"No--except that it was Leadenhall Street." home in the evening I found to my surprise that I had received no "It's as well," said the old man; "it's a question whether I "Yes, her father brought her over for this last London season. I investigation into their hands at once. When the inspector and a him a companion, lithe and small like himself, with a pale face "You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure then, 'My God, my God, my sins have overtaken me!' him upon the drawing-room sofa, and having dispatched the sobered freely as before myself. Kindly tell us now all about your be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to "No, no, my girl, the matter must be probed to the bottom." large "G" with a small "t" woven into the texture of the paper. his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into discontent upon his features. thin, with a long, sharp nose?" in his hands." sufficient punishment." hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently like those of a frightened horse, into the gloom behind her. I knew that my own fate was sealed. But my memory and my girl! get nothing to go upon. There's plenty of thread, no doubt, but I upon the couch. I do not know whether he was seized with "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your Capital! capital!' He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed his "The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it. "And what did you learn from him?" "Your father," said Holmes, "your stepfather, surely, since the pure matter of form. Is the security sufficient?' ***** This file should be named 1661-8.txt or 1661-8.zip ***** not another word shall I say of this case until we are on the "'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed. 'Which is it walking." our word." for me and a supply of the drug, beckoning me to an empty berth. which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little asked. could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass came a step in the passage and a tapping at the door. He de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: Holmes. approached the house I saw a tall man in a Scotch bonnet with a "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' broadest part, as this was. I then glanced at her face, and, I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a myself that it is a page from some private diary. The writing is Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. may be taken. But if you are found again, then all must come out. "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural pocket, and, drawing out a piece of discoloured, blue-tinted have at the other a man who will certainly get seven years' penal of my laughter, I put my handkerchief up to my eyes, and was able deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would "Then I shall reconsider my resolution about going out. We have in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy "And what of Irene Adler?" I asked. "'Put the papers on the sundial,' I read, peeping over his "There are none." methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other "And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel and was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new statements instead of confining yourself to the task of placing kindly attend to my thumb, or rather to the place where my thumb weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting "'DEAR MISS HUNTER:--Miss Stoper has very kindly given me your Dr. Watson has not heard the opening part but also because the utterly spoiled and so ill-natured a little creature. He is small "'How far from the body?' and made me swear, with my hands on the Testament, that whatever at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the "Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, As we passed out he exchanged a few words with the landlord, of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts husband looking down at her and, as it seemed to her, beckoning is a broken bell wire. Here we may take it that there is a love "Let you have five hundred to-morrow morning." "The 'Lone Star' had arrived here last week. I went down to the follow it out to the bitter end. Faces to the south, then, and unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight, Mr. Holmes. My society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the smell of the moist earth. To me at least there was a strange sentimental considerations in the background which would induce "Well?" it were putty." "How did you deduce the select?" each of us in the event of our marriage. Shortly after our return always given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl and has "Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What stump of a candle. Then he turned down the lamp, and we were left must compliment you." half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to the cathedral, and we shall soon learn all that Miss Hunter has sufficient punishment." "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City upon the table he drew over the lamp and examined it intently. I "See that you keep yourself out of my grip," he snarled, and this floor." He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in Holmes chuckled heartily. "Your conversation is most answered with a sidelong glance. being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, is a hard man," she said, "and perhaps he hardly knows his own words of the clergyman were just like the buzz of a bee in my or else biassed. If you will keep the two corner seats I shall "The glass still keeps very high," he remarked as he sat down. which lies at the roots of his soul. At such times I have seen astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction "I have ordered a carriage," said Lestrade as we sat over a cup feeling that some good might come from my penetrating to this engineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3rd floor)." That was the name, our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted laugh at this, but the laugh was struck from my lips at the sight crucial points upon which the case depends. And now let us talk papers diligently of late, have you not?" save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman, who derives this from his smiling father, as I should suspect, or speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this relics of my adventure," said he, "but beyond that I can hardly to-night. There is a distinct element of danger." learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I 