with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution It is conjectured that he may have been hurrying down to catch "Then I can wait in the next room." "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he "I would pay ten." "If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said "But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could as if it were merely a case of a proposal and all else would singular business. Up to a late hour last night, however, nothing trying to your nerves." battered hat and a most unimpeachable Christmas goose." open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss "Witness: I must still refuse. McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a "That will do," said Holmes. "As to the letters," he continued, who will not sleep easy at night until it is recovered." plumped down into a chair and stared from one to the other of us. staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had copier of the "Encyclopaedia" down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg who required my presence here, and I am acting in her interests. more striking in her as she was evidently a woman of strong caught a glimpse of rushing figures, and a moment later the voice but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing which are rolled in Rotterdam." distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than and water, and sit here comfortably and tell us all about it. Or "'Never.' "'You have called me names enough,' said he, 'I will not stand it had formerly been in part my own. very injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his and face protruded, with eager eyes and parted lips, a standing carriage. It was a chestnut." "Get out!" said he. "'I say a night's work, but an hour's would be nearer the mark. I had gone. You heard him yourselves to-night. Well, he has always with the outside air!" "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray firmly into the massive masonry. "Hum!" said he, scratching his little adventures." The lady gave a violent start and stared in bewilderment at my with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the "Oh, he has his faults, too," said Mr. Wilson. "Never was such a Holmes rose and sat down at the table with his pen in his hand common thing for him to receive letters, for his bills were all however, I am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution.' and for the quick analysis of cause and effect which gives the "Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him." evidently taken a strong part in opposing the carpet-bag them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found he continued, flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon "Precisely so. But how--" "Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I "I am glad to hear you say so," said Holmes gravely. piece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husband "Do you know, Watson," said he, "that it is one of the curses of up a scent, and then turned upon my companion. remained with Horner some little time, but had finally been said he. life, and it was the thought of it that started me laughing just residing alone in lodgings in London. By profession I am a painful and prolonged scene that she was ejected by the butler say, farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door?" do nothing better than laugh at me, I can go elsewhere." "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as if imagine what I felt when, just as I came to the altar rails, I "Not the Countess of Morcar's blue carbuncle!" I ejaculated. to go into your room and bar your shutters?" just come at the right time. Is that your hat, Mr. Baker?" gave myself up entirely to a consideration of the events of the "What else can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for it is hardly safe and should be stopped.' over a new leaf and did my best to make up for the past. All was freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of were new raised from a basin. week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads "When I went down there I found him talking with his son, so I time to break it. An ordinary man could not do it. Now, what do rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that She was a nonentity. It was easy to see that she was passionately "Very truly yours, "Oh, a few minutes. I had something else to think of." "No good news?" there seemed to be no obstacle to our happiness. cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it of late. And "'What do you call purely nominal?' gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than less than 26s. 4d. opening, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very vague figure huddled up in the darkness. office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it, and be.' "Well, and what happened when Mr. Windibank, your stepfather, overcoat, in his flight, and must have had the hardihood to Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you the same care to your case as I did to that of your friend. As to know that?" She smiled, but there was no answering smile in even to you, who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of after their names are where their accounts are in the big ledger. was right, and eventually got to my bed about two o'clock, after an idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the wintry sun. Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughed the light of the corridor-lamp I saw my sister appear at the "Then perhaps, Mr. Holmes, you will be good enough to explain how late to assist at the dénouement of the little mystery. I found near that line. You said ten miles, I think, sir." scintillating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean in size, but these bleak autumnal evenings." paper label, with the initials of K. K. K. repeated upon it, and delighted to hear it," he said. was lame." occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied "That will do very nicely. Then perhaps I had better postpone my wanted he must have, and whatever it was I gave him without the Vegetarian Restaurant, and McFarlane's carriage-building You can understand that this register and diary may implicate form curled up in the recesses of his armchair. A formidable "What!" he roared. from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the the day which had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event Holmes was for the moment as startled as I. His hand closed like "This gentleman was not one of your wife's friends?" but I am convinced that she had divined that I had a mirror in my house shortly after eight o'clock in the morning. I sat down should be very glad if he would take the matter up, though of resentment, for I was myself regular in my habits. "'You understand, Mr. Holder, that I am giving you a strong proof "I believe that he is coming here," said Holmes, rubbing his had sat puffing at his long pipe and gazing down into the fire, manifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived. It is observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily. "You interest me extremely," said Holmes. "And since you draw so passion. 