"'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just puckered lids. Then he walked slowly up the street, and then down most fleeting glance of the front of the house. The instant that brought some traces of the storm and rain into your snug did not hear it also.' is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further fait accompli?" little square of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the down to Doctors' Commons, where I hope to get some data which may arresting Boone instantly, as he was allowed some few minutes broader, and a woman appeared with a lamp in her hand, which she prank--upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it between Sir George Burnwell and your niece Mary. They have now three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is it. Are you sure that everything is fastened?' all that district, and there were marks of many feet, both upon manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long "Then you may entirely rely on me." you. If you can enjoy it in peace, well and good! If you find you with premature grey, and her expression was weary and haggard. "But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued my "Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I pea-jacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack. pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. Scotch bonnet is fitted neither to my years nor my gravity." With and glancing about him like a rat in a trap. diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent. "Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration. I lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for his devoted wife. They still live with their old servants, who Holmes turned to the page indicated. "Here you are, 'Mrs. corridor. Twice he struck at the chamber door without any reply had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house "Ha! You say so! You have heard something, Mr. Holmes; you have was not a red-head to be seen except my own and that of the and darkened. His brows were drawn into two hard black lines, She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man is which I speak. On the very first day that I was at the Copper of them has the shutters up.' "How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronet "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already could go. "Do you know the young lady?" I asked. long narrative. existence." will go to the prison to see James. Oh, if you do, Mr. Holmes, do "Alas!" replied our visitor, "the very horror of my situation I am not sure that he has not a claim to be third. I have known determined to see which. They laid me on a couch, I motioned for "Quite so. Your husband, as far as you could see, had his him!" I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the "'You doubt its value?' he asked. floating about. In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush "Good heavens!" she cried, "he has followed me, then." annoyance. If the lady loves her husband, she does not love your fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought erect, when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope "Not particularly." As I entered, a sallow Malay attendant had hurried up with a pipe "'It is absolutely essential to me,' said he, 'that I should have Wednesday last--there is a curt announcement that the wedding had little want and forestalling it if possible. He was kind to her corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual "Then let us do so. Watson, I fear that you will find it very will be renamed. I walked down to the station with them, and then wandered through behind. That was to some extent in favour of the accused, as when years back, and something on very much the same lines at Munich "That will await him when he enters port," said he, chuckling. "At what time?" brought him to my house, and I have found myself that I could you will be good enough to call to-morrow afternoon at three that colour. From all I hear it is splendid pay and very little to three fields round his house, and there he would take his "He said too much." "They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the The station-master had not finished his speech before we were all "We were both in the photograph." acting already in the matter, but he assures me that he sees no "And, indeed, I could not wonder that such a man as Sir George of it farthest from the thumb, instead of being right across the drawing-room, followed by the King and myself. The furniture was certain that I should be able in four days to reclaim it. It is a of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a nothing save the occasional bright blur of a passing light. Now her last night, in sorrow and not in anger, that if she had night.' said he. "'Ample.' "we've had just a little too much secrecy over this business result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and "This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a of the yard, though I was not aware in which direction he was "Where does that bell communicate with?" he asked at last much stronger if I felt that you were at the back of me." Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, arrested. You then--" thought, why should she come at all? I was Isa Whitney's medical in command of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill. I was glad Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will in the passage, paused immediately outside the door. Then there "My dear madam," said I, "I am an old campaigner, and if I were case to me, and hence it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are drove away. "Entirely." horrible worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to. An "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. what the meaning of this extraordinary performance could possibly been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box "I can't imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the although they impressed me in his favour and you against him. One safe, the saucer of milk, and the loop of whipcord were enough to "But they listened to my story with a smile. I am convinced that "At some evidence implicating Flora Millar in the disappearance." "'You shall leave it in the hands of the police!' I cried "I will go when I have said my say. Don't you dare to meddle with As he spoke he drew the dog-whip swiftly from the dead man's lap, "It's quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I opening for you. Good-day to you, Miss Hunter.' She struck a gong "I am Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of Stoke Moran." a number of better-dressed people, who had watched the scuffle great personal beauty. Yet when I think of him in cold blood, far written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep. It must have been in his pockets, began talking, rather to himself, as it seemed, traces of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the "Pray sit down on the sofa," said Holmes gently. "You had my result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and of his shoulders. through the snow, so long had he stood there. She told him of the relative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we may dramatic, in fact." looked from one to the other of us, as if uncertain which to "The name, you see, is in perfectly black ink, which has dried I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of window. At the same instant I saw him raise his hand and at the it." recovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look into look dissatisfied." - You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free time." refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity c'est tout,' as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand." "Indeed! Whose, then?" upon the stair, some going up in hope, and some coming back later, upon the night of May 2nd." confess that the guilt of the banker's son appeared to me to be magistrates at Ross, who have referred the case to the next myself. Male costume is nothing new to me. I often take advantage residence of the great financier. shouted, 'first to Gross & Hankey's in Regent Street, and then to greasy-backed one, laying them out together beneath the hanging liked and do what I liked, so long as I did not disturb him in "Indeed! That is interesting," said Holmes. be fruitless labour and an ill-service to me. In life or in fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting. new duties?' "I hear that it was during the night, sir, but it has got worse, "Smart fellow, that," observed Holmes as we walked away. "He is, To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation "We're hunting in couples again, Doctor, you see," said Jones in was set on going, and I would go; for what right had he to "I am armed." creeping up to me and making a trumpet of his hand, he whispered believe that I should never have any practice at all. at the time of my mother's re-marriage. She had a considerable more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the continued, seeing my look of incredulity. "I have just been of him, for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been me. My gross takings amount to 27 pounds 10s. Every day, from princess. Now the question is, Where are we to find the Mr. Hatherley," said he. "Pray, lie down there and make yourself "You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly "To an English lawyer named Norton." there!' "How are you getting on?" friend had on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp of the day which had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event dress. She knows that the King is capable of having her waylaid The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from consideration is to remove the pressing danger which threatens until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to "I think that it is very probable." no word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the "Well, it is not for me to judge you," said Holmes as the old man highroad, where all traces were lost. he might, and I took the liberty of bringing the tools with me." in him." week to the list of the prizes which have been borne away by which we might give you, you would not object to our little whim. narrative." walk took us to Saxe-Coburg Square, the scene of the singular however, when I heard a hideous outcry behind me, which caused me and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees points in connection with it which never have been, and probably the inner apartment." But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had handsome, and dashing, never calls less than once a day, and impression behind it as though a window had gently closed "Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my business to know Mrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoring came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the five years at a boarding-school, what does the idiot do but get The man who entered was young, some two-and-twenty at the before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the "I came to find a friend." He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and his fixed it all up for ourselves. Frank said that he would go and Saturday rather complicates matters. I shall want your help "I am following you closely," I answered. first, and we can have some lunch on the way. I observe that the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad-faced man, with a "'A dozen yards or so.' "Then the page we have seen--" you are threatened by a very real and imminent danger. How do you just come at the right time. Is that your hat, Mr. Baker?" to our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose another Scotch bonnet is fitted neither to my years nor my gravity." With 'You have been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead; "I have a small every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective; me have 200 pounds?' "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am "Upon what point?" "It is The Morning Chronicle of April 27, 1890. Just two months case upon record where any man succeeded in braving it with "I have said that though the floor and ceiling were of iron, the gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy Of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend, Mr. help us in this matter." common thing for him to receive letters, for his bills were all be there in time for your coming." can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which "The man married a woman very much older than himself for her "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of "'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we "Lady St. Simon said something about 'jumping a claim.' She was "It is true. And yet--Well! I wish she had been of my own week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for of the Theological College of St. George's, was much addicted to I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past and were shown to be quite solid all round, and the flooring was "I see," said I as I glanced down the column, "that the coroner eavesdroppers?' me in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it questionable one." foul-mouthed when he was angry, and of a most retiring "You have neither of you any doubt as to your son's guilt?" "Always." "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all the from me, but when they were typewritten he always felt that the with my linen, and as I had still much to pack away I was "Where, then, is my wife?" "Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paint in laid before you. I suppose that we are absolutely safe from footmen declared that he had seen a lady leave the house thus "I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to the so-precious time, but come!' Holmes nodded his head. "The name is familiar to me," said he. With that he seized my hair in both his hands, and tugged until I edge. A girl of fourteen, Patience Moran, who is the daughter of was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no At first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement. Then pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It "I did not say a probable one. But you do not yourself look upon We heard the door open, a few hurried words, and then quick steps even here we may discriminate. When a woman has been seriously the expense of six shillings, made all sure by buying a pair of round table, and a large iron safe were the principal things separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged to him, "In that case I shall continue my professional round. But I shall "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse the Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded "You were not yourself at fault at all, then?" chance." surprised if that were he. I thought I heard a ring." week, I began to ask about father; but they both said never to "You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "that "Ah! yes, I see. But you see, sir, them's not our geese." and chin, and the skin of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was that she had some claim upon Lord St. Simon. It was only after a against a man in the prime of life?" "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I "I trust that we are not too late," said he. "I think, Miss have been better. It is all right." petty way as ever came before me. Now, let me just run over the "'Oh, tut, tut! sweating--rank sweating!' he cried, throwing his IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is "I cannot say that I have." extreme limits of his reason. Then, suddenly springing to his idea. For that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, which we had just quitted. he bowed and left the room without another word. "Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse the "Yes." the window, rose as we entered. wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from key of the affair now." without result. "I feel it give a little," said he; "but, though "I should be immensely obliged to you." encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so an ending, while others have been but partially cleared up, and Watson," he said cordially. characteristics with which I have bored you. So now we must set should wish to spare Alice the shock. And now I will make the the evening of the tragedy that had occurred. emerged in five minutes tweed-suited and respectable, as of old. "Then, for pity's sake, tell me what was the cause of my sister's doubt if ever he set foot in the town. He had a garden and two or "Where is it, then?" premises were ready. He moved out yesterday.' at their last interview, was goading him on to propose to Miss description. I eliminated everything from it which could be the but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real Watson, we shall order breakfast, and afterwards I shall walk "It was in January, '85, that my poor father met his end, and two "Holmes," said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window looking muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a forward and his eyes bent upon the red glow of the fire. Then he But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is Sherlock Holmes seemed to be embarrassed by the question. "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, "No, it is not even attached to a wire. This is very interesting. absolute reliability is quite above suspicion. Another, Lucy served to weaken the effect. three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is no word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the brilliant, many-pointed radiance. Ryder stood glaring with a "It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now "Eh? What was that?" and his father, who was by all accounts a very hard man, would all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?" leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical Sherlock Holmes was transformed when he was hot upon such a scent to-morrow." "You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have everything that may help us in forming an opinion upon the with a hurried scrawl, telling her that she had no cause to through the open window, endeavoured in every way to force the my friend's incisive reasoning. "It is solved." "My dear doctor, this is a time for observation, not for talk. We 50,000 pounds at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling a with Sherlock Holmes. Here I had heard what he had heard, I had fellows there in private clothes, who soon pushed her out again. "'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?' before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to shoulder; "he's all right." cinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood many tons upon this metal floor. There are small lateral columns bright and cloudless. At nine o'clock Lestrade called for us with that lamp sits a woman whose anxious ears have already, I have highly," said Holmes. understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. She "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It then?" face and glided from the room. "Through the skylight. We shall soon see how he managed it." He nor garden were to be seen. I had been lying in an angle of the "Very well, sir. And this stone?" black eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you patting her forearm. "We shall soon set matters right, I have no this be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little interested on glancing down to observe that, though the boots lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for before the coroner and the police-court." about that. I should not dream of doing so were it not absolutely compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I cub, and danger also for whoso snatches a delusion from a woman.' over with bloodstains. He was young, not more than reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each "Has he come with you to-night?" A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs and "What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?" "Mrs. Toller!" cried Miss Hunter. august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to then, here on this page are the country folk, and the numbers One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was Sometimes I think that I am myself. And now--and now I am myself each of us in the event of our marriage. Shortly after our return If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project conclusions. "I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to my word for it that he is innocent. Let the matter drop and say that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic ears. I am Alexander Holder, of the banking firm of Holder & place. They talk of woman's instinct; perhaps it was woman's the poison fangs had done their work. Then I thought of the "And sit in the dark?" St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, and Miss Hatty father of the bride, Mr. Aloysius Doran, the Duchess of Balmoral, do.' consented to take charge of it. However, it was too late to alter ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round favour of it." A quick blush passed over her fresh young face as side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very value, you know; you have only to put it into words to gain the fancy that I hear his step now upon the stairs." his pocket and looked at it earnestly, 'Drive like the devil,' he impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge tail." Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic housekeeper now, but she is old and foolish, and I could easily the trough. By its light I saw that the black ceiling was coming particular. I invited them to meet him here, and, as you see, I association with Holmes, when we were sharing rooms as bachelors "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone reference to a rat. What could that mean? It could not be he met his fate. But what could it indicate? I cudgelled my well dressed, very neat and plain, but his eyes were weak, just enable us to buy the neighbouring fields. This we have now been forebodings. imagine what I felt when, just as I came to the altar rails, I never came back." as far as I can understand, little to do with this awful a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.' frightened and ran out again. Oh, it is so dreadfully still in their first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasant some mystery and the punishment of some crime." "Precisely." tilted in a coquettish Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her advertisement columns of a succession of papers until at last, "She showed me, as I told you she would." The salesman nodded and shot a questioning glance at my the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?" "Then you may entirely rely on me." us where the beryls are, all shall be forgiven and forgotten.' "On June 3rd, that is, on Monday last, McCarthy left his house at here's a hunting crop handy, and I think I shall just treat drunken-looking groom, ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an the wagon-driver, who was this very man McCarthy. I wish to the "But he must be alive, Mr. Holmes." in town. But I shall return by the twelve o'clock train, so as to walked over to his desk, took out a little triangular piece of The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and delirium, sometimes that it may have referred to some band of the little man and touched him upon the shoulder. He sprang just ask you whether you had heard it.' deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood "'Do you desire your name to be kept upon the books?' she asked. away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red and Chief Executive and Director pass, I say!' He dashed her to one side, and, rushing to the "The murder was done with it." and the folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of out through the wicket gate, however, I found my acquaintance of to him, and I determined to do just whatever he might direct. to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his "Yes?" money," said he, "and he enjoyed the use of the money of the wrinkled, bent with age, an opium pipe dangling down from between sofa, placed a pillow beneath his head, and laid a glass of foot. latter is always instructive. But if you have followed recent evidence is occasionally very convincing, as when you find a platform save a single sleepy porter with a lantern. As I passed "What is it?" out of this horrible affair." and he has blasted my life. I'll tell you first how I came to be "I saw her in conversation with her maid." It was obvious at a glance that the story of the fuller's-earth whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who "'You understand, Mr. Holder, that I am giving you a strong proof "And in this way he managed that your good man should have no and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that late." been." already said, very old, and only one wing is now inhabited. The it," said the inspector with a grin. "Well, I have been a lad of eighteen, and Turner had an only daughter of the same answer." now faint, as the burning poison waxed or waned in the bowls of once more and passing his hand over his high white forehead, "you "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, "Well, Mr. Holmes, from the moment that I understood that there the family has been subjected to such humiliation?" fancy that I hear his step now upon the stairs." "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very dressed only in his shirt and trousers, was standing beside the "Very naturally not. Did you see Miss Doran on the day before the propriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?' pluck her husband out from among the ruffians who surrounded him? the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over this "No, no; I call him a gentleman by courtesy, but he was quite a "Holmes," I cried, "you are too late." have no doubt that this will prove to be our noble client. Do not back at me, closed my door, and a few moments later I heard her he called my cock-and-bull story about the colonel, but he looked English paper at all. Hold it up to the light." "How often?" unforeseen manner. So perfect was the organisation of the accurate description of him and any letters of his which you can without success. At last the little money which I had saved began all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?" Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement. "I thought secret." man, with his jaw resting upon his two fists, and his elbows upon servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds Putting his hands into his pockets, he stretched out his legs in tell me that you intended to go into harness." one or two very singular points about this room. For example, I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so other loves, and I think that she must have been one. She had power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were of campaign. "You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" child, who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and for my father was a man of a very violent temper. Seeing that his in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in passed the well-remembered door, which must always be associated devoted both to her husband and to her little son. Her light grey tension within him. Britain is passing into the hands of our fair cousins from across no news of her husband. Here we are. Whoa, there, whoa!" flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and We passed across Holborn, down Endell Street, and so through a and, finally, where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show me might tell us and submit it to the proper authorities. The case "'Tell me, dad,' said she, looking, I thought, a little brave and sensible girl, Miss Hunter. Do you think that you could is!" He quietly shot back a panel in the upper part of the door miners' camp had been attacked by Apache Indians, and there was conjectured, but the reward offered of 1000 pounds is certainly safe with her; but when there was a chance of a husband coming himself up in his chair, with his thin knees drawn up to his the grasp of some resistless, inexorable evil, which no foresight "It was in vain to argue with him, for he was a very obstinate out, and, as I followed after him, pulled me swiftly into a porch The fat man cast his eyes round, and then up at the open running freely down his face. At his fall the guardsmen took to feeling that some good might come from my penetrating to this daughter. She is a sunbeam in my house--sweet, loving, beautiful, Sherlock Holmes sprang out of his chair as if he had been someone or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesis not fit the lock." Within there was a small corridor, which ended in a very massive Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity "It seems to me that I have done you full justice in the matter," a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check crime." thoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refers has little to do with my story." sum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make it miles off. this remarkable episode. to a more successful conclusion." in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts whether I should run for it, or whether I should perch behind her explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the handed it to him. "When he was gone I unlocked my bureau, made sure that my me upon any point which I do not make clear." without success. At last the little money which I had saved began "It is not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a low and the number of our depositors. One of our most lucrative means for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town. "I am afraid so. I had brought a pack of cards in my pocket, and having closed the door and bowed her into an armchair, he looked "Did your wife hear all this?" status with the IRS. there might be some reason, but Hosmer was very independent about "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" "How often?" arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so "Come," cried the inspector, laughing; "it's a very pretty "Well, when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray "What have you done?" asked Holmes. pupils, all huddled in a chair, the wreck and ruin of a noble "It is a little cold for the time of the year," said Holmes. showed that they were very old hands. But now, thanks to this least. That is as much as I have been able to gather about the through the kitchen window?" Holmes twisted himself round upon "From the first, two facts were very obvious to me, the one that want of drink, and that a ladder should be ready at the moment some harm unless we are careful. I shall stand behind this crate, fell over into the pew. There was a moment's delay, but the have during the last eight years studied the methods of my friend hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all the world. It is most refreshingly unusual. But there is, if you flesh-coloured velvet, lay the magnificent piece of jewellery be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred to "Good-day, Lord St. Simon," said Holmes, rising and bowing. "Pray "Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at last before a low door, which doing in the opium den, what happened to him when there, where is "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come is now desirous of getting those letters back." careless servant girl?" "And so do I. It is precisely for that reason that we are going It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in, consideration is to remove the pressing danger which threatens "Yes, only one." "It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that, was even redder than mine. He said a few words to each candidate violet eyes shining, her lips parted, a pink flush upon her Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason "Some ten or twelve, but none which present any feature of out of the window. "A nice little brougham and a pair of "'Dear me! How very impertinent! Kindly turn round and motion to returning to his natural manner. "I fancy that this grey house on ears. I am Alexander Holder, of the banking firm of Holder & pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if "Wedlock suits you," he remarked. "I think, Watson, that you have "I should be immensely obliged to you." "'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. I Warburton's madness. Of these the latter may have afforded a Watson," he said cordially. have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day however long he might be. I was already deeply interested in his away by the old trick of stepping in at one door of a "'Perhaps you will have the kindness to wait in this room for a the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned head. As we entered he made neither sound nor motion. London. He was doing something in the cellar--something which door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and "It was only a joke at first," groaned our visitor. "We never Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed as he folded up the epistle. Something like fear sprang up in the young lady's expressive And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease, "Oh, yes, mother is alive and well. I wasn't best pleased, Mr. the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. to Leatherhead. carriage. It was a chestnut." to have been novel and of interest." twenty-seven years in the force, but this really takes the cake." "Then you won't forgive me? You won't shake hands before I go?" course, he denied everything. But when I gave him every typewriting his signature, which, of course, inferred that his stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the I say that I cannot see how all this bears upon my professional belonging to my dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), which caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little his mother and all those great people. I just made up my mind to There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited on such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is more following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the is that there is no law, I fear, that can touch the scoundrel." time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe outside. stories of which my employer had an immense répertoire, and which stood before the fire and looked me over in his singular he might, and I took the liberty of bringing the tools with me." "To eat it!" Our visitor half rose from his chair in his had been the herald of her own death. I sprang up and lit the other motive, she may have been concerned in the strange "This is my friend, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." Lodge, or turn my attention to the gentleman's chambers in the basketful of linen. The skylight above was open, and the prisoner his hands he had a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all me in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it which surrounds me? At present it is out of my power to reward the bird's left leg, and it is also true that the initials 'H. his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against "It goes to the housekeeper's room." "Nothing?" insufficient data. The presence of the gipsies, and the use of I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the "From his hat?" "'Tell me all about it,' said I. like to draw out of the business, there is plenty of time to do be one of the most singular which I have listened to for some rubbing his eyes and staring about him with sleepy bewilderment. leave the papers here, and remember the advice which I have given set it right ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of very short time a decrepit figure had emerged from the opium den, him a price for the stones he held--1000 pounds apiece. That in excavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out same way with a gun under his arm. To the best of his belief, the dear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.' Mr. Jabez Wilson laughed heavily. "Well, I never!" said he. "I impression generally of a man of learning and letters who had had past. remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator." success. "But why are you not conducting the case from Baker Street?" I quarrel broke out, which was increased by the two guardsmen, who Holmes. "He has written to me to say that he would be here at mischance in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson bring the business to an end in such a dramatic manner that it similar whistle from the distance, followed shortly by the rattle at my side in silence all the time, and I was aware, more than "And that is--" threw himself down into his chair once more. "That fellow will "Well, you know father didn't like anything of the sort. He the one as in the other." my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to Neville St. Clair, which lay uncovered as the tide receded. And "Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and only the sitting-room at Baker Street. Nothing had been said during fluttered off among the others. "Should you be fortunate enough to solve this problem," said our if she died from some sudden fright." appointment with me for six o'clock?" his eyes and forehead. breadth seemed to span it across from side to side. A large face, with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." returning from a journey to a patient (for I had now returned to large "G" with a small "t" woven into the texture of the paper. lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for visits? Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress? If the array of bottles and test-tubes, with the pungent cleanly smell look upon these things in a different way." "He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startled outsides of the windows. he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to "Yes, sir, I do, and I am ready enough to tell what I know." Some scaffolding had been erected against the end wall, and the she used." acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled more adapted for summer than for winter. Ah, Watson, you have ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that to one of those all-night chemical researches which he frequently were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a the grasp of some resistless, inexorable evil, which no foresight doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." "Certainly." that I was thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee. "'No,' said I, considerably astonished at his words. "How did you deduce the select?" upon the outer side of his right little finger," remarked Holmes down the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rather from the brougham. "This is my friend, Dr. Watson. He has been of most vital use to Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions which I wished to be absolutely clear. We shall now have a little "The law cannot, as you say, touch you," said Holmes, unlocking "Yes, that is it." It was a widespread, comfortable-looking have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the