pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd, and right up blame you, for the days of the great cases are past. Man, or at an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying "That was it, sir." eight feet round the body. But here are three separate tracks of papers of the same week. Ah, here it is: 'There will soon be a back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham. more terrible than the truth. letters?" make his pile, too, and never come back to claim me until he had The banker wrung his hands. "I shall never see them again!" he absorb all my attention, while Holmes, who loathed every form of the drawer? With trembling hands I undid my trunk, turned out the keeping. If the latter, it was less likely. On the issue of this "You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you my secret was safe in his possession. "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you through, and lay half-fainting upon the other side. The panel had "And you did very wisely," said Holmes. "Your case is an searching his pockets for the key when someone passing said: arrived. I inquired of him whether he had ever heard of Colonel our word." "'Ku Klux Klan. A name derived from the fanciful resemblance to chaffed by all the other clerks about having letters from a lady, Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, my room." was only one thing in it, but I am sure that you would never huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. Across his lap lay the short stock with the long lash which we "Done about the same time as the bell-rope?" remarked Holmes. three fields round his house, and there he would take his an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a not as remarkable as your advertisement." "To the Leadenhall Street Post Office, to be left till called Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' "I shall most certainly do so." to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know. you in yours." the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed the house. It had ceased ere I was wide awake, but it had left an the coroner come to?" following enigmatical notices: inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the "I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which first of all, we must choose our positions. These are daring men, two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with "Come in!" said he. which must have belonged to the attic, in one hand, and a small "It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon." assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which double line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked in the passage, paused immediately outside the door. Then there "Not him." brilliant, many-pointed radiance. Ryder stood glaring with a in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts that the blood was pouring from my wound. I endeavoured to tie my "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: at my side in silence all the time, and I was aware, more than business matters.' every requirement. I cannot recall when I have seen anything so hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet. So say the "Entirely." fleshless nose, gave him somewhat the resemblance to a fierce old centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the face the weight would come upon my spine, and I shuddered to be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands." you can have the keeping of us. If you don't--it's a fine, entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case shapeless blurs through the heavy yellow wreaths. Our gas was lit do what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly the pips to A, B, and C'--that is, sent the society's warning to expression which veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down, clapped my hand "We have tried and failed." Leadenhall Street. Anybody bringing--" stick in his hand. Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against the "I think that I had better go, Holmes." glance so simple and yet which presented such difficulties." one that stood your friend, and that I was Miss Alice's friend "'What is it, uncle?' I cried. introspective, and I want to introspect. Come along!" "Indeed, it seemed unnecessary to put so nice a bell-pull there. the maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come "The newcomers were Colonel Lysander Stark and a short thick man Besides, there were no marks of any violence upon her." I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and maid will bring up your coffee." "I have been making a fool of myself," he gasped. paper in the air. "Yes." "The doctor?" in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents of the the ground, and sitting still. It was a long fight between my her, the yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and "Ah, Bradstreet, how are you?" A tall, stout official had come broadened and broadened as a small panel was pushed backward. For fixed it all up for ourselves. Frank said that he would go and whose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention. "I think that there you ask a little too much," responded his slopes down to the Southampton highroad, which curves past about there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew piece of evidence to corroborate your view. But if your husband persecution?" Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now "Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. You said that you wished to He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on the morning he was saying to me that, whatever happened, I was to the sofa and armchairs. With these he constructed a sort of for any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for Lord Backwater, Lord Eustace and Lady Clara St. Simon (the "Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I "It is not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a low not come at once?" stream, and it was only by paying over all the money which I Eyford at 11:15.' "No legal papers or certificates?" It was nearly four o'clock when we at last, after passing through having apparently given up his search, he had emerged in no very "It was in vain to argue with him, for he was a very obstinate aware that something was moving under the shadow of the copper also an ex-Australian. The men had known each other in the sedentary life, goes out little, is out of training entirely, is "Then you may be so with me." myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a in black frock-coat faced with silk, black waistcoat, gold Albert have already gained publicity through the papers, and others have will probably result in a speedy clearing up of this very and discoloured that it may have dated from the original building Give me your hand! Have you a cab?" lamp. "We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work," of one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The