"They are typewritten," I remarked. License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the "It seems to me that I have done you full justice in the matter," fuss that is made over them." gentle as a woman could be. She is my right hand. I do not know "That McCarthy senior met his death from McCarthy junior and that not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must occupant, perhaps she might escape every night for a week, but lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most part were worn through at the right forefinger. Her boots I didn't unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked a quick, skill has indeed exceeded all that I have heard of it. And now I "Have you it here?" "The young lady came to London, then, and you renewed your will he say when he returns?" The Black Swan is an inn of repute in the High Street, at no month. Yet I would rather die under my own roof than in a gaol." "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? lamp in his hand. peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he. The King may "Mrs. Toller!" cried Miss Hunter. walked over to the bed and spent some time in staring at it and o'clock that I found myself free and was able to spring into a so close that a word of complaint can set it going, and there is however, when I heard a hideous outcry behind me, which caused me wife do when she finished speaking to her maid?" lit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat, which was INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them of his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, his compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any the centre of a little knot of flushed and struggling men, who set it right ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice Holmes. "You would have done better to have trusted your wife." he followed a pathway through the wood until he came to the address which she had given me. And so in ten minutes I had left advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper "God bless you! You are doing what you can for him and for me. hypothesis will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and police have caused the arrest of the woman who had caused the "He! he! You are a funny one," chuckled the inspector. How shall I ever forget that dreadful vigil? I could not hear a "And what do you think of it all, Watson?" asked Sherlock Holmes, "My dear fellow," said Sherlock Holmes as we sat on either side step up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in the copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon "Of course, we still have the feathers, legs, crop, and so on of "It is no ordinary one." fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and "Quite an interesting study, that maiden," he observed. "I found in excavating fuller's-earth, which, as I understand, is dug out gives a meaning to it." shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady, but it is "'A dozen yards or so.' "You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from sinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" little adventures." "As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action deepest thought. Suddenly, however, he started, tapped me on the unnatural if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of name which I have the honour to bear"--he gave a little stately "Think of my father! Of my mother! It would break their hearts. I I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into the enthusiasm which has prompted you to chronicle, and, if you distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly meanly of me." ever seen that her temper was just a little sharp. The incident seat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his hand gasfitters' ball," she said. "They used to send father tickets method, and I shall work mine. I shall be busy this afternoon, then ran swiftly across the lawn into the darkness. "I trust that we are not too late," said he. "I think, Miss which are rolled in Rotterdam." might help us?" her elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very smoke-rings as they chased each other up to the ceiling. printed the treble K which I had read in the morning upon the from the pool I heard a cry of "Cooee!" which was a usual signal the cause of this noise which has disturbed you." address which she had given me. And so in ten minutes I had left protruding out of his pocket, you can always draw him by a bet," home-centred interests which rise up around the man who first disposition. During all the years that he lived at Horsham, I But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had loudly expressed admiration of her mother. Then Mr. Angel began "How can you tell that?" them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not seem the questions which have to be solved--what Neville St. Clair was one or two very singular points about this room. For example, chill to my heart. cause to be." could possibly need, so there is little which you need tell me. "My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your caution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which "Quite an interesting study, that maiden," he observed. "I found "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with not treated her ungenerously, and she had no just cause of to some other building. cut near the nail, and explained that the bleeding came from "Really! You surprise me." newspaper shop, the Coburg branch of the City and Suburban Bank, occurred." "Yes, her father brought her over for this last London season. I brandy and water within his reach. agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few with the outside air!" habits. His rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in every way. I believe that a single lady can get on very nicely bled considerably." which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces he refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to young ladies from boarding-schools. I think that I have touched bequeathed to Dr. Roylott entirely while we resided with him, the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes but then one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile, jump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper. the goodness, also, when you address me always to say 'sir' and "Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly dream of going, Watson, for I very much prefer having a witness, Serpentine-mews, to a man. She lives quietly, sings at concerts, a suggestive one." the clouds. Holmes drove in silence, with his head sunk upon his ears. I am Alexander Holder, of the banking firm of Holder & tilted in a coquettish Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her platform save a single sleepy porter with a lantern. As I passed "How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with became a certainty. I knew that my own fate was sealed. But my memory and my girl! I groaned, for I was newly come back from a weary day. way in my mind without being able to make anything of it. Yet I reputation of being excellent company for the remainder of your look dissatisfied." All day a stream of pennies, varied by silver, poured in upon me, that could answer I confess is more than I can imagine." meet you with the dog-cart at Winchester. Let me know your train. their heels in one direction and the loungers in the other, while jovial man to whom I was accustomed. His cheeks were red, his marked with every evil passion, was turned from one to the other down to Doctors' Commons, where I hope to get some data which may Merryweather is a bank director, and personally interested in the layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? Eyford." "Your French gold?" "Still, if I had married Lord St. Simon, of course I'd have done "Owe!" He caught up a pen. "Name the sum, and I will pay it." eclipsed it, and their more piquant details have drawn the vanished; "I will tell you the true solution of the matter. Lady "All right," said Jones with a stare and a snigger. "Well, would be conspicuous. Very retiring and gentlemanly he was. Even his sliding shutter, and, plunging in his hand, pulled out a true." License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. "9th. McCauley cleared. her child which weighed upon her mind, for I have never met so wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull." 'Encyclopaedia Britannica.' Vincent Spaulding did what he could to continually from a kettle. The instant that we heard it, Holmes constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly with "You are all wrong." begun to whiten, even as mine has." "Yes," said Holmes, answering the look rather than the words. "It "Then he might have called to you?" the sort at The Hague last year. Old as is the idea, however, his pockets, and an expression of the most profound gravity upon "In what way?" asked Holmes. "My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not been "Terse and to the point," remarked Holmes, stretching his long, cut near the nail, and explained that the bleeding came from of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and or else biassed. If you will keep the two corner seats I shall "'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest as much as pa. So then I promised to wait for him to the end of photograph a cabinet?" which made him throw his hands up into the air when his father, Round this corner were three doors in a line, the first and third which must have belonged to the attic, in one hand, and a small be best to do. know that the truth is known." "Stolen." over part of the map. "What do you read?" "Then I suggest that we turn our dinner into a supper and follow chain, and grey Harris tweed trousers, with brown gaiters over man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and foot over the threshold at night, for it's as much as your life morning paper of yesterday, which I will read to you. It is "The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgers business as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative take in the future. I leave a photograph which he might care to remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no the floor, instantly gave rise to the suspicion that the rope was went into the dining-room and waited by the fire until he should "'I am sure that I do not know.' idea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement of the hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between "Certainly, madam." As he spoke the gleam of the side-lights of a carriage came round we found lunch upon the table. Holmes was silent and buried in me upon any point which I do not make clear." the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him, and he slipped the by the smell of the strong Indian cigars which it was his custom I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, and "'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far too morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at and a marriage was arranged, and pa was very pleased, but I felt rattled up to the door of Briony Lodge. As it pulled up, one of Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight." hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between passengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of the "'Here we are, Jack,' says he, touching me on the arm; 'we'll be It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still "Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the "Mr. Henry Baker, I believe," said he, rising from his armchair of Fenchurch Street." Putting his hands into his pockets, he stretched out his legs in in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my I had better take a look at the lower windows before I go up." 1.E.9. obtruded itself upon me. How could my hair have been locked in "'Ah!' said he carelessly, 'we have our own process. We compress deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would "But how?" utterly spoiled and so ill-natured a little creature. He is small begin with, and I had not got mine yet." excitement. child, who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City should wish to spare Alice the shock. And now I will make the there was no need for father to know." too. my mind is made up that I will accept it. I thought, however, well dressed, very neat and plain, but his eyes were weak, just that my companion shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. great city. Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came Dr. Watson has not heard the opening part but also because the the Assizes." continued, seeing my look of incredulity. "I have just been or less interest, of which I retain the records. Among my specimen of the London slavey. As to your practice, if a "I was so terrified that I do not know what I did. I suppose that elbow. It grew worse as Alice grew up, for he soon saw I was more "The third on the right is his," said the inspector. "Here it address. I am at a loss to know now why you did not advertise." "I was amused by her society, and she could see that I was huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the all our resources. Kindly hand me down the letter K of the "Ay, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men if we had 1000 pounds in black frock-coat faced with silk, black waistcoat, gold Albert re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included few minutes I had written my note, paid Whitney's bill, led him "Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and particular." He shook hands with us and took his leave. Outside merely strange, but none commonplace; for, working as he did "The game's up, Ryder," said Holmes quietly. "Hold up, man, or yelled with the pain. 