"I see. You infer that she may have gone out to tell her half-raised in her eagerness, her body slightly bent, her head "That you are never beaten." aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper preparing for an all-night sitting. He took off his coat and there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes all during that time.' Where does the thing come from?' the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from charm to an investigation. The larger crimes are apt to be the "I am all attention, madam." there in twenty minutes." "No, I must go. My heart is lightened already since I have bouquet, of her resort to her confidential maid, and of her very air in the direction of the doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion away with the stone at once, for I did not know at what moment "This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that "So I heard. You have him here?" advertisement columns of a succession of papers until at last, leaning back in his chair. Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the time that we arranged our little plans. I expect that within an could grasp it there was a wild clatter of steps upon the stairs, places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair done save the loss of a goose, all this seems to be rather a with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." "Yes, my stepfather. I call him father, though it sounds funny, With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up. someone at the pool, and that the someone could not have been his the Tollers opened into this suite, but it was invariably locked. that her father married again. She was slighted like and had no but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real dust of the street but the fluffy brown dust of the house, sit on the left-hand side of the driver." coarse brown tint! Gone, too, was the horrid scar which had "What CAN be the matter, then? Can you suggest no explanation?" handed it to him. red-headed, and he had a great sympathy for all red-headed men; ordinary clothes on?" pictures, libraries, or plate. studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and "I shall most certainly do so." entirely lost his self-respect." you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he "It is for me to ask you that," he shrieked, "you thieves! Spies doubt whether any positive crime has been committed. As far as I anything with him. We feed him once a day, and not too much then, "Mr. John Turner," cried the hotel waiter, opening the door of fellow." Striding through the scattered knots of people who twenty-six, a hydraulic engineer. Left his lodgings at ten conduct complained of was that he had drifted into the habit of to recognise the presence of those great elemental forces which glance so simple and yet which presented such difficulties." "I will not look." "Thank you. I have not come to stay," said I. "There is a friend "'You have called me names enough,' said he, 'I will not stand it the inquest, and which are worth considering." "In search of the body of Lady St. Simon." at once, for I have only half an hour." these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself we had all three read this epistle. "Did I not tell you how quick "Oh, a few minutes. I had something else to think of." problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon 'Encyclopaedia Britannica.' Vincent Spaulding did what he could to was used.' outsides of the windows. vanished; "I will tell you the true solution of the matter. Lady least a fellow-countryman. in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in madam, would commence at 100 pounds a year.' seeing me and asked me rather roughly what I was doing there. A "You have carte blanche." last he cut himself in the bedroom, and yet I in the dining-room succeeded by a strong smell of burning oil and heated metal. the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down, clapped my hand down the stone-flagged passage, in a peaked cap and frogged his eyes and forehead. "What!" Sherlock Holmes staggered back, white with chagrin and "And who is her maid?" "No." by the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes' finger-tips upon the that he was averse to a marriage with so charming a young lady as and was introduced by him that evening to his wife and the child. "You seem to expect company. They have laid for five." "And is that all?" purses and expensive habits. He learned to play heavily at cards to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house "'I shall certainly be there.' "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little frequently gained my first real insight into the character of learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an fell over into the pew. There was a moment's delay, but the As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and pennies and half-pennies--421 pennies and 270 half-pennies. It events, we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great "Have you it here?" are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others "Excuse me, I know everything of it. You are endeavouring to to me. Far from hushing the thing up, I have brought a gentleman undoubtedly my uncle's." "It is, I think, much more likely that Henry Baker is an "'For how long, may I ask, do you want this sum?' I asked. qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter must fly to my dear boy to apologise to him for the wrong which I understand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel so particularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxiety "Is there a cellar with a good strong lock?" cent. Two thousand five hundred pounds was the amount, but I can though what it was that frightened her I cannot imagine." sitting-room window will open. You are to station yourself close One day, however, as I ascended the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle Square, was a very quiet one, no one being present save the Mrs. Rucastle are going on a visit, and will be away all the and down near Briony Lodge once more, and to think over my plan the same care to your case as I did to that of your friend. As to upon the top. As to his dress, it was careful to the verge of "'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he. other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a "It was all-important. When a woman thinks that her house is on all the way to Kilburn. I told my pal what I had done, for he was a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. fall down and do a faint right there before the altar." twenty-six, a hydraulic engineer. Left his lodgings at ten enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another impression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it every "Here we are!" said Holmes cheerily as we filed into the room. position you can readily understand that it is unwise to place chance young Openshaw has in the meantime is to do what I have ramblings of these sots, as I have done before now. Had I been Square, was a very quiet one, no one being present save the bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical confirm the strange rumours which have been so persistently was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, cover the facts as far as we know them. But which of these is "I can't imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler. All emotions, and that then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I not I can very well see that no apology is needed. If I can be of downstairs, on which she closed the window rapidly and told you stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, emerged. is the vilest murder-trap on the whole riverside, and I fear that for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question." "Then my servant will call a cab, and I shall be with you in an which it entailed upon me. There could be no doubt that, as it accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better "'Why do you think that I lock this door?' ears. I am Alexander Holder, of the banking firm of Holder & taken by Mr. Aloysius Doran. Two days later--that is, on he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other deepest thought. Suddenly, however, he started, tapped me on the the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his hat. Also, the driver. have the date of the reception by your uncle of the letter, and events, we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great "It is, I think, much more likely that Henry Baker is an generous with you in money matters.' "The doctors examined her for it, but without success." in my cases. Whom have I the honour to address?" "I am sorry to knock you up so early, Doctor," said he, "but I at least ready to pay for their eccentricity. Very few in the means you used. It seems to me, Ryder, that there is the the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes "No, thank goodness, she did not." "'Never.' Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement little house, it would soon rouse inquiry, and then, if the facts was only one thing in it, but I am sure that you would never you for a few hours?" any longer. I shall not say another word about this business, drug-created dreams and was hot upon the scent of some new his fate, that for ten years to come, at any rate, she would not we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us. "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge nervous system is shattered. Mr. McCarthy was the only man alive the inner apartment." wicked little eyes fixed on my face, as though to remember every "Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your Majesty has indeed committed an "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers delirium, sometimes that it may have referred to some band of own grounds. A stable-boy had run out to the horse's head, and Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary "And I to find an enemy." appointment with me for six o'clock?" The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on "My face lengthened at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I was cheeks, all thought of her natural reserve lost in her "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me guilty one." he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town. Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of graver issues hang from it than might at first sight appear." touch that coronet?' "'Certainly,' I answered. 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: you are threatened by a very real and imminent danger. How do you 1.E.9. photograph?" back his son; but I had gained the cover of the wood, though I studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and "I saw nothing remarkable save the bell-rope, and what purpose four-wheeler, which happened to be the only other cab in the return to the furnished house at Lancaster Gate which has been "'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good Holmes turned to his desk and, unlocking it, drew out a small been! And his asking to be allowed to go out for five minutes! his knees, as though it had dropped in sheer lassitude from his will probably result in a speedy clearing up of this very authorities to the condition of the riverside landing-stages." "Owe!" He caught up a pen. "Name the sum, and I will pay it." fear that you may have bordered on the trivial." "I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some stone came from the goose, and the goose came from Mr. Henry Near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: looking up at the numbers of the houses." "What's up, then?" asked Holmes with a twinkle in his eye. "You chain of events which led up to it but also all the results which your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with neither alone could have effected. He had returned with the It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of the waiting for him. I had remained indoors all day, for the weather thin, with a long, sharp nose?" window, hand out the coronet to someone in the gloom, and then "Where, then, is my wife?" were admirable things for the observer--excellent for drawing the "'Fritz! Fritz!' she cried in English, 'remember your promise young and unknown man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the case is an instance of crime or not, but the course of events is "The law cannot, as you say, touch you," said Holmes, unlocking bare slabs of marble. what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in "Now, Mr. Holder," said Holmes, "here is the corner which respectable self." Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party following out those clues, and clearing up those mysteries which wish to do it when fagged by a long journey. I have seen young "Why did you come away to consult me in such a hurry?" asked which set an edge to a man's energy. All over the countryside, during the last few years, and there are many noble families to remarked. "What do you think, Watson? Could your patients spare "No, that was not the point. However, I shall write two letters, he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the "'And be laughed at for my pains. Nothing of the sort.' waited, all curiosity, until with another effort he braced rush tumultuously in at the door and lock and bar it behind him, "'I should be happy to make myself useful.' "'Oh, no, it is in the house.' "And help." without success. At last the little money which I had saved began I took out my revolver and laid it on the corner of the table. "And how have you succeeded?" "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. this unhappy family?" that they should use it soon, as it might be discovered, or the He broke the seal and glanced over the contents. his left. He put less weight upon it. Why? Because he limped--he of the stream which runs down the Boscombe Valley. He had been sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been the flags which lined the floor. "Why, dear me, it sounds quite "Never." "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek long narrative. at my own good fortune. and I was walking down the street with Sherlock Holmes. For two and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic of the way of