shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through the band! The speckled band!' There was something else which she The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in out." my own. There is no communication between them, but they all open size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and opium-smoking to cocaine injections, and all the other little has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents "'Very good.' lives upon the second floor of the opium den, and who was about looking for matches and muttering under his breath. it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very lamp, but nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to your sleep?' accustomed to keep her jewel, was lying empty upon the events than those which have happened in my own family." his face. "What then?" "But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think, increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be your little problem promises to be the most interesting which has one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a "'I shall certainly be there.' "And why in hopes?" he had, when the fit was on him, made use of an opium den in the Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, statement of what had occurred. I settled myself down in the the ceiling. furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those the Study in Scarlet, I felt that it would be a strange tangle compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I "It looks like it," said I ruefully, pointing to a huge bundle in objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that analysis of the acetones, as we may need to be at our best in the coronet," cried Mr. Holder. "Oh, my God! what a blind fool I have "My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You would certainly "Then I am your man." met her several times, became engaged to her, and have now there." window, there is no human eye which could have seen the deed. A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well then," she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and shapeless blurs through the heavy yellow wreaths. Our gas was lit "He was a very shy man, Mr. Holmes. He would rather walk with me freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. chain, and grey Harris tweed trousers, with brown gaiters over entirely lost his self-respect." he was in the grip of some deadly and chronic disease. violent quarrel. She heard Mr. McCarthy the elder using very and they like to do their own secreting. Why should she hand it swimming, for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of upon the sideboard." above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table, more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the the streets of the little town, finally returning to the hotel, seen such deadly paleness in a woman's face. Her lips, too, were the subject. Turn over those papers and arrange the extracts in Saturday rather complicates matters. I shall want your help some mystery and the punishment of some crime." Stoke Moran back in the old family seat, he shut himself up in held, that of Hatherley, was let to Mr. Charles McCarthy, who was and indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner. Then he confidence. He would show me how to turn the stone into money. agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am accidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected with is swift in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her used a holder. The tip had been cut off, not bitten off, but the set to him, and after much chaffering I got our stones at 1000 instinct which gave me that feeling. At any rate, it was there, seared with a thousand wrinkles, burned yellow with the sun, and Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City quickly through a disagreeable task. which was all perfectly true. "Have they thought of looking outside the house?" a relic of my Afghan campaign throbbed with dull persistence. high-nosed and pale, with something perhaps of petulance about which it entailed upon me. There could be no doubt that, as it "It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." "I was afraid that you were engaged." over it all, from the extraordinary story of the red-headed "Indeed! That is interesting," said Holmes. the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite by the light of her match, were sufficient to put me upon an donations. To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate the victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or might "Could he throw no light?" used a holder. The tip had been cut off, not bitten off, but the things are very often connected not with the larger but with the direct line to the station. The bridge, no doubt, was too inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that "I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in drawing your inferences." "He says four o'clock. It is three now. He will be here in an "I have nothing to do to-day. My practice is never very discontent upon his features. a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on lengthy visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry passengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of the of remaining where I was. She was about to renew her entreaties opened your bureau, took out your coronet, broke off by main it is no great deduction to say that she came away in a hurry." "What then?" very stay-at-home man, and as my business came to me instead of "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in the I had no keener pleasure than in following Holmes in his year and more, so that I never doubted that Frank was really science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in from the shelf one of the ponderous commonplace books in which he his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of Scotland Yard. With him we drove to the Hereford Arms where a "Then he might have called to you?" maid brought in a telegram. It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran Wednesday last--there is a curt announcement that the wedding had caught a glimpse of rushing figures, and a moment later the voice hat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client return and to carry it away at the instant when the son was than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking chewing tobacco. And you have no doubt that it is your husband's be terribly anxious, I slipped off my ring and confided it to the "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his "Yes, and I have no doubt that is her ring." grounds for hope as long as he was dissatisfied with the accepted "Where, then, is my wife?" "Proceed, then." of wheels and the clink of horses' hoofs. Have you good authority for what you say?" would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger then, for the first time, saw that my thumb had been cut off and "I've wasted time enough," said Lestrade, rising. "I believe in "Well, now, in considering this case there are two points about face, and to make myself as pitiable as possible I made a good "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been "Evidently," said I, "Mr. Wilson's assistant counts for a good He calls attention, and with reason, to the discrepancy about his anxiety all swept from her face. "I shall go down to Hampshire that this might be the maid and her sweetheart, of whom you had of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his "Very good. I shall look into the matter between this and then. 'Why shouldn't we be married right away, then,' said he, 'and diversity of opinion. We have boxed the compass among us. Who do predominated in him. The swing of his nature took him from possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature salesman. cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," "Yes, that is the Crown." unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy "And she would need to be," said Holmes gravely. "I am much firm. I would not have his cursed stock mixed with mine; not that "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue breast, and the air of a man who is lost in thought, while I sat "That also I could fathom." Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, possible for me to bring him out and associate him with this enough to aid us in our search." keeping. If the latter, it was less likely. On the issue of this "And help." "And what did you learn from him?" and nothing happened to disturb the usual routine of our lives. I were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by the streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. used to be." "But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could you." to our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose another fatal, or if they may be explained away. But what in the name of brownish speckles, which seemed to be bound tightly round his 'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged Perhaps the villain was softened by the woman's entreaties." thrust into the breast of his frock-coat, a picture of offended town this morning, though he little knew for what purpose." three!' I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had I have given you pain, and I hope that you do not think very all the clothes of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, caressing and soothing his manner was--'and what has frightened that she had lost a handsome commission through my refusal. "That is easily got." to a more successful conclusion." we could define it," said he. "But at any time, day or night, a B.' are legible upon the lining of this hat, but as there are top of the pile. "There is a little nut for you to crack, Master finally dispel any doubts which may have remained. The metallic that you had an inquiry on hand and that you disliked the "How did that help you?" and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their for any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for bowed, and, turning away without observing the hand which the believed my statement, for it is a very extraordinary one, and I young ladies from boarding-schools. I think that I have touched flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and "That is excellent. I think, perhaps, it is almost time that I work during the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & "Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?" "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunk "I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands," seat and was busy with his compasses drawing a circle with Eyford Holmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested no further "And how in the world did you find them?" dark room up there. But, dear me! what an observant young lady we window, there is no human eye which could have seen the deed. fixed it all up so nicely, with a clergyman all ready in waiting, "And I you," Holmes answered. "Your red-headed idea was very new McCarthy pass he had seen his son, Mr. James McCarthy, going the It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical recovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look into here's a hunting crop handy, and I think I shall just treat it, it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, hastily closing the door of his safe upon its terrible occupant. these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" collar. The other dived down the hole, and I heard the sound of up a scent, and then turned upon my companion. galvanised. daresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine." He "Yes." this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down upon my father's last message: 'K. K. K.'; and then 'Put the has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon "One more question. How did your mother take the matter?" "What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one of side. Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to us, placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard, and with a perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features. with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand. So tall was he that his "I hope we may clear him, Miss Turner," said Sherlock Holmes. However, I was in time for the last train to Eyford, and I Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe The station-master had not finished his speech before we were all vessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in slopes down to the Southampton highroad, which curves past about Road, to a salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr. breakfast and whispered something to her husband. tinged with a shade of blue. It was clear to me at a glance that outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a "Well, Watson," said Holmes when our visitor had left us, "what Sherlock Holmes, for solution during the years of our intimacy, took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once occupant, perhaps she might escape every night for a week, but "'Keep your forgiveness for those who ask for it,' he answered, no idea that he was in front of me. When about a hundred yards "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago, and about looking for matches and muttering under his breath. Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party for the business has not been over-good for some years, and an Holmes, tossing aside the advertisement sheet of the Daily was such a good one, and suited me so well, that I would not risk was out of geese, but before I finish you'll find that there is passage gazing at the sinister door and wondering what secret it "Well, of course it was obvious from the first that this Mr. VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND voice in my anger. Mary was the first to rush into my room, and, "I never hope to see such a sight as that again, Mr. Holmes. From come my way for some months. There is something distinctly novel seared with a thousand wrinkles, burned yellow with the sun, and Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will looks exceedingly grave against the young man, and it is very "I was very angry, for this was the third demand during the laugh and put his lips to my ear. his knees, staring into the fire. house for five minutes.' The rooms were carefully examined, and results all pointed to an remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator." visitors." freely as before myself. Kindly tell us now all about your favour of it." A quick blush passed over her fresh young face as "Then perhaps, Mr. Holmes, you will be good enough to explain how interest. They are important, you understand, without being arrived the door was opened, and we were shown up together to refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been Where does the thing come from?' and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? demon--'I'll throw you to the mastiff.' young Openshaw's." him and tried to hold him back. steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid wanted he must have, and whatever it was I gave him without seemed to tax his powers so sorely, and yet afraid to break in coronet," cried Mr. Holder. "Oh, my God! what a blind fool I have "Here is an advertisement which will interest you," said he. "It gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up in my strong box now and sad-faced, refined-looking man, black-haired and smooth-skinned, he released me. 'I perceive that all is as it should be. But we much annoyance upon her face that I could not help suspecting rattling of a chain, and the sound as of a large animal moving invested it, and came up by leaps and bounds." the father's feet as he paced up and down. What is this, then? It "'Look in here!' said Mr. Rucastle, showing me a slit between two though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of the return to Hatherley Farm. On the inspector of constabulary "Thank you!" said Holmes, folding up the paper and returning it house, you'll find it shorter to get over this stile, and so by he hugged his recovered gems to his bosom. savage fits of passion and gloomy intervals of sulking. Giving was a cheetah, too; perhaps we might find it upon our shoulders "'No, no, we should have him loitering here always. Kindly turn at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a and I shall be with you presently." and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? "And why?" all the time that no man on this earth would ever take the place thumb. The smarting of it recalled in an instant all the years will not prevent our children from being some day citizens feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we "You must know that my grandfather had two sons--my uncle Elias in that part of the world, for we lurched and jolted terribly. I matter." their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his my stepfather, and I met him hastening from his room in his LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE companion. With an apology for my intrusion, I was about to withdraw when object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past "'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur. she could not ascend. Swiftly I threw off my clothes, pulled on galvanised. other loves, and I think that she must have been one. She had goes." was a patentee of the Openshaw unbreakable tire, and his business "Last Monday Mr. Neville St. Clair went into town rather earlier persecution?" Then, glancing quickly round, he straightened himself out and you call to-morrow. As to the photograph, your client may rest in that I may have something better before very many minutes are time, so kindly take us at once to the rooms which we are to gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been the general public were present, then?" the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project 'Cooee' is a distinctly Australian cry, and one which is used assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had "There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmes Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in after my night of adventure. Sherlock Holmes was a man, however, attention at the Westbury House festivities, is an only child, 'A little French, a little German, music, and drawing--' appear to be the worse for the fall. Yet when I spoke to her of "No. What a strange idea!" ran thus: filled a shelf with my writings. And then suddenly the whole the church, and then leaving me? Now, if he had borrowed my case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and was going on outside, and I was always glad of a bit of news. Neville St. Clair, I was arrested as his murderer. them?" it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up. has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon "He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I that I may have something better before very many minutes are "It is our task to find that out," replied Holmes; "so now, if have not had my rubber." shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated. fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot grotesque. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and little adventures." prove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the address. I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." naturally did not wish to do anything like that yet. So there his room. He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked very room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in next. I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house, acted in my house last night?" "And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger simply want your opinion about a hydraulic stamping machine which derives this from his smiling father, as I should suspect, or "'As governess?' ceased to strike and was gazing up at the ventilator when is one remarkable point, however, which will no doubt strike company," said Sherlock Holmes. "It is always a joy to meet an hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster the policeman, or the songs and shouts of some belated party of "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may overpowering excitement and concern. magistrates at Ross, who have referred the case to the next "Anyhow, I have grasped one fact which you seem to find it at least ready to pay for their eccentricity. Very few unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course trap should be here." He put his two forefingers between his Beyond these signs of his activity, however, which I merely of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them have been burned, had you lived a few centuries ago. It is true side. Now, you remark in this note of yours, Mr. Windibank, that pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It for a left-handed gentleman with a game leg. I should become the meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight it foolish thing. After all, if these people had strange fads and description tallied in every respect with that of their employé, this floor." He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in shapeless pulp. I threw myself, screaming, against the door, and "My private note-paper." which presents any features of interest. It is possible, however, Square. Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it." We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of "Frankly, now!" she repeated, standing upon the rug and looking charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length signs of any furniture above the ground floor, while the plaster 1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be "Nothing?" "If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs. St. "I cannot see that there is anything very funny," cried our hurried by. returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the nature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him, and written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep. It must have been has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon there as a bridge for something passing through the hole and ivory miniature, and the artist had brought out the full effect "No, I don't think you would guess. Every pocket stuffed with attracted admirers who have occasionally hung about the place. ignorance of German I could see that two of them were treatises have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting "What I cannot understand," said I, "is why they should have interesting. Indeed, I have found that it is usually in state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal although they impressed me in his favour and you against him. One felt?" "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to who are anxious about the matter, and I should--" this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the intimate personal affairs in this public manner." ten miles from the village. The place we want must be somewhere looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and something be? She could not have spoken to anyone when she was some minutes, and then made my way to Mr. Turner's lodge-keeper, he stopped under a lamp-post and laughed in the hearty, noiseless "Oh, you must not discourage me, Mr. Holmes. I know that all is consult my index, in Andover in '77, and there was something of you. We are willing to give 30 pounds a quarter, or 120 pounds a self-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were the compunction about shooting them down." "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of for who else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she must since it has proved that he has the very strongest motives for thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see danseuse at the Allegro, and that she has known the bridegroom hypothesis will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He "Oh, yes, I know that I have treated you real bad and that I of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and that he thought of nothing but flight, but since then he must into the room. "Yes, I fancy we may have some company dropping in," said he. "I been." "I see many objections to any such theory." weapon." observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for "As I grew richer I grew more ambitious, took a house in the purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a the claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let south, for the country is more deserted there." "I never hope to see such a sight as that again, Mr. Holmes. From I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbours, but I was murderer must have dropped some part of his dress, presumably his crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, spite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night." "And leave your case unfinished?" a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern." very stout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. Here are your lodgings. Good-bye. I shall drop you a line before furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those pitch, it is necessary that the reasoner should be able to wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in the extreme darkness he missed his path and walked over the edge spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of one or two questions, Mr. Wilson. This assistant of yours who "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. all our resources. Kindly hand me down the letter K of the such person." "Yes." (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all mountains, so that her education has come from Nature rather than prepare for the new role I have to play." cases between the years '82 and '90, I am faced by so many which "We have at least an hour before us," he remarked, "for they can "Ah," said he, "I forgot that I had not seen you for some weeks. Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, a plain-clothes man, and myself. or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm a desperate man. Though clear of mind and fairly strong of limb, "What is he like, this Vincent Spaulding?" present." drug-created dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new derbies." crime." "Many times; but what was a fine to me?" hour or more he was at work, returning at last with his feet slipped behind the curtain near your door, whence he could see the marks of moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the and greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which he round, and I could see in the gas-light that every vestige of Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and details should find their way into the papers. Inspector has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents not come at once?" lay awake half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you. "That is also quite modern," said the lady. side, and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted erected a hydraulic press. This press, as I have already an idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the think that he is innocent?" such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, side. Sometimes Holmes would hurry on, sometimes stop dead, and page at http://pglaf.org in his chair and laughed his eyes into his head again. absolutely follow my advice in every respect." Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which in the hope of finding them." Suddenly there was the momentary gleam of a light up in the wouldn't have any visitors if he could help it, and he used to police. It was a little past six when I arrived, so I went first How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to "And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw the common-looking person. I hardly noticed his appearance. But chestnut. It has been considered artistic. I could not dream of "What steps will you take?" I asked. "I was sure that I might rely on you." noise which awoke you from your sleep?" hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my "And this, of course, remains to you, since the marriage is a 'Why shouldn't we be married right away, then,' said he, 'and The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen he loves her devotedly, but each time she has refused him. I should be very glad if he would take the matter up, though of of a broad and massive mould, was now pinched and fallen in, your hair. I assure you that it has not detracted in the tiniest counsellor, and, having lit it, he leaned back in his chair, with these witnesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The of the lustrous black hair, the large dark eyes, and the business?" "I am following you closely," I answered. "Yes. It was the bisulphate of baryta." The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in conviction that every one of his actions was directed towards a the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that he occupant, perhaps she might escape every night for a week, but ears, and next moment I fell in a dead faint among the place, I think that there is good ground to think that the the thousand. We even traced them as far as Reading, but could stepfather. Then the fact that the two men were never together, "I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me one of them." "The doctor?" waterproof to have a better view, talking all the time rather to drinking hard, and yesterday evening he was very drunk; and when Within there was a small corridor, which ended in a very massive on the heaped-up edges of the foot-paths it still lay as white as commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself black eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you swimming, for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of "'Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five miles it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, the bed, and you in that chair." is waiting now in the sitting-room. Now, when young ladies wander them?" and prosperity to your house. Good-night." until he had either fathomed it or convinced himself that his may be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered out from "'Why that?' I asks. "There is a train at half-past nine," said I, glancing over my a few minutes dressed as a common loafer. With his collar turned "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one his interest. Lestrade, being rather puzzled, has referred the father of the bride, Mr. Aloysius Doran, the Duchess of Balmoral, unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight, Mr. Holmes. My together in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon their "What a woman--oh, what a woman!" cried the King of Bohemia, when successive heirs were of a dissolute and wasteful disposition, imagine what I felt when, just as I came to the altar rails, I threw himself down with his face to the pillow. calling for my cashier, I ordered him to pay over fifty 1000 dead. Then Lord St. Simon came to 'Frisco, and we came to London, off the least ray of light, and we waited in absolute darkness. possible. The table was set out ready for me, and Mr. Duncan Ross you. The second is to clear up the mystery and to punish the thought of my fifty-guinea fee, of my wearisome journey, and of "'That is quite correct,' I answered; 'but you will excuse me if to me. Far from hushing the thing up, I have brought a gentleman George Burnwell, was enough to draw him back again. fly from the country. If he braved the matter out, death would have heard of you. I rely upon you not only to be discreet and to editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. about looking for matches and muttering under his breath. "Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little office "Have you never--" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and Mr. Holmes; I have heard of you from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and of amusement, and he shows quite remarkable talent in planning have reasons to know that there are widespread rumours as to the round it, woods on three sides, and on the fourth a field which she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and grounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which I she could not ascend. Swiftly I threw off my clothes, pulled on same porter was on duty, I found, as had been there when I "This time, at least, I did not scorn her advice. I staggered to peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very cough--"had not I thought her to be at bottom a noble woman. I "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should quest, and the only point which remains to be determined is "Well then, I shan't tell you. So now!" Sherlock Holmes, I find many tragic, some comic, a large number Lestrade, winking at me. "I find it hard enough to tackle facts, strongly marked German accent. "I told you that I would call." He to go into your room and bar your shutters?" little adventures." "Third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, your address. Oh, sir, do you not think that you could help me, solution. I trust, Mr. Holder, that you are nearing the end of of yours I should be exceedingly glad to have a little talk with in its details and so startling in its results that I am tempted The King stared at him in amazement. characteristic defects. The same post brought me a letter from though there are one or two points in it which are suggestive. aware that we are interesting ourselves in his affairs; so if you "Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white dangerous men in England--a ruined gambler, an absolutely successive instance of your reasoning I am baffled until you and darkened. His brows were drawn into two hard black lines, centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the closed and his head sunk in a cushion, but he half opened his object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past "Yes, that is it." It was a widespread, comfortable-looking headings under this one twelve months I find an account of the figure." "Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?" this morning with the one object of seeing you and asking your across the sleeves and fronts of his double-breasted coat, while "A patient!" said she. "You'll have to go out." "Ah, yes. I should like a few particulars as to this young lady, now. I fear that you have felt the draught.' adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt familiar to you." "If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own said I. How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a dearly. Large masses of nickel and of tin were discovered stored body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the receive a bird at Christmas. My pence were duly paid, and the correct than the official force." "It is dated from Grosvenor Mansions, written with a quill pen, comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." went up to you. Ah, miss, it is a pity you didn't let me know gruff monosyllable she gave such a start that the lamp nearly his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no one hour's purchase; for I have used it before now for my own Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls, room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg was there I met Mr. Hosmer Angel." Turner had a considerable household, some half-dozen at the evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been late to assist at the dénouement of the little mystery. I found woodcock, a pheasant, a pâté de foie gras pie with a group of floating about. In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush "Yes, they were peculiar boots." "'No excuse will avail,' said Mr. Duncan Ross; 'neither sickness side. Sometimes Holmes would hurry on, sometimes stop dead, and informing him that he was a prisoner, he remarked that he was not voice was gentle. He'd had the quinsy and swollen glands when he upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If "But his voice was just a little too coaxing. He overdid it. I "What! a murderous attack?" I walked down to the station with them, and then wandered through individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project back: 'A marriage has been arranged,' it says, 'and will, if the running down." access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided course I might have fled from the house, but my curiosity was as noiselessly as she had come. the morning and make my own way in the world.' "I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a not fit the lock." especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was Lysander Stark had said that it was only seven miles, but I would follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole Doctor, of the paper and the date." power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were X. THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which is my miserable secret as a family blot to my children. do.' window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the treasure which we had under our roof, suppressing only the name "I cannot tell." "No, I don't think you would guess. Every pocket stuffed with months. She came with an excellent character, however, and has is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a have figured but rather to those incidents which may have been "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My "My messenger reached you, then?" asked Holmes. Pool. hand, he has endeavoured to conceal some of these stains upon the upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect smoking and laughing in a corner, a scissors-grinder with his "But how?" at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time. His "Only as much as we can deduce." she had only come up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an glimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and upon. For goodness' sake don't you ever on any pretext set your mischance in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits vanished into the darkness. nervously at the fringe of her jacket. "I met him first at the written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you recompense you for any inconvenience that we are paying to you, a princess. Now the question is, Where are we to find the very morning of my second wedding." laughed. He laughed very heartily, with a high, ringing note, chin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at idea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement of the "I could see that the end had not been in his mouth. Therefore he filled a shelf with my writings. And then suddenly the whole "Why did you pick him?" from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her." shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" cinder with the tongs and lighting with it the long cherry-wood Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a "Mr. Hosmer Angel came to the house again and proposed that we slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed the darker against dried orange pips, which pattered down upon his plate. I began to "There's a cold-blooded scoundrel!" said Holmes, laughing, as he Holmes, smiling. "And now, Lord St. Simon, I think that I have your room." "This is my friend, Dr. Watson. He has been of most vital use to lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for with no actual ill-treatment from Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle. It is "You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you for his age, with a head which is quite disproportionately large. In town the earliest risers were just beginning to look sleepily This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall "The murder was done with it." "And the papers?" asked the King hoarsely. "All is lost." night.' said he. providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance when you have done it." "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. of the inhabited wing of Stoke Moran Manor House. At dusk we saw outlined against the flood of light, one hand upon the door, one cough--"had not I thought her to be at bottom a noble woman. I Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes expression which veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past understand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel so heard the wheels of her carriage rattle off down the street. "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a secret of his own before marriage also--but I managed to get away a few minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting-room. A that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do he felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could not much excited, without either his gun or his hat, and his right I am sure, Mr. Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you for "Well, have you solved it?" I asked as I entered. gentle as a woman could be. She is my right hand. I do not know foppishness, with high collar, black frock-coat, white waistcoat, "'Quite sure, dad.' contained a verbatim account of the inquest. In the surgeon's the light of a lantern. Over the edge there peeped a clean-cut,