A Study In Scarlet

Arthur Conan Doyle

**The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Study In Scarlet, by Doyle** Please take a look at the !"ortant nfor!at on n th s header# $e encourage you to kee" th s f le on your o%n d sk, kee" ng an electron c "ath o"en for the next readers# Do not re!o&e th s# **$elco!e To The $orld of 'ree Pla n (an lla Electron c Texts** **Etexts )eadable *y *oth +u!ans and *y Co!"uters, S nce ,-.,** *These Etexts Pre"ared *y +undreds of (olunteers and Donat ons* Infor!at on on contact ng Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and further nfor!at on s ncluded belo%# $e need your donat ons# A Study In Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle A"r l, ,--/ 0Etext 12334 **The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Study In Scarlet, by Doyle** *****Th s f le should be na!ed study,5#txt or study,5#6 "****** Corrected EDITI78S of our etexts get a ne% 89:*E), study,5#txt# (E)SI78S based on se"arate sources get ne% ;ETTE), study,5a#txt# Etext "re"ared by )oger S<u res rs<u res=un!#edu $e are no% try ng to release all our books one !onth n ad&ance of the off c al release dates, for t !e for better ed t ng# Please note> ne ther th s l st nor ts contents are f nal t ll ! dn ght of the last day of the !onth of any such announce!ent# The off c al release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts s at : dn ght, Central T !e, of the last day of the stated !onth# A "rel ! nary &ers on !ay often be "osted for suggest on, co!!ent and ed t ng by those %ho % sh to do so# To be sure you ha&e an u" to date f rst ed t on 0xxxxx,5x#xxx4 "lease check f le s 6es n the f rst %eek of the next !onth# S nce our ft" "rogra! has a bug n t that scra!bles the date 0tr ed to f x and fa led4 a look at the f le s 6e % ll ha&e to do, but %e % ll try to see a ne% co"y has at least one byte !ore or less# Infor!at on about Project Gutenberg ?one "age@

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C+APTE) I# :)# S+E);7CR +7;:ES# I8 the year ,H.H I took !y degree of Doctor of :ed c ne of the 9n &ers ty of ;ondon, and "roceeded to 8etley to go through the course "rescr bed for surgeons n the ar!y# +a& ng co!"leted !y stud es there, I %as duly attached to the ' fth 8orthu!berland 'us l ers as Ass stant Surgeon# The reg !ent %as stat oned n Ind a at the t !e, and before

I could jo n t, the second Afghan %ar had broken out# 7n land ng at *o!bay, I learned that !y cor"s had ad&anced through the "asses, and %as already dee" n the ene!yMs country# I follo%ed, ho%e&er, % th !any other off cers %ho %ere n the sa!e s tuat on as !yself, and succeeded n reach ng Candahar n safety, %here I found !y reg !ent, and at once entered u"on !y ne% dut es# The ca!"a gn brought honours and "ro!ot on to !any, but for !e t had noth ng but ! sfortune and d saster# I %as re!o&ed fro! !y br gade and attached to the *erksh res, % th %ho! I ser&ed at the fatal battle of :a %and# There I %as struck on the shoulder by a Ne6a l bullet, %h ch shattered the bone and gra6ed the subcla& an artery# I should ha&e fallen nto the hands of the !urderous Gha6 s had t not been for the de&ot on and courage sho%n by :urray, !y orderly, %ho thre% !e across a "ackOhorse, and succeeded n br ng ng !e safely to the *r t sh l nes# $orn % th "a n, and %eak fro! the "rolonged hardsh "s %h ch I had undergone, I %as re!o&ed, % th a great tra n of %ounded sufferers, to the base hos" tal at Pesha%ar# +ere I rall ed, and had already !"ro&ed so far as to be able to %alk about the %ards, and e&en to bask a l ttle u"on the &erandah, %hen I %as struck do%n by enter c fe&er, that curse of our Ind an "ossess ons# 'or !onths !y l fe %as des"a red of, and %hen at last I ca!e to !yself and beca!e con&alescent, I %as so %eak and e!ac ated that a !ed cal board deter! ned that not a day should be lost n send ng !e back to England# I %as d s"atched, accord ngly, n the troo"sh " F7rontes,F and landed a !onth later on Ports!outh jetty, % th !y health rretr e&ably ru ned, but % th "er! ss on fro! a "aternal go&ern!ent to s"end the next n ne !onths n atte!"t ng to !"ro&e t# I had ne ther k th nor k n n England, and %as therefore as free as a r OO or as free as an nco!e of ele&en sh ll ngs and s x"ence a day % ll "er! t a !an to be# 9nder such c rcu!stances, I naturally gra& tated to ;ondon, that great cess"ool nto %h ch all the loungers and dlers of the E!" re are rres st bly dra ned# There I stayed for so!e t !e at a "r &ate hotel n the Strand, lead ng a co!fortless, !ean ngless ex stence, and s"end ng such !oney as I had, cons derably !ore freely than I ought# So alar! ng d d the state of !y f nances beco!e, that I soon real 6ed that I !ust e ther lea&e the !etro"ol s and rust cate so!e%here n the country, or that I !ust !ake a co!"lete alterat on n !y style of l & ng# Choos ng the latter alternat &e, I began by !ak ng u" !y ! nd to lea&e the hotel, and to take u" !y <uarters n so!e less "retent ous and less ex"ens &e do! c le# 7n the &ery day that I had co!e to th s conclus on, I %as stand ng at the Cr ter on *ar, %hen so!e one ta""ed !e on the shoulder, and turn ng round I recogn 6ed young Sta!ford, %ho had been a dresser under !e at *arts# The s ght of a fr endly face n the great % lderness of ;ondon s a "leasant th ng ndeed to a lonely !an# In old days Sta!ford had ne&er been a "art cular crony of ! ne, but no% I ha led h ! % th

enthus as!, and he, n h s turn, a""eared to be del ghted to see !e# In the exuberance of !y joy, I asked h ! to lunch % th !e at the +olborn, and %e started off together n a hanso!# F$hate&er ha&e you been do ng % th yourself, $atsonKF he asked n und sgu sed %onder, as %e rattled through the cro%ded ;ondon streets# FLou are as th n as a lath and as bro%n as a nut#F I ga&e h ! a short sketch of !y ad&entures, and had hardly concluded t by the t !e that %e reached our dest nat on# FPoor de& lEF he sa d, co!! serat ngly, after he had l stened to !y ! sfortunes# F$hat are you u" to no%KF F;ook ng for lodg ngs#F UBV I ans%ered# FTry ng to sol&e the "roble! as to %hether t s "oss ble to get co!fortable roo!s at a reasonable "r ce#F FThatMs a strange th ng,F re!arked !y co!"an onP Fyou are the second !an toOday that has used that ex"ress on to !e#F FAnd %ho %as the f rstKF I asked# FA fello% %ho s %ork ng at the che! cal laboratory u" at the hos" tal# +e %as be!oan ng h !self th s !orn ng because he could not get so!eone to go hal&es % th h ! n so!e n ce roo!s %h ch he had found, and %h ch %ere too !uch for h s "urse#F F*y No&eEF I cr ed, F f he really %ants so!eone to share the roo!s and the ex"ense, I a! the &ery !an for h !# I should "refer ha& ng a "artner to be ng alone#F Loung Sta!ford looked rather strangely at !e o&er h s % neOglass# FLou donMt kno% Sherlock +ol!es yet,F he sa dP F"erha"s you %ould not care for h ! as a constant co!"an on#F F$hy, %hat s there aga nst h !KF F7h, I d dnMt say there %as anyth ng aga nst h !# +e s a l ttle <ueer n h s deas OO an enthus ast n so!e branches of sc ence# As far as I kno% he s a decent fello% enough#F FA !ed cal student, I su""oseKF sa d I# F8o OO I ha&e no dea %hat he ntends to go n for# I bel e&e he s %ell u" n anato!y, and he s a f rstOclass che! stP but, as far as I kno%, he has ne&er taken out any syste!at c !ed cal classes# + s stud es are &ery desultory and eccentr c, but he has a!assed a lot of outOofOthe %ay kno%ledge %h ch %ould aston sh h s "rofessors#F FD d you ne&er ask h ! %hat he %as go ng n forKF I asked# F8oP he s not a !an that t s easy to dra% out, though he can be co!!un cat &e enough %hen the fancy se 6es h !#F FI should l ke to !eet h !,F I sa d# FIf I a! to lodge % th

anyone, I should "refer a !an of stud ous and <u et hab ts# I a! not strong enough yet to stand !uch no se or exc te!ent# I had enough of both n Afghan stan to last !e for the re!a nder of !y natural ex stence# +o% could I !eet th s fr end of yoursKF F+e s sure to be at the laboratory,F returned !y co!"an on# F+e e ther a&o ds the "lace for %eeks, or else he %orks there fro! !orn ng to n ght# If you l ke, %e shall dr &e round together after luncheon#F FCerta nly,F I ans%ered, and the con&ersat on dr fted a%ay nto other channels# As %e !ade our %ay to the hos" tal after lea& ng the +olborn, Sta!ford ga&e !e a fe% !ore "art culars about the gentle!an %ho! I "ro"osed to take as a fello%Olodger# FLou !ustnMt bla!e !e f you donMt get on % th h !,F he sa dP FI kno% noth ng !ore of h ! than I ha&e learned fro! !eet ng h ! occas onally n the laboratory# Lou "ro"osed th s arrange!ent, so you !ust not hold !e res"ons ble#F FIf %e donMt get on t % ll be easy to "art co!"any,F I ans%ered# FIt see!s to !e, Sta!ford,F I added, look ng hard at !y co!"an on, Fthat you ha&e so!e reason for %ash ng your hands of the !atter# Is th s fello%Ms te!"er so for! dable, or %hat s tK DonMt be !ealyO!outhed about t#F FIt s not easy to ex"ress the nex"ress ble,F he ans%ered % th a laugh# F+ol!es s a l ttle too sc ent f c for !y tastes OO t a""roaches to coldObloodedness# I could !ag ne h s g & ng a fr end a l ttle " nch of the latest &egetable alkalo d, not out of !ale&olence, you understand, but s !"ly out of a s" r t of n<u ry n order to ha&e an accurate dea of the effects# To do h ! just ce, I th nk that he %ould take t h !self % th the sa!e read ness# +e a""ears to ha&e a "ass on for def n te and exact kno%ledge#F F(ery r ght too#F FLes, but t !ay be "ushed to excess# $hen t co!es to beat ng the subjects n the d ssect ngOroo!s % th a st ck, t s certa nly tak ng rather a b 6arre sha"e#F F*eat ng the subjectsEF FLes, to &er fy ho% far bru ses !ay be "roduced after death# I sa% h ! at t % th !y o%n eyes#F FAnd yet you say he s not a !ed cal studentKF F8o# +ea&en kno%s %hat the objects of h s stud es are# *ut here %e are, and you !ust for! your o%n !"ress ons about h !#F As he s"oke, %e turned do%n a narro% lane and "assed through a s!all s deOdoor, %h ch o"ened nto a % ng of the great hos" tal# It %as fa! l ar ground to !e, and I needed no gu d ng as %e ascended the bleak stone sta rcase and !ade

our %ay do%n the long corr dor % th ts & sta of %h te%ashed %all and dunOcoloured doors# 8ear the further end a lo% arched "assage branched a%ay fro! t and led to the che! cal laboratory# Th s %as a lofty cha!ber, l ned and l ttered % th countless bottles# *road, lo% tables %ere scattered about, %h ch br stled % th retorts, testOtubes, and l ttle *unsen la!"s, % th the r blue fl cker ng fla!es# There %as only one student n the roo!, %ho %as bend ng o&er a d stant table absorbed n h s %ork# At the sound of our ste"s he glanced round and s"rang to h s feet % th a cry of "leasure# FIM&e found tE IM&e found t,F he shouted to !y co!"an on, runn ng to%ards us % th a testOtube n h s hand# FI ha&e found a reOagent %h ch s "rec " tated by hoe!oglob n, U3V and by noth ng else#F +ad he d sco&ered a gold ! ne, greater del ght could not ha&e shone u"on h s features# FDr# $atson, :r# Sherlock +ol!es,F sa d Sta!ford, ntroduc ng us# F+o% are youKF he sa d cord ally, gr "" ng !y hand % th a strength for %h ch I should hardly ha&e g &en h ! cred t# FLou ha&e been n Afghan stan, I "erce &e#F F+o% on earth d d you kno% thatKF I asked n aston sh!ent# F8e&er ! nd,F sa d he, chuckl ng to h !self# FThe <uest on no% s about hoe!oglob n# 8o doubt you see the s gn f cance of th s d sco&ery of ! neKF FIt s nterest ng, che! cally, no doubt,F I ans%ered, Fbut "ract cally OOOOF F$hy, !an, t s the !ost "ract cal !ed coOlegal d sco&ery for years# DonMt you see that t g &es us an nfall ble test for blood sta ns# Co!e o&er here no%EF +e se 6ed !e by the coatOslee&e n h s eagerness, and dre% !e o&er to the table at %h ch he had been %ork ng# F;et us ha&e so!e fresh blood,F he sa d, d gg ng a long bodk n nto h s f nger, and dra% ng off the result ng dro" of blood n a che! cal " "ette# F8o%, I add th s s!all <uant ty of blood to a l tre of %ater# Lou "erce &e that the result ng ! xture has the a""earance of "ure %ater# The "ro"ort on of blood cannot be !ore than one n a ! ll on# I ha&e no doubt, ho%e&er, that %e shall be able to obta n the character st c react on#F As he s"oke, he thre% nto the &essel a fe% %h te crystals, and then added so!e dro"s of a trans"arent flu d# In an nstant the contents assu!ed a dull !ahogany colour, and a bro%n sh dust %as "rec " tated to the botto! of the glass jar# F+aE haEF he cr ed, cla"" ng h s hands, and look ng as del ghted as a ch ld % th a ne% toy# F$hat do you th nk of thatKF FIt see!s to be a &ery del cate test,F I re!arked# F*eaut fulE beaut fulE The old Gu acu! test %as &ery clu!sy and uncerta n# So s the ! crosco" c exa! nat on for blood cor"uscles# The latter s &alueless f the sta ns are a fe% hours old# 8o%, th s a""ears to act as %ell %hether the

blood s old or ne%# +ad th s test been n&ented, there are hundreds of !en no% %alk ng the earth %ho %ould long ago ha&e "a d the "enalty of the r cr !es#F FIndeedEF I !ur!ured# FCr ! nal cases are cont nually h ng ng u"on that one "o nt# A !an s sus"ected of a cr !e !onths "erha"s after t has been co!! tted# + s l nen or clothes are exa! ned, and bro%n sh sta ns d sco&ered u"on the!# Are they blood sta ns, or !ud sta ns, or rust sta ns, or fru t sta ns, or %hat are theyK That s a <uest on %h ch has "u66led !any an ex"ert, and %hyK *ecause there %as no rel able test# 8o% %e ha&e the Sherlock +ol!esM test, and there % ll no longer be any d ff culty#F + s eyes fa rly gl ttered as he s"oke, and he "ut h s hand o&er h s heart and bo%ed as f to so!e a""laud ng cro%d conjured u" by h s !ag nat on# FLou are to be congratulated,F I re!arked, cons derably sur"r sed at h s enthus as!# FThere %as the case of (on * schoff at 'rankfort last year# +e %ould certa nly ha&e been hung had th s test been n ex stence# Then there %as :ason of *radford, and the notor ous :uller, and ;efe&re of :ont"ell er, and Sa!son of ne% 7rleans# I could na!e a score of cases n %h ch t %ould ha&e been dec s &e#F FLou see! to be a %alk ng calendar of cr !e,F sa d Sta!ford % th a laugh# FLou ! ght start a "a"er on those l nes# Call t the WPol ce 8e%s of the Past#MF F(ery nterest ng read ng t ! ght be !ade, too,F re!arked Sherlock +ol!es, st ck ng a s!all " ece of "laster o&er the "r ck on h s f nger# FI ha&e to be careful,F he cont nued, turn ng to !e % th a s! le, Ffor I dabble % th "o sons a good deal#F +e held out h s hand as he s"oke, and I not ced that t %as all !ottled o&er % th s ! lar " eces of "laster, and d scoloured % th strong ac ds# F$e ca!e here on bus ness,F sa d Sta!ford, s tt ng do%n on a h gh threeOlegged stool, and "ush ng another one n !y d rect on % th h s foot# F:y fr end here %ants to take d gg ngs, and as you %ere co!"la n ng that you could get no one to go hal&es % th you, I thought that I had better br ng you together#F Sherlock +ol!es see!ed del ghted at the dea of shar ng h s roo!s % th !e# FI ha&e !y eye on a su te n *aker Street,F he sa d, F%h ch %ould su t us do%n to the ground# Lou donMt ! nd the s!ell of strong tobacco, I ho"eKF FI al%ays s!oke Wsh "MsM !yself,F I ans%ered# FThatMs good enough# I generally ha&e che! cals about, and occas onally do ex"er !ents# $ould that annoy youKF

F*y no !eans#F F;et !e see OO %hat are !y other shortco! ngs# I get n the du!"s at t !es, and donMt o"en !y !outh for days on end# Lou !ust not th nk I a! sulky %hen I do that# Nust let !e alone, and IMll soon be r ght# $hat ha&e you to confess no%K ItMs just as %ell for t%o fello%s to kno% the %orst of one another before they beg n to l &e together#F I laughed at th s crossOexa! nat on# FI kee" a bull "u",F I sa d, Fand I object to ro%s because !y ner&es are shaken, and I get u" at all sorts of ungodly hours, and I a! extre!ely la6y# I ha&e another set of & ces %hen IM! %ell, but those are the "r nc "al ones at "resent#F FDo you nclude & ol nO"lay ng n your category of ro%sKF he asked, anx ously# FIt de"ends on the "layer,F I ans%ered# FA %ellO"layed & ol n s a treat for the gods OO a badlyO"layed one OOOOF F7h, thatMs all r ght,F he cr ed, % th a !erry laugh# FI th nk %e !ay cons der the th ng as settled OO that s, f the roo!s are agreeable to you#F F$hen shall %e see the!KF FCall for !e here at noon toO!orro%, and %eMll go together and settle e&eryth ng,F he ans%ered# FAll r ght OO noon exactly,F sa d I, shak ng h s hand# $e left h ! %ork ng a!ong h s che! cals, and %e %alked together to%ards !y hotel# F*y the %ay,F I asked suddenly, sto"" ng and turn ng u"on Sta!ford, Fho% the deuce d d he kno% that I had co!e fro! Afghan stanKF :y co!"an on s! led an en g!at cal s! le# FThatMs just h s l ttle "ecul ar ty,F he sa d# FA good !any "eo"le ha&e %anted to kno% ho% he f nds th ngs out#F F7hE a !ystery s tKF I cr ed, rubb ng !y hands# FTh s s &ery " <uant# I a! !uch obl ged to you for br ng ng us together# WThe "ro"er study of !ank nd s !an,M you kno%#F FLou !ust study h !, then,F Sta!ford sa d, as he bade !e goodObye# FLouMll f nd h ! a knotty "roble!, though# IMll %ager he learns !ore about you than you about h !# GoodObye#F FGoodObye,F I ans%ered, and strolled on to !y hotel, cons derably nterested n !y ne% ac<ua ntance#

C+APTE) II#

T+E SCIE8CE 7' DED9CTI78# $E !et next day as he had arranged, and ns"ected the roo!s at 8o# 22,*, U/V *aker Street, of %h ch he had s"oken at our !eet ng# They cons sted of a cou"le of co!fortable bedOroo!s and a s ngle large a ry s tt ngOroo!, cheerfully furn shed, and llu! nated by t%o broad % ndo%s# So des rable n e&ery %ay %ere the a"art!ents, and so !oderate d d the ter!s see! %hen d & ded bet%een us, that the barga n %as concluded u"on the s"ot, and %e at once entered nto "ossess on# That &ery e&en ng I !o&ed !y th ngs round fro! the hotel, and on the follo% ng !orn ng Sherlock +ol!es follo%ed !e % th se&eral boxes and "ort!anteaus# 'or a day or t%o %e %ere bus ly e!"loyed n un"ack ng and lay ng out our "ro"erty to the best ad&antage# That done, %e gradually began to settle do%n and to acco!!odate oursel&es to our ne% surround ngs# +ol!es %as certa nly not a d ff cult !an to l &e % th# +e %as <u et n h s %ays, and h s hab ts %ere regular# It %as rare for h ! to be u" after ten at n ght, and he had n&ar ably breakfasted and gone out before I rose n the !orn ng# So!et !es he s"ent h s day at the che! cal laboratory, so!et !es n the d ssect ngOroo!s, and occas onally n long %alks, %h ch a""eared to take h ! nto the lo%est "ort ons of the C ty# 8oth ng could exceed h s energy %hen the %ork ng f t %as u"on h !P but no% and aga n a react on %ould se 6e h !, and for days on end he %ould l e u"on the sofa n the s tt ngOroo!, hardly utter ng a %ord or !o& ng a !uscle fro! !orn ng to n ght# 7n these occas ons I ha&e not ced such a drea!y, &acant ex"ress on n h s eyes, that I ! ght ha&e sus"ected h ! of be ng add cted to the use of so!e narcot c, had not the te!"erance and cleanl ness of h s %hole l fe forb dden such a not on# As the %eeks %ent by, !y nterest n h ! and !y cur os ty as to h s a !s n l fe, gradually dee"ened and ncreased# + s &ery "erson and a""earance %ere such as to str ke the attent on of the !ost casual obser&er# In he ght he %as rather o&er s x feet, and so excess &ely lean that he see!ed to be cons derably taller# + s eyes %ere shar" and " erc ng, sa&e dur ng those nter&als of tor"or to %h ch I ha&e alludedP and h s th n, ha%kOl ke nose ga&e h s %hole ex"ress on an a r of alertness and dec s on# + s ch n, too, had the "ro! nence and s<uareness %h ch !ark the !an of deter! nat on# + s hands %ere n&ar ably blotted % th nk and sta ned % th che! cals, yet he %as "ossessed of extraord nary del cacy of touch, as I fre<uently had occas on to obser&e %hen I %atched h ! !an "ulat ng h s frag le "h loso"h cal nstru!ents# The reader !ay set !e do%n as a ho"eless busybody, %hen I confess ho% !uch th s !an st !ulated !y cur os ty, and ho% often I endea&oured to break through the ret cence %h ch he sho%ed on all that concerned h !self# *efore "ronounc ng judg!ent, ho%e&er, be t re!e!bered, ho% objectless %as !y l fe, and ho% l ttle there %as to engage !y attent on# :y health forbade !e fro! &entur ng out unless the %eather %as exce"t onally gen al, and I had no fr ends %ho %ould call

u"on !e and break the !onotony of !y da ly ex stence# 9nder these c rcu!stances, I eagerly ha led the l ttle !ystery %h ch hung around !y co!"an on, and s"ent !uch of !y t !e n endea&our ng to unra&el t# +e %as not study ng !ed c ne# +e had h !self, n re"ly to a <uest on, conf r!ed Sta!fordMs o" n on u"on that "o nt# 8e ther d d he a""ear to ha&e "ursued any course of read ng %h ch ! ght f t h ! for a degree n sc ence or any other recogn 6ed "ortal %h ch %ould g &e h ! an entrance nto the learned %orld# Let h s 6eal for certa n stud es %as re!arkable, and % th n eccentr c l ! ts h s kno%ledge %as so extraord nar ly a!"le and ! nute that h s obser&at ons ha&e fa rly astounded !e# Surely no !an %ould %ork so hard or atta n such "rec se nfor!at on unless he had so!e def n te end n & e%# Desultory readers are seldo! re!arkable for the exactness of the r learn ng# 8o !an burdens h s ! nd % th s!all !atters unless he has so!e &ery good reason for do ng so# + s gnorance %as as re!arkable as h s kno%ledge# 7f conte!"orary l terature, "h loso"hy and "ol t cs he a""eared to kno% next to noth ng# 9"on !y <uot ng Tho!as Carlyle, he n<u red n the na &est %ay %ho he ! ght be and %hat he had done# :y sur"r se reached a cl !ax, ho%e&er, %hen I found nc dentally that he %as gnorant of the Co"ern can Theory and of the co!"os t on of the Solar Syste!# That any c & l 6ed hu!an be ng n th s n neteenth century should not be a%are that the earth tra&elled round the sun a""eared to be to !e such an extraord nary fact that I could hardly real 6e t# FLou a""ear to be aston shed,F he sa d, s! l ng at !y ex"ress on of sur"r se# F8o% that I do kno% t I shall do !y best to forget t#F FTo forget tEF FLou see,F he ex"la ned, FI cons der that a !anMs bra n or g nally s l ke a l ttle e!"ty att c, and you ha&e to stock t % th such furn ture as you choose# A fool takes n all the lu!ber of e&ery sort that he co!es across, so that the kno%ledge %h ch ! ght be useful to h ! gets cro%ded out, or at best s ju!bled u" % th a lot of other th ngs so that he has a d ff culty n lay ng h s hands u"on t# 8o% the sk lful %ork!an s &ery careful ndeed as to %hat he takes nto h s bra nOatt c# +e % ll ha&e noth ng but the tools %h ch !ay hel" h ! n do ng h s %ork, but of these he has a large assort!ent, and all n the !ost "erfect order# It s a ! stake to th nk that that l ttle roo! has elast c %alls and can d stend to any extent# De"end u"on t there co!es a t !e %hen for e&ery add t on of kno%ledge you forget so!eth ng that you kne% before# It s of the h ghest !"ortance, therefore, not to ha&e useless facts elbo% ng out the useful ones#F F*ut the Solar Syste!EF I "rotested# F$hat the deuce s t to !eKF he nterru"ted !"at entlyP Fyou say that %e go round the sun# If %e %ent round the !oon t

%ould not !ake a "enny%orth of d fference to !e or to !y %ork#F I %as on the "o nt of ask ng h ! %hat that %ork ! ght be, but so!eth ng n h s !anner sho%ed !e that the <uest on %ould be an un%elco!e one# I "ondered o&er our short con&ersat on, ho%e&er, and endea&oured to dra% !y deduct ons fro! t# +e sa d that he %ould ac<u re no kno%ledge %h ch d d not bear u"on h s object# Therefore all the kno%ledge %h ch he "ossessed %as such as %ould be useful to h !# I enu!erated n !y o%n ! nd all the &ar ous "o nts u"on %h ch he had sho%n !e that he %as exce"t onally %ellO nfor!ed# I e&en took a "enc l and jotted the! do%n# I could not hel" s! l ng at the docu!ent %hen I had co!"leted t# It ran n th s %ay OO S+E);7CR +7;:ES OO h s l ! ts# ,# Rno%ledge of ; terature# OO 8 l# 2# Ph loso"hy# OO 8 l# B# Astrono!y# OO 8 l# 3# Pol t cs# OO 'eeble# /# *otany# OO (ar able# $ell u" n belladonna, o" u!, and "o sons generally# Rno%s noth ng of "ract cal garden ng# I# Geology# OO Pract cal, but l ! ted# Tells at a glance d fferent so ls fro! each other# After %alks has sho%n !e s"lashes u"on h s trousers, and told !e by the r colour and cons stence n %hat "art of ;ondon he had rece &ed the!# .# Che! stry# OO Profound# H# Anato!y# OO Accurate, but unsyste!at c# -# Sensat onal ; terature# OO I!!ense# +e a""ears to kno% e&ery deta l of e&ery horror "er"etrated n the century# ,5# Plays the & ol n %ell# ,,# Is an ex"ert s nglest ck "layer, boxer, and s%ords!an# ,2# +as a good "ract cal kno%ledge of *r t sh la%# $hen I had got so far n !y l st I thre% t nto the f re n des"a r# FIf I can only f nd %hat the fello% s dr & ng at by reconc l ng all these acco!"l sh!ents, and d sco&er ng a call ng %h ch needs the! all,F I sa d to !yself, FI !ay as %ell g &e u" the atte!"t at once#F I see that I ha&e alluded abo&e to h s "o%ers u"on the & ol n# These %ere &ery re!arkable, but as eccentr c as all h s other acco!"l sh!ents# That he could "lay " eces, and d ff cult " eces, I kne% %ell, because at !y re<uest he has "layed !e so!e of :endelssohnMs ; eder, and other fa&our tes# $hen left to h !self, ho%e&er, he %ould seldo! "roduce any !us c or atte!"t any recogn 6ed a r# ;ean ng back n h s ar!Ocha r of an e&en ng, he %ould close h s eyes and scra"e carelessly at the f ddle %h ch %as thro%n across h s knee# So!et !es the chords %ere sonorous and !elancholy# 7ccas onally they %ere fantast c and cheerful# Clearly they

reflected the thoughts %h ch "ossessed h !, but %hether the !us c a ded those thoughts, or %hether the "lay ng %as s !"ly the result of a %h ! or fancy %as !ore than I could deter! ne# I ! ght ha&e rebelled aga nst these exas"erat ng solos had t not been that he usually ter! nated the! by "lay ng n <u ck success on a %hole ser es of !y fa&our te a rs as a sl ght co!"ensat on for the tr al u"on !y "at ence# Dur ng the f rst %eek or so %e had no callers, and I had begun to th nk that !y co!"an on %as as fr endless a !an as I %as !yself# Presently, ho%e&er, I found that he had !any ac<ua ntances, and those n the !ost d fferent classes of soc ety# There %as one l ttle sallo% ratOfaced, darkOeyed fello% %ho %as ntroduced to !e as :r# ;estrade, and %ho ca!e three or four t !es n a s ngle %eek# 7ne !orn ng a young g rl called, fash onably dressed, and stayed for half an hour or !ore# The sa!e afternoon brought a greyOheaded, seedy & s tor, look ng l ke a Ne% "edlar, %ho a""eared to !e to be !uch exc ted, and %ho %as closely follo%ed by a sl "Oshod elderly %o!an# 7n another occas on an old %h teOha red gentle!an had an nter& e% % th !y co!"an onP and on another a ra l%ay "orter n h s &el&eteen un for!# $hen any of these nondescr "t nd & duals "ut n an a""earance, Sherlock +ol!es used to beg for the use of the s tt ngOroo!, and I %ould ret re to !y bedOroo!# +e al%ays a"olog 6ed to !e for "utt ng !e to th s ncon&en ence# FI ha&e to use th s roo! as a "lace of bus ness,F he sa d, Fand these "eo"le are !y cl ents#F Aga n I had an o""ortun ty of ask ng h ! a "o nt blank <uest on, and aga n !y del cacy "re&ented !e fro! forc ng another !an to conf de n !e# I !ag ned at the t !e that he had so!e strong reason for not allud ng to t, but he soon d s"elled the dea by co! ng round to the subject of h s o%n accord# It %as u"on the 3th of :arch, as I ha&e good reason to re!e!ber, that I rose so!e%hat earl er than usual, and found that Sherlock +ol!es had not yet f n shed h s breakfast# The landlady had beco!e so accusto!ed to !y late hab ts that !y "lace had not been la d nor !y coffee "re"ared# $ th the unreasonable "etulance of !ank nd I rang the bell and ga&e a curt nt !at on that I %as ready# Then I " cked u" a !aga6 ne fro! the table and atte!"ted to %h le a%ay the t !e % th t, %h le !y co!"an on !unched s lently at h s toast# 7ne of the art cles had a "enc l !ark at the head ng, and I naturally began to run !y eye through t# Its so!e%hat a!b t ous t tle %as FThe *ook of ; fe,F and t atte!"ted to sho% ho% !uch an obser&ant !an ! ght learn by an accurate and syste!at c exa! nat on of all that ca!e n h s %ay# It struck !e as be ng a re!arkable ! xture of shre%dness and of absurd ty# The reason ng %as close and ntense, but the deduct ons a""eared to !e to be farOfetched and exaggerated# The %r ter cla !ed by a !o!entary ex"ress on, a t% tch of a !uscle or a glance of an eye, to fatho! a !anMs n!ost thoughts# Dece t, accord ng to h !, %as an !"oss b l ty n the case of one tra ned to obser&at on and analys s# + s conclus ons %ere as nfall ble as so !any "ro"os t ons of Eucl d# So startl ng %ould h s results a""ear to the un n t ated that unt l they learned the "rocesses by %h ch he had

