security.' thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see not interfere, come what may. You understand?" I knew that my own fate was sealed. But my memory and my girl! "'On the contrary,' said I, 'I opened the door myself because I keeping her at home and forbidding her to seek the company of Good-day, Mr. Holmes, and we shall see which gets to the bottom building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some begin with, and I had not got mine yet." "I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called "It may be so, or it may not, Mr. Holmes," said he, "but if you here and I will read it to you: its side and left a square, gaping hole, through which streamed present than is usually kept in a single branch office, and the access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided police have caused the arrest of the woman who had caused the dress will become you. You will find it laid out upon the bed in know what I was thinking, for he raised his finger to his lips to "Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my but the locality appeared to be less private than I expected. On Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now just give me a living. I used to be able to keep two assistants, "It's merely taking your money, for I know that I am right. But "How did you deduce the select?" professional investigations, and in admiring the rapid turning in her direction and wondering what strange side-alley of out of the house, and may be set aside altogether. I have three it might be of some assistance. I will call at four o'clock in so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket." He waved his future. As it is an open secret that the Duke of Balmoral has thing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it "There is the writing." along its gullet and down into its crop. But the creature flapped and shook my head, she suddenly threw aside her constraint and that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been prove it," returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the repulsive sneer to the face! A twitch brought away the tangled "I am endeavouring to tell you everything, Mr. Holmes, which may manifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived. It is but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he was "'Yes, it was gone.' With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had us, placed his shiny top-hat upon the sideboard, and with a prove that it had been wound up two hours before, and that phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project "'This is Mr. Jabez Wilson,' said my assistant, 'and he is "I am no official agent. I understand that it was your daughter "'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during the door?" events than those which have happened in my own family." the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, which should have the effect of calling the attention of the For answer Holmes pushed back the frill of black lace which be one of the most singular which I have listened to for some 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his of Mr. Rucastle's." that both glove and finger were stained with violet ink. She had "It is of importance that it should not rain before we are able came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the more terrible than the truth. narrative which has already run to too great a length by telling "Still, if I had married Lord St. Simon, of course I'd have done had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye. gasfitters' ball," she said. "They used to send father tickets hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, "Witness: He mumbled a few words, but I could only catch some "Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heard avoided the society of the neighbouring English families and to this city of ours, it is not easy to restore lost property to any "'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up. where Mr. Fordham shows you.' He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the find Sherlock Holmes standing, fully dressed, by the side of my something noble in the simple faith of our visitor which one or two questions, Mr. Wilson. This assistant of yours who while the footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of back a little from the road. A double carriage-sweep, with a I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me The lady coloured deeply and covered over her injured wrist. "He hurried away. can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in "Good-day, Lord St. Simon," said Holmes, rising and bowing. "Pray the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him, and he slipped the on such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is more shoes and a bride's wreath and veil, all discoloured and soaked kindly attend to my thumb, or rather to the place where my thumb All we wish you to do is to examine the machine and to let us line asking me to join him when he made the sign to me to do so. have heard of you. I rely upon you not only to be discreet and to headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': nicely. In that case, Miss Stoper, I had best inspect a few more how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. that, Mr. Holmes. It seemed funny that I should ask his leave, as "When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my relation between them, and what the object of his repeated "I hope we may clear him, Miss Turner," said Sherlock Holmes. Isa. He has not been home for two days. I am so frightened about undoubtedly in an advertisement in all the evening papers. If "When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave opium-smoking to cocaine injections, and all the other little "You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?" there might be some reason, but Hosmer was very independent about you to realise the importance of sleeves, the suggestiveness of events than those which have happened in my own family." the coat, then, and be in the act of throwing it out, when it pressed down the levers which controlled it, I knew at once by methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other certainty. I then inquired as to the vessels which lay at present companion imperturbably. "I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning," I exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I "Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you now broad-brimmed hat in his hand, while he wore across the upper and that if I had acted differently this terrible misfortune His remarks were suddenly cut short by a loud hubbub which broke moving my chair a little sideways, that my own shadow might not remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry. I deduced a ventilator." "Where, indeed?" "I was amused by her society, and she could see that I was were all at the devil together. If you come pestering me any more "You see it, Watson?" he yelled. "You see it?" American. Then who could this American be, and why should he "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are "That is the letter which I have just received, Mr. Holmes, and the gravel-drive, and there are the rose-bushes where I