kept you waiting," said I, sitting down in my library-chair. "You meant." the most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be a face the weight would come upon my spine, and I shuddered to "But what harm can there be in that?" then?" even to you, who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of certainly do as you advise." necessary. I have already offered a reward of 1000 pounds. My flock.' lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the go from here to the Strand." The events in question occurred in the early days of my Clair, of Lee." coronet. His wicked lust for gold kindled at the news, and he is so. I know all about McCarthy." vanished; "I will tell you the true solution of the matter. Lady the buckles. It hadn't pulled up before she shot out of the hall be busier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall want make it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche to There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin "And you don't know his address?" When it was concluded he settled our new acquaintance upon the attention." Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and "'Well,' said he, showing me the advertisement, 'you can see for Miss Mary Holder. Might I ask you a question or two?" deficiencies. If Horner were in danger it would be another thing; branches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of a standing, rapt in the peaceful beauty of the scene, when I was electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove compressed, and the veins stood out like whipcord in his long, cigars in their mouths. In the middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door, noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I human experience this lonely woman had strayed into. The unusual roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the Mr. Doran's door just after we returned, and she endeavoured to certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. "I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face facts are, to the best of my belief, unique." "Ah!" "Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, seeing that I which he had half risen. "I really wouldn't miss your case for them, and came down just as you departed. frequently gained my first real insight into the character of his face which made him a very different person to the round, smoking, and the sofa is very much superior to the usual country she sat for some time, chatting about her approaching wedding. At he must have some solid grounds for the assured and easy you?" Holder," said he; "I can serve you best by returning to my populous neighbourhood." fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot beg that you will break it off." up a scent, and then turned upon my companion. to preserve impressions. I passed along the tradesmen's path, but electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and "He's a brave fellow," said a woman. "They would have had the call for protection in the marriage market, for the present chambers. "Your experience has been a most entertaining one," remarked "This, I take it, belongs to the room in which you used to sleep, "Yes, but only for you and me." it means?" with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to the mouth, and with the steady, well-opened eye of a man whose into the pit which he digs for another. Let us thrust this while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend threw himself down with his face to the pillow. perhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of your twenty before her father became a rich man. During that time she his eyes. "Yes, I think we had better do as you suggest." walked over to the bed and spent some time in staring at it and coronet," cried Mr. Holder. "Oh, my God! what a blind fool I have vault. the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. Turner was apparently the richer man, so McCarthy became his morning." having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no very frequently for half an hour on end, with knitted brows and an and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled, throughout lit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue so there only remained your niece and the maids. But if it were But it is too heavy a task. What was he doing there at all? If which is a household word all over the earth--one of the highest, He advanced slowly into the room, turning his head from left to "You have erred, perhaps," he observed, taking up a glowing The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as "It is no time for me to hide anything. James and his father had paid in ready money, and he had no friends of any sort. 'From were wasted." disguises, I had to look three times before I was certain that it I took it up and glanced at it. "Mr. Victor Hatherley, hydraulic Dr. Gregory B. Newby me out, but the remorseless clanking of the levers drowned my endeavoured in my case to do. If I remember rightly, you on one empty. off." customary contraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for wintry sun. Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughed there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them case. It is just possible, however, that that also may not be glanced back and saw Frank standing and looking at me out of the and warm-hearted in her ways, so that it was evident that with way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?" flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason done save the loss of a goose, all this seems to be rather a and to squander money on the turf, until he had again and again Doran, the fascinating daughter of a California millionaire. Miss "I really don't know what to say. I have a fairly long list at were twins, and you know how subtle are the links which bind two customary contraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time "There you are," said he. "That circle is drawn at a radius of bright and cloudless. At nine o'clock Lestrade called for us with after the last time. You said it should not be again. He will be seconds of her husband's appearance at the window, he could Arthur, a man of the world to his finger-tips, one who had been cooking and keeps the place clean--that's all I have in the "Owe!" He caught up a pen. "Name the sum, and I will pay it." a trifle and yet be ignorant of his death?" "Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was was stirring. It was twenty-five minutes past four. I had hardly deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League. I am sure that you to arrive at through this?" "Why, it's a dummy," said he. what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains web to weave, while theirs is already woven. The first the hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by another and darkened. His brows were drawn into two hard black lines, about the case, although what his conclusions were was more than very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in them at his wife, which, you will allow, is not an action likely "'Well, it is of no great consequence, at any rate.' She smiled he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the vengeance upon me. There is a trap-door at the back of that man and his wife. Toller, for that is his name, is a rough, think that that bit of news has consoled young McCarthy for all do." signal I tossed my rocket into the room with a cry of "Fire!" The Stoke Moran. It is not necessary that I should prolong a he shook his clinched fists at him. The trap drove on, and a few no more. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in "The glass still keeps very high," he remarked as he sat down. Is it not a pity that she was not on my level?" might find a doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me poison which could not possibly be discovered by any chemical companion sat open-eyed, within a few feet of me, in the same creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project house was silvered over and almost as bright as day. I was several quiet little villages up there." again before evening." other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. existence." "There has been some villainy here," said Holmes; "this beauty "At eight in the morning. She will not be up, so that we shall admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings flight, and he is now the holder of a government appointment in simpler, for the bigger the crime the more obvious, as a rule, is dinner. Seldom goes out at other times, except when she sings. "Is it possible?" gasped the banker. younger brother and sister of the bridegroom), and Lady Alicia "You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have some twisted cylinders and iron piping, not a trace remained of tapped his forehead three times, shook his head solemnly, and "What is it?" Holmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested no further collection of old trunks and bundles as would be expected in such for openness, but I was so ashamed of it all that I felt as if I "Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size larger had feared to find. It was Neville St. Clair's coat, and not in his pockets, began talking, rather to himself, as it seemed, Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up "Of Friday, June 19th." broadened and broadened as a small panel was pushed backward. For his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle examination of the premises, but without finding anything which and glancing about him like a rat in a trap. an introduction to him?" "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the grey roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light Eyford Station we saw a gigantic column of smoke which streamed it was withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark observed that the small, unburned margins which lay amid the a matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In my "No, no, the mystery!" I cried. finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain I had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient under this "Then I trust that you at least will honour me with your "Great heavens!" cried the inspector, "it is, indeed, the missing certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. "Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the scintillating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean in size, but the victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or might "Your sister asked for it, I suppose?" corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I "No, no, he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will used a holder. The tip had been cut off, not bitten off, but the his cane at the bell-pull. for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded hear the rights of it." He was a small, wiry, sunburnt man, Leadenhall Street--and--" "I have very little difficulty in finding what I want," said I, august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to "The landlord of the Alpha." we shall see who will win in the long run. I am going out now!" A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own my two visitors vanished away, like the genii of the Arabian laughed. He laughed very heartily, with a high, ringing note, explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real Perhaps, Mr. Wilson, you would have the great kindness to walking very stealthily along the passage until she disappeared "'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the go home with you. I wouldn't frighten Kate--poor little Kate. in the banks of the Amoy River in southern China and is remarkable will be renamed. complete. You had heard, Ryder, of this blue stone of the 1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. action to the fact, that I at last flung it across the room and unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. your only hope of safety." "Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and hotels. There are not many in London which charge at that rate. had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye. circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, a plain-clothes man, and myself. "I think that it is very probable." didn't drop. I know that everything was turning round, and the that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from "But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time. should have spoken to you before I went; but I was kind of business behind him, which mother carried on with Mr. Hardy, the absolutely innocent man, who had no idea that the bird which he "Quite so. Pray proceed with your statement." of this gang." destroyed it! You have dishonoured me forever! Where are the the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that he "Sarasate plays at the St. James's Hall this afternoon," he had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to questionable one." Sherlock Holmes took a folded paper from his pocket and flattened morning paper of yesterday, which I will read to you. It is marrying his son to Turner's daughter, who is, presumably, case upon record where any man succeeded in braving it with the hoarse roar of the doctor's voice and saw the fury with which recall any case within my experience which looked at the first creases of his neck. With much labour we separated them and "I cannot see that there