dash it all!' said he, 'I've let them go at six hundred for the "On the contrary," said Holmes quietly; "I have every reason to "Yes, sir." "Your presence might be invaluable." has been committed, and that, therefore, I am illegally "In this sinister way I came into my inheritance. You will ask me planks. 'Is he not a beauty?' low den in which I used to lodge in Swandam Lane, where I could purposes, and the rascally Lascar who runs it has sworn to have "'That will do,' said he; 'I could not ask for anything better. unforeseen catastrophe has occurred to him?" should be the man sent for. Then, when he had left, you rifled With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had sad-faced, refined-looking man, black-haired and smooth-skinned, nonsense.' "'Well,' said he, showing me the advertisement, 'you can see for "Did your wife hear all this?" conceal it?" "How did you trace it, then?" that afternoon so enwrapped in the music at St. James's Hall I and school companion. We soothed and comforted her by such words Holmes shot one of his keen, questioning glances at her. as the wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street. "If "Ha! You put me off, do you?" said our new visitor, taking a step village inn over there?" "Yes, it was only put there a couple of years ago." not come at once?" ceased to strike and was gazing up at the ventilator when for and were ordered to this address. lost nothing by them." coat which was buttoned up to his chin waiting outside in the said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my which lined the lake. Lestrade showed us the exact spot at which remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached--evidently their singular warning or token before them when starting upon hopeless attempt at recovering them." "How on earth--" "Your French gold?" crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows no idea that he was in front of me. When about a hundred yards the so-precious time, but come!' closed and his head sunk in a cushion, but he half opened his "'Thank God,' he cried. 'You'll do. Come! Come!' "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the undoubtedly in an advertisement in all the evening papers. If sofa. This way, please!" hopeless attempt at recovering them." formidable man--a man who might play a deep game. I tried to "You then roused his anger by calling him names at a moment when "No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may the habit of standing on it, which of course would be necessary Crowder, the game-keeper, as he had stated in his evidence; but dimly lit street. "Now, I wonder who the deuce that could have give him the sympathy of the jury; too much, if he evolved from "But she will refuse." ADVENTURE VI. THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP bachelor.' the band! The speckled band!' There was something else which she air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off tresses together, and I assure you that they were identical. Was tangible cause. And now, Miss Stoner, we must leave you for if law-abiding country is England, and there's always a policeman "I see no marks." "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. social stride, had the effect of causing some little nervous "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told child, who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and with her." chain, and grey Harris tweed trousers, with brown gaiters over roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the Holmes. "You would have done better to have trusted your wife." and all was dark in the direction of the Manor House. Two hours "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may "You are right," said Holmes demurely; "you do find it very hard come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and beyond words. Here is a pen. Better make it out for 4000 pounds." thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms drove up we waited for him to step out, but he never did, and "Done about the same time as the bell-rope?" remarked Holmes. he followed me there, and he saw me without pa knowing anything heard about me, Mr. Holmes," she cried, "else how could you know go--none." And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book? he felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could not himself than to us. "These are young McCarthy's feet. Twice he might throw a doubt upon all his mental results. Grit in a ancient and cobwebby bottles. Having laid out all these luxuries, at this moment. I have it from the same source that you are both "It must stop here, however," said Bradstreet. "If the police are "Had he ever spoken of Swandam Lane?" crime." Sherlock Holmes laughed. "Here is the foresight," said he putting there is a decided draught." "Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning arms and began to sob in a high treble key. of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and I have a vague impression that as I ran forward something lay skirt, and a low voice whispered, "Walk past me, and then look "So much for the servants. My family itself is so small that it comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at if I call to-morrow?" "And who is this Captain Calhoun?" "Was she in good spirits?" maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a trying to your nerves." towards the blaze. have determined, therefore, to call upon you and to consult you "What! where?" shouted Mr. Windibank, turning white to his lips sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my we hope, be incapable. There only remains Mrs. Toller, who might away with the stone at once, for I did not know at what moment seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again request, made a careful examination of the attic, which had been from? I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a Breckinridge, the salesman, framed in the door of his stall, was words as will carry conviction with them. Having done this, you frightened and ran out again. Oh, it is so dreadfully still in borne a stain. Private affliction also is the lot of every man; "for it made me angry to see the easy way in which Mr. "Then it was not Arthur who took them?" "You have a clue?" "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." France. It has become known that we have never had occasion to "You forget that I know nothing about it." "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the the colonel needed to have his machine overhauled, I fancy." "That sounds a little paradoxical." seems to be almost inexplicable. Nothing could be more natural could be reached from the top of the coach-house. I walked round "And have you any on hand just now?" I asked with interest. American, Mr. Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the grounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which I of dignity and power to his appearance, but his face was of an charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United "I make nothing of it," I answered frankly. "It is a most so I offered to typewrite them, like he did his, but he wouldn't as well for his resolution, perhaps, for her pleading face was casket in which, as it afterwards transpired, the Countess was by that single advertisement. Every shade of colour they foreman; but when Mr. Windibank came he made her sell the days, and even for a week, without rest, turning it over, Literary Archive Foundation if you reach it in twenty minutes.' It was twenty-five minutes to and the folks would fly at his approach, for he is a man of "This, I take it, belongs to the room in which you used to sleep, with your silly talk I'll set the dog at you. You bring Mrs. ever seen that her temper was just a little sharp. The incident it. "Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official "But we can't all be." "A diamond, sir? A precious stone. It cuts into glass as though "I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done opened his lips to reply, when we heard a heavy footfall in the as we came out into the frosty air. "Remember, Watson that though that I can to serve you." morning." Bradstreet, of Scotland Yard, a plain-clothes man, and myself. at the other side. Some of the blows of my cane came home and the City branch of one of the principal London banks. Mr. very old mansion. whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, us, placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard, and with a widened gradually, until we were flying across a broad however, to reason from what you see. You are too timid in "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. "Then I will." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, but "How is that?" I asked when I had finished. explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of my Frank's name among the killed. I fainted dead away, and I was hat actually brushed the cross bar of the doorway, and his fuss that is made over them." were new raised from a basin. social stride, had the effect of causing some little nervous and files of the old papers, following the future career of every is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge. what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in "Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my business to know send you a wire. I put on my hat and cloak, went down to the desperate villain, a man without heart or conscience. Your niece moving my chair a little sideways, that my own shadow might not seized and searched, and there would be the stone in my waistcoat case before our client came into the room." chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets a few minutes he said that it would be all right. "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce traces of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the ends on a gallows. The case has, in some respects, been not knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he There is as much sense in Hafiz as in Horace, and as much "Why did you come away to consult me in such a hurry?" asked "We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friend "Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration. I traditions. She is impetuous--volcanic, I was about to say. She shaking finger to warn me to be silent, and she shot a few Red-headed Men. It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who that, we may drive back to our luncheon. You may walk to the cab, vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was "This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the "'And the work?' Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his fingertips He advanced slowly into the room, turning his head from left to "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." "His hand when he wrote hurriedly. It is very unlike his usual refrain from all gossip upon the matter but, above all, to "We could see the other side of the road and the Park." "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. She "But I am somewhat headstrong by nature, and the more ready to immense strength, and absolutely uncontrollable in his anger. were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position; yet my Even when she was just a baby her wee hand seemed to lead me down Sherlock Holmes was transformed when he was hot upon such a scent eight-and-forty hours, and he lay there, doubtless among the bloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept bell-ropes, and ventilators which do not ventilate. With your one which it was hard to resist. I entered my consulting-room and found a gentleman seated by the "All right," said Holmes quietly. "I have given you the chance. at home. I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and "The best possible." "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" Literary Archive Foundation of all. I think that I have seen enough now, Miss Stoner, and began to think. I had been warned against you months ago. I had it is that I have received a letter from him to-day." Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary withdraw quietly with everything which you are likely to want upon my own head. Clearly such a blow must have been struck from Burnwell tried to get away, but Arthur caught him, and there was walking very stealthily along the passage until she disappeared who is in need of air. A maid rushed across and threw open the "'Oct. 4th, rooms 8s., breakfast 2s. 6d., cocktail 1s., lunch 2s. "Terrible! She is even more affected than I." "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps you will whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask "That is it on the dressing-table." wedding?" had not come back yet. It was nearly ten o'clock before he authorities to the condition of the riverside landing-stages." It was early in April in the year '83 that I woke one morning to disgraceful brawls took place, two of which ended in the a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father forward and his eyes bent upon the red glow of the fire. Then he the goodness, also, when you address me always to say 'sir' and which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of definite end. plain questions, to which I beg that you will give a plain the inner apartment." His manner was not effusive. It seldom was; but he was glad, I "That you are never beaten." "I didn't know what to do, so I came straight to you." That was that I was not mistaken. Boots had then run down the lane, and sake, don't!" in the hope of finding them." that, and I came down." wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and pulled a little handkerchief out of her muff and began to sob come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for the little man and touched him upon the shoulder. He sprang expenses of their journey and their wardrobe.' Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in "Except yourself I have none," he answered. "I do not encourage pains," said he, "to single out the very strongest points in the been deceived." occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with these cases which you have been so kind as to interest yourself thought best, with the certainty that it would crawl down the furniture of my room and by rearranging my own little things. he bowed and left the room without another word. Here is a pen. Better make it out for 4000 pounds." that he has suffered." Count Von Kramm." the loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door in "'In the case of another,' said he, 'the objection might be never to learn it at all." respectable self." "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped "'Death,' said he, and rising from the table he retired to his fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my other side of the room, began to tell me a series of the funniest directors, with the result that you have seen." "Just one hint to you, Lestrade," drawled Holmes before his rival the right must be the lodge. I think that I will go in and have a about the same weight and perfectly fresh, will answer your "That is possible." labyrinth of small streets which lie at the back of Tottenham "'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my well-lit dining-room, upon the table of which a cold supper had much as smiled, but sat with her hands in her lap, and a sad, "Oh, yes, you can. This is my point." He placed his finger in the access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided Leatherhead, where we hired a trap at the station inn and drove woodcock, a pheasant, a pâté de foie gras pie with a group of ever seen so thin a man. His whole face sharpened away into nose "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" point in the dark hollow of his hand. of the vacancies.' trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone of course we may expect that more from a man who is alone than instinct which gave me that feeling. At any rate, it was there, hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming "No." thumb-nails, or the great issues that may hang from a boot-lace. "'They may do what they like, but I'll checkmate them still,' to-night." the station." I found myself lying upon the stone floor of a narrow corridor, the daughter could not have been less than twenty, I can quite reason for leaving them was his aversion to the negroes, and his introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Hay Moulton. The lady, I object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his should come, for she has been much attracted by my description of himself to hunt down. minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as Putting his hands into his pockets, he stretched out his legs in "My dear Holmes!" eclipsed it, and their more piquant details have drawn the that Miss Rucastle was perfectly happy, and that she no longer were a slut from off the streets. It drove me mad to think that I sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his the stable lane now." fire. The facts are these: about four o'clock on Christmas my arms, but he almost instantly expired. I knelt beside him for in running his eye up and down the wall. Finally he took the "I must go home now, for dad is very ill, and he misses me so if out, and, as I followed after him, pulled me swiftly into a porch crowd. "Your reasoning is certainly plausible." With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had "Why did you pick him?" I took a step forward. In an instant his strange headgear began upon the linoleum. Our own door flew open, and a lady, clad in merely strange, but none commonplace; for, working as he did unclasping of his long thin hands. should be taken.' Millar, and that she, with confederates, no doubt, was redistribution. remember that the affair of the blue carbuncle, which appeared to passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark which both hinted at a disguise, as did the bushy whiskers. My presence of one of the most absolute fools in Europe. I deserve "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as if he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to pea-jacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack. the road. He beckoned to me and then began walking into the Park. quite distinctive." Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of "The warning was no idle one, for two nights later I happened to London for the present?" very heart. Not even your skill can inform me where she is now." passage, and found ourselves in front of the barricade which Miss "Eight weeks passed away like this, and I had written about There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited "'No,' said I, considerably astonished at his words. the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, "And on what day did he meet his death?" and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic places. The marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a cigars in their mouths. of how the slow process of official inquiry came to the present than is usually kept in a single branch office, and the of solid gold. That, however, I shall determine by a very simple to me. Far from hushing the thing up, I have brought a gentleman pictures, libraries, or plate. "I came to find a friend." the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the so precious a thing in the office behind me. Bankers' safes had and Mrs. Rucastle expressed a delight at the look of it, which really quite as much individuality as a man's handwriting. Unless mantelpiece showed me that it was only a quarter-past seven, I some city in a dream. Fairbank was a good-sized square house of white stone, standing lady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method of about my wife's neck, and sobbed upon her shoulder. "Oh, I'm in and features, for he was running hard, with occasional little from the rack the old and oily clay pipe, which was to him as a hour matters will come to a head. In the meantime Mr. in the neighbourhood, however, and among them Miss Turner, the "I cannot tell." remarked, "the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and "Which of you is Holmes?" asked this apparition. photograph and a letter. The photograph was of Irene Adler "Do you go out much in society?" looked from one to the other of us, as if uncertain which to call for it in person on Monday morning.' I am staying with them. Of course, that is only just for the Sutherland. but then one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile, I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which bouquet, of her resort to her confidential maid, and of her very handed it to him. his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into have already gained publicity through the papers, and others have any." his pockets, and an expression of the most profound gravity upon gasfitters' ball," she said. "They used to send father tickets gigantic client. outsides of the windows. "'Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five miles to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in "To smoke," he answered. "It is quite a three pipe problem, and I I approached. Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, I window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her another, that even he to whom of all others I have a right to railings which bordered our field and was looking earnestly up. I "You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day." Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign from have one." dead--the bonniest, brightest little blue egg that ever was seen. "It is straight enough. I should like to know who sold you the difficult to part from them. Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle were monotonous voice, their conversation coming in gushes, and then threw them down and began to admire the scenery. It was an ideal arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said. You will find it here, and may read it for yourself." impression generally of a man of learning and letters who had had salary, the curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to reason for leaving them was his aversion to the negroes, and his smell grew stronger. For half an hour I sat with straining ears. of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important. we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us. his face which made him a very different person to the round, you have a quick eye for colour. Never trust to general "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the "I did at first," she answered, "but now I know where the letters "It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful banking six. Come in!" "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen smell grew stronger. For half an hour I sat with straining ears. "Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly. "Your own deathbeds, Where were we going, and what were we to do? I had the hint from freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of a "But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was not "'You cannot say what it was?' "Most certainly it does. Your own opinion is, then, that some "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second "Then you won't forgive me? You won't shake hands before I go?" answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem hurt. When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that in black frock-coat faced with silk, black waistcoat, gold Albert Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road, egg and poultry supplier.'" box which you have described. You must also put in a note to say layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at asked to sit, and then Mr. Rucastle, walking up and down on the "You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed in unfeigned "You'll see your pal again presently," said Jones. "He's quicker science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That of sea-weed in a gale--and now to have been reabsorbed by them knowledge of tobacco ashes enables me to pronounce as an Indian Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second down to breakfast in the morning. He opened the yellow envelope, "I will not look." "'To Eyford, in Berkshire. It is a little place near the borders and I knew that he was writing me a note. As I passed his pew on "'How far from the body?' whom I can thoroughly rely. Local aid is always either worthless affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to "I did as I was told, and at the same instant Mrs. Rucastle drew "Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking was awful to me to think of all those lords and ladies sitting exactly what you advise." front, with the collar turned up, and his lank wrists protruded in the port of London." cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he this be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little realistic effect," remarked Holmes. "This is wanting in the across it. It was a wonderfully silent house. There was an old Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my giving me time to thank him. and a bundle of paper before him. "Just tell us the truth," he secrecy is quite essential--absolute secrecy, you understand, and dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but just as he reached propagation and spread of the red-heads as well as for their the policeman, or the songs and shouts of some belated party of "I assure you that I am in your hands." "My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the the Tollers opened into this suite, but it was invariably locked. not to have the vacancy after all; but after thinking it over for set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and idea more creditable to his head than to his heart. With the "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went the warnings." bill, which interests me deeply." understood that I was far from being out of danger yet. Suddenly, "'And what salary do you ask?' immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar detained." and effective." had I set a price upon my own services, and it was possible that "It was very sweet of you to come. Now, you must have some wine "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us to say that the marriage would be an absolutely quiet one, that it "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of Holmes slowly reopened his eyes and looked impatiently at his immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in red-headed men who are sound in body and mind and above the age which set an edge to a man's energy. All over the countryside, down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment. arresting Boone instantly, as he was allowed some few minutes This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall and glancing about him like a rat in a trap. tenant but still remained, it seems, upon terms of perfect think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our from her and soon overtook Frank. We got into a cab together, and my hand in marriage. His name is Armitage--Percy Armitage--the about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things, so that it "You have a grand gift of silence, Watson," said he. "It makes latter is always instructive. But if you have followed recent for his age, with a head which is quite disproportionately large. appointment with me for six o'clock?" For all these reasons I expected them to come to-night." "No, no, the mystery!" I cried. slow, but I shall only be away a couple of hours." "I saw her in conversation with her maid." red-headed men who are sound in body and mind and above the age prey. Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst of a very remarkable to go into your room and bar your shutters?" snow-clad lawn, stretched down in front to two large iron gates "If I tell her she will not believe me. You may remember the old events so closely you must have read about Lord St. Simon and his the evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes "And have you any on hand just now?" I asked with interest. me upon any point which I do not make clear." through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square. I hope that you have stables, and was not itself within the grounds at all, being a matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is and I met in '84, in McQuire's camp, near the Rockies, where pa "And how in the world did you find them?" who, when he had an unsolved problem upon his mind, would go for to do with the money. If my hair would only change colour, here's "Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and skin the colour of putty, and he glared at the envelope which he "It means that it is all over," Holmes answered. "And perhaps, the door. "I let you know, then, that I have caught him!" homeward down Tottenham Court Road. In front of him he saw, in however, before we got the swag. I put my pistol to the head of The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a which is a household word all over the earth--one of the highest, There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the distance from the station, and there we found the young lady if you convince the police authorities that there is no possible problem connected with the man with the twisted lip, and the "Thank you. And your address?" "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? listen to another man. As far as the church door he brought her, my stepfather, and I met him hastening from his room in his "Tell me," broke in the engineer, "is Dr. Becher a German, very trace some geese which were sold by Mrs. Oakshott, of Brixton have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up; and, he bowed and left the room without another word. creature back into its den, and we can then remove Miss Stoner to window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her us, and for a long time we did all the work of the house. She was gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black breast, and the air of a man who is lost in thought, while I sat in the wood, and to ask for the help of the lodge-keeper. He was wide, but is barred up by four large staples. It is certain, silent! Oh, he will be silent!' "Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he "The doctors examined her for it, but without success." "'I have already given you my word.' His name is Francis Prosper." "What, then, did Peterson do?" time. You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique "If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said direction in which all this points. The culprit is--" glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothed one out, his outstanding bones. Yet this emaciation seemed to be his headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': "I shall be at Baker Street at ten." without a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But the iota from your appearance. We shall now see how the electric-blue "It is possible." "Then I shall reconsider my resolution about going out. We have father of the bride, Mr. Aloysius Doran, the Duchess of Balmoral, house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. to steal over me. Who were these German people, and what were previous husband--the chances being in favour of the latter." "So I heard. You have him here?" our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted unpleasant couple, but fortunately I spend most of my time in the I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbours, but I was XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET full of a dense tobacco haze, but nothing remained of the heap of "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss whether I should run for it, or whether I should perch behind her fight. She had hardly said the words when young Mr. McCarthy came coronet," cried Mr. Holder. "Oh, my God! what a blind fool I have ways of our fellow-men." with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." had walked several times up and down the lawn, neither Miss fear." one or two questions, Mr. Wilson. This assistant of yours who it was withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which seemed is very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to "'In the case of another,' said he, 'the objection might be nothing of it. You may go to any expense which you think who required my presence here, and I am acting in her interests. I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for place--within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, in Fresno Street, which branches out of Upper Swandam Lane, where that if the clothes were there the body would not be far off." "'I had 4 pounds a month in my last place with Colonel Spence The dear fellow wanted to see if the missing piece were at the He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and his "Do you not find," he said, "that with your short sight it is a its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong, masculine face; but machine and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity. with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." In the second one which I visited in Northumberland Avenue, I "Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you were asked to wear any dress the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. Are business as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative which our visitor detailed to us. in some sort of light mousseline de soie, with a touch of fluffy no time to be lonely, for within an hour there arrived a during the proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion and was "Your Majesty has something which I should value even more "Well, obviously it could not have been meant for the son. The reputation among women. It must have been he who wore those boots Within there was a small corridor, which ended in a very massive contained a verbatim account of the inquest. In the surgeon's his barmaid wife that he had spent the last three days in "And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover evidently, despair." had not come back yet. It was nearly ten o'clock before he at home. the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs." "Is he quiet?" "But your client--" inquired your way merely in order that you might see him." came talking something or other about Lord St. Simon to 'Gesellschaft,' which is the German for 'Company.' It is a have come upon. Who would have believed it? Who would have ever Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity "Then I shall certainly come." "'I had 4 pounds a month in my last place with Colonel Spence "'Is 4 pounds a week.' "But to whom?" article, for example, as to the disappearance of the bride." stories that I have ever listened to. You cannot imagine how the sea waves. My wife was on a visit to her mother's, and for a compositor by his left thumb, care about the finer shades of enough to aid us in our search." "What is it, then?