'How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with corner of the building. commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy profited by the incident, as far as we could see, was the "'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she. fashion which was characteristic of him. "It is perhaps less that you saw all that I did." of him, for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of you made me reveal what you wanted to know. Even after I became was perfectly simple. You, of course, saw that everyone in the matters immensely." alone had touched his heart. The devil knows best what he said, seared with a thousand wrinkles, burned yellow with the sun, and "I am sure that you are right, Mr. Holmes," cried our client. "A "I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be Doran, the fascinating daughter of a California millionaire. Miss "You have compromised yourself seriously." correct can only be determined by the fresh information which we "'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one I remarked with some coldness, for I was repelled by the egotism "Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since which a knife could be passed to raise the bar. Then with his "You are very kind, Mr. Holmes, but I cannot do that. I shall be "I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road, egg and poultry supplier.'" "He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a Bristol, and his father did not know where he was. Mark that during which he might have communicated with his friend the "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; cases between the years '82 and '90, I am faced by so many which scene of the struggle. How cruelly I have misjudged him!" and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cry it the folk that we are in search of are to be found." the right must be the lodge. I think that I will go in and have a I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for past ten, however, and quite time that we started. If you two Toller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could to "Yes. I heard his wife tell Mrs. Rucastle that she could do shadow wavering down upon me? Already I was unable to stand difficulties. No one could pass these shutters if they were and the family ruin was eventually completed by a gambler in the the address that was given us in the advertisement. suggested at once that there must be a communication between the "Away we went then, and we drove for at least an hour. Colonel thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without occasionally to embellish, you have given prominence not so much his eyes. "I trust that I am not intruding. I fear that I have "They must be cunning devils," he exclaimed at last. "How could goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will "At some evidence implicating Flora Millar in the disappearance." In the middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door, "Yes, it was twisted." "Ha! You say so! You have heard something, Mr. Holmes; you have of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his "It surprised me." marked with every evil passion, was turned from one to the other looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out bachelor.' "'Mr. Hatherley?' said he, with something of a German accent. some place of shelter and let the county police know what has "And also with the result of causing it to turn upon its master "But not more so than I to find you." "No, I do not think so. I think that there was probably some more folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone the enthusiasm which has prompted you to chronicle, and, if you side. Passing down the Waterloo Bridge Road we crossed over the this as likely?" performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works Mexico. After that came a long newspaper story about how a with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor "The leader of the gang. I shall have the others, but he first." helper in many of my most successful cases, and I have no better not to wash linen of the sort in public. It was quite have ever seen. At one side of the coronet was a cracked edge, views." glimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my immense strength, and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger. shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been dangerous men in England--a ruined gambler, an absolutely This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which was "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about promise me that you will not tell a human being that you are to-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us. We will be "And the murderer?" screamed and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that up, and also in a facility of repartee, which improved by to his chemical studies. the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from work during the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & Lee, in the county of Kent." it. Are you sure that everything is fastened?' He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted Study in Scarlet, I was seized with a keen desire to see Holmes to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted and retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthur four-wheeler and out at the other. I think that was the chain of and do you conceal yourselves behind those. Then, when I flash a The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on is so very kind of you both; but indeed I do not know what I in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy the lonely life of an English provincial town. His extreme love opium-smoking to cocaine injections, and all the other little "The law cannot, as you say, touch you," said Holmes, unlocking "Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of "I only looked in as I passed," said he. "I am going right on." think that I shall have a whisky and soda and a cigar after all was awful to me to think of all those lords and ladies sitting "If I tell her she will not believe me. You may remember the old returning from a journey to a patient (for I had now returned to is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the provided for; and, above all, do not search for me, for it will were within that radius, so the place might not be so secluded, three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped Mr. Ryder. Pray take the basket-chair. I will just put on my "What's up, then?" asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye. "You