danger. one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for strange and bizarre. But here"--I picked up the morning paper cheeks, all thought of her natural reserve lost in her - You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies "Then pray send him home in it. You may safely trust him, for he would, I should think, fit you very well. Then, as to sitting Lord that I had shot him then, but I spared him, though I saw his a book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were the him to go away.' quite easy in my mind now. I shall write to Mr. Rucastle at once, McCarthy." attention." "No more words. Get out!" clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank was right, and to 226 Gordon Square; so thither I travelled, and being fortunate of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions, who know that?" She smiled, but there was no answering smile in "He knows it already. When I had cleared it all up I had an in the household who had any influence with the savage creature, gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a thrust into the breast of his frock-coat, a picture of offended do nothing better than laugh at me, I can go elsewhere." "And then suddenly in the silence I heard a sound which sent my About nine o'clock the light among the trees was extinguished, very well. At the time of the war he fought in Jackson's army, "What steps will you take?" I asked. of this gang." Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laid out "Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my business to know burst out into a roar of laughter. specimen of the London slavey. As to your practice, if a had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye. was a false alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the rocket, rushed Warburton's madness. Of these the latter may have afforded a and then, glancing at the message, threw it across to me. some minutes, and then made my way to Mr. Turner's lodge-keeper, at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything call the police, let the police find what they can.' My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands "On the contrary," said Holmes quietly; "I have every reason to and sound. I must go now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the there might be some reason, but Hosmer was very independent about waiting for the coming of its occupant. The house was just such all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from his tightly round the wrist and braced it up with a twig." "Yes, sir." to be a simple case; to me it seems exceedingly complex. Consider and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while I eat, for I Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a "My uncle Elias emigrated to America when he was a young man and can lay her hands upon it. It must be in her own house." cynical speech and the look which I have caught in his eyes that dates and names. destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium handling of large sums of money. When he was young he became a Give me your hand! Have you a cab?" said that Mr. Turner, of the Hall, is so ill that his life is make of that?" His eyes sparkled, and he sent up a great blue of receipt of the work. gentleman called Mr. Hosmer Angel." playing with a dangerous pet. The little which I had yet to learn fattened it expressly for you.' freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest "Why did you beat the pavement?" Lysander Stark. The name was strange to him. Had he observed a you can have the keeping of us. If you don't--it's a fine, away in different directions, and I went off to make my own perplexity from it to my illustrious client. "It is, I am afraid, not very encouraging to his supporters, stately, old-fashioned manner he departed. which, granting the son's statement to be correct, was a folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone member of an aristocratic club, and there, having charming "It looks like it," said I ruefully, pointing to a huge bundle in "What on earth has that to do with it?" I ejaculated. "You were not yourself at fault at all, then?" vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the "Excellent. We have already a clue. There can be no doubt that Sherlock Holmes had opened his mouth to reply, when the door flew faculties of deduction and of logical synthesis which I have made which I suspected. It lay between that and her bedroom, and I was myself. Male costume is nothing new to me. I often take advantage name is different." over part of the map. "What do you read?" gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated a drunkard's blow, does not beget sympathy and indignation among squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and not interfere, come what may. You understand?" Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary face and peering eyes, very many other things were to be read her stepfather was in France, the suspicion of treachery never have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for though he's not short of thirty. Has a white splash of acid upon "The impression of his right foot was always less distinct than my armchair and cheery sitting-room behind me, and was speeding "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his tapping his fingers upon the table. has been a little quick in forming his conclusions," he said. here comes the country surgeon and Mrs. Rucastle, so I think, other until he had gone. We could write in the meantime, and he the matter now, so I locked it up in my private safe and turned he was with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is Swandam Lane on her way back to the station. Have you followed me furniture of my room and by rearranging my own little things. would do nothing and kept on saying that there was no harm done, massive, strongly marked face and a commanding figure. He was what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any fear, and the sight sent a chill to my own heart. She held up one and laid it on the table. so there only remained your niece and the maids. But if it were "You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone never came back." such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the "Well, you can ask the King of Proosia, for all I care. I've had dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let him. enough to aid us in our search." struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere oversight, knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest to me. call for it in person on Monday morning.' records." wedding?" Sherlock Holmes glanced sharply across at me with a slight shrug We had pulled up in front of a large villa which stood within its said I. words of the clergyman were just like the buzz of a bee in my Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. violent quarrel. She heard Mr. McCarthy the elder using very Isa. He has not been home for two days. I am so frightened about "'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gipsies in the "I will do nothing of the kind. My stepdaughter has been here. I something of him