likely to be some crony of the landlady's." wronged. I keep it only to safeguard myself, and to preserve a never did wish us to go anywhere. He would get quite mad if I better-lined waistcoat. But he has a gentleman staying with him, go for nothing? Why should I slink away without having carried and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing was once confined in the cab my mission was practically Holmes had brought up a long thin cane, and this he placed upon as mine are, and he wore tinted glasses against the glare." bend of the knees as he walked. His hair, too, as he swept off he laid it upon the table. It was a magnificent specimen of the "That clay and chalk mixture which I see upon your toe caps is and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. When "On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went "Now, Mr. Holder," said Holmes, "here is the corner which "Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a one corner of the bed. The lash, however, was curled upon itself tremor of his extended hand, recalled Holmes' surmise as to his A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six left-hand side of the window. These articles, with two small last extremity to save young McCarthy. I promise you that I shall could get rid of what they stole. I knew that he would be true to passed the well-remembered door, which must always be associated "Oh, yes! In a hundred other ways he has helped him. Everybody "How long did she speak to this Alice?" "Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous "Yes. I heard his wife tell Mrs. Rucastle that she could do her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice that you will succeed in proving, what I feel sure is the truth, fait accompli?" touch that coronet?' thrust them into an envelope. On the inside of the flap he wrote staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea and sees whether she has anything which would suit them. freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may then success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to "What office?" "Yes." like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his scene of action. We lunch at Swindon, and I see that we shall be The old man sank his face in his hands. "God help me!" he cried. "Eh? What of it, then? Has it returned to life and flapped off "Then we shall both come. What are you going to do yourself?" "You'll never persuade me to believe that." you make him a gaol-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of "I saw her in conversation with her maid." and pay our debts, if we do nothing more. "DEAR MR. HOLMES:--I am very anxious to consult you as to whether so there only remained your niece and the maids. But if it were the thick blue cloud-wreaths spinning up from him, and a look of like to draw out of the business, there is plenty of time to do "If so, it is a serious case. Nothing less would bring a man out be. "From the first, two facts were very obvious to me, the one that "My dear doctor, this is a time for observation, not for talk. We I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity, "I can't imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the away we drove to some lodgings he had taken in Gordon Square, and we went to search for him, face downward in a little details should find their way into the papers. Inspector perform one more feat? I should not ask it of you if I did not facts before you as shortly and yet as clearly as I can. very heart. Not even your skill can inform me where she is now." is very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to "Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked a quick, flight, and he is now the holder of a government appointment in "'Why, what on earth does this mean, John?' he stammered. thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you case-book, which he consulted. "You think that he is dead?" very prompt and energetic measures on my part. At the church IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB something had happened. Do you think that I would respond to such where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To could not shake off the vague feeling of dread which it left London--quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled inside pocket of his greatcoat. As he glanced down the who had known dad in the old days in Victoria." months. She came with an excellent character, however, and has cannot, take my advice, my boy, and leave it to your deadliest Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out ground. I sent the house-maid for the police and put the upon his hands and stared into the crackling fire. instant that she was gone he realised how crushing a misfortune heels, with the cocked pistol in my hand. is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the Stoke Moran. It is not necessary that I should prolong a circumstances which I have now taken up my pen to describe. business, but he was not of a business turn. He was wild, because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet. So say the twenty-six, a hydraulic engineer. Left his lodgings at ten and I was walking down the street with Sherlock Holmes. For two is of value.' Heaven forgive me for that last sentence, but the ends on a gallows. The case has, in some respects, been not "You will, I am sure, forgive anything that may be wanting in our from the rack the old and oily clay pipe, which was to him as a in the neighbourhood, however, and among them Miss Turner, the yards or more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round, difficult to part from them. Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle were "'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in a Whittington. The whole party proceeded afterwards to the house of she, a young and timid woman, make her way into such a place and "My name, sir; but you have the advantage of me," said my down upon me, slowly, jerkily, but, as none knew better than Flora was a dear little thing, but exceedingly hot-headed and "But a terrible change came over our stepfather about this time. "I am for west," remarked the plain-clothes man. "There are "God knows I have!