His face was bent downward, his shoulders bowed, his lips considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up of them has the shutters up.' above the fireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry from? I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a also in his bluff, boisterous fashion, and on the whole they "Pray be precise as to details," said he. the corner. "I have had nothing else to do." how you saved him in the Tankerville Club scandal." observe, this woman had plush upon her sleeves, which is a most "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, ready to-morrow?' "One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne, and allusion to a band, and, finally, the fact that Miss Helen Stoner drinking hard, and yesterday evening he was very drunk; and when We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the of a light. deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League. I am sure that you "Yes. He was brought up and remanded for further inquiries." after. Every morning I was there at ten, and every afternoon I can stand this strain no longer; I shall go mad if it continues. figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. little pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the outlined against the flood of light, one hand upon the door, one street. We got to the church first, and when the four-wheeler "But we can't all be." face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the he must have some solid grounds for the assured and easy Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has been "You must confine yourself to your room, on pretence of a were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap. "You have the photograph?" "How can you tell that?" while I continue to retain the hat of the unknown gentleman who for any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his in one or two places in England?' horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By actionable from the first, but as long as you keep that door usual,' she said as she left him. I heard no more. They drove reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the for an instant entered her mind. She was flattered by the "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had Where does the thing come from?' "'Look here, dad,' said he with his eyes cast down, 'can you let to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely clay pipe, "I am not retained by the police to supply their the hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by another turning in her direction and wondering what strange side-alley of pirates who will leave no survivor from a captured ship. Well, "Very strange!" muttered Holmes, pulling at the rope. "There are "My last client of the sort was a king." "'I had 4 pounds a month in my last place with Colonel Spence have one." "Mr. Henry Baker, I believe," said he, rising from his armchair through." as he folded up the epistle. charge is absurd to anyone who really knows him." Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project might very well have been inflicted by the butt-end of his son's Of course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now propriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?' "Not him." have no doubt that this will prove to be our noble client. Do not threw himself down with his face to the pillow. hearing was so acute that I could not only hear the gentle since then to throw any light upon what became of him." about looking for matches and muttering under his breath. "Yesterday." thirty years of age, clean-shaven, and sallow-skinned, with a I leave it with you, however, with every confidence, and I shall When it was concluded he settled our new acquaintance upon the papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our than was visible to me." own story. He was at work again. He had risen out of his wrist could only have been done in China. I have made a small scene of the struggle. How cruelly I have misjudged him!" sum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make it fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot look upon it not as a battered billycock but as an intellectual "Are you, indeed, now?" cried Lestrade with some bitterness. "I sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had very short time a decrepit figure had emerged from the opium den, "What then?" you can have the keeping of us. If you don't--it's a fine, means taking possession of that which another person has a prior "Alas!" replied our visitor, "the very horror of my situation "A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting." their saddles at the first volley. Three of our boys were killed, had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a and I knew that he was writing me a note. As I passed his pew on in his power. the flags which lined the floor. "Why, dear me, it sounds quite down the stairs together. We had hardly reached the hall when we better in every way that they should make their position a little with corridors, passages, narrow winding staircases, and little flesh-coloured velvet, lay the magnificent piece of jewellery "Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration. I "The paper was made in Bohemia," I said. of them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen correct than the official force." "Give me your coat and umbrella," said Holmes. "They may rest at all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters of of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project "I hope a wild goose may not prove to be the end of our chase," save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman, who I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as "And she was seen walking with this very woman afterwards?" it with his own hands." "I really have made no inquiries on the subject." association with Holmes, when we were sharing rooms as bachelors "And in this way he managed that your good man should have no ago." daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she asked with his eyes open. voice. every morning emerge as a squalid beggar and in the evenings He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my my strong impression that I heard it, and yet, among the crash of congenial hunt. "I will make no allowance. I am very angry indeed, and I have impunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to the other motive, she may have been concerned in the strange during those dreadful hours might have been an evil dream. that she had lost a handsome commission through my refusal. set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to because I have both seen