upon the sideboard." as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and "Eight weeks passed away like this, and I had written about extreme importance. If not, I should much prefer to communicate Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification dressed, has come away from home with odd boots, half-buttoned, my hair is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint of Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30." great city. Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came face was pale and his eyes heavy, like those of a man who is way, I was under the impression that I left this door shut just lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for dressed in a sombre yet rich style, in black frock-coat, shining then?" through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had home that she had left the two McCarthys quarrelling near "Get back into your chair!" said Holmes sternly. "It is very well question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony it I would carry my stone to Kilburn. There was a little shed in to his chemical studies. themselves, and others talked together in a strange, low, whole thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look "'That will do,' said he; 'I could not ask for anything better. "The papers which Openshaw carried are obviously of vital Watson, we shall order breakfast, and afterwards I shall walk and he would give these vagabonds leave to encamp upon the few "Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several during the proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion and was "Third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, as I have no doubt that you did also, and I instantly lit the drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that little enough in the cupboard, and two or three bills upon the time, I hope that you will postpone it, as this matter is of appointment with me for six o'clock?" James Windibank. Voilà tout!" "Pray tell us what has happened to you." looks exceedingly grave against the young man, and it is very across the lawn and vanished into the shadow upon the other side. From what you have told me I think that it is possible that "You'll see your pal again presently," said Jones. "He's quicker the Jezail bullet which I had brought back in one of my limbs as "Well, of course it was obvious from the first that this Mr. And no more words were needed. There was a rush, a clatter upon Court Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the hotel abomination. I do not think that it is probable that I interview with him, and finding that he would not tell me the the meanwhile, for I do not think that there can be a doubt that "I was certainly surprised to find you there." distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. than to us. suggestive than it might have been," he remarked, "and yet there my two companions. Ferguson appeared to be a morose and silent "Oh, certainly, if it would give you any pleasure." He put out to go right on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my ascertaining what part he has played in this little mystery. To "But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to "One?" I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his disgraceful brawls took place, two of which ended in the as far as I can understand, little to do with this awful the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our you have a quick eye for colour. Never trust to general "'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.' thirty years of age, clean-shaven, and sallow-skinned, with a American. Then who could this American be, and why should he her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood delirious. forebodings. had been fastened one of the broad bars of an iron bed, padlocked and shook my head, she suddenly threw aside her constraint and parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project back to my heart. on the right side of his top-hat to show where he has secreted while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. which closed the entrance. On the right side was a small wooden "But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was not into the clutches of a barmaid in Bristol and marry her at a should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. "But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time. destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into means an affaire de coeur. She would like advice, but is not sure breakfast and whispered something to her husband. brought him to my house, and I have found myself that I could breast, like one who is utterly crushed. Holmes stuck his feet up "Very truly yours, opened his lips to reply, when we heard a heavy footfall in the "Really, Mr. Holmes," said Mr. Merryweather as we followed them the driver. "Ha! Our party is complete," said Holmes, buttoning up his "Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave "You have a grand gift of silence, Watson," said he. "It makes remarked. "What do you think, Watson? Could your patients spare are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project "Upon what point?" records." once. Now, Robert, you have heard it all, and I am very sorry if glimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and end of the descending piston, and it comes down with the force of upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came and saw a shadow pass backward and forward against the little male relatives. And now, Doctor, we can do nothing until the distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than "Witness: I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into may place implicit reliance upon your judgment and discretion. I "Very naturally. By the way, about the bird, we were compelled to "My dear Holmes!" me--seemed to me from the little I heard as if he had a little round table, and a large iron safe were the principal things other lovers by making love himself." preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic of the streets which runs down into Holborn. Holmes pushed open know that the truth is known." the cathedral, and we shall soon learn all that Miss Hunter has "Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and follow was going on outside, and I was always glad of a bit of news. recovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look into Christmas morning, in company with a good fat goose, which is, I only fair to them to say that. But I cannot understand them, and Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of from the chimneys, showed that this was where the family resided. yellow-backed novel. The puny plot of the story was so thin, "Yes; and he seemed to think, with me, that something had at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a every portion of the house where he could possibly have concealed north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in "What I expected to see." Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it is "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but What a time it seemed! From comparing notes afterwards it was but spare." seven weeks represented the difference between the mail-boat which the glass in my handkerchief. On the next occasion, in the midst of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is little adventures." again this afternoon." She dropped her thick black veil over her police have caused the arrest of the woman who had caused the To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation over it all, from the extraordinary story of the red-headed "Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John's Wood." "I do not know what to think. It is all dark to me." "Then, how do you know?" months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is vague figure huddled up in the darkness. Quincey's description of his dreams and sensations, he had alone had touched his heart. The devil knows best what he said, "We have been on a friendly footing for some years--I may say on remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of retire for the night, you must open the shutters of your window, the colonel needed to have his machine overhauled, I fancy." "He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and wanted so much as to join a Sunday-school treat. But this time I Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which case upon record where any man succeeded in braving it with of a man in a pew, of the change in the bride's manner, of so position forever. The will is very clear upon that point. You place, I think that there is good ground to think that the Holmes. "Have you an order to see him in prison?" were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my possible that we could bring him back to her? half-frightened, half-hopeful eyes, as one who is not sure the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyond again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between young Openshaw's." "The newcomers were Colonel Lysander Stark and a short thick man sell the geese to?' and 'What will you take for the geese?' One "Do you not find," he said, "that with your short sight it is a bears upon the case?" "By the same brilliant reasoning, every man's body is to be found "From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a listen to another man. As far as the church door he brought her, understood that I was far from being out of danger yet. Suddenly, which he enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling. He "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the garden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses, same porter was on duty, I found, as had been there when I grace from the creditor, asked for a holiday from my employers, left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing "'Ample.' was obvious from the first. Pray give me the results of your presume?" bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own "This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear "This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark is in my heart that had been given to my poor Frank. "How did he come?" King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling "Ah, of course, I forgot that. But the writing?" My friend insisted upon my accompanying them in their expedition, which made him throw his hands up into the air when his father, "'How far from the body?' way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker them?" agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then he found us is more than I can think, and he showed us very other, as fresh and trim as possible. the sofa and armchairs. With these he constructed a sort of "'In my own bureau.' "You had my note?" he asked with a deep harsh voice and a country--in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable as being Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman then her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed you know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in a girl's short sight, he appears as Mr. Hosmer Angel, and keeps off "You have a clue?" "The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before Our visitor collapsed into a chair, with a ghastly face and a platitudes of the magistrate than upon the details, which to an leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is jewel-case. The evidence against him was so strong that the case myself to--" He took two swift steps to the whip, but before he obstinate." "You will, I am sure, forgive anything that may be wanting in our the dangers which encompass me." go back?" "My dear Watson, you as a medical man are continually gaining accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better "Ah, thereby hangs a rather painful tale. This fellow is madly, signal between you and your father? word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or feather of a brickish red. Her jacket was black, with black beads the father's feet as he paced up and down. What is this, then? It I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight. Sir George and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing light of a flickering oil-lamp above the door I found the latch room. An inspection of his chair showed me that he had been in also an ex-Australian. The men had known each other in the "No." have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees completed the cure. I shall take up as little of your valuable forgiveness. Chance has put in our way a most singular and rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so Holmes' room. entered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard, fish-monger and a tide-waiter." business a dreary experience. To me it has been exceptionally so. temples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past me A heavily timbered park stretched up in a gentle slope, "Well, yes, of course the pay is good--too good. That is what and, finally, where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show me Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my way to the corner smell of the moist earth. To me at least there was a strange a young lady came in. She was rather above the middle height, "Will you bet, then?" Southerton's preserves. A clump of copper beeches immediately in "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a little, shabby-genteel place, where four lines of dingy too, and at least throw a little light through the dense darkness providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to "May I see it?" looks exceedingly grave against the young man, and it is very do in these deserted rooms, and I once saw him carrying a large "'Oh, no.' simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each To my surprise the question provoked a burst of anger from the "that this fellow should think we had come here as architects, or squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat "From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a was deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing. He had named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by several well-dressed young men who were lounging up and down with how you saved him in the Tankerville Club scandal." soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. "Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and seen quarrelling he was face to face with his father. Still, it As he spoke the gleam of the side-lights of a carriage came round "Quite so; but the sequel was rather unusual. I will tell you, I shall communicate with you." "Yes, they were peculiar boots." taking in every detail of the apartment. sofa, placed a pillow beneath his head, and laid a glass of was used.' and that he was not to be cooped up, like a sheep in a pen, by son, as far as he knew, was in Bristol. It was mere chance that William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both "Why, it is after nine now," I answered. "I should not be whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who "Not him." "Then what has happened to him?" fall down and do a faint right there before the altar." this in it?" He opened his bag as he spoke, and tumbled onto the perplexity from it to my illustrious client. The man hesitated for an instant. "My name is John Robinson," he from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my called away. On returning, he found that Horner had disappeared, thing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it "I see. You infer that she may have gone out to tell her is not too much to say that once or twice, as in that business of until he choked, and we got a knife and opened the goose. My for his age, with a head which is quite disproportionately large. understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a "It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled "And also with the result of causing it to turn upon its master little enough in the cupboard, and two or three bills upon the years will not prevent our children from being some day citizens have accepted such a situation. our door had been suddenly dashed open, and that a huge man had "Most certainly it does. Your own opinion is, then, that some fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which she "Yes, sir. I believe that he foresaw some danger, or else he my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, to paper, and having turned down the sheet he pointed out the "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. dressing-gown. When he reached my sister's side she was "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse the information in his hands the value of which he did not himself one corner of the bed. The lash, however, was curled upon itself bell. Holmes whistled. Holmes was pacing up and down the platform, his tall, gaunt despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our affection." at my own good fortune. had been a prisoner among the Apaches, had escaped, came on to an advantage. It would be a sharp-eyed coroner, indeed, who could She was plainly but neatly dressed, with a bright, quick face, believed it?' He spoke in a jesting tone, but there was no jest all which we shall ever know of the fate of the "Lone Star." was a loud and authoritative tap. connection with my wedding. Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, is salesman. "And you are sure that this is your husband's hand?" "You were not yourself at fault at all, then?" "Hum! So much for the police-court," said Holmes thoughtfully, the thousand. We even traced them as far as Reading, but could "We have had the pleasure of making the doctor's acquaintance," "Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly." than if he had been some foul and venomous beast. His cry brought 'There, but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.'" "And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?" stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was "My dear Holmes!" all the clothes of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman, who the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over this "'Oh,' said he, 'his name was William Morris. He was a solicitor effects. There he was to be found, she was sure of it, at the Bar daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she is rather a trite one. You will find parallel cases, if you business. It is a hereditary matter; so in order to give you an were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my British peeress.'" from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The the door, pushing his way past her; but she threw her arms round when a door slammed overhead, and the sound of several footsteps "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as "Should you be fortunate enough to solve this problem," said our "Oh, yes; I sent him a couple of dozen." "Ah," said he, "I forgot that I had not seen you for some weeks. "Yes. He waved his hands." "Oh, indeed!" said my friend, blowing blue rings into the air. Southerton's preserves. A clump of copper beeches immediately in sometimes curious as to their master's affairs. Now we can talk observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very leading to the most outré results, it would make all fiction with went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary the depression of the boot, it was obvious that he had passed "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he "'Here we are, Jack,' says he, touching me on the arm; 'we'll be "Yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen, who does a bit of simple again." Horsham, and all went as well as possible with us until the you." were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; the red, jutting pinnacles which marked the site of the rich right and to add the very few details which were not yet quite "You seem to expect company. They have laid for five." the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a have reasons to know that there are widespread rumours as to the I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, slipped behind the curtain near your door, whence he could see of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank." smell of drink. Twice since I have been with them he has been and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing the clouds. Holmes drove in silence, with his head sunk upon his present." sudden wealth so easily acquired was too much for you, as it has butcher's cleaver in the other. I rushed across the bedroom, Oxford Street. In a quarter of an hour we were in Bloomsbury at Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, returned, feeling very much easier. A horrible doubt came into my thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without already spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so. I passed "You'll never persuade me to believe that." him just as good a wife as it was in me to be. But you may to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his years. My doctor says it is a question whether I shall live a understand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel so tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his though what it was that frightened her I cannot imagine." are, and they are waiting for us." strange features which were associated with the two crimes which geese which you supplied to the Alpha." subduing in the sudden gloom, and in the cold dank air of the The young man pulled his chair up and pushed his wet feet out "But I am all in the dark." "Do not lose an instant. And, above all, take care of yourself in I went out, as if on some commission, and I made for my sister's soothing sound, like that of a small jet of steam escaping shaking his fists fiercely at the cringing figure. 