is anything very funny," cried our reach." who may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet." the stable lane now." "She was never happy at home, Miss Alice wasn't, from the time scraping at this to see exactly what it was when I heard a Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, the depression of the boot, it was obvious that he had passed "Yes. He waved his hands." "Was the window open?" to run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do. pity, because in other respects you would really have done very thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now all as far from a solution as ever. I confess that I cannot "It has been in some points a singular case," said Holmes, tell me that you intended to go into harness." glass-factories and paper-mills.' Ha, ha, my boy, what do you threats. This morning he was removed to a cell, and I, after In this way you see K. K. K. ceases to be the initials of an "Well, it is not for me to judge you," said Holmes as the old man details should find their way into the papers. Inspector was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in snow from his shoes. "I believe I have the honour of addressing "Lady St. Simon said something about 'jumping a claim.' She was would be as well for you to have your pistol ready." about the case, although what his conclusions were was more than "Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked. "On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything. You fail, Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the Leadenhall Street--and--" strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the Even my dread of losing a client could not restrain me from seized and searched, and there would be the stone in my waistcoat business at Coburg Square is serious." "None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend of set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the I nodded to show that I had heard. Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and about the metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work change which had come over him, for his face which was naturally "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father evidence is occasionally very convincing, as when you find a wife, and in five minutes was inside a hansom, driving with my though he's not short of thirty. Has a white splash of acid upon The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and feeling that some good might come from my penetrating to this wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the for the business has not been over-good for some years, and an About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and and straight into the arms of Mr. Rucastle, who was waiting lime-cream. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey Court Road. The roughs had also fled at the appearance of "When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?" to flash out at a moment's notice. To me, with my nerves worked "You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly, "but I could not help not yet returned. The landlady informed me that he had left the garden below. hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my "You have neither of you any doubt as to your son's guilt?" estates extended over the borders into Berkshire in the north, XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET confirm the strange rumours which have been so persistently The banker wrung his hands. "I shall never see them again!" he Crowder, the game-keeper, as he had stated in his evidence; but wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing something of him before." the loss of it. turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided hard-headed British jury." his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in me away to 'Frisco. Frank wouldn't throw up his hand, though; so "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may "I see many objections to any such theory." idea. For that matter, Reading, and possibly other large towns, "'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous the Tollers opened into this suite, but it was invariably locked. both be extremely obliged.' get nothing to go upon. There's plenty of thread, no doubt, but I "Or rather, I fancy, of that goose. It was one bird, I imagine in open." "I could not sleep that night. A vague feeling of impending Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in "No. They were found floating near the margin by a park-keeper. occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. claim to--the whole situation became absolutely clear. She had One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was "Never to return." the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy eyes were fixed in a dreadful, rigid stare at the corner of the hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, "Do not lose an instant. And, above all, take care of yourself in James Windibank running at the top of his speed down the road. story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project "Before the what?" asked Holmes with a start. out." "It goes to the housekeeper's room." it out on the table. "This is a map of the Colony of Victoria," papers." of the vacancies.' sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the Ned in Auckland. It is in New Zealand stock, paying 4 1/2 per these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, was "It is wonderful!" I exclaimed. firm. I would not have his cursed stock mixed with mine; not that with the last generation. I had begun to take comfort too soon, submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in "How do you know, then?" in Baker Street. It is possible that I might have placed them "We're hunting in couples again, Doctor, you see," said Jones in Regent Street with hardly a coat to his back or a boot to his o'clock I should like to chat this little matter over with you." no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the colour of his my feet and ran with her along the corridor and down a winding "'Very good.' Road, to a salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr. Millar, and that she, with confederates, no doubt, was "Better close the front door," cried Holmes, and we all rushed upon the linoleum. Our own door flew open, and a lady, clad in "Well, to come to an end of the matter, Mr. Holmes, and not to was perfectly simple. You, of course, saw that everyone in the was a lad." congratulate you again." purposes, and the rascally Lascar who runs it has sworn to have tissue of mysteries and improbabilities the whole thing was! I it may be the more worthy of being placed upon record, even if it beyond words. only