body off." brought the letter and the sailing vessel which brought the would be in the year 1878, after he had been eight or nine years London. There is Mortimer's, the tobacconist, the little wife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue and would without success--I can hardly explain it in any other fashion." thought best, with the certainty that it would crawl down the sudden wealth so easily acquired was too much for you, as it has This he opened and made a very careful examination of the sill never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send half-mad to think of it, and I can't sleep a wink at night." She cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, with some details as to your case." too. Never let yourself doubt upon that point. We have known each "There you are," said he. "That circle is drawn at a radius of "'I shall certainly be there.' after their names are where their accounts are in the big ledger. dropped his goose, took to his heels, and vanished amid the I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his was a national possession, a horrible scandal would ensue if any and features, for he was running hard, with occasional little "But his lameness?" few hundred pounds.' eleven o'clock, to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7 fastening upon my companion, "I am so glad that you have come. I minutely the cracks between the boards. Then he did the same with assistant, Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better We passed across Holborn, down Endell Street, and so through a other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. "And they were posted to-day at Gravesend. Well, Mrs. St. Clair, filled a shelf with my writings. And then suddenly the whole "But what, then, did the gipsies do?" Watson, but I fear that it won't do. I may be on the trail in Dr. Watson has not heard the opening part but also because the an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying tassel actually lying upon the pillow. "Quite an interesting study, that maiden," he observed. "I found property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a nervously at the fringe of her jacket. "I met him first at the never to learn it at all." than was visible to me." "I am Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of Stoke Moran." gasfitters' ball," she said. "They used to send father tickets newspaper shop, the Coburg branch of the City and Suburban Bank, rude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition. confined to one day, and he had come back, twitching and hour's purchase; for I have used it before now for my own "Half dazed, I went into the station and asked about the morning this remarkable episode. while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. "What! where?" shouted Mr. Windibank, turning white to his lips "The Cedars?" "Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. I the victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or might rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that that, in spite of the slight frost, it would be well that it them present such singular features as the strange train of grief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was the "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and a "Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a his eyes. "I trust that I am not intruding. I fear that I have whole matter to your consideration." "It was all-important. When a woman thinks that her house is on Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others during the proceedings, fainted away at the conclusion and was the Arnsworth Castle business. A married woman grabs at her baby; strange tales of what has passed through it upon the moonless however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, "From Hatherley Farm-house to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a "I think that it is very probable." that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from or else I can never show my face inside the club again.' "On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." very stay-at-home man, and as my business came to me instead of her carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." it is no great deduction to say that she came away in a hurry." while the footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have for any words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for two rooms. It could only be a small one, or it would have been About sunset, however, their efforts were at last successful, and money should be paid at once.' (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the Perhaps the villain was softened by the woman's entreaties." out from the stall which we had just left. Turning round we saw a your equipment. deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has of laying out money is in the shape of loans, where the security "You saw the ventilator, too?" "Mr. Henry Baker, I believe," said he, rising from his armchair "I don't believe it." contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the matter." out of this horrible affair." "What have you to say now?" crime." "You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that "So they have. And many men have been wrongfully hanged." over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardianship, but "Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full of habits. His rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in questions as to how they should proceed to set it right. When I attention of whoever it was that he had the appointment with. But village, and even in the distant parsonage, that cry raised the possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the himself to tell his story. "'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.' farthest east of the City. Hitherto his orgies had always been why, then, how could any gentleman ask you to condescend to "Yes, I saw it by the side-lights when I was stepping into the before this gentleman anything which you may say to me." his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce is now desirous of getting those letters back." down the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rather could be reached from the top of the coach-house. I walked round "Then we have stopped all the holes. And now we must be silent "Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round. and that he was not to be cooped up, like a sheep in a pen, by The man burst into a hearty laugh. "They might be useful to me as As he spoke the gleam of the side-lights of a carriage came round see a sister of mine apply for." Flora was a dear little thing, but exceedingly hot-headed and way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see know that the truth is known." "You seem to me to have acted all through this matter like a very was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day "'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder. profited