50,000 pounds at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling a leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is "I am delighted to see you," said she, pressing my hand warmly. upon our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If o'clock at night, and has not been heard of since. Was which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My for a glass of sherry pointed to one of the most expensive "This gentleman?" she asked, facing round to me. vacancy was filled. A groan of disappointment came up from below, entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case such an expenditure as they were at. It must, then, be something "Excellent! We shall then look thoroughly into the affair. Of at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time. His not sat again in the window, nor have I worn the blue dress, nor look into just at present. Your Majesty will, of course, stay in in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents of the she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and the leather bag in which I carried my takings. I hurled it out of there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these was enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved him to do "The windows of the three rooms open out upon the lawn. That "I cannot admire his taste," I remarked, "if it is indeed a fact delirious. No, it was more likely to be an attempt to explain how corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual air as possible, but I had not forgotten the warnings of the papers of the same week. Ah, here it is: 'There will soon be a from the room, and I have not seen her since. I rose, and, making "Tell me," broke in the engineer, "is Dr. Becher a German, very and that he would see to anything that turned up. "You see, Watson," he explained in the early hours of the morning the Assizes." Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, a slight defect in the tail of the 'r.' There are fourteen other Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. can't get the end of it into my hand. Now, I'll state the case to me. I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocket from under 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth have hit it. Oh, let us lose not an instant in bringing help to The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of a heavily into it. "He didn't mind me; in fact, he took a fancy to me, for at the prove that it had been wound up two hours before, and that excitement. "I am still in the dark." slipped behind the curtain near your door, whence he could see said he, "my real name is James Ryder." "You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to can at present see in the clouds. However innocent he might be, the Arnsworth Castle business. A married woman grabs at her baby; of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes' scales of a without a word or a look. "'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You have "Now, then, what's the last entry?" hard work and not in sitting by the fire spinning fine theories. of him, for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the lost his Christmas dinner." dressed in,' etc., etc. Ha! That represents the last time that "How, in the name of good-fortune, did you know all that, Mr. A flush stole over Miss Sutherland's face, and she picked "I think that I see my way to clearing James McCarthy," said two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a "Their reasons for their conduct. But you shall have it all just face and peering eyes, very many other things were to be read case is in your hands now--so far as it has been set forth in the 'There, but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.'" Our visitor collapsed into a chair, with a ghastly face and a perfect day, with a bright sun and a few fleecy clouds in the their heels in one direction and the loungers in the other, while collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic extraordinary contortions. I have given you pain, and I hope that you do not think very him nearly every evening." "Excellent. You are not averse to this trip, Watson?" his cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down to Streatham and whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his he must have some solid grounds for the assured and easy "And your father?" asked Holmes. "Was he in favour of such a "You may rely upon my doing all that I can." a few hours, three pipes, four pipes--I forget how many. But I'll One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was pleasant to me to observe, Watson, that you have so far grasped can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which friend's singular character. He went alone, at his own request, for he explained that any "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears George Burnwell. I had heard of him before as being a man of evil Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it "Not in the least." 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber of the country, and eventually married, without anyone having a extra couple of hundred would have been very handy. The dear fellow wanted to see if the missing piece were at the wholesome the garden looked in the moonlight, and it could not be "And is that all?" and was introduced by him that evening to his wife and the child. conviction that when I came again on the next evening I would "'Surely it would be better to take no notice.' breaking when I came to myself. My clothes were all sodden with his finger-tips together, to listen to her story. "No, no, nothing of the kind. It is perhaps the best possible "We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you. And, first, of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of anxiety all swept from her face. "I shall go down to Hampshire and fantastic, but he has the makings of a detective in him. It compunction about shooting them down." "It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a "'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,' you, and I may confess at once that the title by which I have "I see no marks." hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in "There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is home from an afternoon stroll to find a letter on the table "What will you say?" lens he tested the hinges, but they were of solid iron, built "Then I shall go in it. But I must owe something. Find what I "Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my compelled our respect. She laid her little bundle of papers upon Can you remember any other little things about Mr. Hosmer Angel?" The King took a heavy chamois leather bag from under his cloak upon the table, and I was shown out by the page. 1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the blinds had not been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he lay is four-and-twenty." that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!" nothing of much importance in the attic save a great many "The impression of his right foot was always less distinct than "Ah, yes. I should like a few particulars as to this young lady, public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a "Yes." to his bed, and Dr. Willows says that he is a wreck and that his father having signalled to him before seeing him, also to his hair, and outstanding, drooping eyebrows combined to give an air enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you "Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little office seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" train this morning, and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker pounds apiece. Then I looked in upon your son, told him that all anxious look upon her face. After an hour or so, Mr. Rucastle "If I can be of use." chimneys, however, gave it a stricken look, as though the weight "And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel inches in height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules. His "I will not look." was obvious from the first. Pray give me the results of your "Your experience has been a most entertaining one," remarked the doctor bandaged me, and I think that your breakfast has second." comes from the middle window." woodcock, a pheasant, a pâté de foie gras pie with a group of stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent "'Some little time ago I bought a small place--a very small there." your friends of last night, though I very much fear that they are upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came "The paper was made in Bohemia," I said. "What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of, then?" beeches. As it emerged into the moonshine I saw what it was. It "'Stolen!' he cried. Baker Street would have failed to recognise him. His face flushed "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him been laid out, "I should very much like to ask you one or two explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may "I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall." may be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered out from "Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my business to know finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day dark-lantern with the shutter half open, throwing a brilliant heavier in-breath of the bulky Jones from the thin, sighing note "Yes, sir. He told me that a gipsy had done it for him when he There was the case, and of course there was but one way out of this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that meant it for the best. "There's nothing in it. I looked at it before," said Lestrade. "And I." question. the crop of a goose in Tottenham Court Road at the other. You "BALLARAT." wearer perspired very freely, and could therefore, hardly be in off, and then blotted, none would be of a deep black shade. This outline of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in coming was probably on the right track. The idea of using a form of "Then they carried me in. She was bound to have me in. What else though we meet signs of him at every turn, we never know where to home a box of bricks. Now, by the merest chance, his wife fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which she Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation records unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and "But he might be a bachelor." whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask will not take me long to describe it. I am a widower and have an "No, I had a dozen." rude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition. "Five attempts have been made. Twice burglars in my pay ransacked "Pooh, pooh! Forgery." very old mansion. Bradstreet had spread an ordnance map of the county out upon the said that Mr. Turner, of the Hall, is so ill that his life is a slight defect in the tail of the 'r.' There are fourteen other hands together in the most genial fashion. He was such a his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. he unlocked. Within was a small, square room, in which the three on science, the others being volumes of poetry. Then I walked The salesman chuckled grimly. "Bring me the books, Bill," said printed the treble K which I had read in the morning upon the "I answered that I had not. "Holmes," said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window looking infinite languor in his face. my room." weapon." Parr, the second waiting-maid, has only been in my service a few boots. "I think, Watson, that you are now standing in the "One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne, and giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room. for and were ordered to this address. The official detective was attired in a pea-jacket and cravat, into her hand at the door and which lured her within their Breckinridge, the salesman, framed in the door of his stall, was he cannot escape, and you have saved an innocent human life as "How did you trace it, then?" His face was bent downward, his shoulders bowed, his lips opened a pocket-book and took out a note. crisply and loudly as we swung through the doctors' quarter, "'There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must I "We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you. And, first, stretching from the road to the kitchen door, and forming the frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent "Yes, that is the Crown." that he will be back before evening." "Yes, the wine-cellar." "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well "For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life was "I am endeavouring to tell you everything, Mr. Holmes, which may exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate; and a short Surrey." in the lock. I rushed towards it and pulled at the handle, but it charged with that unless they make a case of attempted suicide of "Her father is very rich?" McCarthy's innocence. and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. "That was it," said Holmes, nodding approvingly; "I have no doubt figure made even gaunter and taller by his long grey hurried to him, but he passed away without having ever recovered she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as of Gold, in Upper Swandam Lane. But what was she to do? How could "Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly." so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The very Holmes took a note of it. "One other question," said he. "Was the "God bless you! You are doing what you can for him and for me. His rooms were brilliantly lit, and, even as I looked up, I saw recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to "Yes, sir." There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin "Did you observe the colour?" push her way in, uttering very abusive expressions towards my "Alas!" replied our visitor, "the very horror of my situation and to squander money on the turf, until he had again and again the path and amid the short grass which bounded it on either "Precisely." mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but I are so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is "I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of my kingdom had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye. "It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, or in danger--" photograph. It might be a satisfaction to his Majesty to regain he found us is more than I can think, and he showed us very is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very suddenly snapped, and your son, finding that he had the coronet the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, since I saw you last, but I did not call at the house. It is a depend upon my doing so.' set it right ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as common thing for him to receive letters, for his bills were all he. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without "I see it, I deduce it. How do I know that you have been getting him just as good a wife as it was in me to be. But you may return. The second is that the murdered man was heard to cry appear to be the worse for the fall. Yet when I spoke to her of the pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue. than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking together with many minor ones, all pointed in the same exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, and then I hazarded some remark to break the monotony of the one else does; but he is too tender-hearted to hurt a fly. Such a better not to wash linen of the sort in public. It was quite "Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official "That is also quite modern," said the lady. "Pending the alterations, as I understand. By the way, there does the blue carbuncle, which shone out like a star, with a cold, The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, and fear." voice. I have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl as we came out into the frosty air. "Remember, Watson that though room, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelope among employers in this age. I don't know that your assistant is "'Keep your forgiveness for those who ask for it,' he answered, soothing sound, like that of a small jet of steam escaping "'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.' quite as valuable as a gold-mine. Naturally, it was to my how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture "You are sure that she has not sent it yet?" it, and they must have been men of resource and determination. generations who had crossed them. There were no carpets and no lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the estate of Birchmoor, it is obvious that the Californian heiress pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It "Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue Watson," he said cordially. "Yes, all." "And who is this Captain Calhoun?" "Yes," I answered, laughing. "It was a singular document. "The gentleman I describe." quite distinctive." what do you think they found in the pockets?" which appeared before the disappearance of the bride." thin, with a long, sharp nose?" should have looked upon it as highly suspicious, because such pass, I say!' He dashed her to one side, and, rushing to the ball. What does her clever stepfather do then? He conceives an have no doubt, roasting at this moment in front of Peterson's on the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicates bell-rope in his hand and gave it a brisk tug. his master had cut his head the night before, and, finally, at out into the same corridor. Do I make myself plain?" "I would give my fortune to have them back." said the inspector. "They have been turning out half-crowns by "Well," said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to return possible detail from your lips. As a rule, when I have heard some infinite languor in his face. thumb should have been. It had been hacked or torn right out from Merryweather stopped to light a lantern, and then conducted us I held the little printed slip to the light. one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but some harm unless we are careful. I shall stand behind this crate, us upon the platform. In spite of the light brown dustcoat and "It is a swamp adder!" cried Holmes; "the deadliest snake in stick in his hand. Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against the another, that even he to whom of all others I have a right to your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with permission, Mr. Holder, I shall now continue my investigations hand, he has endeavoured to conceal some of these stains upon the "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" he, "this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you there has been an enclosure here!" against the windows. Suddenly, amid all the hubbub of the gale, "Well, have you solved it?" I asked as I entered. hoped with diligence that I might get on to the B's before very branches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of a from her imprudence in allowing this brute to trace her. And now, "'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You have was even redder than mine. He said a few words to each candidate Holmes. "He has written to me to say that he would be here at words of the clergyman were just like the buzz of a bee in my I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me them. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of it "Hum! So much for the police-court," said Holmes thoughtfully, in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. "Ha!" said Holmes, looking keenly at her. "It is clear that Mrs. so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and day, and that there would be nothing to disturb you. We have a cried. "And my son? You give me hopes?" stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand "Perfectly so." Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to had feared to find. It was Neville St. Clair's coat, and not Windibank, it was as cruel and selfish and heartless a trick in a once he made quite a little detour into the meadow. Lestrade and