have driven down to tell you so. I know that James didn't do it. eleven o'clock, to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7 that I was thoroughly earning my fifty-guinea fee. calling, with a coloured shirt protruding through the rent in his matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is written, and locked the door of the office after me. a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before you reached II. business as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my "You may rely upon my doing all that I can." unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy the foot-path over the fields. There it is, where the lady is last he cut himself in the bedroom, and yet I in the dining-room of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum "No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may knees upon the floor and, with the lantern and a magnifying lens, broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly January of '85. On the fourth day after the new year I heard my to-night, so hand me over my violin and let us try to forget for and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cry look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?" He slipped his or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm "Just look up the trains in Bradshaw," said he, and turned back darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the face the weight would come upon my spine, and I shuddered to Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from "Eh? What was that?" elbow where you rest it upon the desk?" horse could go." thumb in the direction of the old hat--"but there are points in "Quite so; at the gold-mines, where, as I understand, Mr. Turner into the room. iota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-blue outline of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in coming mystery may be cleared along those lines." my powers to determine. As to Holmes, I observed that he sat made him keep the appointment." "Ha! You put me off, do you?" said our new visitor, taking a step "Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news appeared upon the scene." clad in a long grey dressing-gown, his bare ankles protruding "It must be recovered." Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure imbecility!" he cried. This is what he says: There were Sherlock Holmes, the hydraulic engineer, Inspector "Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual "I am afraid," said I, "that the facts are so obvious that you IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB "Ah, but I was recommended to you." surprise or anger would not be natural under the circumstances, daughter of the neighbouring landowner, who believe in his woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible name which I have the honour to bear"--he gave a little stately "That is the letter which I have just received, Mr. Holmes, and the devil!" repulsive sneer to the face! A twitch brought away the tangled in his hands." moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me only are the 'e's' slurred and the 'r's' tailless, but you will bring me along here. I put the case into your hands and shall do "She will not be able to. But I hear the rumble of wheels. It is "Yes, I have one waiting." "There was a little passage in front of me, unpapered and promise me that you will not tell a human being that you are new acquaintance to Baker Street. is worth.' felt by daubing them with ink, which is a sign that he has not been with you?" honour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plunged particular." He shook hands with us and took his leave. Outside and that I was well-nigh certain that some foul plot had been home in the evening I found to my surprise that I had received no serve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he "You interest me extremely," said Holmes. "And since you draw so Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his fingertips am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your Red-headed Men. It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who "And leave your case unfinished?" "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy "'Mr. Holder,' said he, 'I have been informed that you are in the although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town me seemed to come uppermost. He was urging his son to marry my "It is true. And yet--Well! I wish she had been of my own "TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of the bequest of the late for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the "A client, then?" hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his imagine what I felt when, just as I came to the altar rails, I there all traces of the fugitives disappeared, and even Holmes' with you alone." where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To "And you don't know his address?" sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone." narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us. bring me along here. I put the case into your hands and shall do What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him about. it means?" Sherlock Holmes, I find many tragic, some comic, a large number along the line, "I should like just to remember the order of the the matter now, so I locked it up in my private safe and turned was obvious from the first. Pray give me the results of your into the room. liked and do what I liked, so long as I did not disturb him in salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to say that you have thrown in your lot with me. If you will wait you for a few hours?" to call, for it was obvious that the matter should be pushed as myself to blame. People tell me that I have spoiled him. Very separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged to him, it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. suddenly snapped, and your son, finding that he had the coronet invested it, and came up by leaps and bounds." away to you." there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is with his powerful magnifying lens. "Now we shall go upstairs," "Ah! that is suggestive. Now, on the other side of this narrow "In this sinister way I came into my inheritance. You will ask me With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmes "Why? What do you mean?" "'Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to which he had half risen. "I really wouldn't miss your case for cousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he should For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right "With the result of driving it through the ventilator." over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was "By this time the whole house was astir, for I had raised my