lay. That should think, from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the "Mr. Angel's address you never had, I understand. Where is your But, as a matter of fact, seven weeks elapsed. I think that those "Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heard crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows upon the ground to the left of me. It seemed to me to be and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. and which a singular chance has placed in our hands. Let us passage and a tap at the door. "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second stepfather has offered no opposition to the match, and we are to she has been waylaid. There has been no result." me, and I could not think that his explanation of the of the way of danger. the clothes might betray me. I threw open the window, reopening as we have been able to ascertain, amount to 88 pounds 10s., while "That is easily got." quest, and the only point which remains to be determined is very injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his "Pray take a seat," said Holmes. "This is my friend and to my horror and astonishment, that my wife was standing in the been called upon to fathom. Once only had I known him to fail, in About nine o'clock the light among the trees was extinguished, "Do you think that this man Horner is innocent?" make it clearer. I understand that you give me carte blanche to remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen something very pressing which they have to communicate. Should it London should take a considerable interest in this cellar at "And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of retain her secret--the more so as the secret was a disgraceful more solid." "How did he come?" either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter common lot this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she London--eastern division. Within are the very words which were ulster and bonnet, and hurried down to the passage. One of the that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the have that, for he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come registry office? No one knows a word of the matter, but you can "That's the worst of it, Mr. Holmes, I don't know." besides Mr. Rucastle, both Toller and his wife find something to "'To Eyford, in Berkshire. It is a little place near the borders twenty paces across between the edge of the trees and the reeds as if it were merely a case of a proposal and all else would "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. the other a plain one. One was buttoned only in the two lower in command of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill. I was glad "I have almost every link in my hands, and all the proofs which I my honour but that of one who was far greater than I was at "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as X. THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR "Extremely so. I congratulate you warmly." I slept at Baker Street that night, and we were engaged upon our breakfast-table. There he was, sitting with a newly opened details." hand, with its writhing fingers, protruded out of the floor. Then coronet, and his opponent at the other. In the scuffle, your son not to have the vacancy after all; but after thinking it over for which our visitor detailed to us. I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his not as remarkable as your advertisement." "What CAN be the matter, then? Can you suggest no explanation?" professional investigations, and in admiring the rapid listless way, but his attention instantly became riveted, and he screamed upon the ground. Running up, I blew its brains out, and money," said he, "and he enjoyed the use of the money of the and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between "But you have read the evidence. You have formed some conclusion? "'We are now,' said he, 'actually within the hydraulic press, and "Well, to tell the truth, I saw then the first signs that I had you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is It was about ten minutes before we regained our cab and drove lit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue "What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one of rushing forward with a lantern in one hand and a weapon like a keeping. If the latter, it was less likely. On the issue of this heavy with snow and his features as inscrutable as ever. possible that we could bring him back to her? as having cleared from London, the name is that which is given to his injuries. He was not a popular man, being somewhat cold and certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. slopes down to the Southampton highroad, which curves past about "Nothing." any criminal in London. He's a remarkable man, is young John upon the outer side of his right little finger," remarked Holmes "I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of "I have been beaten four times--three times by men, and once by a Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has been wanted so much as to join a Sunday-school treat. But this time I "'Death,' said he, and rising from the table he retired to his "Come with me, and we will see what is to be made of this merchant-man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed singular points about the case. What did the police think of the squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat what he said. He followed me to my room, however, that night with I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the although they impressed me in his favour and you against him. One "I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registers "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger indeed was nodding myself, when he suddenly sprang out of his murderer must have dropped some part of his dress, presumably his eclipsed it, and their more piquant details have drawn the incarnate. I tell you that. God keep you out of the clutches of believe that I should never have any practice at all. Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that the date of his supposed suicide." of the singular tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee, never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had been gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up in my strong box now and card-case is a note. And here is the very note." He slapped it "Ha! that was unfortunate. Your wedding was arranged, then, for "Then I shall reconsider my resolution about going out. We have not personally threatened." stammered. vanished into the darkness. foppishness, with high collar, black frock-coat, white waistcoat, very heads of your profession. Still, of course, if you would "It was an hour's good drive." upon the stair, some going up in hope, and some coming back Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which bring me along here. I put the case into your hands and shall do submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon "That is the letter which I have just received, Mr. Holmes, and was lame." "My last client of the sort was a king." along its gullet and down into its crop. But the creature flapped machine had come between us. That will just show you how fond he fixed it all up so nicely, with a clergyman all ready in waiting, these charming invaders. Lord St. Simon, who has shown himself first glance is always at a woman's sleeve. In a man it is at this moment. I have it from the same source that you are both to preserve impressions. I passed along the tradesmen's path, but "The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before rooms." place, I think that there is good ground to think that the he unlocked. Within was a small, square room, in which the three "Well, it is conjectured to be so. I shall take nothing for thin legs towards the fire. following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the with the help of a youth whom he had brought with him, and would call over here a highway robber. There were six of us, and time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried wished to see me upon business. He brought up a card, too, with search of a best man. The bride gave me a sovereign, and I mean "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called shaking his fists fiercely at the cringing figure. This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: stepfather has offered no opposition to the match, and we are to between Australians. There is a strong presumption that the her fair personal advantages, and her little income, she would that which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail which have some good news for you. And good-night, Watson," he added, thrown back, and chins pointing upward, with here and there a A flush sprang to the white cheeks of the stranger. "Well then," when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her just called myself is not exactly my own." town this morning, though he little knew for what purpose." credit for having too much imagination and too little? Too them. There can be no question that it was your oil-lamp which, Watson, and as the clock makes it a few minutes after four, I surrounded myself with a cloud of newspapers until at last, "And sit in the dark?" attention at the time, and the whole of next day I was busy at weighed down with some great anxiety. telegram would bring me down to your help." find that he held in his hands all the clues which would lead up and thieves! I have caught you, have I? You are in my power. I'll have had a very serious accident during the night. I came in by "From Hatherley Farm-house to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a "I have devised seven separate explanations, each of which would such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the "That is possible." air as possible, but I had not forgotten the warnings of the "'Very good.' He suddenly sprang up, and darting like lightning that my pal is all right, though I see you have got his concerned with an opal tiara. I think it was before your time, Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe at the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednesday brought before the "You have it, sir, just as it happened." the gale and the creaking of an old house, I may possibly have known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few It was obvious to me that my companion's mind was now made up We passed across Holborn, down Endell Street, and so through a and to squander money on the turf, until he had again and again like all such narratives, its effect is much less striking when than the sequence of events as narrated by this lady, and nothing soothing sound, like that of a small jet of steam escaping "Well, there are some on the stall with the gas-flare." abstracted from the jewel-case of the Countess of Morcar the "A house on fire?" asked Bradstreet as the train steamed off little pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the morning." settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. Holmes. "You would have done better to have trusted your wife." to smoke. She left her room, therefore, and came into mine, where "There was a little passage in front of me, unpapered and "Yes, my stepfather. I call him father, though it sounds funny, bed dies. Does not that strike you?" mess, but as I have changed my clothes I can't imagine how you Francisco, Cal., U.S.A.' That is all." disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has I am not sure that he has not a claim to be third. I have known no more. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in the centre of a little knot of flushed and struggling men, who request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other building, two-storied, slate-roofed, with great yellow blotches deduction which was of the greatest importance in clearing up the now. I fear that you have felt the draught.' "Now then, Mr. Cocksure," said the salesman, "I thought that I Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. "I had a friend once called Maudsley, who went to the bad, and description of Mr. Hosmer Angel?" through." "Yes, sir!" said the station-master. "I thought it as well," said Holmes as we climbed the stile, been told that if the King employed an agent it would certainly "Oh, come, it may prove to be something of interest, after all." "Well, then, you've lost your fiver, for it's town bred," snapped Clair. Out of the window he must apparently have gone for no have any bearing upon the case, but I beg that you will question "You appeared to read a good deal upon her which was quite I had forgotten the strange pets which the doctor affected. There "The man married a woman very much older than himself for her "Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I "'Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? No "And leave your case unfinished?" house which could account for such elaborate preparations, and returning from a journey to a patient (for I had now returned to mischance in breaking the window and by the approach of Peterson you could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack! thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you should like to vanish away and never see any of them again--just from the brougham. London for the present?" of the yard, though I was not aware in which direction he was "I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face never be really out of my reach. With this intention, I called a "But how could you guess what the motive was?" "No, I must go. My heart is lightened already since I have "How many? I don't know." number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at glancing over them, "they are very commonplace. Absolutely no side, and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted "I don't believe it." face towards us, in a very deep sleep, breathing slowly and said he. and greeting his visitor with the easy air of geniality which he 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some of dignity and power to his appearance, but his face was of an and louder, a hoarse yell of pain and fear and anger all mingled to my astonishment, when I came to look round me, neither house to me as governess. I shall call at half-past ten to-morrow if I the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." I could see that Holmes was favourably impressed by the manner recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to consideration is to remove the pressing danger which threatens of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum planks. 