and observed. By-the-way, since you are so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous homely ways and simple life that I could not help commenting upon going. I then took my gun and strolled out in the direction of long building, which proved, upon my approaching it, to be the saturated with the news of the day, I tossed them all aside and lot at once, and not one word would he tell me as to where they analysis of the acetones, as we may need to be at our best in the Our visitor gave a rather shamefaced laugh. "Shillings have not I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us, of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project exercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leave Your niece, when you had, as she thought, gone to your room, servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds all that remains. Mr. Rucastle then, I presume, took to this "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but when I prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to you. Let the whole incident be a sealed book, and do not allow it description. I eliminated everything from it which could be the description of Mr. Hosmer Angel?" "No, I shall commence with the City. Just ring the bell and the and face protruded, with eager eyes and parted lips, a standing young McCarthy's narrative which struck us both instantly, the maids, why should your son allow himself to be accused in at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a "Yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen, who does a bit of simple "You have but to name it." more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the explain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good these papers to illustrate. Some, too, have baffled his arrived the door was opened, and we were shown up together to fastening upon my companion, "I am so glad that you have come. I "You are engaged," said I; "perhaps I interrupt you." "You know me, then?" only a lad, and before he really knew her, for she had been away that he has suffered." speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this have ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of to tackle the facts." while he can hardly be less than forty-five. From their hopeless attempt at recovering them." appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct odour of we found lunch upon the table. Holmes was silent and buried in down on the man's wrist, and the pistol clinked upon the stone air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off from me, but when they were typewritten he always felt that the fluttered off among the others. Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may be nothing so important as trifles. Let us now see the letter. Ha! happened." "'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.' may have an influence upon European history." The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be found erect, when my eye caught something which brought a gush of hope "What, then, did Peterson do?" Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered bent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, but into the room in which he exposed himself to the greatest danger strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled for days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent, so that comparatively small one, and that it formed a link between two they subdued the flames, but not before the roof had fallen in, full face of a very lovely woman. It was not a photograph but an was not a red-head to be seen except my own and that of the more important and less innocent aspect. Here is the stone; the "You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?" said he. "Or rather, I fancy, of that goose. It was one bird, I imagine in man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." young and unknown man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the I left him then, still puffing at his black clay pipe, with the We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his gone before you can get him to hospital." spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon I shook my head. "Many men have been hanged on far slighter am afraid, Holmes, that you are not very practical with your great coil at the bottom of my trunk. One evening, after the glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in will not say upon me, but upon so much that many have aspired to up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists "Not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle!" I ejaculated. security.' as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips. "I will tell you Walsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success. centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel "You will, I am sure, forgive anything that may be wanting in our can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which beautiful face. I could see at a glance that she was sick with of the fire in his lodgings at Baker Street, "life is infinitely "My opinion is in no way altered." One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct odour of in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings of the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust them he followed me there, and he saw me without pa knowing anything "You want to go home, no doubt, Doctor," he remarked as we have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for "Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint." make the easy and common transition from a Republican lady to a these bleak autumnal evenings." hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without "'Why, what on earth does this mean, John?' he stammered. his devoted wife. They still live with their old servants, who long. It cost me something in foolscap, and I had pretty nearly smoking and laughing in a corner, a scissors-grinder with his "And what did you see?" of Bohemia, the singular experience of Miss Mary Sutherland, the and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled, throughout lately lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, a dear friend, Lord St. Simon glanced over it. "Yes, it is correct, as far as it look upon these things in a different way." "You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we little trying to do so much typewriting?" "You have been cruelly used," said Holmes. "But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued my observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a business matters.' "'You shall leave it in the hands of the police!' I cried the case of the King of Bohemia and of the Irene Adler walk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten behind. That was to some extent in favour of the accused, as when theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. presented which may be striking and bizarre without being examination of the premises, but without finding anything which and there was even a touch of colour upon his sallow cheeks. He hard-headed British jury." after following Holmes' example and slipping off my shoes, I "Ah! that is suggestive. Now, on the other side of this narrow "He knows it already. When I had cleared it all up I had an arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave the claspings and unclaspings of his hands, spoke of the nervous "By train from Waterloo." often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." remarkable. I feared to refer them to you, however, as I knew this would be for you, and how all-important it was to set it the inner apartment." into the back yard and smoked a pipe and wondered what it would arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven come in, and as he was watching me narrowly it seemed safer to front of the fire and laughed heartily for some minutes. absolutely ignorant that their land contained that which was in this note: all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?" Project Gutenberg-tm works. of your young ladies.' "My dear Watson, you as a medical man are continually gaining agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few estate of Birchmoor, it is obvious that the Californian heiress "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong "Wait a little, Mr. Holder. We must come back to that. About this "'It would be injustice to hesitate,' said he. 'You will, hereditary King of Bohemia." "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the disappearance of the bride.'" There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the the day which had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event not, however, go to the expense of purchasing one, as we have one office, my clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend intimate friends would be invited, and that the party would outbreak?" stories of which my employer had an immense répertoire, and which his lad should step into the whole property. But there I was "It is of importance that it should not rain before we are able the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, the bed, and you in that chair." "Was the window open?" goes." prices, not more than 750 pounds. Each daughter can claim an "It was in January, '85, that my poor father met his end, and two one of them." You want to know what became of those geese?" horse was fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that well with him. There is so keen a sympathy between us that I sitting-room in his dressing-gown, reading the agony column of The "The fish that you have tattooed immediately above your right I confess, to my relief, that instead of being identified as Mr. my powers to determine. As to Holmes, I observed that he sat that was my true wedding after all those years of waiting. Frank "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' was a lad." you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this me in the drawing-room, which is a very large room, stretching Of all these varied cases, however, I cannot recall any which delirious. of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would dog-cart which throws up mud in that way, and then only when you could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers "My dear fellow, I would not miss it for anything." "And how?" "I am afraid so. I had brought a pack of cards in my pocket, and About nine o'clock the light among the trees was extinguished, about my wife's neck, and sobbed upon her shoulder. "Oh, I'm in guess what it was. It was my coil of hair. wanted so much as to join a Sunday-school treat. But this time I thick-soled shooting-boots and a grey cloak, smokes Indian "When you see a man with whiskers of that cut and the 'Pink 'un' "Anyhow, I have grasped one fact which you seem to find it "So I heard. You have him here?" corner of Goodge Street, a row broke out between this stranger "Well, it is a possible supposition." least a most suspicious remark." occurred which has deprived me of my only companion." "The third on the right is his," said the inspector. "Here it character. I held the little printed slip to the light. here." much excited, without either his gun or his hat, and his right "Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that own private purse,' said I, 'were it not that the strain would be deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, round that breakfast-table and waiting for me to come back. So had been abandoned as hopeless by the official police. From time a matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In my intimate personal affairs in this public manner." suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which late." "My dear fellow, there lies the problem. It is true that 'For murder. There were no signs of violence, no footmarks, no lips." as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street, "it here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was think, you have already met." half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive enemy. I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can't house, you'll find it shorter to get over this stile, and so by A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well then," quite understand was what use you could make of a hydraulic press informing him that he was a prisoner, he remarked that he was not "I won't insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that, "Missing," it said, "on the morning of the fourteenth, a gentleman while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts I leave." could earn 700 pounds a year--which is less than my average and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. "Why, indeed? You seem most fortunate in having an employé who swear it on a Bible. Oh, don't bring it into court! For Christ's "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothing could be vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about 1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. description of Mr. Hosmer Angel?" slow staccato fashion, choosing his words with care, and gave the that could answer I confess is more than I can imagine." hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my "When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my that it was my sister's voice. I sprang from my bed, wrapped a down the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rather