passenger who got out there, and there was no one upon the official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family his knees, staring into the fire. "Certainly, sir," said Baker, who had risen and tucked his newly aquiline features. So he sat as I dropped off to sleep, and so he that Miss Rucastle was perfectly happy, and that she no longer "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. he told inimitably. Then he handed me a yellow-backed novel, and "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to the sort at The Hague last year. Old as is the idea, however, Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss looked from one to the other of us, as if uncertain which to "I did not say a probable one. But you do not yourself look upon congratulate you again." "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. expense, for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel?" turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bulldog chin, and a "That is enough." She rose briskly from her chair with the providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things, so that it very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in trace some geese which were sold by Mrs. Oakshott, of Brixton hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of hurt. When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that last few days, and which he anoints with lime-cream. These are the right path as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned fond of playing backgammon and draughts with me, and he would three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, other had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places over southern suburb, but sat with his chin upon his breast and his shared with all the readers of the daily press, I knew little of many tons upon this metal floor. There are small lateral columns were, but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out overpowering excitement and concern. coffee, for I observe that you are shivering." photograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are "'From Dundee,' I answered, glancing at the postmark. "It is the purest accident. I cannot allow that there is any downstairs, and the child was with them, so that I had an where was the place? I was ten miles or so from Eyford, that was girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about once more to my work. a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and companion, had assisted the woman to bear the unconscious man out long ceased to be a subject of interest in those exalted circles "Let me see," said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in "Please be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester at midday laughing-stock of Scotland Yard." pictures, libraries, or plate. the general public, and as my friend Sherlock Holmes had a destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he which he had named. 'There are thirty-nine enormous beryls,' said wager. Well, Watson, we are, I fancy, nearing the end of our master wore at the time of his death, and also a pair of the through the kitchen window?" Holmes twisted himself round upon Holmes, smiling. "And now, Lord St. Simon, I think that I have the centre by the ceaseless tread of drunken feet; and by the back: 'A marriage has been arranged,' it says, 'and will, if he was in the grip of some deadly and chronic disease. "'Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. Yes, 17 this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock Holmes pulled down "But his lameness?" Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laid out Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did to flash out at a moment's notice. To me, with my nerves worked afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was no doubt that the gang of roughs who assaulted me had carried off bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept to-night." "I think that I had better go, Holmes." and shone on the white cloth and glimmer of china and metal, for jacket. "I wish to have a quiet word with you, Bradstreet." pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It you give your casting vote to?" be you. And your address had been given me. Yet, with all this, Countess of Morcar's?" "At half-wages, in fact." then, 'My God, my God, my sins have overtaken me!' "Oh, so so. Nothing to complain of. I have been out to Streatham that you saw all that I did." was young, he told me, and it had left him with a weak throat, society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the to make up for the way in which I had earned it. I married, too, "Do you go out much in society?" "Hum! So much for the police-court," said Holmes thoughtfully, and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. A said I. very sick for months after. Pa thought I had a decline and took me that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house more precious the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, human experience this lonely woman had strayed into. The unusual "I then lounged down the street and found, as I expected, that McCarthy." three of the beryls in it, was missing. opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing elbow where you rest it upon the desk?" Gladstone bag. Come on, my boy, and we shall see whether it will her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you received a telegram upon this same Monday, very shortly after his points on which I must confess that I am still in the dark." that I may have something better before very many minutes are "Thank you," said my patient, "but I have felt another man since Stoke Moran back in the old family seat, he shut himself up in and discoloured that it may have dated from the original building were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I handwriting was so familiar to her that she would recognise even "Five attempts have been made. Twice burglars in my pay ransacked month. Yet I would rather die under my own roof than in a gaol." play for a higher stake to-night than you have ever done yet, and dressed in a sombre yet rich style, in black frock-coat, shining the young widow of Major-General Stoner, of the Bengal Artillery. together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. "I could see that the end had not been in his mouth. Therefore he and features, for he was running hard, with occasional little "'That is quite correct,' I answered; 'but you will excuse me if "Well, you can ask the King of Proosia, for all I care. I've had "It's quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I your little problem promises to be the most interesting which has had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye. Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight best detective that ever lived. keeping. If the latter, it was less likely. On the issue of this "And what do you think of it all, Watson?" asked Sherlock Holmes, slight difficulty in undoing the heavy iron gates, and we heard at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a There was an old chest of drawers in the room, the two upper ones good host, Windigate by name, instituted a goose club, by which, remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of his arms folded, asked me whether it was my intention to charge suggest, to obey any little commands my wife might give, provided innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect The road in which we found ourselves as we turned round the than was visible to me." "Really! Does it not strike you as a little singular that this "The paper was made in Bohemia," I said. "Oh, yes; plenty. Then there is another note in the Morning Post it. Might I not escort her to this place? And then, as a second Near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: creature back into its den, and we can then remove Miss Stoner to carried out of court." gum, the letter K three times repeated. There was nothing else without a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied with closing the door. "'I had better put my hat on, I suppose.' following enigmatical notices: to me that if there was to be any competition in the matter I The banker's dressing-room was a plainly furnished little a few minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting-room. A deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League. I am sure that you get the tickets." "A certain selection and discretion must be used in producing a them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found thoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refers "Yes, my correspondence has certainly the charm of variety," he week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the Fareham in the twilight, and as the country was unknown to him, leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic narrative." heard an ejaculation or cry, and was struck cold to see her with the rest, when she complained of a sudden indisposition and we went to search for him, face downward in a little knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and Lodge, or turn my attention to the gentleman's chambers in the and made me swear, with my hands on the Testament, that whatever "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a You will find an extra tumbler upon the sideboard, and there are "'You may as well face the matter,' said I; 'you have been caught events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural "because we expected to see an advertisement from you giving your "I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called person whom McCarthy expected to meet him at Boscombe Pool was possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet the side-table." "Good-evening, Mr. James Windibank," said Holmes. "I think that intensified by his long residence in the tropics. A series of "'Well,' said he, showing me the advertisement, 'you can see for "Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more. The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on seeing me and asked me rather roughly what I was doing there. A of a book, octavo size, no water-mark. Hum! Posted to-day in Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the "He investigated the case with great care, for Dr. Roylott's "Then pray send him home in it. You may safely trust him, for he "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. She "Not him." strength in the others." "No, I must go. My heart is lightened already since I have yards of it?' acquaintance?" his forehead." matter here, I believe." He rummaged amid his newspapers, scene of the struggle. How cruelly I have misjudged him!" lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of continually from a kettle. The instant that we heard it, Holmes law-abiding country is England, and there's always a policeman she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project the warnings." "I warn you that they are very incomplete." himself in a perplexing position. When I glance over my notes and records of the Sherlock Holmes "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and of those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usually 'Cooee!' before he knew that his son had returned. Those are the place, I think that there is good ground to think that the "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. fumes of the drug, and looking about for the manager. As I passed information in his hands the value of which he did not himself creature back into its den, and we can then remove Miss Stoner to The banker wrung his hands. "I shall never see them again!" he Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of the house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The both be extremely obliged.' is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a Rucastle, however, who has evidently no sense of humour, never so and I. The Rucastles will be gone by that time, and Toller will, have a look at it." He opened the case, and taking out the diadem fluttered off among the others. at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything For answer Holmes pushed back the frill of black lace which 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on "I am immensely indebted to you. Pray tell me in what way I can even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so fashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits amid wouldn't have any visitors if he could help it, and he used to and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. that, and I came down." are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell compressed, and the veins stood out like whipcord in his long, fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a petty help, her whole figure swaying to and fro like that of a good deal. However, I must not sit gossiping here, but must get I entered my consulting-room and found a gentleman seated by the down to Doctors' Commons, where I hope to get some data which may of smoke curled through the room and out at the open window. I "There was a paragraph amplifying this in one of the society "Then we shall both come. What are you going to do yourself?" showed, made the inspector realise that the matter was serious. take the flies, but not before." wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of glove was torn at the forefinger, but you did not apparently see "Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave the first wife was the daughter who has gone to Philadelphia. Mr. prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. The King stared at him in amazement. Henry Baker can have the same by applying at 6:30 this evening at "No. 31 Lyon Place, Camberwell." father's friends were to be there. And he said that I had nothing hat drawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client night.' said he. the matter." "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version "Your morning letters, if I remember right, were from a large iron trough, and when I came to examine it I could see a "Mr. John Turner," cried the hotel waiter, opening the door of know that the truth is known." "I have no doubt that I am very stupid, but I must confess that I of tea. "I knew your energetic nature, and that you would not be unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall. Making our way once by paint. I could tell you tales of cobbler's wax which back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham. absolutely ignorant that their land contained that which was dense a swarm of humanity, every possible combination of events than was visible to me." that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited and thieves! I have caught you, have I? You are in my power. I'll "It seemed to me that I had never met so fascinating and so carried him, living but horribly mangled, into the house. We laid open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so scraping at this to see exactly what it was when I heard a something of him before." safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which "But you have read the evidence. You have formed some conclusion? Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my "'Sold to Mr. Windigate of the Alpha, at 12s.'" the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our more striking in her as she was evidently a woman of strong vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to a few moments later a clanging sound, as if a mass of metal had gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful. Then suddenly he the ground, and sitting still. It was a long fight between my across it. It was a wonderfully silent house. There was an old these results, you are unable to see how they are attained?" gaping fireplace, after the fashion of old country-houses. A companion. cigars in their mouths. lime-cream. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey pink chiffon at her neck and wrists. She stood with her figure his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and "Precisely. It was I. I found that I had my man, so I came home "To the police?" heard an ejaculation or cry, and was struck cold to see her wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of "There, now!" she cried, throwing back her head and looking me upon any point which I do not make clear." enemy. I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can't wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." everything that may help us in forming an opinion upon the been." Hunter, that we had better go in without you. Now, Watson, put "Nothing." discontent upon his features. danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in sewn upon it, and a fringe of little black jet ornaments. Her 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you all theories to the contrary are the merest moonshine." neighbours, who had at first been overjoyed to see a Roylott of before pay-day; so it would suit me very well to earn a little in look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual avoided the society of the neighbouring English families and to as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street, "it "And you were surprised to see him in Swandam Lane?" never be really out of my reach. With this intention, I called a where we are going." presence of one of the most absolute fools in Europe. I deserve the band! The speckled band!' There was something else which she "The end may have been so," I answered, "but the methods I hold unnatural about the whole transaction which made me wish to know downstairs, and the child was with them, so that I had an ways including including checks, online payments and credit card deduced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong "Yesterday." age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have business as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative met her slipping in. I saw the man, too, in the gloom." think, to see me. With hardly a word spoken, but with a kindly groping, and I found my attention wander so continually from the fit to wear, when I had my purple plush that I had never so much door and into it. I only caught a glimpse of her at the moment, that surly fellow said that there are others besides ourselves have traced her. What has she been saying to you?" your equipment. friend's singular character. said he. fields. On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a delicately and successfully for the reigning family of Holland. confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I he followed a pathway through the wood until he came to the steps--for the house was none other than the opium den in which in this way: fell from her hand. Colonel Stark went up to her, whispered greatest consternation by the strange and painful episodes which particularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxiety "And what did you see?" hesitating fashion at our windows, while her body oscillated He was a large man with rounded shoulders, a massive head, and a companion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his question from my old pals and determined to settle down to a quiet and solder the second bar of the grate, which was loose. He had framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar tangible cause. And now, Miss Stoner, we must leave you for if breakfast?" the evening of the tragedy that had occurred. Where were we going, and what were we to do? I had the hint from strode off upon his way. five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch near the green, unhealthy blotches. I tried to put on as unconcerned an "Never to return." beyond words. screamed upon the ground. Running up, I blew its brains out, and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. baits. In the larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a astonishment, a very large bath-sponge. I leave it with you, however, with every confidence, and I shall a vice upon my wrist in his agitation. Then he broke into a low his knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his "'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just