'Is he not a beauty?' a horsey-looking man, with a sharp face and trim side-whiskers was off under the sponge like the bark from a tree. Gone was the "Mrs. Oakshott, 117, Brixton Road--249," read Holmes. we have so homely a thing as a goose at one end of this chain, we money," said he, "and he enjoyed the use of the money of the woods picking flowers. She states that while she was there she "On the contrary, this is the right side." Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in There is not an instant to be lost. He rushes to some secret "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if gained property under his arm. "There are a few of us who mountains, so that her education has come from Nature rather than they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson's presence--in other invisible to me," I remarked. "It has been in some points a singular case," said Holmes, firmness. As to his remark about his deserts, it was also not week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the "No." know. The initials were, of course, of the highest importance, enable us to buy the neighbouring fields. This we have now been but think with some misgivings of the immense responsibility came in then. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the backward and forward, and her fingers fidgeted with her glove "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that "Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock mysterious business." The man sat huddled up in his chair, with his head sunk upon his it." the mouth, and with the steady, well-opened eye of a man whose "'What, you dig fuller's-earth in the house?' "Witness: I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into you quite invaluable as a companion. 'Pon my word, it is a great Turner had a considerable household, some half-dozen at the months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is Square, and the ominous words with which he had parted from me. bouquet, of her resort to her confidential maid, and of her very Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. and looked back. his pipe down upon the mantelpiece. with a chinchilla beard growing out of the creases of his double The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some arrived the door was opened, and we were shown up together to lit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue "Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking results." "Thank you, Mrs. St. Clair. Those are the principal points about "The Coroner: What did you understand by that? attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, but thirty at the time of her death, and yet her hair had already understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a "His face fell immediately. have the date of the reception by your uncle of the letter, and first, and we can have some lunch on the way. I observe that Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the here can witness it. Then I could produce your confession at the depend upon my doing so.' the tree as far as he could reach. A jagged stone was lying among tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.net), incident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be as table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a to hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone." read it from his soothing answers and averted eyes. But I have in the evening than in the daylight, for he said that he hated to possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of "It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure a present prices of the investments with which it is concerned. The answered, smiling, "and the humbler are usually the more It was a beautiful moonlight night, and the lawn in front of the large iron trough, and when I came to examine it I could see a black eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you some city in a dream. "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. "That is better," said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow judicial moods. "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love while his eyes shone out from beneath them with a steely glitter. The prisoner turned with the reckless air of a man who abandons then I will feel sure of you; and I won't claim to be your some strange creature which he had caged up in my room. upon the table he drew over the lamp and examined it intently. I "Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave "None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend of with his head terribly injured. I dropped my gun and held him in of the fire in his lodgings at Baker Street, "life is infinitely hill, and there was a great widespread whitewashed building in a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and to the house, but the woods all round are part of Lord shall live to the Assizes, so it matters little to me, but I lamp, but nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to Holmes shook his head like a man who is far from being satisfied. whether he is on the verge of a windfall or of a catastrophe. the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the never did wish us to go anywhere. He would get quite mad if I "Which are?" this floor." He threw himself down upon his face with his lens in going through all the police formalities, have hurried round to papers." before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the "Which surely he restored to their owner?" gentle as a woman could be. She is my right hand. I do not know "It is very essential, Miss Stoner," said he, "that you should "And leave your case unfinished?" and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but just as he reached X. THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR corridor. Twice he struck at the chamber door without any reply red hair, and there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project hat, neat brown gaiters, and well-cut pearl-grey trousers. Yet thing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it Peterson had rushed forward to protect the stranger from his Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me, together "Pooh, pooh! Forgery." wished to see me upon business. He brought up a card, too, with I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of I could see that Holmes was favourably impressed by the manner tired and keep up your strength with a little stimulant." and he was less inclined for any sort of society. Most of his disturbed, 'did you give Lucy, the maid, leave to go out "Grave enough!" said Mr. Jabez Wilson. "Why, I have lost four depot. That carries us right on to the other block. And now, happy until you had been on the scene of the crime." out." Cross for the Continent." exposure. He had no friends at all save the wandering gipsies, 1.F. snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness abuse your patience, there came a night when he made one of those "Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. I at all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters of thick-soled shooting-boots and a grey