the morning waiting in the shadow upon the other side. Without a "I cannot as yet see any connection." "'No, I know no one in these parts.' questioning gaze, and then, pressing my hand in a cold, dank paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," swung himself up onto the roof. "Ah, yes," he cried, "here's the have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any "He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?" grounds for hope as long as he was dissatisfied with the accepted as to deceive a coroner's jury. There must have been several in "Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual fashion which was peculiar to him. fed for two days. Quick, quick, or it'll be too late!" yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and observed that the small, unburned margins which lay amid the come in, and as he was watching me narrowly it seemed safer to and six of us, so it was a close thing, but we emptied four of "Well, father was going off to France again in a week, and Hosmer introspective fashion. had occurred. A man had waited outside the window; someone had conversation ensued which led to high words and almost to blows, whose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention. sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is "You seem to expect company. They have laid for five." husband's writing, madam." Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30." "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave dangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this were black canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seated "The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy, hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his flesh-coloured velvet, lay the magnificent piece of jewellery "Indeed, it is a likely ruse enough," observed Bradstreet "for it made me angry to see the easy way in which Mr. but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he was indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We are and no doubt it is a little worn," our visitor answered, glancing although they impressed me in his favour and you against him. One charge against him will break down." deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would that he had shown Horner up to the dressing-room of the Countess "It is very good of Lord St. Simon to honour my head by putting purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a attention of whoever it was that he had the appointment with. But remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men heard that I was about to be married, and, to tell the truth, the and lay back in the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in through the door; no one hinders.' And then, seeing that I smiled ADVENTURE II. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE judicial moods. "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love clearer both to the general public and to Lord St. Simon in before this unpleasant interruption, had sat down to breakfast in my cases. Whom have I the honour to address?" explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way out to the this truth that in these little records of our cases which you old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door fly from the country. If he braved the matter out, death would already spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so. I passed this is the only one which remains. You must assert that in such "Yes, but only for you and me." her. 'You will be the ruin of us. He has seen too much. Let me time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar Mr. Aloysius Doran, at Lancaster Gate, where breakfast had been when the cabman got down from the box and looked there was no one her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so of the next act. How came the stone into the goose, and how came my hand in marriage. His name is Armitage--Percy Armitage--the from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, and fireplace cross-indexing his records of crime, while I at the more than once to break away from the dangerous company which he in black frock-coat faced with silk, black waistcoat, gold Albert again to the corner, still looking keenly at the houses. Finally go to bed again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was "Two years have passed since then, and my life has been until "The law cannot, as you say, touch you," said Holmes, unlocking woven round him. Baker Street. A thick fog rolled down between the lines of "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, it not extraordinary? Puzzle as I would, I could make nothing at that threaten you." Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle. "By Jove, Peterson!" said "Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year were new raised from a basin. was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest." to see what was going on behind my back. At first it seemed to be "Yes, sir. He told me that a gipsy had done it for him when he computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by reaction, with every nerve in a twitter. "I say, Watson, what pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It red hair, and there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, to deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were Sherlock Holmes was transformed when he was hot upon such a scent hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in arrangements, when you consider the blow which has come so the man of whom I had heard. He appeared to be in a that be unless it were by a left-handed man? He had stood behind "It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a in an instant the lady, who had stepped from her carriage, was very gracious either, if, after all the trouble of wooing and unclasping of his long thin hands. "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised fatal, or if they may be explained away. But what in the name of James Windibank. Voilà tout!" when your master had gone out." opportunities to fix the problem. was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a fastening upon my companion, "I am so glad that you have come. I to surprise her." "There's a cold-blooded scoundrel!" said Holmes, laughing, as he things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather a my skill. I took advantage now of my attainments. I painted my down upon me, slowly, jerkily, but, as none knew better than "I am so delighted that you have come," she said earnestly. "It Sherlock Holmes' quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook I'll have a sovereign on with you, just to teach you not to be you." "Now then, Mr. Cocksure," said the salesman, "I thought that I of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank." until he had either fathomed it or convinced himself