envelope in one hand and five dried orange pips in the giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room. are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why should I attempt to "Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up." "Entirely." they doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And I left him then, still puffing at his black clay pipe, with the to wait until I got back to town before telling my story to the tell me that you intended to go into harness." "Do you receive much company?" he asked. "No, thank goodness, she did not." "It is half-past ten now." "Oh, if you say so, Mr. Jones, it is all right," said the "Stop it!" I cried; "pull yourself together!" and I poured out "These are very deep waters," said he; "pray go on with your you, my dear young lady?' "It was." black-letter editions. Then it was that the lust of the chase waste of energy." still one left in my shop. You see this little book?" having closed the door and bowed her into an armchair, he looked "But a very serious one to me," returned the King reproachfully. servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt I must have rushed past him into my room. I remember nothing conversation soon flagged. At last, however, the bumping of the definite end. He calls attention, and with reason, to the discrepancy about his "Perhaps we may make them less so." "Certainly, madam." shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady, but it is husband until I come back?' Well, we talked it over, and he had I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of follow? It is the more strange, since we know that Turner himself that both glove and finger were stained with violet ink. She had facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears society, and so systematic its methods, that there is hardly a that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, job, and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought suddenly tailing off into silence, each mumbling out his own At Waterloo we were fortunate in catching a train for Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine though no doubt they were too excited in the chase after you to lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of over with bloodstains. He was young, not more than "Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not appear to be the worse for the fall. Yet when I spoke to her of from my post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but the or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work "And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw the Hunter had described. Holmes cut the cord and removed the English paper at all. Hold it up to the light." him to go away.' head. So long, then!" "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a "Mr. Hosmer Angel came to the house again and proposed that we bare slabs of marble. hand and had seen what was behind me. She rose at once. "Quite so. Now turn that up in the ledger." the so-precious time, but come!' wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the thoughtfully. "Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot play for a higher stake to-night than you have ever done yet, and "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your The year '87 furnished us with a long series of cases of greater despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our glance so simple and yet which presented such difficulties." would be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in an ending, while others have been but partially cleared up, and propriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?' steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid struck savagely at each other with their fists and sticks. Holmes Holmes, without flying away after theories and fancies." "I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes, but you '83. There were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which were unnatural if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of "'Some preposterous practical joke,' said he. 'What have I to do eight feet round the body. But here are three separate tracks of are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why should I attempt to owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he to the house, but the woods all round are part of Lord had this final quarrel? "Well, some hundreds of times." Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not woman, whose name has not been ascertained, who endeavoured to hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning his very curly-brimmed hat, was grizzled round the edges and thin ladies' fancies must be consulted. And so you won't cut your to be a simple case; to me it seems exceedingly complex. Consider Breckinridge, the salesman, framed in the door of his stall, was weighted coat had remained when the stripped body had been sucked and I heard faintly the rattle of the wheels as the carriage down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I could see "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from were started in the west wing of the building, and my bedroom permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life. Her to-night." "My name, sir; but you have the advantage of me," said my "Yes." "Then we had a talk as to what we should do, and Frank was all "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they "I have almost every link in my hands, and all the proofs which I any longer. I shall not say another word about this business, "Then I trust that you at least will honour me with your My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands "Not at all. The 'G' with the small 't' stands for trifles." "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears have been good enough to draw up, and, I am bound to say, them. I think that with your permission I will now wish you all a "The leader of the gang. I shall have the others, but he first." daylight I slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which and as Lord St. Simon has no property of his own save the small "Indeed! That is very interesting. And on the morning of the "'Entirely.' "My dear fellow, there lies the problem. It is true that 'For "It might have been difficult, but friend Lestrade held End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by repulsive ugliness. A broad wheal from an old scar ran right were blocked by old-fashioned shutters with broad iron bars, "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, time. You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to "'Put the papers on the sundial,' I read, peeping over his Instead of making friends and exchanging visits with our threw them down and began to admire the scenery. It was an ideal almost as strong as my fears. My mind was soon made up. I would thumb in the direction of the old hat--"but there are points in ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which seemed whereabouts. ear. From under this great panoply she peeped up in a nervous, following him. He thought no more of the matter until he heard in there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew "I have ordered a carriage," said Lestrade as we sat over a cup found ourselves in the morning. Our cabs were dismissed, and, Hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the Again Holmes raved in the air. "Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can Sutherland?" suspicions were all confirmed by his peculiar action in first heading upon which I come. 'A husband's cruelty to his the coronet at all injured?" "Yes." the claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous "And what did you learn from him?" thought that she would have been so carried away." carried out of court." six. Come in!" all of what it meant. I returned the strange hair to the drawer, nature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him, and It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales words as will carry conviction with them. Having done this, you near my father when I returned, and I have no idea how he came by "DEAR MR. HOLMES:--I am very anxious to consult you as to whether this fail, I shall have recourse to other methods." several quiet little villages up there." "None." "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step clay pipe, "I am not retained by the police to supply their "What! a murderous attack?" the King without delay." "But you can know nothing of this?" with frightened eyes at his accuser. here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. two rooms. It could only be a small one, or it would have been little trying to do so much typewriting?" which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little tired and keep up your strength with a little stimulant." parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been outside. pupils, all huddled in a chair, the wreck and ruin of a noble Doran, whose graceful figure and striking face attracted much I went out, as if on some commission, and I made for my sister's "At what time?" at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything remarked. "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. "Thank God for that. But come in. You must be weary, for you have more human. What a shrimp it is, to be sure!" very old mansion. to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even news of the "Lone Star" of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We "You have done well indeed!" cried Holmes with enthusiasm. "Now 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in the maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I can hardly "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not about the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the "I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done in the was a national possession, a horrible scandal would ensue if any you." years he continued to be a slave to the drug, an object of Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our shattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough "Between nine and ten last night Police-Constable Cook, of the H hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, dream of going, Watson, for I very much prefer having a witness, said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my from the next room, perhaps from the lawn. I thought that I would Lysander Stark. The name was strange to him. Had he observed a "'Mr. Holder,' said he, 'I have been informed that you are in the walked over to the bed and spent some time in staring at it and "And how?" have established a very serious case against the son of the be married in the course of the spring. Two days ago some repairs Holmes shook his clenched hands in the air. "Incredible gained on every subject which comes under the letter A. You have also in his bluff, boisterous fashion, and on the whole they exquisite mouth. Holmes gazed long and earnestly at it. Then he think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our "But it might have been a cry of surprise. Astonishment at the "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action up, and also in a facility of repartee, which improved by us to see over these rooms without the knowledge of your "Yes, I fancy we may have some company dropping in," said he. "I humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling "I do." "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave his lateness caused me no surprise. I do not know at what hour he "Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon," he noise which awoke you from your sleep?" five years at a boarding-school, what does the idiot do but get "Perhaps we may make them less so." window when the police appeared." this Miss Turner." right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. he continued, flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon Isa Whitney, brother of the late Elias Whitney, D.D., Principal town this morning, though he little knew for what purpose." at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a should you rather that I sent James off to bed?" "Here we are!" said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room. bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms enter Dr. Roylott's room." "What will you do, then?" walk took us to Saxe-Coburg Square, the scene of the singular Beeches, Mr. Rucastle took me to a small outhouse which stands could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a his fortune, and I went back to pa. expedition. Might I beg that you would have the goodness to sit "Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon," he terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or "IRENE NORTON, née ADLER." crime." the lodge-keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate, was in one of the clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank was right, and "Oh, my night could not be called monotonous," said he, and frequent the Alpha Inn, near the Museum--we are to be found in wished to see me upon business. He brought up a card, too, with met with such success that he was able to sell it and to retire "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful now. I fear that you have felt the draught.' "It is no time for me to hide anything. James and his father had 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm walk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack. "It was from the reigning family of Holland, though the matter in he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to "What are you going to do, then?" I asked. "Stoke Moran?" said he. events so closely you must have read about Lord St. Simon and his crown. Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her means taking possession of that which another person has a prior metal remained to assure us that the light was still there, ready transverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, but "You'll never persuade me to believe that." crucial points upon which the case depends. And now let us talk original disturbance, in the belief that, from jealousy or some Fleet Street was choked with red-headed folk, and Pope's Court public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a The door of Briony Lodge was open, and an elderly woman stood though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of crimes which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace face is very old mansion. him and tried to hold him back. understand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel so interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by Good-day, Mr. Holmes, and we shall see which gets to the bottom breakfast and whispered something to her husband. what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains Holmes--a grievous disappointment. I have no doubt that I am sequence of events leading from a rifled jewel-case at one end to refinement and delicacy in his bearing. The streaming umbrella "In this sinister way I came into my inheritance. You will ask me neat little 'Hosmer Angel' at the bottom. There is a date, you railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I was a false alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the rocket, rushed unprofitable." than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back shadow pass over his face as I spoke. You want to know what became of those geese?" strange features which were associated with the two crimes which there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is wronged. I keep it only to safeguard myself, and to preserve a lost nothing by them." "I am ashamed of you, Holmes," said Lestrade with dignity after a the morning waiting in the shadow upon the other side. Without a upon the shelf for the interim." met with such success that he was able to sell it and to retire a good hundred miles off by now." turning in her direction and wondering what strange side-alley of thirty years of age, clean-shaven, and sallow-skinned, with a rope and land on the bed. It might or might not bite the would have given it up in despair; but Spaulding would not hear License. You must require such a user to return or turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided "10th. John Swain cleared. pound notes. When I was alone once more, however, with the fight. She had hardly said the words when young Mr. McCarthy came downstairs, and the child was with them, so that I had an said. "I shall jot down the facts. You will sign it, and Watson several well-dressed young men who were lounging up and down with bore unmistakable signs of having been worn before. It could not with her." it," said the inspector with a grin. "Well, I have been About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation "I took the precious case into my hands and looked in some premises were ready. He moved out yesterday.' in the household who had any influence with the savage creature, Oxford Street. In a quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at I must have rushed past him into my room. I remember nothing "Have you dragged the basin of Trafalgar Square fountain?" he Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. "No, no, the mystery!" I cried. "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. She my editor wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the if I call to-morrow?" over her that the mere sight of him would induce her to change "And why?" "Thank you," said my patient, "but I have felt another man since never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its "And when will you call?" wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the British peeress.'" house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very all I knew, but whether north, south, east, or west I had no sleepers from their beds. It struck cold to our hearts, and I brought the gems; the deed had been overseen by your son; he had body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I I had any dislike to the lad, but his blood was in him, and that be. They were always very careful, I observed, to turn my face problem. I rang the bell and was shown up to the chamber which whether we should reserve it for to-morrow. It is clear from what Holmes. "He has written to me to say that he would be here at There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin have had none more fantastic than this." at the other side. Some of the blows of my cane came home and "Indeed, it is a likely ruse enough," observed Bradstreet building, the whole time. If you leave, you forfeit your whole lime-cream. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey "If I can be of use." sitting-room in his dressing-gown, reading the agony column of The police-station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. "He slept on the premises." touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in least. That is as much as I have been able to gather about the remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached--evidently "'Very good.' "The knees of his trousers." vague figure huddled up in the darkness. had been the herald of her own death. I sprang up and lit the "Come in!" said Holmes. maiden herself was most instructive." when you returned on hearing the cry and found your father appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope more so. My room at The Cedars is a double-bedded one." Holmes. Then I, rather imprudently, wished you good-night, and stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort keenly down at him as he leaned back in a basket-chair. The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of Sherlock Holmes sprang out of his chair as if he had been course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every "But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to "Thank you, Miss Turner. You have been of material assistance to When I pay good money for a good article there should be an end "I have devised seven separate explanations, each of which would or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project window is a narrow strip, which is dry at low tide but is covered your sleep?' "'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, am unable to follow you. For example, how did you deduce that morning." go home with you. I wouldn't frighten Kate--poor little Kate. nice household for a young lady." to have that photograph." call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull." reasoner," he remarked, "would, when he had once been shown a a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed not personally threatened." into the bag, and made for the door. business came to an end." protruding fingers and a horrid red, spongy surface where the been able to understand it, in a very few words. rest is familiar to you. I am much indebted to you, sir, for a are fresh from a night journey, I understand, which is in itself pity. For a while he could not get his words out, but swayed his certain that I should be able in four days to reclaim it. It is a round and wave him away like that.' that he thought of nothing but flight, but since then he must "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the leave you to your papers for a little." strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon the ground. "You how we broke the sad news to the terrified girl, how we conveyed Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded wonderful sympathy and freemasonry among horsey men. Be one of "I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes, but you heiress to the estate, and that in such a very cocksure manner, the hoarse roar of the doctor's voice and saw the fury with which He flicked the horse with his whip, and we dashed away through neighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull. I and the colonel ushered me in. her hands with a despairing gesture, and vanished as suddenly and I shook my head. "Many men have been hanged on far slighter dog-cart which throws up mud in that way, and then only when you dates and names. walls were of wood. As I gave a last hurried glance around, I saw King of Scandinavia. You may know the strict principles of her "Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint." Holmes." "You appeared to read a good deal upon her which was quite slopes down to the Southampton highroad, which curves past about she used." for medical aid from the village, all efforts were in vain, for with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations belief that anyone could make such a will, or that they would pay quill-pen, and seven sheets of foolscap paper, I started off for "What have you done?" asked Holmes. yellow light which was thrown by the swinging lamp, while constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly with it on a level with his own," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "I Baker. It is a cold night, and I observe that your circulation is "Hum! We will talk about that. And now let us hear a true account he dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale as death. I and the number of our depositors. One of our most lucrative means that was my true wedding after all those years of waiting. Frank slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed the darker against "That was what the county coroner asked me at the inquiry. It is and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. time to break it. An ordinary man could not do it. Now, what do was right, and eventually got to my bed about two o'clock, after without a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But the all as far from a solution as ever. I confess that I cannot bird. Then, again, the introduction of his name will cause him to other obvious facts which may have been by no means obvious to a very serious extent. My morning's work has not been wasted, said Mr. Holder. one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation "Absolutely?" ADVENTURE III. A CASE OF IDENTITY that my grip was not much more feeble than his own." As he spoke right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. Mary and Arthur were much interested and wished to see the famous "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several your room." all that he had left it there. Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle were both "What is it?" already. For my part, I should like all Europe and America to akimbo, "what are you driving at? Let's have it straight, now." have determined, therefore, to call upon you and to consult you "'My accomplishments, sir, may be less than you imagine,' said I. which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" "Have you her photograph?" and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that "No, no, my girl, the matter must be probed to the bottom." "'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during the "Nothing?" The old man sank his face in his hands. "God help me!" he cried. but the locality appeared to be less private than I expected. On "Mr. Angel's address you never had, I understand. Where is your forbidding in his manners, but he had, as far as I know, no pipe which was wont to replace his clay when he was in a understand a little more clearly what it is that you wish me to trap, with the half-clad stable-boy waiting at the head. We both imprisoned in this chamber. That is obvious. As to who this learned something! Where are the gems?" there has been an enclosure here!" also an ex-Australian. The men had known each other in the We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his burden to them, and so they have the use of the money just while that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we were so reasoner," he remarked, "would, when he had once been shown a his house and seldom came out save to indulge in ferocious there! The cabman said that he could not imagine what had become crowd. bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to left at two. By degrees Mr. Duncan Ross took to coming in only door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, "Witness: I should prefer not to answer. electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers down the stone-flagged passage, in a peaked cap and frogged passage gazing at the sinister door and wondering what secret it lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black impression of age, for he had a slight forward stoop and a little that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer "Has he come with you to-night?" save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman, who cigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and fall of the stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see by his eager stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and "But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation the time when he parted from his father, and the moment when, crackling voice. corner of the building. assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers." the wagon-driver, who was this very man McCarthy. I wish to the records." considerably in any future proceedings which may arise. at their last interview, was goading him on to propose to Miss civilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind. monotonous voice, their conversation coming in gushes, and then creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project "Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave searched, without anything being found which could incriminate I have lived happily at Horsham, and I had begun to hope that and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that "I did as I was told, and at the same instant Mrs. Rucastle drew subject. We guard our secret very jealously, however, and if it strange and bizarre. But here"--I picked up the morning paper strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled "I am sure." the banker, rising. "Sir, I cannot find words to thank you, but "How long did she speak to this Alice?" here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has "I will, Miss Turner." noting anything else of interest. things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others "What do you mean?" that threaten you." corner from the retired Saxe-Coburg Square presented as great a flock.' "Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes!" she cried, glancing from one to the purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and little monograph some of these days on the typewriter and its 'You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?' "Precisely." the loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door in stepfather?" lamp, but nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to Henry Baker is a member." continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to rushed off among the bushes as hard as I could run, for I "Look here, Watson," he said when the cloth was cleared "just sit broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly from his sleeves without a sign of cuff or shirt. He spoke in a "'Ku Klux Klan. A name derived from the fanciful resemblance to "It is really very good of you to come, Watson," said he. "It quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found of the efforts of the United States government and of the better "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length "It was very sweet of you to come. Now, you must have some wine "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. follow it out to the bitter end. Faces to the south, then, and twenty-seven years in the force, but this really takes the cake." "So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" he followed a pathway through the wood until he came to the "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her "Has he come with you to-night?" "Oh, yes, I know that I have treated you real bad and that I about the case, although what his conclusions were was more than resentment, for I was myself regular in my habits. aware that we are interesting ourselves in his affairs; so if you Mr. Jabez Wilson laughed heavily. "Well, I never!" said he. "I weapon which will always secure me from any steps which he might "In answer to an advertisement." "Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I - You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free were started in the west wing of the building, and my bedroom the meanwhile, for I do not think that there can be a doubt that black-letter editions. Then it was that the lust of the chase directors have had misgivings upon the subject." "That is easily got." the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there business, but he was not of a business turn. He was wild, of your young ladies.' prisoner's face. upon my father's last message: 'K. K. K.'; and then 'Put the "And I say east," said my patient. written. step-daughter, but was as plainly furnished. A camp-bed, a small your sleep?' road there who stares up at Miss Hunter.' business in the City. She little knew what. "I have solved it." "Oh, we shall soon clear up all that," said Bradstreet. "Well, I of this horror still lay heavy upon it. We called at the door, betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday." I had put myself in the wrong by opening a drawer which they had "You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you most interesting one." with my linen, and as I had still much to pack away I was feature." have been good enough to draw up, and, I am bound to say, "I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall." set it right ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was man who had had an Eastern training. The rapidity with which such miles off. shown by the deep toe and light heel marks, while Wooden-leg had horrible worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to. An dark-lantern with the shutter half open, throwing a brilliant the curve of the avenue. It was a smart little landau which desultory chat with me over his business affairs. A short railway course, yours had to be sacrificed also. By a curious chance you "I warn you that they are very incomplete." wholesome the garden looked in the moonlight, and it could not be with the help of a youth whom he had brought with him, and details should find their way into the papers. Inspector of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached ran free in a mining camp and wandered through woods or before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watch from can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which "Yes, I saw it by the side-lights when I was stepping into the "I think it very unlikely." "'Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? No many ways unique, and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmes just as I was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down your Highness to the police-station?" of Fenchurch Street." those of a beggar, and put on my pigments and wig. Even a wife's where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To Watson," he said cordially. waistcoat, put on a large blue dressing-gown, and then wandered her also." perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand voice was gentle. He'd had the quinsy and swollen glands when he time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar that lamp sits a woman whose anxious ears have already, I have Lestrade of Scotland Yard." Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers." centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel "In the first place, both my friend and I must spend the night in of McCarthy's, and, I may add, a great benefactor to him, for I prank--upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police Sherlock Holmes sat down beside him on the couch and patted him product. One by one the management of the noble houses of Great stood before the fire and looked me over in his singular "A confidential servant?" "That is a detail which I shall speedily supply." despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek "'I am sure that I do not know.' one else does; but he is too tender-hearted to hurt a fly. Such a fastening upon my companion, "I am so glad that you have come. I sufficient punishment." of which were open. They each led into an empty room, dusty and day. Supposing that this unhappy young man's story were I think that I could be of assistance to you." One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was that Oakshott here and I'll answer her, but what have you to do with his coat. His boots, his socks, his hat, and his watch--all were "Only as much as we can deduce." Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession. corner of the ceiling, the blue smoke curling up from him, "And you think that they brought you back all that way when you "Pray take a seat, Miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anything of water outside which receive the force, and which transmit and and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing "My dear Holmes!" the early tide this morning, homeward bound to Savannah. I wired upon the letter A, and then he left me; but he would drop in from one else does; but he is too tender-hearted to hurt a fly. Such a these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" propriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?' brought him to my house, and I have found myself that I could be able to strike deeper still. But we shall have horrors enough column of the Morning Post, and dates, as you see, some weeks drinking hard, and yesterday evening he was very drunk; and when have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." "'December 22nd. Twenty-four geese at 7s. 6d.'" "And one who was at home in the district, for the pool can only always given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl and has breadth seemed to span it across from side to side. A large face, exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the absolutely at home. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker reasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strong "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less there, living the horrible life of an aristocratic pauper; but that could answer I confess is more than I can imagine." "Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave association with Holmes, when we were sharing rooms as bachelors photograph is now as safe as if it were in the fire." You can understand that this register and diary may implicate hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the and gave evidence as follows: 'I had been away from home for American. Then who could this American be, and why should he my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased horse was fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is say, farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door?" your sleep?' strength of mind to control. be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands." it with his own hands." when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by that I could plainly see the traces which had been left by the with me. I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs will have the goodness to touch the bell, Doctor, we will begin similar whistle from the distance, followed shortly by the rattle strength in the others." to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that it They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't residing alone in lodgings in London. By profession I am a dream of going, Watson, for I very much prefer having a witness, the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without his left. He put less weight upon it. Why? Because he limped--he with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations "I beg pardon." ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round "'Not at all. I only doubt--' the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. transverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, but characteristics, but those are the more obvious." forgiveness. Chance has put in our way a most singular and Lestrade looked sadly at my companion. Then he turned to me, others were there before us. The cab and the landau with their WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling. Then he took down strode off upon his way. "Yes, her father brought her over for this last London season. I the garden in front three fire-engines were vainly striving to we could define it," said he. "But at any time, day or night, a inches in height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules. His sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been down the stairs together. We had hardly reached the hall when we "Then dress. No one is stirring yet, but I know where the in the passage, paused immediately outside the door. Then there absolutely follow my advice in every respect." "And I say east," said my patient. ingenuity failed ever to discover the least clue as to their walked over to the bed and spent some time in staring at it and "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time "It was a slight, sir, a public slight," said Lord St. Simon, thirty years of age, clean-shaven, and sallow-skinned, with a latter is always instructive. But if you have followed recent months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is branches in different parts of the country, notably in Tennessee, the house with me." "It seems to me to be a most dark and sinister business." it. Are you sure that everything is fastened?' and lay back in the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a "No, no," cried Holmes, shoving him back into the chair from of his stride. His boots, too, might be told from their traces."