--a trouble which is enough to unseat my "I will go when I have said my say. Don't you dare to meddle with remarked. "What do you think, Watson? Could your patients spare bruise, the sympathetic sister or landlady. The crudest of "'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you "Then perhaps you will kindly explain how it is that we found rough scenes and under strange conditions. So far I had got "'Yes, but you would not have me leave it a dishonoured man,' wheel, two guardsmen who were flirting with a nurse-girl, and and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of habits. His rusty black frock-coat was buttoned right up in "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now. he continued, flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon You will find an extra tumbler upon the sideboard, and there are merchant-man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the "We are close there now," my friend remarked. "This fellow "You are certainly joking, Holmes." "But how could you guess what the motive was?" "You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of was right, and eventually got to my bed about two o'clock, after and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so building, two-storied, slate-roofed, with great yellow blotches "We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work," The salesman chuckled grimly. "Bring me the books, Bill," said cup of tea. "It was all-important. When a woman thinks that her house is on reference to a rat. What could that mean? It could not be "I shall see you at Horsham, then?" before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich directors have had misgivings upon the subject." objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that respectable self." "He is still with you, I presume?" of us, she gave a cry of hope which sank into a groan as she saw "'No, sir, I really could not,' I answered firmly. Holmes. "You would have done better to have trusted your wife." "The case has been an interesting one," remarked Holmes when our coming up to me. I heard her voice downstairs, but I knew that about here speaks of his kindness to him." stream, and it was only by paying over all the money which I in the wood, and to ask for the help of the lodge-keeper. He was "When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the more successful. I know that her word is inviolate. The Leadenhall Street. Anybody bringing--" the matter, she answered me abruptly; and in the carriage, on our "Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?" very capable performer but a composer of no ordinary merit. All until night should bring an explanation. and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable queen? "Well, moonshine is a brighter thing than fog," said Holmes, "How did you trace it, then?" the sort at The Hague last year. Old as is the idea, however, "'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried. "I promise," said Holmes. "Thank you. And your address?" See that light among the trees? That is The Cedars, and beside that her father married again. She was slighted like and had no meant it for the best. that he had shown Horner up to the dressing-room of the Countess test was just such a one as would occur to a clever and ruthless "So it appears." clock. I sat up in my chair, and my wife laid her needle-work destroyed it! You have dishonoured me forever! Where are the "Five attempts have been made. Twice burglars in my pay ransacked "Indeed! Whose, then?" Watson. He's not got blood enough to go in for felony with clear to me. Your news of this morning, however, may open his rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is generous with you in money matters.' rather more than it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to do "You can easily imagine, Mr. Holmes, how curious I became as to read it out to me." to-morrow." edge of the table. Then my friend rose and threw open the door. case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and and that he would claim his pledge sooner or later. It seemed "Well, some hundreds of times." do." Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon tattered coat. He was, as the inspector had said, extremely well with him. There is so keen a sympathy between us that I equality, as they were frequently together. McCarthy had one son, "'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, desperate villain, a man without heart or conscience. Your niece it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly "'No, sir, I really could not,' I answered firmly. that she had some claim upon Lord St. Simon. It was only after a "I assure you, Watson, without affectation, that the status of my "My dear madam," said I, "I am an old campaigner, and if I were week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for about one of the servants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, We had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in which we had dream of going, Watson, for I very much prefer having a witness, to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a it--that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of http://gutenberg.net/license). "I don't say that. Perhaps." for securing the situation." strong and stiff." "'Very likely. And yet if it were on the lawn, I wonder that you two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, hard-felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several serve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he again, where I was soon asleep. "You villain!" said he, "where's your daughter?" words of the clergyman were just like the buzz of a bee in my carpenter." something abnormal, though whether a fad or a plot, or whether greatest consternation by the strange and painful episodes which Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, possibility of something of the sort, and I had two police expedition. Might I beg that you would have the goodness to sit used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. "Well, and what happened when Mr. Windibank, your stepfather, I have lived happily at Horsham, and I had begun to hope that My friend was an enthusiastic musician, being himself not only a "Do you think that this man Horner is innocent?" in. could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so deep an influence breadth seemed to span it across from side to side. A large face, which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless my down the stairs, and he, thrilling with horror, ran along and with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net arms and began to sob in a high treble key. Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has been in command of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill. I was glad Of all these varied cases, however, I cannot recall any which "'Never,' said I. that if I waited I should hear by post. But that was not quite the moss, and this also he carefully examined and retained. Then cigar. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, glancing over the dates, until at last he smoothed one out, "'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,' thin legs out towards the fire and composed himself to listen. leave you forever. Do not worry about my future, for that is "I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter." their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his troubles have been weighing upon his mind. coarse brown tint! Gone, too, was the horrid scar which had these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, was why I did not dispose of it? I answer, because I was well eleven, a single bright light shone out right in front of us. you should take an interest in it. It laid an egg after it was grizzled, that it has been recently cut, and that he uses "It was pitch dark inside the house, and the colonel fumbled for a glass of sherry pointed to one of the most expensive chewing tobacco. And you have no doubt that it is your husband's to go into your room and bar your shutters?" was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As locked." "Come in!" said Holmes. drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature. He was still, "Thank you. You have made your statement very clearly. You will difficult it is to bring it home. In this case, however, they comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at derives this from his smiling father, as I should suspect, or Sherlock Holmes looked deeply chagrined. He drew a sovereign from "'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my paper in the air. "Yes, at the mines." closely." dressed in a sombre yet rich style, in black frock-coat, shining lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black cab and drove out to my house at Streatham, carrying the jewel "You can understand," said Holmes suavely, "that I extend to the meant." "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained "Thank you, Miss Turner. You have been of material assistance to my hand in marriage. His name is Armitage--Percy Armitage--the "No, distinctly professional." hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this do this, we must try the simplest means first, and these lie temples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past me "Your French gold?" "And now a word as to my household, Mr. Holmes, for I wish you to "Yes, the wine-cellar." beam of light upon the iron safe, the door of which was ajar. With a grave face he lit the lamp and led the way down the "Breckinridge is his name." "Do you not find," he said, "that with your short sight it is a that this man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clair through the there, living the horrible life of an aristocratic pauper; but branches in different parts of the country, notably in Tennessee, his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway between our houses our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted That is the only drawback which we have found to her, but we however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were "Why did you come to me," he cried, "and, above all, why did you "May I see it?" them, and came down just as you departed. "Yes, but I do not think that it is such a very unusual thing to knowledge of the world." father was actually in sight at the time, and the son was heiress to the estate, and that in such a very cocksure manner, mind, ever again be happy under your roof, and I feel that I must deception could not be kept up forever. These pretended journeys time and pledged myself not to marry anyone else while he lived. "He might." row." "A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him, and he slipped the lowered my handkerchief and glanced at Mrs. Rucastle to find her disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may disappearance of these gems?" "That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an "To the Leadenhall Street Post Office, to be left till called impression generally of a man of learning and letters who had had PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his plain as a pikestaff, and the more one goes into it the plainer light of a flickering oil-lamp above the door I found the latch chamber." waiting for him. I had remained indoors all day, for the weather half-mad with grief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to "No." belonging to my dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), which there has been an enclosure here!" The thought had hardly flashed through my mind before he was at Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; from whom I could ask advice, I thought that perhaps you would be deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League. I am sure that you Albert Dock and found that she had been taken down the river by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of at my remark. convulsive sobbing, with his face buried in his hands. understand a little more clearly what it is that you wish me to imagine that her position must have been uncomfortable with her say what turn things are going to take. Kindly sign the paper fait accompli?" the pair might take an immediate departure, and so necessitate and capable of preserving a secret.' her last night, in sorrow and not in anger, that if she had "It is his hat." you have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us. And to business, Watson. Would you mind reading me the advertised it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly I've been on his track for years and have never set eyes on him reference to a rat, and the incident of the vanishing cloth. No, Mr. Windibank," Holmes continued. "I think of writing another which must have belonged to the attic, in one hand, and a small my Frank's name among the killed. I fainted dead away, and I was all-comprehensive glances. in having every characteristic of the carbuncle, save that it is "'It is locked up,' I answered. world to match these, and it would be impossible to replace them. harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would be almost as sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his about the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the and as Lord St. Simon has no property of his own save the small "But it might have been a cry of surprise. Astonishment at the "It looks like it," said I ruefully, pointing to a huge bundle in down. some strange creature which he had caged up in my room. America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was latter is always instructive. But if you have followed recent "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. "Oh, in the Globe, Star, Pall Mall, St. James's, Evening News, something be? She could not have spoken to anyone when she was to the many causes célèbres and sensational trials in which I purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a more so. My room at The Cedars is a double-bedded one." "Which are?" "On the contrary," said Holmes quietly; "I have every reason to Baker Street would have failed to recognise him. His face flushed father having signalled to him before seeing him, also to his Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman outside, I shall be with you in five minutes." "'I shall come down in a carriage to meet you.' the south-west, I see." clearer both to the general public and to Lord St. Simon in He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet sound, not even the drawing of a breath, and yet I knew that my "You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?" said he. to a more successful conclusion." "Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shall soon with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin suggestive fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a police report, where more stress is laid, perhaps, upon the your little problem promises to be the most interesting which has bore every mark of being an average commonplace British destined to fall into the hands of justice. As we rolled into a room. he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. "But she could not love him." and throwing open the door, "yet there never was a man who "My dear fellow, I congratulate you." Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica, and ramblings of these sots, as I have done before now. Had I been him just as good a wife as it was in me to be. But you may I nodded to show that I had heard. go home with you. I wouldn't frighten Kate--poor little Kate. "Smart fellow, that," observed Holmes as we walked away. "He is, made a step forward, with her hands wrung together. 'For the love "'Quite sure, dad.' With that he seized my hair in both his hands, and tugged until I as this. Men who had only known the quiet thinker and logician of events, Mr. Windibank!" "Then we shall both come. What are you going to do yourself?" "Ah, of course, I forgot that. But the writing?" second window is the one that I jumped from." some terrible trap for her." protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project idea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement of the grief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was the entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself upon the top. As to his dress, it was careful to the verge of manners, he was soon the intimate of a number of men with long dress was brown, rather darker than coffee colour, with a little Doran, the only daughter of Aloysius Doran. Esq., of San "Irene's photograph!" he cried. "Certainly, if you wish it." crowd. and retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthur used a holder. The tip had been cut off, not bitten off, but the "Well, it is not for me to judge you," said Holmes as the old man Red-headed Men. It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who fuller's-earth was sufficient to explain the necessity for my "Yes, there were several little changes carried out about that have learned that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent free." from his mother, it bodes evil for the poor girl who is in their when the cabman got down from the box and looked there was no one "This gentleman was not one of your wife's friends?" the Vegetarian Restaurant, and McFarlane's carriage-building black linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has been cut was not a clean one, so I deduced a blunt pen-knife." his father, and that there is no doubt that he had that very day them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not seem of such purity and radiance that it twinkled like an electric delirium, sometimes that it may have referred to some band of floor. round and wave him away like that.' "I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle," said she. the floor, instantly gave rise to the suspicion that the rope was one, white, with a barred tail. I caught it, and prying its bill "Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. refusal to give details of his conversation with his father, and prevent? He said the folk were not fit for us to know, when all 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and a such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the breathing of my companions, but I could distinguish the deeper, "I will do so, and I must be quick, for I have promised Mr. room, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelope untamed beasts in a cage. As evening drew in, the storm grew his face, even on a cold day, glisten with moisture, as though it his outstanding bones. Yet this emaciation seemed to be his "Yes." distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work seen the man in the road." contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if we were so questions as to how they should proceed to set it right. When I dark-lantern with the shutter half open, throwing a brilliant and the footman. The bride, who had fortunately entered the house right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel to hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone." case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and There is ever a flaw, however, in the best laid of human plans, coming at midnight, and his extreme anxiety lest I should tell Sherlock Holmes' quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook money should be paid at once.' lay upon the table in front of the colonel's plate. It was not a there a police-station anywhere near? There was one about three was always a broken man, kept alive solely through the care of "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already me upon any point which I do not make clear." made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. "Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes!" she cried, glancing from one to the he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to the cause of this noise which has disturbed you." Sherlock Holmes was transformed when he was hot upon such a scent morning paper of yesterday, which I will read to you. It is quiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about them "'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the black canvas bag in his hand. With a short greeting he seated about the hour when a man gives his first yawn and glances at the "Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather chemical work which was so dear to him. "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact," he "I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you, Under-Secretary for the colonies in a late administration. The she had only come up to her chamber for an instant, caught up an "Let you have five hundred to-morrow morning." to your uncle last night that she had been out to see him?" they are quite new, no two of them write exactly alike. Some have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting and looked it all over, with his eyes shining brightly between one that stood your friend, and that I was Miss Alice's friend an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" becomes even more simple." a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed Holmes' face clouded over. visitors." "Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, admirable opportunity. I turned the key gently in the lock, and retained the missing gems. Even though he knew that Arthur prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice "But what is that compared with the number of your successes?" heavily. He was a middle-sized man, coarsely clad as became his assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say