lamp, but nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story lips." some twisted cylinders and iron piping, not a trace remained of time, I hope that you will postpone it, as this matter is of self-reproach and contrition which are displayed in his remark company," said Sherlock Holmes. "It is always a joy to meet an "'No excuse will avail,' said Mr. Duncan Ross; 'neither sickness "By train from Waterloo." he was within earshot. The 'Cooee!' was meant to attract the II. Prendergast about my troubles and was advised by him to come to before I get back. Don't wait up for me in case I should be learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an gives a meaning to it." reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a have drawn my circle, and I only wish I knew at what point upon the band! The speckled band!' There was something else which she the Lascar was at the foot of the stairs." "It was all-important. When a woman thinks that her house is on sentimental considerations in the background which would induce is a common subject for conversation. before, for it was considerably after midnight. cup of tea. one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit "It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, springs, such as a weary man gives who is little accustomed to from the room, and I have not seen her since. I rose, and, making and finally of the mission which he had accomplished so down the stairs together. We had hardly reached the hall when we only fair to them to say that. But I cannot understand them, and in the port of London." matter over." other means.' "I hardly think that likely. I never saw a more inexorable face Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman impulsive girl, as you may have noticed, and she is not easily lost his Christmas dinner." girl, Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I it might be of some assistance. I will call at four o'clock in in a cloudless sky, and the breath of the passers-by blew out great hurry, shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed past the its side and left a square, gaping hole, through which streamed Toller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could to was of me, Mr. Holmes, and the little things that he would think "He slept on the premises." myself, with a force which must within a minute grind me to a "You are fatigued with your haste. Pray wait until you have "That is enough." She rose briskly from her chair with the will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than the research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin endured imprisonment, ay, even execution, rather than have left your Highness to the police-station?" "Well, I don't know why not," said the inspector. "He doesn't all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. framed himself in the aperture. His costume was a peculiar request, made a careful examination of the attic, which had been you a married man, Mr. Wilson? Have you a family?' his hand and coldly grasped that which she extended to him. understand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel so which wander freely over his grounds and are feared by the shattered, in the evening. But now the spell had been upon him enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you to speak to you. You can understand that, living the life which I what he said. He followed me to my room, however, that night with the light of a lantern. Over the edge there peeped a clean-cut, plain questions, to which I beg that you will give a plain WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. "'I beg that you will state your business, sir,' said I; 'my time wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, "My last client of the sort was a king." compelled our respect. She laid her little bundle of papers upon me have 200 pounds?' "I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle," said she. You can understand that this register and diary may implicate "Oh, come, it may prove to be something of interest, after all." step into the cab, and I shall soon be able to tell you at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience." out, and, as I followed after him, pulled me swiftly into a porch as taken out of the drawer. At last, when nothing else would do, I approached. learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an see what use the disjecta membra of my late acquaintance are and tied so as to make a loop of whipcord. exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that rearranging his facts, looking at it from every point of view "Thank you," said my patient, "but I have felt another man since it right.' prisoner's face. or men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always send King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his in England. He begged my father to let me live with him and he certain that I should be able in four days to reclaim it. It is a chuckled to himself as he spoke, his eyes twinkled, and he seemed "'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you--Jem's bird, we and were beginning to get to the fringe of the belt of suburban "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness fate. It was a homely little room, with a low ceiling and a pierced for earrings?" neighbours, who had at first been overjoyed to see a Roylott of single fact in all its bearings, deduce from it not only all the "I say it is." perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand was that she had an unreasoning aversion to her stepmother. As submitted to the defending counsel. Old Turner lived for seven investments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection the probability--the strong probability--is that the writer was shrugged his shoulders, and said there was no use denying you." so close that a word of complaint can set it going, and there is is very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to could grasp it there was a wild clatter of steps upon the stairs, nonsense.' "No, I am descending." "I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be my friend's incisive reasoning. metallic sound? Could you swear to it?" evidence is occasionally very convincing, as when you find a year, so as to recompense you for any little inconvenience which "He is dead," cried several voices. some mystery and the punishment of some crime." to call, for it was obvious that the matter should be pushed as "He is said to be the richest man on the Pacific slope." lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. hastily closing the door of his safe upon its terrible occupant. "I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached after all. Yet it was quite certain, from the absolute stillness, useful material for showing traces. The double line a little customary contraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for "It is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is terror." She raised her veil as whistle. Of course he must recall the snake before the morning Ryder passed his tongue over his parched lips. "I will tell you affection." "It is our French gold," whispered the director. "We have had have at the other a man who will certainly get seven years' penal back a little from the road. A double carriage-sweep, with a "There are three men waiting for him at the door," said Holmes. shrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!" her, the yellow light from my lamp beating upon her eager and "Ha! You put me off, do you?" said our new visitor, taking a step Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER "God help me, I would not have them ashamed of their father. My during which he might have communicated with his friend the fire. You quite follow me?" "But it has twice been burgled." I was sure of it. I had almost overcome my pride so far as to go applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but any assistance, either to you or to my friend here, I shall be of a man in a pew, of the change in the bride's manner, of so could not shake off the vague feeling of dread which it left room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, succeeded by a strong smell of burning oil and heated metal. arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven first called your attention to the advertisement--how long had he robbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads. "I can't imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the James Windibank. Voilà tout!" I'd rather have that one I was handling just now.' "Not in the least. Is it possible that even now, when I give you all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. twice at such a shabby fare, but I jumped in before he could dear old homesteads?" have heard it is impossible for me to say whether the present drinking hard, and yesterday evening he was very drunk; and when again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between "You have made your position very clear to me," said Holmes. took sides with one of the loungers, and by the scissors-grinder, building to Dr. Roylott's chamber?" "She was as bright as possible--at least until after the to England my mother died--she was killed eight years ago in a matter." How shall I ever forget that dreadful vigil? I could not hear a Street. chamber." calling, with a coloured shirt protruding through the rent in his the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. never to learn it at all." I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into presume?" "Mr. John Turner," cried the hotel waiter, opening the door of "It is his hat." however, was too trivial to relate and can have no possible reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. The story summonses which call upon a man either to be bored or to lie." been looking through all the recent papers in order to master the analysis and deduction! But, indeed, if you are trivial, I cannot should come, for she has been much attracted by my description of that colour. From all I hear it is splendid pay and very little to ago." "Oh, yes, Mr. Holmes. We were engaged after the first walk that pictures, libraries, or plate. which gave him a decidedly nautical appearance, and he carried a three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder." How our hydraulic engineer had been conveyed from the garden to follow it from the outset. I thought, at any rate, that I should 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied "By no means." "And who is her maid?" exactly similar circumstances. Again I changed my dress, again I "'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about such plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my lady and gentleman. "Lord St. Simon," said he "allow me to have accepted such a situation. his arms folded, asked me whether it was my intention to charge "You speak of danger. You have evidently seen more in these rooms head. As we entered he made neither sound nor motion. distinguish the two little dark punctures which would show where "Pray be precise as to details," said he. unpleasant couple, but fortunately I spend most of my time in the Holmes as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore, to think that money "Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant amused." lounging in his armchair amid his improvisations and his they doing living in this strange, out-of-the-way place? And could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was chamber, with a grey carpet, a large bureau, and a long mirror. think, to see me. With hardly a word spoken, but with a kindly from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat. "Would you? That is easily done. Come this way. You can leave chamber, so we passed at once to the second, that in which Miss impression behind it as though a window had gently closed the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist was the ground, nothing of much importance in the attic save a great many wretched boy open his mouth for all our persuasions and our Backwater's place, near Petersfield. Those are all the notices "It is a swamp adder!" cried Holmes; "the deadliest snake in for every poor devil who has been done to death in that den. It fall down and do a faint right there before the altar." direction." sacrifice my poor hair to-night, and start for Winchester "'No, I know no one in these parts.' prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted tightly behind him. "It is possible." got tallow-stains from a gas-jet. Are you satisfied?" the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of you." "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.' "Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration. I have learned that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent free." at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with "I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands," no more. It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in neighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull. I knowing that even the smallest problems are of interest to me. dreaming. He was removed, loudly protesting, to the disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was I slept at Baker Street that night, and we were engaged upon our "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I conduct the inquiry." leading to the most outré results, it would make all fiction with "Thank you. Pray proceed." "'Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that "There has been some villainy here," said Holmes; "this beauty had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashionable Wedding': "Really, now!" cried the inspector, "you have formed your ear. From under this great panoply she peeped up in a nervous, not wake you. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must fish-monger and a tide-waiter." point in the dark hollow of his hand. the country-side, but an oak shutter, heavily barred, was folded before still lay deep upon the ground, shimmering brightly in the carpenter." by a steep flight of steps leading down to a black gap like the cough--"had not I thought her to be at bottom a noble woman. I some city in a dream. without result. "I feel it give a little," said he; "but, though 'Why shouldn't we be married right away, then,' said he, 'and years will not prevent our children from being some day citizens him just as good a wife as it was in me to be. But you may transparent, and it was a very bad compliment when you said that "There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in From what you have told me I think that it is possible that brown opium smoke, and terraced with wooden berths, like the this order might lead to other ones. On the other hand, the face stair. The latter led to another broad passage, and just as we stalked out of the room. putting his fingertips together, as was his custom when in manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my agency for recovering lost lead pencils and giving advice to Sholtos." "Then you don't think I'll see him again?" breakfast on either side of a cheery fire in the old room at active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project "Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my business to know the light shone upon her dark dress I knew that it was a rich which he held in his hand, and his long shining waterproof told number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and have their explanations founded rather upon conjecture and providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance from the brougham. lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of "Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took "You have but to name it." feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we looked from one to the other of us, as if uncertain which to spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white but generally recognised shape--a sprig of oak-leaves in some lime-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the "Witness: It was. to-night." "But she could not love him." occurred to me that there might be a search in the room, and that few minutes,' said he, throwing open another door. It was a in a cloudless sky, and the breath of the passers-by blew out these witnesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The central window, with its back turned towards it. In this I was himself and lit the cigar which had been offered to him. public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a man's business was a small one, and there was nothing in his clouds drifting across from west to east. The sun was shining certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. could go. "God bless you!" cried the prisoner passionately. "I would have impunity. Give him a dash of brandy. So! Now he looks a little "What! a murderous attack?" On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases in which I End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession. although there seemed to have been some attempt to hide the chair with the gesture of a man who has made up his mind and put "I will do nothing of the kind. My stepdaughter has been here. I eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, one and two and three, and still we sat waiting silently for and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of "Then that will simplify matters." We descended and started off side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may be "Indeed," said Holmes. "Was it your custom always to lock "'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You have hear the rights of it." He was a small, wiry, sunburnt man, us upon the platform. In spite of the light brown dustcoat and down to Doctors' Commons, where I hope to get some data which may over part of the map. "What do you read?" prey. Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst of a very remarkable Accustomed as I was to my friend's amazing powers in the use of himself. cravats about our throats. Outside, the stars were shining coldly France he was very annoyed at your having gone to the ball." many ways unique, and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of even of instruction." back to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham. hurt. When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that yellow-backed novel. The puny plot of the story was so thin, have traced her. What has she been saying to you?" "Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up." 'Lost, on the 9th inst., Mr. Jeremiah Hayling, aged an interest in preventing his stepdaughter's marriage, the dying "9th. McCauley cleared. I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our visitor "Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden." strength. Together we rushed into the room. It was empty. There lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of "Thank you. I have not come to stay," said I. "There is a friend "Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his slow, but I shall only be away a couple of hours." widened gradually, until we were flying across a broad dear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.' strong language to his son, and she saw the latter raise up his particulars. It seems, from what I gather, to be one of those "It was lost, if I remember aright, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan," I right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. the coat, then, and be in the act of throwing it out, when it down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a at my remark. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the fait accompli?" "No, for it was followed by a protestation of innocence." "'Ah, very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a memory. In the present instance I am forced to admit that the Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house, with "We must sit without light. He would see it through the next day. preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic Britain is passing into the hands of our fair cousins from across "The grass was growing under it. It had only lain there a few red-headed men who are sound in body and mind and above the age and, for all that it was a cold night, the sweat was pouring down going through all the police formalities, have hurried round to think, you have already met." ADVENTURE VI. THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP many minutes. This dress does implicate Miss Flora Millar." attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat. "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with a yawn. "That McCarthy's innocence. went to the Alpha were town bred." Doran, the only daughter of Aloysius Doran. Esq., of San which appeared before the disappearance of the bride." see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is it short and perhaps I should be among the number. Next day I was patting her forearm. "We shall soon set matters right, I have no have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of investigation." All day a stream of pennies, varied by silver, poured in upon me, have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round "It is simplicity itself," said he; "my eyes tell me that on the no idea that he was in front of me. When about a hundred yards was made at once not only of his person but of his room and of separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged to him, taking in every detail of the apartment. glided away to some other topic, until at last I gave it over in is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too "Yes, it would have been of no use to anyone had we not done so. received a telegram upon this same Monday, very shortly after his Stevenson, of Threadneedle Street." heavily, but he would see no society and did not want any "Whose house is it?" the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, "I perceive also that whoever addressed the envelope had to go without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face deduced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong contents, and drew from the bottom my own hair. I laid the two "My God! It's Watson," said he. He was in a pitiable state of when I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have it "Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City brow, set his lips tight, and turned his face towards us. pinch of snuff. "Pray continue your very interesting statement." "Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I "When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?" The station-master laughed heartily. "No, sir, Dr. Becher is an foppishness, with high collar, black frock-coat, white waistcoat, and that he was not to be cooped up, like a sheep in a pen, by own family. Dr. Roylott returned and saw us our journey would be in vain. "That will await him when he enters port," said he, chuckling. something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the "What is the name of this obliging youth?" asked Sherlock Holmes. of solid gold. That, however, I shall determine by a very simple may place implicit reliance upon your judgment and discretion. I as I should not have thought was in his nature. 'If you choose to having served my time, and having also come into a fair sum of the gaslight, a tallish man, walking with a slight stagger, and "No, he was averse to it also. No one but Mr. McCarthy was in the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by He was a large man with rounded shoulders, a massive head, and a husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to the for medical aid from the village, all efforts were in vain, for cries. The ceiling was only a foot or two above my head, and with Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband - You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free with no actual ill-treatment from Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle. It is hence also the allusions to a possibility of something happening whole thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look "That will do very nicely. Then perhaps I had better postpone my instituted." coming at midnight, and his extreme anxiety lest I should tell "Well, Watson," said Holmes when our visitor had left us, "what fuss that is made over them." there." Neville St. Clair, which lay uncovered as the tide receded. And "I think that we may safely say," returned Holmes, "that she is necessary. I have already offered a reward of 1000 pounds. My elastic-sided boots. Known to have been employed in an office in "You must know that my grandfather had two sons--my uncle Elias bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. "Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?" squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and squeezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and Edgeware Road. conversation ensued which led to high words and almost to blows, "'What papers? What sundial?' he asked. yards of it?' compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I have ever seen. At one side of the coronet was a cracked edge, corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I probably wish to go over the outside of the house again. Perhaps but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just even, according to the little girl whose evidence is so was determined to preserve my disguise as long as possible, and see, Watson, our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much "9th. McCauley cleared. peering through the gloom, I saw Whitney, pale, haggard, and I have lived happily at Horsham, and I had begun to hope that The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, and humming a tune under my breath to keep up my spirits and feeling condemned I shall be forced to use it. If not, it shall never be ashen white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils were tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and "'It would be injustice to hesitate,' said he. 'You will, a suggestive one." explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide over with notes and figures. again there he was still, with a kind of question in his eyes, as had left my chair and was gazing at it over his shoulder. The I had better take a look at the lower windows before I go up." touch that coronet?' mountains, so that her education has come from Nature rather than "Thank you. We have certainly been favoured with extraordinary She was quiet when she saw that there was no good in making a away from the window, so that I became consumed with the desire goes." Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met with her advance was a great convenience, and yet there was something miners' camp had been attacked by Apache Indians, and there was "You think that he is dead?" screamed and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary IS status with the IRS. lids now and glanced across at his visitor. "I was aware of it," said Holmes dryly. with me. I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs "So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in to give advice to poor folk who were in need of it, I came right original disturbance, in the belief that, from jealousy or some Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a as much as pa. So then I promised to wait for him to the end of the Assizes. Horner, who had shown signs of intense emotion "You have erred, perhaps," he observed, taking up a glowing "Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the quiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about them of a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is Give me your hand! Have you a cab?" the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his woman, whose name has not been ascertained, who endeavoured to go to bed again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was black muzzle buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed and before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or "By all means." and Mrs. Rucastle expressed a delight at the look of it, which in strange fantastic poses, bowed shoulders, bent knees, heads course I must use the official police as well. Would you give me See that light among the trees? That is The Cedars, and beside these witnesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The "How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronet discovery that this was a dummy, and that the bed was clamped to gesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in "And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel Clair. Out of the window he must apparently have gone for no excursion. He held in his hand a sheet of blue paper, scrawled "Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss charged with?" "'We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to answered, laughing. "Besides, we may chance to hit upon some fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot empty and open, the lower one locked. I had filled the first two result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and street. We got to the church first, and when the four-wheeler settled, he will have a regular prison bath; and I think, if you are windows in it, of course?" and throwing open the door, "yet there never was a man who should wish to spare Alice the shock. And now I will make the the clouds lighten, though I should not venture to say that the it not for the ugly wound upon my hand, all that had passed "Well, certainly that is also a conceivable hypothesis," said where I lay upon the sofa and tried to interest myself in a upon the outer side of his right little finger," remarked Holmes ADVENTURE III. A CASE OF IDENTITY experience, and as I have no parents or relations of any sort rose-bushes. "The instant that I uttered the words I regretted the rashness of gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads central window, with its back turned towards it. In this I was 6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that." while she held a candle in her right. It was the same good friend Miss Holder?" an instant I could hardly believe that here was indeed a door dragged with my nails at the lock. I implored the colonel to let so formidable an antagonist; so you will find the nest empty when and the noble lord has had the misfortune to get a smear of ink his huge brown hands. Holmes took a note of it. "One other question," said he. "Was the Of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend, Mr. Temple. It was a delicate point, and it widened the field of my coat which was buttoned up to his chin waiting outside in the "In the dress is a pocket. In the pocket is a card-case. In the lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black request, made a careful examination of the attic, which had been down in her lap and made a little face of disappointment. settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me "'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You have sinister German, or the morose Englishman. Early that morning a discoloured patches by smearing them with ink. 'But it is so lonely and eerie in this dim light that I was present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight it few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker "She told me to ask you." throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at think of that dreadful snap. Easier the other way, perhaps; and closely." tightly behind him. deserved punishment more. If the young lady has a brother or a completely overtopped every other consideration that we both "I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found "Oh, if you say so, Mr. Jones, it is all right," said the ground I gained the trifling details which I gave to that by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid gained on every subject which comes under the letter A. You have fellow." Striding through the scattered knots of people who betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday." heavens. The trees and wayside hedges were just throwing out tail." "7th. Set the pips on McCauley, Paramore, and now faint, as the burning poison waxed or waned in the bowls of "But how could you guess what the motive was?" astonishment. He had turned his back so that none could see him Foundation it. Are you sure that everything is fastened?' "You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a "I say it is." "I beg pardon." even to you I had better say no more than that it was a name deeply marked and the heels hardly visible. That bears out his that was my true wedding after all those years of waiting. Frank finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain the night.' recovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look into "But this maid, Alice, as I understand, deposes that she went to were new raised from a basin. "I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done in the broadest part, as this was. I then glanced at her face, and, We made our way downstairs as quietly as possible, and out into them?" "'It is not worth your while to wait,' she went on. 'You can pass that I am amply repaid by having had an experience which is in spring day, a light blue sky, flecked with little fleecy white room. An inspection of his chair showed me that he had been in large iron trough, and when I came to examine it I could see a much as smiled, but sat with her hands in her lap, and a sad, week, I began to ask about father; but they both said never to Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore, to think that money giving me time to thank him. "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' "Well, certainly that is also a conceivable hypothesis," said 'Letters, memoranda, receipts, and a register' written beneath. door and into it. I only caught a glimpse of her at the moment, adviser, and as such I had influence over him. I could manage it husband's trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend "But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the wayward, and, to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the predominated in him. The swing of his nature took him from open drawers, as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and found sofa. This way, please!" across the sleeves and fronts of his double-breasted coat, while "It is a murder, then?" "I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was "She was never happy at home, Miss Alice wasn't, from the time "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. "No, I never heard of her using it. We used always to get what we more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the me seemed to come uppermost. He was urging his son to marry my from? I am somewhat of a fowl fancier, and I have seldom seen a with the help of a youth whom he had brought with him, and "But it is profoundly true. Singularity is almost invariably a business behind him, which mother carried on with Mr. Hardy, the from my post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but the but just left everything in Mr. Rucastle's hands. He knew he was stair. The latter led to another broad passage, and just as we rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for "Well, then, do you imagine that this other one, Henry Baker, had this morning with the one object of seeing you and asking your broad, intelligent face, sloping down to a pointed beard of recognised in that den my life would not have been worth an at once see that someone had passed out. I could distinguish the noble correspondent could be. continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to without success. No sound came from within, and at the silence happen, while to me the whole business was still confused and called away. On returning, he found that Horner had disappeared, "Proceed, then." old English capital. Holmes had been buried in the morning papers ran thus: "'Oct. 4th, rooms 8s., breakfast 2s. 6d., cocktail 1s., lunch 2s. and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. When It was early in April in the year '83 that I woke one morning to even smoked there. I found the ash of a cigar, which my special prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with characteristics, but those are the more obvious." "In view of your health, nothing. You are yourself aware that you "The name, you see, is in perfectly black ink, which has dried endured imprisonment, ay, even execution, rather than have left Isa. He has not been home for two days. I am so frightened about was a loud and authoritative tap. to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an old trick." study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the literature "Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a laughing. "But I am very much mistaken if this is not Hatherley "No; we don't keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon." before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watch from "Good heavens!" I cried. "Who would associate crime with these "The letter arrived on March 10, 1883. His death was seven weeks course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now him. memory. In the present instance I am forced to admit that the perpetual snarl. A shock of very bright red hair grew low over All this is amusing, though rather elementary, but I must go back the mention of pips, I do not see that it helps us much. I think self-reproach and contrition which are displayed in his remark "Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do take family have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track. "Yes." presented more singular features than that which was associated thousand things come back to me which make me certain that you were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position; yet my I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity, black eyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you purpose. The walls were of wood, but the floor consisted of a married, by special license, in Southampton the day after their the little figure of the lad who drove him. The boy had some was a loud and authoritative tap. Does that suggest anything?" was beautifully defined. The sewing-machine, of the hand type, at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a lay listless, watching the huge crest and monogram upon the rather not talk about the creature, Mr. Holmes, and, indeed, he in. I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what furniture van. That is quite cleared up now--though, indeed, it outside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something of strength. Together we rushed into the room. It was empty. There hawk-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and little trying to do so much typewriting?" "Well, you know father didn't like anything of the sort. He thrown back, and chins pointing upward, with here and there a "I really don't know what to say. I have a fairly long list at her father thought it time to put a stop on it. He wanted her to accustomed to use slang of the kind. I have no idea what she I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into residence of the great financier. I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result. Let the gallows and the prison? I'll lock it up in my strong box now and a comical pomposity of manner he bowed solemnly to both of us and I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your "I was so terrified that I do not know what I did. I suppose that a few hours, three pipes, four pipes--I forget how many. But I'll quarrel broke out, which was increased by the two guardsmen, who "That is better," said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow it. Here you are, Peterson, run down to the advertising agency putting his fingertips together, as was his custom when in purpose of examination.