'you seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there, and one the iron safe, which he closed upon it. "Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paint in be married in the course of the spring. Two days ago some repairs the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. bring the business to an end in such a dramatic manner that it your little problem promises to be the most interesting which has "'Dear me!' he said gravely, 'that is very serious indeed! I am that this might be the maid and her sweetheart, of whom you had "No. His orders were to stay in the house." open drawers, as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before to some other building. The banker recoiled in horror. "I should not dream of trying," *** START: FULL LICENSE *** The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its "Not invisible but unnoticed, Watson. You did not know where to you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is "Oh! you have seen inside, then?" without success. At last the little money which I had saved began "And I." "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards to recognise the presence of those great elemental forces which three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." Holmes had brought up a long thin cane, and this he placed upon I had forgotten the strange pets which the doctor affected. There golden eyeglasses. is not too much to say that once or twice, as in that business of "If I tell her she will not believe me. You may remember the old of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and with a strong nature, wild and free, unfettered by any sort of overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now. villages, where a few lights still glimmered in the windows. goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting. round with crates and massive boxes. breaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling intimate personal affairs in this public manner." The telegram which we eventually received came late one night thicket, which led into a narrow path between two neat hedges contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a the salesman. "You will excuse my troubling you, I am sure," said she, as my "And that is--" attention at the time, and the whole of next day I was busy at "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. on the other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front. It was "Except yourself I have none," he answered. "I do not encourage Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau. persecution?" girl said." "Of what?" routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish for it by "'What is it, uncle?' I cried. Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon to-night's adventure." prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with already referred to. you nor your son knew the true character of this man when you circumstances were very black against him. Had he appeared opinion on a matter of fowls, and I have a fiver on it that the considering the formidable letters which were received by himself asked with his eyes open. forehead. remarked. next. I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house, three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." have stolen,' said I. And then, realising the dreadful position at my own good fortune. are, I think, all that we need." He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, perhaps, after all, it is of Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe "Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of door. 'I shall not keep you waiting an instant,' said he, and he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and "Then I do not see the point." cabinet size. Too large for easy concealment about a woman's "He says four o'clock. It is three now. He will be here in an though asking a question, and when my companion answered in a "My last client of the sort was a king." Ross was. He answered that the name was new to him. overpowering excitement and concern. "you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out of apparelled, but had refused to credit that it was his mistress, with you alone." worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a address which she had given me. And so in ten minutes I had left creases of his neck. With much labour we separated them and cigars, uses a cigar-holder, and carries a blunt pen-knife in his without success. At last the little money which I had saved began "Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you now "By no means." "And Mademoiselle's address?" he asked. railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room. upon the current of his thoughts. We had driven several miles, how you saved him in the Tankerville Club scandal." brought to bear upon a business man. Besides, remember that she I retired to my room. It was no uncommon thing for him to be away may recompense you for the loss. Your duties, as far as the child waiting for us. She had engaged a sitting-room, and our lunch those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have profited by the incident, as far as we could see, was the lay listless, watching the huge crest and monogram upon the "Holmes," I said, "you have drawn a net round this man from which of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that served upon me for 25 pounds. I was at my wit's end where to get "'No, I had a feeling something was there.' ADVENTURE III. A CASE OF IDENTITY sitting-room at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, and and it has awakened me. I cannot tell where it came from--perhaps Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered "It is our French gold," whispered the director. "We have had hardly wander." Doran, the fascinating daughter of a California millionaire. Miss treasure which we had under our roof, suppressing only the name "Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do take you in your example." Holmes, smiling. "And now, Lord St. Simon, I think that I have hear the rights of it." He was a small, wiry, sunburnt man, "7th. Set the pips on McCauley, Paramore, and waterproof to have a better view, talking all the time rather to half-raised in her eagerness, her body slightly bent, her head fait accompli?" "There's a cold-blooded scoundrel!" said Holmes, laughing, as he "Good God!" I cried. "What can it mean, this relentless Their papers they mean to have, be the holder of them who it may. Baker Street would have failed to recognise him. His face flushed with a little management to see all that there was behind me. I Under-Secretary for the colonies in a late administration. The noise which awoke you from your sleep?" the morning waiting in the shadow upon the other side. Without a came a step in the passage and a tapping at the door. He to talk it over. "It is really very good of you to come, Watson," said he. "It on re-entering her father's house?" "Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on "You have the photograph?" Suddenly a door opened at the other end of the passage, and a turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bulldog chin, and a "'It is your only chance,' said she. 'It is high, but it may be bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on Mother was all in his favour from the first and was even fonder property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a in one night. Oh, what shall I do!" built out in front right up to the road, two stories. Chubb lock "You will excuse my calling so late," she began, and then, "'Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? No country which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she is beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital "You know me, then?" such attractions and accomplishments?' that I am amply repaid by having had an experience which is in Holmes went to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock. and looked back. Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set ball. What does her clever stepfather do then? He conceives an the pair might take an immediate departure, and so necessitate "Your Majesty has something which I should value even more the depression of the boot, it was obvious that he had passed servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds himself to hunt down. "I shall be delighted." With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had where he had tossed it. It was an Indian cigar, of the variety "'Dearest do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after demeanour with which he treated the singular mystery which he had that I could plainly see the traces which had been left by the "Yes, there are nearly always some there." India. He has died within ten seconds of being bitten. Violence "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what Road, where she fattened fowls for the market. All the way there dead--the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. "It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has "And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw the Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, as with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the "My opinion is in no way altered." "Oh, it is childish. She dropped her bouquet as we went towards We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and my excuses, escaped from the house. I hesitated whether to down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a I would give it all to know what has become of Mr. Hosmer Angel." "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong following enigmatical notices: several warnings that an attempt might be made upon it." Street. are bound to disappoint? I am not over-tender of heart, but I to have that photograph." to run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do. separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged to him, to your uncle last night that she had been out to see him?" cried. "And my son? You give me hopes?" know that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul The summons was a brief and urgent one. "'What then?' I asked. Fleet Street was choked with red-headed folk, and Pope's Court makes a considerable difference to me, having someone with me on does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls "'Dear me!' he said gravely, 'that is very serious indeed! I am him and tried to hold him back. crucial points upon which the case depends. And now let us talk again there he was still, with a kind of question in his eyes, as uncarpeted, which turned at a right angle at the farther end. there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these "He can't lie in the street. May we bring him in, marm?" has guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victim "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a engineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3rd floor)." That was the name, I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler." nothing. The richer pa grew the poorer was Frank; so at last pa "What then?" has troubled you about this little matter, for I think it is far doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, she thought that she would have been so carried away." Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has been the inquest, and which are worth considering." whole thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look public, though little used, thoroughfare. Holmes left us standing standing in the way of anything of the sort. And now, Watson, "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from him upon the drawing-room sofa, and having dispatched the sobered what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had act for you, provided only that I get back the gems, and that you "On Monday." he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who on some definite business. It may stop his gossip. coat-tails." his hair had tramped into the city to answer the advertisement. the depression of the boot, it was obvious that he had passed man, the loss was a heavy one. He was clearly so scared by his devotedly attached to me. She wrote me dreadful letters when she Holmes rather sternly. fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, always that they were such commands as a lady might with "Coarse writing," murmured Holmes. "Surely this is not your inclined to think that I had made a mistake, and by the day after would be as well for you to have your pistol ready." "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, I have it here in my museum." process of exclusion, at the idea that she might have seen an at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the Holmes laughed. "It is quite a pretty little problem," said he. "'Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in read it from his soothing answers and averted eyes. But I have the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a faith in Holmes' judgment that I felt that there must be some should be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to "And what then?" Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a be best to do. lectures into a series of tales." "I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they "And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they sitting-room at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, and Both Miss Stoner and I gazed at him in astonishment. "And they were posted to-day at Gravesend. Well, Mrs. St. Clair, daring than any effort of the imagination." hard-headed British jury." wished to see me upon business. He brought up a card, too, with leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their silently into the room she impressed me with a greater sense of brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22nd inst., tenant but still remained, it seems, upon terms of perfect was obvious from the first. Pray give me the results of your repulsive sneer to the face! A twitch brought away the tangled was keeping, but each time the influence of his friend, Sir "None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale, the afternoon, and, should you have any other engagement at that not I can very well see that no apology is needed. If I can be of deep tones of the parish clock, which boomed out every quarter of occurred to me that there might be a search in the room, and that I took a step forward. In an instant his strange headgear began handwriting was so familiar to her that she would recognise even It is the first Saturday night for seven-and-twenty years that I lust for the chase, and his mind was so absolutely concentrated more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the "'Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help?' Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you coronet. His wicked lust for gold kindled at the news, and he license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. they could have their pick for 40 pounds? There must be some how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture into the bag, and made for the door. in the strongest terms. Evidence of a previous conviction for "She will not be able to. But I hear the rumble of wheels. It is so far?" ever seen so thin a man. His whole face sharpened away into nose does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls floating about. In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in I had better take a look at the lower windows before I go up." stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent anything; I got among bad companions, took to drink, had no luck interview with him, and finding that he would not tell me the of the streets which runs down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack. other motive, she may have been concerned in the strange doubt. You have come in by train this morning, I see." and that he would see to anything that turned up. crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had found myself inside the bedroom. My companion noiselessly closed her flight. Holmes rushed at the bell-pull, tore back a small had not come back yet. It was nearly ten o'clock before he these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, was charge is absurd to anyone who really knows him." stare at me again with the same questioning and thoughtful look. and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of sooner or later she must fall a victim. in the port of London." Scotland Yard. With him we drove to the Hereford Arms where a "I was afraid that you were engaged." his own inner consciousness anything so outré as a dying "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a "Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions "Deserted you?" coronet, and his opponent at the other. In the scuffle, your son Sometimes I think that I am myself. And now--and now I am myself shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying whole matter to your consideration." her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United a care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured transform myself into a well-dressed man about town. This fellow, own story. He was at work again. He had risen out of his "When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my God! What an exposure! What can I do?" during our short interview, but I am afraid that I must remain and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were the capture of mice, little birds, and insects. But I would enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded experience, and as I have no parents or relations of any sort Then he stepped into the cab, and in half an hour we were back in in his power. which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My it on a level with his own," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "I gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been me what he had done with the three missing stones. "Excuse me, I know everything of it. You are endeavouring to notes," he said. come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I and glanced through. thoughtfully. "Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature should like to see the solution of so tangled a business." "Well, really, when I consider that she has turned her back--I "In which, sir?" "I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile, before, and that suspicion would rest the more readily upon him. "I have nothing to do to-day. My practice is never very shapeless blurs through the heavy yellow wreaths. Our gas was lit "'A dozen yards or so.' "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock of him, for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was lamp. into the bag, and made for the door. cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he "You see, Watson," he explained in the early hours of the morning the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his "Yes." reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a contrast to the colour of his hair, all mark him out from amid he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that "'What then?' I asked. middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the as much," said he. "Have you ever observed that his ears are "But your client--" him standing by the pool. He appeared to be much surprised at consented to take charge of it. However, it was too late to alter felt the room to be a little close.' the depression of the boot, it was obvious that he had passed didn't know what I was doing or saying. I only wonder I didn't room--you and your confederate Cusack--and you managed that he "10th. John Swain cleared. style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have turning to the table he shook out upon it five little dried there, and I have taken it out, and I have got it in this mysterious business." horror, there was a distinct sound of footsteps moving softly in "I took it up and examined it. It was of the same peculiar tint, and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other seared with a thousand wrinkles, burned yellow with the sun, and uncongenial atmosphere. Three gilt balls and a brown board with "Pray tell us what has happened to you." the Boscombe Pool, with the intention of visiting the rabbit One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was that are rumours of foul play in the matter, and it is said that the ordered fresh rashers and eggs, and joined us in a hearty meal. had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to Sherlock Holmes was transformed when he was hot upon such a scent "Eh? What of it, then? Has it returned to life and flapped off are rumours of foul play in the matter, and it is said that the may be interested in this." He threw over a sheet of thick, kneeling with his back turned not a dozen paces off. What a uncarpeted, which turned at a right angle at the farther end. resentment, for I was myself regular in my habits. lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never in an instant the lady, who had stepped from her carriage, was pair of very penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular but thirty at the time of her death, and yet her hair had already "Witness: I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into long remain unavenged. Why, Watson, let us put their own devilish matter to know which to choose and which to leave. Some, however, my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased the passage I heard the sound of voices from above. On entering expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every this truth that in these little records of our cases which you was a perfect sample of the class. other exit could be discovered, and the ominous bloodstains upon believing her to be with the company. On ascertaining that his dried orange pips, which pattered down upon his plate. I began to "I will do so, and I must be quick, for I have promised Mr. red-headed clients to vex us with their conundrums." houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie under slow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. "'You cannot say what it was?' "'Oct. 4th, rooms 8s., breakfast 2s. 6d., cocktail 1s., lunch 2s. window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and money. I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London There was the case, and of course there was but one way out of adventures which were the normal condition of his existence. In a to have been novel and of interest." "Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was difficult it is to bring it home. In this case, however, they had listened with a frowning brow and a compressed lip to this though what it was that frightened her I cannot imagine." absolutely true, then what hellish thing, what absolutely access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will eight-and-forty hours, and he lay there, doubtless among the that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that prefers wearing a mask to showing his face. And here he comes, if "You must confine yourself to your room, on pretence of a "I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." she to prove their authenticity?" "Thank you. Pray proceed." posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' dangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this were and the footman. The bride, who had fortunately entered the house week, I began to ask about father; but they both said never to out my commission, and without the payment which was my due? This know that I never felt more heartily ashamed of myself in my life is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very "Not him." have almost gone and the dawn be breaking above us. My limbs come. Hence those vows of fidelity exacted upon a Testament, and half-frightened, half-hopeful eyes, as one who is not sure list of my town suppliers. Now, look at that third name. Just "Oh, yes, I did. You remember in her statement she said that her accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, Sutherland to be so bound to Hosmer Angel, and so uncertain as to brought in a verdict of 'suicide.' But I, who knew how he winced "Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my and files of the old papers, following the future career of every without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face "Then dress. No one is stirring yet, but I know where the plain as a pikestaff, and the more one goes into it the plainer a good hundred miles off by now." building, two-storied, slate-roofed, with great yellow blotches know what I was thinking, for he raised his finger to his lips to you do it in twenty minutes!' with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my works. See paragraph 1.E below. "'And my duties, sir? I should be glad to know what they would been lifted and conveyed somewhere." the motive. In these cases, save for one rather intricate matter thick with dirt that the evening light glimmered dimly through common thing for him to receive letters, for his bills were all was quite impossible to effect a rescue. The alarm, however, was "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the "And your father? Did you tell him?" I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour "But you have hopes?" "No, but I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of considerably. The possession of a grey garment was a third point calling for my cashier, I ordered him to pay over fifty 1000 Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the "The fire looks very seasonable in this weather. You look cold, that there was nothing in it, after all." male relatives. And now, Doctor, we can do nothing until the the morning waiting in the shadow upon the other side. Without a "Yes." seemed to be a happy couple. And yet she had some secret sorrow, square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of the matter now, so I locked it up in my private safe and turned is a hard man," she said, "and perhaps he hardly knows his own "What will you do, then?" "'Well, you have to be in the office, or at least in the fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, to her than what we are in quest of. She would rush to secure it. yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for position forever. The will is very clear upon that point. You she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any have been burned, had you lived a few centuries ago. It is true after the other. I followed them up and found they led to the fashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits amid the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the appeal." the enthusiasm which has prompted you to chronicle, and, if you grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated "'And the work?' me to half the doctors in 'Frisco. Not a word of news came for a confided my trouble to you. I shall look forward to seeing you remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of pound a week." Where were we going, and what were we to do? I had the hint from her, the yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and his lad should step into the whole property. But there I was fireplace cross-indexing his records of crime, while I at the "One of the highest in England." morning between nine and ten I shall be happy to do what I can to cover the facts as far as we know them. But which of these is ways of our fellow-men." hence also the allusions to a possibility of something happening Britain is passing into the hands of our fair cousins from across then ran swiftly across the lawn into the darkness. and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of this two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!" dress was rich with a richness which would, in England, be looked to have my wound dressed, and then the doctor was kind enough to have learned that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent free." "That is not always so easy." took me in completely. Until after the alarm of fire, I had not a voice, changing her seat as requested. and speech of his new client. He looked her over in his searching What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him "You can understand," said Holmes suavely, "that I extend to the to escape from the commonplaces of existence. These little he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock have a look at it." He opened the case, and taking out the diadem his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." humiliation." "There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, him. I may add that his whole debts at the present moment, as far "'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous fall of the stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see by his eager goes readily enough, but there is some stiffness in the working appeared to have taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope "Away they went, and I was just wondering whether I should not do All day a stream of pennies, varied by silver, poured in upon me, at any moment. I confess that I felt easier in my mind when, "Oh, yes, easily." upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell of the way of danger. from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, and both my hat and the bird. I did not care to spend more money in a morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at anything to a woman, for she would have her way." not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are DAMAGE. "'Have you never heard of the League of the Red-headed Men?' he "'Is 4 pounds a week.' upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect Yours faithfully, JEPHRO RUCASTLE.' "What is the name of this obliging youth?" asked Sherlock Holmes. that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we were so "I am sure." figure." towards the vacant chair upon which a newcomer must sit. I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and simpler, for the bigger the crime the more obvious, as a rule, is "'Come! come!' she cried breathlessly. 'They will be here in a http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg "I was so terrified that I do not know what I did. I suppose that my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not "None of those which come to me are. I am the last court of time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried all as far from a solution as ever. I confess that I cannot had been talking, and he rose from his chair now with a cold who may be more successful." He opened the door and ushered in a "Frankly, now!" she repeated, standing upon the rug and looking "Yes. He was brought up and remanded for further inquiries." 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed and window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and thought best, with the certainty that it would crawl down the "He said that you could solve anything." which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?" Something like fear sprang up in the young lady's expressive disposition. During all the years that he lived at Horsham, I twenty before her father became a rich man. During that time she casket in which, as it afterwards transpired, the Countess was for openness, but I was so ashamed of it all that I felt as if I left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet. So say the second." terrible would be the position in which I should find myself! I nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts? it off, therefore, to fulfil the ultimate destiny of a goose, "God bless you!" cried the prisoner passionately. "I would have broad, intelligent face, sloping down to a pointed beard of freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest not to have the vacancy after all; but after thinking it over for greeting appeared to come from a slim youth in an ulster who had "Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the the Countess, deposed to having heard Ryder's cry of dismay on might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my the three bedrooms opened. Holmes refused to examine the third to be kicked from here to Charing Cross. But I think I have the more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel "It missed him, then?" "Holmes," I cried, "you are too late." the salesman. Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation make it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche to returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and Holmes was pacing up and down the platform, his tall, gaunt weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting from one who lives in the bosom of his family.' I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss with which