arr &ed at the! they ! ght %ell cons der h ! as a necro!ancer# F'ro! a dro" of %ater,F sa d the %r ter, Fa log c an could nfer the "oss b l ty of an Atlant c or a 8 agara % thout ha& ng seen or heard of one or the other# So all l fe s a great cha n, the nature of %h ch s kno%n %hene&er %e are sho%n a s ngle l nk of t# ; ke all other arts, the Sc ence of Deduct on and Analys s s one %h ch can only be ac<u red by long and "at ent study nor s l fe long enough to allo% any !ortal to atta n the h ghest "oss ble "erfect on n t# *efore turn ng to those !oral and !ental as"ects of the !atter %h ch "resent the greatest d ff cult es, let the en<u rer beg n by !aster ng !ore ele!entary "roble!s# ;et h !, on !eet ng a fello%O!ortal, learn at a glance to d st ngu sh the h story of the !an, and the trade or "rofess on to %h ch he belongs# Puer le as such an exerc se !ay see!, t shar"ens the facult es of obser&at on, and teaches one %here to look and %hat to look for# *y a !anMs f nger na ls, by h s coatOslee&e, by h s boot, by h s trouser knees, by the callos t es of h s foref nger and thu!b, by h s ex"ress on, by h s sh rt cuffs OO by each of these th ngs a !anMs call ng s "la nly re&ealed# That all un ted should fa l to enl ghten the co!"etent en<u rer n any case s al!ost nconce &able#F F$hat neffable t%addleEF I cr ed, sla"" ng the !aga6 ne do%n on the table, FI ne&er read such rubb sh n !y l fe#F F$hat s tKF asked Sherlock +ol!es# F$hy, th s art cle,F I sa d, "o nt ng at t % th !y egg s"oon as I sat do%n to !y breakfast# FI see that you ha&e read t s nce you ha&e !arked t# I donMt deny that t s s!artly %r tten# It rr tates !e though# It s e& dently the theory of so!e ar!Ocha r lounger %ho e&ol&es all these neat l ttle "aradoxes n the seclus on of h s o%n study# It s not "ract cal# I should l ke to see h ! cla""ed do%n n a th rd class carr age on the 9nderground, and asked to g &e the trades of all h s fello%Otra&ellers# I %ould lay a thousand to one aga nst h !#F FLou %ould lose your !oney,F Sherlock +ol!es re!arked cal!ly# FAs for the art cle I %rote t !yself#F FLouEF FLes, I ha&e a turn both for obser&at on and for deduct on# The theor es %h ch I ha&e ex"ressed there, and %h ch a""ear to you to be so ch !er cal are really extre!ely "ract cal OO so "ract cal that I de"end u"on the! for !y bread and cheese#F FAnd ho%KF I asked n&oluntar ly# F$ell, I ha&e a trade of !y o%n# I su""ose I a! the only one n the %orld# IM! a consult ng detect &e, f you can understand %hat that s# +ere n ;ondon %e ha&e lots of Go&ern!ent detect &es and lots of "r &ate ones# $hen these fello%s are at fault they co!e to !e, and I !anage to "ut

the! on the r ght scent# They lay all the e& dence before !e, and I a! generally able, by the hel" of !y kno%ledge of the h story of cr !e, to set the! stra ght# There s a strong fa! ly rese!blance about ! sdeeds, and f you ha&e all the deta ls of a thousand at your f nger ends, t s odd f you canMt unra&el the thousand and f rst# ;estrade s a %ellOkno%n detect &e# +e got h !self nto a fog recently o&er a forgery case, and that %as %hat brought h ! here#F FAnd these other "eo"leKF FThey are !ostly sent on by "r &ate n<u ry agenc es# They are all "eo"le %ho are n trouble about so!eth ng, and %ant a l ttle enl ghten ng# I l sten to the r story, they l sten to !y co!!ents, and then I "ocket !y fee#F F*ut do you !ean to say,F I sa d, Fthat % thout lea& ng your roo! you can unra&el so!e knot %h ch other !en can !ake noth ng of, although they ha&e seen e&ery deta l for the!sel&esKF FQu te so# I ha&e a k nd of ntu t on that %ay# 8o% and aga n a case turns u" %h ch s a l ttle !ore co!"lex# Then I ha&e to bustle about and see th ngs % th !y o%n eyes# Lou see I ha&e a lot of s"ec al kno%ledge %h ch I a""ly to the "roble!, and %h ch fac l tates !atters %onderfully# Those rules of deduct on la d do%n n that art cle %h ch aroused your scorn, are n&aluable to !e n "ract cal %ork# 7bser&at on % th !e s second nature# Lou a""eared to be sur"r sed %hen I told you, on our f rst !eet ng, that you had co!e fro! Afghan stan#F FLou %ere told, no doubt#F F8oth ng of the sort# I Tkne%T you ca!e fro! Afghan stan# 'ro! long hab t the tra n of thoughts ran so s% ftly through !y ! nd, that I arr &ed at the conclus on % thout be ng consc ous of nter!ed ate ste"s# There %ere such ste"s, ho%e&er# The tra n of reason ng ran, W+ere s a gentle!an of a !ed cal ty"e, but % th the a r of a ! l tary !an# Clearly an ar!y doctor, then# +e has just co!e fro! the tro" cs, for h s face s dark, and that s not the natural t nt of h s sk n, for h s %r sts are fa r# +e has undergone hardsh " and s ckness, as h s haggard face says clearly# + s left ar! has been njured# +e holds t n a st ff and unnatural !anner# $here n the tro" cs could an Engl sh ar!y doctor ha&e seen !uch hardsh " and got h s ar! %oundedK Clearly n Afghan stan#M The %hole tra n of thought d d not occu"y a second# I then re!arked that you ca!e fro! Afghan stan, and you %ere aston shed#F FIt s s !"le enough as you ex"la n t,F I sa d, s! l ng# FLou re! nd !e of Edgar Allen PoeMs Du" n# I had no dea that such nd & duals d d ex st outs de of stor es#F Sherlock +ol!es rose and l t h s " "e# F8o doubt you th nk that you are co!"l !ent ng !e n co!"ar ng !e to Du" n,F he obser&ed# F8o%, n !y o" n on, Du" n %as a &ery nfer or fello%# That tr ck of h s of break ng n on h s fr endsM thoughts % th an a"ro"os re!ark after a <uarter of an hourMs

s lence s really &ery sho%y and su"erf c al# +e had so!e analyt cal gen us, no doubtP but he %as by no !eans such a "heno!enon as Poe a""eared to !ag ne#F F+a&e you read Gabor auMs %orksKF I asked# FDoes ;eco< co!e u" to your dea of a detect &eKF Sherlock +ol!es sn ffed sardon cally# F;eco< %as a ! serable bungler,F he sa d, n an angry &o ceP Fhe had only one th ng to reco!!end h !, and that %as h s energy# That book !ade !e "os t &ely ll# The <uest on %as ho% to dent fy an unkno%n "r soner# I could ha&e done t n t%entyOfour hours# ;eco< took s x !onths or so# It ! ght be !ade a textObook for detect &es to teach the! %hat to a&o d#F I felt rather nd gnant at ha& ng t%o characters %ho! I had ad! red treated n th s ca&al er style# I %alked o&er to the % ndo%, and stood look ng out nto the busy street# FTh s fello% !ay be &ery cle&er,F I sa d to !yself, Fbut he s certa nly &ery conce ted#F FThere are no cr !es and no cr ! nals n these days,F he sa d, <uerulously# F$hat s the use of ha& ng bra ns n our "rofess on# I kno% %ell that I ha&e t n !e to !ake !y na!e fa!ous# 8o !an l &es or has e&er l &ed %ho has brought the sa!e a!ount of study and of natural talent to the detect on of cr !e %h ch I ha&e done# And %hat s the resultK There s no cr !e to detect, or, at !ost, so!e bungl ng & llany % th a !ot &e so trans"arent that e&en a Scotland Lard off c al can see through t#F I %as st ll annoyed at h s bu!"t ous style of con&ersat on# I thought t best to change the to" c# FI %onder %hat that fello% s look ng forKF I asked, "o nt ng to a stal%art, "la nlyOdressed nd & dual %ho %as %alk ng slo%ly do%n the other s de of the street, look ng anx ously at the nu!bers# +e had a large blue en&elo"e n h s hand, and %as e& dently the bearer of a !essage# FLou !ean the ret red sergeant of :ar nes,F sa d Sherlock +ol!es# F*rag and bounceEF thought I to !yself# F+e kno%s that I cannot &er fy h s guess#F The thought had hardly "assed through !y ! nd %hen the !an %ho! %e %ere %atch ng caught s ght of the nu!ber on our door, and ran ra" dly across the road%ay# $e heard a loud knock, a dee" &o ce belo%, and hea&y ste"s ascend ng the sta r# F'or :r# Sherlock +ol!es,F he sa d, ste"" ng nto the roo! and hand ng !y fr end the letter# +ere %as an o""ortun ty of tak ng the conce t out of h !# +e l ttle thought of th s %hen he !ade that rando! shot# F:ay I ask, !y lad,F I sa d, n the blandest &o ce, F%hat your trade !ay beKF

FCo!! ss ona re, s r,F he sa d, gruffly# F9n for! a%ay for re"a rs#F FAnd you %ereKF I asked, % th a sl ghtly !al c ous glance at !y co!"an on# FA sergeant, s r, )oyal :ar ne ; ght Infantry, s r# 8o ans%erK ) ght, s r#F +e cl cked h s heels together, ra sed h s hand n a salute, and %as gone#

C+APTE) III# T+E ;A9)IST78 GA)DE8 :LSTE)L UIV I C78'ESS that I %as cons derably startled by th s fresh "roof of the "ract cal nature of !y co!"an onMs theor es# :y res"ect for h s "o%ers of analys s ncreased %ondrously# There st ll re!a ned so!e lurk ng sus" c on n !y ! nd, ho%e&er, that the %hole th ng %as a "reOarranged e" sode, ntended to da66le !e, though %hat earthly object he could ha&e n tak ng !e n %as "ast !y co!"rehens on# $hen I looked at h ! he had f n shed read ng the note, and h s eyes had assu!ed the &acant, lackOlustre ex"ress on %h ch sho%ed !ental abstract on# F+o% n the %orld d d you deduce thatKF I asked# FDeduce %hatKF sa d he, "etulantly# F$hy, that he %as a ret red sergeant of :ar nes#F FI ha&e no t !e for tr fles,F he ans%ered, brus<uelyP then % th a s! le, FExcuse !y rudeness# Lou broke the thread of !y thoughtsP but "erha"s t s as %ell# So you actually %ere not able to see that that !an %as a sergeant of :ar nesKF F8o, ndeed#F FIt %as eas er to kno% t than to ex"la n %hy I kne% t# If you %ere asked to "ro&e that t%o and t%o !ade four, you ! ght f nd so!e d ff culty, and yet you are <u te sure of the fact# E&en across the street I could see a great blue anchor tattooed on the back of the fello%Ms hand# That s!acked of the sea# +e had a ! l tary carr age, ho%e&er, and regulat on s de %h skers# There %e ha&e the !ar ne# +e %as a !an % th so!e a!ount of selfO !"ortance and a certa n a r of co!!and# Lou !ust ha&e obser&ed the %ay n %h ch he held h s head and s%ung h s cane# A steady, res"ectable, ! ddleOaged !an, too, on the face of h ! OO all facts %h ch led !e to bel e&e that he had been a sergeant#F F$onderfulEF I ejaculated#

FCo!!on"lace,F sa d +ol!es, though I thought fro! h s ex"ress on that he %as "leased at !y e& dent sur"r se and ad! rat on# FI sa d just no% that there %ere no cr ! nals# It a""ears that I a! %rong OO look at th sEF +e thre% !e o&er the note %h ch the co!! ss ona re had brought#F U.V F$hy,F I cr ed, as I cast !y eye o&er t, Fth s s terr bleEF FIt does see! to be a l ttle out of the co!!on,F he re!arked, cal!ly# F$ould you ! nd read ng t to !e aloudKF Th s s the letter %h ch I read to h ! OOOO F:L DEA) :)# S+E);7CR +7;:ES, OO FThere has been a bad bus ness dur ng the n ght at B, ;aur ston Gardens, off the *r xton )oad# 7ur !an on the beat sa% a l ght there about t%o n the !orn ng, and as the house %as an e!"ty one, sus"ected that so!eth ng %as a! ss# +e found the door o"en, and n the front roo!, %h ch s bare of furn ture, d sco&ered the body of a gentle!an, %ell dressed, and ha& ng cards n h s "ocket bear ng the na!e of WEnoch N# Drebber, Cle&eland, 7h o, 9#S#A#M There had been no robbery, nor s there any e& dence as to ho% the !an !et h s death# There are !arks of blood n the roo!, but there s no %ound u"on h s "erson# $e are at a loss as to ho% he ca!e nto the e!"ty houseP ndeed, the %hole affa r s a "u66ler# If you can co!e round to the house any t !e before t%el&e, you % ll f nd !e there# I ha&e left e&eryth ng T n statu <uoT unt l I hear fro! you# If you are unable to co!e I shall g &e you fuller deta ls, and %ould estee! t a great k ndness f you %ould fa&our !e % th your o" n on# Lours fa thfully, FT7*IAS G)EGS78#F FGregson s the s!artest of the Scotland Larders,F !y fr end re!arkedP Fhe and ;estrade are the " ck of a bad lot# They are both <u ck and energet c, but con&ent onal OO shock ngly so# They ha&e the r kn &es nto one another, too# They are as jealous as a "a r of "rofess onal beaut es# There % ll be so!e fun o&er th s case f they are both "ut u"on the scent#F I %as a!a6ed at the cal! %ay n %h ch he r ""led on# FSurely there s not a !o!ent to be lost,F I cr ed, Fshall I go and order you a cabKF FIM! not sure about %hether I shall go# I a! the !ost ncurably la6y de& l that e&er stood n shoe leather OO that s, %hen the f t s on !e, for I can be s"ry enough at t !es#F F$hy, t s just such a chance as you ha&e been long ng for#F F:y dear fello%, %hat does t !atter to !e# Su""os ng I unra&el the %hole !atter, you !ay be sure that Gregson, ;estrade, and Co# % ll "ocket all the cred t# That co!es of be ng an unoff c al "ersonage#F F*ut he begs you to hel" h !#F

FLes# +e kno%s that I a! h s su"er or, and ackno%ledges t to !eP but he %ould cut h s tongue out before he %ould o%n t to any th rd "erson# +o%e&er, %e !ay as %ell go and ha&e a look# I shall %ork t out on !y o%n hook# I !ay ha&e a laugh at the! f I ha&e noth ng else# Co!e onEF +e hustled on h s o&ercoat, and bustled about n a %ay that sho%ed that an energet c f t had su"erseded the a"athet c one# FGet your hat,F he sa d# FLou % sh !e to co!eKF FLes, f you ha&e noth ng better to do#F A ! nute later %e %ere both n a hanso!, dr & ng fur ously for the *r xton )oad# It %as a foggy, cloudy !orn ng, and a dunOcoloured &e l hung o&er the houseOto"s, look ng l ke the reflect on of the !udOcoloured streets beneath# :y co!"an on %as n the best of s" r ts, and "rattled a%ay about Cre!ona f ddles, and the d fference bet%een a Strad &ar us and an A!at # As for !yself, I %as s lent, for the dull %eather and the !elancholy bus ness u"on %h ch %e %ere engaged, de"ressed !y s" r ts# FLou donMt see! to g &e !uch thought to the !atter n hand,F I sa d at last, nterru"t ng +ol!esM !us cal d s<u s t on# F8o data yet,F he ans%ered# FIt s a ca" tal ! stake to theor 6e before you ha&e all the e& dence# It b ases the judg!ent#F FLou % ll ha&e your data soon,F I re!arked, "o nt ng % th !y f ngerP Fth s s the *r xton )oad, and that s the house, f I a! not &ery !uch ! staken#F FSo t s# Sto", dr &er, sto"EF $e %ere st ll a hundred yards or so fro! t, but he ns sted u"on our al ght ng, and %e f n shed our journey u"on foot# 8u!ber B, ;aur ston Gardens %ore an llOo!ened and ! natory look# It %as one of four %h ch stood back so!e l ttle %ay fro! the street, t%o be ng occu" ed and t%o e!"ty# The latter looked out % th three t ers of &acant !elancholy % ndo%s, %h ch %ere blank and dreary, sa&e that here and there a FTo ;etF card had de&elo"ed l ke a cataract u"on the bleared "anes# A s!all garden s"r nkled o&er % th a scattered eru"t on of s ckly "lants se"arated each of these houses fro! the street, and %as tra&ersed by a narro% "ath%ay, yello% sh n colour, and cons st ng a""arently of a ! xture of clay and of gra&el# The %hole "lace %as &ery slo""y fro! the ra n %h ch had fallen through the n ght# The garden %as bounded by a threeOfoot br ck %all % th a fr nge of %ood ra ls u"on the to", and aga nst th s %all %as lean ng a stal%art "ol ce constable, surrounded by a s!all knot of loafers, %ho craned the r necks and stra ned the r eyes n the &a n ho"e of catch ng so!e gl !"se of the "roceed ngs % th n# I had !ag ned that Sherlock +ol!es %ould at once ha&e hurr ed nto the house and "lunged nto a study of the !ystery# 8oth ng a""eared to be further fro! h s ntent on#

$ th an a r of nonchalance %h ch, under the c rcu!stances, see!ed to !e to border u"on affectat on, he lounged u" and do%n the "a&e!ent, and ga6ed &acantly at the ground, the sky, the o""os te houses and the l ne of ra l ngs# +a& ng f n shed h s scrut ny, he "roceeded slo%ly do%n the "ath, or rather do%n the fr nge of grass %h ch flanked the "ath, kee" ng h s eyes r &eted u"on the ground# T% ce he sto""ed, and once I sa% h ! s! le, and heard h ! utter an excla!at on of sat sfact on# There %ere !any !arks of footste"s u"on the %et clayey so l, but s nce the "ol ce had been co! ng and go ng o&er t, I %as unable to see ho% !y co!"an on could ho"e to learn anyth ng fro! t# St ll I had had such extraord nary e& dence of the <u ckness of h s "erce"t &e facult es, that I had no doubt that he could see a great deal %h ch %as h dden fro! !e# At the door of the house %e %ere !et by a tall, %h teOfaced, flaxenOha red !an, % th a notebook n h s hand, %ho rushed for%ard and %rung !y co!"an onMs hand % th effus on# FIt s ndeed k nd of you to co!e,F he sa d, FI ha&e had e&eryth ng left untouched#F FExce"t thatEF !y fr end ans%ered, "o nt ng at the "ath%ay# FIf a herd of buffaloes had "assed along there could not be a greater !ess# 8o doubt, ho%e&er, you had dra%n your o%n conclus ons, Gregson, before you "er! tted th s#F FI ha&e had so !uch to do ns de the house,F the detect &e sa d e&as &ely# F:y colleague, :r# ;estrade, s here# I had rel ed u"on h ! to look after th s#F +ol!es glanced at !e and ra sed h s eyebro%s sardon cally# F$ th t%o such !en as yourself and ;estrade u"on the ground, there % ll not be !uch for a th rd "arty to f nd out,F he sa d# Gregson rubbed h s hands n a selfOsat sf ed %ay# FI th nk %e ha&e done all that can be done,F he ans%eredP F tMs a <ueer case though, and I kne% your taste for such th ngs#F FLou d d not co!e here n a cabKF asked Sherlock +ol!es# F8o, s r#F F8or ;estradeKF F8o, s r#F FThen let us go and look at the roo!#F $ th %h ch nconse<uent re!ark he strode on nto the house, follo%ed by Gregson, %hose features ex"ressed h s aston sh!ent# A short "assage, bare "lanked and dusty, led to the k tchen and off ces# T%o doors o"ened out of t to the left and to the r ght# 7ne of these had ob& ously been closed for !any %eeks# The other belonged to the d n ngOroo!, %h ch %as the a"art!ent n %h ch the !yster ous affa r had occurred# +ol!es %alked n, and I follo%ed h ! % th that subdued feel ng at !y heart %h ch the "resence of death ns" res#

It %as a large s<uare roo!, look ng all the larger fro! the absence of all furn ture# A &ulgar flar ng "a"er adorned the %alls, but t %as blotched n "laces % th ! lde%, and here and there great str "s had beco!e detached and hung do%n, ex"os ng the yello% "laster beneath# 7""os te the door %as a sho%y f re"lace, sur!ounted by a !antel" ece of ! tat on %h te !arble# 7n one corner of th s %as stuck the stu!" of a red %ax candle# The sol tary % ndo% %as so d rty that the l ght %as ha6y and uncerta n, g & ng a dull grey t nge to e&eryth ng, %h ch %as ntens f ed by the th ck layer of dust %h ch coated the %hole a"art!ent# All these deta ls I obser&ed after%ards# At "resent !y attent on %as centred u"on the s ngle gr ! !ot onless f gure %h ch lay stretched u"on the boards, % th &acant s ghtless eyes star ng u" at the d scoloured ce l ng# It %as that of a !an about fortyOthree or fortyOfour years of age, ! ddleOs 6ed, broad shouldered, % th cr s" curl ng black ha r, and a short stubbly beard# +e %as dressed n a hea&y broadcloth frock coat and %a stcoat, % th l ghtOcoloured trousers, and !!aculate collar and cuffs# A to" hat, %ell brushed and tr !, %as "laced u"on the floor bes de h !# + s hands %ere clenched and h s ar!s thro%n abroad, %h le h s lo%er l !bs %ere nterlocked as though h s death struggle had been a gr e&ous one# 7n h s r g d face there stood an ex"ress on of horror, and as t see!ed to !e, of hatred, such as I ha&e ne&er seen u"on hu!an features# Th s !al gnant and terr ble contort on, co!b ned % th the lo% forehead, blunt nose, and "rognathous ja% ga&e the dead !an a s ngularly s ! ous and a"eOl ke a""earance, %h ch %as ncreased by h s %r th ng, unnatural "osture# I ha&e seen death n !any for!s, but ne&er has t a""eared to !e n a !ore fearso!e as"ect than n that dark gr !y a"art!ent, %h ch looked out u"on one of the !a n arter es of suburban ;ondon# ;estrade, lean and ferretOl ke as e&er, %as stand ng by the door%ay, and greeted !y co!"an on and !yself# FTh s case % ll !ake a st r, s r,F he re!arked# FIt beats anyth ng I ha&e seen, and I a! no ch cken#F FThere s no clueKF sa d Gregson# F8one at all,F ch !ed n ;estrade# Sherlock +ol!es a""roached the body, and, kneel ng do%n, exa! ned t ntently# FLou are sure that there s no %oundKF he asked, "o nt ng to nu!erous gouts and s"lashes of blood %h ch lay all round# FPos t &eEF cr ed both detect &es# FThen, of course, th s blood belongs to a second nd & dual OO UHV "resu!ably the !urderer, f !urder has been co!! tted# It re! nds !e of the c rcu!stances attendant on the death of (an Nansen, n 9trecht, n the year MB3# Do you re!e!ber the case, GregsonKF

F8o, s r#F F)ead t u" OO you really should# There s noth ng ne% under the sun# It has all been done before#F As he s"oke, h s n !ble f ngers %ere fly ng here, there, and e&ery%here, feel ng, "ress ng, unbutton ng, exa! n ng, %h le h s eyes %ore the sa!e farOa%ay ex"ress on %h ch I ha&e already re!arked u"on# So s% ftly %as the exa! nat on !ade, that one %ould hardly ha&e guessed the ! nuteness % th %h ch t %as conducted# ' nally, he sn ffed the dead !anMs l "s, and then glanced at the soles of h s "atent leather boots# F+e has not been !o&ed at allKF he asked# F8o !ore than %as necessary for the "ur"oses of our exa! nat on#F FLou can take h ! to the !ortuary no%,F he sa d# FThere s noth ng !ore to be learned#F Gregson had a stretcher and four !en at hand# At h s call they entered the roo!, and the stranger %as l fted and carr ed out# As they ra sed h !, a r ng t nkled do%n and rolled across the floor# ;estrade grabbed t u" and stared at t % th !yst f ed eyes# FThereMs been a %o!an here,F he cr ed# FItMs a %o!anMs %edd ngOr ng#F +e held t out, as he s"oke, u"on the "al! of h s hand# $e all gathered round h ! and ga6ed at t# There could be no doubt that that c rclet of "la n gold had once adorned the f nger of a br de# FTh s co!"l cates !atters,F sa d Gregson# F+ea&en kno%s, they %ere co!"l cated enough before#F FLouMre sure t doesnMt s !"l fy the!KF obser&ed +ol!es# FThereMs noth ng to be learned by star ng at t# $hat d d you f nd n h s "ocketsKF F$e ha&e t all here,F sa d Gregson, "o nt ng to a l tter of objects u"on one of the botto! ste"s of the sta rs# FA gold %atch, 8o# -.,IB, by *arraud, of ;ondon# Gold Albert cha n, &ery hea&y and sol d# Gold r ng, % th !ason c de& ce# Gold " n OO bullOdogMs head, % th rub es as eyes# )uss an leather cardOcase, % th cards of Enoch N# Drebber of Cle&eland, corres"ond ng % th the E# N# D# u"on the l nen# 8o "urse, but loose !oney to the extent of se&en "ounds th rteen# Pocket ed t on of *occacc oMs WDeca!eron,M % th na!e of Nose"h Stangerson u"on the flyOleaf# T%o letters OO one addressed to E# N# Drebber and one to Nose"h Stangerson#F FAt %hat addressKF FA!er can Exchange, Strand OO to be left t ll called for# They are both fro! the Gu on Stea!sh " Co!"any, and refer to

the sa l ng of the r boats fro! ; &er"ool# It s clear that th s unfortunate !an %as about to return to 8e% Lork#F F+a&e you !ade any n<u r es as to th s !an, StangersonKF FI d d t at once, s r,F sa d Gregson# FI ha&e had ad&ert se!ents sent to all the ne%s"a"ers, and one of !y !en has gone to the A!er can Exchange, but he has not returned yet#F F+a&e you sent to Cle&elandKF F$e telegra"hed th s !orn ng#F F+o% d d you %ord your n<u r esKF F$e s !"ly deta led the c rcu!stances, and sa d that %e should be glad of any nfor!at on %h ch could hel" us#F FLou d d not ask for "art culars on any "o nt %h ch a""eared to you to be cruc alKF FI asked about Stangerson#F F8oth ng elseK Is there no c rcu!stance on %h ch th s %hole case a""ears to h ngeK $ ll you not telegra"h aga nKF FI ha&e sa d all I ha&e to say,F sa d Gregson, n an offended &o ce# Sherlock +ol!es chuckled to h !self, and a""eared to be about to !ake so!e re!ark, %hen ;estrade, %ho had been n the front roo! %h le %e %ere hold ng th s con&ersat on n the hall, rea""eared u"on the scene, rubb ng h s hands n a "o!"ous and selfOsat sf ed !anner# F:r# Gregson,F he sa d, FI ha&e just !ade a d sco&ery of the h ghest !"ortance, and one %h ch %ould ha&e been o&erlooked had I not !ade a careful exa! nat on of the %alls#F The l ttle !anMs eyes s"arkled as he s"oke, and he %as e& dently n a state of su""ressed exultat on at ha& ng scored a "o nt aga nst h s colleague# FCo!e here,F he sa d, bustl ng back nto the roo!, the at!os"here of %h ch felt clearer s nce the re!o&al of ts ghastly n!ate# F8o%, stand thereEF +e struck a !atch on h s boot and held t u" aga nst the %all# F;ook at thatEF he sa d, tr u!"hantly# I ha&e re!arked that the "a"er had fallen a%ay n "arts# In th s "art cular corner of the roo! a large " ece had "eeled off, lea& ng a yello% s<uare of coarse "laster ng# Across th s bare s"ace there %as scra%led n bloodOred letters a s ngle %ord OO

)AC+E# F$hat do you th nk of thatKF cr ed the detect &e, % th the a r of a sho%!an exh b t ng h s sho%# FTh s %as o&erlooked because t %as n the darkest corner of the roo!, and no one thought of look ng there# The !urderer has %r tten t % th h s or her o%n blood# See th s s!ear %here t has tr ckled do%n the %allE That d s"oses of the dea of su c de anyho%# $hy %as that corner chosen to %r te t onK I % ll tell you# See that candle on the !antel" ece# It %as l t at the t !e, and f t %as l t th s corner %ould be the br ghtest nstead of the darkest "ort on of the %all#F FAnd %hat does t !ean no% that you Tha&eT found tKF asked Gregson n a de"rec atory &o ce# F:eanK $hy, t !eans that the %r ter %as go ng to "ut the fe!ale na!e )achel, but %as d sturbed before he or she had t !e to f n sh# Lou !ark !y %ords, %hen th s case co!es to be cleared u" you % ll f nd that a %o!an na!ed )achel has so!eth ng to do % th t# ItMs all &ery %ell for you to laugh, :r# Sherlock +ol!es# Lou !ay be &ery s!art and cle&er, but the old hound s the best, %hen all s sa d and done#F FI really beg your "ardonEF sa d !y co!"an on, %ho had ruffled the l ttle !anMs te!"er by burst ng nto an ex"los on of laughter# FLou certa nly ha&e the cred t of be ng the f rst of us to f nd th s out, and, as you say, t bears e&ery !ark of ha& ng been %r tten by the other "art c "ant n last n ghtMs !ystery# I ha&e not had t !e to exa! ne th s roo! yet, but % th your "er! ss on I shall do so no%#F As he s"oke, he %h ""ed a ta"e !easure and a large round !agn fy ng glass fro! h s "ocket# $ th these t%o !"le!ents he trotted no selessly about the roo!, so!et !es sto"" ng, occas onally kneel ng, and once ly ng flat u"on h s face# So engrossed %as he % th h s occu"at on that he a""eared to ha&e forgotten our "resence, for he chattered a%ay to h !self under h s breath the %hole t !e, kee" ng u" a runn ng f re of excla!at ons, groans, %h stles, and l ttle cr es suggest &e of encourage!ent and of ho"e# As I %atched h ! I %as rres st bly re! nded of a "ureOblooded %ellOtra ned foxhound as t dashes back%ards and for%ards through the co&ert, %h n ng n ts eagerness, unt l t co!es across the lost scent# 'or t%enty ! nutes or !ore he cont nued h s researches, !easur ng % th the !ost exact care the d stance bet%een !arks %h ch %ere ent rely n& s ble to !e, and occas onally a""ly ng h s ta"e to the %alls n an e<ually nco!"rehens ble !anner# In one "lace he gathered u" &ery carefully a l ttle " le of grey dust fro! the floor, and "acked t a%ay n an en&elo"e# ' nally, he exa! ned % th h s glass the %ord u"on the %all, go ng o&er e&ery letter of t % th the !ost ! nute exactness# Th s done, he a""eared to be sat sf ed, for he re"laced h s ta"e and h s glass n h s "ocket# FThey say that gen us s an nf n te ca"ac ty for tak ng "a ns,F he re!arked % th a s! le# FItMs a &ery bad

def n t on, but t does a""ly to detect &e %ork#F Gregson and ;estrade had %atched the !anoeu&res U-V of the r a!ateur co!"an on % th cons derable cur os ty and so!e conte!"t# They e& dently fa led to a""rec ate the fact, %h ch I had begun to real 6e, that Sherlock +ol!esM s!allest act ons %ere all d rected to%ards so!e def n te and "ract cal end# F$hat do you th nk of t, s rKF they both asked# FIt %ould be robb ng you of the cred t of the case f I %as to "resu!e to hel" you,F re!arked !y fr end# FLou are do ng so %ell no% that t %ould be a " ty for anyone to nterfere#F There %as a %orld of sarcas! n h s &o ce as he s"oke# FIf you % ll let !e kno% ho% your n&est gat ons go,F he cont nued, FI shall be ha""y to g &e you any hel" I can# In the !eant !e I should l ke to s"eak to the constable %ho found the body# Can you g &e !e h s na!e and addressKF ;estrade glanced at h s noteObook# FNohn )ance,F he sa d# F+e s off duty no%# Lou % ll f nd h ! at 3I, Audley Court, Renn ngton Park Gate#F +ol!es took a note of the address# FCo!e along, Doctor,F he sa dP F%e shall go and look h ! u"# IMll tell you one th ng %h ch !ay hel" you n the case,F he cont nued, turn ng to the t%o detect &es# FThere has been !urder done, and the !urderer %as a !an# +e %as !ore than s x feet h gh, %as n the "r !e of l fe, had s!all feet for h s he ght, %ore coarse, s<uareOtoed boots and s!oked a Tr ch no"oly c gar# +e ca!e here % th h s & ct ! n a fourO%heeled cab, %h ch %as dra%n by a horse % th three old shoes and one ne% one on h s off fore leg# In all "robab l ty the !urderer had a flor d face, and the f ngerOna ls of h s r ght hand %ere re!arkably long# These are only a fe% nd cat ons, but they !ay ass st you#F ;estrade and Gregson glanced at each other % th an ncredulous s! le# FIf th s !an %as !urdered, ho% %as t doneKF asked the for!er# FPo son,F sa d Sherlock +ol!es curtly, and strode off# F7ne other th ng, ;estrade,F he added, turn ng round at the door> FW)ache,M s the Ger!an for Wre&engePM so donMt lose your t !e look ng for : ss )achel#F $ th %h ch Parth an shot he %alked a%ay, lea& ng the t%o r &als o"enO!outhed beh nd h !#

C+APTE) I(# $+AT N7+8 )A8CE +AD T7 TE;;#

IT %as one oMclock %hen %e left 8o# B, ;aur ston Gardens# Sherlock +ol!es led !e to the nearest telegra"h off ce, %hence he d s"atched a long telegra!# +e then ha led a cab, and ordered the dr &er to take us to the address g &en us by ;estrade# FThere s noth ng l ke f rst hand e& dence,F he re!arkedP Fas a !atter of fact, !y ! nd s ent rely !ade u" u"on the case, but st ll %e !ay as %ell learn all that s to be learned#F FLou a!a6e !e, +ol!es,F sa d I# FSurely you are not as sure as you "retend to be of all those "art culars %h ch you ga&e#F FThereMs no roo! for a ! stake,F he ans%ered# FThe &ery f rst th ng %h ch I obser&ed on arr & ng there %as that a cab had !ade t%o ruts % th ts %heels close to the curb# 8o%, u" to last n ght, %e ha&e had no ra n for a %eek, so that those %heels %h ch left such a dee" !"ress on !ust ha&e been there dur ng the n ght# There %ere the !arks of the horseMs hoofs, too, the outl ne of one of %h ch %as far !ore clearly cut than that of the other three, sho% ng that that %as a ne% shoe# S nce the cab %as there after the ra n began, and %as not there at any t !e dur ng the !orn ng OO I ha&e GregsonMs %ord for that OO t follo%s that t !ust ha&e been there dur ng the n ght, and, therefore, that t brought those t%o nd & duals to the house#F FThat see!s s !"le enough,F sa d IP Fbut ho% about the other !anMs he ghtKF F$hy, the he ght of a !an, n n ne cases out of ten, can be told fro! the length of h s str de# It s a s !"le calculat on enough, though there s no use !y bor ng you % th f gures# I had th s fello%Ms str de both on the clay outs de and on the dust % th n# Then I had a %ay of check ng !y calculat on# $hen a !an %r tes on a %all, h s nst nct leads h ! to %r te about the le&el of h s o%n eyes# 8o% that %r t ng %as just o&er s x feet fro! the ground# It %as ch ldMs "lay#F FAnd h s ageKF I asked# F$ell, f a !an can str de four and aOhalf feet % thout the s!allest effort, he canMt be <u te n the sere and yello%# That %as the breadth of a "uddle on the garden %alk %h ch he had e& dently %alked across# PatentOleather boots had gone round, and S<uareOtoes had ho""ed o&er# There s no !ystery about t at all# I a! s !"ly a""ly ng to ord nary l fe a fe% of those "rece"ts of obser&at on and deduct on %h ch I ad&ocated n that art cle# Is there anyth ng else that "u66les youKF FThe f nger na ls and the Tr ch no"oly,F I suggested# FThe %r t ng on the %all %as done % th a !anMs foref nger d ""ed n blood# :y glass allo%ed !e to obser&e that the "laster %as sl ghtly scratched n do ng t, %h ch %ould not ha&e been the case f the !anMs na l had been tr !!ed# I gathered u" so!e scattered ash fro! the floor# It %as dark

n colour and flakey OO such an ash as s only !ade by a Tr ch no"oly# I ha&e !ade a s"ec al study of c gar ashes OO n fact, I ha&e %r tten a !onogra"h u"on the subject# I flatter !yself that I can d st ngu sh at a glance the ash of any kno%n brand, e ther of c gar or of tobacco# It s just n such deta ls that the sk lled detect &e d ffers fro! the Gregson and ;estrade ty"e#F FAnd the flor d faceKF I asked# FAh, that %as a !ore dar ng shot, though I ha&e no doubt that I %as r ght# Lou !ust not ask !e that at the "resent state of the affa r#F I "assed !y hand o&er !y bro%# F:y head s n a %h rl,F I re!arkedP Fthe !ore one th nks of t the !ore !yster ous t gro%s# +o% ca!e these t%o !en OO f there %ere t%o !en OO nto an e!"ty houseK $hat has beco!e of the cab!an %ho dro&e the!K +o% could one !an co!"el another to take "o sonK $here d d the blood co!e fro!K $hat %as the object of the !urderer, s nce robbery had no "art n tK +o% ca!e the %o!anMs r ng thereK Abo&e all, %hy should the second !an %r te u" the Ger!an %ord )AC+E before deca!" ngK I confess that I cannot see any "oss ble %ay of reconc l ng all these facts#F :y co!"an on s! led a""ro& ngly# FLou su! u" the d ff cult es of the s tuat on succ nctly and %ell,F he sa d# FThere s !uch that s st ll obscure, though I ha&e <u te !ade u" !y ! nd on the !a n facts# As to "oor ;estradeMs d sco&ery t %as s !"ly a bl nd ntended to "ut the "ol ce u"on a %rong track, by suggest ng Soc al s! and secret soc et es# It %as not done by a Ger!an# The A, f you not ced, %as "r nted so!e%hat after the Ger!an fash on# 8o%, a real Ger!an n&ar ably "r nts n the ;at n character, so that %e !ay safely say that th s %as not %r tten by one, but by a clu!sy ! tator %ho o&erd d h s "art# It %as s !"ly a ruse to d &ert n<u ry nto a %rong channel# IM! not go ng to tell you !uch !ore of the case, Doctor# Lou kno% a conjuror gets no cred t %hen once he has ex"la ned h s tr ck, and f I sho% you too !uch of !y !ethod of %ork ng, you % ll co!e to the conclus on that I a! a &ery ord nary nd & dual after all#F FI shall ne&er do that,F I ans%eredP Fyou ha&e brought detect on as near an exact sc ence as t e&er % ll be brought n th s %orld#F :y co!"an on flushed u" % th "leasure at !y %ords, and the earnest %ay n %h ch I uttered the!# I had already obser&ed that he %as as sens t &e to flattery on the score of h s art as any g rl could be of her beauty# FIMll tell you one other th ng,F he sa d# FPatent leathers U,5V and S<uareOtoes ca!e n the sa!e cab, and they %alked do%n the "ath%ay together as fr endly as "oss ble OO ar!O nOar!, n all "robab l ty# $hen they got ns de they %alked u" and do%n the roo! OO or rather, PatentOleathers stood st ll %h le

S<uareOtoes %alked u" and do%n# I could read all that n the dustP and I could read that as he %alked he gre% !ore and !ore exc ted# That s sho%n by the ncreased length of h s str des# +e %as talk ng all the %h le, and %ork ng h !self u", no doubt, nto a fury# Then the tragedy occurred# IM&e told you all I kno% !yself no%, for the rest s !ere sur! se and conjecture# $e ha&e a good %ork ng bas s, ho%e&er, on %h ch to start# $e !ust hurry u", for I %ant to go to +alleMs concert to hear 8or!an 8eruda th s afternoon#F Th s con&ersat on had occurred %h le our cab had been thread ng ts %ay through a long success on of d ngy streets and dreary byO%ays# In the d ng est and drear est of the! our dr &er suddenly ca!e to a stand# FThatMs Audley Court n there,F he sa d, "o nt ng to a narro% sl t n the l ne of deadOcoloured br ck# FLouMll f nd !e here %hen you co!e back#F Audley Court %as not an attract &e local ty# The narro% "assage led us nto a <uadrangle "a&ed % th flags and l ned by sord d d%ell ngs# $e " cked our %ay a!ong grou"s of d rty ch ldren, and through l nes of d scoloured l nen, unt l %e ca!e to 8u!ber 3I, the door of %h ch %as decorated % th a s!all sl " of brass on %h ch the na!e )ance %as engra&ed# 7n en<u ry %e found that the constable %as n bed, and %e %ere sho%n nto a l ttle front "arlour to a%a t h s co! ng# +e a""eared "resently, look ng a l ttle rr table at be ng d sturbed n h s slu!bers# FI !ade !y re"ort at the off ce,F he sa d# +ol!es took a halfOso&ere gn fro! h s "ocket and "layed % th t "ens &ely# F$e thought that %e should l ke to hear t all fro! your o%n l "s,F he sa d# FI shall be !ost ha""y to tell you anyth ng I can,F the constable ans%ered % th h s eyes u"on the l ttle golden d sk# FNust let us hear t all n your o%n %ay as t occurred#F )ance sat do%n on the horseha r sofa, and kn tted h s bro%s as though deter! ned not to o! t anyth ng n h s narrat &e# FIMll tell t ye fro! the beg nn ng,F he sa d# F:y t !e s fro! ten at n ght to s x n the !orn ng# At ele&en there %as a f ght at the W$h te +artMP but bar that all %as <u et enough on the beat# At one oMclock t began to ra n, and I !et +arry :urcher OO h ! %ho has the +olland Gro&e beat OO and %e stood together at the corner of +enr etta Street aOtalk nM# Presently OO !aybe about t%o or a l ttle after OO I thought I %ould take a look round and see that all %as r ght do%n the *r xton )oad# It %as "rec ous d rty and lonely# 8ot a soul d d I !eet all the %ay do%n, though a cab or t%o %ent "ast !e# I %as a stroll nM do%n, th nk nM bet%een oursel&es ho% unco!!on handy a four of g n hot %ould be, %hen suddenly the gl nt of a l ght caught !y eye n the % ndo% of that sa!e house# 8o%, I kne% that the! t%o houses n ;aur ston Gardens %as e!"ty on account of h ! that o%ns the! %ho %onMt ha&e the dra ns seed to, though the &ery last

tenant %hat l &ed n one of the! d ed oM ty"ho d fe&er# I %as knocked all n a hea" therefore at see ng a l ght n the % ndo%, and I sus"ected as so!eth ng %as %rong# $hen I got to the door OOOOF FLou sto""ed, and then %alked back to the garden gate,F !y co!"an on nterru"ted# F$hat d d you do that forKF )ance ga&e a & olent ju!", and stared at Sherlock +ol!es % th the ut!ost a!a6e!ent u"on h s features# F$hy, thatMs true, s r,F he sa dP Fthough ho% you co!e to kno% t, +ea&en only kno%s# Le see, %hen I got u" to the door t %as so st ll and so loneso!e, that I thought IMd be none the %orse for so!e one % th !e# I a nMt afeared of anyth ng on th s s de oM the gra&eP but I thought that !aybe t %as h ! that d ed oM the ty"ho d ns"ect ng the dra ns %hat k lled h !# The thought ga&e !e a k nd oM turn, and I %alked back to the gate to see f I could see :urcherMs lantern, but there %asnMt no s gn of h ! nor of anyone else#F FThere %as no one n the streetKF F8ot a l & nM soul, s r, nor as !uch as a dog# Then I "ulled !yself together and %ent back and "ushed the door o"en# All %as <u et ns de, so I %ent nto the roo! %here the l ght %as aOburn nM# There %as a candle fl cker nM on the !antel" ece OO a red %ax one OO and by ts l ght I sa% OOOOF FLes, I kno% all that you sa%# Lou %alked round the roo! se&eral t !es, and you knelt do%n by the body, and then you %alked through and tr ed the k tchen door, and then OOOOF Nohn )ance s"rang to h s feet % th a fr ghtened face and sus" c on n h s eyes# F$here %as you h d to see all thatKF he cr ed# FIt see!s to !e that you kno%s a deal !ore than you should#F +ol!es laughed and thre% h s card across the table to the constable# FDonMt get arrest ng !e for the !urder,F he sa d# FI a! one of the hounds and not the %olfP :r# Gregson or :r# ;estrade % ll ans%er for that# Go on, though# $hat d d you do nextKF )ance resu!ed h s seat, % thout ho%e&er los ng h s !yst f ed ex"ress on# FI %ent back to the gate and sounded !y %h stle# That brought :urcher and t%o !ore to the s"ot#F F$as the street e!"ty thenKF F$ell, t %as, as far as anybody that could be of any good goes#F F$hat do you !eanKF The constableMs features broadened nto a gr n# FIM&e seen !any a drunk cha" n !y t !e,F he sa d, Fbut ne&er anyone so cry nM drunk as that co&e# +e %as at the gate %hen I ca!e out, aOlean nM u" ag n the ra l ngs, and aOs ng nM at the

" tch oM h s lungs about Colu!b neMs 8e%Ofangled *anner, or so!e such stuff# +e couldnMt stand, far less hel"#F F$hat sort of a !an %as heKF asked Sherlock +ol!es# Nohn )ance a""eared to be so!e%hat rr tated at th s d gress on# F+e %as an unco!!on drunk sort oM !an,F he sa d# F+eMd haM found h sself n the stat on f %e hadnMt been so took u"#F F+ s face OO h s dress OO d dnMt you not ce the!KF +ol!es broke n !"at ently# FI should th nk I d d not ce the!, see ng that I had to "ro" h ! u" OO !e and :urcher bet%een us# +e %as a long cha", % th a red face, the lo%er "art !uffled round OOOOF FThat % ll do,F cr ed +ol!es# F$hat beca!e of h !KF F$eMd enough to do % thout look nM after h !,F the "ol ce!an sa d, n an aggr e&ed &o ce# FIMll %ager he found h s %ay ho!e all r ght#F F+o% %as he dressedKF FA bro%n o&ercoat#F F+ad he a %h " n h s handKF FA %h " OO no#F F+e !ust ha&e left t beh nd,F !uttered !y co!"an on# FLou d dnMt ha""en to see or hear a cab after thatKF F8o#F FThereMs a halfOso&ere gn for you,F !y co!"an on sa d, stand ng u" and tak ng h s hat# FI a! afra d, )ance, that you % ll ne&er r se n the force# That head of yours should be for use as %ell as orna!ent# Lou ! ght ha&e ga ned your sergeantMs str "es last n ght# The !an %ho! you held n your hands s the !an %ho holds the clue of th s !ystery, and %ho! %e are seek ng# There s no use of argu ng about t no%P I tell you that t s so# Co!e along, Doctor#F $e started off for the cab together, lea& ng our nfor!ant ncredulous, but ob& ously unco!fortable# FThe blunder ng fool,F +ol!es sa d, b tterly, as %e dro&e back to our lodg ngs# FNust to th nk of h s ha& ng such an nco!"arable b t of good luck, and not tak ng ad&antage of t#F FI a! rather n the dark st ll# It s true that the descr "t on of th s !an tall es % th your dea of the second "arty n th s !ystery# *ut %hy should he co!e back to the house after lea& ng tK That s not the %ay of cr ! nals#F FThe r ng, !an, the r ng> that %as %hat he ca!e back for# If %e ha&e no other %ay of catch ng h !, %e can al%ays ba t

our l ne % th the r ng# I shall ha&e h !, Doctor OO IMll lay you t%o to one that I ha&e h !# I !ust thank you for t all# I ! ght not ha&e gone but for you, and so ha&e ! ssed the f nest study I e&er ca!e across> a study n scarlet, ehK $hy shouldnMt %e use a l ttle art jargon# ThereMs the scarlet thread of !urder runn ng through the colourless ske n of l fe, and our duty s to unra&el t, and solate t, and ex"ose e&ery nch of t# And no% for lunch, and then for 8or!an 8eruda# +er attack and her bo% ng are s"lend d# $hatMs that l ttle th ng of Cho" nMs she "lays so !agn f cently> TraOlaOlaOl raOl raOlay#F ;ean ng back n the cab, th s a!ateur bloodhound carolled a%ay l ke a lark %h le I !ed tated u"on the !anyOs dedness of the hu!an ! nd#

C+APTE) (# 79) AD(E)TISE:E8T *)I8GS A (ISIT7)# 79) !orn ngMs exert ons had been too !uch for !y %eak health, and I %as t red out n the afternoon# After +ol!esM de"arture for the concert, I lay do%n u"on the sofa and endea&oured to get a cou"le of hoursM slee"# It %as a useless atte!"t# :y ! nd had been too !uch exc ted by all that had occurred, and the strangest fanc es and sur! ses cro%ded nto t# E&ery t !e that I closed !y eyes I sa% before !e the d storted baboonOl ke countenance of the !urdered !an# So s n ster %as the !"ress on %h ch that face had "roduced u"on !e that I found t d ff cult to feel anyth ng but grat tude for h ! %ho had re!o&ed ts o%ner fro! the %orld# If e&er hu!an features bes"oke & ce of the !ost !al gnant ty"e, they %ere certa nly those of Enoch N# Drebber, of Cle&eland# St ll I recogn 6ed that just ce !ust be done, and that the de"ra& ty of the & ct ! %as no condon!ent U,,V n the eyes of the la%# The !ore I thought of t the !ore extraord nary d d !y co!"an onMs hy"othes s, that the !an had been "o soned, a""ear# I re!e!bered ho% he had sn ffed h s l "s, and had no doubt that he had detected so!eth ng %h ch had g &en r se to the dea# Then, aga n, f not "o son, %hat had caused the !anMs death, s nce there %as ne ther %ound nor !arks of strangulat onK *ut, on the other hand, %hose blood %as that %h ch lay so th ckly u"on the floorK There %ere no s gns of a struggle, nor had the & ct ! any %ea"on % th %h ch he ! ght ha&e %ounded an antagon st# As long as all these <uest ons %ere unsol&ed, I felt that slee" %ould be no easy !atter, e ther for +ol!es or !yself# + s <u et selfOconf dent !anner con& nced !e that he had already for!ed a theory %h ch ex"la ned all the facts, though %hat t %as I could not for an nstant conjecture# +e %as &ery late n return ng OO so late, that I kne% that the concert could not ha&e deta ned h ! all the t !e#

D nner %as on the table before he a""eared# FIt %as !agn f cent,F he sa d, as he took h s seat# FDo you re!e!ber %hat Dar% n says about !us cK +e cla !s that the "o%er of "roduc ng and a""rec at ng t ex sted a!ong the hu!an race long before the "o%er of s"eech %as arr &ed at# Perha"s that s %hy %e are so subtly nfluenced by t# There are &ague !e!or es n our souls of those ! sty centur es %hen the %orld %as n ts ch ldhood#F FThatMs rather a broad dea,F I re!arked# F7neMs deas !ust be as broad as 8ature f they are to nter"ret 8ature,F he ans%ered# F$hatMs the !atterK LouMre not look ng <u te yourself# Th s *r xton )oad affa r has u"set you#F FTo tell the truth, t has,F I sa d# FI ought to be !ore caseOhardened after !y Afghan ex"er ences# I sa% !y o%n co!rades hacked to " eces at :a %and % thout los ng !y ner&e#F FI can understand# There s a !ystery about th s %h ch st !ulates the !ag nat onP %here there s no !ag nat on there s no horror# +a&e you seen the e&en ng "a"erKF F8o#F FIt g &es a fa rly good account of the affa r# It does not !ent on the fact that %hen the !an %as ra sed u", a %o!anMs %edd ng r ng fell u"on the floor# It s just as %ell t does not#F F$hyKF F;ook at th s ad&ert se!ent,F he ans%ered# FI had one sent to e&ery "a"er th s !orn ng !!ed ately after the affa r#F +e thre% the "a"er across to !e and I glanced at the "lace nd cated# It %as the f rst announce!ent n the F'oundF colu!n# FIn *r xton )oad, th s !orn ng,F t ran, Fa "la n gold %edd ng r ng, found n the road%ay bet%een the W$h te +artM Ta&ern and +olland Gro&e# A""ly Dr# $atson, 22,*, *aker Street, bet%een e ght and n ne th s e&en ng#F FExcuse !y us ng your na!e,F he sa d# FIf I used !y o%n so!e of these dunderheads %ould recogn 6e t, and %ant to !eddle n the affa r#F FThat s all r ght,F I ans%ered# F*ut su""os ng anyone a""l es, I ha&e no r ng#F F7h yes, you ha&e,F sa d he, hand ng !e one# FTh s % ll do &ery %ell# It s al!ost a facs ! le#F FAnd %ho do you ex"ect % ll ans%er th s ad&ert se!ent#F F$hy, the !an n the bro%n coat OO our flor d fr end % th the s<uare toes# If he does not co!e h !self he % ll send an

acco!"l ce#F F$ould he not cons der t as too dangerousKF F8ot at all# If !y & e% of the case s correct, and I ha&e e&ery reason to bel e&e that t s, th s !an %ould rather r sk anyth ng than lose the r ng# Accord ng to !y not on he dro""ed t %h le stoo" ng o&er DrebberMs body, and d d not ! ss t at the t !e# After lea& ng the house he d sco&ered h s loss and hurr ed back, but found the "ol ce already n "ossess on, o% ng to h s o%n folly n lea& ng the candle burn ng# +e had to "retend to be drunk n order to allay the sus" c ons %h ch ! ght ha&e been aroused by h s a""earance at the gate# 8o% "ut yourself n that !anMs "lace# 7n th nk ng the !atter o&er, t !ust ha&e occurred to h ! that t %as "oss ble that he had lost the r ng n the road after lea& ng the house# $hat %ould he do, thenK +e %ould eagerly look out for the e&en ng "a"ers n the ho"e of see ng t a!ong the art cles found# + s eye, of course, %ould l ght u"on th s# +e %ould be o&erjoyed# $hy should he fear a tra"K There %ould be no reason n h s eyes %hy the f nd ng of the r ng should be connected % th the !urder# +e %ould co!e# +e % ll co!e# Lou shall see h ! % th n an hourKF FAnd thenKF I asked# F7h, you can lea&e !e to deal % th h ! then# +a&e you any ar!sKF FI ha&e !y old ser& ce re&ol&er and a fe% cartr dges#F FLou had better clean t and load t# +e % ll be a des"erate !an, and though I shall take h ! una%ares, t s as %ell to be ready for anyth ng#F I %ent to !y bedroo! and follo%ed h s ad& ce# $hen I returned % th the " stol the table had been cleared, and +ol!es %as engaged n h s fa&our te occu"at on of scra" ng u"on h s & ol n# FThe "lot th ckens,F he sa d, as I enteredP FI ha&e just had an ans%er to !y A!er can telegra!# :y & e% of the case s the correct one#F FAnd that sKF I asked eagerly# F:y f ddle %ould be the better for ne% str ngs,F he re!arked# FPut your " stol n your "ocket# $hen the fello% co!es s"eak to h ! n an ord nary %ay# ;ea&e the rest to !e# DonMt fr ghten h ! by look ng at h ! too hard#F FIt s e ght oMclock no%,F I sa d, glanc ng at !y %atch# FLes# +e % ll "robably be here n a fe% ! nutes# 7"en the door sl ghtly# That % ll do# 8o% "ut the key on the ns de# Thank youE Th s s a <ueer old book I " cked u" at a stall yesterday OO WDe Nure nter GentesM OO "ubl shed n ;at n at ; ege n the ;o%lands, n ,I32# CharlesM head %as st ll f r! on h s shoulders %hen th s l ttle bro%nObacked &olu!e %as

struck off#F F$ho s the "r nterKF FPh l ""e de Croy, %hoe&er he !ay ha&e been# 7n the flyOleaf, n &ery faded nk, s %r tten WEx l br s Gul ol! $hyte#M I %onder %ho $ ll a! $hyte %as# So!e "rag!at cal se&enteenth century la%yer, I su""ose# + s %r t ng has a legal t% st about t# +ere co!es our !an, I th nk#F As he s"oke there %as a shar" r ng at the bell# Sherlock +ol!es rose softly and !o&ed h s cha r n the d rect on of the door# $e heard the ser&ant "ass along the hall, and the shar" cl ck of the latch as she o"ened t# FDoes Dr# $atson l &e hereKF asked a clear but rather harsh &o ce# $e could not hear the ser&antMs re"ly, but the door closed, and so!e one began to ascend the sta rs# The footfall %as an uncerta n and shuffl ng one# A look of sur"r se "assed o&er the face of !y co!"an on as he l stened to t# It ca!e slo%ly along the "assage, and there %as a feeble ta" at the door# FCo!e n,F I cr ed# At !y su!!ons, nstead of the !an of & olence %ho! %e ex"ected, a &ery old and %r nkled %o!an hobbled nto the a"art!ent# She a""eared to be da66led by the sudden bla6e of l ght, and after dro"" ng a curtsey, she stood bl nk ng at us % th her bleared eyes and fu!bl ng n her "ocket % th ner&ous, shaky f ngers# I glanced at !y co!"an on, and h s face had assu!ed such a d sconsolate ex"ress on that t %as all I could do to kee" !y countenance# The old crone dre% out an e&en ng "a"er, and "o nted at our ad&ert se!ent# FItMs th s as has brought !e, good gentle!en,F she sa d, dro"" ng another curtseyP Fa gold %edd ng r ng n the *r xton )oad# It belongs to !y g rl Sally, as %as !arr ed only th s t !e t%el&e!onth, %h ch her husband s ste%ard aboard a 9n on boat, and %hat heMd say f he co!e Mo!e and found her % thout her r ng s !ore than I can th nk, he be ng short enough at the best oM t !es, but !ore es"ec ally %hen he has the dr nk# If t "lease you, she %ent to the c rcus last n ght along % th OOOOF FIs that her r ngKF I asked# FThe ;ord be thankedEF cr ed the old %o!anP FSally % ll be a glad %o!an th s n ght# ThatMs the r ng#F FAnd %hat !ay your address beKF I n<u red, tak ng u" a "enc l# F,B, Duncan Street, +oundsd tch# A %eary %ay fro! here#F FThe *r xton )oad does not l e bet%een any c rcus and +oundsd tch,F sa d Sherlock +ol!es shar"ly# The old %o!an faced round and looked keenly at h ! fro! her l ttle redOr !!ed eyes# FThe gentle!an asked !e for T!yT address,F she

sa d# FSally l &es n lodg ngs at B, :ayf eld Place, Peckha!#F FAnd your na!e s OOOOKF F:y na!e s Sa%yer OO herMs s Denn s, %h ch To! Denn s !arr ed her OO and a s!art, clean lad, too, as long as heMs at sea, and no ste%ard n the co!"any !ore thought ofP but %hen on shore, %hat % th the %o!en and %hat % th l <uor sho"s OOOOF F+ere s your r ng, :rs# Sa%yer,F I nterru"ted, n obed ence to a s gn fro! !y co!"an onP F t clearly belongs to your daughter, and I a! glad to be able to restore t to the r ghtful o%ner#F $ th !any !u!bled bless ngs and "rotestat ons of grat tude the old crone "acked t a%ay n her "ocket, and shuffled off do%n the sta rs# Sherlock +ol!es s"rang to h s feet the !o!ent that she %as gone and rushed nto h s roo!# +e returned n a fe% seconds en&elo"ed n an ulster and a cra&at# FIMll follo% her,F he sa d, hurr edlyP Fshe !ust be an acco!"l ce, and % ll lead !e to h !# $a t u" for !e#F The hall door had hardly sla!!ed beh nd our & s tor before +ol!es had descended the sta r# ;ook ng through the % ndo% I could see her %alk ng feebly along the other s de, %h le her "ursuer dogged her so!e l ttle d stance beh nd# FE ther h s %hole theory s ncorrect,F I thought to !yself, For else he % ll be led no% to the heart of the !ystery#F There %as no need for h ! to ask !e to %a t u" for h !, for I felt that slee" %as !"oss ble unt l I heard the result of h s ad&enture# It %as close u"on n ne %hen he set out# I had no dea ho% long he ! ght be, but I sat stol dly "uff ng at !y " "e and sk "" ng o&er the "ages of +enr :urgerMs F( e de *ohe!e#F U,2V Ten oMclock "assed, and I heard the footste"s of the !a d as they "attered off to bed# Ele&en, and the !ore stately tread of the landlady "assed !y door, bound for the sa!e dest nat on# It %as close u"on t%el&e before I heard the shar" sound of h s latchOkey# The nstant he entered I sa% by h s face that he had not been successful# A!use!ent and chagr n see!ed to be struggl ng for the !astery, unt l the for!er suddenly carr ed the day, and he burst nto a hearty laugh# FI %ouldnMt ha&e the Scotland Larders kno% t for the %orld,F he cr ed, dro"" ng nto h s cha rP FI ha&e chaffed the! so !uch that they %ould ne&er ha&e let !e hear the end of t# I can afford to laugh, because I kno% that I % ll be e&en % th the! n the long run#F F$hat s t thenKF I asked# F7h, I donMt ! nd tell ng a story aga nst !yself# That creature had gone a l ttle %ay %hen she began to l !" and sho% e&ery s gn of be ng footOsore# Presently she ca!e to a halt, and ha led a fourO%heeler %h ch %as "ass ng# I !anaged to be close to her so as to hear the address, but I need not ha&e been so anx ous, for she sang t out loud enough to be heard at the other s de of the street, WDr &e to ,B, Duncan Street, +oundsd tch,M she cr ed# Th s beg ns to look genu ne, I thought, and ha& ng seen her safely ns de,

I "erched !yself beh nd# ThatMs an art %h ch e&ery detect &e should be an ex"ert at# $ell, a%ay %e rattled, and ne&er dre% re n unt l %e reached the street n <uest on# I ho""ed off before %e ca!e to the door, and strolled do%n the street n an easy, loung ng %ay# I sa% the cab "ull u"# The dr &er ju!"ed do%n, and I sa% h ! o"en the door and stand ex"ectantly# 8oth ng ca!e out though# $hen I reached h ! he %as gro" ng about frant cally n the e!"ty cab, and g & ng &ent to the f nest assorted collect on of oaths that e&er I l stened to# There %as no s gn or trace of h s "assenger, and I fear t % ll be so!e t !e before he gets h s fare# 7n n<u r ng at 8u!ber ,B %e found that the house belonged to a res"ectable "a"erhanger, na!ed Res% ck, and that no one of the na!e e ther of Sa%yer or Denn s had e&er been heard of there#F FLou donMt !ean to say,F I cr ed, n a!a6e!ent, Fthat that totter ng, feeble old %o!an %as able to get out of the cab %h le t %as n !ot on, % thout e ther you or the dr &er see ng herKF F7ld %o!an be da!nedEF sa d Sherlock +ol!es, shar"ly# F$e %ere the old %o!en to be so taken n# It !ust ha&e been a young !an, and an act &e one, too, bes des be ng an nco!"arable actor# The getOu" %as n ! table# +e sa% that he %as follo%ed, no doubt, and used th s !eans of g & ng !e the sl "# It sho%s that the !an %e are after s not as lonely as I !ag ned he %as, but has fr ends %ho are ready to r sk so!eth ng for h !# 8o%, Doctor, you are look ng doneOu"# Take !y ad& ce and turn n#F I %as certa nly feel ng &ery %eary, so I obeyed h s njunct on# I left +ol!es seated n front of the s!oulder ng f re, and long nto the %atches of the n ght I heard the lo%, !elancholy %a l ngs of h s & ol n, and kne% that he %as st ll "onder ng o&er the strange "roble! %h ch he had set h !self to unra&el#

C+APTE) (I# T7*IAS G)EGS78 S+7$S $+AT +E CA8 D7# T+E "a"ers next day %ere full of the F*r xton :ystery,F as they ter!ed t# Each had a long account of the affa r, and so!e had leaders u"on t n add t on# There %as so!e nfor!at on n the! %h ch %as ne% to !e# I st ll reta n n !y scra"Obook nu!erous cl "" ngs and extracts bear ng u"on the case# +ere s a condensat on of a fe% of the!>OO The TDa ly Telegra"hT re!arked that n the h story of cr !e there had seldo! been a tragedy %h ch "resented stranger features# The Ger!an na!e of the & ct !, the absence of all other !ot &e, and the s n ster nscr "t on on the %all, all "o nted to ts "er"etrat on by "ol t cal refugees and re&olut on sts# The Soc al sts had !any branches n A!er ca, and the deceased had, no doubt, nfr nged the r un%r tten

la%s, and been tracked do%n by the!# After allud ng a r ly to the (eh!ger cht, a<ua tofana, Carbonar , the :arch oness de *r n& ll ers, the Dar% n an theory, the "r nc "les of :althus, and the )atcl ff + gh%ay !urders, the art cle concluded by ad!on sh ng the Go&ern!ent and ad&ocat ng a closer %atch o&er fore gners n England# The TStandardT co!!ented u"on the fact that la%less outrages of the sort usually occurred under a ; beral Ad! n strat on# They arose fro! the unsettl ng of the ! nds of the !asses, and the conse<uent %eaken ng of all author ty# The deceased %as an A!er can gentle!an %ho had been res d ng for so!e %eeks n the :etro"ol s# +e had stayed at the board ngOhouse of :ada!e Char"ent er, n Tor<uay Terrace, Ca!ber%ell# +e %as acco!"an ed n h s tra&els by h s "r &ate secretary, :r# Nose"h Stangerson# The t%o bade ad eu to the r landlady u"on Tuesday, the 3th nst#, and de"arted to Euston Stat on % th the a&o%ed ntent on of catch ng the ; &er"ool ex"ress# They %ere after%ards seen together u"on the "latfor!# 8oth ng !ore s kno%n of the! unt l :r# DrebberMs body %as, as recorded, d sco&ered n an e!"ty house n the *r xton )oad, !any ! les fro! Euston# +o% he ca!e there, or ho% he !et h s fate, are <uest ons %h ch are st ll n&ol&ed n !ystery# 8oth ng s kno%n of the %hereabouts of Stangerson# $e are glad to learn that :r# ;estrade and :r# Gregson, of Scotland Lard, are both engaged u"on the case, and t s conf dently ant c "ated that these %ellOkno%n off cers % ll s"eed ly thro% l ght u"on the !atter# The TDa ly 8e%sT obser&ed that there %as no doubt as to the cr !e be ng a "ol t cal one# The des"ot s! and hatred of ; beral s! %h ch an !ated the Cont nental Go&ern!ents had had the effect of dr & ng to our shores a nu!ber of !en %ho ! ght ha&e !ade excellent c t 6ens %ere they not soured by the recollect on of all that they had undergone# A!ong these !en there %as a str ngent code of honour, any nfr nge!ent of %h ch %as "un shed by death# E&ery effort should be !ade to f nd the secretary, Stangerson, and to ascerta n so!e "art culars of the hab ts of the deceased# A great ste" had been ga ned by the d sco&ery of the address of the house at %h ch he had boarded OO a result %h ch %as ent rely due to the acuteness and energy of :r# Gregson of Scotland Lard# Sherlock +ol!es and I read these not ces o&er together at breakfast, and they a""eared to afford h ! cons derable a!use!ent# FI told you that, %hate&er ha""ened, ;estrade and Gregson %ould be sure to score#F FThat de"ends on ho% t turns out#F F7h, bless you, t doesnMt !atter n the least# If the !an s caught, t % ll be Ton accountT of the r exert onsP f he esca"es, t % ll be T n s" teT of the r exert ons# ItMs heads I % n and ta ls you lose# $hate&er they do, they % ll ha&e follo%ers# W9n sot trou&e toujours un "lus sot <u lMad! re#MF