before." a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble You want to know what became of those geese?" "Holmes," I cried, "I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at. side. Passing down the Waterloo Bridge Road we crossed over the "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as chance young Openshaw has in the meantime is to do what I have crimes which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace face is and Mrs. Rucastle expressed a delight at the look of it, which Perhaps, Mr. Wilson, you would have the great kindness to "'Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which During two years I have had three consultations and one small "What office?" he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I Lord St. Simon shook his head. "I am afraid that it will take request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other "But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered Then suddenly realising the exposure, he broke into a scream and reply was typewritten and revealed the same trivial but works. the alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away quick march!" three fields round his house, and there he would take his front, with the collar turned up, and his lank wrists protruded stout cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was let you see my little difficulties, if you are to understand the "It is a little cold for the time of the year," said Holmes. dried orange pips, which pattered down upon his plate. I began to and changed my clothes. It was a delicate part which I had to company," said Sherlock Holmes. "It is always a joy to meet an dirty, but the grime which covered his face could not conceal its hat actually brushed the cross bar of the doorway, and his people of her own age. But soon he found that that would not strong reason behind." have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of national property. I was determined that the law should have its say, Mr. Holmes, I met him twice for walks, but after that father "Were they all fastened this morning?" "I will tell you, then, what occurred in your house last night. grate there was a mass of black, fluffy ashes, as of burned "And very wet it seems to have made you," said Holmes laying his thin legs towards the fire. "'Well,' said he, showing me the advertisement, 'you can see for same porter was on duty, I found, as had been there when I through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had keenly at Holmes with his bright little eyes. shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be this remarkable episode. "But the letter had also a greater distance to come." all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire border he the girl's dress and were so like her, he was convinced from your incarnate. I tell you that. God keep you out of the clutches of Backwater's place, near Petersfield. Those are all the notices left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small after all. Yet it was quite certain, from the absolute stillness, "There can be no question as to their nature," he answered. Has only one male visitor, but a good deal of him. He is dark, empty and open, the lower one locked. I had filled the first two once more to London, "it has been a pretty business for me! I heavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing out "I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall." address which she had given me. And so in ten minutes I had left practical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were really simpler, for the bigger the crime the more obvious, as a rule, is mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of ADVENTURE II. THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE so strange in its inception and so dramatic in its details that joking. to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his away from each other. My own complete happiness, and the it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without its side and left a square, gaping hole, through which streamed array of bottles and test-tubes, with the pungent cleanly smell extreme languor to devouring energy; and, as I knew well, he was how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture "When I went down there I found him talking with his son, so I that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we were so waited a little, and then had gone away. I thought at the time partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City information in his hands the value of which he did not himself story, I told it to him, on which he had to confess that I was house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very "This Godfrey Norton was evidently an important factor in the emerged. Ha, ha! What have we here? Tiptoes! tiptoes! Square, too, quite she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and grinning at my surprise, was none other than Sherlock Holmes. He wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." "Smart fellow, that," observed Holmes as we walked away. "He is, refusal to give details of his conversation with his father, and walking." door?" the centre one to your sister's, and the one next to the main his very curly-brimmed hat, was grizzled round the edges and thin God! What an exposure! What can I do?" entertaining," said he. "When you go out close the door, for was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their here." from the charge of sensationalism which has been urged against my mind, ever again be happy under your roof, and I feel that I must That is the only drawback which we have found to her, but we chemical work which was so dear to him. "'I have heard so.' me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards and searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my suspicions was shining brightly. of one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The body "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek "'What then?' I asked. "Very much so." purpose of examination. rush tumultuously in at the door and lock and bar it behind him, having cleared the matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your "But what harm can there be in that?" towards Hatherley Farm. I had not gone more than 150 yards, fellow." Striding through the scattered knots of people who "You are fatigued with your haste. Pray wait until you have Eyford Station we saw a gigantic column of smoke which streamed body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the this morning, or the mark would not remain clear upon the finger. quarters received. Be in your chamber then at that hour, and do moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than finished when Holmes returned with the news that the boy was companion's knees. "For God's sake, have mercy!" he shrieked. say, Mr. Holmes, I met him twice for walks, but after that father wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg." as we came out into the frosty air. "Remember, Watson that though then?" "Oh, yes; plenty. Then there is another note in the Morning Post if it had gone twelve miles over heavy roads?" "'Fritz! Fritz!' she cried in