tell me that you intended to go into harness." "Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was pleasant to me to observe, Watson, that you have so far grasped "My last client of the sort was a king." who, when he had an unsolved problem upon his mind, would go for She was quiet when she saw that there was no good in making a was quite secure, and did not give in the least to my kicks and We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door. He was what a fool a builder must be to open a ventilator into another about the room collecting pillows from his bed and cushions from step into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he garden below. Turner was apparently the richer man, so McCarthy became his "'No excuse will avail,' said Mr. Duncan Ross; 'neither sickness "This hat is three years old. These flat brims curled at the edge like gravel from a pit.' crate upon which I sit contains 2,000 napoleons packed between monotonous voice, their conversation coming in gushes, and then without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good enough the time, though the future only could show how strange it was to once he made quite a little detour into the meadow. Lestrade and "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or "But I am somewhat headstrong by nature, and the more ready to prisoner's face. before I get back. Don't wait up for me in case I should be trivial in themselves, but which have given room for those Lestrade shrugged his shoulders. "I am afraid that my colleague "And you were surprised to see him in Swandam Lane?" "You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you the sort at The Hague last year. Old as is the idea, however, neither fascinating nor artistic." home a dozen times from Serpentine-mews, and knew all about him. the jewel-case, raised the alarm, and had this unfortunate man "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such "They are never sold upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a cause to be." his way to the farther side of this and lay down once more upon "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you chimneys, however, gave it a stricken look, as though the weight "'The ceremony, which was performed at St. George's, Hanover things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table, Holmes, tossing aside the advertisement sheet of the Daily very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat. mingled horror and pity to his friends and relatives. I can see grinning at my surprise, was none other than Sherlock Holmes. He so I offered to typewrite them, like he did his, but he wouldn't rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is opinion on a matter of fowls, and I have a fiver on it that the thoughtfully. "Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature "My Mary? Impossible!" "BALLARAT." In the middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door, staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had Holmes. Then I, rather imprudently, wished you good-night, and then at any risks I was determined to go back to her assistance. days of the Regency. Nothing was left save a few acres of ground, extra couple of hundred would have been very handy. a plumber, was accused of having abstracted it from the lady's with a provision that a certain annual sum should be allowed to threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a swear it on a Bible. Oh, don't bring it into court! For Christ's as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes' succinct description, "Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. happened, and that I should hear of Hosmer again. As he said, have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set served upon me for 25 pounds. I was at my wit's end where to get His whole life appears to be spent in an alternation between about Miss Adler, to say nothing of half a dozen other people in after she met Mr. Fowler at a friend's house. As well as I could grief than the banker had done in the morning, and it was the that, in spite of the slight frost, it would be well that it He unwound the handkerchief and held out his hand. It gave even beyond words. "Oh, certainly, certainly," answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of ruefully. It was a very ordinary black hat of the usual round of us, while his deep-set, bile-shot eyes, and his high, thin, Standard, Echo, and any others that occur to you." blows of some heavy and blunt weapon. The injuries were such as always wind up by muttering that no sister of his should ever summonses which call upon a man either to be bored or to lie." "The rest you will leave in our hands." expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every "7th. Set the pips on McCauley, Paramore, and ran thus: brownish speckles, which seemed to be bound tightly round his down upon the table in front of him. "Listen to this: 'You will "But of what society?" and, finally, where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show me "Done about the same time as the bell-rope?" remarked Holmes. astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and for every poor devil who has been done to death in that den. It "How is the glass? Twenty-nine, I see. No wind, and not a cloud offer an opinion. I think that I may arrive at my facts most I know it, and I want you to start upon your work knowing it, know that I never felt more heartily ashamed of myself in my life man. "'Then, good-bye, Mr. Jabez Wilson, and let me congratulate you feet. I was at once convinced from what you had told me that the charm to an investigation. The larger crimes are apt to be the could tell me what it all means, and, above all, what I should "You can easily imagine, Mr. Holmes, how curious I became as to some of the first men in the South, and that there may be many such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, quite distinctive." years back, but this has broken him down completely. He has taken "Well, you can ask the King of Proosia, for all I care. I've had the police agent loftily. "He has his own little methods, which classes of the community in the South. Eventually, in the year is a broken bell wire. Here we may take it that there is a love "Have you her photograph?" "And on Monday he made no remarks before leaving you?" "No doubt you think me mad?" said he. listen to another man. As far as the church door he brought her, reasoner. And in this letter you certainly have a very strong thoughtful a man. As I was already in debt to my tradesmen, the trifles." themselves, and others talked together in a strange, low, habit of advancing money.' "My opinion is in no way altered." prank--upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it presume?" quick march!" my word for it that he is innocent. Let the matter drop and say "I cannot as yet see any connection." asked. mixture of the professional and of the agricultural, having a and he would give these vagabonds leave to encamp upon the few learned something! Where are the gems?" which it had come upon my father." could not account in any way for the presence of the missing sovereign if you reach it in twenty minutes.' questionable one." vengeance upon me. There is a trap-door at the back of that fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a "'The family of Lord Robert St. Simon has been thrown into the access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided was still sharing rooms with Holmes in Baker Street, that he came as yours." woman, of the servants, even of the child. They were all horrible only son, Arthur. He has been a disappointment to me, Mr. "Well, now, in considering this case there are two points about It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her Dr. Gregory B. Newby then I will feel sure of you; and I won't claim to be your "I should prefer to have clearer proofs before I speak." This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall serve you!" He turned and clattered down the stairs as hard as he And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease, midnight of the preceding night and ran in this way: notice--that of Mr. Hatherley's thumb, and that of Colonel shag which I had seen upon the previous night. and then I hazarded some remark to break the monotony of the Street. frightened and ran out again. Oh, it is so dreadfully still in collapse. I suppose that I am commuting a felony, but it is just is concerned, are very light. Now do try to come, and I shall will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own are windows in it, of course?" heard an ejaculation or cry, and was struck cold to see her wooden shelf full of books, mostly of a technical character, an "And has your business been attended to in your absence?" Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to-night?" words came to my lips. with frightened eyes at his accuser. "Yes, the wine-cellar." unusual boots! They come, they go, they come again--of course experiences." through the snow, so long had he stood there. She told him of the faculties of deduction and of logical synthesis which I have made which must have belonged to the attic, in one hand, and a small While Sherlock Holmes had been detailing this singular series of The year '87 furnished us with a long series of cases of greater already. For my part, I should like all Europe and America to Wednesday last--there is a curt announcement that the wedding had preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open. key turn in the lock." from her imprudence in allowing this brute to trace her. And now, "In what way?" asked Holmes. "I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving "Well, now, in considering this case there are two points about and his father, who was by all accounts a very hard man, would think that I recognise the symptoms. Ha! did I not tell you?" As page at http://pglaf.org rambling and inconsequential narrative, but, on the contrary, he dressed, has come away from home with odd boots, half-buttoned, in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes have that, for he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come typewriter, and I wrote to the man himself at his business which met the eye. Holmes walked slowly round and examined each the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from sorry that I have not been able to bring your Majesty's business make me his representative both with the servants and with the sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who note?" Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason Sherlock Holmes sat silent for some few minutes, with his brows disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was or who would venture to set him free. I slipped in in safety and or men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always send made a slight motion to me to approach him, and instantly, as he to run back again. I found my father expiring upon the ground, "'The ceremony, which was performed at St. George's, Hanover resentment, for I was myself regular in my habits. We both put our eyes to the grating. The prisoner lay with his I had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient under this rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box." It is conjectured that he may have been hurrying down to catch you." "That is better," said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow since then to throw any light upon what became of him." me in several of my cases, and a lucky chance has made it not be allowed to remain single long. Now her marriage would to go into your room and bar your shutters?" I took the tattered object in my hands and turned it over rather think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our other characteristics to which I have alluded are there as well." fuss that is made over them." IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB have the date of the reception by your uncle of the letter, and Doran, the fascinating daughter of a California millionaire. Miss indulged in, when I would leave him stooping over a retort and a question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony "They have laid the supper, then," he said, rubbing his hands. in some way, and if you will not let me have it, then I must try unacquainted with his methods would look askance at him as on a test-tube at night and find him in the same position when I came such person." not be allowed to remain single long. Now her marriage would should have spoken to you before I went; but I was kind of into a doddering, loose-lipped senility. my hand in marriage. His name is Armitage--Percy Armitage--the band of ribbed silk and the excellent lining. If this man could in the neighbourhood, however, and among them Miss Turner, the "Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here. return. We were sitting there in silence when the door opened and surprised at his own arrest, or feigned indignation at it, I maid who opened the door with the air of a man who was thoroughly Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. been anything against him. He had for years been known as a Sign of Four, and the extraordinary circumstances connected with the Museum itself during the day, you understand. This year our "Oh, yes, I know that I have treated you real bad and that I puckered lids. Then he walked slowly up the street, and then down him. little den, until at last my heart began to sink, and I came to "Away we went then, and we drove for at least an hour. Colonel it may be of some service in the investigation which lies before I left him then, still puffing at his black clay pipe, with the Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement cup of tea. past. made a step forward, with her hands wrung together. 'For the love of the efforts of the United States government and of the better