F$hat on earth s th sKF I cr ed, for at th s !o!ent there ca!e the "atter ng of !any ste"s n the hall and on the sta rs, acco!"an ed by aud ble ex"ress ons of d sgust u"on the "art of our landlady# FItMs the *aker Street d & s on of the detect &e "ol ce force,F sa d !y co!"an on, gra&elyP and as he s"oke there rushed nto the roo! half a do6en of the d rt est and !ost ragged street Arabs that e&er I cla""ed eyes on# FMTent onEF cr ed +ol!es, n a shar" tone, and the s x d rty l ttle scoundrels stood n a l ne l ke so !any d sre"utable statuettes# FIn future you shall send u" $ gg ns alone to re"ort, and the rest of you !ust %a t n the street# +a&e you found t, $ gg nsKF F8o, s r, %e ha nMt,F sa d one of the youths# FI hardly ex"ected you %ould# Lou !ust kee" on unt l you do# +ere are your %ages# U,BV +e handed each of the! a sh ll ng# F8o%, off you go, and co!e back % th a better re"ort next t !e#F +e %a&ed h s hand, and they sca!"ered a%ay do%nsta rs l ke so !any rats, and %e heard the r shr ll &o ces next !o!ent n the street# FThereMs !ore %ork to be got out of one of those l ttle beggars than out of a do6en of the force,F +ol!es re!arked# FThe !ere s ght of an off c alOlook ng "erson seals !enMs l "s# These youngsters, ho%e&er, go e&ery%here and hear e&eryth ng# They are as shar" as needles, tooP all they %ant s organ sat on#F FIs t on th s *r xton case that you are e!"loy ng the!KF I asked# FLesP there s a "o nt %h ch I % sh to ascerta n# It s !erely a !atter of t !e# +ulloE %e are go ng to hear so!e ne%s no% % th a &engeanceE +ere s Gregson co! ng do%n the road % th beat tude %r tten u"on e&ery feature of h s face# *ound for us, I kno%# Les, he s sto"" ng# There he sEF There %as a & olent "eal at the bell, and n a fe% seconds the fa rOha red detect &e ca!e u" the sta rs, three ste"s at a t !e, and burst nto our s tt ngOroo!# F:y dear fello%,F he cr ed, %r ng ng +ol!esM unres"ons &e hand, Fcongratulate !eE I ha&e !ade the %hole th ng as clear as day#F A shade of anx ety see!ed to !e to cross !y co!"an onMs ex"ress &e face# FDo you !ean that you are on the r ght trackKF he asked# FThe r ght trackE $hy, s r, %e ha&e the !an under lock and key#F FAnd h s na!e sKF FArthur Char"ent er, subOl eutenant n +er :ajestyMs na&y,F

cr ed Gregson, "o!"ously, rubb ng h s fat hands and nflat ng h s chest# Sherlock +ol!es ga&e a s gh of rel ef, and relaxed nto a s! le# FTake a seat, and try one of these c gars,F he sa d# F$e are anx ous to kno% ho% you !anaged t# $ ll you ha&e so!e %h skey and %aterKF FI donMt ! nd f I do,F the detect &e ans%ered# FThe tre!endous exert ons %h ch I ha&e gone through dur ng the last day or t%o ha&e %orn !e out# 8ot so !uch bod ly exert on, you understand, as the stra n u"on the ! nd# Lou % ll a""rec ate that, :r# Sherlock +ol!es, for %e are both bra nO%orkers#F FLou do !e too !uch honour,F sa d +ol!es, gra&ely# F;et us hear ho% you arr &ed at th s !ost grat fy ng result#F The detect &e seated h !self n the ar!Ocha r, and "uffed co!"lacently at h s c gar# Then suddenly he sla""ed h s th gh n a "aroxys! of a!use!ent# FThe fun of t s,F he cr ed, Fthat that fool ;estrade, %ho th nks h !self so s!art, has gone off u"on the %rong track altogether# +e s after the secretary Stangerson, %ho had no !ore to do % th the cr !e than the babe unborn# I ha&e no doubt that he has caught h ! by th s t !e#F The dea t ckled Gregson so !uch that he laughed unt l he choked# FAnd ho% d d you get your clueKF FAh, IMll tell you all about t# 7f course, Doctor $atson, th s s str ctly bet%een oursel&es# The f rst d ff culty %h ch %e had to contend % th %as the f nd ng of th s A!er canMs antecedents# So!e "eo"le %ould ha&e %a ted unt l the r ad&ert se!ents %ere ans%ered, or unt l "art es ca!e for%ard and &olunteered nfor!at on# That s not Tob as GregsonMs %ay of go ng to %ork# Lou re!e!ber the hat bes de the dead !anKF FLes,F sa d +ol!esP Fby Nohn 9nder%ood and Sons, ,2-, Ca!ber%ell )oad#F Gregson looked <u te crestOfallen# FI had no dea that you not ced that,F he sa d# F+a&e you been thereKF F8o#F F+aEF cr ed Gregson, n a rel e&ed &o ceP Fyou should ne&er neglect a chance, ho%e&er s!all t !ay see!#F FTo a great ! nd, noth ng s l ttle,F re!arked +ol!es, sentent ously#

F$ell, I %ent to 9nder%ood, and asked h ! f he had sold a hat of that s 6e and descr "t on# +e looked o&er h s books, and ca!e on t at once# +e had sent the hat to a :r# Drebber, res d ng at Char"ent erMs *oard ng Establ sh!ent, Tor<uay Terrace# Thus I got at h s address#F FS!art OO &ery s!artEF !ur!ured Sherlock +ol!es# FI next called u"on :ada!e Char"ent er,F cont nued the detect &e# FI found her &ery "ale and d stressed# +er daughter %as n the roo!, too OO an unco!!only f ne g rl she s, tooP she %as look ng red about the eyes and her l "s tre!bled as I s"oke to her# That d dnMt esca"e !y not ce# I began to s!ell a rat# Lou kno% the feel ng, :r# Sherlock +ol!es, %hen you co!e u"on the r ght scent OO a k nd of thr ll n your ner&es# W+a&e you heard of the !yster ous death of your late boarder :r# Enoch N# Drebber, of Cle&elandKM I asked# FThe !other nodded# She d dnMt see! able to get out a %ord# The daughter burst nto tears# I felt !ore than e&er that these "eo"le kne% so!eth ng of the !atter# FWAt %hat oMclock d d :r# Drebber lea&e your house for the tra nKM I asked# FWAt e ght oMclock,M she sa d, gul" ng n her throat to kee" do%n her ag tat on# W+ s secretary, :r# Stangerson, sa d that there %ere t%o tra ns OO one at -#,/ and one at ,,# +e %as to catch the f rst# U,3V FWAnd %as that the last %h ch you sa% of h !KM FA terr ble change ca!e o&er the %o!anMs face as I asked the <uest on# +er features turned "erfectly l & d# It %as so!e seconds before she could get out the s ngle %ord WLesM OO and %hen t d d co!e t %as n a husky unnatural tone# FThere %as s lence for a !o!ent, and then the daughter s"oke n a cal! clear &o ce# FW8o good can e&er co!e of falsehood, !other,M she sa d# W;et us be frank % th th s gentle!an# $e Td dT see :r# Drebber aga n#M FWGod forg &e youEM cr ed :ada!e Char"ent er, thro% ng u" her hands and s nk ng back n her cha r# WLou ha&e !urdered your brother#M FWArthur %ould rather that %e s"oke the truth,M the g rl ans%ered f r!ly# FWLou had best tell !e all about t no%,M I sa d# W+alfOconf dences are %orse than none# *es des, you do not kno% ho% !uch %e kno% of t#M FW7n your head be t, Al ceEM cr ed her !otherP and then, turn ng to !e, WI % ll tell you all, s r# Do not !ag ne

that !y ag tat on on behalf of !y son ar ses fro! any fear lest he should ha&e had a hand n th s terr ble affa r# +e s utterly nnocent of t# :y dread s, ho%e&er, that n your eyes and n the eyes of others he !ay a""ear to be co!"ro! sed# That ho%e&er s surely !"oss ble# + s h gh character, h s "rofess on, h s antecedents %ould all forb d t#M FWLour best %ay s to !ake a clean breast of the facts,M I ans%ered# WDe"end u"on t, f your son s nnocent he % ll be none the %orse#M FWPerha"s, Al ce, you had better lea&e us together,M she sa d, and her daughter % thdre%# W8o%, s r,M she cont nued, WI had no ntent on of tell ng you all th s, but s nce !y "oor daughter has d sclosed t I ha&e no alternat &e# +a& ng once dec ded to s"eak, I % ll tell you all % thout o! tt ng any "art cular#M FWIt s your % sest course,M sa d I# FW:r# Drebber has been % th us nearly three %eeks# +e and h s secretary, :r# Stangerson, had been tra&ell ng on the Cont nent# I not ced a FCo"enhagenF label u"on each of the r trunks, sho% ng that that had been the r last sto"" ng "lace# Stangerson %as a <u et reser&ed !an, but h s e!"loyer, I a! sorry to say, %as far other% se# +e %as coarse n h s hab ts and brut sh n h s %ays# The &ery n ght of h s arr &al he beca!e &ery !uch the %orse for dr nk, and, ndeed, after t%el&e oMclock n the day he could hardly e&er be sa d to be sober# + s !anners to%ards the !a dOser&ants %ere d sgust ngly free and fa! l ar# $orst of all, he s"eed ly assu!ed the sa!e att tude to%ards !y daughter, Al ce, and s"oke to her !ore than once n a %ay %h ch, fortunately, she s too nnocent to understand# 7n one occas on he actually se 6ed her n h s ar!s and e!braced her OO an outrage %h ch caused h s o%n secretary to re"roach h ! for h s un!anly conduct#M FW*ut %hy d d you stand all th s,M I asked# WI su""ose that you can get r d of your boarders %hen you % sh#M F:rs# Char"ent er blushed at !y "ert nent <uest on# W$ould to God that I had g &en h ! not ce on the &ery day that he ca!e,M she sa d# W*ut t %as a sore te!"tat on# They %ere "ay ng a "ound a day each OO fourteen "ounds a %eek, and th s s the slack season# I a! a % do%, and !y boy n the 8a&y has cost !e !uch# I grudged to lose the !oney# I acted for the best# Th s last %as too !uch, ho%e&er, and I ga&e h ! not ce to lea&e on account of t# That %as the reason of h s go ng#M FW$ellKM FW:y heart gre% l ght %hen I sa% h ! dr &e a%ay# :y son s on lea&e just no%, but I d d not tell h ! anyth ng of all th s, for h s te!"er s & olent, and he s "ass onately fond of h s s ster# $hen I closed the door beh nd the! a load see!ed to be l fted fro! !y ! nd# Alas, n less than an hour there %as a r ng at the bell, and I learned that :r# Drebber had returned# +e %as !uch exc ted, and e& dently the %orse

for dr nk# +e forced h s %ay nto the roo!, %here I %as s tt ng % th !y daughter, and !ade so!e ncoherent re!ark about ha& ng ! ssed h s tra n# +e then turned to Al ce, and before !y &ery face, "ro"osed to her that she should fly % th h !# FLou are of age,F he sa d, Fand there s no la% to sto" you# I ha&e !oney enough and to s"are# 8e&er ! nd the old g rl here, but co!e along % th !e no% stra ght a%ay# Lou shall l &e l ke a "r ncess#F Poor Al ce %as so fr ghtened that she shrunk a%ay fro! h !, but he caught her by the %r st and endea&oured to dra% her to%ards the door# I screa!ed, and at that !o!ent !y son Arthur ca!e nto the roo!# $hat ha""ened then I do not kno%# I heard oaths and the confused sounds of a scuffle# I %as too terr f ed to ra se !y head# $hen I d d look u" I sa% Arthur stand ng n the door%ay laugh ng, % th a st ck n h s hand# FI donMt th nk that f ne fello% % ll trouble us aga n,F he sa d# FI % ll just go after h ! and see %hat he does % th h !self#F $ th those %ords he took h s hat and started off do%n the street# The next !orn ng %e heard of :r# DrebberMs !yster ous death#M FTh s state!ent ca!e fro! :rs# Char"ent erMs l "s % th !any gas"s and "auses# At t !es she s"oke so lo% that I could hardly catch the %ords# I !ade shorthand notes of all that she sa d, ho%e&er, so that there should be no "oss b l ty of a ! stake#F FItMs <u te exc t ng,F sa d Sherlock +ol!es, % th a ya%n# F$hat ha""ened nextKF F$hen :rs# Char"ent er "aused,F the detect &e cont nued, FI sa% that the %hole case hung u"on one "o nt# ' x ng her % th !y eye n a %ay %h ch I al%ays found effect &e % th %o!en, I asked her at %hat hour her son returned# FWI do not kno%,M she ans%ered# FW8ot kno%KM FW8oP he has a latchOkey, and he let h !self n#M FWAfter you %ent to bedKM FWLes#M FW$hen d d you go to bedKM FWAbout ele&en#M FWSo your son %as gone at least t%o hoursKM FWLes#M FWPoss bly four or f &eKM FWLes#M FW$hat %as he do ng dur ng that t !eKM

FWI do not kno%,M she ans%ered, turn ng %h te to her &ery l "s# F7f course after that there %as noth ng !ore to be done# I found out %here ; eutenant Char"ent er %as, took t%o off cers % th !e, and arrested h !# $hen I touched h ! on the shoulder and %arned h ! to co!e <u etly % th us, he ans%ered us as bold as brass, WI su""ose you are arrest ng !e for be ng concerned n the death of that scoundrel Drebber,M he sa d# $e had sa d noth ng to h ! about t, so that h s allud ng to t had a !ost sus" c ous as"ect#F F(ery,F sa d +ol!es# F+e st ll carr ed the hea&y st ck %h ch the !other descr bed h ! as ha& ng % th h ! %hen he follo%ed Drebber# It %as a stout oak cudgel#F F$hat s your theory, thenKF F$ell, !y theory s that he follo%ed Drebber as far as the *r xton )oad# $hen there, a fresh altercat on arose bet%een the!, n the course of %h ch Drebber rece &ed a blo% fro! the st ck, n the " t of the sto!ach, "erha"s, %h ch k lled h ! % thout lea& ng any !ark# The n ght %as so %et that no one %as about, so Char"ent er dragged the body of h s & ct ! nto the e!"ty house# As to the candle, and the blood, and the %r t ng on the %all, and the r ng, they !ay all be so !any tr cks to thro% the "ol ce on to the %rong scent#F F$ell doneEF sa d +ol!es n an encourag ng &o ce# F)eally, Gregson, you are gett ng along# $e shall !ake so!eth ng of you yet#F FI flatter !yself that I ha&e !anaged t rather neatly,F the detect &e ans%ered "roudly# FThe young !an &olunteered a state!ent, n %h ch he sa d that after follo% ng Drebber so!e t !e, the latter "erce &ed h !, and took a cab n order to get a%ay fro! h !# 7n h s %ay ho!e he !et an old sh "!ate, and took a long %alk % th h !# 7n be ng asked %here th s old sh "!ate l &ed, he %as unable to g &e any sat sfactory re"ly# I th nk the %hole case f ts together unco!!only %ell# $hat a!uses !e s to th nk of ;estrade, %ho had started off u"on the %rong scent# I a! afra d he %onMt !ake !uch of U,/V $hy, by No&e, hereMs the &ery !an h !selfEF It %as ndeed ;estrade, %ho had ascended the sta rs %h le %e %ere talk ng, and %ho no% entered the roo!# The assurance and jaunt ness %h ch generally !arked h s de!eanour and dress %ere, ho%e&er, %ant ng# + s face %as d sturbed and troubled, %h le h s clothes %ere d sarranged and unt dy# +e had e& dently co!e % th the ntent on of consult ng % th Sherlock +ol!es, for on "erce & ng h s colleague he a""eared to be e!barrassed and "ut out# +e stood n the centre of the roo!, fu!bl ng ner&ously % th h s hat and uncerta n %hat to do# FTh s s a !ost extraord nary case,F he sa d at last OO Fa !ost nco!"rehens ble affa r#F FAh, you f nd t so, :r# ;estradeEF cr ed Gregson,

tr u!"hantly# FI thought you %ould co!e to that conclus on# +a&e you !anaged to f nd the Secretary, :r# Nose"h StangersonKF FThe Secretary, :r# Nose"h Stangerson,F sa d ;estrade gra&ely, F%as !urdered at +all dayMs Pr &ate +otel about s x oMclock th s !orn ng#F

C+APTE) (II# ;IG+T I8 T+E DA)R8ESS# T+E ntell gence % th %h ch ;estrade greeted us %as so !o!entous and so unex"ected, that %e %ere all three fa rly du!foundered# Gregson s"rang out of h s cha r and u"set the re!a nder of h s %h skey and %ater# I stared n s lence at Sherlock +ol!es, %hose l "s %ere co!"ressed and h s bro%s dra%n do%n o&er h s eyes# FStangerson tooEF he !uttered# FThe "lot th ckens#F FIt %as <u te th ck enough before,F gru!bled ;estrade, tak ng a cha r# FI see! to ha&e dro""ed nto a sort of counc l of %ar#F FAre you OO are you sure of th s " ece of ntell genceKF sta!!ered Gregson# FI ha&e just co!e fro! h s roo!,F sa d ;estrade# FI %as the f rst to d sco&er %hat had occurred#F F$e ha&e been hear ng GregsonMs & e% of the !atter,F +ol!es obser&ed# F$ould you ! nd lett ng us kno% %hat you ha&e seen and doneKF FI ha&e no object on,F ;estrade ans%ered, seat ng h !self# FI freely confess that I %as of the o" n on that Stangerson %as concerned n the death of Drebber# Th s fresh de&elo"!ent has sho%n !e that I %as co!"letely ! staken# 'ull of the one dea, I set !yself to f nd out %hat had beco!e of the Secretary# They had been seen together at Euston Stat on about halfO"ast e ght on the e&en ng of the th rd# At t%o n the !orn ng Drebber had been found n the *r xton )oad# The <uest on %h ch confronted !e %as to f nd out ho% Stangerson had been e!"loyed bet%een H#B5 and the t !e of the cr !e, and %hat had beco!e of h ! after%ards# I telegra"hed to ; &er"ool, g & ng a descr "t on of the !an, and %arn ng the! to kee" a %atch u"on the A!er can boats# I then set to %ork call ng u"on all the hotels and lodg ngOhouses n the & c n ty of Euston# Lou see, I argued that f Drebber and h s co!"an on had beco!e se"arated, the natural course for the latter %ould be to "ut u" so!e%here n the & c n ty for the n ght, and then to hang about the stat on aga n next !orn ng#F FThey %ould be l kely to agree on so!e !eet ngO"lace beforehand,F

re!arked +ol!es# FSo t "ro&ed# I s"ent the %hole of yesterday e&en ng n !ak ng en<u r es ent rely % thout a&a l# Th s !orn ng I began &ery early, and at e ght oMclock I reached +all dayMs Pr &ate +otel, n ; ttle George Street# 7n !y en<u ry as to %hether a :r# Stangerson %as l & ng there, they at once ans%ered !e n the aff r!at &e# FW8o doubt you are the gentle!an %ho! he %as ex"ect ng,M they sa d# W+e has been %a t ng for a gentle!an for t%o days#M FW$here s he no%KM I asked# FW+e s u"sta rs n bed# +e % shed to be called at n ne#M FWI % ll go u" and see h ! at once,M I sa d# FIt see!ed to !e that !y sudden a""earance ! ght shake h s ner&es and lead h ! to say so!eth ng unguarded# The *oots &olunteered to sho% !e the roo!> t %as on the second floor, and there %as a s!all corr dor lead ng u" to t# The *oots "o nted out the door to !e, and %as about to go do%nsta rs aga n %hen I sa% so!eth ng that !ade !e feel s ck sh, n s" te of !y t%enty yearsM ex"er ence# 'ro! under the door there curled a l ttle red r bbon of blood, %h ch had !eandered across the "assage and for!ed a l ttle "ool along the sk rt ng at the other s de# I ga&e a cry, %h ch brought the *oots back# +e nearly fa nted %hen he sa% t# The door %as locked on the ns de, but %e "ut our shoulders to t, and knocked t n# The % ndo% of the roo! %as o"en, and bes de the % ndo%, all huddled u", lay the body of a !an n h s n ghtdress# +e %as <u te dead, and had been for so!e t !e, for h s l !bs %ere r g d and cold# $hen %e turned h ! o&er, the *oots recogn 6ed h ! at once as be ng the sa!e gentle!an %ho had engaged the roo! under the na!e of Nose"h Stangerson# The cause of death %as a dee" stab n the left s de, %h ch !ust ha&e "enetrated the heart# And no% co!es the strangest "art of the affa r# $hat do you su""ose %as abo&e the !urdered !anKF I felt a cree" ng of the flesh, and a "resent !ent of co! ng horror, e&en before Sherlock +ol!es ans%ered# FThe %ord )AC+E, %r tten n letters of blood,F he sa d# FThat %as t,F sa d ;estrade, n an a%eOstruck &o ceP and %e %ere all s lent for a %h le# There %as so!eth ng so !ethod cal and so nco!"rehens ble about the deeds of th s unkno%n assass n, that t !"arted a fresh ghastl ness to h s cr !es# :y ner&es, %h ch %ere steady enough on the f eld of battle t ngled as I thought of t# FThe !an %as seen,F cont nued ;estrade# FA ! lk boy, "ass ng on h s %ay to the da ry, ha""ened to %alk do%n the lane %h ch leads fro! the !e%s at the back of the hotel# +e not ced that a ladder, %h ch usually lay there, %as ra sed aga nst

one of the % ndo%s of the second floor, %h ch %as % de o"en# After "ass ng, he looked back and sa% a !an descend the ladder# +e ca!e do%n so <u etly and o"enly that the boy !ag ned h ! to be so!e car"enter or jo ner at %ork n the hotel# +e took no "art cular not ce of h !, beyond th nk ng n h s o%n ! nd that t %as early for h ! to be at %ork# +e has an !"ress on that the !an %as tall, had a redd sh face, and %as dressed n a long, bro%n sh coat# +e !ust ha&e stayed n the roo! so!e l ttle t !e after the !urder, for %e found bloodOsta ned %ater n the bas n, %here he had %ashed h s hands, and !arks on the sheets %here he had del berately % "ed h s kn fe#F I glanced at +ol!es on hear ng the descr "t on of the !urderer, %h ch tall ed so exactly % th h s o%n# There %as, ho%e&er, no trace of exultat on or sat sfact on u"on h s face# FD d you f nd noth ng n the roo! %h ch could furn sh a clue to the !urdererKF he asked# F8oth ng# Stangerson had DrebberMs "urse n h s "ocket, but t see!s that th s %as usual, as he d d all the "ay ng# There %as e ghty odd "ounds n t, but noth ng had been taken# $hate&er the !ot &es of these extraord nary cr !es, robbery s certa nly not one of the!# There %ere no "a"ers or !e!oranda n the !urdered !anMs "ocket, exce"t a s ngle telegra!, dated fro! Cle&eland about a !onth ago, and conta n ng the %ords, WN# +# s n Euro"e#M There %as no na!e a""ended to th s !essage#F FAnd there %as noth ng elseKF +ol!es asked# F8oth ng of any !"ortance# The !anMs no&el, % th %h ch he had read h !self to slee" %as ly ng u"on the bed, and h s " "e %as on a cha r bes de h !# There %as a glass of %ater on the table, and on the % ndo%Os ll a s!all ch " o nt!ent box conta n ng a cou"le of " lls#F Sherlock +ol!es s"rang fro! h s cha r % th an excla!at on of del ght# FThe last l nk,F he cr ed, exultantly# F:y case s co!"lete#F The t%o detect &es stared at h ! n a!a6e!ent# FI ha&e no% n !y hands,F !y co!"an on sa d, conf dently, Fall the threads %h ch ha&e for!ed such a tangle# There are, of course, deta ls to be f lled n, but I a! as certa n of all the !a n facts, fro! the t !e that Drebber "arted fro! Stangerson at the stat on, u" to the d sco&ery of the body of the latter, as f I had seen the! % th !y o%n eyes# I % ll g &e you a "roof of !y kno%ledge# Could you lay your hand u"on those " llsKF FI ha&e the!,F sa d ;estrade, "roduc ng a s!all %h te boxP FI took the! and the "urse and the telegra!, ntend ng to ha&e the! "ut n a "lace of safety at the Pol ce Stat on# It %as the !erest chance !y tak ng these " lls, for I a! bound to

say that I do not attach any !"ortance to the!#F FG &e the! here,F sa d +ol!es# F8o%, Doctor,F turn ng to !e, Fare those ord nary " llsKF They certa nly %ere not# They %ere of a "early grey colour, s!all, round, and al!ost trans"arent aga nst the l ght# F'ro! the r l ghtness and trans"arency, I should !ag ne that they are soluble n %ater,F I re!arked# FPrec sely so,F ans%ered +ol!es# F8o% %ould you ! nd go ng do%n and fetch ng that "oor l ttle de& l of a terr er %h ch has been bad so long, and %h ch the landlady %anted you to "ut out of ts "a n yesterday#F I %ent do%nsta rs and carr ed the dog u"sta r n !y ar!s# ItMs laboured breath ng and gla6 ng eye sho%ed that t %as not far fro! ts end# Indeed, ts sno%O%h te !u66le "rocla !ed that t had already exceeded the usual ter! of can ne ex stence# I "laced t u"on a cush on on the rug# FI % ll no% cut one of these " lls n t%o,F sa d +ol!es, and dra% ng h s "enkn fe he su ted the act on to the %ord# F7ne half %e return nto the box for future "ur"oses# The other half I % ll "lace n th s % ne glass, n %h ch s a teas"oonful of %ater# Lou "erce &e that our fr end, the Doctor, s r ght, and that t read ly d ssol&es#F FTh s !ay be &ery nterest ng,F sa d ;estrade, n the njured tone of one %ho sus"ects that he s be ng laughed at, FI cannot see, ho%e&er, %hat t has to do % th the death of :r# Nose"h Stangerson#F FPat ence, !y fr end, "at enceE Lou % ll f nd n t !e that t has e&eryth ng to do % th t# I shall no% add a l ttle ! lk to !ake the ! xture "alatable, and on "resent ng t to the dog %e f nd that he la"s t u" read ly enough#F As he s"oke he turned the contents of the % ne glass nto a saucer and "laced t n front of the terr er, %ho s"eed ly l cked t dry# Sherlock +ol!esM earnest de!eanour had so far con& nced us that %e all sat n s lence, %atch ng the an !al ntently, and ex"ect ng so!e startl ng effect# 8one such a""eared, ho%e&er# The dog cont nued to l e stretched u"on tho U,IV cush on, breath ng n a laboured %ay, but a""arently ne ther the better nor the %orse for ts draught# +ol!es had taken out h s %atch, and as ! nute follo%ed ! nute % thout result, an ex"ress on of the ut!ost chagr n and d sa""o nt!ent a""eared u"on h s features# +e gna%ed h s l ", dru!!ed h s f ngers u"on the table, and sho%ed e&ery other sy!"to! of acute !"at ence# So great %as h s e!ot on, that I felt s ncerely sorry for h !, %h le the t%o detect &es s! led der s &ely, by no !eans d s"leased at th s check %h ch he had !et# FIt canMt be a co nc dence,F he cr ed, at last s"r ng ng fro! h s cha r and "ac ng % ldly u" and do%n the roo!P F t s

!"oss ble that t should be a !ere co nc dence# The &ery " lls %h ch I sus"ected n the case of Drebber are actually found after the death of Stangerson# And yet they are nert# $hat can t !eanK Surely !y %hole cha n of reason ng cannot ha&e been false# It s !"oss bleE And yet th s %retched dog s none the %orse# Ah, I ha&e tE I ha&e tEF $ th a "erfect shr ek of del ght he rushed to the box, cut the other " ll n t%o, d ssol&ed t, added ! lk, and "resented t to the terr er# The unfortunate creatureMs tongue see!ed hardly to ha&e been !o stened n t before t ga&e a con&uls &e sh &er n e&ery l !b, and lay as r g d and l feless as f t had been struck by l ghtn ng# Sherlock +ol!es dre% a long breath, and % "ed the "ers" rat on fro! h s forehead# FI should ha&e !ore fa th,F he sa dP FI ought to kno% by th s t !e that %hen a fact a""ears to be o""osed to a long tra n of deduct ons, t n&ar ably "ro&es to be ca"able of bear ng so!e other nter"retat on# 7f the t%o " lls n that box one %as of the !ost deadly "o son, and the other %as ent rely har!less# I ought to ha&e kno%n that before e&er I sa% the box at all#F Th s last state!ent a""eared to !e to be so startl ng, that I could hardly bel e&e that he %as n h s sober senses# There %as the dead dog, ho%e&er, to "ro&e that h s conjecture had been correct# It see!ed to !e that the ! sts n !y o%n ! nd %ere gradually clear ng a%ay, and I began to ha&e a d !, &ague "erce"t on of the truth# FAll th s see!s strange to you,F cont nued +ol!es, Fbecause you fa led at the beg nn ng of the n<u ry to gras" the !"ortance of the s ngle real clue %h ch %as "resented to you# I had the good fortune to se 6e u"on that, and e&eryth ng %h ch has occurred s nce then has ser&ed to conf r! !y or g nal su""os t on, and, ndeed, %as the log cal se<uence of t# +ence th ngs %h ch ha&e "er"lexed you and !ade the case !ore obscure, ha&e ser&ed to enl ghten !e and to strengthen !y conclus ons# It s a ! stake to confound strangeness % th !ystery# The !ost co!!on"lace cr !e s often the !ost !yster ous because t "resents no ne% or s"ec al features fro! %h ch deduct ons !ay be dra%n# Th s !urder %ould ha&e been nf n tely !ore d ff cult to unra&el had the body of the & ct ! been s !"ly found ly ng n the road%ay % thout any of those ToutreT U,.V and sensat onal acco!"an !ents %h ch ha&e rendered t re!arkable# These strange deta ls, far fro! !ak ng the case !ore d ff cult, ha&e really had the effect of !ak ng t less so#F :r# Gregson, %ho had l stened to th s address % th cons derable !"at ence, could conta n h !self no longer# F;ook here, :r# Sherlock +ol!es,F he sa d, F%e are all ready to ackno%ledge that you are a s!art !an, and that you ha&e your o%n !ethods of %ork ng# $e %ant so!eth ng !ore than !ere theory and "reach ng no%, though# It s a case of tak ng the !an# I ha&e !ade !y case out, and t see!s I %as %rong# Loung Char"ent er could not ha&e been engaged n th s second affa r# ;estrade %ent after h s !an, Stangerson, and t a""ears that he %as %rong too# Lou ha&e thro%n out h nts

here, and h nts there, and see! to kno% !ore than %e do, but the t !e has co!e %hen %e feel that %e ha&e a r ght to ask you stra ght ho% !uch you do kno% of the bus ness# Can you na!e the !an %ho d d tKF FI cannot hel" feel ng that Gregson s r ght, s r,F re!arked ;estrade# F$e ha&e both tr ed, and %e ha&e both fa led# Lou ha&e re!arked !ore than once s nce I ha&e been n the roo! that you had all the e& dence %h ch you re<u re# Surely you % ll not % thhold t any longer#F FAny delay n arrest ng the assass n,F I obser&ed, F! ght g &e h ! t !e to "er"etrate so!e fresh atroc ty#F Thus "ressed by us all, +ol!es sho%ed s gns of rresolut on# +e cont nued to %alk u" and do%n the roo! % th h s head sunk on h s chest and h s bro%s dra%n do%n, as %as h s hab t %hen lost n thought# FThere % ll be no !ore !urders,F he sa d at last, sto"" ng abru"tly and fac ng us# FLou can "ut that cons derat on out of the <uest on# Lou ha&e asked !e f I kno% the na!e of the assass n# I do# The !ere kno% ng of h s na!e s a s!all th ng, ho%e&er, co!"ared % th the "o%er of lay ng our hands u"on h !# Th s I ex"ect &ery shortly to do# I ha&e good ho"es of !anag ng t through !y o%n arrange!entsP but t s a th ng %h ch needs del cate handl ng, for %e ha&e a shre%d and des"erate !an to deal % th, %ho s su""orted, as I ha&e had occas on to "ro&e, by another %ho s as cle&er as h !self# As long as th s !an has no dea that anyone can ha&e a clue there s so!e chance of secur ng h !P but f he had the sl ghtest sus" c on, he %ould change h s na!e, and &an sh n an nstant a!ong the four ! ll on nhab tants of th s great c ty# $ thout !ean ng to hurt e ther of your feel ngs, I a! bound to say that I cons der these !en to be !ore than a !atch for the off c al force, and that s %hy I ha&e not asked your ass stance# If I fa l I shall, of course, ncur all the bla!e due to th s o! ss onP but that I a! "re"ared for# At "resent I a! ready to "ro! se that the nstant that I can co!!un cate % th you % thout endanger ng !y o%n co!b nat ons, I shall do so#F Gregson and ;estrade see!ed to be far fro! sat sf ed by th s assurance, or by the de"rec at ng allus on to the detect &e "ol ce# The for!er had flushed u" to the roots of h s flaxen ha r, %h le the otherMs beady eyes gl stened % th cur os ty and resent!ent# 8e ther of the! had t !e to s"eak, ho%e&er, before there %as a ta" at the door, and the s"okes!an of the street Arabs, young $ gg ns, ntroduced h s ns gn f cant and unsa&oury "erson# FPlease, s r,F he sa d, touch ng h s forelock, FI ha&e the cab do%nsta rs#F FGood boy,F sa d +ol!es, blandly# F$hy donMt you ntroduce th s "attern at Scotland LardKF he cont nued, tak ng a "a r of steel handcuffs fro! a dra%er# FSee ho% beaut fully the s"r ng %orks# They fasten n an nstant#F

FThe old "attern s good enough,F re!arked ;estrade, F f %e can only f nd the !an to "ut the! on#F F(ery good, &ery good,F sa d +ol!es, s! l ng# FThe cab!an !ay as %ell hel" !e % th !y boxes# Nust ask h ! to ste" u", $ gg ns#F I %as sur"r sed to f nd !y co!"an on s"eak ng as though he %ere about to set out on a journey, s nce he had not sa d anyth ng to !e about t# There %as a s!all "ort!anteau n the roo!, and th s he "ulled out and began to stra"# +e %as bus ly engaged at t %hen the cab!an entered the roo!# FNust g &e !e a hel" % th th s buckle, cab!an,F he sa d, kneel ng o&er h s task, and ne&er turn ng h s head# The fello% ca!e for%ard % th a so!e%hat sullen, def ant a r, and "ut do%n h s hands to ass st# At that nstant there %as a shar" cl ck, the jangl ng of !etal, and Sherlock +ol!es s"rang to h s feet aga n# FGentle!en,F he cr ed, % th flash ng eyes, Flet !e ntroduce you to :r# Nefferson +o"e, the !urderer of Enoch Drebber and of Nose"h Stangerson#F The %hole th ng occurred n a !o!ent OO so <u ckly that I had no t !e to real 6e t# I ha&e a & & d recollect on of that nstant, of +ol!esM tr u!"hant ex"ress on and the r ng of h s &o ce, of the cab!anMs da6ed, sa&age face, as he glared at the gl tter ng handcuffs, %h ch had a""eared as f by !ag c u"on h s %r sts# 'or a second or t%o %e ! ght ha&e been a grou" of statues# Then, % th an nart culate roar of fury, the "r soner %renched h !self free fro! +ol!esMs gras", and hurled h !self through the % ndo%# $ood%ork and glass ga&e %ay before h !P but before he got <u te through, Gregson, ;estrade, and +ol!es s"rang u"on h ! l ke so !any staghounds# +e %as dragged back nto the roo!, and then co!!enced a terr f c confl ct# So "o%erful and so f erce %as he, that the four of us %ere shaken off aga n and aga n# +e a""eared to ha&e the con&uls &e strength of a !an n an e" le"t c f t# + s face and hands %ere terr bly !angled by h s "assage through the glass, but loss of blood had no effect n d ! n sh ng h s res stance# It %as not unt l ;estrade succeeded n gett ng h s hand ns de h s neckcloth and halfOstrangl ng h ! that %e !ade h ! real 6e that h s struggles %ere of no a&a lP and e&en then %e felt no secur ty unt l %e had " n oned h s feet as %ell as h s hands# That done, %e rose to our feet breathless and "ant ng# F$e ha&e h s cab,F sa d Sherlock +ol!es# FIt % ll ser&e to take h ! to Scotland Lard# And no%, gentle!en,F he cont nued, % th a "leasant s! le, F%e ha&e reached the end of our l ttle !ystery# Lou are &ery %elco!e to "ut any <uest ons that you l ke to !e no%, and there s no danger that I % ll refuse to ans%er the!#F

PA)T II# TThe Country of the Sa nts#T C+APTE) I# 78 T+E G)EAT A;RA;I P;AI8# I8 the central "ort on of the great 8orth A!er can Cont nent there l es an ar d and re"uls &e desert, %h ch for !any a long year ser&ed as a barr er aga nst the ad&ance of c & l sat on# 'ro! the S erra 8e&ada to 8ebraska, and fro! the Lello%stone ) &er n the north to the Colorado u"on the south, s a reg on of desolat on and s lence# 8or s 8ature al%ays n one !ood throughout th s gr ! d str ct# It co!"r ses sno%Oca""ed and lofty !ounta ns, and dark and gloo!y &alleys# There are s% ftOflo% ng r &ers %h ch dash through jagged canonsP U,HV and there are enor!ous "la ns, %h ch n % nter are %h te % th sno%, and n su!!er are grey % th the sal ne alkal dust# They all "reser&e, ho%e&er, the co!!on character st cs of barrenness, nhos" tal ty, and ! sery# There are no nhab tants of th s land of des"a r# A band of Pa%nees or of *lackfeet !ay occas onally tra&erse t n order to reach other hunt ngOgrounds, but the hard est of the bra&es are glad to lose s ght of those a%eso!e "la ns, and to f nd the!sel&es once !ore u"on the r "ra r es# The coyote skulks a!ong the scrub, the bu66ard fla"s hea& ly through the a r, and the clu!sy gr 66ly bear lu!bers through the dark ra& nes, and " cks u" such sustenance as t can a!ongst the rocks# These are the sole d%ellers n the % lderness# In the %hole %orld there can be no !ore dreary & e% than that fro! the northern slo"e of the S erra *lanco# As far as the eye can reach stretches the great flat "la nOland, all dusted o&er % th "atches of alkal , and ntersected by clu!"s of the d%arf sh cha"arral bushes# 7n the extre!e &erge of the hor 6on l e a long cha n of !ounta n "eaks, % th the r rugged su!! ts flecked % th sno%# In th s great stretch of country there s no s gn of l fe, nor of anyth ng a""erta n ng to l fe# There s no b rd n the steelOblue hea&en, no !o&e!ent u"on the dull, grey earth OO abo&e all, there s absolute s lence# ; sten as one !ay, there s no shado% of a sound n all that ! ghty % ldernessP noth ng but s lence OO co!"lete and heartOsubdu ng s lence# It has been sa d there s noth ng a""erta n ng to l fe u"on the broad "la n# That s hardly true# ;ook ng do%n fro! the S erra *lanco, one sees a "ath%ay traced out across the desert, %h ch % nds a%ay and s lost n the extre!e d stance# It s rutted % th %heels and trodden do%n by the feet of !any ad&enturers# +ere and there there are scattered %h te objects %h ch gl sten n the sun, and stand out aga nst the dull de"os t of alkal # A""roach, and exa! ne the!E They

are bones> so!e large and coarse, others s!aller and !ore del cate# The for!er ha&e belonged to oxen, and the latter to !en# 'or f fteen hundred ! les one !ay trace th s ghastly cara&an route by these scattered re!a ns of those %ho had fallen by the %ays de# ;ook ng do%n on th s &ery scene, there stood u"on the fourth of :ay, e ghteen hundred and fortyOse&en, a sol tary tra&eller# + s a""earance %as such that he ! ght ha&e been the &ery gen us or de!on of the reg on# An obser&er %ould ha&e found t d ff cult to say %hether he %as nearer to forty or to s xty# + s face %as lean and haggard, and the bro%n "arch!entOl ke sk n %as dra%n t ghtly o&er the "roject ng bonesP h s long, bro%n ha r and beard %ere all flecked and dashed % th %h teP h s eyes %ere sunken n h s head, and burned % th an unnatural lustreP %h le the hand %h ch gras"ed h s r fle %as hardly !ore fleshy than that of a skeleton# As he stood, he leaned u"on h s %ea"on for su""ort, and yet h s tall f gure and the !ass &e fra!e%ork of h s bones suggested a % ry and & gorous const tut on# + s gaunt face, ho%e&er, and h s clothes, %h ch hung so bagg ly o&er h s shr &elled l !bs, "rocla !ed %hat t %as that ga&e h ! that sen le and decre" t a""earance# The !an %as dy ng OO dy ng fro! hunger and fro! th rst# +e had to led "a nfully do%n the ra& ne, and on to th s l ttle ele&at on, n the &a n ho"e of see ng so!e s gns of %ater# 8o% the great salt "la n stretched before h s eyes, and the d stant belt of sa&age !ounta ns, % thout a s gn any%here of "lant or tree, %h ch ! ght nd cate the "resence of !o sture# In all that broad landsca"e there %as no glea! of ho"e# 8orth, and east, and %est he looked % th % ld <uest on ng eyes, and then he real sed that h s %ander ngs had co!e to an end, and that there, on that barren crag, he %as about to d e# F$hy not here, as %ell as n a feather bed, t%enty years hence,F he !uttered, as he seated h !self n the shelter of a boulder# *efore s tt ng do%n, he had de"os ted u"on the ground h s useless r fle, and also a large bundle t ed u" n a grey sha%l, %h ch he had carr ed slung o&er h s r ght shoulder# It a""eared to be so!e%hat too hea&y for h s strength, for n lo%er ng t, t ca!e do%n on the ground % th so!e l ttle & olence# Instantly there broke fro! the grey "arcel a l ttle !oan ng cry, and fro! t there "rotruded a s!all, scared face, % th &ery br ght bro%n eyes, and t%o l ttle s"eckled, d !"led f sts# FLouM&e hurt !eEF sa d a ch ld sh &o ce re"roachfully# F+a&e I though,F the !an ans%ered "en tently, FI d dnMt go for to do t#F As he s"oke he un%ra""ed the grey sha%l and extr cated a "retty l ttle g rl of about f &e years of age, %hose da nty shoes and s!art " nk frock % th ts l ttle l nen a"ron all bes"oke a !otherMs care# The ch ld %as "ale and %an, but her healthy ar!s and legs sho%ed that she had suffered less than her co!"an on#

F+o% s t no%KF he ans%ered anx ously, for she %as st ll rubb ng the to%sy golden curls %h ch co&ered the back of her head# FR ss t and !ake t %ell,F she sa d, % th "erfect gra& ty, sho& ng U,-V the njured "art u" to h !# FThatMs %hat !other used to do# $hereMs !otherKF F:otherMs gone# I guess youMll see her before long#F FGone, ehEF sa d the l ttle g rl# F'unny, she d dnMt say goodObyeP she M!ost al%ays d d f she %as just go nM o&er to Aunt eMs for tea, and no% sheMs been a%ay three days# Say, tMs a%ful dry, a nMt tK A nMt there no %ater, nor noth ng to eatKF F8o, there a nMt noth ng, dear e# LouMll just need to be "at ent a%h le, and then youMll be all r ght# Put your head u" ag n !e l ke that, and then youMll feel bull er# It a nMt easy to talk %hen your l "s s l ke leather, but I guess IMd best let you kno% ho% the cards l e# $hatMs that youM&e gotKF FPretty th ngsE f ne th ngsEF cr ed the l ttle g rl enthus ast cally, hold ng u" t%o gl tter ng frag!ents of ! ca# F$hen %e goes back to ho!e IMll g &e the! to brother *ob#F FLouMll see "rett er th ngs than the! soon,F sa d the !an conf dently# FLou just %a t a b t# I %as go ng to tell you though OO you re!e!ber %hen %e left the r &erKF F7h, yes#F F$ell, %e reckoned %eMd str ke another r &er soon, dMye see# *ut there %as so!eth nM %rongP co!"asses, or !a", or so!eth nM, and t d dnMt turn u"# $ater ran out# Nust exce"t a l ttle dro" for the l kes of you and OO and OOOOF FAnd you couldnMt %ash yourself,F nterru"ted h s co!"an on gra&ely, star ng u" at h s gr !y & sage# F8o, nor dr nk# And :r# *ender, he %as the fust to go, and then Ind an Pete, and then :rs# :cGregor, and then Nohnny +ones, and then, dear e, your !other#F FThen !otherMs a deader too,F cr ed the l ttle g rl dro"" ng her face n her " nafore and sobb ng b tterly# FLes, they all %ent exce"t you and !e# Then I thought there %as so!e chance of %ater n th s d rect on, so I hea&ed you o&er !y shoulder and %e tra!"ed t together# It donMt see! as though %eM&e !"ro&ed !atters# ThereMs an al! ghty s!all chance for us no%EF FDo you !ean that %e are go ng to d e tooKF asked the ch ld, check ng her sobs, and ra s ng her tearOsta ned face# FI guess thatMs about the s 6e of t#F F$hy d dnMt you say so beforeKF she sa d, laugh ng gleefully#

FLou ga&e !e such a fr ght# $hy, of course, no% as long as %e d e %eMll be % th !other aga n#F FLes, you % ll, dear e#F FAnd you too# IMll tell her ho% a%ful good youM&e been# IMll bet she !eets us at the door of +ea&en % th a b g " tcher of %ater, and a lot of buck%heat cakes, hot, and toasted on both s des, l ke *ob and !e %as fond of# +o% long % ll t be f rstKF FI donMt kno% OO not &ery long#F The !anMs eyes %ere f xed u"on the northern hor 6on# In the blue &ault of the hea&en there had a""eared three l ttle s"ecks %h ch ncreased n s 6e e&ery !o!ent, so ra" dly d d they a""roach# They s"eed ly resol&ed the!sel&es nto three large bro%n b rds, %h ch c rcled o&er the heads of the t%o %anderers, and then settled u"on so!e rocks %h ch o&erlooked the!# They %ere bu66ards, the &ultures of the %est, %hose co! ng s the forerunner of death# FCocks and hens,F cr ed the l ttle g rl gleefully, "o nt ng at the r llOo!ened for!s, and cla"" ng her hands to !ake the! r se# FSay, d d God !ake th s countryKF FIn course +e d d,F sa d her co!"an on, rather startled by th s unex"ected <uest on# F+e !ade the country do%n n Ill no s, and +e !ade the : ssour ,F the l ttle g rl cont nued# FI guess so!ebody else !ade the country n these "arts# ItMs not nearly so %ell done# They forgot the %ater and the trees#F F$hat %ould ye th nk of offer ng u" "rayerKF the !an asked d ff dently# FIt a nMt n ght yet,F she ans%ered# FIt donMt !atter# It a nMt <u te regular, but +e %onMt ! nd that, you bet# Lou say o&er the! ones that you used to say e&ery n ght n the %aggon %hen %e %as on the Pla ns#F F$hy donMt you say so!e yourselfKF the ch ld asked, % th %onder ng eyes# FI d sre!e!ber the!,F he ans%ered# FI ha nMt sa d none s nce I %as half the he ght oM that gun# I guess tMs ne&er too late# Lou say the! out, and IMll stand by and co!e n on the choruses#F FThen youMll need to kneel do%n, and !e too,F she sa d, lay ng the sha%l out for that "ur"ose# FLouM&e got to "ut your hands u" l ke th s# It !akes you feel k nd oM good#F It %as a strange s ght had there been anyth ng but the bu66ards to see t# S de by s de on the narro% sha%l knelt the t%o %anderers, the l ttle "rattl ng ch ld and the reckless, hardened ad&enturer# +er chubby face, and h s haggard, angular & sage %ere both turned u" to the cloudless

hea&en n heartfelt entreaty to that dread be ng % th %ho! they %ere face to face, %h le the t%o &o ces OO the one th n and clear, the other dee" and harsh OO un ted n the entreaty for !ercy and forg &eness# The "rayer f n shed, they resu!ed the r seat n the shado% of the boulder unt l the ch ld fell aslee", nestl ng u"on the broad breast of her "rotector# +e %atched o&er her slu!ber for so!e t !e, but 8ature "ro&ed to be too strong for h !# 'or three days and three n ghts he had allo%ed h !self ne ther rest nor re"ose# Slo%ly the eyel ds droo"ed o&er the t red eyes, and the head sunk lo%er and lo%er u"on the breast, unt l the !anMs gr 66led beard %as ! xed % th the gold tresses of h s co!"an on, and both sle"t the sa!e dee" and drea!less slu!ber# +ad the %anderer re!a ned a%ake for another half hour a strange s ght %ould ha&e !et h s eyes# 'ar a%ay on the extre!e &erge of the alkal "la n there rose u" a l ttle s"ray of dust, &ery sl ght at f rst, and hardly to be d st ngu shed fro! the ! sts of the d stance, but gradually gro% ng h gher and broader unt l t for!ed a sol d, %ellOdef ned cloud# Th s cloud cont nued to ncrease n s 6e unt l t beca!e e& dent that t could only be ra sed by a great !ult tude of !o& ng creatures# In !ore fert le s"ots the obser&er %ould ha&e co!e to the conclus on that one of those great herds of b sons %h ch gra6e u"on the "ra r e land %as a""roach ng h !# Th s %as ob& ously !"oss ble n these ar d % lds# As the %h rl of dust dre% nearer to the sol tary bluff u"on %h ch the t%o casta%ays %ere re"os ng, the can&asOco&ered t lts of %aggons and the f gures of ar!ed horse!en began to sho% u" through the ha6e, and the a""ar t on re&ealed tself as be ng a great cara&an u"on ts journey for the $est# *ut %hat a cara&anE $hen the head of t had reached the base of the !ounta ns, the rear %as not yet & s ble on the hor 6on# ) ght across the enor!ous "la n stretched the straggl ng array, %aggons and carts, !en on horseback, and !en on foot# Innu!erable %o!en %ho staggered along under burdens, and ch ldren %ho toddled bes de the %aggons or "ee"ed out fro! under the %h te co&er ngs# Th s %as e& dently no ord nary "arty of !! grants, but rather so!e no!ad "eo"le %ho had been co!"elled fro! stress of c rcu!stances to seek the!sel&es a ne% country# There rose through the clear a r a confused clatter ng and ru!bl ng fro! th s great !ass of hu!an ty, % th the creak ng of %heels and the ne gh ng of horses# ;oud as t %as, t %as not suff c ent to rouse the t%o t red %ayfarers abo&e the!# At the head of the colu!n there rode a score or !ore of gra&e ronfaced !en, clad n so!bre ho!es"un gar!ents and ar!ed % th r fles# 7n reach ng the base of the bluff they halted, and held a short counc l a!ong the!sel&es# FThe %ells are to the r ght, !y brothers,F sa d one, a hardOl ""ed, cleanOsha&en !an % th gr 66ly ha r# FTo the r ght of the S erra *lanco OO so %e shall reach the ) o Grande,F sa d another# F'ear not for %ater,F cr ed a th rd# F+e %ho could dra% t

fro! the rocks % ll not no% abandon + s o%n chosen "eo"le#F FA!enE A!enEF res"onded the %hole "arty# They %ere about to resu!e the r journey %hen one of the youngest and keenestOeyed uttered an excla!at on and "o nted u" at the rugged crag abo&e the!# 'ro! ts su!! t there fluttered a l ttle % s" of " nk, sho% ng u" hard and br ght aga nst the grey rocks beh nd# At the s ght there %as a general re n ng u" of horses and unsl ng ng of guns, %h le fresh horse!en ca!e gallo" ng u" to re nforce the &anguard# The %ord W)edsk nsM %as on e&ery l "# FThere canMt be any nu!ber of Injuns here,F sa d the elderly !an %ho a""eared to be n co!!and# F$e ha&e "assed the Pa%nees, and there are no other tr bes unt l %e cross the great !ounta ns#F FShall I go for%ard and see, *rother Stangerson,F asked one of the band# FAnd I,F Fand I,F cr ed a do6en &o ces# F;ea&e your horses belo% and %e % ll a%a t you here,F the Elder ans%ered# In a !o!ent the young fello%s had d s!ounted, fastened the r horses, and %ere ascend ng the "rec " tous slo"e %h ch led u" to the object %h ch had exc ted the r cur os ty# They ad&anced ra" dly and no selessly, % th the conf dence and dexter ty of "ract sed scouts# The %atchers fro! the "la n belo% could see the! fl t fro! rock to rock unt l the r f gures stood out aga nst the skyl ne# The young !an %ho had f rst g &en the alar! %as lead ng the!# Suddenly h s follo%ers sa% h ! thro% u" h s hands, as though o&erco!e % th aston sh!ent, and on jo n ng h ! they %ere affected n the sa!e %ay by the s ght %h ch !et the r eyes# 7n the l ttle "lateau %h ch cro%ned the barren h ll there stood a s ngle g ant boulder, and aga nst th s boulder there lay a tall !an, longObearded and hardOfeatured, but of an excess &e th nness# + s "lac d face and regular breath ng sho%ed that he %as fast aslee"# *es de h ! lay a l ttle ch ld, % th her round %h te ar!s enc rcl ng h s bro%n s ne%y neck, and her golden ha red head rest ng u"on the breast of h s &el&eteen tun c# +er rosy l "s %ere "arted, sho% ng the regular l ne of sno%O%h te teeth % th n, and a "layful s! le "layed o&er her nfant le features# +er "lu!" l ttle %h te legs ter! nat ng n %h te socks and neat shoes % th sh n ng buckles, offered a strange contrast to the long shr &elled !e!bers of her co!"an on# 7n the ledge of rock abo&e th s strange cou"le there stood three sole!n bu66ards, %ho, at the s ght of the ne% co!ers uttered raucous screa!s of d sa""o nt!ent and fla""ed sullenly a%ay# The cr es of the foul b rds a%oke the t%o slee"ers %ho stared about U25V the! n be% lder!ent# The !an staggered to h s feet and looked do%n u"on the "la n %h ch had been so desolate %hen slee" had o&ertaken h !, and %h ch %as no% tra&ersed by th s enor!ous body of !en and of beasts# + s face assu!ed an

ex"ress on of ncredul ty as he ga6ed, and he "assed h s boney hand o&er h s eyes# FTh s s %hat they call del r u!, I guess,F he !uttered# The ch ld stood bes de h !, hold ng on to the sk rt of h s coat, and sa d noth ng but looked all round her % th the %onder ng <uest on ng ga6e of ch ldhood# The rescu ng "arty %ere s"eed ly able to con& nce the t%o casta%ays that the r a""earance %as no delus on# 7ne of the! se 6ed the l ttle g rl, and ho sted her u"on h s shoulder, %h le t%o others su""orted her gaunt co!"an on, and ass sted h ! to%ards the %aggons# F:y na!e s Nohn 'err er,F the %anderer ex"la nedP F!e and that l ttle un are all thatMs left oM t%entyOone "eo"le# The rest s all dead oM th rst and hunger a%ay do%n n the south#F FIs she your ch ldKF asked so!eone# FI guess she s no%,F the other cr ed, def antlyP FsheMs ! ne Mcause I sa&ed her# 8o !an % ll take her fro! !e# SheMs ;ucy 'err er fro! th s day on# $ho are you, thoughKF he cont nued, glanc ng % th cur os ty at h s stal%art, sunburned rescuersP Fthere see!s to be a "o%erful lot of ye#F F8 gh u"on ten thousand,F sa d one of the young !enP F%e are the "ersecuted ch ldren of God OO the chosen of the Angel :erona#F FI ne&er heard tell on h !,F sa d the %anderer# F+e a""ears to ha&e chosen a fa r cro%d of ye#F FDo not jest at that %h ch s sacred,F sa d the other sternly# F$e are of those %ho bel e&e n those sacred %r t ngs, dra%n n Egy"t an letters on "lates of beaten gold, %h ch %ere handed unto the holy Nose"h S! th at Pal!yra# $e ha&e co!e fro! 8au&oo, n the State of Ill no s, %here %e had founded our te!"le# $e ha&e co!e to seek a refuge fro! the & olent !an and fro! the godless, e&en though t be the heart of the desert#F The na!e of 8au&oo e& dently recalled recollect ons to Nohn 'err er# FI see,F he sa d, Fyou are the :or!ons#F F$e are the :or!ons,F ans%ered h s co!"an ons % th one &o ce# FAnd %here are you go ngKF F$e do not kno%# The hand of God s lead ng us under the "erson of our Pro"het# Lou !ust co!e before h !# +e shall say %hat s to be done % th you#F They had reached the base of the h ll by th s t !e, and %ere surrounded by cro%ds of the " lgr !s OO "aleOfaced !eekOlook ng %o!en, strong laugh ng ch ldren, and anx ous earnestOeyed !en# :any %ere the cr es of aston sh!ent and of co!! serat on %h ch arose fro! the! %hen they "erce &ed the youth of one of the strangers and the dest tut on of the other# The r escort d d not halt, ho%e&er, but "ushed on, follo%ed by a great cro%d

of :or!ons, unt l they reached a %aggon, %h ch %as cons" cuous for ts great s 6e and for the gaud ness and s!artness of ts a""earance# S x horses %ere yoked to t, %hereas the others %ere furn shed % th t%o, or, at !ost, four aO" ece# *es de the dr &er there sat a !an %ho could not ha&e been !ore than th rty years of age, but %hose !ass &e head and resolute ex"ress on !arked h ! as a leader# +e %as read ng a bro%nObacked &olu!e, but as the cro%d a""roached he la d t as de, and l stened attent &ely to an account of the e" sode# Then he turned to the t%o casta%ays# FIf %e take you % th us,F he sa d, n sole!n %ords, F t can only be as bel e&ers n our o%n creed# $e shall ha&e no %ol&es n our fold# *etter far that your bones should bleach n th s % lderness than that you should "ro&e to be that l ttle s"eck of decay %h ch n t !e corru"ts the %hole fru t# $ ll you co!e % th us on these ter!sKF FGuess IMll co!e % th you on any ter!s,F sa d 'err er, % th such e!"has s that the gra&e Elders could not restra n a s! le# The leader alone reta ned h s stern, !"ress &e ex"ress on# FTake h !, *rother Stangerson,F he sa d, Fg &e h ! food and dr nk, and the ch ld l ke% se# ;et t be your task also to teach h ! our holy creed# $e ha&e delayed long enough# 'or%ardE 7n, on to X onEF F7n, on to X onEF cr ed the cro%d of :or!ons, and the %ords r ""led do%n the long cara&an, "ass ng fro! !outh to !outh unt l they d ed a%ay n a dull !ur!ur n the far d stance# $ th a crack ng of %h "s and a creak ng of %heels the great %aggons got nto !ot on, and soon the %hole cara&an %as % nd ng along once !ore# The Elder to %hose care the t%o %a fs had been co!! tted, led the! to h s %aggon, %here a !eal %as already a%a t ng the!# FLou shall re!a n here,F he sa d# FIn a fe% days you % ll ha&e reco&ered fro! your fat gues# In the !eant !e, re!e!ber that no% and for e&er you are of our rel g on# *r gha! Loung has sa d t, and he has s"oken % th the &o ce of Nose"h S! th, %h ch s the &o ce of God#F

C+APTE) II# T+E ';7$E) 7' 9TA+# T+IS s not the "lace to co!!e!orate the tr als and "r &at ons endured by the !! grant :or!ons before they ca!e to the r f nal ha&en# 'ro! the shores of the : ss ss "" to the %estern slo"es of the )ocky :ounta ns they had struggled on % th a constancy al!ost un"aralleled n h story# The sa&age !an, and the sa&age beast, hunger, th rst, fat gue, and d sease OO e&ery !"ed !ent %h ch 8ature could "lace n the %ay, had all been o&erco!e % th AngloOSaxon tenac ty#

Let the long journey and the accu!ulated terrors had shaken the hearts of the stoutest a!ong the!# There %as not one %ho d d not s nk u"on h s knees n heartfelt "rayer %hen they sa% the broad &alley of 9tah bathed n the sunl ght beneath the!, and learned fro! the l "s of the r leader that th s %as the "ro! sed land, and that these & rg n acres %ere to be the rs for e&er!ore# Loung s"eed ly "ro&ed h !self to be a sk lful ad! n strator as %ell as a resolute ch ef# :a"s %ere dra%n and charts "re"ared, n %h ch the future c ty %as sketched out# All around far!s %ere a""ort oned and allotted n "ro"ort on to the stand ng of each nd & dual# The trades!an %as "ut to h s trade and the art san to h s call ng# In the to%n streets and s<uares s"rang u", as f by !ag c# In the country there %as dra n ng and hedg ng, "lant ng and clear ng, unt l the next su!!er sa% the %hole country golden % th the %heat cro"# E&eryth ng "ros"ered n the strange settle!ent# Abo&e all, the great te!"le %h ch they had erected n the centre of the c ty gre% e&er taller and larger# 'ro! the f rst blush of da%n unt l the clos ng of the t% l ght, the clatter of the ha!!er and the ras" of the sa% %as ne&er absent fro! the !onu!ent %h ch the !! grants erected to + ! %ho had led the! safe through !any dangers# The t%o casta%ays, Nohn 'err er and the l ttle g rl %ho had shared h s fortunes and had been ado"ted as h s daughter, acco!"an ed the :or!ons to the end of the r great " lgr !age# ; ttle ;ucy 'err er %as borne along "leasantly enough n Elder StangersonMs %aggon, a retreat %h ch she shared % th the :or!onMs three % &es and % th h s son, a headstrong for%ard boy of t%el&e# +a& ng rall ed, % th the elast c ty of ch ldhood, fro! the shock caused by her !otherMs death, she soon beca!e a "et % th the %o!en, and reconc led herself to th s ne% l fe n her !o& ng can&asOco&ered ho!e# In the !eant !e 'err er ha& ng reco&ered fro! h s "r &at ons, d st ngu shed h !self as a useful gu de and an ndefat gable hunter# So ra" dly d d he ga n the estee! of h s ne% co!"an ons, that %hen they reached the end of the r %ander ngs, t %as unan !ously agreed that he should be "ro& ded % th as large and as fert le a tract of land as any of the settlers, % th the exce"t on of Loung h !self, and of Stangerson, Re!ball, Nohnston, and Drebber, %ho %ere the four "r nc "al Elders# 7n the far! thus ac<u red Nohn 'err er bu lt h !self a substant al logOhouse, %h ch rece &ed so !any add t ons n succeed ng years that t gre% nto a roo!y & lla# +e %as a !an of a "ract cal turn of ! nd, keen n h s deal ngs and sk lful % th h s hands# + s ron const tut on enabled h ! to %ork !orn ng and e&en ng at !"ro& ng and t ll ng h s lands# +ence t ca!e about that h s far! and all that belonged to h ! "ros"ered exceed ngly# In three years he %as better off than h s ne ghbours, n s x he %as %ellOtoOdo, n n ne he %as r ch, and n t%el&e there %ere not half a do6en !en n the %hole of Salt ;ake C ty %ho could co!"are % th h !# 'ro! the great nland sea to the d stant $ahsatch :ounta ns there %as no na!e better kno%n than that of Nohn 'err er#

There %as one %ay and only one n %h ch he offended the susce"t b l t es of h s coOrel g on sts# 8o argu!ent or "ersuas on could e&er nduce h ! to set u" a fe!ale establ sh!ent after the !anner of h s co!"an ons# +e ne&er ga&e reasons for th s "ers stent refusal, but contented h !self by resolutely and nflex bly adher ng to h s deter! nat on# There %ere so!e %ho accused h ! of luke%ar!ness n h s ado"ted rel g on, and others %ho "ut t do%n to greed of %ealth and reluctance to ncur ex"ense# 7thers, aga n, s"oke of so!e early lo&e affa r, and of a fa rOha red g rl %ho had " ned a%ay on the shores of the Atlant c# $hate&er the reason, 'err er re!a ned str ctly cel bate# In e&ery other res"ect he confor!ed to the rel g on of the young settle!ent, and ga ned the na!e of be ng an orthodox and stra ghtO%alk ng !an# ;ucy 'err er gre% u" % th n the logOhouse, and ass sted her ado"ted father n all h s undertak ngs# The keen a r of the !ounta ns and the balsa! c odour of the " ne trees took the "lace of nurse and !other to the young g rl# As year succeeded to year she gre% taller and stronger, her cheek !ore rudy, and her ste" !ore elast c# :any a %ayfarer u"on the h gh road %h ch ran by 'err erMs far! felt longOforgotten thoughts re& &e n the r ! nd as they %atched her l the g rl sh f gure tr "" ng through the %heatf elds, or !et her !ounted u"on her fatherMs !ustang, and !anag ng t % th all the ease and grace of a true ch ld of the $est# So the bud blosso!ed nto a flo%er, and the year %h ch sa% her father the r chest of the far!ers left her as fa r a s"ec !en of A!er can g rlhood as could be found n the %hole Pac f c slo"e# It %as not the father, ho%e&er, %ho f rst d sco&ered that the ch ld had de&elo"ed nto the %o!an# It seldo! s n such cases# That !yster ous change s too subtle and too gradual to be !easured by dates# ;east of all does the !a den herself kno% t unt l the tone of a &o ce or the touch of a hand sets her heart thr ll ng % th n her, and she learns, % th a ! xture of "r de and of fear, that a ne% and a larger nature has a%oken % th n her# There are fe% %ho cannot recall that day and re!e!ber the one l ttle nc dent %h ch heralded the da%n of a ne% l fe# In the case of ;ucy 'err er the occas on %as ser ous enough n tself, a"art fro! ts future nfluence on her dest ny and that of !any bes des# It %as a %ar! Nune !orn ng, and the ;atter Day Sa nts %ere as busy as the bees %hose h &e they ha&e chosen for the r e!ble!# In the f elds and n the streets rose the sa!e hu! of hu!an ndustry# Do%n the dusty h gh roads def led long strea!s of hea& lyOladen !ules, all head ng to the %est, for the gold fe&er had broken out n Cal forn a, and the 7&erland )oute lay through the C ty of the Elect# There, too, %ere dro&es of shee" and bullocks co! ng n fro! the outly ng "asture lands, and tra ns of t red !! grants, !en and horses e<ually %eary of the r nter! nable journey# Through all th s !otley asse!blage, thread ng her %ay % th the sk ll of an acco!"l shed r der, there gallo"ed ;ucy 'err er, her fa r face flushed % th the exerc se and her long chestnut ha r float ng out beh nd her# She had a co!! ss on fro! her

father n the C ty, and %as dash ng n as she had done !any a t !e before, % th all the fearlessness of youth, th nk ng only of her task and ho% t %as to be "erfor!ed# The tra&elOsta ned ad&enturers ga6ed after her n aston sh!ent, and e&en the une!ot onal Ind ans, journey ng n % th the r "elt es, relaxed the r accusto!ed sto c s! as they !ar&elled at the beauty of the "aleOfaced !a den# She had reached the outsk rts of the c ty %hen she found the road blocked by a great dro&e of cattle, dr &en by a halfOdo6en % ldOlook ng herds!en fro! the "la ns# In her !"at ence she endea&oured to "ass th s obstacle by "ush ng her horse nto %hat a""eared to be a ga"# Scarcely had she got fa rly nto t, ho%e&er, before the beasts closed n beh nd her, and she found herself co!"letely !bedded n the !o& ng strea! of f erceOeyed, longOhorned bullocks# Accusto!ed as she %as to deal % th cattle, she %as not alar!ed at her s tuat on, but took ad&antage of e&ery o""ortun ty to urge her horse on n the ho"es of "ush ng her %ay through the ca&alcade# 9nfortunately the horns of one of the creatures, e ther by acc dent or des gn, ca!e n & olent contact % th the flank of the !ustang, and exc ted t to !adness# In an nstant t reared u" u"on ts h nd legs % th a snort of rage, and "ranced and tossed n a %ay that %ould ha&e unseated any but a !ost sk lful r der# The s tuat on %as full of "er l# E&ery "lunge of the exc ted horse brought t aga nst the horns aga n, and goaded t to fresh !adness# It %as all that the g rl could do to kee" herself n the saddle, yet a sl " %ould !ean a terr ble death under the hoofs of the un% eldy and terr f ed an !als# 9naccusto!ed to sudden e!ergenc es, her head began to s% !, and her gr " u"on the br dle to relax# Choked by the r s ng cloud of dust and by the stea! fro! the struggl ng creatures, she ! ght ha&e abandoned her efforts n des"a r, but for a k ndly &o ce at her elbo% %h ch assured her of ass stance# At the sa!e !o!ent a s ne%y bro%n hand caught the fr ghtened horse by the curb, and forc ng a %ay through the dro&e, soon brought her to the outsk rts# FLouMre not hurt, I ho"e, ! ss,F sa d her "reser&er, res"ectfully# She looked u" at h s dark, f erce face, and laughed sauc ly# FIM! a%ful fr ghtened,F she sa d, na &elyP F%hoe&er %ould ha&e thought that Poncho %ould ha&e been so scared by a lot of co%sKF FThank God you ke"t your seat,F the other sa d earnestly# +e %as a tall, sa&ageOlook ng young fello%, !ounted on a "o%erful roan horse, and clad n the rough dress of a hunter, % th a long r fle slung o&er h s shoulders# FI guess you are the daughter of Nohn 'err er,F he re!arked, FI sa% you r de do%n fro! h s house# $hen you see h !, ask h ! f he re!e!bers the Nefferson +o"es of St# ;ou s# If heMs the sa!e 'err er, !y father and he %ere "retty th ck#F F+adnMt you better co!e and ask yourselfKF she asked, de!urely# The young fello% see!ed "leased at the suggest on, and h s dark

eyes s"arkled % th "leasure# FIMll do so,F he sa d, F%eM&e been n the !ounta ns for t%o !onths, and are not o&er and abo&e n & s t ng cond t on# +e !ust take us as he f nds us#F F+e has a good deal to thank you for, and so ha&e I,F she ans%ered, FheMs a%ful fond of !e# If those co%s had ju!"ed on !e heMd ha&e ne&er got o&er t#F F8e ther %ould I,F sa d her co!"an on# FLouE $ell, I donMt see that t %ould !ake !uch !atter to you, anyho%# Lou a nMt e&en a fr end of ours#F The young hunterMs dark face gre% so gloo!y o&er th s re!ark that ;ucy 'err er laughed aloud# FThere, I d dnMt !ean that,F she sa dP Fof course, you are a fr end no%# Lou !ust co!e and see us# 8o% I !ust "ush along, or father %onMt trust !e % th h s bus ness any !ore# GoodObyeEF FGoodObye,F he ans%ered, ra s ng h s broad so!brero, and bend ng o&er her l ttle hand# She %heeled her !ustang round, ga&e t a cut % th her r d ngO%h ", and darted a%ay do%n the broad road n a roll ng cloud of dust# Loung Nefferson +o"e rode on % th h s co!"an ons, gloo!y and tac turn# +e and they had been a!ong the 8e&ada :ounta ns "ros"ect ng for s l&er, and %ere return ng to Salt ;ake C ty n the ho"e of ra s ng ca" tal enough to %ork so!e lodes %h ch they had d sco&ered# +e had been as keen as any of the! u"on the bus ness unt l th s sudden nc dent had dra%n h s thoughts nto another channel# The s ght of the fa r young g rl, as frank and %holeso!e as the S erra bree6es, had st rred h s &olcan c, unta!ed heart to ts &ery de"ths# $hen she had &an shed fro! h s s ght, he real 6ed that a cr s s had co!e n h s l fe, and that ne ther s l&er s"eculat ons nor any other <uest ons could e&er be of such !"ortance to h ! as th s ne% and allOabsorb ng one# The lo&e %h ch had s"rung u" n h s heart %as not the sudden, changeable fancy of a boy, but rather the % ld, f erce "ass on of a !an of strong % ll and !"er ous te!"er# +e had been accusto!ed to succeed n all that he undertook# +e s%ore n h s heart that he %ould not fa l n th s f hu!an effort and hu!an "erse&erance could render h ! successful# +e called on Nohn 'err er that n ght, and !any t !es aga n, unt l h s face %as a fa! l ar one at the far!Ohouse# Nohn, coo"ed u" n the &alley, and absorbed n h s %ork, had had l ttle chance of learn ng the ne%s of the outs de %orld dur ng the last t%el&e years# All th s Nefferson +o"e %as able to tell h !, and n a style %h ch nterested ;ucy as %ell as her father# +e had been a " oneer n Cal forn a, and could narrate !any a strange tale of fortunes !ade and fortunes lost n those % ld, halcyon days# +e had been a scout too, and a tra""er, a s l&er ex"lorer, and a ranch!an# $here&er st rr ng ad&entures %ere to be had, Nefferson +o"e had been there n search of the!# +e soon beca!e a fa&our te % th the old far!er, %ho s"oke elo<uently of h s & rtues#

7n such occas ons, ;ucy %as s lent, but her blush ng cheek and her br ght, ha""y eyes, sho%ed only too clearly that her young heart %as no longer her o%n# +er honest father !ay not ha&e obser&ed these sy!"to!s, but they %ere assuredly not thro%n a%ay u"on the !an %ho had %on her affect ons# It %as a su!!er e&en ng %hen he ca!e gallo" ng do%n the road and "ulled u" at the gate# She %as at the door%ay, and ca!e do%n to !eet h !# +e thre% the br dle o&er the fence and strode u" the "ath%ay# FI a! off, ;ucy,F he sa d, tak ng her t%o hands n h s, and ga6 ng tenderly do%n nto her faceP FI %onMt ask you to co!e % th !e no%, but % ll you be ready to co!e %hen I a! here aga nKF FAnd %hen % ll that beKF she asked, blush ng and laugh ng# FA cou"le of !onths at the outs de# I % ll co!e and cla ! you then, !y darl ng# ThereMs no one %ho can stand bet%een us#F FAnd ho% about fatherKF she asked# F+e has g &en h s consent, "ro& ded %e get these ! nes %ork ng all r ght# I ha&e no fear on that head#F F7h, %ellP of course, f you and father ha&e arranged t all, thereMs no !ore to be sa d,F she %h s"ered, % th her cheek aga nst h s broad breast# FThank GodEF he sa d, hoarsely, stoo" ng and k ss ng her# FIt s settled, then# The longer I stay, the harder t % ll be to go# They are %a t ng for !e at the canon# GoodObye, !y o%n darl ng OO goodObye# In t%o !onths you shall see !e#F +e tore h !self fro! her as he s"oke, and, fl ng ng h !self u"on h s horse, gallo"ed fur ously a%ay, ne&er e&en look ng round, as though afra d that h s resolut on ! ght fa l h ! f he took one glance at %hat he %as lea& ng# She stood at the gate, ga6 ng after h ! unt l he &an shed fro! her s ght# Then she %alked back nto the house, the ha"" est g rl n all 9tah#

C+APTE) III# N7+8 'E))IE) TA;RS $IT+ T+E P)7P+ET# T+)EE %eeks had "assed s nce Nefferson +o"e and h s co!rades had de"arted fro! Salt ;ake C ty# Nohn 'err erMs heart %as sore % th n h ! %hen he thought of the young !anMs return, and of the !"end ng loss of h s ado"ted ch ld# Let her br ght and ha""y face reconc led h ! to the arrange!ent !ore than any argu!ent could ha&e done# +e had al%ays deter! ned, dee" do%n n h s resolute heart, that noth ng %ould e&er nduce h ! to allo% h s daughter to %ed a :or!on# Such a !arr age he regarded as no !arr age at all, but as a sha!e

and a d sgrace# $hate&er he ! ght th nk of the :or!on doctr nes, u"on that one "o nt he %as nflex ble# +e had to seal h s !outh on the subject, ho%e&er, for to ex"ress an unorthodox o" n on %as a dangerous !atter n those days n the ;and of the Sa nts# Les, a dangerous !atter OO so dangerous that e&en the !ost sa ntly dared only %h s"er the r rel g ous o" n ons % th bated breath, lest so!eth ng %h ch fell fro! the r l "s ! ght be ! sconstrued, and br ng do%n a s% ft retr but on u"on the!# The & ct !s of "ersecut on had no% turned "ersecutors on the r o%n account, and "ersecutors of the !ost terr ble descr "t on# 8ot the In<u s t on of Se& lle, nor the Ger!an (eh!Oger cht, nor the Secret Soc et es of Italy, %ere e&er able to "ut a !ore for! dable !ach nery n !ot on than that %h ch cast a cloud o&er the State of 9tah# Its n& s b l ty, and the !ystery %h ch %as attached to t, !ade th s organ 6at on doubly terr ble# It a""eared to be o!n sc ent and o!n "otent, and yet %as ne ther seen nor heard# The !an %ho held out aga nst the Church &an shed a%ay, and none kne% %h ther he had gone or %hat had befallen h !# + s % fe and h s ch ldren a%a ted h ! at ho!e, but no father e&er returned to tell the! ho% he had fared at the hands of h s secret judges# A rash %ord or a hasty act %as follo%ed by ann h lat on, and yet none kne% %hat the nature ! ght be of th s terr ble "o%er %h ch %as sus"ended o&er the!# 8o %onder that !en %ent about n fear and tre!bl ng, and that e&en n the heart of the % lderness they dared not %h s"er the doubts %h ch o""ressed the!# At f rst th s &ague and terr ble "o%er %as exerc sed only u"on the recalc trants %ho, ha& ng e!braced the :or!on fa th, % shed after%ards to "er&ert or to abandon t# Soon, ho%e&er, t took a % der range# The su""ly of adult %o!en %as runn ng short, and "olyga!y % thout a fe!ale "o"ulat on on %h ch to dra% %as a barren doctr ne ndeed# Strange ru!ours began to be band ed about OO ru!ours of !urdered !! grants and r fled ca!"s n reg ons %here Ind ans had ne&er been seen# 'resh %o!en a""eared n the hare!s of the Elders OO %o!en %ho " ned and %e"t, and bore u"on the r faces the traces of an unext ngu shable horror# *elated %anderers u"on the !ounta ns s"oke of gangs of ar!ed !en, !asked, stealthy, and no seless, %ho fl tted by the! n the darkness# These tales and ru!ours took substance and sha"e, and %ere corroborated and reOcorroborated, unt l they resol&ed the!sel&es nto a def n te na!e# To th s day, n the lonely ranches of the $est, the na!e of the Dan te *and, or the A&eng ng Angels, s a s n ster and an llOo!ened one# 'uller kno%ledge of the organ 6at on %h ch "roduced such terr ble results ser&ed to ncrease rather than to lessen the horror %h ch t ns" red n the ! nds of !en# 8one kne% %ho belonged to th s ruthless soc ety# The na!es of the "art c "ators n the deeds of blood and & olence done under the na!e of rel g on %ere ke"t "rofoundly secret# The &ery fr end to %ho! you co!!un cated your ! sg & ngs as to the Pro"het and h s ! ss on, ! ght be one of those %ho %ould co!e

forth at n ght % th f re and s%ord to exact a terr ble re"arat on# +ence e&ery !an feared h s ne ghbour, and none s"oke of the th ngs %h ch %ere nearest h s heart# 7ne f ne !orn ng, Nohn 'err er %as about to set out to h s %heatf elds, %hen he heard the cl ck of the latch, and, look ng through the % ndo%, sa% a stout, sandyOha red, ! ddleOaged !an co! ng u" the "ath%ay# + s heart lea"t to h s !outh, for th s %as none other than the great *r gha! Loung h !self# 'ull of tre" dat on OO for he kne% that such a & s t boded h ! l ttle good OO 'err er ran to the door to greet the :or!on ch ef# The latter, ho%e&er, rece &ed h s salutat ons coldly, and follo%ed h ! % th a stern face nto the s tt ngOroo!# F*rother 'err er,F he sa d, tak ng a seat, and eye ng the far!er keenly fro! under h s l ghtOcoloured eyelashes, Fthe true bel e&ers ha&e been good fr ends to you# $e " cked you u" %hen you %ere star& ng n the desert, %e shared our food % th you, led you safe to the Chosen (alley, ga&e you a goodly share of land, and allo%ed you to %ax r ch under our "rotect on# Is not th s soKF FIt s so,F ans%ered Nohn 'err er# FIn return for all th s %e asked but one cond t on> that %as, that you should e!brace the true fa th, and confor! n e&ery %ay to ts usages# Th s you "ro! sed to do, and th s, f co!!on re"ort says truly, you ha&e neglected#F FAnd ho% ha&e I neglected tKF asked 'err er, thro% ng out h s hands n ex"ostulat on# F+a&e I not g &en to the co!!on fundK +a&e I not attended at the Te!"leK +a&e I not OOOOKF F$here are your % &esKF asked Loung, look ng round h !# FCall the! n, that I !ay greet the!#F FIt s true that I ha&e not !arr ed,F 'err er ans%ered# F*ut %o!en %ere fe%, and there %ere !any %ho had better cla !s than I# I %as not a lonely !an> I had !y daughter to attend to !y %ants#F FIt s of that daughter that I %ould s"eak to you,F sa d the leader of the :or!ons# FShe has gro%n to be the flo%er of 9tah, and has found fa&our n the eyes of !any %ho are h gh n the land#F Nohn 'err er groaned nternally# FThere are stor es of her %h ch I %ould fa n d sbel e&e OO stor es that she s sealed to so!e Gent le# Th s !ust be the goss " of dle tongues# $hat s the th rteenth rule n the code of the sa nted Nose"h S! thK W;et e&ery !a den of the true fa th !arry one of the electP for f she %ed a Gent le, she co!! ts a gr e&ous s n#M Th s be ng so, t s !"oss ble that you, %ho "rofess the holy creed, should suffer your daughter to & olate t#F

Nohn 'err er !ade no ans%er, but he "layed ner&ously % th h s r d ngO%h "# F9"on th s one "o nt your %hole fa th shall be tested OO so t has been dec ded n the Sacred Counc l of 'our# The g rl s young, and %e %ould not ha&e her %ed grey ha rs, ne ther %ould %e de"r &e her of all cho ce# $e Elders ha&e !any he fers, * but our ch ldren !ust also be "ro& ded# Stangerson has a son, and Drebber has a son, and e ther of the! %ould gladly %elco!e your daughter to the r house# ;et her choose bet%een the!# They are young and r ch, and of the true fa th# $hat say you to thatKF 'err er re!a ned s lent for so!e l ttle t !e % th h s bro%s kn tted# FLou % ll g &e us t !e,F he sa d at last# F:y daughter s &ery young OO she s scarce of an age to !arry#F FShe shall ha&e a !onth to choose,F sa d Loung, r s ng fro! h s seat# FAt the end of that t !e she shall g &e her ans%er#F +e %as "ass ng through the door, %hen he turned, % th flushed face and flash ng eyes# FIt %ere better for you, Nohn 'err er,F he thundered, Fthat you and she %ere no% ly ng blanched skeletons u"on the S erra *lanco, than that you should "ut your %eak % lls aga nst the orders of the +oly 'ourEF $ th a threaten ng gesture of h s hand, he turned fro! the door, and 'err er heard h s hea&y ste" scrunch ng along the sh ngly "ath# +e %as st ll s tt ng % th h s elbo%s u"on h s knees, cons der ng ho% he should broach the !atter to h s daughter %hen a soft hand %as la d u"on h s, and look ng u", he sa% her stand ng bes de h !# 7ne glance at her "ale, fr ghtened face sho%ed h ! that she had heard %hat had "assed# FI could not hel" t,F she sa d, n ans%er to h s look# F+ s &o ce rang through the house# 7h, father, father, %hat shall %e doKF FDonMt you scare yourself,F he ans%ered, dra% ng her to h !, and "ass ng h s broad, rough hand caress ngly o&er her chestnut ha r# F$eMll f x t u" so!eho% or another# Lou donMt f nd your fancy k nd oM lessen ng for th s cha", do youKF A sob and a s<uee6e of h s hand %as her only ans%er# F8oP of course not# I shouldnMt care to hear you say you d d# +eMs a l kely lad, and heMs a Chr st an, %h ch s !ore than these folk here, n s" te oM all the r "ray ng and "reach ng# ThereMs a "arty start ng for 8e&ada toO!orro%, and IMll !anage to send h ! a !essage lett ng h ! kno% the hole %e are n# If I kno% anyth ng oM that young !an, heMll be back here % th a s"eed that %ould %h " electroOtelegra"hs#F ;ucy laughed through her tears at her fatherMs descr "t on#

F$hen he co!es, he % ll ad& se us for the best# *ut t s for you that I a! fr ghtened, dear# 7ne hears OO one hears such dreadful stor es about those %ho o""ose the Pro"het> so!eth ng terr ble al%ays ha""ens to the!#F F*ut %e ha&enMt o""osed h ! yet,F her father ans%ered# FIt % ll be t !e to look out for s<ualls %hen %e do# $e ha&e a clear !onth before usP at the end of that, I guess %e had best sh n out of 9tah#F F;ea&e 9tahEF FThatMs about the s 6e of t#F F*ut the far!KF F$e % ll ra se as !uch as %e can n !oney, and let the rest go# To tell the truth, ;ucy, t snMt the f rst t !e I ha&e thought of do ng t# I donMt care about knuckl ng under to any !an, as these folk do to the r darned "ro"het# IM! a freeOborn A!er can, and tMs all ne% to !e# Guess IM! too old to learn# If he co!es bro%s ng about th s far!, he ! ght chance to run u" aga nst a charge of buckshot tra&ell ng n the o""os te d rect on#F F*ut they %onMt let us lea&e,F h s daughter objected# F$a t t ll Nefferson co!es, and %eMll soon !anage that# In the !eant !e, donMt you fret yourself, !y dear e, and donMt get your eyes s%elled u", else heMll be %alk ng nto !e %hen he sees you# ThereMs noth ng to be afeared about, and thereMs no danger at all#F Nohn 'err er uttered these consol ng re!arks n a &ery conf dent tone, but she could not hel" obser& ng that he "a d unusual care to the fasten ng of the doors that n ght, and that he carefully cleaned and loaded the rusty old shotgun %h ch hung u"on the %all of h s bedroo!#

C+APTE) I(# A ';IG+T '7) ;I'E# 78 the !orn ng %h ch follo%ed h s nter& e% % th the :or!on Pro"het, Nohn 'err er %ent n to Salt ;ake C ty, and ha& ng found h s ac<ua ntance, %ho %as bound for the 8e&ada :ounta ns, he entrusted h ! % th h s !essage to Nefferson +o"e# In t he told the young !an of the !! nent danger %h ch threatened the!, and ho% necessary t %as that he should return# +a& ng done thus he felt eas er n h s ! nd, and returned ho!e % th a l ghter heart# As he a""roached h s far!, he %as sur"r sed to see a horse h tched to each of the "osts of the gate# St ll !ore sur"r sed %as he on enter ng to f nd t%o young !en n

"ossess on of h s s tt ngOroo!# 7ne, % th a long "ale face, %as lean ng back n the rock ngOcha r, % th h s feet cocked u" u"on the sto&e# The other, a bullOnecked youth % th coarse bloated features, %as stand ng n front of the % ndo% % th h s hands n h s "ocket, %h stl ng a "o"ular hy!n# *oth of the! nodded to 'err er as he entered, and the one n the rock ngOcha r co!!enced the con&ersat on# F:aybe you donMt kno% us,F he sa d# FTh s here s the son of Elder Drebber, and IM! Nose"h Stangerson, %ho tra&elled % th you n the desert %hen the ;ord stretched out + s hand and gathered you nto the true fold#F FAs +e % ll all the nat ons n + s o%n good t !e,F sa d the other n a nasal &o ceP F+e gr ndeth slo%ly but exceed ng s!all#F Nohn 'err er bo%ed coldly# +e had guessed %ho h s & s tors %ere# F$e ha&e co!e,F cont nued Stangerson, Fat the ad& ce of our fathers to sol c t the hand of your daughter for %h che&er of us !ay see! good to you and to her# As I ha&e but four % &es and *rother Drebber here has se&en, t a""ears to !e that !y cla ! s the stronger one#F F8ay, nay, *rother Stangerson,F cr ed the otherP Fthe <uest on s not ho% !any % &es %e ha&e, but ho% !any %e can kee"# :y father has no% g &en o&er h s ! lls to !e, and I a! the r cher !an#F F*ut !y "ros"ects are better,F sa d the other, %ar!ly# F$hen the ;ord re!o&es !y father, I shall ha&e h s tann ng yard and h s leather factory# Then I a! your elder, and a! h gher n the Church#F FIt % ll be for the !a den to dec de,F rejo ned young Drebber, s! rk ng at h s o%n reflect on n the glass# F$e % ll lea&e t all to her dec s on#F Dur ng th s d alogue, Nohn 'err er had stood fu! ng n the door%ay, hardly able to kee" h s r d ngO%h " fro! the backs of h s t%o & s tors# F;ook here,F he sa d at last, str d ng u" to the!, F%hen !y daughter su!!ons you, you can co!e, but unt l then I donMt %ant to see your faces aga n#F The t%o young :or!ons stared at h ! n a!a6e!ent# In the r eyes th s co!"et t on bet%een the! for the !a denMs hand %as the h ghest of honours both to her and her father# FThere are t%o %ays out of the roo!,F cr ed 'err erP Fthere s the door, and there s the % ndo%# $h ch do you care to useKF + s bro%n face looked so sa&age, and h s gaunt hands so threaten ng, that h s & s tors s"rang to the r feet and beat a hurr ed retreat# The old far!er follo%ed the! to the door# F;et !e kno% %hen you ha&e settled %h ch t s to be,F

he sa d, sardon cally# FLou shall s!art for th sEF Stangerson cr ed, %h te % th rage# FLou ha&e def ed the Pro"het and the Counc l of 'our# Lou shall rue t to the end of your days#F FThe hand of the ;ord shall be hea&y u"on you,F cr ed young DrebberP F+e % ll ar se and s! te youEF FThen IMll start the s! t ng,F excla !ed 'err er fur ously, and %ould ha&e rushed u"sta rs for h s gun had not ;ucy se 6ed h ! by the ar! and restra ned h !# *efore he could esca"e fro! her, the clatter of horsesM hoofs told h ! that they %ere beyond h s reach# FThe young cant ng rascalsEF he excla !ed, % " ng the "ers" rat on fro! h s foreheadP FI %ould sooner see you n your gra&e, !y g rl, than the % fe of e ther of the!#F FAnd so should I, father,F she ans%ered, % th s" r tP Fbut Nefferson % ll soon be here#F FLes# It % ll not be long before he co!es# The sooner the better, for %e do not kno% %hat the r next !o&e !ay be#F It %as, ndeed, h gh t !e that so!eone ca"able of g & ng ad& ce and hel" should co!e to the a d of the sturdy old far!er and h s ado"ted daughter# In the %hole h story of the settle!ent there had ne&er been such a case of rank d sobed ence to the author ty of the Elders# If ! nor errors %ere "un shed so sternly, %hat %ould be the fate of th s arch rebel# 'err er kne% that h s %ealth and "os t on %ould be of no a&a l to h !# 7thers as %ell kno%n and as r ch as h !self had been s" r ted a%ay before no%, and the r goods g &en o&er to the Church# +e %as a bra&e !an, but he tre!bled at the &ague, shado%y terrors %h ch hung o&er h !# Any kno%n danger he could face % th a f r! l ", but th s sus"ense %as unner& ng# +e concealed h s fears fro! h s daughter, ho%e&er, and affected to !ake l ght of the %hole !atter, though she, % th the keen eye of lo&e, sa% "la nly that he %as ll at ease# +e ex"ected that he %ould rece &e so!e !essage or re!onstrance fro! Loung as to h s conduct, and he %as not ! staken, though t ca!e n an unlookedOfor !anner# 9"on r s ng next !orn ng he found, to h s sur"r se, a s!all s<uare of "a"er " nned on to the co&erlet of h s bed just o&er h s chest# 7n t %as "r nted, n bold straggl ng letters>OO FT%entyOn ne days are g &en you for a!end!ent, and then OOOOF The dash %as !ore fearO ns" r ng than any threat could ha&e been# +o% th s %arn ng ca!e nto h s roo! "u66led Nohn 'err er sorely, for h s ser&ants sle"t n an outhouse, and the doors and % ndo%s had all been secured# +e cru!"led the "a"er u" and sa d noth ng to h s daughter, but the nc dent struck a ch ll nto h s heart# The t%entyOn ne days %ere e& dently the balance of the !onth %h ch Loung had "ro! sed#

$hat strength or courage could a&a l aga nst an ene!y ar!ed % th such !yster ous "o%ersK The hand %h ch fastened that " n ! ght ha&e struck h ! to the heart, and he could ne&er ha&e kno%n %ho had sla n h !# St ll !ore shaken %as he next !orn ng# They had sat do%n to the r breakfast %hen ;ucy % th a cry of sur"r se "o nted u"%ards# In the centre of the ce l ng %as scra%led, % th a burned st ck a""arently, the nu!ber 2H# To h s daughter t %as un ntell g ble, and he d d not enl ghten her# That n ght he sat u" % th h s gun and ke"t %atch and %ard# +e sa% and he heard noth ng, and yet n the !orn ng a great 2. had been "a nted u"on the outs de of h s door# Thus day follo%ed dayP and as sure as !orn ng ca!e he found that h s unseen ene! es had ke"t the r reg ster, and had !arked u" n so!e cons" cuous "os t on ho% !any days %ere st ll left to h ! out of the !onth of grace# So!et !es the fatal nu!bers a""eared u"on the %alls, so!et !es u"on the floors, occas onally they %ere on s!all "lacards stuck u"on the garden gate or the ra l ngs# $ th all h s & g lance Nohn 'err er could not d sco&er %hence these da ly %arn ngs "roceeded# A horror %h ch %as al!ost su"erst t ous ca!e u"on h ! at the s ght of the!# +e beca!e haggard and restless, and h s eyes had the troubled look of so!e hunted creature# +e had but one ho"e n l fe no%, and that %as for the arr &al of the young hunter fro! 8e&ada# T%enty had changed to f fteen and f fteen to ten, but there %as no ne%s of the absentee# 7ne by one the nu!bers d% ndled do%n, and st ll there ca!e no s gn of h !# $hene&er a horse!an clattered do%n the road, or a dr &er shouted at h s tea!, the old far!er hurr ed to the gate th nk ng that hel" had arr &ed at last# At last, %hen he sa% f &e g &e %ay to four and that aga n to three, he lost heart, and abandoned all ho"e of esca"e# S ngleOhanded, and % th h s l ! ted kno%ledge of the !ounta ns %h ch surrounded the settle!ent, he kne% that he %as "o%erless# The !oreOfre<uented roads %ere str ctly %atched and guarded, and none could "ass along the! % thout an order fro! the Counc l# Turn %h ch %ay he %ould, there a""eared to be no a&o d ng the blo% %h ch hung o&er h !# Let the old !an ne&er %a&ered n h s resolut on to "art % th l fe tself before he consented to %hat he regarded as h s daughterMs d shonour# +e %as s tt ng alone one e&en ng "onder ng dee"ly o&er h s troubles, and search ng &a nly for so!e %ay out of the!# That !orn ng had sho%n the f gure 2 u"on the %all of h s house, and the next day %ould be the last of the allotted t !e# $hat %as to ha""en thenK All !anner of &ague and terr ble fanc es f lled h s !ag nat on# And h s daughter OO %hat %as to beco!e of her after he %as goneK $as there no esca"e fro! the n& s ble net%ork %h ch %as dra%n all round the!# +e sank h s head u"on the table and sobbed at the thought of h s o%n !"otence# $hat %as thatK In the s lence he heard a gentle scratch ng sound OO lo%, but &ery d st nct n the <u et of the n ght#

It ca!e fro! the door of the house# 'err er cre"t nto the hall and l stened ntently# There %as a "ause for a fe% !o!ents, and then the lo% ns d ous sound %as re"eated# So!eone %as e& dently ta"" ng &ery gently u"on one of the "anels of the door# $as t so!e ! dn ght assass n %ho had co!e to carry out the !urderous orders of the secret tr bunalK 7r %as t so!e agent %ho %as !ark ng u" that the last day of grace had arr &ed# Nohn 'err er felt that nstant death %ould be better than the sus"ense %h ch shook h s ner&es and ch lled h s heart# S"r ng ng for%ard he dre% the bolt and thre% the door o"en# 7uts de all %as cal! and <u et# The n ght %as f ne, and the stars %ere t% nkl ng br ghtly o&erhead# The l ttle front garden lay before the far!erMs eyes bounded by the fence and gate, but ne ther there nor on the road %as any hu!an be ng to be seen# $ th a s gh of rel ef, 'err er looked to r ght and to left, unt l ha""en ng to glance stra ght do%n at h s o%n feet he sa% to h s aston sh!ent a !an ly ng flat u"on h s face u"on the ground, % th ar!s and legs all as"ra%l# So unner&ed %as he at the s ght that he leaned u" aga nst the %all % th h s hand to h s throat to st fle h s ncl nat on to call out# + s f rst thought %as that the "rostrate f gure %as that of so!e %ounded or dy ng !an, but as he %atched t he sa% t %r the along the ground and nto the hall % th the ra" d ty and no selessness of a ser"ent# 7nce % th n the house the !an s"rang to h s feet, closed the door, and re&ealed to the aston shed far!er the f erce face and resolute ex"ress on of Nefferson +o"e# FGood GodEF gas"ed Nohn 'err er# F+o% you scared !eE $hate&er !ade you co!e n l ke that#F FG &e !e food,F the other sa d, hoarsely# FI ha&e had no t !e for b te or su" for e ghtOandOforty hours#F +e flung h !self u"on the U2,V cold !eat and bread %h ch %ere st ll ly ng u"on the table fro! h s hostMs su""er, and de&oured t &orac ously# FDoes ;ucy bear u" %ellKF he asked, %hen he had sat sf ed h s hunger# FLes# She does not kno% the danger,F her father ans%ered# FThat s %ell# The house s %atched on e&ery s de# That s %hy I cra%led !y %ay u" to t# They !ay be darned shar", but theyMre not <u te shar" enough to catch a $ashoe hunter#F Nohn 'err er felt a d fferent !an no% that he real 6ed that he had a de&oted ally# +e se 6ed the young !anMs leathery hand and %rung t cord ally# FLouMre a !an to be "roud of,F he sa d# FThere are not !any %ho %ould co!e to share our danger and our troubles#F FLouM&e h t t there, "ard,F the young hunter ans%ered# FI ha&e a res"ect for you, but f you %ere alone n th s bus ness IMd th nk t% ce before I "ut !y head nto such a hornetMs nest# ItMs ;ucy that br ngs !e here, and before har! co!es on her I guess there % ll be one less oM the +o"e

fa! ly n 9tah#F F$hat are %e to doKF FToO!orro% s your last day, and unless you act toOn ght you are lost# I ha&e a !ule and t%o horses %a t ng n the Eagle )a& ne# +o% !uch !oney ha&e youKF FT%o thousand dollars n gold, and f &e n notes#F FThat % ll do# I ha&e as !uch !ore to add to t# $e !ust "ush for Carson C ty through the !ounta ns# Lou had best %ake ;ucy# It s as %ell that the ser&ants do not slee" n the house#F $h le 'err er %as absent, "re"ar ng h s daughter for the a""roach ng journey, Nefferson +o"e "acked all the eatables that he could f nd nto a s!all "arcel, and f lled a stone%are jar % th %ater, for he kne% by ex"er ence that the !ounta n %ells %ere fe% and far bet%een# +e had hardly co!"leted h s arrange!ents before the far!er returned % th h s daughter all dressed and ready for a start# The greet ng bet%een the lo&ers %as %ar!, but br ef, for ! nutes %ere "rec ous, and there %as !uch to be done# F$e !ust !ake our start at once,F sa d Nefferson +o"e, s"eak ng n a lo% but resolute &o ce, l ke one %ho real 6es the greatness of the "er l, but has steeled h s heart to !eet t# FThe front and back entrances are %atched, but % th caut on %e !ay get a%ay through the s de % ndo% and across the f elds# 7nce on the road %e are only t%o ! les fro! the )a& ne %here the horses are %a t ng# *y daybreak %e should be halfO%ay through the !ounta ns#F F$hat f %e are sto""ed,F asked 'err er# +o"e sla""ed the re&ol&er butt %h ch "rotruded fro! the front of h s tun c# FIf they are too !any for us %e shall take t%o or three of the! % th us,F he sa d % th a s n ster s! le# The l ghts ns de the house had all been ext ngu shed, and fro! the darkened % ndo% 'err er "eered o&er the f elds %h ch had been h s o%n, and %h ch he %as no% about to abandon for e&er# +e had long ner&ed h !self to the sacr f ce, ho%e&er, and the thought of the honour and ha"" ness of h s daughter out%e ghed any regret at h s ru ned fortunes# All looked so "eaceful and ha""y, the rustl ng trees and the broad s lent stretch of gra nOland, that t %as d ff cult to real 6e that the s" r t of !urder lurked through t all# Let the %h te face and set ex"ress on of the young hunter sho%ed that n h s a""roach to the house he had seen enough to sat sfy h ! u"on that head# 'err er carr ed the bag of gold and notes, Nefferson +o"e had the scanty "ro& s ons and %ater, %h le ;ucy had a s!all bundle conta n ng a fe% of her !ore &alued "ossess ons# 7"en ng the % ndo% &ery slo%ly and carefully, they %a ted unt l a dark cloud had so!e%hat obscured the n ght, and then

one by one "assed through nto the l ttle garden# $ th bated breath and crouch ng f gures they stu!bled across t, and ga ned the shelter of the hedge, %h ch they sk rted unt l they ca!e to the ga" %h ch o"ened nto the cornf elds# They had just reached th s "o nt %hen the young !an se 6ed h s t%o co!"an ons and dragged the! do%n nto the shado%, %here they lay s lent and tre!bl ng# It %as as %ell that h s "ra r e tra n ng had g &en Nefferson +o"e the ears of a lynx# +e and h s fr ends had hardly crouched do%n before the !elancholy hoot ng of a !ounta n o%l %as heard % th n a fe% yards of the!, %h ch %as !!ed ately ans%ered by another hoot at a s!all d stance# At the sa!e !o!ent a &ague shado%y f gure e!erged fro! the ga" for %h ch they had been !ak ng, and uttered the "la nt &e s gnal cry aga n, on %h ch a second !an a""eared out of the obscur ty# FToO!orro% at ! dn ght,F sa d the f rst %ho a""eared to be n author ty# F$hen the $h "O"oorO$ ll calls three t !es#F FIt s %ell,F returned the other# FShall I tell *rother DrebberKF FPass t on to h !, and fro! h ! to the others# 8 ne to se&enEF FSe&en to f &eEF re"eated the other, and the t%o f gures fl tted a%ay n d fferent d rect ons# The r conclud ng %ords had e& dently been so!e for! of s gn and counters gn# The nstant that the r footste"s had d ed a%ay n the d stance, Nefferson +o"e s"rang to h s feet, and hel" ng h s co!"an ons through the ga", led the %ay across the f elds at the to" of h s s"eed, su""ort ng and halfOcarry ng the g rl %hen her strength a""eared to fa l her# F+urry onE hurry onEF he gas"ed fro! t !e to t !e# F$e are through the l ne of sent nels# E&eryth ng de"ends on s"eed# +urry onEF 7nce on the h gh road they !ade ra" d "rogress# 7nly once d d they !eet anyone, and then they !anaged to sl " nto a f eld, and so a&o d recogn t on# *efore reach ng the to%n the hunter branched a%ay nto a rugged and narro% foot"ath %h ch led to the !ounta ns# T%o dark jagged "eaks loo!ed abo&e the! through the darkness, and the def le %h ch led bet%een the! %as the Eagle Canon n %h ch the horses %ere a%a t ng the!# $ th unerr ng nst nct Nefferson +o"e " cked h s %ay a!ong the great boulders and along the bed of a dr edOu" %atercourse, unt l he ca!e to the ret red corner, screened % th rocks, %here the fa thful an !als had been " cketed# The g rl %as "laced u"on the !ule, and old 'err er u"on one of the horses, % th h s !oneyObag, %h le Nefferson +o"e led the other along the "rec " tous and dangerous "ath# It %as a be% lder ng route for anyone %ho %as not accusto!ed to face 8ature n her % ldest !oods# 7n the one s de a great crag to%ered u" a thousand feet or !ore, black, stern, and !enac ng, % th long basalt c colu!ns u"on ts rugged surface l ke the r bs of so!e "etr f ed !onster# 7n the other hand a % ld chaos of boulders and debr s !ade all ad&ance

!"oss ble# *et%een the t%o ran the rregular track, so narro% n "laces that they had to tra&el n Ind an f le, and so rough that only "ract sed r ders could ha&e tra&ersed t at all# Let n s" te of all dangers and d ff cult es, the hearts of the fug t &es %ere l ght % th n the!, for e&ery ste" ncreased the d stance bet%een the! and the terr ble des"ot s! fro! %h ch they %ere fly ng# They soon had a "roof, ho%e&er, that they %ere st ll % th n the jur sd ct on of the Sa nts# They had reached the &ery % ldest and !ost desolate "ort on of the "ass %hen the g rl ga&e a startled cry, and "o nted u"%ards# 7n a rock %h ch o&erlooked the track, sho% ng out dark and "la n aga nst the sky, there stood a sol tary sent nel# +e sa% the! as soon as they "erce &ed h !, and h s ! l tary challenge of F$ho goes thereKF rang through the s lent ra& ne# FTra&ellers for 8e&ada,F sa d Nefferson +o"e, % th h s hand u"on the r fle %h ch hung by h s saddle# They could see the lonely %atcher f nger ng h s gun, and "eer ng do%n at the! as f d ssat sf ed at the r re"ly# F*y %hose "er! ss onKF he asked# FThe +oly 'our,F ans%ered 'err er# + s :or!on ex"er ences had taught h ! that that %as the h ghest author ty to %h ch he could refer# F8 ne fro! se&en,F cr ed the sent nel# FSe&en fro! f &e,F returned Nefferson +o"e "ro!"tly, re!e!ber ng the counters gn %h ch he had heard n the garden# FPass, and the ;ord go % th you,F sa d the &o ce fro! abo&e# *eyond h s "ost the "ath broadened out, and the horses %ere able to break nto a trot# ;ook ng back, they could see the sol tary %atcher lean ng u"on h s gun, and kne% that they had "assed the outly ng "ost of the chosen "eo"le, and that freedo! lay before the!#

C+APTE) (# T+E A(E8GI8G A8GE;S# A;; n ght the r course lay through ntr cate def les and o&er rregular and rockOstre%n "aths# :ore than once they lost the r %ay, but +o"eMs nt !ate kno%ledge of the !ounta ns enabled the! to rega n the track once !ore# $hen !orn ng broke, a scene of !ar&ellous though sa&age beauty lay before the!# In e&ery d rect on the great sno%Oca""ed "eaks he!!ed the! n, "ee" ng o&er each otherMs shoulders to the far hor 6on# So stee" %ere the rocky banks on e ther s de of the!, that the larch and the " ne see!ed to be sus"ended o&er the r heads, and to need only a gust of % nd to co!e hurtl ng

do%n u"on the!# 8or %as the fear ent rely an llus on, for the barren &alley %as th ckly stre%n % th trees and boulders %h ch had fallen n a s ! lar !anner# E&en as they "assed, a great rock ca!e thunder ng do%n % th a hoarse rattle %h ch %oke the echoes n the s lent gorges, and startled the %eary horses nto a gallo"# As the sun rose slo%ly abo&e the eastern hor 6on, the ca"s of the great !ounta ns l t u" one after the other, l ke la!"s at a fest &al, unt l they %ere all ruddy and glo% ng# The !agn f cent s"ectacle cheered the hearts of the three fug t &es and ga&e the! fresh energy# At a % ld torrent %h ch s%e"t out of a ra& ne they called a halt and %atered the r horses, %h le they "artook of a hasty breakfast# ;ucy and her father %ould fa n ha&e rested longer, but Nefferson +o"e %as nexorable# FThey % ll be u"on our track by th s t !e,F he sa d# FE&eryth ng de"ends u"on our s"eed# 7nce safe n Carson %e !ay rest for the re!a nder of our l &es#F Dur ng the %hole of that day they struggled on through the def les, and by e&en ng they calculated that they %ere !ore than th rty ! les fro! the r ene! es# At n ghtOt !e they chose the base of a beetl ng crag, %here the rocks offered so!e "rotect on fro! the ch ll % nd, and there huddled together for %ar!th, they enjoyed a fe% hoursM slee"# *efore daybreak, ho%e&er, they %ere u" and on the r %ay once !ore# They had seen no s gns of any "ursuers, and Nefferson +o"e began to th nk that they %ere fa rly out of the reach of the terr ble organ 6at on %hose en! ty they had ncurred# +e l ttle kne% ho% far that ron gras" could reach, or ho% soon t %as to close u"on the! and crush the!# About the ! ddle of the second day of the r fl ght the r scanty store of "ro& s ons began to run out# Th s ga&e the hunter l ttle uneas ness, ho%e&er, for there %as ga!e to be had a!ong the !ounta ns, and he had fre<uently before had to de"end u"on h s r fle for the needs of l fe# Choos ng a sheltered nook, he " led together a fe% dr ed branches and !ade a bla6 ng f re, at %h ch h s co!"an ons ! ght %ar! the!sel&es, for they %ere no% nearly f &e thousand feet abo&e the sea le&el, and the a r %as b tter and keen# +a& ng tethered the horses, and bade ;ucy ad eu, he thre% h s gun o&er h s shoulder, and set out n search of %hate&er chance ! ght thro% n h s %ay# ;ook ng back he sa% the old !an and the young g rl crouch ng o&er the bla6 ng f re, %h le the three an !als stood !ot onless n the backOground# Then the nter&en ng rocks h d the! fro! h s & e%# +e %alked for a cou"le of ! les through one ra& ne after another % thout success, though fro! the !arks u"on the bark of the trees, and other nd cat ons, he judged that there %ere nu!erous bears n the & c n ty# At last, after t%o or three hoursM fru tless search, he %as th nk ng of turn ng back n des"a r, %hen cast ng h s eyes u"%ards he sa% a s ght %h ch sent a thr ll of "leasure through h s heart# 7n the edge of a jutt ng " nnacle, three or four hundred feet abo&e h !, there stood a creature so!e%hat rese!bl ng a shee" n a""earance, but ar!ed % th a "a r of g gant c horns#

The b gOhorn OO for so t s called OO %as act ng, "robably, as a guard an o&er a flock %h ch %ere n& s ble to the hunterP but fortunately t %as head ng n the o""os te d rect on, and had not "erce &ed h !# ;y ng on h s face, he rested h s r fle u"on a rock, and took a long and steady a ! before dra% ng the tr gger# The an !al s"rang nto the a r, tottered for a !o!ent u"on the edge of the "rec " ce, and then ca!e crash ng do%n nto the &alley beneath# The creature %as too un% eldy to l ft, so the hunter contented h !self % th cutt ng a%ay one haunch and "art of the flank# $ th th s tro"hy o&er h s shoulder, he hastened to retrace h s ste"s, for the e&en ng %as already dra% ng n# +e had hardly started, ho%e&er, before he real 6ed the d ff culty %h ch faced h !# In h s eagerness he had %andered far "ast the ra& nes %h ch %ere kno%n to h !, and t %as no easy !atter to " ck out the "ath %h ch he had taken# The &alley n %h ch he found h !self d & ded and subOd & ded nto !any gorges, %h ch %ere so l ke each other that t %as !"oss ble to d st ngu sh one fro! the other# +e follo%ed one for a ! le or !ore unt l he ca!e to a !ounta n torrent %h ch he %as sure that he had ne&er seen before# Con& nced that he had taken the %rong turn, he tr ed another, but % th the sa!e result# 8 ght %as co! ng on ra" dly, and t %as al!ost dark before he at last found h !self n a def le %h ch %as fa! l ar to h !# E&en then t %as no easy !atter to kee" to the r ght track, for the !oon had not yet r sen, and the h gh cl ffs on e ther s de !ade the obscur ty !ore "rofound# $e ghed do%n % th h s burden, and %eary fro! h s exert ons, he stu!bled along, kee" ng u" h s heart by the reflect on that e&ery ste" brought h ! nearer to ;ucy, and that he carr ed % th h ! enough to ensure the! food for the re!a nder of the r journey# +e had no% co!e to the !outh of the &ery def le n %h ch he had left the!# E&en n the darkness he could recogn 6e the outl ne of the cl ffs %h ch bounded t# They !ust, he reflected, be a%a t ng h ! anx ously, for he had been absent nearly f &e hours# In the gladness of h s heart he "ut h s hands to h s !outh and !ade the glen reOecho to a loud halloo as a s gnal that he %as co! ng# +e "aused and l stened for an ans%er# 8one ca!e sa&e h s o%n cry, %h ch clattered u" the dreary s lent ra& nes, and %as borne back to h s ears n countless re"et t ons# Aga n he shouted, e&en louder than before, and aga n no %h s"er ca!e back fro! the fr ends %ho! he had left such a short t !e ago# A &ague, na!eless dread ca!e o&er h !, and he hurr ed on%ards frant cally, dro"" ng the "rec ous food n h s ag tat on# $hen he turned the corner, he ca!e full n s ght of the s"ot %here the f re had been l t# There %as st ll a glo% ng " le of %ood ashes there, but t had e& dently not been tended s nce h s de"arture# The sa!e dead s lence st ll re gned all round# $ th h s fears all changed to con& ct ons, he hurr ed on# There %as no l & ng creature near the re!a ns of the f re> an !als, !an, !a den, all %ere gone# It %as only too clear that so!e sudden and terr ble d saster had occurred dur ng h s absence OO a d saster %h ch had e!braced the! all,

and yet had left no traces beh nd t# *e% ldered and stunned by th s blo%, Nefferson +o"e felt h s head s" n round, and had to lean u"on h s r fle to sa&e h !self fro! fall ng# +e %as essent ally a !an of act on, ho%e&er, and s"eed ly reco&ered fro! h s te!"orary !"otence# Se 6 ng a halfOconsu!ed " ece of %ood fro! the s!oulder ng f re, he ble% t nto a fla!e, and "roceeded % th ts hel" to exa! ne the l ttle ca!"# The ground %as all sta!"ed do%n by the feet of horses, sho% ng that a large "arty of !ounted !en had o&ertaken the fug t &es, and the d rect on of the r tracks "ro&ed that they had after%ards turned back to Salt ;ake C ty# +ad they carr ed back both of h s co!"an ons % th the!K Nefferson +o"e had al!ost "ersuaded h !self that they !ust ha&e done so, %hen h s eye fell u"on an object %h ch !ade e&ery ner&e of h s body t ngle % th n h !# A l ttle %ay on one s de of the ca!" %as a lo%Oly ng hea" of redd sh so l, %h ch had assuredly not been there before# There %as no ! stak ng t for anyth ng but a ne%lyOdug gra&e# As the young hunter a""roached t, he "erce &ed that a st ck had been "lanted on t, % th a sheet of "a"er stuck n the cleft fork of t# The nscr "t on u"on the "a"er %as br ef, but to the "o nt> N7+8 'E))IE), '7):E);L 7' SA;T ;ARE CITL, U22V D ed August 3th, ,HI5# The sturdy old !an, %ho! he had left so short a t !e before, %as gone, then, and th s %as all h s e" ta"h# Nefferson +o"e looked % ldly round to see f there %as a second gra&e, but there %as no s gn of one# ;ucy had been carr ed back by the r terr ble "ursuers to fulf l her or g nal dest ny, by beco! ng one of the hare! of the ElderMs son# As the young fello% real 6ed the certa nty of her fate, and h s o%n "o%erlessness to "re&ent t, he % shed that he, too, %as ly ng % th the old far!er n h s last s lent rest ngO"lace# Aga n, ho%e&er, h s act &e s" r t shook off the lethargy %h ch s"r ngs fro! des"a r# If there %as noth ng else left to h !, he could at least de&ote h s l fe to re&enge# $ th ndo! table "at ence and "erse&erance, Nefferson +o"e "ossessed also a "o%er of susta ned & nd ct &eness, %h ch he !ay ha&e learned fro! the Ind ans a!ongst %ho! he had l &ed# As he stood by the desolate f re, he felt that the only one th ng %h ch could assuage h s gr ef %ould be thorough and co!"lete retr but on, brought by h s o%n hand u"on h s ene! es# + s strong % ll and unt r ng energy should, he deter! ned, be de&oted to that one end# $ th a gr !, %h te face, he retraced h s ste"s to %here he had dro""ed the food, and ha& ng st rred u" the s!oulder ng f re, he cooked enough to last h ! for a fe% days# Th s he !ade u" nto a bundle, and, t red as he %as, he set h !self to %alk back through the !ounta ns u"on the track of the a&eng ng angels# 'or f &e days he to led footsore and %eary through the def les %h ch he had already tra&ersed on horseback# At n ght he flung h !self do%n a!ong the rocks, and snatched a

fe% hours of slee"P but before daybreak he %as al%ays %ell on h s %ay# 7n the s xth day, he reached the Eagle Canon, fro! %h ch they had co!!enced the r llOfated fl ght# Thence he could look do%n u"on the ho!e of the sa nts# $orn and exhausted, he leaned u"on h s r fle and shook h s gaunt hand f ercely at the s lent % des"read c ty beneath h !# As he looked at t, he obser&ed that there %ere flags n so!e of the "r nc "al streets, and other s gns of fest & ty# +e %as st ll s"eculat ng as to %hat th s ! ght !ean %hen he heard the clatter of horseMs hoofs, and sa% a !ounted !an r d ng to%ards h !# As he a""roached, he recogn 6ed h ! as a :or!on na!ed Co%"er, to %ho! he had rendered ser& ces at d fferent t !es# +e therefore accosted h ! %hen he got u" to h !, % th the object of f nd ng out %hat ;ucy 'err erMs fate had been# FI a! Nefferson +o"e,F he sa d# FLou re!e!ber !e#F The :or!on looked at h ! % th und sgu sed aston sh!ent OO ndeed, t %as d ff cult to recogn 6e n th s tattered, unke!"t %anderer, % th ghastly %h te face and f erce, % ld eyes, the s"ruce young hunter of for!er days# +a& ng, ho%e&er, at last, sat sf ed h !self as to h s dent ty, the !anMs sur"r se changed to consternat on# FLou are !ad to co!e here,F he cr ed# FIt s as !uch as !y o%n l fe s %orth to be seen talk ng % th you# There s a %arrant aga nst you fro! the +oly 'our for ass st ng the 'err ers a%ay#F FI donMt fear the!, or the r %arrant,F +o"e sa d, earnestly# FLou !ust kno% so!eth ng of th s !atter, Co%"er# I conjure you by e&eryth ng you hold dear to ans%er a fe% <uest ons# $e ha&e al%ays been fr ends# 'or GodMs sake, donMt refuse to ans%er !e#F F$hat s tKF the :or!on asked uneas ly# F*e <u ck# The &ery rocks ha&e ears and the trees eyes#F F$hat has beco!e of ;ucy 'err erKF FShe %as !arr ed yesterday to young Drebber# +old u", !an, hold u", you ha&e no l fe left n you#F FDonMt ! nd !e,F sa d +o"e fa ntly# +e %as %h te to the &ery l "s, and had sunk do%n on the stone aga nst %h ch he had been lean ng# F:arr ed, you sayKF F:arr ed yesterday OO thatMs %hat those flags are for on the Endo%!ent +ouse# There %as so!e %ords bet%een young Drebber and young Stangerson as to %h ch %as to ha&e her# TheyMd both been n the "arty that follo%ed the!, and Stangerson had shot her father, %h ch see!ed to g &e h ! the best cla !P but %hen they argued t out n counc l, DrebberMs "arty %as the stronger, so the Pro"het ga&e her o&er to h !# 8o one %onMt ha&e her &ery long though, for I sa% death n her face yesterday# She s !ore l ke a ghost than a %o!an# Are you off, thenKF FLes, I a! off,F sa d Nefferson +o"e, %ho had r sen fro! h s

seat# + s face ! ght ha&e been ch selled out of !arble, so hard and set %as ts ex"ress on, %h le ts eyes glo%ed % th a baleful l ght# F$here are you go ngKF F8e&er ! nd,F he ans%eredP and, sl ng ng h s %ea"on o&er h s shoulder, strode off do%n the gorge and so a%ay nto the heart of the !ounta ns to the haunts of the % ld beasts# A!ongst the! all there %as none so f erce and so dangerous as h !self# The "red ct on of the :or!on %as only too %ell fulf lled# $hether t %as the terr ble death of her father or the effects of the hateful !arr age nto %h ch she had been forced, "oor ;ucy ne&er held u" her head aga n, but " ned a%ay and d ed % th n a !onth# +er sott sh husband, %ho had !arr ed her "r nc "ally for the sake of Nohn 'err erMs "ro"erty, d d not affect any great gr ef at h s berea&e!entP but h s other % &es !ourned o&er her, and sat u" % th her the n ght before the bur al, as s the :or!on custo!# They %ere grou"ed round the b er n the early hours of the !orn ng, %hen, to the r nex"ress ble fear and aston sh!ent, the door %as flung o"en, and a sa&ageOlook ng, %eatherObeaten !an n tattered gar!ents strode nto the roo!# $ thout a glance or a %ord to the co%er ng %o!en, he %alked u" to the %h te s lent f gure %h ch had once conta ned the "ure soul of ;ucy 'err er# Stoo" ng o&er her, he "ressed h s l "s re&erently to her cold forehead, and then, snatch ng u" her hand, he took the %edd ngOr ng fro! her f nger# FShe shall not be bur ed n that,F he cr ed % th a f erce snarl, and before an alar! could be ra sed s"rang do%n the sta rs and %as gone# So strange and so br ef %as the e" sode, that the %atchers ! ght ha&e found t hard to bel e&e t the!sel&es or "ersuade other "eo"le of t, had t not been for the unden able fact that the c rclet of gold %h ch !arked her as ha& ng been a br de had d sa""eared# 'or so!e !onths Nefferson +o"e l ngered a!ong the !ounta ns, lead ng a strange % ld l fe, and nurs ng n h s heart the f erce des re for &engeance %h ch "ossessed h !# Tales %ere told n the C ty of the %e rd f gure %h ch %as seen "ro%l ng about the suburbs, and %h ch haunted the lonely !ounta n gorges# 7nce a bullet %h stled through StangersonMs % ndo% and flattened tself u"on the %all % th n a foot of h !# 7n another occas on, as Drebber "assed under a cl ff a great boulder crashed do%n on h !, and he only esca"ed a terr ble death by thro% ng h !self u"on h s face# The t%o young :or!ons %ere not long n d sco&er ng the reason of these atte!"ts u"on the r l &es, and led re"eated ex"ed t ons nto the !ounta ns n the ho"e of ca"tur ng or k ll ng the r ene!y, but al%ays % thout success# Then they ado"ted the "recaut on of ne&er go ng out alone or after n ghtfall, and of ha& ng the r houses guarded# After a t !e they %ere able to relax these !easures, for noth ng %as e ther heard or seen of the r o""onent, and they ho"ed that t !e had cooled h s & nd ct &eness#

'ar fro! do ng so, t had, f anyth ng, aug!ented t# The hunterMs ! nd %as of a hard, uny eld ng nature, and the "redo! nant dea of re&enge had taken such co!"lete "ossess on of t that there %as no roo! for any other e!ot on# +e %as, ho%e&er, abo&e all th ngs "ract cal# +e soon real 6ed that e&en h s ron const tut on could not stand the ncessant stra n %h ch he %as "utt ng u"on t# Ex"osure and %ant of %holeso!e food %ere %ear ng h ! out# If he d ed l ke a dog a!ong the !ounta ns, %hat %as to beco!e of h s re&enge thenK And yet such a death %as sure to o&ertake h ! f he "ers sted# +e felt that that %as to "lay h s ene!yMs ga!e, so he reluctantly returned to the old 8e&ada ! nes, there to recru t h s health and to a!ass !oney enough to allo% h ! to "ursue h s object % thout "r &at on# + s ntent on had been to be absent a year at the !ost, but a co!b nat on of unforeseen c rcu!stances "re&ented h s lea& ng the ! nes for nearly f &e# At the end of that t !e, ho%e&er, h s !e!ory of h s %rongs and h s cra& ng for re&enge %ere <u te as keen as on that !e!orable n ght %hen he had stood by Nohn 'err erMs gra&e# D sgu sed, and under an assu!ed na!e, he returned to Salt ;ake C ty, careless %hat beca!e of h s o%n l fe, as long as he obta ned %hat he kne% to be just ce# There he found e& l t d ngs a%a t ng h !# There had been a sch s! a!ong the Chosen Peo"le a fe% !onths before, so!e of the younger !e!bers of the Church ha& ng rebelled aga nst the author ty of the Elders, and the result had been the secess on of a certa n nu!ber of the !alcontents, %ho had left 9tah and beco!e Gent les# A!ong these had been Drebber and StangersonP and no one kne% %h ther they had gone# )u!our re"orted that Drebber had !anaged to con&ert a large "art of h s "ro"erty nto !oney, and that he had de"arted a %ealthy !an, %h le h s co!"an on, Stangerson, %as co!"arat &ely "oor# There %as no clue at all, ho%e&er, as to the r %hereabouts# :any a !an, ho%e&er & nd ct &e, %ould ha&e abandoned all thought of re&enge n the face of such a d ff culty, but Nefferson +o"e ne&er faltered for a !o!ent# $ th the s!all co!"etence he "ossessed, eked out by such e!"loy!ent as he could " ck u", he tra&elled fro! to%n to to%n through the 9n ted States n <uest of h s ene! es# Lear "assed nto year, h s black ha r turned gr 66led, but st ll he %andered on, a hu!an bloodhound, % th h s ! nd %holly set u"on the one object u"on %h ch he had de&oted h s l fe# At last h s "erse&erance %as re%arded# It %as but a glance of a face n a % ndo%, but that one glance told h ! that Cle&eland n 7h o "ossessed the !en %ho! he %as n "ursu t of# +e returned to h s ! serable lodg ngs % th h s "lan of &engeance all arranged# It chanced, ho%e&er, that Drebber, look ng fro! h s % ndo%, had recogn 6ed the &agrant n the street, and had read !urder n h s eyes# +e hurr ed before a just ce of the "eace, acco!"an ed by Stangerson, %ho had beco!e h s "r &ate secretary, and re"resented to h ! that they %ere n danger of the r l &es fro! the jealousy and hatred of an old r &al# That e&en ng Nefferson +o"e %as taken nto custody, and not be ng able to f nd suret es, %as deta ned for so!e %eeks# $hen at last he %as l berated, t %as only to f nd that

DrebberMs house %as deserted, and that he and h s secretary had de"arted for Euro"e# Aga n the a&enger had been fo led, and aga n h s concentrated hatred urged h ! to cont nue the "ursu t# 'unds %ere %ant ng, ho%e&er, and for so!e t !e he had to return to %ork, sa& ng e&ery dollar for h s a""roach ng journey# At last, ha& ng collected enough to kee" l fe n h !, he de"arted for Euro"e, and tracked h s ene! es fro! c ty to c ty, %ork ng h s %ay n any !en al ca"ac ty, but ne&er o&ertak ng the fug t &es# $hen he reached St# Petersburg they had de"arted for Par sP and %hen he follo%ed the! there he learned that they had just set off for Co"enhagen# At the Dan sh ca" tal he %as aga n a fe% days late, for they had journeyed on to ;ondon, %here he at last succeeded n runn ng the! to earth# As to %hat occurred there, %e cannot do better than <uote the old hunterMs o%n account, as duly recorded n Dr# $atsonMs Nournal, to %h ch %e are already under such obl gat ons#

C+APTE) (I# A C78TI89ATI78 7' T+E )E:I8ISCE8CES 7' N7+8 $ATS78, :#D# 79) "r sonerMs fur ous res stance d d not a""arently nd cate any feroc ty n h s d s"os t on to%ards oursel&es, for on f nd ng h !self "o%erless, he s! led n an affable !anner, and ex"ressed h s ho"es that he had not hurt any of us n the scuffle# FI guess youMre go ng to take !e to the "ol ceOstat on,F he re!arked to Sherlock +ol!es# F:y cabMs at the door# If youMll loose !y legs IMll %alk do%n to t# IM! not so l ght to l ft as I used to be#F Gregson and ;estrade exchanged glances as f they thought th s "ro"os t on rather a bold oneP but +ol!es at once took the "r soner at h s %ord, and loosened the to%el %h ch %e had bound round h s ancles# U2BV +e rose and stretched h s legs, as though to assure h !self that they %ere free once !ore# I re!e!ber that I thought to !yself, as I eyed h !, that I had seldo! seen a !ore "o%erfully bu lt !anP and h s dark sunburned face bore an ex"ress on of deter! nat on and energy %h ch %as as for! dable as h s "ersonal strength# FIf thereMs a &acant "lace for a ch ef of the "ol ce, I reckon you are the !an for t,F he sa d, ga6 ng % th und sgu sed ad! rat on at !y fello%Olodger# FThe %ay you ke"t on !y tra l %as a caut on#F FLou had better co!e % th !e,F sa d +ol!es to the t%o detect &es# FI can dr &e you,F sa d ;estrade# FGoodE and Gregson can co!e ns de % th !e# Lou too, Doctor, you ha&e taken an nterest n the case and !ay as %ell st ck to us#F