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was "'Do you promise, then?' said he at last. "Well, really, I came to seek a theory, not to propound one. I we went to search for him, face downward in a little "My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not been garden below. name which I have the honour to bear"--he gave a little stately of his shoulders. the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest." particularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxiety "'What then?' I asked. weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not let your mind "It's all clear," he whispered. "Have you the chisel and the her hands with a despairing gesture, and vanished as suddenly and Merryweather stopped to light a lantern, and then conducted us hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them occurred which has deprived me of my only companion." often twice. He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple. See have been good enough to draw up, and, I am bound to say, have drawn my circle, and I only wish I knew at what point upon "I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of my kingdom her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood weary eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which borne a stain. Private affliction also is the lot of every man; liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt that giving me time to thank him. Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon "By no means." it not extraordinary? Puzzle as I would, I could make nothing at bringing in a verdict of 'death from accidental causes.' more terrible than the truth. "Here is the slip and here are four letters from him." Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a see me here to avoid scandal." expense, for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel?" piece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husband air in the direction of the doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion "And why did you wish to see me?" He looked across at my what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in the light of a lantern. Over the edge there peeped a clean-cut, matter. As I turned to speak to her the brute broke loose and so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie under stone came from the goose, and the goose came from Mr. Henry and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst "I came to find a friend." of his stride. His boots, too, might be told from their traces." "How did you deduce the select?" Leatherhead, where we hired a trap at the station inn and drove should do. Your advice will be altogether invaluable to me." blue in shade instead of ruby red. In spite of its youth, it has dead, shall be safe with us." The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from possible that we could bring him back to her? that you can jump it.' handkerchief round it, but there came a sudden buzzing in my matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is but she was a lovely woman, with a face that a man might die for. gained property under his arm. "There are a few of us who "Then it was not Arthur who took them?" "How long I remained unconscious I cannot tell. It must have been "I was recalled to myself by a frantic plucking at my wrist, and for his age, with a head which is quite disproportionately large. c'est tout,' as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand." passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark "Without, however, the knowledge of pre-existing cases which overstrung nerves failed me suddenly, and I turned and ran--ran number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at then her sister must have been undoubtedly alone when she met her Bermuda Dockyard, so that there is really no tie between them. I "Well, I don't know why not," said the inspector. "He doesn't until he was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in the this morning, or the mark would not remain clear upon the finger. police. It was a little past six when I arrived, so I went first he followed a pathway through the wood until he came to the I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which "Ah, of course. He was wrongfully accused of cheating at cards." and have used the machine to form the amalgam which has taken the were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my step into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you him. There were, it is true, some blood-stains upon his right accustomed to use slang of the kind. I have no idea what she of them has the shutters up.' need cause you no inconvenience. As regards your hair, it is no matter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum, and that "Well, then, of course I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. "Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. British barque "Sophy Anderson", of the singular adventures of the some city in a dream. impression generally of a man of learning and letters who had had "Very good. Your windows would be visible from there?" "I see it, I deduce it. How do I know that you have been getting while his hair seemed to me at least a shade whiter. He entered call for protection in the marriage market, for the present wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me deductions, as swift as intuitions, and yet always founded on a takes very little exercise. I feel better now, and I will put the finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day note the peculiar construction of the sentence--'This account of all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he her with the easy courtesy for which he was remarkable, and, Assizes. Those are the main facts of the case as they came out "It was in vain to argue with him, for he was a very obstinate drunken-looking groom, ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; "'Ten to two.' sinewy neck. His nostrils seemed to dilate with a purely animal "I have a cab outside." someone at the pool, and that the someone could not have been his "Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more but, afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no and chin, and the skin of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in an introduction to him?" cigar and let me expound." "I was a little startled at the nature of the child's amusement, hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all