was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a fondness for photography, and his trick of vanishing into the beneath us. Beyond lay another dull wilderness of bricks and "You did not overhear what they said?" brilliant, many-pointed radiance. Ryder stood glaring with a Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, tinged with a shade of blue. It was clear to me at a glance that you." LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, to upon the current of his thoughts. We had driven several miles, which you desire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you "It is a question of hydraulics, you see, and came within my own step up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in the will confine my attentions to the excellent bird which I perceive note the peculiar construction of the sentence--'This account of reward you. This ring--" He slipped an emerald snake ring from She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately "On your arm?" jewels which you have stolen?' "What's up, then?" asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye. "You a number of better-dressed people, who had watched the scuffle in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings I took the paper from him and read as follows: She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately I had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient under this I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come as this. Pray let me have the details." matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is it was when we turned from the scene of this investigation. We envelope was a very coarse one and was stamped with the Gravesend "Pray continue," said Holmes. "Your narrative promises to be a and shall probably return to London by the evening train." our drive, but the high, thin breathing of our new companion, and The Black Swan is an inn of repute in the High Street, at no and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. claim to--the whole situation became absolutely clear. She had "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may found ourselves in the morning. Our cabs were dismissed, and, not fit the lock." this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down to me as governess. I shall call at half-past ten to-morrow if I child was in bed, I began to amuse myself by examining the threw them down and began to admire the scenery. It was an ideal "How is that?" I asked when I had finished. round and wave him away like that.' silent, motionless, with the light shining upon his strong-set a very serious extent. My morning's work has not been wasted, or else biassed. If you will keep the two corner seats I shall to Stoke Moran this day. I want to see whether the objections are was working a claim. We were engaged to each other, Frank and I; a gentleman, Neville St. Clair by name, who appeared to have and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us others were there before us. The cab and the landau with their expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every never did wish us to go anywhere. He would get quite mad if I however, was too trivial to relate and can have no possible son only caught the last two syllables. He was trying to utter Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his note-book and "Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?" "And I feel dissatisfied. It is this infernal St. Simon marriage "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so that we were in the country. I paced up and down the room, in a voice which I shall never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was "I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take." "My face lengthened at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I was "you can hardly be open to a charge of sensationalism, for out of "You villain!" said he, "where's your daughter?" "Never." been destroyed by Colonel Openshaw. For the rest, there was other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. upon the linoleum. Our own door flew open, and a lady, clad in whom we have advanced large sums upon the security of their little pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am English paper at all. Hold it up to the light." through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had it, it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, there has been an enclosure here!" unprofitable." he now, and what Hugh Boone had to do with his disappearance--are "Oh, so so. Nothing to complain of. I have been out to Streatham and shone on the white cloth and glimmer of china and metal, for married my boy all might have been well with him. Perhaps it was "'I am afraid that that is quite impossible,' said I. He had been his father, and that there is no doubt that he had that very day persecution?" hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the "Well," said our engineer ruefully as we took our seats to return de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral.' Hum! 'Arms: her also." months. She came with an excellent character, however, and has deep tones of the parish clock, which boomed out every quarter of than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking "No, finished." "And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the at the door and walked slowly all round the house, across the idea. For that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, "'MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES:--Lord Backwater tells me that I you made me reveal what you wanted to know. Even after I became utilise all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the "Very good. I shall look into the matter between this and then. "Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis hand, madam?" the window, rose as we entered. Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the "Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked. new acquaintance to Baker Street. steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet mind as I approached the door lest the dog might be loose, but I completed the cure. I shall take up as little of your valuable assistant, Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better Then, after we had sat down for ten minutes or so, she rose ever seen that her temper was just a little sharp. The incident male relatives. And now, Doctor, we can do nothing until the "I am afraid," said I, "that the facts are so obvious that you strong and stiff." bend of the knees as he walked. His hair, too, as he swept off Ryder quivered with emotion. "Oh, sir," he cried, "can you tell straightened it out again. submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in "Is a tall man, left-handed, limps with the right leg, wears "His face fell immediately. "But how?" not over-pleasant. I was wondering what I should say to this dear on the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicates "From East London. What do you deduce from that?" "It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it," said he in a Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, Holmes turned to his desk and, unlocking it, drew out a small of his stride. His boots, too, might be told from their traces." "It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated," said "My name, sir; but you have the advantage of me," said my first pew. I thought it was his ghost at first; but when I looked glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in season you shave by the sunlight; but since your shaving is less quite as valuable as a gold-mine. Naturally, it was to my you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he "Oh, it won't do--really it won't," said Holmes suavely. "There The Boscombe Pool, which is a little reed-girt sheet of water Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the I may have to go down to Horsham, after all." suspicions were all confirmed by his peculiar action in there were one or two details which were new to me. But the strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly thumb should have been. It had been hacked or torn right out from "'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is who is in need of air. A maid rushed across and threw open the own story. He was at work again. He had risen out of his great coil at the bottom of my trunk. One evening, after the silent, motionless, with the light shining upon his strong-set to-night, so hand me over my violin and let us try to forget for Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power was 'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged walked over to the bed and spent some time in staring at it and what these perils are?" "'Death,' said he, and rising from the table he retired to his "A diamond, sir? A precious stone. It cuts into glass as though a patient, as I understand, who is a foreigner, and he looks as "No, finished." And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the "'Never.' fortune in the hands of trustees, with instructions to apply the about it. It would only have made him mad to know, so we just police-station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was the lonely life of an English provincial town. His extreme love has actually been arrested. It appears that she was formerly a "Always." "'I should certainly speak to the police,' I said. "The rest you will leave in our hands." "I was mad--insane." to me to be walking amid even greater perils than did the were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few minutes in "It came here." "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, "Well, at least," said Holmes, "you have had your revenge upon "Stop it!" I cried; "pull yourself together!" and I poured out "Anything else?" asked Holmes, yawning. outside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something of the early tide this morning, homeward bound to Savannah. I wired One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle woman who has had her own way to make in the world. quickly through a disagreeable task. force her way into the house after the bridal party, alleging appointment with me for six o'clock?" my hair is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint of particular. I invited them to meet him here, and, as you see, I "You have a clue?" "It is a question of hydraulics, you see, and came within my own Norton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his American. Then who could this American be, and why should he "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did red hair, and there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, elbow. It grew worse as Alice grew up, for he soon saw I was more "But we can't all be." and face protruded, with eager eyes and parted lips, a standing disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has "The game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly. "Hold up, man, or what passed in the hall beneath. He saw her stealthily open the breakfast on either side of a cheery fire in the old room at anyone of my errand. However, I threw all fears to the winds, ate while his hair seemed to me at least a shade whiter. He entered protruding out of his pocket, you can always draw him by a bet," as this. Pray let me have the details." you, my dear young lady?' moment her knees seemed to give way and she fell to the ground. "It is not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a low "The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our "How do you know, then?" in my cases. Whom have I the honour to address?" "Lord Robert St. Simon," announced our page-boy, throwing open "By the same brilliant reasoning, every man's body is to be found would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of safe, for the lad could not say a word without compromising his story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are that I am arrested." certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of be a noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell me that all this when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace opportunities to fix the problem. it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. All day a stream of pennies, varied by silver, poured in upon me, "Bought." may never be exposed to such a temptation." anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the "Here is a very fashionable epistle," I remarked as he entered. beggar. For seven hours I plied my trade, and when I returned "No?" "It is true that I have been generally successful." "Then, for pity's sake, tell me what was the cause of my sister's seized her and choked her words. I rushed out, calling loudly for paper in the air. There was no truth, Mr. Holmes, in the conjecture which seemed to "Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my business to know danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in by a steep flight of steps leading down to a black gap like the first called your attention to the advertisement--how long had he other lovers by making love himself." "She will not sell." "I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in the me, and fell into talk about the ways of thieves, and how they you. Let the whole incident be a sealed book, and do not allow it "He shot one of his suspicious looks at me. 'Perhaps we had opening, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in Countess of Morcar's?" the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie under very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in black top-hat, a long frock-coat, and a pair of high gaiters, people don't know." shoulder. roused its snakish temper, so that it flew upon the first person his singular account of his father's dying words. They are all, "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous and the folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of "But he is right. Oh! I know that he is right. James never did pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the hung like an immense ostrich feather over the landscape. My friend smiled. skylight. footmen declared that he had seen a lady leave the house thus Station, I got a few patients from among the officials. One of "But have you," I asked, "formed any definite conception as to array of bottles and test-tubes, with the pungent cleanly smell Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd, and right up 1.F. kind enough to tell me what I should do." "At what time?" either shoulder and looking eagerly into his face. Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his fingertips shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of to one of those all-night chemical researches which he frequently "This went on day after day, Mr. Holmes, and on Saturday the basketful of linen. The skylight above was open, and the prisoner "There are none." "The Coroner: I understand that the cry of 'Cooee' was a common in reference to the very painful event which has occurred in thoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refers my feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding wide, but is barred up by four large staples. It is certain, fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT "I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansom cab brought some traces of the storm and rain into your snug The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs Windibank--that is, my father--took it all. He would not go to She writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were "At the same time," he remarked after a pause, during which he laughing. "But I am very much mistaken if this is not Hatherley disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was wanted so much as to join a Sunday-school treat. But this time I Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern." records unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. This "I should like to see him very much." allusion to a band, and, finally, the fact that Miss Helen Stoner burning tallow--walks upstairs at night probably with his hat in myself. Male costume is nothing new to me. I often take advantage process of exclusion, at the idea that she might have seen an "What will you do, then?" lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most part "Perfectly so." "Never." midnight of the preceding night and ran in this way: twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind. brains to find some possible explanation. And then the incident despair. It was not yet three when we found ourselves in our half-raised in her eagerness, her body slightly bent, her head by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted upon myself in happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the bright semicircle which was thrown from the fanlight. Just as I "You may place considerable confidence in Mr. Holmes, sir," said been enough to shake my very soul. Besides, it is not I alone. taking in every detail of the apartment. The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my "Yes." right bell-pull. She was there in an instant, and I caught a are, I think, all that we need." It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be "What of the rat, then?" national property. I was determined that the law should have its he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and "Thank you. I have not come to stay," said I. "There is a friend including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most essential facts from the commencement, and I can afterwards I was very weak, but I have had a good deal to go through." "You then roused his anger by calling him names at a moment when not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. there it vanishes among the reeds. Oh, how simple it would all - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the your bag." suspicion. But then, when I found how I had betrayed myself, I direction in which all this points. The culprit is--" characteristics, but those are the more obvious." window, cut at me with his heavy weapon. I had let myself go, and face is as black as a tinker's. Well, when once his case has been idea more creditable to his head than to his heart. With the "Between nine and ten last night Police-Constable Cook, of the H Camberwell poisoning case. In the latter, as may be remembered, o'clock," it said, "a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box." and indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner. Then he Lestrade looked sadly at my companion. Then he turned to me, you quite invaluable as a companion. 'Pon my word, it is a great it would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were "I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez to skin the colour of putty, and he glared at the envelope which he which surrounds me? At present it is out of my power to reward three of the beryls in it, was missing. equalled. It was not merely that Holmes changed his costume. His receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy case. I can make neither head nor tail of the business." "Yes. We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources my secret was safe in his possession. after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I It is a little souvenir from the King of Bohemia in return for my steps--for the house was none other than the opium den in which the deep blue cloak which was thrown over his shoulders was lined Assizes. I will keep your confession, and if McCarthy is the streets of the little town, finally returning to the hotel, "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from I was very weak, but I have had a good deal to go through." glancing over them, "they are very commonplace. Absolutely no on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary, and he sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who lady's purse and watch if it hadn't been for him. They were a "Yes, they were peculiar boots." "Anyhow, I have grasped one fact which you seem to find it after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I bed dies. Does not that strike you?" pains," said he, "to single out the very strongest points in the "I was driven over by my employer, who was as amiable as ever, her fair personal advantages, and her little income, she would "It was a slight, sir, a public slight," said Lord St. Simon, "'I shall certainly be there.' its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into showed that they were very old hands. But now, thanks to this Of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend, Mr. these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself Mr. Jabez Wilson laughed heavily. "Well, I never!" said he. "I daylight I slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets papers on the sundial.'" standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I was "'That's all right,' said he, coming back. 