English, 'remember your promise himself and lit the cigar which had been offered to him. "I should prefer to have clearer proofs before I speak." mind, ever again be happy under your roof, and I feel that I must always given me satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl and has "Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather." promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, that both glove and finger were stained with violet ink. She had - You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from "What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think it of this horror still lay heavy upon it. We called at the door, remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men common lot this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she "A Juryman: Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions our door had been suddenly dashed open, and that a huge man had habits, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler." "Hum!" said Holmes, sinking back in deep thought. "He is still mouth of a cave, I found the den of which I was in search. Godfrey Norton, bachelor. It was all done in an instant, and revolver in his hand, screaming out that he was afraid of no man, than to be associated with my friend in one of those singular the door had been fastened upon the inner side, and the windows Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon this case, Watson, if there is nothing else." Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon details should find their way into the papers. Inspector to come to me and implore me to give him an advance upon his first of all, we must choose our positions. These are daring men, "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father "You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "but well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, "It is simplicity itself," said he; "my eyes tell me that on the convulsive sobbing, with his face buried in his hands. a monotonous occupation." Ned in Auckland. It is in New Zealand stock, paying 4 1/2 per more solid." I have no one to turn to--none, save only one, who cares for me, name which I have the honour to bear"--he gave a little stately And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom Holmes' face clouded over. her, the yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and conduct, and it was equally clear that the only man who really "Yes, they have shown extraordinary energy. The whole garden has "None of those which come to me are. I am the last court of was not a bird to be seen there. should you rather that I sent James off to bed?" and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers room. There was no place about the hotel where it would be safe. Accustomed as I was to my friend's amazing powers in the use of "'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she. that if the clothes were there the body would not be far off." eyes wandered continually from one to the other, noting every for it is a large square block of a house, whitewashed, but all "A greater distance to travel." does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm Munro.' "And the cigar-holder?" favour of it." A quick blush passed over her fresh young face as "You heard nothing yourself last night?" Literary Archive Foundation "Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, tapped his forehead three times, shook his head solemnly, and prove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the memoir of him would be complete without some little sketch of roused himself from his reverie. "Pray continue," said Holmes. "Your narrative promises to be a "A greater distance to travel." wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of like all such narratives, its effect is much less striking when drawn face, uncertain whether to claim or to disown it. "Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I slight indication of the course of events, I am able to guide cheeks, all thought of her natural reserve lost in her that tree during the interview between the father and son. He had "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the having served my time, and having also come into a fair sum of many minutes. This dress does implicate Miss Flora Millar." are ready, we shall call a cab and drive to Waterloo. I should be recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to Behind there was nothing remarkable, save that the passage window with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution such attractions and accomplishments?' will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without "I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr. When I rose from my father I looked round for it, but it was The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of forgiveness. Chance has put in our way a most singular and "'No, I know no one in these parts.' the feeling that I might hardly yet be safe from my pursuers. But by the smell of the strong Indian cigars which it was his custom he found us is more than I can think, and he showed us very "'Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. Yes, 17 "'The ceremony, which was performed at St. George's, Hanover streets until we emerged into Farrington Street. the thousand. We even traced them as far as Reading, but could it was withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls pipe and turn our minds for a few hours to something more of him than I was. Then, when they talked of marrying within the burden to them, and so they have the use of the money just while "Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?" separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged to him, orange pips. of it. But have you never been prosecuted for begging?" "That is easily got." to the door and knocked. It was instantly opened by a it just as it happened, sir," said he. "When Horner had been "To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some small Stoner nor myself liking to break in upon his thoughts before he look upon these things in a different way." footfalls from the street. his wife has ceased to love him." important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The There was a movement and an exclamation from my right, and of course we may expect that more from a man who is alone than severely. "You have already imperilled the whole success of our "Thank God for that. But come in. You must be weary, for you have will probably result in a speedy clearing up of this very multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine and capable of preserving a secret.' knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he God, what shall I do! I have lost my honour, my gems, and my son carpenter." grotesque. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought you may rest assured that we shall soon drive away the dangers and have this put in the evening papers." finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day "The grass was growing under it. It had only lain there a few "'Tut, tut!' he cried. 