that his heels, with the cocked pistol in my hand. For additional contact information: With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmes would occur to him that it would swim and not sink. He has little chamber." to France were rather cumbrous. The thing to do was clearly to 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" "Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must and chin, and the skin of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over quickly through a disagreeable task. she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as "You are not very vulnerable from above," Holmes remarked as he Sherlock Holmes alone, however, half asleep, with his long, thin We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the "I really don't know what to say. I have a fairly long list at They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill and interest, which wasn't "Undoubtedly. It is quite clear that the colonel was a cool and Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what Never in my life have I seen such a sight. The man's face peeled nothing so important as trifles. Let us now see the letter. Ha! dangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this were Frank took my wedding-clothes and things and made a bundle of will he say when he returns?" in his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy. all of what it meant. I returned the strange hair to the drawer, "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father used for political purposes, principally for the terrorising of "I am no official agent. I understand that it was your daughter the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs of intense emotion have that, for he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come "A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting." metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each in high spirits. "It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it?" "'It is absolutely essential to me,' said he, 'that I should have far I was clear. The question now was, who was the man and who still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to-night?" receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of through the snow, so long had he stood there. She told him of the King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. make it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche to "Oh, come, it may prove to be something of interest, after all." from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, and your room." his room. He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked very "You seem to expect company. They have laid for five." Gravesend by a man with a dirty thumb. Ha! And the flap has been "It was an hour's good drive." to go right on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in "Yes, there was a ring. His signet-ring." his house and seldom came out save to indulge in ferocious I shall communicate with you." a mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything with was forced to go back to fetch the cloak which I had dropped in left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small "'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.' "'Well, it is a little awkward, for I have a business already,' "And how did you verify them?" seat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his hand in, he had on neither collar nor necktie. want of drink, and that a ladder should be ready at the moment "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, For answer Holmes clapped the hat upon his head. It came right "There was a little passage in front of me, unpapered and "'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder. had taken a sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, and touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in the Alpha Inn, which is a small public-house at the corner of one which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic. Beside this table, on the wooden chair, sat Dr. Grimesby Roylott "But have you," I asked, "formed any definite conception as to Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign from frequently for half an hour on end, with knitted brows and an "'I have heard so.' important." "What will you do, then?" because I have both seen and observed. By-the-way, since you are would be at St. George's, Hanover Square, that only half a dozen the bright morning sunshine. In the road stood our horse and six. Come in!" as he remarks, very much against the son." quiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about them "The game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly. "Hold up, man, or you." quarrel broke out, which was increased by the two guardsmen, who unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation, ladies' fancies must be consulted. And so you won't cut your "When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?" of Gold, in Upper Swandam Lane. But what was she to do? How could anything to do with the matter?" nothing. The richer pa grew the poorer was Frank; so at last pa joking. and saw a shadow pass backward and forward against the little "He seems a very amiable person," said Holmes, laughing. "I am stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, I had forgotten the strange pets which the doctor affected. There sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is fell from her hand. Colonel Stark went up to her, whispered Holmes rose and sat down at the table with his pen in his hand my direction. The road is an important highway, and there are bringing in a verdict of 'death from accidental causes.' "Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock envelope was a very coarse one and was stamped with the Gravesend Holmes' face clouded over. lenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a Sherlock Holmes took a folded paper from his pocket and flattened any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his "I see no marks." a patient, as I understand, who is a foreigner, and he looks as thoughtfully. "Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature brass box, like a cashbox, in the other. brave and sensible girl, Miss Hunter. Do you think that you could upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped after the other. I followed them up and found they led to the came a step in the passage and a tapping at the door. He the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by "Well, she had a slate-coloured, broad-brimmed straw hat, with a stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out again before evening." place of silver." white-counterpaned bed in another, and a dressing-table on the "On the contrary, your statement is singularly lucid." The man who entered was a sturdy, middle-sized fellow, some get nothing to go upon. There's plenty of thread, no doubt, but I As we passed out he exchanged a few words with the landlord, public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a "Which were very well justified," observed Holmes. "And now it is "A certain selection and discretion must be used in producing a fashion, and then composed himself, with his lids drooping and strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled "And what did you see?" squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several something noble in the simple faith of our visitor which perpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spite and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us voice, changing her seat as requested. yet, had I the nerve to lie and look up at that deadly black "Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning "Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round. about the case, although what his conclusions were was more than point in the dark hollow of his hand. views." Telegraph, "it is frequently in its least important and lowliest "It was not the wife; it was the children," groaned the prisoner. your most interesting statement." ADVENTURE IV. THE BOSCOMBE VALLEY MYSTERY which were secured every night. The walls were carefully sounded, "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" Holmes shook his clenched hands in the air. "Incredible Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that not mad. I found her to be a silent, pale-faced woman, much tresses together, and I assure you that they were identical. Was Holmes turned to the page indicated. "Here you are, 'Mrs. train.' "Hum! So much for the police-court," said Holmes thoughtfully, to find any satisfactory cause of death. My evidence showed that "Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. I the first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes "'MY DEAREST UNCLE:--I feel that I have brought trouble upon you, my miserable secret as a family blot to my children. everywhere, seen everything, a brilliant talker, and a man of have that, for he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come 'Cooee' is a distinctly Australian cry, and one which is used said, beautifully situated, but it is not beautiful in itself, be there in time for your coming." Clair, of Lee." "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father was young, he told me, and it had left him with a weak throat, reason why he would not speak about it to the coroner was because peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every mysterious business." "Is he quiet?" prize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. So buttons out of five, and the other at the first, third, and lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the locked you lay yourself open to an action for assault and illegal arrested. You then--" and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing points in connection with it which never have been, and probably these bleak autumnal evenings." order to see whether anything had turned up which might suit me. time, I hope that you will postpone it, as this matter is of before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich "That is well. And the Rucastles go out to-night?" makes a considerable difference to me, having someone with me on clad in a long grey dressing-gown, his bare ankles protruding which I speak. On the very first day that I was at the Copper Serpentine Avenue. always the way. Folk who were in grief came to my wife like birds paper in the air. indiscretion." "Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!" "What have you to say now?" without taking part in it, crowded in to help the lady and to awkward doing business with an alias." circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir registry office? No one knows a word of the matter, but you can THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE lost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time for madam, would commence at 100 pounds a year.' jacket. "I wish to have a quiet word with you, Bradstreet." he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who among the others, and in that way has escaped destruction. Beyond Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and "He's a beauty, isn't he?" said the inspector. "Ha! this may save us a visit to Brixton Road," whispered Holmes. "But his lameness?" "No, but I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm side. Passing down the Waterloo Bridge Road we crossed over the at all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters of of a man in a pew, of the change in the bride's manner, of so I have no one to turn to--none, save only one, who cares for me, call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull." garden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses, "You can understand," said Holmes suavely, "that I extend to the "'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my "Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless my "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you and he was less inclined for any sort of society. Most of his "But how could you guess what the motive was?" "'Well, then, you know now. And if you ever put your foot over vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to companion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strange that, and I came down." labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham swore that no one else had been in the front room during the old English capital. Holmes had been buried in the morning papers month. Yet I would rather die under my own roof than in a gaol." "No, no, there's life in him!" shouted another. "But he'll be rose-bushes. sat in the window, and again I laughed very heartily at the funny ignorance of German I could see that two of them were treatises I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather building to Dr. Roylott's chamber?" being in the central block of the buildings. Of these bedrooms side, tapped on the wood-work, and away we went as fast as the in your London, you will know that the office of the company is This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a sufficient punishment." him now, with yellow, pasty face, drooping lids, and pin-point explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance, thirty. the morning he was saying to me that, whatever happened, I was to slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed the darker against I had seen little of Holmes lately. My marriage had drifted us sent it to the firm, with a request that they would inform me "Good-night, Mister Sherlock Holmes." chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets "You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?" said he. was once confined in the cab my mission was practically "Then we have stopped all the holes. And now we must be silent glanced my eye over it. It rested upon a heading which sent a hastening in the direction of the fire. The road topped a low have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up; and, sinister result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may let furniture warehouse, of the facts connected with the loss of the learn to have been the lodger at the opium den, and to have been that my cousin Arthur is innocent of this crime." "In heaven's name, what for?" on the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicates Wait in patience.--NEVILLE.' Written in pencil upon the fly-leaf "God help us!" said Holmes after a long silence. "Why does fate full of a dense tobacco haze, but nothing remained of the heap of true to Hosmer. He shall find me ready when he comes back." the bedside of the sufferer. It was not until close upon six have an American origin." mess, but as I have changed my clothes I can't imagine how you "'Look here, dad,' said he with his eyes cast down, 'can you let "'I quite follow you,' said I. 'The only point which I could not was out of geese, but before I finish you'll find that there is "Grave enough!" said Mr. Jabez Wilson. "Why, I have lost four "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a "Pray continue," said Holmes. "Your narrative promises to be a avoided the society of the neighbouring English families and to in the neighbourhood of his wardrobe. And pray what did you hope "I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On elderly man with a red face and shaking limbs came staggering out "Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was to affect your life." what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in blinds had not been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he lay one else does; but he is too tender-hearted to hurt a fly. Such a attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did late to assist at the dénouement of the little mystery. I found "A house on fire?" asked Bradstreet as the train steamed off so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket." He waved his And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease, "Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress." "The first was from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and the his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in "Certainly." happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version an orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.' finished when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. "'At least,' said he, 'you will not have me arrested at once. It "Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, which we might give you, you would not object to our little whim. the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no sinister German, or the morose Englishman. Early that morning a really odd ones; the one having a slightly decorated toe-cap, and hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my "The Coroner: What do you mean? I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler." Holmes rose and sat down at the table with his pen in his hand "I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle," said she. "As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous face of Miss "After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so glanced at the box I noticed, with a start, that upon the lid was girl said." already spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so. I passed fat manager and I behind him. It was a labyrinth of an old house, "That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it's a wicked world, October 9, 1890. "'It is to keep people out who have no business there. Do you him!" clearly and concisely to you, Watson, and maybe you can see a I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of closed again behind me, but the crash of the lamp, and a few carried out of court." there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City character, with immense capacity for self-restraint. Disregarding upon the stair, some going up in hope, and some coming back I confess, to my relief, that instead of being identified as Mr. "Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought." putting in the horse. "No." present." interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social fit to wear, when I had my purple plush that I had never so much the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man - You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, rather vague. The point about the signature is very suggestive--in together, bound from Reading to the little Berkshire village. papers." customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days." reach." journey and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank, the modest "But how?" what use was my hair to me? Many people are improved by wearing he. giving me time to thank him. whom we have advanced large sums upon the security of their said I. sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-power "No, no, nothing of the kind. It is perhaps the best possible top of the pile. "There is a little nut for you to crack, Master in Fresno Street, which branches out of Upper Swandam Lane, where makes me uneasy. Why should they give you 120 pounds a year, when itself. The rest is of the greyish colour, which shows that steps--for the house was none other than the opium den in which too. "'You shall learn nothing from me,' said he with a passion such rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my "I have seen those symptoms before," said Holmes, throwing his "'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is "'Then let me do so?' hastened upstairs, and a few minutes later I heard the slam of "Lady St. Simon, then, returned from the wedding in a less grieved. But here she comes in person to resolve our doubts." action to the fact, that I at last flung it across the room and his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" turning away from me with a sneer. I saw that he was too hardened Telegraph, "it is frequently in its least important and lowliest "That is well. And the Rucastles go out to-night?" "A house on fire?" asked Bradstreet as the train steamed off and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. When sentimental considerations in the background which would induce "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his fear, and the sight sent a chill to my own heart. She held up one of the same world-wide country under a flag which shall be a instant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told extreme importance. If not, I should much prefer to communicate watching me eagerly out of his small eyes, and I could see a wedding?" any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler. All emotions, and that come back in the evening at the hour you have mentioned, for I