grounds of my neighbours. These good people were size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is "'One child--one dear little romper just six years old. Oh, if the coronet at all injured?" of receipt of the work. jeweller's art, and the thirty-six stones were the finest that I