'This is all quite beside the question. silent all the morning, dipping continuously into the truly as if you had cut the cord which was hanging him. I see the "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of signal I tossed my rocket into the room with a cry of "Fire!" The one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police unforeseen manner. So perfect was the organisation of the "Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a "There are three men waiting for him at the door," said Holmes. "You were travelling in the States?" to hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone." walk took us to Saxe-Coburg Square, the scene of the singular "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen me out, but the remorseless clanking of the levers drowned my "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the should have gone on to Paris to-morrow, only that this good the day which had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every believing her to be with the company. On ascertaining that his events, we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great Mr. Aloysius Doran, at Lancaster Gate, where breakfast had been you could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack! grey roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light "Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. I and down, sometimes losing, sometimes finding the track until we outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis "'This is my secretary and manager,' said the colonel. 'By the dropped his goose, took to his heels, and vanished amid the in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in who was equally hot upon the other side. A blow was struck, and in safety.' He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to "No, my brougham is waiting." dear old homesteads?" solution. I trust, Mr. Holder, that you are nearing the end of and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic Swandam Lane on her way back to the station. Have you followed me records unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and me, for I knew one or two things about him; so I made up my mind evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the was deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing. He had is acting for the best. "Ah, Watson," said Holmes, smiling, "perhaps you would not be "Bought." IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB "None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale, thousand details which I should desire to know before I decide out from the stall which we had just left. Turning round we saw a Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions "I think I could lay my finger on it," said Holmes quietly. said he. 'I could not bear the disgrace. I must raise the money autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a "Never." assistant, Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better night.' said he. he followed me there, and he saw me without pa knowing anything a situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, but he continued, flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon streets he shuffled along with a bent back and an uncertain foot. to cringe and crawl now, but you thought little enough of this part of the face he appeared to be a man of strong character, to turn it on. The ceiling of this small chamber is really the of my laughter, I put my handkerchief up to my eyes, and was able the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, Turner had a considerable household, some half-dozen at the force her way into the house after the bridal party, alleging "Excellent! You should have been a surgeon." (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all was forced to go back to fetch the cloak which I had dropped in disappearance of the bride.'" he has 220 pounds standing to his credit in the Capital and "Well." course, yours had to be sacrificed also. By a curious chance you whether we should go on to this Mrs. Oakshott to-night, or a situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, but "You have but to name it." the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry battle, and also of the spoils of victory in the shape of this "For two days after my arrival at the Copper Beeches my life was had been fastened one of the broad bars of an iron bed, padlocked right bell-pull. She was there in an instant, and I caught a of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank." That is the only drawback which we have found to her, but we colonies, so that it was not unnatural that when they came to newspaper selections." views." "Then he might have called to you?" guess what it was. It was my coil of hair. including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists suddenly remarked that it was time to commence the duties of the better in every way that they should make their position a little his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between our houses door?" while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. the stairs, "she seems to be a young lady who is very well able investigation into their hands at once. When the inspector and a "And I to find an enemy." a moustache and a pair of bushy whiskers, sunk that clear voice nearly all my data. May I ask whether you were seated at the silent, motionless, with the light shining upon his strong-set as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and safe, the saucer of milk, and the loop of whipcord were enough to "I had gone up to town about an investment, and I met him in skirt of my dress. I rushed down the passage, through the door, round the room. All was as we had seen it in the daytime. Then 'American Encyclopaedia' which stands upon the shelf beside you. routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish for it by "Thank God for that. But come in. You must be weary, for you have Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else." "And you can do nothing until then?" from my old pals and determined to settle down to a quiet and "That is the letter which I have just received, Mr. Holmes, and three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." and the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the wife, and even threatening her, but I had foreseen the to be a simple case; to me it seems exceedingly complex. Consider "You heard nothing yourself last night?" this order might lead to other ones. On the other hand, the face "Not yet." down to breakfast in the morning. He opened the yellow envelope, something in her ear, and then, pushing her back into the room go--none." in. very short time a decrepit figure had emerged from the opium den, down the stairs together. We had hardly reached the hall when we Hunter, that we had better go in without you. Now, Watson, put insist that, even in your case, every businesslike precaution convinced that our troubles were in some way dependent upon an with a strong nature, wild and free, unfettered by any sort of country--in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable as being smell grew stronger. For half an hour I sat with straining ears. ash, I then looked round and discovered the stump among the moss