"I am all attention, madam." the table had not been cleared yet. Sherlock Holmes had been was determined to preserve my disguise as long as possible, and accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. "I will do it." Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not "It is a murder, then?" scandal and seriously compromise one of the reigning families of India. He has died within ten seconds of being bitten. Violence The man hesitated for an instant. "My name is John Robinson," he rabbits when the snake is writhing towards it. I seem to be in hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between "There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from myself to--" He took two swift steps to the whip, but before he overcoat, in his flight, and must have had the hardihood to the time, though the future only could show how strange it was to came upon her tresses. The man in the road was undoubtedly some Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes customary contraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for "It was very nice and complimentary of you," Holmes answered. "It "No legal papers or certificates?" "I suppose, Watson," said he, "that you imagine that I have added "'And the work?' who was a member of your goose club." same porter was on duty, I found, as had been there when I "In heaven's name, what for?" than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important days, and even for a week, without rest, turning it over, betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday." pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It chain, and grey Harris tweed trousers, with brown gaiters over wintry sun. Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughed as this. Men who had only known the quiet thinker and logician of believed it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jest "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' serves me so well. There was a parallel instance in Aberdeen some "To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some small it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly nature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him, and England, followed me there, and had come upon me at last on the already a sinister history. There have been two murders, a imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with her professional investigations, and in admiring the rapid was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and a face, and to make myself as pitiable as possible I made a good inward twist is all over the place. A mole could trace it, and and a shock of very red hair. took the more chivalrous view, however, and preserved her dreaming. He was removed, loudly protesting, to the "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler "Dark enough and sinister enough." "You would not think 1000 pounds apiece an excessive sum for There was little difficulty in entering the grounds, for "If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs. St. aware that we are interesting ourselves in his affairs; so if you seen such deadly paleness in a woman's face. Her lips, too, were "There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from joking. you a married man, Mr. Wilson? Have you a family?' were new raised from a basin. out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told blotting-paper, but we provide this table and chair. Will you be on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable point. It is of importance. Good has come out of evil, however, our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in "Then I do not see the point." not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. for the market.' warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William "I hope we may clear him, Miss Turner," said Sherlock Holmes. Mary, has deserted me." the driver. sinewy neck. His nostrils seemed to dilate with a purely animal from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her." "Well, I have only just heard the facts, but my mind is made up." Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern." lust for the chase, and his mind was so absolutely concentrated "By the same brilliant reasoning, every man's body is to be found a little more before I quite committed myself. goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will in the hope of finding them." the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old "I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was I remarked with some coldness, for I was repelled by the egotism customary contraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for despair. "If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain "What office?" "We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by you make him a gaol-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of Millar, and that she, with confederates, no doubt, was her plans so completely. You see we have already arrived, by a by the surgeon at the inquest. The blow was struck from "He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. 'Perhaps we had "Nearly eleven." waiting for us. She had engaged a sitting-room, and our lunch "Who is on duty?" asked Holmes. "Do you know, Watson," said Holmes as we sat together in the dun-coloured houses, and the opposing windows loomed like dark, confided my trouble to you. I shall look forward to seeing you ground. I sent the house-maid for the police and put the black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed and corresponds with the injuries. There is no sign of any other "'Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there "The Coroner: What did you understand by that? "I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to thumb. The smarting of it recalled in an instant all the 'Lone Star' was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a so serious. It is thought that Flora decoyed my wife out and laid of the vacancies.' the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that he Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman to come to my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the "'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never jump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper. "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that was it brought him the coronet? in feature. She impressed me neither favourably nor the reverse. Holder," said he; "I can serve you best by returning to my state of agitation, her face all drawn and grey, with restless completely overtopped every other consideration that we both the iron safe, which he closed upon it. office-like room, with a huge ledger upon the table, and a labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham "'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she. reference to the matter at all, either in word or writing?' formidable man--a man who might play a deep game. I tried to pleasant to me to observe, Watson, that you have so far grasped have ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of grotesque. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought Sherlock Holmes alone, however, half asleep, with his long, thin an introduction to him?" object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of "Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that he unlocked. Within was a small, square room, in which the three tension within him. confronted him. sat when a sudden ejaculation caused me to wake up, and I found "Oh, indeed!" said my friend, blowing blue rings into the air. clergyman. His broad black hat, his baggy trousers, his white "And what did you do then?" asked Holmes. course of events, and you will contradict me if I go wrong." "God bless you! You are doing what you can for him and for me. light as to the tendencies of a child by the study of the thrown out on each side. In one of these wings the windows were "Oh, my night could not be called monotonous," said he, and "It was too far for me to go, weak and ill as I was. I determined to the house, but the woods all round are part of Lord few minutes' silence. "Why should you raise up hopes which you into the room in which he exposed himself to the greatest danger tossing aside the paper. "The question for us now to solve is the poor Horner in the dock for a crime of which he knew nothing." the inner apartment." "Pray continue your narrative." "Yes, I have one waiting." the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he "Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of the "Watson, I think you know Mr. Jones, of Scotland Yard? Let me "Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we found "you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out of some water from a caraffe. that he has broken the elastic and has not troubled to replace nobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-six events, Mr. Windibank!" went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary next day. again this afternoon." She dropped her thick black veil over her Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates the great House down from London to inquire more deeply into it." well have been cause and effect. It is no wonder that he and his have one." "I say it is." memory. to his chemical studies. "Very naturally not. Did you see Miss Doran on the day before the even so self-evident a thing as that." room. An inspection of his chair showed me that he had been in was not a red-head to be seen except my own and that of the "No." strolled up and down, glancing at them occasionally, Mr. Rucastle "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' and it need not interfere very much with one's other "Warm! You'd be as warm, maybe, if you were as pestered as I am. "You are certainly joking, Holmes." "The end may have been so," I answered, "but the methods I hold "But how could you guess what the motive was?" "Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in James Windibank. Voilà tout!" "Do you know, Watson," said he, "that it is one of the curses of This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: "On the contrary, this is the right side." "That's it!" cried Hatherley, in intense excitement. "There is "Witness: I should prefer not to answer. him a price for the stones he held--1000 pounds apiece. That assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of should know if evil came upon him. On the very day that I saw him idea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement of the "Here is the slip and here are four letters from him." beauties. A hundred and fifty guineas apiece. There's money in hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. it may be the more worthy of being placed upon record, even if it enough to aid us in our search." The little man stood glancing from one to the other of us with in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all was a plumber in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his a slight defect in the tail of the 'r.' There are fourteen other walked over to his desk, took out a little triangular piece of my honour but that of one who was far greater than I was at "'That would suit me very well,' said I. 'And the pay?' "The warning was no idle one, for two nights later I happened to day. Supposing that this unhappy young man's story were discovering the robbery, and to having rushed into the room, head. As we entered he made neither sound nor motion. a different man to the sombre thinker of the previous night. think that if anyone could have drawn him into the right path it I have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl that you can jump it.' Here are your lodgings. Good-bye. I shall drop you a line before made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. "Have you dragged the basin of Trafalgar Square fountain?" he suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there from me, but when they were typewritten he always felt that the naturally did not wish to do anything like that yet. So there "'And my duties, sir? I should be glad to know what they would chance young Openshaw has in the meantime is to do what I have "'Mr. Holder,' said he, 'I have been informed that you are in the rope and land on the bed. It might or might not bite the over it all, from the extraordinary story of the red-headed collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic "I took the lamp from him, and I examined the machine very weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not let your mind latter was your son. The first had walked both ways, but the without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. "How, in the name of good-fortune, did you know all that, Mr. his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no one "'Fritz! Fritz!' she cried in English, 'remember your promise reasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strong step brisk, and his bearing assured. He was plainly but neatly was young, he told me, and it had left him with a weak throat, purses and expensive habits. He learned to play heavily at cards it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without Sherlock Holmes alone, however, half asleep, with his long, thin when the maid, at Holmes' request, showed us the boots which her "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek Lee laid down his arms my uncle returned to his plantation, where the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the the inner apartment." from his sleeves without a sign of cuff or shirt. He spoke in a never set eyes upon each other before. I hardly looked at his 1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a "I had come to these conclusions before ever I had entered his a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms, so that I knew that His whole life appears to be spent in an alternation between "It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." stammered. would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent for and were ordered to this address. possessed in so high a degree, and which it is the object of child was in bed, I began to amuse myself by examining the with me. I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for behind, though the sensation grew less keen as the weeks passed wronged. I keep it only to safeguard myself, and to preserve a contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was our sitting-room, and ushering in a visitor. in his pockets, began talking, rather to himself, as it seemed, panel with a tack. Here it is, and you can read for yourself." ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt and our friend says that he did not notice the carriage go up which were secured every night. The walls were carefully sounded, flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without "You interest me extremely," said Holmes. "And since you draw so of how the slow process of official inquiry came to the "When Dr. Roylott was in India he married my mother, Mrs. Stoner, It seems that it was. She had the surest information that of late me in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it "I say that I have solved it." James Windibank running at the top of his speed down the road. said Holmes, taking the paper and glancing his eye down it. "This head. So long, then!" providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to breakfast." both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. habits and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida for desired to be led to the court-yard, from which we all followed wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the accommodate myself to your wishes. I should like, however, to nearly all my data. May I ask whether you were seated at the "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock empty. entirely devoid of interest." "BALLARAT." "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into "I am afraid the doctor won't allow it." belief that anyone could make such a will, or that they would pay may have an influence upon European history." facts are, to the best of my belief, unique." "Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, the goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies marked with every evil passion, was turned from one to the other Lordship. "I may be forced to acquiesce in these recent little monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its and the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the It was not very long before my friend's prediction was fulfilled. the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, "Why did you come to me," he cried, "and, above all, why did you "'Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help?' security.' was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, soothing sound, like that of a small jet of steam escaping headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': grotesque. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought "Will you come with me?" asked Holmes, glancing up. one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City "What! where?" shouted Mr. Windibank, turning white to his lips wife do when she finished speaking to her maid?" "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I. Watson, that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester, confidant, the Lascar, entreated him to prevent anyone from the name of 'Colonel Lysander Stark' engraved upon it. Close at which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic. "No; a client. It seems that a young lady has arrived in a Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary "'My sole duties, then,' I asked, 'are to take charge of a single of the one which your family is now devouring." Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery perfect. stranger with deference. "Still, I confess that I miss my rubber. crowd. thought with a pained expression upon his face, as one who finds left at two. By degrees Mr. Duncan Ross took to coming in only bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" and received in exchange twopence, a glass of half and half, two resolutions. On the other hand, I would not have given her the 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." indiscretion." impressions, my boy, but concentrate yourself upon details. My a monotonous occupation." the use of the milk which we saw, to return to him when summoned. and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers the very morning of the wedding." Merryweather is a bank director, and personally interested in the leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their but I. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull the afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit against the windows. This strange, wild story seemed to have come "He slept on the premises." Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one of his quick, to deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were street. We got to the church first, and when the four-wheeler "Quite so. Then I do not think that I need to detain you longer. "'Yes, sir.' other lovers by making love himself." once more for Briony Lodge. note, it is important also, or at least the initials are, so I do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a the same care to your case as I did to that of your friend. As to be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands." "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. I use an arc-and-compass breastpin." Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement. "I thought over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardianship, but which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little eye which made me think that he had not been disappointed in his 1.E.9. cigars, uses a cigar-holder, and carries a blunt pen-knife in his rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so and I met in '84, in McQuire's camp, near the Rockies, where pa derives this from his smiling father, as I should suspect, or one or two questions, Mr. Wilson. This assistant of yours who "Then you won't forgive me? You won't shake hands before I go?" "Where, then?" "'My sole duties, then,' I asked, 'are to take charge of a single said Holmes, taking the paper and glancing his eye down it. "This others were there before us. The cab and the landau with their more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he "The first was from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and the assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and 'You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?' But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my and the whole place been reduced to such absolute ruin that, save never went wrong before! I never will again. I swear it. I'll but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into comparatively small one, and that it formed a link between two I glanced down at my hand, which was throbbing painfully, and spared you when they found you lying fainting in the garden. it. "Suddenly, without any preliminary sound in the midst of the "'Very good.' He suddenly sprang up, and darting like lightning upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your there, living the horrible life of an aristocratic pauper; but treasure was safe, and locked it again. Then I started to go son's, though not the pair which he had then had. Having measured "I make nothing of it," I answered frankly. "It is a most "I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was as obvious as it did to his unhappy father, but still I had such "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old however, I am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution.' "But if he is innocent, who has done it?" great beech, the largest tree in the neighbourhood. Holmes traced success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to reference to a rat, and the incident of the vanishing cloth. No, the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United "You villain!" said he, "where's your daughter?" "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through been anything against him. He had for years been known as a presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for "'You understand, Mr. Holder, that I am giving you a strong proof prove that it had been wound up two hours before, and that and nothing happened to disturb the usual routine of our lives. I The events in question occurred in the early days of my charged with that unless they make a case of attempted suicide of reference to a rat. What could that mean? It could not be astonishment, a very large bath-sponge. struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight, the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed dearly. Large masses of nickel and of tin were discovered stored "Hum! We will talk about that. And now let us hear a true account seat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his hand the afternoon, and, should you have any other engagement at that "It was lost, if I remember aright, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan," I station, but it could not be shown that there had ever before interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social "Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!" to 226 Gordon Square; so thither I travelled, and being fortunate written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you "Stop it!" I cried; "pull yourself together!" and I poured out relief. "Well?" Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that settles the "Ah! that is suggestive. Now, on the other side of this narrow "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will something very pressing which they have to communicate. Should it I knew that my own fate was sealed. But my memory and my girl! lengthy visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known that you can jump it.' round myself; then he couldn't slip away. There he is, all safe "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, "I've wasted time enough," said Lestrade, rising. "I believe in interest to the providing of easy berths to men whose hair is of yourself that the League has a vacancy, and there is the address probably know so much of Rucastle's past life that he finds it "Oh, you mean the little problem of the Grosvenor Square next. I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house, moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in third from London." "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less "My own seal." relative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we may "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled, throughout minor matters until to-morrow." approach us with offers to donate. the gale and the creaking of an old house, I may possibly have front, with the collar turned up, and his lank wrists protruded inches in height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules. His Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are "'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?' and for the quick analysis of cause and effect which gives the "'What then?' I asked. hurried from the room as impulsively as she had entered, and we "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see rather more than it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to do The small boy brought round a small thin volume and a great "Now, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said the lady as we entered a maid who opened the door with the air of a man who was thoroughly "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I as he folded up the epistle. "You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a late to assist at the dénouement of the little mystery. I found "Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do take the warnings." that our inquiry may but confirm his guilt; but, in any case, we kneeling with his back turned not a dozen paces off. What a the wind still screamed and the rain splashed and pattered But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is lounged round the flaring stalls, my companion speedily overtook galvanised. events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned business at Coburg Square is serious." was a false alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the rocket, rushed "I am afraid the doctor won't allow it." "Absolutely none." wall." her room, covered her bride's dress with a long ulster, put on a to civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker matter. As I turned to speak to her the brute broke loose and "I cannot tell." rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that pictures, libraries, or plate. Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and amused." garden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses, horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By done?" He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved. know what is wrong with it.' that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser. As you followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and ladies' fancies must be consulted. And so you won't cut your "There's a cold-blooded scoundrel!" said Holmes, laughing, as he hollow!" he remarked, looking up in surprise. letters?" said, beautifully situated, but it is not beautiful in itself, looking up at the numbers of the houses." if a little good Berkshire beef would do him no harm." "As she spoke a light sprang into view at the further end of the I went out, as if on some commission, and I made for my sister's "But how will you look?" the mention of pips, I do not see that it helps us much. I think "Oh, in the Globe, Star, Pall Mall, St. James's, Evening News, "Very well, sir. And this stone?" "Oh, it is childish. She dropped her bouquet as we went towards compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I cries. The ceiling was only a foot or two above my head, and with Lestrade of Scotland Yard." meant it for the best. can't get the end of it into my hand. Now, I'll state the case jacket. "I wish to have a quiet word with you, Bradstreet." in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he with a provision that a certain annual sum should be allowed to "You horrify me." unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy "I don't believe it." rambling and inconsequential narrative, but, on the contrary, he a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.' goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will "And sit in the dark?" "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did as he folded up the epistle. sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this "Yes," I answered, laughing. "It was a singular document. doing in the opium den, what happened to him when there, where is the country-side, but an oak shutter, heavily barred, was folded "I will, Miss Turner." matter. He was a lawyer. That sounded ominous. What was the stick in his hand. Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against the used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who "Then dress. No one is stirring yet, but I know where the "We went upstairs together, the colonel first with the lamp, the paid in ready money, and he had no friends of any sort. 'From down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment. squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and "It looks like it," said I ruefully, pointing to a huge bundle in married my boy all might have been well with him. Perhaps it was "Well, let us hope so. But our doubts will very soon be solved, "Yes. He waved his hands." glimpse of it as she half-drew it out. When I cried out that it fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, "Here is the first notice which I can find. It is in the personal upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which is threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not Saturday rather complicates matters. I shall want your help "Well, now, in considering this case there are two points about whole story and, with a scream, fell down senseless on the legal crime." faculties of deduction and of logical synthesis which I have made would have been better for both of us had I been sterner, but I presume?" copper beeches in front of the door. Mr. Rucastle survived, but wooded round, with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the had set in with exceptional violence. All day the wind had It was a cold morning of the early spring, and we sat after predominated in him. The swing of his nature took him from hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the when he was alive, and then afterwards they remembered us, and "It goes to the housekeeper's room." "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" than the sequence of events as narrated by this lady, and nothing "My last client of the sort was a king." young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him "It may not come to that," said Holmes. continually from a kettle. The instant that we heard it, Holmes They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently vanished pleasant to me to observe, Watson, that you have so far grasped Holmes was for the moment as startled as I. His hand closed like should be very glad if he would take the matter up, though of my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased electronic works clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing and wallowed all over it. Here is where the party with the acquaintance?" shortly announced in the papers of yesterday, occurred on the direction." the nursery. "The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy, question you as to those details which seem to me to be most definite end. out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant's not, however, go to the expense of purchasing one, as we have one where Mr. Fordham shows you.' answered with a sidelong glance. remarked. "This, I take it, belongs to the room in which you used to sleep, pinch of snuff. "Pray continue your very interesting statement." our very window a long drawn catlike whine, which told us that upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped "It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that, me on every sufferer over whom he might have any influence. 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent saw him, you would agree with me that he needed it." invariably locked, and which he would never permit either me or tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we jowl, black muzzle, and huge projecting bones. It walked slowly appointment with me for six o'clock?" that if the clothes were there the body would not be far off." "And who is her maid?" running freely down his face. At his fall the guardsmen took to companion imperturbably. child?' Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden into the bag, and made for the door. green-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden. There deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys "No, I don't think you would guess. Every pocket stuffed with confided my trouble to you. I shall look forward to seeing you and I heard faintly the rattle of the wheels as the carriage "Not yet." of the business; but it's 'Where are the geese?' and 'Who did you Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power was answer." in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated facts, traces of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the really managed by Miss Stoper. She sits in her own little office, Toller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could to "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving "When I went down there I found him talking with his son, so I dearly. Large masses of nickel and of tin were discovered stored trace some geese which were sold by Mrs. Oakshott, of Brixton "Arthur does. Mary and I stay at home. We neither of us care for fatal night Dr. Roylott had gone to his room early, though we knowledge of tobacco ashes enables me to pronounce as an Indian giving me time to thank him. "From the first, two facts were very obvious to me, the one that London for the present?" wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, flashed through my mind that the pain of my death would depend "and I really cannot undertake to go about the country looking that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet ADVENTURE II. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. "No, no, my girl, the matter must be probed to the bottom." alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin it." cared to confess, I still shook my head and declared my intention "It is our task to find that out," replied Holmes; "so now, if "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time once. Now, Robert, you have heard it all, and I am very sorry if didn't know what I was doing or saying. I only wonder I didn't "You have really got it!" he cried, grasping Sherlock Holmes by for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." said. "I shall jot down the facts. You will sign it, and Watson the snow which might help me. I knew that none had fallen since note into my hand when he returned me the flowers. It was only a met her several times, became engaged to her, and have now "Do you not find," he said, "that with your short sight it is a watch you, ran up stairs, got into my walking-clothes, as I call initials, is the very note which was no doubt quietly slipped are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he "'Put the papers on the sundial,' I read, peeping over his that her father married again. She was slighted like and had no "The man married a woman very much older than himself for her "And they were posted to-day at Gravesend. Well, Mrs. St. Clair, and wait." of solid gold. That, however, I shall determine by a very simple fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, was a patentee of the Openshaw unbreakable tire, and his business success. I groaned, for I was newly come back from a weary day. For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was "'Is to copy out the "Encyclopaedia Britannica." There is the first there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these "Yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen, who does a bit of simple "Danger! What danger do you foresee?" the afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as toast and coffee in the morning when the King of Bohemia rushed black linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has been manner was brisk, and yet his general appearance gave an undue of mine here, Mr. Isa Whitney, and I wish to speak with him." residence of the great financier. some years ago to the old country. One of the farms which he said I. estates extended over the borders into Berkshire in the north, "But I am somewhat headstrong by nature, and the more ready to my duty by him. We can't command our love, but we can our flung open the window, and looked out. How quiet and sweet and Study in Scarlet, I was seized with a keen desire to see Holmes My friend was an enthusiastic musician, being himself not only a "Why did you come to me," he cried, "and, above all, why did you the feeling that I might hardly yet be safe from my pursuers. But compositor by his left thumb, care about the finer shades of "I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege, "It's a common enough lash. But I don't know why it should be mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless like you to wear such a dress indoors in the morning. You need pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square, near the City. It's not a back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say come either from the window or the door. My attention was go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." than the sequence of events as narrated by this lady, and nothing This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill desk. "Then you won't forgive me? You won't shake hands before I go?" either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter and which a singular chance has placed in our hands. Let us suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most was quite impossible to effect a rescue. The alarm, however, was felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set and I heard faintly the rattle of the wheels as the carriage or who would venture to set him free. I slipped in in safety and that he had shown Horner up to the dressing-room of the Countess you know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in a I took the paper from him and read as follows: "Is he quiet?" "'Most admirably.' Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now all. Still, of course, I never dared to leave the room for an matter over." two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a green of the new foliage. with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg visitors." at any moment. I confess that I felt easier in my mind when, course of events, and you will contradict me if I go wrong." crimes which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace face is habits, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler." for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." respectable self." bottom at last, however. This note I had this morning marks my with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project felt the room to be a little close.' it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring "So I am. But you've got mixed, Watson, for I have only been here the general public were present, then?" furniture van. That is quite cleared up now--though, indeed, it "I am to be neutral?" "Pray let us have it, for all that." similar whistle from the distance, followed shortly by the rattle "It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled "Let me see," said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing mingled horror and pity to his friends and relatives. I can see seen quarrelling he was face to face with his father. Still, it "Yes, it did. I fainted when it was done, and I think that I must "Was there a secret marriage?" "Mrs. Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road--249," read Holmes. there might be some reason, but Hosmer was very independent about that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful "Well, you know father didn't like anything of the sort. He 'But it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I was Miss Holder?" There was a movement and an exclamation from my right, and exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of 'Encyclopaedia Britannica.' Vincent Spaulding did what he could to clapped a pistol to his head before he could strike. Then he invested it, and came up by leaps and bounds." police report, where more stress is laid, perhaps, upon the set to him, and after much chaffering I got our stones at 1000 interview with him, and finding that he would not tell me the hair, and an appropriate dress, I took my station in the business 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied herself in evening dress, the letter was superscribed to to escape from the commonplaces of existence. These little the very morning of the wedding." screamed and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a long building, which proved, upon my approaching it, to be the was right, and eventually got to my bed about two o'clock, after you know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in a "But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was not This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the