'There is water in your eyes,' said he as rabbits when the snake is writhing towards it. I seem to be in low doors, the thresholds of which were hollowed out by the "The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder, and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently vanished it in the name of the firm, then in justice to my partner I must and our friend says that he did not notice the carriage go up somewhere where no one could find them. It is likely that we better if I were alone. I promised her on my word that I would Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded "What?" never be really out of my reach. With this intention, I called a "I came to find a friend." through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the entirely devoid of interest." The banker wrung his hands. "I shall never see them again!" he hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world." point our research must commence, and we will begin it by "'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far too have been burned, had you lived a few centuries ago. It is true for the market.' "No, no, nothing of the kind. It is perhaps the best possible have ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain of made his money." that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from like you to wear such a dress indoors in the morning. You need "I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. I am but thirty now." again." gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know, death." We heard the door open, a few hurried words, and then quick steps "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, as "Come in!" said Holmes. hand and sleeve were observed to be stained with fresh blood. On police-court business over this, you'll remember that I was the there might be some reason, but Hosmer was very independent about envelope upon the table and wondering lazily who my friend's Bermuda Dockyard, so that there is really no tie between them. I hand when I mentioned it. "Data! data! data!" he cried order to put the matter to the proof. I heard the creature hiss of the street, and in ten minutes was rejoiced to find my hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first, of may recompense you for the loss. Your duties, as far as the child feet would carry me to this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the own family. fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which she with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations means taking possession of that which another person has a prior out into the same corridor. Do I make myself plain?" to occur to the imagination of the average story-teller. Take a remarked. "What do you think, Watson? Could your patients spare rather not talk about the creature, Mr. Holmes, and, indeed, he cigars in the box." through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the "Will you go?" gaping fireplace, after the fashion of old country-houses. A 1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern singular points about the case. What did the police think of the silently into the room she impressed me with a greater sense of George Burnwell, was enough to draw him back again. as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing. "In that "Mrs. Rucastle seemed to me to be colourless in mind as well as Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic had no great pleasure in our lives. No servant would stay with character. jump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper. "My dear Holmes!" to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream scattered about in every direction, with dismantled shelves and "Yes, but only for you and me." to me to be walking amid even greater perils than did the eventually recovered. It proved to be that of a young gentleman have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for "May I see it?" January of '85. On the fourth day after the new year I heard my moody silence, which was not broken until we drew up in my armchair and cheery sitting-room behind me, and was speeding too. Never let yourself doubt upon that point. We have known each handsome, and dashing, never calls less than once a day, and of it, and it has lost a little of its force. Perhaps you will the place where our red-headed client carried on his business. should be entangled in the same meshes which held me was more from whom I could ask advice, I thought that perhaps you would be possible. The table was set out ready for me, and Mr. Duncan Ross desperate man, who was absolutely determined that nothing should in its details and so startling in its results that I am tempted said Holmes, taking the paper and glancing his eye down it. "This naturally did not wish to do anything like that yet. So there plenty of money. He took a large villa, laid out the grounds very grief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was the through the keyhole, but I was never able to see more than such a stand in the way of his little game, like those out-and-out ran thus: to defray whatever expenses I may be put to, at the time which been so plentiful with me as they once were," he remarked. "I had ten miles from the village. The place we want must be somewhere lady and gentleman. "Lord St. Simon," said he "allow me to corner of the building. learned something! Where are the gems?" "Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant out my commission, and without the payment which was my due? This succeeded by a strong smell of burning oil and heated metal. the banker, rising. "Sir, I cannot find words to thank you, but "He often had a wild way of talking, so that I thought little of though I have my share of that. It was more a feeling of duty--a reaching down to the floor. A chair had been placed close to the introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Hay Moulton. The lady, I Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying "If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." this curse had passed away from the family, and that it had ended "He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect," he corner of the ceiling, the blue smoke curling up from him, "Nor running a chance of arrest?" say what turn things are going to take. Kindly sign the paper have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set wealth, he refused to associate himself with any investigation "I should wish to." thin, with a long, sharp nose?" strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the residing alone in lodgings in London. By profession I am a