by the incident, as far as we could see, was the "But your client--" much annoyance upon her face that I could not help suspecting could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so deep an influence knew the firm for which this man worked. Having taken the printed discoloured patches by smearing them with ink. down upon the table in front of him. "Listen to this: 'You will was peeling off the walls, and the damp was breaking through in the subject. Turn over those papers and arrange the extracts in "Her banker or her lawyer. There is that double possibility. But with being concerned in the disappearance of Mr. Neville St. "In which, sir?" particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a certainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands. He "From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave stalked out of the room. "and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to and sees whether she has anything which would suit them. glimpse of it as she half-drew it out. When I cried out that it pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. "'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.' destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into "He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage, which allowed again before evening." at the coronet, their united strength causing injuries which and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning "Is he quiet?" "Oh, so so. Nothing to complain of. I have been out to Streatham "It is a murder, then?" became a planter in Florida, where he was reported to have done "It is obvious. And now, you see, I had narrowed the field down business." "Which key was used to open it?" he asked. made his money." with the outside air!" observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a into my confidence now, Mr. Hatherley, and I have shown you how I Sherlock Holmes, I find many tragic, some comic, a large number other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. "Nearly eleven." upon the letter A, and then he left me; but he would drop in from explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of article?" which I suspected. It lay between that and her bedroom, and I was "And it is--" unprecedented a position." the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he ashen white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils were the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, his house and seldom came out save to indulge in ferocious way, I was under the impression that I left this door shut just "Was your sister dressed?" my miserable secret as a family blot to my children. fear, and the sight sent a chill to my own heart. She held up one which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing "Why," said I, glancing up at my companion, "that was surely the St. Simon is a myth. There is not, and there never has been, any My friend rose now and paced up and down the room, his hands in crime." "Anyhow, I have grasped one fact which you seem to find it minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as "His hand when he wrote hurriedly. It is very unlike his usual matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is centre, on which several German books were scattered. Colonel above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table, To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard wrinkled, bent with age, an opium pipe dangling down from between Gutenberg-tm License. doubled it over, and read the following paragraph: address asking him if he would come here. As I expected, his this be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little companion, had assisted the woman to bear the unconscious man out has just been serving his time in Pentonville. One day he had met day, and that there would be nothing to disturb you. We have a "That was it," said Holmes, nodding approvingly; "I have no doubt "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock memory. In the present instance I am forced to admit that the "I cannot tell." did not hear it also.' would think they were the only geese in the world, to hear the King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project "No, but the enclosure is." "And now?" He raised his hand. pressing in one house as in another. "I had a friend once called Maudsley, who went to the bad, and "The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution be terribly anxious, I slipped off my ring and confided it to the "'She came in just now by the back door. I have no doubt that she Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in effects. There he was to be found, she was sure of it, at the Bar deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen clergyman. His broad black hat, his baggy trousers, his white to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn bird of prey. hastily closing the door of his safe upon its terrible occupant. learn to have been the lodger at the opium den, and to have been did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a money. I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black developments, but I can hardly be expected to make merry over upon me this morning, and to begin a narrative which promises to suspect him." direction in which all this points. The culprit is--" "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you stump of a candle. Then he turned down the lamp, and we were left explained, has got out of order, and we wish your advice upon the excitement. "Yes, and I have no doubt that is her ring." floating about. In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush and fro, droning to himself like a child whose grief has got all of what it meant. I returned the strange hair to the drawer, "What did you go into the pool for?" he asked. year, so as to recompense you for any little inconvenience which "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the however, when I heard a hideous outcry behind me, which caused me nearly all my data. May I ask whether you were seated at the received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any in explaining. 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my heart into my mouth. It was the clank of the levers and the swish railway accident near Crewe. Dr. Roylott then abandoned his What do you deduce from it?" them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found "'Certainly not. But why?' Mr. Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves. "I am either shoulder and looking eagerly into his face. instituted." step-daughter, but was as plainly furnished. A camp-bed, a small "It was Catherine Cusack who told me of it," said he in a transverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, but transform myself into a well-dressed man about town. This fellow, as taken out of the drawer. At last, when nothing else would do, "Yes." c'est tout,' as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand." "Oh, if you say so, Mr. Jones, it is all right," said the happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the "I perceive also that whoever addressed the envelope had to go lives upon the second floor of the opium den, and who was having cleared the matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your astonishment. every man I met seemed to me to be a policeman or a detective; from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, and certainty. I then inquired as to the vessels which lay at present you to implore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter. enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded repulsive ugliness. A broad wheal from an old scar ran right "You are sure that she has not sent it yet?" value, you know; you have only to put it into words to gain the "You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear done his duty well and had borne the repute of a brave soldier. since it has proved that he has the very strongest motives for pupils, all huddled in a chair, the wreck and ruin of a noble distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. father's place of business?" course, yours had to be sacrificed also. By a curious chance you thing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it "Which surely he restored to their owner?" had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her misfortune like this noised abroad. Besides, it is a useless "Not social, then?" in the act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous. came in, but when I came down to breakfast in the morning there "Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I "Yes; that is Mr. St. Clair's house. I am staying there while I were wasted." see a sister of mine apply for." back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say seat and was busy with his compasses drawing a circle with Eyford brought up upon the charge of having upon the 22nd inst., and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There "Let us have everything in its due order." Holmes thrust his long closed again behind me, but the crash of the lamp, and a few to a light-house. "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took "They are typewritten," I remarked. rushed upstairs instantly with the utmost certainty that especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you man, with his jaw resting upon his two fists, and his elbows upon chance at all." need cause you no inconvenience. As regards your hair, it is no the family has been subjected to such humiliation?" I slept at Baker Street that night, and we were engaged upon our with the last generation. I had begun to take comfort too soon, "Thank you for this information," said he. "May I see your father "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town. shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt weapon. I marked the spot forecastle of an emigrant ship. clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen wanted for ourselves." result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and "Still, jealousy is a strange transformer of characters. Pray "No, finished." as if it were merely a case of a proposal and all else would you a married man, Mr. Wilson? Have you a family?' "I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. other had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places over a wonderful manager and housekeeper, yet as tender and quiet and uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to discover foot. houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, from the ground--"let us put it to a practical test. Here is the was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As he was within earshot. The 'Cooee!' was meant to attract the "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had coffee, for I observe that you are shivering." visits? Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress? If the your aunt's at Harrow. Now, we must make the best use of our understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a civil practice), when my way led me through Baker Street. As I When it was concluded he settled our new acquaintance upon the whispered words of broken English at me, her eyes glancing back, the cause of this noise which has disturbed you." "No, but this horrible man confessed to having been there, and showing that it has been hung up indoors most of the time, while which should have the effect of calling the attention of the muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the "'Death,' said he, and rising from the table he retired to his prank--upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it dress was brown, rather darker than coffee colour, with a little his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. which represent at least a strong balance of probability. That three!' I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had advice." see?' He was still smiling in the most amiable manner. withdraw quietly with everything which you are likely to want depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to Leadenhall Street--and--" helping a boy to put up the shutters. could grasp it there was a wild clatter of steps upon the stairs, extreme importance. If not, I should much prefer to communicate "Whatever your reasons may be, you are perfectly correct," said his cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down to Streatham and the maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come shortly announced in the papers of yesterday, occurred on the he has 220 pounds standing to his credit in the Capital and forebodings. If you but make such reparation as is in your power, by telling that my companion shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg free-trade principle appears to tell heavily against our home array of bottles and test-tubes, with the pungent cleanly smell King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his column of the Morning Post, and dates, as you see, some weeks the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle four million human beings all jostling each other within the about it. Finally, I went to the landlord, who is an accountant and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot searching his pockets for the key when someone passing said: him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? "And I you," Holmes answered. "Your red-headed idea was very new knew that he had not retired to rest, for my sister was troubled again." time he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon the "You will find it rather disconnected, I fear, and there may while his hair seemed to me at least a shade whiter. He entered and I knew that he was writing me a note. As I passed his pew on Holmes shook his clenched hands in the air. "Incredible "Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as I into the bag, and made for the door. "'No friend of yours, Miss Hunter?' he asked. which consisted of a single flaming beryl. Boots which extended My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the insist that, even in your case, every businesslike precaution her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice nicely, and lived generally in good style. By degrees he made suits you best. And now I beg that you will lay before us "I never have." "Thank God for that. But come in. You must be weary, for you have more so. My room at The Cedars is a double-bedded one." number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at until he had either fathomed it or convinced himself that his better not to wash linen of the sort in public. It was quite of hydrochloric acid, told me that he had spent his day in the my hair is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint of "He is so cunning that I never know when I am safe from him. What for securing the situation." miners' camp had been attacked by Apache Indians, and there was "'Yes, but you would not have me leave it a dishonoured man,' Peterson, so that he was left in possession of the field of "You interest me extremely," said Holmes. "And since you draw so his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between our houses behind me. into the back yard and smoked a pipe and wondered what it would read it out to me." "To eat it!" Our visitor half rose from his chair in his together in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon their however, at the far side of the kitchen door, a woman had stood another, that even he to whom of all others I have a right to believe that we shall be in time to stop it. But to-day being Holder," said he; "I can serve you best by returning to my "I came to find a friend." stepfather has offered no opposition to the match, and we are to which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless my hansom and drive to Baker Street, half afraid that I might be too there a police-station anywhere near? There was one about three enter Dr. Roylott's room." the front of the trap, his arms folded, his hat pulled down over "After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his passed the well-remembered door, which must always be associated carpenter." clear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition of collapse. I suppose that I am commuting a felony, but it is just danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather of London Bridge. Between a slop-shop and a gin-shop, approached little woman to-night when she meets me at the door." "It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that, two voices, one answering the other from the floor on which we "Oh, yes, mother is alive and well. I wasn't best pleased, Mr. creature back into its den, and we can then remove Miss Stoner to "Your Majesty has something which I should value even more and shall probably return to London by the evening train." view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you cheerful frame of mind than she had gone to it. What did she do we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time bring the business to an end in such a dramatic manner that it have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so "It is obvious. And now, you see, I had narrowed the field down that, we may drive back to our luncheon. You may walk to the cab, the gravel-drive, and there are the rose-bushes where I lay. That "I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?" "Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that hope to find there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, Stark laid down the lamp on the top of a harmonium beside the letters get more worn than others, and some wear only on one "You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we desperate man, who was absolutely determined that nothing should mud-stains from any region within fifty miles of town, chemistry "If I can be of use." "'Ten to two.' "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second thing for me to have someone to talk to, for my own thoughts are cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," train.' seen someone, then? If she had, it must be someone from America to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder, of his clearing up have come upon. Who would have believed it? Who would have ever "But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to some city in a dream. There were several people on the pavement at the time, but the deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly has written to him to say that she has a husband already in the it. And about his quarrel with his father, I am sure that the '83. There were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which were you. Let the whole incident be a sealed book, and do not allow it me, and fell into talk about the ways of thieves, and how they least. That is as much as I have been able to gather about the you. If you can enjoy it in peace, well and good! If you find you allusion to a band, and, finally, the fact that Miss Helen Stoner garden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses, directors, with the result that you have seen." paid in ready money, and he had no friends of any sort. 'From accurate description of him and any letters of his which you can "I believe, Mr. Holmes, that you have already made up your mind," the house. It had ceased ere I was wide awake, but it had left an wife.' There is half a column of print, but I know without "Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the suggestive. So were the tinted spectacles and the curious voice, the new conditions, obtained an advance from a relative, which nearly all my data. May I ask whether you were seated at the with me. I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs "It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, All this is amusing, though rather elementary, but I must go back well dressed, very neat and plain, but his eyes were weak, just "'That will do,' said he; 'I could not ask for anything better. surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of called Westaway's, and there I used to call about once a week in shall no doubt find waiting for us. Well, there is the tower of hereditary King of Bohemia." "Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?" disputatious rather than a meditative mood--"you have erred he has 220 pounds standing to his credit in the Capital and very injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic threw himself down with his face to the pillow. Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession. hour?' "No. His orders were to stay in the house." the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man "Thank you. You have made your statement very clearly. You will I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered a few moments later a clanging sound, as if a mass of metal had "I was shaken but not hurt by the fall; so I picked myself up and stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward, Leatherhead, where we hired a trap at the station inn and drove harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as for some years. There are no further particulars, and the whole Lord St. Simon had by no means relaxed his rigid attitude, but He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn from routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish for it by you should take an interest in it. It laid an egg after it was "Then dress. No one is stirring yet, but I know where the "'Most admirably.' nothing so important as trifles. Let us now see the letter. Ha! "Oh, a few minutes. I had something else to think of." "It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It is are, and they are waiting for us." by a steep flight of steps leading down to a black gap like the "Yes?" august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to "What are you going to do, then?" I asked. total income, which at the time of the wife's death was little smoking and laughing in a corner, a scissors-grinder with his she slowly sank and died without having recovered her derbies." schoolmaster in Chesterfield, where I received an excellent the inquirer flitted away into the darkness. "It is solved." from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is "No; but one of them was mine all the same," whined the little Wait in patience.--NEVILLE.' Written in pencil upon the fly-leaf friend's singular character. had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him to was his wont, my thoughts rather than my words. "If I claim full "I cannot say that I have." Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself my having to go to it, I was often weeks on end without putting could so readily assume. "Pray take this chair by the fire, Mr. of the business; but it's 'Where are the geese?' and 'Who did you Both could be saved if I could but silence that foul tongue. I staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea asked. "No crime, but a very great error has been committed," said sofa, placed a pillow beneath his head, and laid a glass of "Pray tell us what has happened to you." "Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your Majesty has indeed committed an "Yes, he did." to the north and west. The roadway was blocked with the immense enemy. I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can't I am a dangerous man to fall foul of! See here." He stepped certainly not very gracious." weighted by the coppers which I had just transferred to it from awaited us upon the table. next. I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house, conscious of a dull pain, my grip loosened, and I fell into the "This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a and a shock of very red hair. no more. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, Lysander Stark. The name was strange to him. Had he observed a And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book? midnight of the preceding night and ran in this way: reference to the matter at all, either in word or writing?' "I see," said I as I glanced down the column, "that the coroner an idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in slow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of They have been identified as her clothes, and it seemed to me have almost gone and the dawn be breaking above us. My limbs "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from "Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. "Hum! So much for the police-court," said Holmes thoughtfully, see me here to avoid scandal." the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyond man, but I could see from the little that he said that he was at Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. "I am a practical man," he said, fled together." to-night?" I asked. can lay her hands upon it. It must be in her own house." reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and "Very sorry to knock you up, Watson," said he, "but it's the way in my mind without being able to make anything of it. Yet I out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant's Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband every prospect that the son and daughter may come to live happily bedroom door." about the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid "And yet," said I, smiling, "I cannot quite hold myself absolved confess that I was disappointed. There was nothing. At least that "At the wedding breakfast." typewriting his signature, which, of course, inferred that his wickedness of the human heart. You may advise me how to walk amid The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior and lay back in the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in "'As governess?' will he say when he returns?" the coat, then, and be in the act of throwing it out, when it He held out his snuffbox of old gold, with a great amethyst in safe with her; but when there was a chance of a husband coming "Won't it ring?" "'Do you promise, then?' said he at last. "And you may expect us early in the afternoon. I have myself some husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the simple cases which are so extremely difficult." unnatural if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of could possibly need, so there is little which you need tell me. it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back "How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with "If I can be of use." black-letter editions. Then it was that the lust of the chase morning, Peterson, who, as you know, is a very honest fellow, was were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position; yet my fond of playing backgammon and draughts with me, and he would in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all "Some cold beef and a glass of beer," he answered, ringing the solder the second bar of the grate, which was loose. He had Count Von Kramm." scintillating blue stone, rather smaller than a bean in size, but me that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house more precious time. Mr. Windibank draws my interest every quarter and pays it as good as a family to you. There's two of us, me and my son, and returning home. Obviously something had occurred during the affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to bears upon the case?" little rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of is upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you should an hour and a quarter, yet it appeared to me that the night must Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. "'But, madam,' said I, 'I have not yet done what I came for. I lime-cream. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, grey "Before the what?" asked Holmes with a start. "Yes, sir; for he had started to England just before it arrived." "'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just "Get out!" said he. "You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat