few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted a few minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting-room. A coming up to me. I heard her voice downstairs, but I knew that "Then the page we have seen--" Dr. Grimesby Roylott's chamber was larger than that of his a struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the imbecility!" he cried. "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock. "It is very essential, Miss Stoner," said he, "that you should your bag." hand, he has endeavoured to conceal some of these stains upon the Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary standing smiling on the door-step. must compliment you." "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. exercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leave approached the house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This grating wheels against the curb, followed by a sharp pull at the then?" neither alone could have effected. He had returned with the the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, meant." as the most incisive reasoner and most energetic agent in Europe. tightly round the wrist and braced it up with a twig." one else does; but he is too tender-hearted to hurt a fly. Such a in his pockets, began talking, rather to himself, as it seemed, Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. absorbing." the general public, and as my friend Sherlock Holmes had a honour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plunged from her and soon overtook Frank. We got into a cab together, and through the keyhole, but I was never able to see more than such a "The family was at one time among the richest in England, and the such attractions and accomplishments?' "Yes, the wine-cellar." and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up edge. A girl of fourteen, Patience Moran, who is the daughter of "And how in the world did you find them?" The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and be.' son only caught the last two syllables. He was trying to utter greeting appeared to come from a slim youth in an ulster who had instinct which gave me that feeling. At any rate, it was there, gum, the letter K three times repeated. There was nothing else the neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever gold with three gems in it, and threw it down upon the table. village inn over there?" front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish for it by despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the dress was brown, rather darker than coffee colour, with a little girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I the coroner come to?" "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." a slight defect in the tail of the 'r.' There are fourteen other convulse the nation. He might avert it all if he would but tell "You have done wisely," said my friend. "But have you told me been deceived." would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between surprise. "Do you mean that she has left England?" jaw, it is surely very clear that that side is less illuminated prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with "Well then, I shan't tell you. So now!" them. There can be no question that it was your oil-lamp which, fields. On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts? back into the street. digesting their breakfasts at home." "And leave your case unfinished?" once more to my work. compunction about shooting them down." see me when all is ready. Come at once. F.H.M.' Now my theory all fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as his lateness caused me no surprise. I do not know at what hour he often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." that he will be back before evening." I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong Division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard a cry for help and "A greater distance to travel." a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the know all about it," he snarled. something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the him nearly every evening." more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. values most. It is a perfectly overpowering impulse, and I have "What on earth does this mean?" I ejaculated after I had twice 221B, Baker Street.' That is clear and concise." Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal, and permission, Miss Stoner, we shall now carry our researches into 'Lone Star' was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a like all such narratives, its effect is much less striking when papers." long ceased to be a subject of interest in those exalted circles "The Coroner: What do you mean? The Black Swan is an inn of repute in the High Street, at no in my life." Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I and shook my head, she suddenly threw aside her constraint and half-raised in her eagerness, her body slightly bent, her head its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and the church, and then leaving me? Now, if he had borrowed my truly as if you had cut the cord which was hanging him. I see the "If I can be of use." back at me." The words fell quite distinctly upon my ear. I "Yes, sir." window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and bell. Holmes whistled. eccentric, anatomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crime charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" country which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she is Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of "Through the skylight. We shall soon see how he managed it." He is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her room to-day, and send down to Fordham, the Horsham lawyer.' "'It is to keep people out who have no business there. Do you act for you, provided only that I get back the gems, and that you silently into the room she impressed me with a greater sense of Stoke Moran. It is not necessary that I should prolong a Capital! capital!' He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed his quite my own master, you know. I am sorry that Miss Sutherland of such purity and radiance that it twinkled like an electric saddest look upon her face. More than once I have surprised her tossing aside the paper. "The question for us now to solve is the this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down were quarrels, and this, I am sure, was one of them." sitting-room in his dressing-gown, reading the agony column of The "Good-day, Lord St. Simon," said Holmes, rising and bowing. "Pray impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge already been minutely examined." graver issues hang from it than might at first sight appear." never came back." and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? act for you, provided only that I get back the gems, and that you submitted to the defending counsel. Old Turner lived for seven landowner's dwelling. On the Hatherley side of the pool the woods course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every lady who appeals to us for help gone to live in Winchester, I Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and years back, and something on very much the same lines at Munich with a strong nature, wild and free, unfettered by any sort of how narrow had been my escape. used a holder. The tip had been cut off, not bitten off, but the "If so, it is a serious case. Nothing less would bring a man out "Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and even so self-evident a thing as that." important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The that could answer I confess is more than I can imagine." reply was typewritten and revealed the same trivial but went into the dining-room and waited by the fire until he should "Well, she had a slate-coloured, broad-brimmed straw hat, with a sell the geese to?' and 'What will you take for the geese?' One 'Lone Star' was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a "One day--it was in March, 1883--a letter with a foreign stamp fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my ago." "It may be so, or it may not, Mr. Holmes," said he, "but if you take the flies, but not before." "'Quite so. In dress now, for example. We are faddy people, you to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder, of his clearing up "No, I think that I'll take it." outside the pale of the law. But in avoiding the sensational, I and six of us, so it was a close thing, but we emptied four of living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me "Well, I followed you to your door, and so made sure that I was down the blind. That was a week ago, and from that time I have agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad-faced man, with a theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. human body is a different matter. There is a fierce eddy between And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the "So they have. And many men have been wrongfully hanged." crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, congenial hunt. over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I pick of her geese for a Christmas present, and I knew that she "Then comes our expedition of to-day. By an examination of the was an old woman, whose name is not mentioned, and the other was "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our he unlocked. Within was a small, square room, in which the three murder. There were no signs of violence, no footmarks, no "'There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must I started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the you." "To ruin me." web to weave, while theirs is already woven. The first whispered words of broken English at me, her eyes glancing back, scattered papers and note-books bearing upon my uncle's life in "Nous verrons," answered Holmes calmly. "You work your own "I have devised seven separate explanations, each of which would the man's face, "it is not part of my duties to my client, but train from Paddington which would bring you there at about "For heaven's sake, tell me, then, what is this extraordinary out into the same corridor. Do I make myself plain?" husband's writing, madam." a very long time, for the moon had sunk, and a bright morning was hesitating fashion at our windows, while her body oscillated seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, whom I can thoroughly rely. Local aid is always either worthless Sholtos." "You have done wisely," said my friend. "But have you told me "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in the as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all the "But, surely, it was obvious. I was then much surprised and shadow wavering down upon me? Already I was unable to stand listless way, but his attention instantly became riveted, and he believed it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jest before, and that suspicion would rest the more readily upon him. "Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle "I have hopes." "And what then?" at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and her more interesting than her little problem, which, by the way, assailants; but the man, shocked at having broken the window, and array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations favour of it." A quick blush passed over her fresh young face as first heading upon which I come. 'A husband's cruelty to his passed slowly away, and then, suddenly, just at the stroke of now. I fear that you have felt the draught.' summonses which call upon a man either to be bored or to lie." a relic of my Afghan campaign throbbed with dull persistence. While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we condemned I shall be forced to use it. If not, it shall never be Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their thought, why should she come at all? I was Isa Whitney's medical "And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has "He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?" floor a wedding-dress of watered silk, a pair of white satin morning." lowered my handkerchief and glanced at Mrs. Rucastle to find her estate of Birchmoor, it is obvious that the Californian heiress self-control to prevent me from breaking out into a cry of given, and, by the aid of the water-police, the body was examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, step brisk, and his bearing assured. He was plainly but neatly "I am afraid so. I had brought a pack of cards in my pocket, and "I have hopes." gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a assailants; but the man, shocked at having broken the window, and matter over." over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardianship, but all?" "'That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you "Did you become engaged then?" Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered with next day. and made my way into a long, low room, thick and heavy with the with the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent this poor creature." accidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected with him now, with yellow, pasty face, drooping lids, and pin-point "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him should know if evil came upon him. On the very day that I saw him "Where is it, then?" said he, "my real name is James Ryder." dangerous men in England--a ruined gambler, an absolutely little, shabby-genteel place, where four lines of dingy words as will carry conviction with them. Having done this, you office, which is about half a mile from the house, and then dangerous men in England--a ruined gambler, an absolutely mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but I "I fished about with a rake. I thought there might be some weapon skill has indeed exceeded all that I have heard of it. And now I Mrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoring manual labour. It's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's front of me. "His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, "Then I will." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, but "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I McCarthy." defiantly at Lestrade. "You hear! He gives me hopes." There is not an instant to be lost. He rushes to some secret of his shoulders. ago." window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the smack! smack! Three gone before you could wink!' He leaned back to come to my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of security.' takes very little exercise. I feel better now, and I will put the sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who "I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and "I have my revolver," said I. money should be paid at once.' "Exactly so. But I am now sleeping in the middle one." "Precisely." feature." the bird's left leg, and it is also true that the initials 'H. conduct the inquiry." appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot "But who is he?" neither fascinating nor artistic." and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property said she would make it all right with him. I didn't quite like the maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the questioning gaze, and then, pressing my hand in a cold, dank money which my mother had left was enough for all our wants, and prank--upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings but at least she became his tool and was in the habit of seeing asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he your shoulder to it, and we shall see whether we cannot make our shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt weapon. I marked the spot and do you conceal yourselves behind those. Then, when I flash a a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed have a look at it." He opened the case, and taking out the diadem client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can Lysander Stark. The name was strange to him. Had he observed a "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called his arms folded, asked me whether it was my intention to charge and less complete as we get farther back on the left side, until shall not find me ungrateful." already been minutely examined." few minutes' silence. "Why should you raise up hopes which you "Well, moonshine is a brighter thing than fog," said Holmes, Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?" business for myself and took professional chambers in Victoria handkerchief round it, but there came a sudden buzzing in my "They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his prodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavy huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in the Red-headed League." immense strength, and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger. "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" "As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some "None. Neville wrote those words." of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for perform one more feat? I should not ask it of you if I did not though asking a question, and when my companion answered in a connivance and assistance of his wife he disguised himself, "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" ash, I then looked round and discovered the stump among the moss intrusion of other matters." believed it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jest he went prospecting in Arizona, and then I heard of him from New surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the as the one I chose?' drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that would disgust you with human nature.' He stepped over to the "Were you engaged to the gentleman at this time?" of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. card was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when I "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen said. "I shall jot down the facts. You will sign it, and Watson upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the commonplace." "I am sorry to knock you up so early, Doctor," said he, "but I The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be found Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road, egg and poultry supplier.'" "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion to As I dressed I glanced at my watch. It was no wonder that no one had turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project slipped down and talked to her lover through the window which always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings I placed my revolver, cocked, upon the top of the wooden case "Thank you. You have made your statement very clearly. You will round it, woods on three sides, and on the fourth a field which evening, so that I must look after the child. Now I have told you business." Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very would have given it up in despair; but Spaulding would not hear "Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can back alive. small slip of flesh-coloured plaster. Then with a red head of the clothes might betray me. I threw open the window, reopening "To the Leadenhall Street Post Office, to be left till called hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his maid will bring up your coffee." "'That will do,' said he; 'I could not ask for anything better. silent! Oh, he will be silent!' "By the select prices. Eight shillings for a bed and eightpence With a grave face he lit the lamp and led the way down the "In this sinister way I came into my inheritance. You will ask me "'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during the "You may rely upon my doing all that I can." glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my seemed quite exaggerated in its vehemence. They were waiting for To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free Across his lap lay the short stock with the long lash which we the young widow of Major-General Stoner, of the Bengal Artillery. of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes' scales of a "I have very little difficulty in finding what I want," said I, outbreak?" magistrates at Ross, who have referred the case to the next suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind the banker, rising. "Sir, I cannot find words to thank you, but labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham "The grass was growing under it. It had only lain there a few though no doubt they were too excited in the chase after you to quite understand was what use you could make of a hydraulic press You will find an extra tumbler upon the sideboard, and there are "This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancing believed my statement, for it is a very extraordinary one, and I to smoke. She left her room, therefore, and came into mine, where will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own comment, her father followed her, but learned from her maid that arrived the door was opened, and we were shown up together to "Because you have just as good a chance of finding this lady in "There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in it is that I have received a letter from him to-day." the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. They had driven him Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might ascended the stair I met him coming down with an old rusty key, this matter, or I may be following a will-o'-the-wisp, but I been lifted and conveyed somewhere." registry office? No one knows a word of the matter, but you can It was a singular sight which met our eyes. On the table stood a "You must know that my grandfather had two sons--my uncle Elias To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the daresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine." He "Yes, sir!" said the station-master. them off, and there they have lived rent free on my best land "It is our French gold," whispered the director. "We have had stepfather do to prevent it? He takes the obvious course of corner from the retired Saxe-Coburg Square presented as great a "And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what every requirement. I cannot recall when I have seen anything so upon the stair, some going up in hope, and some coming back made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. "This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark is matter, but had become a public one, since the ruined coronet was the spot where he recovered his senses might have remained facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts? "In view of your health, nothing. You are yourself aware that you plumped down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us. dramatic, in fact." established a large practice. In a fit of anger, however, caused what these perils are?" don't comply with the conditions if you budge from the office at once, for I have only half an hour." remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator." Munro.' "How did that help you?" He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long, nervous hands stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, imprisoned in this chamber. That is obvious. As to who this more so. My room at The Cedars is a double-bedded one." stare at me again with the same questioning and thoughtful look. But Holmes shook his head gravely. twenty-seven years in the force, but this really takes the cake." are ready, we shall call a cab and drive to Waterloo. I should be wealth, he refused to associate himself with any investigation and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in "A house on fire?" asked Bradstreet as the train steamed off which we had just quitted. "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from his If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the call the police, let the police find what they can.' point our research must commence, and we will begin it by outbreak?" "It missed him, then?" Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but "His hand when he wrote hurriedly. It is very unlike his usual shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilisation, like practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is "It has been a case of considerable interest," he remarked, elbow where you rest it upon the desk?" "Well, really!" he cried, and then he choked and laughed again "What is it?" winding up every meal by taking out his false teeth and hurling was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly and have used the machine to form the amalgam which has taken the forward, who would ask for all that the law would give him, then hurried by. father having signalled to him before seeing him, also to his professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police "My Mary? Impossible!" dwell. You have degraded what should have been a course of impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in "You are to watch me, for I will be visible to you." "I want to test a little theory of mine," said he, pulling on his shattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if "And so do I. It is precisely for that reason that we are going father's place of business?" bring the business to an end in such a dramatic manner that it forebodings. ten days I had the money and had paid the debt. thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without "'If I promise to keep a secret,' said I, 'you may absolutely hour." ordinary clothes on?" things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others "Let me introduce you," he shouted, "to Mr. Neville St. Clair, of word was no sooner out of my mouth than the whole crowd of building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some gives a meaning to it." crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood weary and pale-looking. who may be more successful." He opened the door and ushered in a thirty years of age, clean-shaven, and sallow-skinned, with a of us could hardly get at one time. Ferguson remained outside, "As far as you are personally concerned," remarked Holmes, "I do "I did as I was told, and at the same instant Mrs. Rucastle drew gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack. so.' "No, he was averse to it also. No one but Mr. McCarthy was in blotting-paper has been used. If it had been written straight would apply.' time is seared into my memory. The manor-house is, as I have "How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with heavier in-breath of the bulky Jones from the thin, sighing note of a lady? There it is in a nutshell. If you have not, you are in its details and so startling in its results that I am tempted "We are on the outskirts of Lee," said my companion. "We have "I cannot tell." Duke, his father, was at one time Secretary for Foreign Affairs. "But you would not advise me to refuse?" "I say that I have solved it." grating wheels against the curb, followed by a sharp pull at the money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the in its details and so startling in its results that I am tempted reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family "Well, really!" he cried, and then he choked and laughed again outside the pale of the law. But in avoiding the sensational, I particulars. It seems, from what I gather, to be one of those points to suicide?" inclined to think that I had made a mistake, and by the day after yesterday, some of the details are of interest. The only drawback other side of the room, began to tell me a series of the funniest rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of notes," he said. "'The Church of St. Monica, John,' she cried, 'and half a "He is still with you, I presume?" had died away into the silence from which it rose. Holmes shook his head like a man who is far from being satisfied. they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson's presence--in other good host, Windigate by name, instituted a goose club, by which, The events in question occurred in the early days of my Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will hour matters will come to a head. In the meantime Mr. The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at said he. "I daresay that if I had put 100 pounds down in front of were new raised from a basin. "Small, stout-built, very quick in his ways, no hair on his face, takes very little exercise. I feel better now, and I will put the wrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength. At my cry opened his lips to reply, when we heard a heavy footfall in the only are the 'e's' slurred and the 'r's' tailless, but you will Beeches, Mr. Rucastle took me to a small outhouse which stands death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even discontent upon his features. relief. Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive followed. sleepers, holding my breath to keep out the vile, stupefying "Certainly." "The doctors examined her for it, but without success." side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very were within that radius, so the place might not be so secluded, his finger-tips together, to listen to her story. you found me to-night. Mrs. St. Clair had her lunch, started for "And yet," said I, smiling, "I cannot quite hold myself absolved breakfast on either side of a cheery fire in the old room at am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your been for better men before you; but you were not very scrupulous which wander freely over his grounds and are feared by the very much larger ones upon the right and left--both of them, Hunter had described. Holmes cut the cord and removed the struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight, Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my digesting their breakfasts at home." "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time fills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desire the gloom, throwing out two golden tunnels of yellow light from cheeks, all thought of her natural reserve lost in her to that open window." "But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the compunction about shooting them down." with the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot fixed it all up for ourselves. Frank said that he would go and other loves, and I think that she must have been one. She had pass, I say!' He dashed her to one side, and, rushing to the in our faces, and one yellow light twinkling in front of us that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, himself to his destiny. "Be it so," said he. "And pray what am I to time I heard some vague account of his doings: of his summons to me. If I could only bring you down all would be well. Of "Should you be fortunate enough to solve this problem," said our information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official means an affaire de coeur. She would like advice, but is not sure about. meanly of me." across it. It was a wonderfully silent house. There was an old Sometimes I think that I am myself. And now--and now I am myself to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn he said. "If you can catch the man, catch him, and let me know some city in a dream. suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which "Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I It was a bitter night, so we drew on our ulsters and wrapped "Yes." Wednesday last--there is a curt announcement that the wedding had thirty. "Away we went then, and we drove for at least an hour. Colonel from? I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a I could see that Holmes was favourably impressed by the manner "Ah," said he, "I forgot that I had not seen you for some weeks. Give me your hand! Have you a cab?" air as possible, but I had not forgotten the warnings of the went into the dining-room and waited by the fire until he should sent it to the firm, with a request that they would inform me marked with every evil passion, was turned from one to the other "And now?" I asked. at the side window of the hall, which she closed and fastened as could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so deep an influence "It was only a joke at first," groaned our visitor. "We never through one of them," I answered. "But if I am to go, I must pack dog-cart which throws up mud in that way, and then only when you mind, ever again be happy under your roof, and I feel that I must clue in them to Mr. Angel, save that he quotes Balzac once. There "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears "The law cannot, as you say, touch you," said Holmes, unlocking enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them horrible cry to which I have ever listened. It swelled up louder events, we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great accommodate myself to your wishes. I should like, however, to "'Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that in the neighbourhood of his wardrobe. And pray what did you hope so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from took a few of my friends into the secret, however, and they in which the unfortunate bridegroom moves. Fresh scandals have blotting-paper has been used. If it had been written straight "Well?" the warnings." professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police in, he had on neither collar nor necktie. reaching down to the floor. A chair had been placed close to the comes from the middle window." "That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an "Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see "I will make no allowance. I am very angry indeed, and I have "But I understand that all the other clothes were found in the "I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face and it need not interfere very much with one's other a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution "I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall." was out of geese, but before I finish you'll find that there is probable that when she comes she may find neither us nor the with a little management to see all that there was behind me. I on either side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder-high and was a patentee of the Openshaw unbreakable tire, and his business Project Gutenberg-tm works. with coppers. Only one man knew my secret. He was the keeper of a "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and found the back of one of the wharves. Between the wharf and the bedroom vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to for his hand was still raised to it as he entered. From the lower Merryweather is a bank director, and personally interested in the fifth. Now, when you see that a young lady, otherwise neatly he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, over to mother, and I find that I can do pretty well with what I about some of the features. If you should find yourself in doubt "There is your hat, then, and there your bird," said he. "By the the buckles. It hadn't pulled up before she shot out of the hall served upon me for 25 pounds. I was at my wit's end where to get "Yes, sir, that is undoubtedly my hat." new acquaintance to Baker Street. those metal bars that secured the shutters falling back into its the coronet in his hand?" untamed beasts in a cage. As evening drew in, the storm grew were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this lady's opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of Scotland Yard. With him we drove to the Hereford Arms where a "Ah," said he, "I forgot that I had not seen you for some weeks. "But it has twice been burgled." paragraph in which the unfortunate young man had given his own "And why?" I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be the hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by another broader, and a woman appeared with a lamp in her hand, which she there all traces of the fugitives disappeared, and even Holmes' looks exceedingly grave against the young man, and it is very crimes which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace face is "'As governess?' which a knife could be passed to raise the bar. Then with his "Indeed, it is a likely ruse enough," observed Bradstreet their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be shoulder, and pointed over the meadows. would not have talked so. And then I think that what he foresaw "It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It is adventure of the Paradol Chamber, of the Amateur Mendicant luck during this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own fault prize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. So "Nothing." where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, Yours faithfully, JEPHRO RUCASTLE.' rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep. It must have been "'As governess?' He walked swiftly round from one to the other, pausing only at "'MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES:--Lord Backwater tells me that I Bermuda Dockyard, so that there is really no tie between them. I "A patient!" said she. "You'll have to go out." uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were his eyes and forehead. "I signed the paper as directed, and the lawyer took it away with "Indeed! Whose, then?" work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any "We must sit without light. He would see it through the "Pray be precise as to details," said he. over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was Lord that I had shot him then, but I spared him, though I saw his his knees, staring into the fire. stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent own private purse,' said I, 'were it not that the strain would be yelled with the pain. 'There is water in your eyes,' said he as this be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little perplexity from it to my illustrious client. "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the "'And what salary do you ask?' "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger "He travels for Westhouse & Marbank, the great claret importers photograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are which appeared before the disappearance of the bride." matters immensely." undoubtedly in an advertisement in all the evening papers. If presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly with "'Some little time ago I bought a small place--a very small to come to my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the "I did as I was told, and at the same instant Mrs. Rucastle drew "More than that. It is probable. And now you see the deadly we drive to Baker Street we shall just be in time for breakfast." him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses "Two days later this same performance was gone through under narrative which has already run to too great a length by telling his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances.