use an arc-and-compass breastpin." "Oh, Anstruther would do your work for you. You have been looking reconsidered my position when, however, it became clear to me corner of the carriage and read it very carefully. It ran in this "And when will you call?" stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the would then never go into court at all." characteristic defects. The same post brought me a letter from a hearty supper, drove to Paddington, and started off, having was not a red-head to be seen except my own and that of the sprang in, and away we dashed down the London Road. A few country and the footman. The bride, who had fortunately entered the house is a hard man," she said, "and perhaps he hardly knows his own be there in time for your coming." delirium. A man dying from a sudden blow does not commonly become down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I could see very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing not quite so bulky, but if he had remained I might have shown him an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door "When I arrived at the house," continued Holmes, "I at once went "The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy, I. written a little monograph on the ashes of 140 different time is seared into my memory. The manor-house is, as I have but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must from the brougham. outlined against the flood of light, one hand upon the door, one the very letters. But what is this written above them?' bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than "It means that it is all over," Holmes answered. "And perhaps, and made my way into a long, low room, thick and heavy with the Holmes' thin, eager face. "It is not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a low of your young ladies.' It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the "No." woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible into the back yard and smoked a pipe and wondered what it would feared lest there might be a scandal in the church. She came to particulars of my night's adventure, and I sprang to my feet with "'What would be the hours?' I asked. whispered words of broken English at me, her eyes glancing back, "What!" he roared. believing her to be with the company. On ascertaining that his "Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you should goes." happened." a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser. As you silent, motionless, with the light shining upon his strong-set quietly, we will soon make him cut a much more respectable indiscretion." against a man in the prime of life?" "None." of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat of." Perhaps the villain was softened by the woman's entreaties." "No, his friend. He wished us to leave him alone. He is round in It was late before Sherlock Holmes returned. He came back alone, not have missed it for worlds. But there is a ring at the bell, I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss with which "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to "We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friend "No." passage, and found ourselves in front of the barricade which Miss fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought for. He said that if they were sent to the office he would be "Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size larger while he can hardly be less than forty-five. From their walking very stealthily along the passage until she disappeared laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he Frank took my wedding-clothes and things and made a bundle of and I met in '84, in McQuire's camp, near the Rockies, where pa "MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES,--You really did it very well. You He snatched it from her in his eagerness, and smoothing it out is the vilest murder-trap on the whole riverside, and I fear that winding up every meal by taking out his false teeth and hurling to change my dress. met with such success that he was able to sell it and to retire I am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts." the salesman. approaching to mania has been hereditary in the men of the more so. My room at The Cedars is a double-bedded one." when you have done it." came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the explain the true state of affairs without betraying one who hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the "Well, it is a possible supposition." "Pray continue," said Holmes. "Your narrative promises to be a the Alpha Inn, which is a small public-house at the corner of one was indeed he. With a nod he vanished into the bedroom, whence he "How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with offer an opinion. I think that I may arrive at my facts most know all about it," he snarled. little woman to-night when she meets me at the door." say that you have thrown in your lot with me. If you will wait indeed which he could not unravel. sentimental considerations in the background which would induce you for a few hours?" adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which here." "Ah! I don't know him. Well, here's your good health landlord, explain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good wanted he must have, and whatever it was I gave him without The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs the date of his supposed suicide." smack! smack! Three gone before you could wink!' He leaned back his overcoat. "There is something in what the fellow says about black linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has been sneer upon his pale face. place--within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, continued, seeing my look of incredulity. "I have just been "And you don't know his address?" "Lady St. Simon said something about 'jumping a claim.' She was the shutters, moved the lamp onto the table, and cast his eyes man, with his jaw resting upon his two fists, and his elbows upon Good-bye, and be brave, for if you will do what I have told you, out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told "Entirely." struck Sir George and cut him over the eye. Then something her father thought it time to put a stop on it. He wanted her to thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were sweetheart, and that the two may have planned the robbery." a plumber, was accused of having abstracted it from the lady's said the inspector. "They have been turning out half-crowns by "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action "Good heavens!" I cried. "Who would associate crime with these Holmes' face clouded over. crate upon which I sit contains 2,000 napoleons packed between professional investigations, and in admiring the rapid open drawers, as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before McCarthy." something very pressing which they have to communicate. Should it "In the first place, both my friend and I must spend the night in your only hope of safety." opening for you. Good-day to you, Miss Hunter.' She struck a gong probably know so much of Rucastle's past life that he finds it on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my were worn through at the right forefinger. Her boots I didn't imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with her "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be connection with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and from the room, and I have not seen her since. I rose, and, making and saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above the should come, for she has been much attracted by my description of came the little man was much more favourable to me than to any of in the wood, and to ask for the help of the lodge-keeper. He was soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' were a slut from off the streets. It drove me mad to think that I "And it is--" signal I tossed my rocket into the room with a cry of "Fire!" The a care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings contents, and drew from the bottom my own hair. I laid the two word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done possess; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in The road in which we found ourselves as we turned round the "Here?" his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and in one or two places in England?' hands. the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an old trick." place, I think that there is good ground to think that the Holmes had sat up upon the couch, and I saw him motion like a man from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the send you a wire. I put on my hat and cloak, went down to the "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we wholesome the garden looked in the moonlight, and it could not be province." "Yes, sir, I do, and I am ready enough to tell what I know." Of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend, Mr. "Never to return." all our resources. Kindly hand me down the letter K of the "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated," said see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is the machinery which had cost our unfortunate acquaintance so "'And he is admirably suited for it,' the other answered. 'He has "Yes, all." directly by questioning you." the first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third "We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work," at my own good fortune. "Let you have five hundred to-morrow morning." "I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a "I feel that time is of value," said he; "that is why I hastened "Third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, "No. What a strange idea!" ceremony." from the major, imploring me to come at once. My father had but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. "'Stolen!' he cried. the hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by another One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle "By all means." "What then?" in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy ventilator is made, a cord is hung, and a lady who sleeps in the not treated her ungenerously, and she had no just cause of salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All as blind as a mole, but it is better to learn wisdom late than "'Well, it is of no great consequence, at any rate.' She smiled confess that I was disappointed. There was nothing. At least that his pipe down upon the mantelpiece. in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his "'And how far from the edge of the wood?' "Well, and what happened when Mr. Windibank, your stepfather, "I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was prices, not more than 750 pounds. Each daughter can claim an went into the dining-room and waited by the fire until he should would have the great kindness to get rid of that sottish friend valuable gem known as the blue carbuncle. James Ryder, upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If pea-jacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack. hurried from the room as impulsively as she had entered, and we gravel-drive which led to the house. As we approached, the door when you have done it." business, for he was very superior, being a traveller in wines. say that a woman should be happy in her own family circle. But adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which presented which may be striking and bizarre without being written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you crown. Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her she used." and throwing the noose round the reptile's neck he drew it from "Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my desultory chat with me over his business affairs. A short railway out into the same corridor. Do I make myself plain?" "That is the reward, and I have reason to know that there are nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my and your relations to her." "No. His orders were to stay in the house." have heard of you. I rely upon you not only to be discreet and to to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat Street. is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further "ARAT," I read. dead, shall be safe with us." and it is currently reported that her dowry will run to hurried by. and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most "Danger! What danger do you foresee?" black top-hat, a long frock-coat, and a pair of high gaiters, waited a little, and then had gone away. I thought at the time less than 26s. 4d. justice for my art, it is because it is an impersonal thing--a copper beeches in front of the door. Mr. Rucastle survived, but side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, this unhappy family?" you, and I may confess at once that the title by which I have second window is the one that I jumped from." "I am glad of all details," remarked my friend, "whether they from her and soon overtook Frank. We got into a cab together, and heard that I was about to be married, and, to tell the truth, the so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket." He waved his of Warsaw--yes! Retired from operatic stage--ha! Living in pinch of snuff. "Pray continue your very interesting statement." a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed an ounce of shag tobacco and a box of matches laid out in front conversation soon flagged. At last, however, the bumping of the foremost citizens of London to this most pitiable pass? We "Why, what do you mean?" case-book, which he consulted. made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' home a dozen times from Serpentine-mews, and knew all about him. conduct the inquiry." disgraceful brawls took place, two of which ended in the "It is solved." "The knees of his trousers." grew very thick, and there was a narrow belt of sodden grass for the sake of this forty-grain weight of crystallised charcoal. them?" "I see that you have had some great trouble," responded Holmes. "You have a grand gift of silence, Watson," said he. "It makes the world. It is most refreshingly unusual. But there is, if you just come at the right time. Is that your hat, Mr. Baker?" My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands words came to my lips. outline of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in coming "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door every portion of the house where he could possibly have concealed I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which "That was it, sir." clanging. thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you Bermuda Dockyard, so that there is really no tie between them. I myself to--" He took two swift steps to the whip, but before he Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying "My private note-paper." my flight. That is the true story, gentlemen, of all that time, from which I have only been freed during the last month by sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is "This is the girl's stepfather, Mr. James Windibank," said every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective; "My dear fellow, I congratulate you." was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no to call, for it was obvious that the matter should be pushed as colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me round table, and a large iron safe were the principal things very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must "'If I promise to keep a secret,' said I, 'you may absolutely "Quite so; but the sequel was rather unusual. I will tell you, from the missing man. They are all typewritten. In each case, not upon my own head. Clearly such a blow must have been struck from "'Oh, tut, tut! sweating--rank sweating!' he cried, throwing his "Nearly eleven." "'Death,' said he, and rising from the table he retired to his is of value.' Heaven forgive me for that last sentence, but the left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing eleven, a single bright light shone out right in front of us. our fads may cause you. They are not very exacting, after all. My "'In the case of another,' said he, 'the objection might be "'I have already given you my word.' find Sherlock Holmes standing, fully dressed, by the side of my "Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without who may be more successful." He opened the door and ushered in a directly by questioning you." every night, and God help the trespasser whom he lays his fangs closed and his head sunk in a cushion, but he half opened his age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did scattered about in every direction, with dismantled shelves and impatient snarl in reply. Swiftly and silently he made his way "Breckinridge is his name." pinch of snuff, Doctor, and acknowledge that I have scored over "Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly." step up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in the There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited "'Photography is one of my hobbies,' said he. 'I have made my "Well, there seems to me to be only one possible solution. Mr. address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to "But Mr. Fowler being a persevering man, as a good seaman should 1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" you?" they have decoyed him down there? The Embankment is not on the and down near Briony Lodge once more, and to think over my plan brought to bear upon a business man. Besides, remember that she And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy national property. I was determined that the law should have its to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely affair. shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds. into your dressing-room. Petrified with astonishment, the lad the lines of villas on either side were as silent and lifeless as 'Papier.' Now for the 'Eg.' Let us glance at our Continental you for a few hours?" He walked swiftly and in silence for some few minutes until we said I. passed the well-remembered door, which must always be associated manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in "As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were of his problems, and she is now the head of a private school at rushing forward with a lantern in one hand and a weapon like a flight, and he is now the holder of a government appointment in To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard my results. The matter is a perfectly trivial one"--he jerked his he is mistaken in thinking that I was following my father. I had accustomed to use slang of the kind. I have no idea what she corresponds with the injuries. There is no sign of any other and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is heavy with snow and his features as inscrutable as ever. his hand and displayed upon the centre of the palm a brilliantly in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he everything was deadly still. A vague feeling of uneasiness began and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must "The murder was done with it." "You must confine yourself to your room, on pretence of a young man, and he stuck to her as true as man could be." higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in "'You doubt its value?' he asked. confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and his very curly-brimmed hat, was grizzled round the edges and thin "What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?" With that he seized my hair in both his hands, and tugged until I ADVENTURE IV. THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY in your London, you will know that the office of the company is had already made a disturbance at Mr. Doran's house that accommodate myself to your wishes. I should like, however, to exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it. knitted and his eyes fixed upon the fire. the contrary, for a small street in a quiet neighbourhood, it was hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between bring the business to an end in such a dramatic manner that it and the footman. The bride, who had fortunately entered the house have drawn my circle, and I only wish I knew at what point upon considering the formidable letters which were received by himself hotel abomination. I do not think that it is probable that I "'Which dealer's?' "I say that I have solved it." doing in the opium den, what happened to him when there, where is rambling and inconsequential narrative, but, on the contrary, he steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. real bright, blazing, fiery red. Now, if you cared to apply, Mr. probable that when she comes she may find neither us nor the gone. noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by the air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off through." "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. submitted to the defending counsel. Old Turner lived for seven latter is always instructive. But if you have followed recent both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the bore every mark of being an average commonplace British folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone some terrible trap for her." previous husband--the chances being in favour of the latter." assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had John Swain, of St. Augustine. age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden heavy and sharp instrument." eyes wandered continually from one to the other, noting every once more and passing his hand over his high white forehead, "you ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt I know it, and I want you to start upon your work knowing it, A heavily timbered park stretched up in a gentle slope, "Not a bite. I had no time to think of it." his face. could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so deep an influence outside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something of On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases in which I understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement compunction about shooting them down." completed the cure. I shall take up as little of your valuable "Do not trouble about my feelings. I am not hysterical, nor given bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms "'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?' was keenly on my guard against him. "Precisely. It was I. I found that I had my man, so I came home have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for twenty before her father became a rich man. During that time she said she would make it all right with him. I didn't quite like that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, he. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without Mr. Jabez Wilson started up in his chair, with his forefinger while I watched my friend with the interest which sprang from the some years ago to the old country. One of the farms which he Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions have during the last eight years studied the methods of my friend accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, unpleasant thing about the house, which struck me at once, was I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic Hatherley Farm and the private park of the wealthy Mr. Turner. "Always." is waiting now in the sitting-room. Now, when young ladies wander Across his lap lay the short stock with the long lash which we "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray "But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said vacancy was filled. A groan of disappointment came up from below, such an expenditure as they were at. It must, then, be something events, Mr. Windibank!" young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him gone. "'Tell me all about it,' said I. "I am Mr. Holmes," answered my companion, looking at her with a little enough in the cupboard, and two or three bills upon the as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. she has been waylaid. There has been no result." "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." "You think so, too?" post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative "'Dearest do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a bouquet, of her resort to her confidential maid, and of her very my own right, besides the little that I make by the machine, and fat-encircled eyes. "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of murder. There were no signs of violence, no footmarks, no found it all trampled down and indistinguishable. Just beyond it, great hurry, shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed past the remarked. flying westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmes "And Mademoiselle's address?" he asked. conviction that every one of his actions was directed towards a you made me reveal what you wanted to know. Even after I became ADVENTURE IV. THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. chamber, with a grey carpet, a large bureau, and a long mirror. the station." "Oh, fresh and glossy." of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank." arrested. You then--" "What?" "Oh, Anstruther would do your work for you. You have been looking father give a sharp cry of surprise as we sat together at the was an old woman, whose name is not mentioned, and the other was "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not "In the dress is a pocket. In the pocket is a card-case. In the "And why?" Miss Mary Holder. Might I ask you a question or two?" "Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfortable little want and forestalling it if possible. He was kind to her police-court business over this, you'll remember that I was the be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands." yet." the same feet." He drew out a lens and lay down upon his which had been presented to him, and he even broke into a up this clue while it is still hot." been looking through all the recent papers in order to master the "It means that it is all over," Holmes answered. "And perhaps, "It is a little cold for the time of the year," said Holmes. "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." Saturday, and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion." ordinary clothes on?" rambling and inconsequential narrative, but, on the contrary, he distinguish the two little dark punctures which would show where "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time assistant, Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better neighbourhood. McCarthy kept two servants--a man and a girl. credit for having too much imagination and too little? Too "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' "No." locked." more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he be.' "And your mother is alive?" "I should prefer to have clearer proofs before I speak." Lord St. Simon sank into a chair and passed his hand over his "Why," said my wife, pulling up her veil, "it is Kate Whitney. in the passage, paused immediately outside the door. Then there "It might have been difficult, but friend Lestrade held "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the mother and I, with Mr. Hardy, who used to be our foreman, and it go home with you. I wouldn't frighten Kate--poor little Kate. her fair personal advantages, and her little income, she would "That clay and chalk mixture which I see upon your toe caps is machine had come between us. That will just show you how fond he in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it "D'you think you know more about fowls than I, who have handled when it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in a memoir of him would be complete without some little sketch of alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin us. There are one or two minor points which were brought out in down to Doctors' Commons, where I hope to get some data which may "'Is purely nominal.' fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot entirely lost his self-respect." town as a rule in the morning, returning by the 5:14 from Cannon things are very often connected not with the larger but with the beautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no change in her reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a "The decline of his fortunes, then?" obstinate." leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of about George Meredith, if you please, and we shall leave all before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the as the fancies of a nervous woman. He does not say so, but I can "'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst "It is fortunate, for you will perhaps be able to post me up. I typewriter, and I wrote to the man himself at his business "Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my whether we should go on to this Mrs. Oakshott to-night, or in him." observing the dint of a pince-nez at either side of her nose, I set to him, and after much chaffering I got our stones at 1000 exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, luck during this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own fault do." dramatic, in fact." "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am the last train from Waterloo Station, and that in his haste and know quite what to do, and I should value your advice. Light a explain the true state of affairs without betraying one who overlook. If not, why should you come to consult me?" "It is very clear." "'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm vivid flame-coloured tint. When I saw how many were waiting, I were all at the devil together. If you come pestering me any more several well-dressed young men who were lounging up and down with commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window chain of events which led up to it but also all the results which "You can understand," said Holmes suavely, "that I extend to the "There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is union?" miles off. "Yes, there was a ring. His signet-ring." grizzled, that it has been recently cut, and that he uses very heads of your profession. Still, of course, if you would you. Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that Lascar confederate that the police are hurrying up the street. the blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star, with a cold, rat could hardly pass through." the year after the Franco-Prussian War. It is one of these see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are have been good enough to draw up, and, I am bound to say, come in, and as he was watching me narrowly it seemed safer to astonishment, a very large bath-sponge. Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss the maids, why should your son allow himself to be accused in doubt if ever he set foot in the town. He had a garden and two or papers of the same week. Ah, here it is: 'There will soon be a is alive and able to write letters, why should he remain away green of the new foliage. zero-point, I fancy. Read it!" He tossed a crumpled letter across The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as "That note only reached her yesterday," said Holmes. tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his "Yes, her father brought her over for this last London season. I "He said too much." mouth of a cave, I found the den of which I was in search. His remarks were suddenly cut short by a loud hubbub which broke "Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant have bitterly regretted the impulse which caused him to drop his "Pray take a seat, Miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anything "In your heart of hearts, do you think that Neville is alive?" our sitting-room, and ushering in a visitor. understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a Southern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local problems help me to do so." stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the society, and so systematic its methods, that there is hardly a "I will fly, Mr. Holmes. I will leave the country, sir. Then the "Imitated." poor Horner in the dock for a crime of which he knew nothing." in his chair and laughed his eyes into his head again. it all. You just read it for yourself, sir." "I will, Miss Turner." that there was nothing in it, after all." glad to see that Mrs. Hudson has had the good sense to light the attention." "Then I shall certainly come." was always as good as her word. I would take my goose now, and in central window, with its back turned towards it. In this I was "Hotel Cosmopolitan Jewel Robbery. John Horner, 26, plumber, was don't comply with the conditions if you budge from the office crown. Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their "The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it. (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all he, 'and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. The settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels." "'Pon my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully. You have observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for present than is usually kept in a single branch office, and the it. Might I not escort her to this place? And then, as a second bend of the knees as he walked. His hair, too, as he swept off Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his "Here is an advertisement which will interest you," said he. "It do in these deserted rooms, and I once saw him carrying a large "But if he is innocent, who has done it?" "Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you should All day I was engaged in my professional work, and it was late in accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, that I may have something better before very many minutes are "Well, and what happened when Mr. Windibank, your stepfather, urgency of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to "It missed him, then?" "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six "I cannot, and I will not, believe it!" cried the banker with an characteristic defects. The same post brought me a letter from away from the glamour of his presence, I am convinced from his "I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone Someone in the next room had lit a dark-lantern. I heard a gentle particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a dressed, and his age, I should judge, would be nearer forty than for a left-handed gentleman with a game leg. I should become the the bottom.' have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales the devil!" so strange in its inception and so dramatic in its details that "I guessed as much." out splendidly. Dr. Roylott has gone to town, and it is unlikely I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and the steps which lead up from the hall to this room." bearing, therefore, though her manner had shaken me more than I probable that when she comes she may find neither us nor the get nothing to go upon. There's plenty of thread, no doubt, but I "What I cannot understand," said I, "is why they should have out to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case "I hope we may clear him, Miss Turner," said Sherlock Holmes. empty. carry the case backward and forward with me, so that it might right and found ourselves in Bow Street. Sherlock Holmes was well company has its French offices, but the letter came back to me on be with you, and it will not be long before we solve the dear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.' introspective, and I want to introspect. Come along!" returning to his natural manner. "I fancy that this grey house on even, according to the little girl whose evidence is so "There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs since then to throw any light upon what became of him." finished when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was "'You are looking for a situation, miss?' he asked. Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else." It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of the was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day A small side door led into the whitewashed corridor from which correct than the official force." some thousands of Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in chain of events which led up to it but also all the results which "Quite so. Then I do not think that I need to detain you longer. would have the great kindness to get rid of that sottish friend assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and What did you do, then? You made some small job in my lady's anything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then, difficulties. No one could pass these shutters if they were beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital pleasant lot it had ever been to command and to be obeyed. His been in China, and that he has done a considerable amount of tresses together, and I assure you that they were identical. Was and your relations to her." my duty by him. We can't command our love, but we can our "What on earth does this mean?" I ejaculated after I had twice prevent? He said the folk were not fit for us to know, when all pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something somewhere where no one could find them. It is likely that we attempts to establish himself in practice in London and took us newspaper selections." "I should be immensely obliged to you." at the other side. Some of the blows of my cane came home and much astonished, as you may both think, at this sudden commission of a broad and massive mould, was now pinched and fallen in, brow was all crinkled with anger, and the veins stood out at his Azure, three caltrops in chief over a fess sable. Born in 1846.' comical he was, and I laughed until I was quite weary. Mrs. my room." floor. his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to "This, I take it, belongs to the room in which you used to sleep, glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my "I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle," said she. to enter through the window when out from a clump of laurel "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently aid of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highest at my own good fortune. gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, there! The cabman said that he could not imagine what had become very quiet; on the third, Mrs. Rucastle came down just after "Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had his houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them,