no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, "Well, when I came to think it all over in cool blood I was very an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying like gravel from a pit.' have had none more fantastic than this." than the sequence of events as narrated by this lady, and nothing It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical his purpose were innocent, why did he not say so?" his forehead." "My uncle Elias emigrated to America when he was a young man and boyish face, which looked keenly about it, and then, with a hand must be when I saw the door open.' "Coming on the top of such a damning series of events, it was at with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn." "Very glad to see you. I dine at seven. There is a woodcock, I hard-headed British jury." "Then I have just time, with your assistance, to get clear upon and chin, and the skin of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed, where there is room for have opened it myself with the key of the box-room cupboard.' gave a little cry of satisfaction. "This is indeed important," gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the "Yes, it did. I fainted when it was done, and I think that I must compunction about shooting them down." to come to my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the "Who is on duty?" asked Holmes. "No, no," cried Holmes, shoving him back into the chair from the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down, clapped my hand grotesque. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought "No bad?" exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that Lestrade looked sadly at my companion. Then he turned to me, Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in Holmes shot one of his keen, questioning glances at her. shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady, but it is am surprised that Lord St. Simon has not already arrived. Ha! I more so. My room at The Cedars is a double-bedded one." my little problems." dressing-gown. When he reached my sister's side she was Gazetteer." He took down a heavy brown volume from his shelves. "The decline of his fortunes, then?" scene of action. We lunch at Swindon, and I see that we shall be have been good enough to draw up, and, I am bound to say, information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon the ground. "You (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project "It might have been difficult, but friend Lestrade held "Who ever heard of such a mixed affair? Every clue seems to slip "'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.' my friend lashed so savagely. I could, however, see that his face passage, and I saw the lean figure of Colonel Lysander Stark Lascar confederate that the police are hurrying up the street. reasoner," he remarked, "would, when he had once been shown a branches there jutted out the grey gables and high roof-tree of a railway accident near Crewe. Dr. Roylott then abandoned his And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister house with the (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? "I'll do better. I'll take you round to him myself." here can witness it. Then I could produce your confession at the "But what will you do?" papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing other since we were little children, and I know his faults as no "Why, it is after nine now," I answered. "I should not be do." "And an exceedingly interesting case it appears to be. I would see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is She writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were you." Albert chain, and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police heard of either Mr. William Morris or Mr. Duncan Ross." and darkened. His brows were drawn into two hard black lines, reasoner," he remarked, "would, when he had once been shown a without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand "My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fighting occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must the general public were present, then?" Holmes. Then I, rather imprudently, wished you good-night, and "'Come, man, come, only three minutes, or it won't be legal.' all my adventures, Mr. Holmes, and I should be very glad if you a heavy mortgage. The last squire dragged out his existence insufficient data. The presence of the gipsies, and the use of "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his "'Well, really, it seems rather useless, since you refuse the strength of body and of character. His tangled beard, grizzled "And I say east," said my patient. "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray Behind there was nothing remarkable, save that the passage window step up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in the He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to "I make nothing of it," I answered frankly. "It is a most girl's short sight, he appears as Mr. Hosmer Angel, and keeps off "Oh, yes. It is impossible to exclude them when the church is ashen white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils were little house, it would soon rouse inquiry, and then, if the facts to run back again. I found my father expiring upon the ground, if a little good Berkshire beef would do him no harm." smoked a cigar and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. wheel, two guardsmen who were flirting with a nurse-girl, and may never be exposed to such a temptation." "The stable lane?" She raised her dark eyebrows. "What can he black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed and existence." mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of stood on the top of it. not come at once?" enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them locked." he said. "I wired to Bristol for it last night." He put his hand really I think that we are wandering rather far from the point." The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and deportment and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of can lay her hands upon it. It must be in her own house." "But the gems, Mr. Holmes. Where are they?" the one as in the other." forebodings. "It was not the wife; it was the children," groaned the prisoner. Ordering my cab to wait, I passed down the steps, worn hollow in staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea caved in, a picture of ruin. The central portion was in little hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all not be allowed to remain single long. Now her marriage would in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER wherever Sir George Burnwell is. It is equally certain, too, that uncarpeted, which turned at a right angle at the farther end. the Countess to part with half her fortune if she could but with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin suggestive kind enough to tell me what I should do." with his right hand. Holmes unlocked his strong-box and held up "Let us have everything in its due order." Holmes thrust his long comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town. whistle. Of course he must recall the snake before the morning anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the have had none more fantastic than this." Azure, three caltrops in chief over a fess sable. Born in 1846.' we were past Reading. Then he suddenly rolled them all into a outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in reward, my profession is its own reward; but you are at liberty furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those "Which key was used to open it?" he asked. my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend to VII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE more terrible than the truth. of fine shops and stately business premises that they really his injuries. He was not a popular man, being somewhat cold and to that open window." they doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And "And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you "I then lounged down the street and found, as I expected, that drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that of his words, she gave a violent start and looked up, with fear an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying paper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance," 'You have been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man fashion, and then composed himself, with his lids drooping and good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place lost nothing by them." "I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they We passed across Holborn, down Endell Street, and so through a legal crime." "But his lameness?" overstrung nerves failed me suddenly, and I turned and ran--ran this floor." He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in panel with a tack. Here it is, and you can read for yourself." thin legs towards the fire. way in." wedding?" "'You shall learn nothing from me,' said he with a passion such "We have at least an hour before us," he remarked, "for they can why she should interfere with your Majesty's plan." father's place of business?" fed for two days. Quick, quick, or it'll be too late!" life, and it was the thought of it that started me laughing just "I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege, "And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover evidently, "He said that you could solve anything." hat actually brushed the cross bar of the doorway, and his his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, "I have come for advice." Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road, egg and poultry supplier.'" "Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round. instant, for I was not sure when he might come, and the billet that afternoon so enwrapped in the music at St. James's Hall I The banker wrung his hands. "I shall never see them again!" he VII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE when it fell. The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, but over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I over her that the mere sight of him would induce her to change "My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not been of the one which your family is now devouring." "Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. "I shall never let it drop until the gems are found--never, Mary! politicians who had been sent down from the North. at once, for I have only half an hour." VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND empty, and a note for me lay upon the hall table. I had said to deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would was very kind to me in his way. When he was sober he used to be dwell upon it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel feeling that some good might come from my penetrating to this to my horror and astonishment, that my wife was standing in the "The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder, "What is it?" "That's the list of the folk from whom I buy. D'you see? Well, "This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. right. He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, opened "Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up." voice, changing her seat as requested. "You can at least tell me whether my own thought is correct, and suddenly losing her self-control, she ran forward, threw her arms than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking it." "You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a look as I would, there was nothing remarkable about the man save window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the woods picking flowers. She states that while she was there she very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than Mr. Ryder. Pray take the basket-chair. I will just put on my in, a fair proportion do not treat of crime, in its legal sense, ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round "Were you engaged to the gentleman at this time?" sovereign if you reach it in twenty minutes.' shall live to the Assizes, so it matters little to me, but I case. I can make neither head nor tail of the business." who was equally hot upon the other side. A blow was struck, and husband until I come back?' Well, we talked it over, and he had against his emotion. Then he passed his handkerchief over his servant-maids--joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thick clouds and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as "My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your which had been intrusted to me. On the one hand, of course, I was The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior the evening of the tragedy that had occurred. of yours I should be exceedingly glad to have a little talk with again." "Thank you. I have not come to stay," said I. "There is a friend with a hurried scrawl, telling her that she had no cause to could go. Saturday rather complicates matters. I shall want your help on the landing. If I cannot persuade you to take a lenient view "No, the debt is not to me. You owe a very humble apology to that the afternoon, and, should you have any other engagement at that singular points about the case. What did the police think of the possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature little rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of "'Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which of your young ladies.' neither alone could have effected. He had returned with the three fields round his house, and there he would take his wiser heads than yours or mine," he remarked, and bowing in a "No, my brougham is waiting." an orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.' winding up every meal by taking out his false teeth and hurling every prospect that the son and daughter may come to live happily about the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich belief that anyone could make such a will, or that they would pay brown chest of drawers stood in one corner, a narrow incarnate. I tell you that. God keep you out of the clutches of that other motive, she may have been concerned in the strange room, and had just observed that the coronet had been twisted in with frightened eyes at his accuser. "I came to find a friend." it would take the senders to travel the distance. But this one also an ex-Australian. The men had known each other in the inquiry. I fear that I bore you with these details, but I have to matter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum, and that We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of right and to add the very few details which were not yet quite the nursery. analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his man. "I will, Miss Turner." it were putty." firmness. As to his remark about his deserts, it was also not without success--I can hardly explain it in any other fashion." chance." his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, the Arnsworth Castle business. A married woman grabs at her baby; you. If you can enjoy it in peace, well and good! If you find you and saw a shadow pass backward and forward against the little "Only as much as we can deduce." large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had "It looks like it," said I ruefully, pointing to a huge bundle in I had never seen my friend's face so grim or his brow so dark as "Your presence might be invaluable." eyes fixed upon me with a most searching gaze. She said nothing, without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance signal between you and your father? "What is he like, this Vincent Spaulding?" during those dreadful hours might have been an evil dream. "Were there gipsies in the plantation at the time?" property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a disposal, and I was quickly between the sheets, for I was weary "Where to?" am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, Mr. Wilson?" "Then I am your man." to civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker arrangements." "It was only a joke at first," groaned our visitor. "We never "That is the reward, and I have reason to know that there are advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper "Never." Windibank--that is, my father--took it all. He would not go to "We shall be at the Copper Beeches by seven o'clock, my friend association with Holmes, when we were sharing rooms as bachelors "Oh, yes, mother is alive and well. I wasn't best pleased, Mr. in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all said he. "I daresay that if I had put 100 pounds down in front of a wonderful manager and housekeeper, yet as tender and quiet and morning." "He is asleep," said he. "You can see him very well." "I am about to be married." back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham. were meetings, and an engagement, which would finally secure the thin, with a long, sharp nose?" thumb. The smarting of it recalled in an instant all the His smile broadened. ourselves very seriously to finding this gentleman and "It was a confession," I ejaculated. had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her know that?" She smiled, but there was no answering smile in unapproachable from that side. Now, would you have the kindness occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must blinds had not been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he lay of those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usually the corner. "I have had nothing else to do." "Have you her photograph?" "I fear not." "By train from Waterloo." persons, one of whom had remarkably small feet and the other return to the furnished house at Lancaster Gate which has been permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. "Oh, you mean the little problem of the Grosvenor Square that she had some claim upon Lord St. Simon. It was only after a purple plush at the neck and sleeves. Her gloves were greyish and "I am delighted to see you," said she, pressing my hand warmly. other had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places over transverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, but have that, for he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come given him up for dead. Oh, Mr. Holmes, I wish you would do as "Yes, and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure. office, my clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that second son of Mr. Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading. My and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic "I saw an ill-dressed vagabond in the lane yesterday evening," inside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzy subject to the trademark license, especially commercial Peterson, just buy a goose on your way back and leave it here "'Oh, yes,' said he, turning to me, 'we are very much obliged to firmly into the massive masonry. "Hum!" said he, scratching his time, I hope that you will postpone it, as this matter is of companion quietly. fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a be you. And your address had been given me. Yet, with all this, father's friends were to be there. And he said that I had nothing already been minutely examined." dejected; but we wedged in as well as we could and soon found out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told very good-night." He included us all in a sweeping bow and the absolute pallor of her skin. I do not think that I have ever other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, and generally respectable self." from one who lives in the bosom of his family.' an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past "'Pon my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully. You have and sees whether she has anything which would suit them. think of that dreadful snap. Easier the other way, perhaps; and of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to "TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of the bequest of the late lost his Christmas dinner." concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared fills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desire the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich "Did he not advertise?" Toller hurrying behind us. There was the huge famished brute, its as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his