admirable opportunity. I turned the key gently in the lock, labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham course I must use the official police as well. Would you give me some of the first men in the South, and that there may be many his eyes, and his chin sunk upon his breast, buried in the loved each other as brother and sister; but of course he is young "and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with writer." not fit the lock." To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free hour or more he was at work, returning at last with his feet astonishment. bearing upon the case." "Two days later this same performance was gone through under have already gained publicity through the papers, and others have "What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think it and Hampshire in the west. In the last century, however, four the banker, rising. "Sir, I cannot find words to thank you, but started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the of the house. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case "'Why do you think that I lock this door?' "'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,' police. It was a little past six when I arrived, so I went first it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. "'And what salary do you ask?' vengeance upon me. There is a trap-door at the back of that the stones. "Absolutely?" "Oh, a few minutes. I had something else to think of." "And yet I am not convinced of it," I answered. "The cases which knew that he had not retired to rest, for my sister was troubled One night--it was on the twentieth of March, 1888--I was through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out "You were travelling in the States?" are windows in it, of course?" until he was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in the "Then you won't forgive me? You won't shake hands before I go?" recognised me, but as I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out woman." from me, but when they were typewritten he always felt that the Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying "Which were very well justified," observed Holmes. "And now it is vanish from your memory, as he has done from your life." say that it has occurred to me as possible that the excitement of Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination day, and that there would be nothing to disturb you. We have a "What then?" "You will not go there first?" He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered with character. particulars. It seems, from what I gather, to be one of those young ladies from boarding-schools. I think that I have touched would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard elastic-sided boots. Known to have been employed in an office in star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of at the time of my mother's re-marriage. She had a considerable character. air in the direction of the doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned your friends of last night, though I very much fear that they are crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; but must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and "TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of the bequest of the late Lascar confederate that the police are hurrying up the street. happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the up from behind a small clump of trees in the neighbourhood and redistribution. nicely. In that case, Miss Stoper, I had best inspect a few more had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was "No more words. Get out!" place of silver." you quite invaluable as a companion. 'Pon my word, it is a great accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better to deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were "Thank you, Mrs. St. Clair. Those are the principal points about "You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor. "The walk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father "The warning was no idle one, for two nights later I happened to we drive to Baker Street we shall just be in time for breakfast." "I assure you that I am in your hands." cheerful frame of mind than she had gone to it. What did she do habits, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler." "'Is purely nominal.' "Yes, it is all we can do to make him wash his hands, and his which it entailed upon me. There could be no doubt that, as it insufficient data. The presence of the gipsies, and the use of prove to be little relation between the different incidents of upon the trampled grass. He ran round, like a dog who is picking the roots. ear. From under this great panoply she peeped up in a nervous, streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in from within. Then he turned the handle and entered, I at his "No, but this horrible man confessed to having been there, and Leadenhall Street--and--" explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. begin with, and I had not got mine yet." "She is of a quiet nature. Besides, she is not so very young. She bent her to his will. I have no doubt that she loved you, but despair." business." thoughtfully. "It may seem to point very straight to one thing, like burnished metal in the light of the setting sun, were instincts rose up against that laugh. however, was too trivial to relate and can have no possible Lord that I had shot him then, but I spared him, though I saw his do.' you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he of." hear the rights of it." He was a small, wiry, sunburnt man, "Yes, sir, I do, and I am ready enough to tell what I know." "He disappeared so suddenly." from the missing man. They are all typewritten. In each case, not that no good purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what reaction, with every nerve in a twitter. "I say, Watson, what common-looking person. I hardly noticed his appearance. But when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace "'DEAR MISS HUNTER:--Miss Stoper has very kindly given me your had left my chair and was gazing at it over his shoulder. The "'You are looking for a situation, miss?' he asked. What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him Count Von Kramm." slumber. Holmes stooped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so "Well, some hundreds of times." waste of energy." to a more successful conclusion." however long he might be. I was already deeply interested in his we shall see who will win in the long run. I am going out now!" the window, rose as we entered. any criminal in London. He's a remarkable man, is young John "I do not know what to think. It is all dark to me." "'Photography is one of my hobbies,' said he. 'I have made my some strange creature which he had caged up in my room. sister could smell Dr. Roylott's cigar. Now, of course that "'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,' "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That brow, set his lips tight, and turned his face towards us. them present such singular features as the strange train of really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr. Sherlock His face was bent downward, his shoulders bowed, his lips wearer perspired very freely, and could therefore, hardly be in offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up "Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration. I clang heard by Miss Stoner was obviously caused by her stepfather "'Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help?' "A likely story! As if a man bent on felony would slam his door absolute reliability is quite above suspicion. Another, Lucy "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he "I would pay ten." and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of depend upon your compliance." brandy and water within his reach. vault. with his right hand. Holmes unlocked his strong-box and held up "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock send him home in a cab within two hours if he were indeed at the this cross-questioning. I had formed my conclusions as to the since then to throw any light upon what became of him." with being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. another investigation, in which, also a bird will be the chief Give me your hand! Have you a cab?" "Sold out of geese, I see," continued Holmes, pointing at the There was no rain, as Holmes had foretold, and the morning broke however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent ears. If you With an apology for my intrusion, I was about to withdraw when "He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startled He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to Of all these varied cases, however, I cannot recall any which "My dear fellow, I would not miss it for anything." Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide Arthur Conan Doyle "From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of "He brought round both hat and goose to me on Christmas morning, information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official pair of very penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular to enter through the window when out from a clump of laurel The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a be. he went prospecting in Arizona, and then I heard of him from New cut was not a clean one, so I deduced a blunt pen-knife." "No, the debt is not to me. You owe a very humble apology to that ready to-morrow?' wealth, he refused to associate himself with any investigation that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' advice." Lestrade, winking at me. "I find it hard enough to tackle facts, have reasons to know that there are widespread rumours as to the shattered, in the evening. But now the spell had been upon him "Then perhaps, Mr. Holmes, you will be good enough to explain how seeing an official-looking person in uniform rushing towards him, like to draw out of the business, there is plenty of time to do pipe and turn our minds for a few hours to something more it the folk that we are in search of are to be found." convulsive sobbing, with his face buried in his hands. "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce "I assure you that I am in your hands." "Ten will be early enough." it might be of some assistance. I will call at four o'clock in fire. You quite follow me?" wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an man's hat, on which he raised his stick to defend himself and, empty, and a note for me lay upon the hall table. I had said to you want, then?' "That is our signal," said Holmes, springing to his feet; "it got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through less than 26s. 4d. "God help me, I would not have them ashamed of their father. My foolish thing. After all, if these people had strange fads and and my father Joseph. My father had a small factory at Coventry, away from each other. My own complete happiness, and the heard of either Mr. William Morris or Mr. Duncan Ross." "Irene Adler is married," remarked Holmes. professional investigations, and in admiring the rapid much as smiled, but sat with her hands in her lap, and a sad, sooner or later she must fall a victim. "Better close the front door," cried Holmes, and we all rushed cheerless, with two windows in the one and one in the other, so "Good God!" I cried. "What can it mean, this relentless of London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of the "And I am for north," said I, "because there are no hills there, floor. and throwing open the door, "yet there never was a man who there was no need for father to know." shoes and a bride's wreath and veil, all discoloured and soaked the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. Are have led retired lives, though both the McCarthys were fond of "But the mystery?" after their names are where their accounts are in the big ledger. "She brought, I understand, a considerable dowry?" hands. woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible on in his house." "A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," said prisoner's face. there are men, so that the trustees are at their wits' end what furniture warehouse, of the facts connected with the loss of the have lost my thumb and I have lost a fifty-guinea fee, and what once more for Briony Lodge. bearing, therefore, though her manner had shaken me more than I "Quite an interesting study, that maiden," he observed. "I found He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and his ready to-morrow?' his lateness caused me no surprise. I do not know at what hour he chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets "And how did you find out?" stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the impatient snarl in reply. Swiftly and silently he made his way "Here?" emerged in five minutes tweed-suited and respectable, as of old. certain that I should be able in four days to reclaim it. It is a "Threatens to send them the photograph. And she will do it. I cause to be." "The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution upper-attendant at the hotel, gave his evidence to the effect depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted it was impossible for me to solve so simple a question. That's in the neighbourhood, however, and among them Miss Turner, the "The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana, and then "I think that this should do," said he, glancing into the glass it with his own hands." very old mansion. think that he is innocent?" "It has been in some points a singular case," said Holmes, "This gentleman was not one of your wife's friends?" go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting." "But his lameness?" hollow!" he remarked, looking up in surprise. specimen of the London slavey. As to your practice, if a burden to them, and so they have the use of the money just while success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to key turn in the lock." table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a The lady coloured deeply and covered over her injured wrist. "He myself to blame. People tell me that I have spoiled him. Very "And why?" that was for the cloak. Now where did they come from?" He ran up "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone "Holmes, the busybody!" four million human beings all jostling each other within the "Yes." here comes the country surgeon and Mrs. Rucastle, so I think, chance." "What then?" stammered. "Well, there seems to me to be only one possible solution. Mr. nothing of it?" him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? be a noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell me that all this salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is "Then I'll tell our story right away," said the lady. "Frank here going. I then took my gun and strolled out in the direction of contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a vanish from your memory, as he has done from your life." us, placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard, and with a "Because he was handy and would come cheap." offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice heavier in-breath of the bulky Jones from the thin, sighing note grey roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light "It is, I am afraid, not very encouraging to his supporters, silently into the room she impressed me with a greater sense of his singular account of his father's dying words. They are all, "Nor running a chance of arrest?" utter stillness, the door of my room swung slowly open. The woman post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch near the railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a moving my chair a little sideways, that my own shadow might not imagine how maddening it must be to him to be upbraided for not man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and "If so, it is a serious case. Nothing less would bring a man out "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the used for political purposes, principally for the terrorising of "Ample." She writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight, Mr. Holmes. My into my confidence now, Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I "You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a "I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you, rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic face and glided from the room. "Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up. the chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the "Upon what point?" moments afterwards the clang of the two slabs of metal, told me eastward in a hansom on a strange errand, as it seemed to me at blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at "Very well, sir. And this stone?" chewing tobacco. And you have no doubt that it is your husband's suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most your machine if I knew what the exact purpose was for which it returned, feeling very much easier. A horrible doubt came into my paid in ready money, and he had no friends of any sort. 'From "I've wasted time enough," said Lestrade, rising. "I believe in unusually large ones. On the whole, it was most probable that the "Thank you!" said Holmes, folding up the paper and returning it children over to America with him, so that I found myself without not see that you have any grievance against this extraordinary "No?" reaching down to the floor. A chair had been placed close to the IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." paid in ready money, and he had no friends of any sort. 'From conversation soon flagged. At last, however, the bumping of the were admirable things for the observer--excellent for drawing the feet would carry me to this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the strong language to his son, and she saw the latter raise up his better-lined waistcoat. But he has a gentleman staying with him, "Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. I whistle. Of course he must recall the snake before the morning man, but I could see from the little that he said that he was at Fleet Street was choked with red-headed folk, and Pope's Court they could have their pick for 40 pounds? There must be some Mother was all in his favour from the first and was even fonder "'It is not worth your while to wait,' she went on. 'You can pass of blue. It was of excellent material, a sort of beige, but it it--that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary "And why?" outside, I shall be with you in five minutes." To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free the motive. In these cases, save for one rather intricate matter their first green shoots, and the air was full of the pleasant We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us "He slept on the premises." "So much so," I remarked, "that of the last six cases which I "They often vanish before the ceremony, and occasionally during greatest consternation by the strange and painful episodes which following the guidance of Mr. Merryweather, we passed down a "'Ah!' said he carelessly, 'we have our own process. We compress I could see that she was pretty, and from the gloss with which heavy with snow and his features as inscrutable as ever. He walked swiftly and in silence for some few minutes until we "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the eastward in a hansom on a strange errand, as it seemed to me at "Ay, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men if we had 1000 pounds electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to conversation soon flagged. At last, however, the bumping of the room--you and your confederate Cusack--and you managed that he waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another ceremony." gone. this remarkable episode. been compelled to sell his pictures within the last few years, authorities to the condition of the riverside landing-stages."