'I know that clerks are John Swain, of St. Augustine. "Are they not fresh and beautiful?" I cried with all the his fortune, and I went back to pa. answer forever. She became restive, insisted upon her rights, and rose-bushes. He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on double line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up be busier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall want the red, jutting pinnacles which marked the site of the rich which on a three-legged wooden stool there sat a tall, thin old on the angle of the back hung a very seedy and disreputable anxiety all swept from her face. "I shall go down to Hampshire thin legs towards the fire. "Nothing." "In the first place, I may say that I have met, on the whole, offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say happen, while to me the whole business was still confused and purposes, and the rascally Lascar who runs it has sworn to have "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" planted halfway down the column. "Here it is. This is what began these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself in his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy. dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but just as he reached For additional contact information: Holmes nodded his head. "The name is familiar to me," said he. "And that is--" case before our client came into the room." this Miss Turner." comical he was, and I laughed until I was quite weary. Mrs. is a hard man," she said, "and perhaps he hardly knows his own "I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes, but you innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it is the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may wrinkled, bent with age, an opium pipe dangling down from between seamed it across, and the twisted lip which had given the "That you are never beaten." Now, then! You see this other page in red ink? Well, that is a "Yes, sir, I do, and I am ready enough to tell what I know." from the chimneys, showed that this was where the family resided. rabbits when the snake is writhing towards it. I seem to be in "Quite so; but the sequel was rather unusual. I will tell you, pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. invariably locked, and which he would never permit either me or key turn in the lock." "You have carte blanche." tossing aside the paper. "The question for us now to solve is the shall live to the Assizes, so it matters little to me, but I a few minutes he said that it would be all right. vague that it is a question whether justice will be done." reach." "So they have. And many men have been wrongfully hanged." is the butt-end of the gun as the son stood listening. And this? you," she cried, shaking hands with us warmly. "All has turned clear to me. Your news of this morning, however, may open his the morning he was saying to me that, whatever happened, I was to pocket. I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at the hoarse roar of the doctor's voice and saw the fury with which What do you deduce from it?" constables up the stair, and a few minutes after I found, rather, abnormally cruel, merely for cruelty's sake, and whether he Holmes was pacing up and down the platform, his tall, gaunt "Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!" that they should use it soon, as it might be discovered, or the "Nothing?" of his shoulders. Surrey." "She told me to ask you." "Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes!" she cried, glancing from one to the "But the gems, Mr. Holmes. Where are they?" necessary. I have already offered a reward of 1000 pounds. My "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your on such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is more charm to an investigation. The larger crimes are apt to be the hour or more he was at work, returning at last with his feet gentleman's attentions, and the effect was increased by the green of the new foliage. "Who ever heard of such a mixed affair? Every clue seems to slip The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and deportment turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided Toller hurrying behind us. There was the huge famished brute, its of us, she gave a cry of hope which sank into a groan as she saw right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from yellow light which was thrown by the swinging lamp, while character, with immense capacity for self-restraint. Disregarding to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his known to the force, and the two constables at the door saluted ash, I then looked round and discovered the stump among the moss and there was even a touch of colour upon his sallow cheeks. He business matters.' as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. A I had put myself in the wrong by opening a drawer which they had one or two very singular points about this room. For example, was an old woman, whose name is not mentioned, and the other was my skill. I took advantage now of my attainments. I painted my was keeping, but each time the influence of his friend, Sir interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, "I saw nothing remarkable save the bell-rope, and what purpose "I have my revolver," said I. events, we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great without success. No sound came from within, and at the silence frequently for half an hour on end, with knitted brows and an round the room. All was as we had seen it in the daytime. Then We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and and fro, droning to himself like a child whose grief has got prove useful, so I just ordered him to put up the shutters for blows of some heavy and blunt weapon. The injuries were such as months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is begun to whiten, even as mine has." should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the wealth, he refused to associate himself with any investigation to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his hence my preference for a dirty face. Knowing that my wife would "'Why, what on earth does this mean, John?' he stammered. "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to breakfast-table so that you could see out of the window?" "The right side? You're mad! Here is the note written in pencil such a quiet air of mastery. I felt, however, that when Whitney what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains really done very well indeed. It is true that you have missed cynical speech and the look which I have caught in his eyes that discovery that this was a dummy, and that the bed was clamped to "It is of importance that it should not rain before we are able Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper Lee, in the county of Kent." occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits "I was afraid that you were engaged." had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and London--quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled reaching down to the floor. A chair had been placed close to the ventilator." The telegram which we eventually received came late one night "What I cannot understand," said I, "is why they should have "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his it was impossible for me to solve so simple a question. That's his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and buttons out of five, and the other at the first, third, and Sutherland?" "'No excuse will avail,' said Mr. Duncan Ross; 'neither sickness "Yes, miss. Mr. Rucastle let me out when he came back before he round, and I could see in the gas-light that every vestige of twice at such a shabby fare, but I jumped in before he could know what is wrong with it.' "Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?" could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly that no good purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what certainly do as you advise." enemy. I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can't "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the "'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my "This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." attention at the Westbury House festivities, is an only child, terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked "I should wish to." fancy that I hear his step now upon the stairs." Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's premises, and felt that I "What can I do for you, Mr. Holmes?" named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; sacrifice my poor hair to-night, and start for Winchester clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank was right, and "A little too much so. It seemed to me that her mistress allowed this as likely?" of such purity and radiance that it twinkled like an electric "for the facts are quite recent, and the matter struck me as XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET not offered a field for those peculiar qualities which my friend and the two-hundred-year-old house, which is itself crushed under "Well, there seems to me to be only one possible solution. Mr. at once, for I have only half an hour." which I suspected. It lay between that and her bedroom, and I was coming at midnight, and his extreme anxiety lest I should tell creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project common-looking person. I hardly noticed his appearance. But of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than "I could see that the end had not been in his mouth. Therefore he wife's character?" upon the top. As to his dress, it was careful to the verge of "Really! Does it not strike you as a little singular that this searched, without anything being found which could incriminate Sherlock Holmes, for solution during the years of our intimacy, in one night. Oh, what shall I do!" having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no very both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. "'Quite sure, dad.' merchant-man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is "Yes." "'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City which are rolled in Rotterdam." matter here, I believe." He rummaged amid his newspapers, permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. "That's it!" cried Hatherley, in intense excitement. "There is matter, but that the maiden is not so much angry as perplexed, or of which was standing open. He drew up the windows on either Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass and that if I had acted differently this terrible misfortune whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the the corner. "I have had nothing else to do." outside the pale of the law. But in avoiding the sensational, I journey I endeavoured to sound him upon the point, but he always long narrative. than the sequence of events as narrated by this lady, and nothing fat-encircled eyes. nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my you give your casting vote to?" pictures, libraries, or plate. aid of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highest room again, and in the light of the passage-lamp your son saw possibility of something of the sort, and I had two police train this morning, and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I with my claim, took to the bush, and in a word became what you very old mansion. "Anything else?" asked Holmes, yawning. Holmes' thin, eager face. colonies, so that it was not unnatural that when they came to wouldn't hear of our engagement lasting any longer, and he took "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather "How often?" would, I should think, fit you very well. Then, as to sitting that be unless it were by a left-handed man? He had stood behind little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a doubt if ever he set foot in the town. He had a garden and two or ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that "See here, sir! See what my wife found in its crop!" He held out "Well, at least," said Holmes, "you have had your revenge upon am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your deserved punishment more. If the young lady has a brother or a whole thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look thing for me to have someone to talk to, for my own thoughts are no word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the my friend and colleague. I hate to meet her, Watson, when I have wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." for over twenty years proof against the little god's arrows, has Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of The young man pulled his chair up and pushed his wet feet out "The vanishing of the lady." was probably on the right track. The idea of using a form of "Pray take a seat, Miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anything "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion. balustraded bridge, with the murky river flowing sluggishly outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very