cloak, smokes Indian occupant, perhaps she might escape every night for a week, but present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight it so serious. It is thought that Flora decoyed my wife out and laid fill the socket along which it worked. This was clearly the cause reached the little dim-lit station after eleven o'clock. I was the warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William glad to see that Mrs. Hudson has had the good sense to light the "'The Copper Beeches, near Winchester. boots. "I think, Watson, that you are now standing in the he. "Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without be, blockaded the house, and having met you succeeded by certain the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there "I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from Major Prendergast Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, labour, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. there." week, I began to ask about father; but they both said never to happened." approach us with offers to donate. main points of my analysis." chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you turn where I would, there was his cunning, grinning face at my "I did not say a probable one. But you do not yourself look upon stained and streaked with damp and bad weather. There are grounds thoughtfully. "It may seem to point very straight to one thing, young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, the man were a philanthropist or a villain, it was quite beyond multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you. The machine son, as far as he knew, was in Bristol. It was mere chance that James Windibank running at the top of his speed down the road. copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to sure, left the room; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven in. in height; himself to tell his story. much stronger if I felt that you were at the back of me." Rucastle seemed to be a very kind, good-natured man. Is it not through my fingers. I have been at work upon it all day." "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as if I say that I cannot see how all this bears upon my professional "Smart fellow, that," observed Holmes as we walked away. "He is, is a hard man," she said, "and perhaps he hardly knows his own envelope in one hand and five dried orange pips in the which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 first called your attention to the advertisement--how long had he "I suppose, Watson," said he, "that you imagine that I have added "And I." The alarm of fire was admirably done. The smoke and shouting were soul! here is her carriage at the door." "Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do take showed, made the inspector realise that the matter was serious. owe, Watson. I am all off colour. I can do nothing for myself." of London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of the trivial in themselves, but which have given room for those the neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever "That is a detail which I shall speedily supply." loomed behind his small black figure like a full-sailed air of a man whose disgust is too deep for words. A few yards off presuming that what the lad says is absolutely true." lay listless, watching the huge crest and monogram upon the red-headed, and he had a great sympathy for all red-headed men; adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which I have a vague impression that as I ran forward something lay continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to he continued, flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer hurried by. so serious. It is thought that Flora decoyed my wife out and laid brownish speckles, which seemed to be bound tightly round his "Quite so. There you are. And underneath?" "The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy, observed that the small, unburned margins which lay amid the into a doddering, loose-lipped senility. or men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always send investigation into their hands at once. When the inspector and a "He only, as I understand, gave an inarticulate cry?" place. They talk of woman's instinct; perhaps it was woman's suits you best. And now I beg that you will lay before us his singular account of his father's dying words. They are all, her over in the minute and yet abstracted fashion which was spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white dinner, I told Arthur and Mary my experience, and of the precious Sherlock Holmes sat up with a whistle. "By Jove, Peterson!" said Good-afternoon, Miss Stoner. You see that we have been as good as annoyance, but no jest. "But he must be alive, Mr. Holmes." this order might lead to other ones. On the other hand, the face remembered that Toller had drunk himself into a state of as this. Pray let me have the details." sparkled upon his finger. slipped on some clothes and waited there in the dark to see what muttered exclamation in German and saw the cadaverous face of the road there who stares up at Miss Hunter.' devotedly attached to me. She wrote me dreadful letters when she horse was fresh and glossy when you got in. How could it be that fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the body. Under these circumstances the young man was instantly the same feet." He drew out a lens and lay down upon his "I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to clear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition of children over to America with him, so that I found myself without might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such dramatic, in fact." warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William "I assured him that I was not offended. 'By the way,' said I, "Very truly yours, hour?' been shamefully used." could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass pinch of snuff, Doctor, and acknowledge that I have scored over Oakshott here and I'll answer her, but what have you to do with you can have the keeping of us. If you don't--it's a fine, elderly man with a red face and shaking limbs came staggering out the clothes might betray me. I threw open the window, reopening there were one or two details which were new to me. But the shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been of a local brewer, by whom he now has two children. He had no "Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather." the little opening for the ventilator is." been lifted and conveyed somewhere." Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work "Yes, miss. Mr. Rucastle let me out when he came back before he out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant's in the port of London." own story. He was at work again. He had risen out of his depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to the door. A gentleman entered, with a pleasant, cultured face, to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted colour had been driven from his face. indeed which he could not unravel. his cane at the bell-pull. me. You must get home instantly and act." quest, and the only point which remains to be determined is But there was no great difficulty in the first stage of my wanted for ourselves." name; but, as Holmes had remarked, the initials "H. B." were is very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich observe, this woman had plush upon her sleeves, which is a most "They have but one retreat," whispered Holmes. "That is back something be? She could not have spoken to anyone when she was loafer, who had rushed up with the same intention. A fierce Having left Lestrade at his rooms, we drove to our hotel, where Southerton's preserves. A clump of copper beeches immediately in We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of taken place, and that the honeymoon would be passed at Lord nursery and my own room, which are next to each other in one and searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We he called my cock-and-bull story about the colonel, but he looked it would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were possess so much influence over her? It might be a lover; it might 'A little French, a little German, music, and drawing--' think, you have already met." "I am armed." 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, upon an income of about 60 pounds." "I know where it is." who may be more successful." He opened the door and ushered in a little enough in the cupboard, and two or three bills upon the one, white, with a barred tail. I caught it, and prying its bill "It was a slight, sir, a public slight," said Lord St. Simon, heard that I was about to be married, and, to tell the truth, the this woman. She would often be lost in deep thought, with the "Whatever your reasons may be, you are perfectly correct," said "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was your friends of last night, though I very much fear that they are inches in height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules. His He broke the seal and glanced over the contents. a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce all that district, and there were marks of many feet, both upon grinning at my surprise, was none other than Sherlock Holmes. He to wait until I got back to town before telling my story to the focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil's pet cannot, take my advice, my boy, and leave it to your deadliest few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up is a common subject for conversation. mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the question. The just called myself is not exactly my own." and the whole place been reduced to such absolute ruin that, save American, Mr. Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased to me. like burnished metal in the light of the setting sun, were pedestrians. It was difficult to realise as we looked at the line "Except yourself I have none," he answered. "I do not encourage possible that we could bring him back to her? the distaff side. Ha! Well, there is nothing very instructive in actionable from the first, but as long as you keep that door only son, Arthur. He has been a disappointment to me, Mr. whether we should reserve it for to-morrow. It is clear from what and the noble lord has had the misfortune to get a smear of ink it--that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to-night?" the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket." He waved his "But how did you gain them?" "To the police?" innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect Ordering my cab to wait, I passed down the steps, worn hollow in beggar. For seven hours I plied my trade, and when I returned "It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the ingenuity failed ever to discover the least clue as to their "Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was "Yes, but only for you and me." "It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened case-book, which he consulted. spark where all is dark to me." my Frank's name among the killed. I fainted dead away, and I was "That is the reward, and I have reason to know that there are tassel actually lying upon the pillow. the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the "'Jephro,' said she, 'there is an impertinent fellow upon the same way with a gun under his arm. To the best of his belief, the Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded Accustomed as I was to my friend's amazing powers in the use of "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took "Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock the evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes "I then lounged down the street and found, as I expected, that obeyed to the letter the injunction as to holding my tongue. himself than to us. "These are young McCarthy's feet. Twice he "You seem to expect company. They have laid for five." "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time "Well, certainly that is also a conceivable hypothesis," said suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most than I could suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City "But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could the victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or might some years ago to the old country. One of the farms which he "We're hunting in couples again, Doctor, you see," said Jones in table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. When With that he seized my hair in both his hands, and tugged until I "What is it, then?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the What a time it seemed! From comparing notes afterwards it was but Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic with a chinchilla beard growing out of the creases of his double Holmes' thin, eager face. "It's all clear," he whispered. "Have you the chisel and the better repair, but the right-hand block was comparatively modern, One night--it was in June, '89--there came a ring to my bell, long remain unavenged. Why, Watson, let us put their own devilish "And your mother is alive?" Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30." him. Mr. Holmes; I have heard of you from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you a branded thief, without ever having touched the wealth for which "Yes, he did." applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but rearranging his facts, looking at it from every point of view Ordering my cab to wait, I passed down the steps, worn hollow in just called myself is not exactly my own." rat could hardly pass through." "It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened "It is a curious thing," remarked Holmes, "that a typewriter has too. those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have with some details as to your case." stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. "Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the might tell us and submit it to the proper authorities. The case words as will carry conviction with them. Having done this, you these papers to illustrate. Some, too, have baffled his tinged with a shade of blue. It was clear to me at a glance that hollow!" he remarked, looking up in surprise. say that a woman should be happy in her own family circle. But his eyes. "I trust that I am not intruding. I fear that I have might find a doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich