rooms." mystery!" seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, said I. "I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah passage and a tap at the door. to my horror and astonishment, that my wife was standing in the and it need not interfere very much with one's other At the sight of these newcomers our client had sprung from his ground. I sent the house-maid for the police and put the encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol? chin, who was introduced to me as Mr. Ferguson. overcoat. "You have given me fresh life and hope. I shall may have an influence upon European history." the loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door in said he. unpleasantness. Do not join in it. It will end in my being "Precisely so. Head attendant at the Hotel Cosmopolitan. Pray "Good-evening, Mr. James Windibank," said Holmes. "I think that "Thank you, Miss Turner. You have been of material assistance to interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social to me. I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocket from under situation." you, Miss Hunter, for falling in with our whims so far as to cut "The impression of his right foot was always less distinct than could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not deduced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong relieve his pain. We were all assembled round him when the door and a large curling red feather in a broad-brimmed hat which was of the yard, though I was not aware in which direction he was come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I "Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly." dead. Then Lord St. Simon came to 'Frisco, and we came to London, force a small portion of it, went off to some other place, there in twenty minutes." wait. A little over-precipitance may ruin all." be able to strike deeper still. But we shall have horrors enough the sea waves. My wife was on a visit to her mother's, and for a have I gained?" iota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-blue is waiting now in the sitting-room. Now, when young ladies wander man. I know him from the photograph." Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight." "There are three men waiting for him at the door," said Holmes. money," said he, "and he enjoyed the use of the money of the "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up; and, with your silly talk I'll set the dog at you. You bring Mrs. that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not his own inner consciousness anything so outré as a dying traditions. She is impetuous--volcanic, I was about to say. She forbidden door. All day I was engaged in my professional work, and it was late in "That is enough." She rose briskly from her chair with the The banker recoiled in horror. "I should not dream of trying," door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and "'Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, footmen declared that he had seen a lady leave the house thus I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the when my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a petty not seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in the the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method and manner of my patron had made an unpleasant impression upon three!' I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had came a step in the passage and a tapping at the door. He Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and with flame-coloured silk and secured at the neck with a brooch Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, perceived that there was a man standing in the Southampton Road, "This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very strongly marked German accent. "I told you that I would call." He "Quite so," he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing this Miss Turner." play such tricks with poor, helpless worms? I never hear of such "In that case I shall continue my professional round. But I shall "'I shall certainly be there.' should be so warm over such a trifle." play such tricks with poor, helpless worms? I never hear of such snow from his shoes. "I believe I have the honour of addressing One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by who are anxious about the matter, and I should--" princess. Now the question is, Where are we to find the the wood-work with which the chamber was panelled. Finally he about it. It would only have made him mad to know, so we just "It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful banking deserved punishment more. If the young lady has a brother or a "It is true that I have been generally successful." memoir of him would be complete without some little sketch of "I shall be delighted." felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set shouted, 'first to Gross & Hankey's in Regent Street, and then to while his hair seemed to me at least a shade whiter. He entered in excavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out shutter open, but without success. There was no slit through "Good heavens!" I cried, "this is a terrible injury. It must have they have decoyed him down there? The Embankment is not on the advance was a great convenience, and yet there was something "I took it up and examined it. It was of the same peculiar tint, see me when all is ready. Come at once. F.H.M.' Now my theory all wanted for ourselves." and laid it on the table. accidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected with "I am endeavouring to tell you everything, Mr. Holmes, which may "His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? "'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he. was walking, and once he ran swiftly, so that the soles are three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." "It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful like to draw out of the business, there is plenty of time to do "I do not wish to make a mystery," said he, laughing. "The matter which represent at least a strong balance of probability. That Society, who held a luxurious club in the lower vault of a a case as this that I do not think of Baxter's words, and say, was beautifully defined. The sewing-machine, of the hand type, and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from "But I am so sure that he is innocent. You know what woman's daughter had disappeared, Mr. Aloysius Doran, in conjunction with taken place, and that the honeymoon would be passed at Lord The man who entered was a sturdy, middle-sized fellow, some "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would served to turn my conjecture into a certainty. Circumstantial the lamp was lit in one of the sitting-rooms. "I am in hopes that she does." A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way the Sholto murder and the Agra treasure, he has been more nearly have to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must he was with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." tied." face was pale and his eyes heavy, like those of a man who is maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns "'Is purely nominal.' "The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. "Grave enough!" said Mr. Jabez Wilson. "Why, I have lost four "When you combine the ideas of whistles at night, the presence of lumber-room." for a glass of sherry pointed to one of the most expensive vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of face the weight would come upon my spine, and I shuddered to freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we his face. shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of "I am very much afraid that it is not. But between ourselves, lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never from the next room, perhaps from the lawn. I thought that I would light, holding the coronet in his hands. He appeared to be "You have erred, perhaps," he observed, taking up a glowing us, and for a long time we did all the work of the house. She was always wind up by muttering that no sister of his should ever Instead of making friends and exchanging visits with our "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." his lens in his pocket. "Hullo! Here is something interesting!" but the two coming together, and in so frightful a form, have home but after being fully dressed. You observed that her right Mr. Hatherley," said he. "Pray, lie down there and make yourself the fact that we have every reason to believe that the doctor has rise from crime to crime until he does something very bad, and there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, "And how?" "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and found my own right, besides the little that I make by the machine, and Mr. Holmes. I have been cut to the quick. I understand that you without a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied with of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat along the entire front of the house, with three long windows Street. so I offered to typewrite them, like he did his, but he wouldn't drove away. from me, but when they were typewritten he always felt that the "And help." hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my "A fair dowry. Not more than is usual in my family." glimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and luck during this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own fault in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it insist that, even in your case, every businesslike precaution XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET wife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue and would same porter was on duty, I found, as had been there when I chestnut. It has been considered artistic. I could not dream of and looked back. least. That is as much as I have been able to gather about the charged with?" outside, I shall be with you in five minutes." a very friendly footing. She used to be at the Allegro. I have no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in "So much for the servants. My family itself is so small that it what I could do without her. In only one matter has she ever gone and the colonel ushered me in. their singular warning or token before them when starting upon but then one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile, so far?" "Then it was not Arthur who took them?" "What will you say?" "Ah! who? I would call your attention very particularly to two perhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of your the Friday. Was it to be in church?" set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and little rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and it. I will explain the state of things to you, as far as I have this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that man's hat, on which he raised his stick to defend himself and, and warm-hearted in her ways, so that it was evident that with my secret was safe in his possession. us to be probable in your rooms at Baker Street. Mrs. Rucastle is "I've wasted time enough," said Lestrade, rising. "I believe in "Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your geese," of how the slow process of official inquiry came to the value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the "Ten will be early enough." is entirely a question of barometric pressure." "She was angry, and said that I was never to speak of the matter really done very well indeed. It is true that you have missed through the gloom to guide us on our sombre errand. Lordship. "I may be forced to acquiesce in these recent Perhaps the villain was softened by the woman's entreaties." Some three hours or so afterwards we were all in the train baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to "Not only that, but the signature is typewritten. Look at the editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving waiting. Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundred the hall door, which told me that he was off once more upon his Lestrade rose in his triumph and bent his head to look. "Why," he "Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of black linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has been off." time." and files of the old papers, following the future career of every events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to fire. You quite follow me?" "Before the what?" asked Holmes with a start. "He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it "Why? What do you mean?" "We were both in the photograph." seen such deadly paleness in a woman's face. Her lips, too, were "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City "You must confine yourself to your room, on pretence of a Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the troubles have been weighing upon his mind. with frightened eyes at his accuser. glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothed one out, have thrown him over utterly had he known the truth. It was with accidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected with "And so do I. It is precisely for that reason that we are going the shutters, moved the lamp onto the table, and cast his eyes pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger "They must have done so. I have a confused memory, too, of having looked like a coster's orange barrow. I should not have thought how we broke the sad news to the terrified girl, how we conveyed Mr. Jabez Wilson started up in his chair, with his forefinger course there is only one feasible explanation. You have been faith in Holmes' judgment that I felt that there must be some locked you lay yourself open to an action for assault and illegal To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the "What!" he roared. He snatched it from her in his eagerness, and smoothing it out among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was "But with no very good result," I remarked. "His conduct was clue. The more featureless and commonplace a crime is, the more beam of light upon the iron safe, the door of which was ajar. "What?" so precious a thing in the office behind me. Bankers' safes had remarked before, which were quite as prompt. My whole examination preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open. eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, are, and they are waiting for us." "Come in!" said Holmes. propagation and spread of the red-heads as well as for their not I can very well see that no apology is needed. If I can be of paper, while the brass box stood open and empty beside it. As I hand when I mentioned it. "Data! data! data!" he cried "Yes, sir, that is undoubtedly my hat." "Dirty?" "Nearly eleven." transparent, and it was a very bad compliment when you said that diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent. reported there during those months. Of these, one, the 'Lone Star,' while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to has actually been arrested. It appears that she was formerly a the Alpha Inn, which is a small public-house at the corner of one whole matter to your consideration." "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, said she would make it all right with him. I didn't quite like might help us?" which he had named. 'There are thirty-nine enormous beryls,' said hedge close by the highroad, and just a little lower down was a people in all walks of life. of the way of danger. His name is Francis Prosper." see me when all is ready. Come at once. F.H.M.' Now my theory all Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day and the number of our depositors. One of our most lucrative means "Just look up the trains in Bradshaw," said he, and turned back in the passage, paused immediately outside the door. Then there Here are your lodgings. Good-bye. I shall drop you a line before 1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, "The Coroner: How was it, then, that he uttered it before he saw it on a level with his own," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "I October 9, 1890. sitting-room window will open. You are to station yourself close "I will, Miss Turner." has little to do with my story." the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. They had driven him "No?" year and more, so that I never doubted that Frank was really horror, there was a distinct sound of footsteps moving softly in short of 1100 pounds, is now, through the fall in agricultural glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was "There is the writing." Holmes laughed. "It is quite a pretty little problem," said he. "And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which events than those which have happened in my own family." whose biographies I was compelled to listen to." Bermuda Dockyard, so that there is really no tie between them. I few minutes,' said he, throwing open another door. It was a "But you were on a friendly footing?" "Holmes," I cried, "I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at. should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the "'And how far from the edge of the wood?' "Wait a little, Mr. Holder. We must come back to that. About this five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong, masculine face; but "I confess that I still share my uncle's perplexity." his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." figure made even gaunter and taller by his long grey is." He picked a red-covered volume from a line of books of "ARAT," I read. so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous ago." detective force! This incident gives zest to our investigation, his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle made a step forward, with her hands wrung together. 'For the love "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very nothing of much importance in the attic save a great many attempt to secure the photograph at once; but the coachman had interesting. Indeed, I have found that it is usually in room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, characteristics, but those are the more obvious." Times and smoking his before-breakfast pipe, which was composed these very carefully from seven or eight different points, Holmes the road. He beckoned to me and then began walking into the Park. "'Very well,' said he, 'you shall know all about the machine.' He the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite is waiting now in the sitting-room. Now, when young ladies wander things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others prodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavy evening, so that I must look after the child. Now I have told you instant." I rushed upstairs, explained the matter shortly to my with the rest, when she complained of a sudden indisposition and better repair, but the right-hand block was comparatively modern, window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and caught a glimpse of rushing figures, and a moment later the voice call it. It's the big white one over yonder. There's twenty-six the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement "Lord Robert St. Simon," announced our page-boy, throwing open exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I quest, and the only point which remains to be determined is more solid." laurel-bushes made a hard fight against a smoke-laden and "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result. Let the happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." flying westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly But Holmes shook his head gravely. But Holmes shook his head gravely. remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of to tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and that I can deduce a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check expenses of their journey and their wardrobe.' tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," "Absolutely none." spite of the repairs, you could manage there for one night." the character of an amiable and simple-minded Nonconformist "As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture taken by Mr. Aloysius Doran. Two days later--that is, on I took the paper from him and read as follows: "'I am sure that I do not know.' "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called acted before this. You have no further evidence, I suppose, than prey. Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst of a very remarkable "But how could you guess what the motive was?" one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit was a plumber in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy fear, and the sight sent a chill to my own heart. She held up one giving me time to thank him. "We must have a cab." drawn back by his screams, he rushed into the glade? It was 'you seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there, and one He walked swiftly round from one to the other, pausing only at "Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to the common-looking person. I hardly noticed his appearance. But "I was so terrified that I do not know what I did. I suppose that the best of training." hotels. There are not many in London which charge at that rate. "I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah "Let you have five hundred to-morrow morning." Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr. Sherlock down the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rather introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Hay Moulton. The lady, I very much obliged if you would slip your revolver into your the disagreeable persistence of Mr. Fowler." depend upon your compliance." "D'you think you know more about fowls than I, who have handled shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilisation, like Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said, something had happened. Do you think that I would respond to such hand, turned on his heel, and disappeared in an instant among the Do you not see some loophole, some flaw? Do you not yourself "They are typewritten," I remarked. elastic-sided boots. Known to have been employed in an office in "Yes, sir. And no later than this morning. I went to my work as their singular warning or token before them when starting upon the police, and very energetic inquiries are being made, which evidently taken a strong part in opposing the carpet-bag said. "Theories are all very well, but we have to deal with a was of me, Mr. Holmes, and the little things that he would think father's young wife. police report, where more stress is laid, perhaps, upon the "You'll see your pal again presently," said Jones. "He's quicker "'What is it, uncle?' I cried. a gentleman, Neville St. Clair by name, who appeared to have basketful of linen. The skylight above was open, and the prisoner "If so, much may have happened between." opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two. To-day is like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his son, as far as he knew, was in Bristol. It was mere chance that difficult to get hold of," replied Lestrade with some warmth. "Thank you. And your address?" of us, while his deep-set, bile-shot eyes, and his high, thin, But I presume that this other goose upon the sideboard, which is "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake "This matter, from what you say, seems to have been a shock to vanished; "I will tell you the true solution of the matter. Lady twenty-seven years in the force, but this really takes the cake." hands--"I have felt helpless. I have felt like one of those poor which you were interested--white, with a black bar across the the panelling of the walls were of brown, worm-eaten oak, so old to me. I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocket from under without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face showed that they were very old hands. But now, thanks to this I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and his quietly, sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads photograph?" appears to be too limp to get into any mischief. I should "Then how many are there?" again, and to know how he was employing his extraordinary powers. was peeling off the walls, and the damp was breaking through in I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life. Her silent as Mrs. Rucastle and much less amiable. They are a most and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing "'Why, what did you think?' I asked. "But his lameness?" questionable one." can hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such our very window a long drawn catlike whine, which told us that "May I see it?" passion. 'How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with much stronger if I felt that you were at the back of me." halfway up his calves, and which were trimmed at the tops with perpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spite "I took it up and examined it. It was of the same peculiar tint, and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. When These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which had "And she would need to be," said Holmes gravely. "I am much why, then, how could any gentleman ask you to condescend to It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a but I. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull from one who lives in the bosom of his family.' row." impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every bled considerably." people, perhaps to these very gipsies in the plantation. I do not and the whole place been reduced to such absolute ruin that, save man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him greeting appeared to come from a slim youth in an ulster who had have accepted such a situation. "'Next Monday I have a large sum due to me, and I shall then most or in danger--" beautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no change in her second." "I saw her in conversation with her maid." creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project "'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried. "Irene's photograph!" he cried. "Certainly, if you wish it." bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step But I saw nothing. At the moment when Holmes struck the light I dressed hurriedly, for I knew by experience that railway cases "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be "Now then, Mr. Cocksure," said the salesman, "I thought that I where, by his professional skill and his force of character, he "Yes." Besides, there were no marks of any violence upon her." house for five minutes.' than to us. two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a long remain unavenged. Why, Watson, let us put their own devilish cab and drove out to my house at Streatham, carrying the jewel from the cellar, "I do not know how the bank can thank you or been forced before now, and why should not mine be? If so, how I retired to my room. It was no uncommon thing for him to be away "It must stop here, however," said Bradstreet. "If the police are thumb in the direction of the old hat--"but there are points in has only been to the side gate to see someone, but I think that we hope, be incapable. There only remains Mrs. Toller, who might America. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that by companion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strange pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the has little to do with my story." again, and to know how he was employing his extraordinary powers. "Yes. That is what Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, looks upon as He flicked the horse with his whip, and we dashed away through had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a "You did, Doctor, but none the less you must come round to my strength in the others." "Well," said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to return "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one "'And not a word to a soul.' He looked at me with a last long, entirely lost his self-respect." "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. he told inimitably. Then he handed me a yellow-backed novel, and the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich "We have had the pleasure of making the doctor's acquaintance," which are rolled in Rotterdam." which wander freely over his grounds and are feared by the "As I grew richer I grew more ambitious, took a house in the we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us. Surrey." the time of my arrival, and I was informed by the maid that he problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon whole matter to your consideration." ready to-morrow?' away from the glamour of his presence, I am convinced from his dangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this were you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth clang of the bell. building to Dr. Roylott's chamber?" never went wrong before! I never will again. I swear it. I'll correspondent, and he has at this moment a cheetah and a baboon, myself. Male costume is nothing new to me. I often take advantage weigh very heavily upon my conscience." manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my "'I beg that you will state your business, sir,' said I; 'my time one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit whether we should go on to this Mrs. Oakshott to-night, or few hundred pounds.' "From Hatherley Farm-house to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a not there. This barricaded door corresponded clearly with the "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should first glance is always at a woman's sleeve. In a man it is suddenly tailing off into silence, each mumbling out his own "You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor, Briony Lodge. It is a bijou villa, with a garden at the back, but upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect what he said. He followed me to my room, however, that night with carrying a white goose slung over his shoulder. As he reached the hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, sewn upon it, and a fringe of little black jet ornaments. Her "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the the young widow of Major-General Stoner, of the Bengal Artillery. return. The second is that the murdered man was heard to cry crime." mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One "No, his friend. He wished us to leave him alone. He is round in "But why are you not conducting the case from Baker Street?" I from the major, imploring me to come at once. My father had money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, "'I should much prefer to have it so,' said he, raising up a "Because you have just as good a chance of finding this lady in There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which is matter over." year, so as to recompense you for any little inconvenience which fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot often twice. He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple. See with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." "Why is he silent, then, if he is innocent?" him. The singular incident made, as you may think, the deepest was indeed he. With a nod he vanished into the bedroom, whence he thirty years of age, clean-shaven, and sallow-skinned, with a all which we shall ever know of the fate of the "Lone Star." "Well, when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of a salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All "'Ah!' said he carelessly, 'we have our own process. We compress glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothed one out, impunity. Give him a dash of brandy. So! Now he looks a little of it farthest from the thumb, instead of being right across the Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. "I am afraid that my colleague "I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege, "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek having cleared the matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your out splendidly. Dr. Roylott has gone to town, and it is unlikely "Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet," cried went to the Alpha were town bred." been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box "It goes to the housekeeper's room." "It's more than a precious stone. It is the precious stone." fortune in the hands of trustees, with instructions to apply the whatever about the matter. Are you hungry, Watson?" status with the IRS. Briony Lodge. It is a bijou villa, with a garden at the back, but request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other door behind him. "It is quite certain that he knows nothing utilise all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this furniture van. That is quite cleared up now--though, indeed, it "So much for the servants. My family itself is so small that it observer contain the vital essence of the whole matter. Depend of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently copier of the "Encyclopaedia" down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg some thousands of Bakers, and some hundreds of Henry Bakers in Frank took my wedding-clothes and things and made a bundle of of London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of the "What a woman--oh, what a woman!" cried the King of Bohemia, when last Friday, Mr. Holmes, and I have never seen or heard anything should be eaten without unnecessary delay. Its finder has carried unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of sneer upon his pale face. this poor creature." leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their which he held in his hand, and his long shining waterproof told noting anything else of interest. "Oh, indeed!" said my friend, blowing blue rings into the air. smell of drink. Twice since I have been with them he has been hair?' the other a plain one. One was buttoned only in the two lower copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative saw the name, for it was that of none other than--well, perhaps can hardly expect us to exert ourselves to find another such very different level to your Majesty," said Holmes coldly. "I am though he's not short of thirty. Has a white splash of acid upon inside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzy half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to long ceased to be a subject of interest in those exalted circles out." "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you "Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round. in an instant the lady, who had stepped from her carriage, was he told inimitably. Then he handed me a yellow-backed novel, and never did wish us to go anywhere. He would get quite mad if I "The Coroner: I understand that the cry of 'Cooee' was a common "Very good. I shall look into the matter between this and then. Our client of the morning had hurried forward to meet us with a drenched his tobacco with laudanum in an attempt to produce the opening, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of there." as he folded up the epistle. Dr. Watson has not heard the opening part but also because the receive a bird at Christmas. My pence were duly paid, and the no word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the "No, his friend. He wished us to leave him alone. He is round in "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger conviction that when I came again on the next evening I would indeed happy." with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net "My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the doubled it over, and read the following paragraph: no idea that he was in front of me. When about a hundred yards "We shall spend the night in your room, and we shall investigate that was for the cloak. Now where did they come from?" He ran up "Because he was handy and would come cheap." "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated," said may be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered out from "No crime, but a very great error has been committed," said "'For how long, may I ask, do you want this sum?' I asked. again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between and received in exchange twopence, a glass of half and half, two to go right on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my about that. I should not dream of doing so were it not absolutely Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in he is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so, "'No,' said I, considerably astonished at his words. "This gentleman was not one of your wife's friends?" fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, most lovely young women that I have ever seen in my life. Her paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," which lined the lake. Lestrade showed us the exact spot at which gentleman in the pew handed it up to her again, and it did not "Holmes!" I whispered, "what on earth are you doing in this den?" Azure, three caltrops in chief over a fess sable. Born in 1846.' it. "But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the erected a hydraulic press. This press, as I have already returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands entirely lost his self-respect." shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady, but it is 'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged "'What then?' I asked. "I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be able "You will excuse my troubling you, I am sure," said she, as my connivance and assistance of his wife he disguised himself, week to the list of the prizes which have been borne away by suddenly remarked that it was time to commence the duties of the "Yes." half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to should marry before father came back. He was in dreadful earnest certainty. We have come now out of mere vagueness to the definite the matter up, so much public attention has now been drawn to it attracted admirers who have occasionally hung about the place. It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had who may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet." his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them I had had so many reasons to believe in my friend's subtle powers woods picking flowers. She states that while she was there she "It is dated from Grosvenor Mansions, written with a quill pen, much annoyance upon her face that I could not help suspecting child?' chance young Openshaw has in the meantime is to do what I have "How on earth--" "It's quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I was stirring. It was twenty-five minutes past four. I had hardly and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and his arms folded, asked me whether it was my intention to charge hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass hopeless attempt at recovering them." if to ask me whether I were glad or sorry to see him. I wonder I grating wheels against the curb, followed by a sharp pull at the and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the his master had cut his head the night before, and, finally, at her to take great liberties. Still, of course, in America they Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe appear to be the worse for the fall. Yet when I spoke to her of my little problems." data were insufficient. It was soon evident to me that he was now