I assented gladly, and %e all descended together# 7ur "r soner !ade no atte!"t at esca"e, but ste""ed cal!ly nto the cab %h ch had been h s, and %e follo%ed h !# ;estrade !ounted the box, %h ""ed u" the horse, and brought us n a &ery short t !e to our dest nat on# $e %ere ushered nto a s!all cha!ber %here a "ol ce Ins"ector noted do%n our "r sonerMs na!e and the na!es of the !en % th %hose !urder he had been charged# The off c al %as a %h teOfaced une!ot onal !an, %ho %ent through h s dut es n a dull !echan cal %ay# FThe "r soner % ll be "ut before the !ag strates n the course of the %eek,F he sa dP F n the !ean t !e, :r# Nefferson +o"e, ha&e you anyth ng that you % sh to sayK I !ust %arn you that your %ords % ll be taken do%n, and !ay be used aga nst you#F FIM&e got a good deal to say,F our "r soner sa d slo%ly# FI %ant to tell you gentle!en all about t#F F+adnMt you better reser&e that for your tr alKF asked the Ins"ector# FI !ay ne&er be tr ed,F he ans%ered# FLou neednMt look startled# It snMt su c de I a! th nk ng of# Are you a DoctorKF +e turned h s f erce dark eyes u"on !e as he asked th s last <uest on# FLesP I a!,F I ans%ered# FThen "ut your hand here,F he sa d, % th a s! le, !ot on ng % th h s !anacled %r sts to%ards h s chest# I d d soP and beca!e at once consc ous of an extraord nary throbb ng and co!!ot on %h ch %as go ng on ns de# The %alls of h s chest see!ed to thr ll and <u &er as a fra l bu ld ng %ould do ns de %hen so!e "o%erful eng ne %as at %ork# In the s lence of the roo! I could hear a dull hu!! ng and bu66 ng no se %h ch "roceeded fro! the sa!e source# F$hy,F I cr ed, Fyou ha&e an aort c aneur s!EF FThatMs %hat they call t,F he sa d, "lac dly# FI %ent to a Doctor last %eek about t, and he told !e that t s bound to burst before !any days "assed# It has been gett ng %orse for years# I got t fro! o&erOex"osure and underOfeed ng a!ong the Salt ;ake :ounta ns# IM&e done !y %ork no%, and I donMt care ho% soon I go, but I should l ke to lea&e so!e account of the bus ness beh nd !e# I donMt %ant to be re!e!bered as a co!!on cutOthroat#F The Ins"ector and the t%o detect &es had a hurr ed d scuss on as to the ad& sab l ty of allo% ng h ! to tell h s story# FDo you cons der, Doctor, that there s !!ed ate dangerKF the for!er asked, U23V F:ost certa nly there s,F I ans%ered# FIn that case t s clearly our duty, n the nterests

of just ce, to take h s state!ent,F sa d the Ins"ector# FLou are at l berty, s r, to g &e your account, %h ch I aga n %arn you % ll be taken do%n#F FIMll s t do%n, % th your lea&e,F the "r soner sa d, su t ng the act on to the %ord# FTh s aneur s! of ! ne !akes !e eas ly t red, and the tussle %e had half an hour ago has not !ended !atters# IM! on the br nk of the gra&e, and I a! not l kely to l e to you# E&ery %ord I say s the absolute truth, and ho% you use t s a !atter of no conse<uence to !e#F $ th these %ords, Nefferson +o"e leaned back n h s cha r and began the follo% ng re!arkable state!ent# +e s"oke n a cal! and !ethod cal !anner, as though the e&ents %h ch he narrated %ere co!!on"lace enough# I can &ouch for the accuracy of the subjo ned account, for I ha&e had access to ;estradeMs noteObook, n %h ch the "r sonerMs %ords %ere taken do%n exactly as they %ere uttered# FIt donMt !uch !atter to you %hy I hated these !en,F he sa dP F tMs enough that they %ere gu lty of the death of t%o hu!an be ngs OO a father and a daughter OO and that they had, therefore, forfe ted the r o%n l &es# After the la"se of t !e that has "assed s nce the r cr !e, t %as !"oss ble for !e to secure a con& ct on aga nst the! n any court# I kne% of the r gu lt though, and I deter! ned that I should be judge, jury, and execut oner all rolled nto one# LouMd ha&e done the sa!e, f you ha&e any !anhood n you, f you had been n !y "lace# FThat g rl that I s"oke of %as to ha&e !arr ed !e t%enty years ago# She %as forced nto !arry ng that sa!e Drebber, and broke her heart o&er t# I took the !arr age r ng fro! her dead f nger, and I &o%ed that h s dy ng eyes should rest u"on that &ery r ng, and that h s last thoughts should be of the cr !e for %h ch he %as "un shed# I ha&e carr ed t about % th !e, and ha&e follo%ed h ! and h s acco!"l ce o&er t%o cont nents unt l I caught the!# They thought to t re !e out, but they could not do t# If I d e toO!orro%, as s l kely enough, I d e kno% ng that !y %ork n th s %orld s done, and %ell done# They ha&e "er shed, and by !y hand# There s noth ng left for !e to ho"e for, or to des re# FThey %ere r ch and I %as "oor, so that t %as no easy !atter for !e to follo% the!# $hen I got to ;ondon !y "ocket %as about e!"ty, and I found that I !ust turn !y hand to so!eth ng for !y l & ng# Dr & ng and r d ng are as natural to !e as %alk ng, so I a""l ed at a cabo%nerMs off ce, and soon got e!"loy!ent# I %as to br ng a certa n su! a %eek to the o%ner, and %hate&er %as o&er that I ! ght kee" for !yself# There %as seldo! !uch o&er, but I !anaged to scra"e along so!eho%# The hardest job %as to learn !y %ay about, for I reckon that of all the !a6es that e&er %ere contr &ed, th s c ty s the !ost confus ng# I had a !a" bes de !e though, and %hen once I had s"otted the "r nc "al hotels and stat ons, I got on "retty %ell# FIt %as so!e t !e before I found out %here !y t%o gentle!en

%ere l & ngP but I n<u red and n<u red unt l at last I dro""ed across the!# They %ere at a board ngOhouse at Ca!ber%ell, o&er on the other s de of the r &er# $hen once I found the! out I kne% that I had the! at !y !ercy# I had gro%n !y beard, and there %as no chance of the r recogn 6 ng !e# I %ould dog the! and follo% the! unt l I sa% !y o""ortun ty# I %as deter! ned that they should not esca"e !e aga n# FThey %ere &ery near do ng t for all that# Go %here they %ould about ;ondon, I %as al%ays at the r heels# So!et !es I follo%ed the! on !y cab, and so!et !es on foot, but the for!er %as the best, for then they could not get a%ay fro! !e# It %as only early n the !orn ng or late at n ght that I could earn anyth ng, so that I began to get beh nd hand % th !y e!"loyer# I d d not ! nd that, ho%e&er, as long as I could lay !y hand u"on the !en I %anted# FThey %ere &ery cunn ng, though# They !ust ha&e thought that there %as so!e chance of the r be ng follo%ed, for they %ould ne&er go out alone, and ne&er after n ghtfall# Dur ng t%o %eeks I dro&e beh nd the! e&ery day, and ne&er once sa% the! se"arate# Drebber h !self %as drunk half the t !e, but Stangerson %as not to be caught na"" ng# I %atched the! late and early, but ne&er sa% the ghost of a chanceP but I %as not d scouraged, for so!eth ng told !e that the hour had al!ost co!e# :y only fear %as that th s th ng n !y chest ! ght burst a l ttle too soon and lea&e !y %ork undone# FAt last, one e&en ng I %as dr & ng u" and do%n Tor<uay Terrace, as the street %as called n %h ch they boarded, %hen I sa% a cab dr &e u" to the r door# Presently so!e luggage %as brought out, and after a t !e Drebber and Stangerson follo%ed t, and dro&e off# I %h ""ed u" !y horse and ke"t % th n s ght of the!, feel ng &ery ll at ease, for I feared that they %ere go ng to sh ft the r <uarters# At Euston Stat on they got out, and I left a boy to hold !y horse, and follo%ed the! on to the "latfor!# I heard the! ask for the ; &er"ool tra n, and the guard ans%er that one had just gone and there %ould not be another for so!e hours# Stangerson see!ed to be "ut out at that, but Drebber %as rather "leased than other% se# I got so close to the! n the bustle that I could hear e&ery %ord that "assed bet%een the!# Drebber sa d that he had a l ttle bus ness of h s o%n to do, and that f the other %ould %a t for h ! he %ould soon rejo n h !# + s co!"an on re!onstrated % th h !, and re! nded h ! that they had resol&ed to st ck together# Drebber ans%ered that the !atter %as a del cate one, and that he !ust go alone# I could not catch %hat Stangerson sa d to that, but the other burst out s%ear ng, and re! nded h ! that he %as noth ng !ore than h s "a d ser&ant, and that he !ust not "resu!e to d ctate to h !# 7n that the Secretary ga&e t u" as a bad job, and s !"ly barga ned % th h ! that f he ! ssed the last tra n he should rejo n h ! at +all dayMs Pr &ate +otelP to %h ch Drebber ans%ered that he %ould be back on the "latfor! before ele&en, and !ade h s %ay out of the stat on# FThe !o!ent for %h ch I had %a ted so long had at last co!e# I had !y ene! es % th n !y "o%er# Together they could

"rotect each other, but s ngly they %ere at !y !ercy# I d d not act, ho%e&er, % th undue "rec " tat on# :y "lans %ere already for!ed# There s no sat sfact on n &engeance unless the offender has t !e to real 6e %ho t s that str kes h !, and %hy retr but on has co!e u"on h !# I had !y "lans arranged by %h ch I should ha&e the o""ortun ty of !ak ng the !an %ho had %ronged !e understand that h s old s n had found h ! out# It chanced that so!e days before a gentle!an %ho had been engaged n look ng o&er so!e houses n the *r xton )oad had dro""ed the key of one of the! n !y carr age# It %as cla !ed that sa!e e&en ng, and returnedP but n the nter&al I had taken a !ould ng of t, and had a du"l cate constructed# *y !eans of th s I had access to at least one s"ot n th s great c ty %here I could rely u"on be ng free fro! nterru"t on# +o% to get Drebber to that house %as the d ff cult "roble! %h ch I had no% to sol&e# F+e %alked do%n the road and %ent nto one or t%o l <uor sho"s, stay ng for nearly halfOanOhour n the last of the!# $hen he ca!e out he staggered n h s %alk, and %as e& dently "retty %ell on# There %as a hanso! just n front of !e, and he ha led t# I follo%ed t so close that the nose of !y horse %as % th n a yard of h s dr &er the %hole %ay# $e rattled across $aterloo *r dge and through ! les of streets, unt l, to !y aston sh!ent, %e found oursel&es back n the Terrace n %h ch he had boarded# I could not !ag ne %hat h s ntent on %as n return ng thereP but I %ent on and "ulled u" !y cab a hundred yards or so fro! the house# +e entered t, and h s hanso! dro&e a%ay# G &e !e a glass of %ater, f you "lease# :y !outh gets dry % th the talk ng#F I handed h ! the glass, and he drank t do%n# FThatMs better,F he sa d# F$ell, I %a ted for a <uarter of an hour, or !ore, %hen suddenly there ca!e a no se l ke "eo"le struggl ng ns de the house# 8ext !o!ent the door %as flung o"en and t%o !en a""eared, one of %ho! %as Drebber, and the other %as a young cha" %ho! I had ne&er seen before# Th s fello% had Drebber by the collar, and %hen they ca!e to the head of the ste"s he ga&e h ! a sho&e and a k ck %h ch sent h ! half across the road# WLou hound,M he cr ed, shak ng h s st ck at h !P WIMll teach you to nsult an honest g rlEM +e %as so hot that I th nk he %ould ha&e thrashed Drebber % th h s cudgel, only that the cur staggered a%ay do%n the road as fast as h s legs %ould carry h !# +e ran as far as the corner, and then, see ng !y cab, he ha led !e and ju!"ed n# WDr &e !e to +all dayMs Pr &ate +otel,M sa d he# F$hen I had h ! fa rly ns de !y cab, !y heart ju!"ed so % th joy that I feared lest at th s last !o!ent !y aneur s! ! ght go %rong# I dro&e along slo%ly, %e gh ng n !y o%n ! nd %hat t %as best to do# I ! ght take h ! r ght out nto the country, and there n so!e deserted lane ha&e !y last nter& e% % th h !# I had al!ost dec ded u"on th s, %hen he sol&ed the "roble! for !e# The cra6e for dr nk had se 6ed h ! aga n, and he ordered !e to "ull u" outs de a g n "alace# +e %ent n, lea& ng %ord that I should %a t for h !# There he re!a ned unt l clos ng t !e, and %hen he ca!e out he %as

so far gone that I kne% the ga!e %as n !y o%n hands# FDonMt !ag ne that I ntended to k ll h ! n cold blood# It %ould only ha&e been r g d just ce f I had done so, but I could not br ng !yself to do t# I had long deter! ned that he should ha&e a sho% for h s l fe f he chose to take ad&antage of t# A!ong the !any b llets %h ch I ha&e f lled n A!er ca dur ng !y %ander ng l fe, I %as once jan tor and s%ee"er out of the laboratory at Lork College# 7ne day the "rofessor %as lectur ng on "o s ons, U2/V and he sho%ed h s students so!e alkalo d, as he called t, %h ch he had extracted fro! so!e South A!er can arro% "o son, and %h ch %as so "o%erful that the least gra n !eant nstant death# I s"otted the bottle n %h ch th s "re"arat on %as ke"t, and %hen they %ere all gone, I hel"ed !yself to a l ttle of t# I %as a fa rly good d s"enser, so I %orked th s alkalo d nto s!all, soluble " lls, and each " ll I "ut n a box % th a s ! lar " ll !ade % thout the "o son# I deter! ned at the t !e that %hen I had !y chance, !y gentle!en should each ha&e a dra% out of one of these boxes, %h le I ate the " ll that re!a ned# It %ould be <u te as deadly, and a good deal less no sy than f r ng across a handkerch ef# 'ro! that day I had al%ays !y " ll boxes about % th !e, and the t !e had no% co!e %hen I %as to use the!# FIt %as nearer one than t%el&e, and a % ld, bleak n ght, blo% ng hard and ra n ng n torrents# D s!al as t %as outs de, I %as glad % th n OO so glad that I could ha&e shouted out fro! "ure exultat on# If any of you gentle!en ha&e e&er " ned for a th ng, and longed for t dur ng t%enty long years, and then suddenly found t % th n your reach, you %ould understand !y feel ngs# I l t a c gar, and "uffed at t to steady !y ner&es, but !y hands %ere tre!bl ng, and !y te!"les throbb ng % th exc te!ent# As I dro&e, I could see old Nohn 'err er and s%eet ;ucy look ng at !e out of the darkness and s! l ng at !e, just as "la n as I see you all n th s roo!# All the %ay they %ere ahead of !e, one on each s de of the horse unt l I "ulled u" at the house n the *r xton )oad# FThere %as not a soul to be seen, nor a sound to be heard, exce"t the dr "" ng of the ra n# $hen I looked n at the % ndo%, I found Drebber all huddled together n a drunken slee"# I shook h ! by the ar!, WItMs t !e to get out,M I sa d# FWAll r ght, cabby,M sa d he# FI su""ose he thought %e had co!e to the hotel that he had !ent oned, for he got out % thout another %ord, and follo%ed !e do%n the garden# I had to %alk bes de h ! to kee" h ! steady, for he %as st ll a l ttle to"Ohea&y# $hen %e ca!e to the door, I o"ened t, and led h ! nto the front roo!# I g &e you !y %ord that all the %ay, the father and the daughter %ere %alk ng n front of us# FWItMs nfernally dark,M sa d he, sta!" ng about# FW$eMll soon ha&e a l ght,M I sa d, str k ng a !atch and

"utt ng t to a %ax candle %h ch I had brought % th !e# W8o%, Enoch Drebber,M I cont nued, turn ng to h !, and hold ng the l ght to !y o%n face, W%ho a! IKM F+e ga6ed at !e % th bleared, drunken eyes for a !o!ent, and then I sa% a horror s"r ng u" n the!, and con&ulse h s %hole features, %h ch sho%ed !e that he kne% !e# +e staggered back % th a l & d face, and I sa% the "ers" rat on break out u"on h s bro%, %h le h s teeth chattered n h s head# At the s ght, I leaned !y back aga nst the door and laughed loud and long# I had al%ays kno%n that &engeance %ould be s%eet, but I had ne&er ho"ed for the content!ent of soul %h ch no% "ossessed !e# FWLou dogEM I sa dP WI ha&e hunted you fro! Salt ;ake C ty to St# Petersburg, and you ha&e al%ays esca"ed !e# 8o%, at last your %ander ngs ha&e co!e to an end, for e ther you or I shall ne&er see toO!orro%Ms sun r se#M +e shrunk st ll further a%ay as I s"oke, and I could see on h s face that he thought I %as !ad# So I %as for the t !e# The "ulses n !y te!"les beat l ke sledgeOha!!ers, and I bel e&e I %ould ha&e had a f t of so!e sort f the blood had not gushed fro! !y nose and rel e&ed !e# FW$hat do you th nk of ;ucy 'err er no%KM I cr ed, lock ng the door, and shak ng the key n h s face# WPun sh!ent has been slo% n co! ng, but t has o&ertaken you at last#M I sa% h s co%ard l "s tre!ble as I s"oke# +e %ould ha&e begged for h s l fe, but he kne% %ell that t %as useless# FW$ould you !urder !eKM he sta!!ered# FWThere s no !urder,M I ans%ered# W$ho talks of !urder ng a !ad dogK $hat !ercy had you u"on !y "oor darl ng, %hen you dragged her fro! her slaughtered father, and bore her a%ay to your accursed and sha!eless hare!#M FWIt %as not I %ho k lled her father,M he cr ed# FW*ut t %as you %ho broke her nnocent heart,M I shr eked, thrust ng the box before h !# W;et the h gh God judge bet%een us# Choose and eat# There s death n one and l fe n the other# I shall take %hat you lea&e# ;et us see f there s just ce u"on the earth, or f %e are ruled by chance#M F+e co%ered a%ay % th % ld cr es and "rayers for !ercy, but I dre% !y kn fe and held t to h s throat unt l he had obeyed !e# Then I s%allo%ed the other, and %e stood fac ng one another n s lence for a ! nute or !ore, %a t ng to see %h ch %as to l &e and %h ch %as to d e# Shall I e&er forget the look %h ch ca!e o&er h s face %hen the f rst %arn ng "angs told h ! that the "o son %as n h s syste!K I laughed as I sa% t, and held ;ucyMs !arr age r ng n front of h s eyes# It %as but for a !o!ent, for the act on of the alkalo d s ra" d# A s"as! of "a n contorted h s featuresP he thre% h s hands out n front of h !, staggered, and then, % th a hoarse cry, fell hea& ly u"on the floor# I turned h ! o&er % th !y foot, and "laced !y hand u"on h s heart# There %as no

!o&e!ent# +e %as deadE FThe blood had been strea! ng fro! !y nose, but I had taken no not ce of t# I donMt kno% %hat t %as that "ut t nto !y head to %r te u"on the %all % th t# Perha"s t %as so!e ! sch e&ous dea of sett ng the "ol ce u"on a %rong track, for I felt l ghtOhearted and cheerful# I re!e!bered a Ger!an be ng found n 8e% Lork % th )AC+E %r tten u" abo&e h !, and t %as argued at the t !e n the ne%s"a"ers that the secret soc et es !ust ha&e done t# I guessed that %hat "u66led the 8e% Lorkers %ould "u66le the ;ondoners, so I d ""ed !y f nger n !y o%n blood and "r nted t on a con&en ent "lace on the %all# Then I %alked do%n to !y cab and found that there %as nobody about, and that the n ght %as st ll &ery % ld# I had dr &en so!e d stance %hen I "ut !y hand nto the "ocket n %h ch I usually ke"t ;ucyMs r ng, and found that t %as not there# I %as thunderstruck at th s, for t %as the only !e!ento that I had of her# Th nk ng that I ! ght ha&e dro""ed t %hen I stoo"ed o&er DrebberMs body, I dro&e back, and lea& ng !y cab n a s de street, I %ent boldly u" to the house OO for I %as ready to dare anyth ng rather than lose the r ng# $hen I arr &ed there, I %alked r ght nto the ar!s of a "ol ceOoff cer %ho %as co! ng out, and only !anaged to d sar! h s sus" c ons by "retend ng to be ho"elessly drunk# FThat %as ho% Enoch Drebber ca!e to h s end# All I had to do then %as to do as !uch for Stangerson, and so "ay off Nohn 'err erMs debt# I kne% that he %as stay ng at +all dayMs Pr &ate +otel, and I hung about all day, but he ne&er ca!e out# U2IV fancy that he sus"ected so!eth ng %hen Drebber fa led to "ut n an a""earance# +e %as cunn ng, %as Stangerson, and al%ays on h s guard# If he thought he could kee" !e off by stay ng ndoors he %as &ery !uch ! staken# I soon found out %h ch %as the % ndo% of h s bedroo!, and early next !orn ng I took ad&antage of so!e ladders %h ch %ere ly ng n the lane beh nd the hotel, and so !ade !y %ay nto h s roo! n the grey of the da%n# I %oke h ! u" and told h ! that the hour had co!e %hen he %as to ans%er for the l fe he had taken so long before# I descr bed DrebberMs death to h !, and I ga&e h ! the sa!e cho ce of the "o soned " lls# Instead of gras" ng at the chance of safety %h ch that offered h !, he s"rang fro! h s bed and fle% at !y throat# In selfOdefence I stabbed h ! to the heart# It %ould ha&e been the sa!e n any case, for Pro& dence %ould ne&er ha&e allo%ed h s gu lty hand to " ck out anyth ng but the "o son# FI ha&e l ttle !ore to say, and tMs as %ell, for I a! about done u"# I %ent on cabb ng t for a day or so, ntend ng to kee" at t unt l I could sa&e enough to take !e back to A!er ca# I %as stand ng n the yard %hen a ragged youngster asked f there %as a cabby there called Nefferson +o"e, and sa d that h s cab %as %anted by a gentle!an at 22,*, *aker Street# I %ent round, sus"ect ng no har!, and the next th ng I kne%, th s young !an here had the bracelets on !y %r sts, and as neatly snackled U2.V as e&er I sa% n !y l fe# ThatMs the %hole of !y story, gentle!en# Lou !ay cons der !e to be a !urdererP but I hold that I a! just as !uch an off cer of just ce as you are#F

So thr ll ng had the !anMs narrat &e been, and h s !anner %as so !"ress &e that %e had sat s lent and absorbed# E&en the "rofess onal detect &es, TblaseT U2HV as they %ere n e&ery deta l of cr !e, a""eared to be keenly nterested n the !anMs story# $hen he f n shed %e sat for so!e ! nutes n a st llness %h ch %as only broken by the scratch ng of ;estradeMs "enc l as he ga&e the f n sh ng touches to h s shorthand account# FThere s only one "o nt on %h ch I should l ke a l ttle !ore nfor!at on,F Sherlock +ol!es sa d at last# F$ho %as your acco!"l ce %ho ca!e for the r ng %h ch I ad&ert sedKF The "r soner % nked at !y fr end jocosely# FI can tell !y o%n secrets,F he sa d, Fbut I donMt get other "eo"le nto trouble# I sa% your ad&ert se!ent, and I thought t ! ght be a "lant, or t ! ght be the r ng %h ch I %anted# :y fr end &olunteered to go and see# I th nk youMll o%n he d d t s!artly#F F8ot a doubt of that,F sa d +ol!es heart ly# F8o%, gentle!en,F the Ins"ector re!arked gra&ely, Fthe for!s of the la% !ust be co!"l ed % th# 7n Thursday the "r soner % ll be brought before the !ag strates, and your attendance % ll be re<u red# 9nt l then I % ll be res"ons ble for h !#F +e rang the bell as he s"oke, and Nefferson +o"e %as led off by a cou"le of %arders, %h le !y fr end and I !ade our %ay out of the Stat on and took a cab back to *aker Street#

C+APTE) (II# T+E C78C;9SI78# $E had all been %arned to a""ear before the !ag strates u"on the ThursdayP but %hen the Thursday ca!e there %as no occas on for our test !ony# A h gher Nudge had taken the !atter n hand, and Nefferson +o"e had been su!!oned before a tr bunal %here str ct just ce %ould be !eted out to h !# 7n the &ery n ght after h s ca"ture the aneur s! burst, and he %as found n the !orn ng stretched u"on the floor of the cell, % th a "lac d s! le u"on h s face, as though he had been able n h s dy ng !o!ents to look back u"on a useful l fe, and on %ork %ell done# FGregson and ;estrade % ll be % ld about h s death,F +ol!es re!arked, as %e chatted t o&er next e&en ng# F$here % ll the r grand ad&ert se!ent be no%KF FI donMt see that they had &ery !uch to do % th h s ca"ture,F I ans%ered# F$hat you do n th s %orld s a !atter of no conse<uence,F returned !y co!"an on, b tterly# FThe <uest on s, %hat can you !ake "eo"le bel e&e that you ha&e done# 8e&er ! nd,F he cont nued, !ore br ghtly, after a "ause# FI %ould not ha&e

! ssed the n&est gat on for anyth ng# There has been no better case % th n !y recollect on# S !"le as t %as, there %ere se&eral !ost nstruct &e "o nts about t#F FS !"leEF I ejaculated# F$ell, really, t can hardly be descr bed as other% se,F sa d Sherlock +ol!es, s! l ng at !y sur"r se# FThe "roof of ts ntr ns c s !"l c ty s, that % thout any hel" sa&e a fe% &ery ord nary deduct ons I %as able to lay !y hand u"on the cr ! nal % th n three days#F FThat s true,F sa d I# FI ha&e already ex"la ned to you that %hat s out of the co!!on s usually a gu de rather than a h ndrance# In sol& ng a "roble! of th s sort, the grand th ng s to be able to reason back%ards# That s a &ery useful acco!"l sh!ent, and a &ery easy one, but "eo"le do not "ract se t !uch# In the e&eryOday affa rs of l fe t s !ore useful to reason for%ards, and so the other co!es to be neglected# There are f fty %ho can reason synthet cally for one %ho can reason analyt cally#F FI confess,F sa d I, Fthat I do not <u te follo% you#F FI hardly ex"ected that you %ould# ;et !e see f I can !ake t clearer# :ost "eo"le, f you descr be a tra n of e&ents to the!, % ll tell you %hat the result %ould be# They can "ut those e&ents together n the r ! nds, and argue fro! the! that so!eth ng % ll co!e to "ass# There are fe% "eo"le, ho%e&er, %ho, f you told the! a result, %ould be able to e&ol&e fro! the r o%n nner consc ousness %hat the ste"s %ere %h ch led u" to that result# Th s "o%er s %hat I !ean %hen I talk of reason ng back%ards, or analyt cally#F FI understand,F sa d I# F8o% th s %as a case n %h ch you %ere g &en the result and had to f nd e&eryth ng else for yourself# 8o% let !e endea&our to sho% you the d fferent ste"s n !y reason ng# To beg n at the beg nn ng# I a""roached the house, as you kno%, on foot, and % th !y ! nd ent rely free fro! all !"ress ons# I naturally began by exa! n ng the road%ay, and there, as I ha&e already ex"la ned to you, I sa% clearly the !arks of a cab, %h ch, I ascerta ned by n<u ry, !ust ha&e been there dur ng the n ght# I sat sf ed !yself that t %as a cab and not a "r &ate carr age by the narro% gauge of the %heels# The ord nary ;ondon gro%ler s cons derably less % de than a gentle!anMs brougha!# FTh s %as the f rst "o nt ga ned# I then %alked slo%ly do%n the garden "ath, %h ch ha""ened to be co!"osed of a clay so l, "ecul arly su table for tak ng !"ress ons# 8o doubt t a""eared to you to be a !ere tra!"led l ne of slush, but to !y tra ned eyes e&ery !ark u"on ts surface had a !ean ng# There s no branch of detect &e sc ence %h ch s so !"ortant and so !uch neglected as the art of trac ng footste"s#

+a"" ly, I ha&e al%ays la d great stress u"on t, and !uch "ract ce has !ade t second nature to !e# I sa% the hea&y foot!arks of the constables, but I sa% also the track of the t%o !en %ho had f rst "assed through the garden# It %as easy to tell that they had been before the others, because n "laces the r !arks had been ent rely obl terated by the others co! ng u"on the to" of the!# In th s %ay !y second l nk %as for!ed, %h ch told !e that the nocturnal & s tors %ere t%o n nu!ber, one re!arkable for h s he ght ?as I calculated fro! the length of h s str de@, and the other fash onably dressed, to judge fro! the s!all and elegant !"ress on left by h s boots# F7n enter ng the house th s last nference %as conf r!ed# :y %ellObooted !an lay before !e# The tall one, then, had done the !urder, f !urder there %as# There %as no %ound u"on the dead !anMs "erson, but the ag tated ex"ress on u"on h s face assured !e that he had foreseen h s fate before t ca!e u"on h !# :en %ho d e fro! heart d sease, or any sudden natural cause, ne&er by any chance exh b t ag tat on u"on the r features# +a& ng sn ffed the dead !anMs l "s I detected a sl ghtly sour s!ell, and I ca!e to the conclus on that he had had "o son forced u"on h !# Aga n, I argued that t had been forced u"on h ! fro! the hatred and fear ex"ressed u"on h s face# *y the !ethod of exclus on, I had arr &ed at th s result, for no other hy"othes s %ould !eet the facts# Do not !ag ne that t %as a &ery unheard of dea# The forc ble ad! n strat on of "o son s by no !eans a ne% th ng n cr ! nal annals# The cases of Dolsky n 7dessa, and of ;etur er n :ont"ell er, % ll occur at once to any tox colog st# FAnd no% ca!e the great <uest on as to the reason %hy# )obbery had not been the object of the !urder, for noth ng %as taken# $as t "ol t cs, then, or %as t a %o!anK That %as the <uest on %h ch confronted !e# I %as ncl ned fro! the f rst to the latter su""os t on# Pol t cal assass ns are only too glad to do the r %ork and to fly# Th s !urder had, on the contrary, been done !ost del berately, and the "er"etrator had left h s tracks all o&er the roo!, sho% ng that he had been there all the t !e# It !ust ha&e been a "r &ate %rong, and not a "ol t cal one, %h ch called for such a !ethod cal re&enge# $hen the nscr "t on %as d sco&ered u"on the %all I %as !ore ncl ned than e&er to !y o" n on# The th ng %as too e& dently a bl nd# $hen the r ng %as found, ho%e&er, t settled the <uest on# Clearly the !urderer had used t to re! nd h s & ct ! of so!e dead or absent %o!an# It %as at th s "o nt that I asked Gregson %hether he had en<u red n h s telegra! to Cle&eland as to any "art cular "o nt n :r# DrebberMs for!er career# +e ans%ered, you re!e!ber, n the negat &e# FI then "roceeded to !ake a careful exa! nat on of the roo!, %h ch conf r!ed !e n !y o" n on as to the !urdererMs he ght, and furn shed !e % th the add t onal deta ls as to the Tr ch no"oly c gar and the length of h s na ls# I had already co!e to the conclus on, s nce there %ere no s gns of a struggle, that the blood %h ch co&ered the floor had burst fro! the !urdererMs nose n h s exc te!ent# I could "erce &e

that the track of blood co nc ded % th the track of h s feet# It s seldo! that any !an, unless he s &ery fullOblooded, breaks out n th s %ay through e!ot on, so I ha6arded the o" n on that the cr ! nal %as "robably a robust and ruddyOfaced !an# E&ents "ro&ed that I had judged correctly# F+a& ng left the house, I "roceeded to do %hat Gregson had neglected# I telegra"hed to the head of the "ol ce at Cle&eland, l ! t ng !y en<u ry to the c rcu!stances connected % th the !arr age of Enoch Drebber# The ans%er %as conclus &e# It told !e that Drebber had already a""l ed for the "rotect on of the la% aga nst an old r &al n lo&e, na!ed Nefferson +o"e, and that th s sa!e +o"e %as at "resent n Euro"e# I kne% no% that I held the clue to the !ystery n !y hand, and all that re!a ned %as to secure the !urderer# FI had already deter! ned n !y o%n ! nd that the !an %ho had %alked nto the house % th Drebber, %as none other than the !an %ho had dr &en the cab# The !arks n the road sho%ed !e that the horse had %andered on n a %ay %h ch %ould ha&e been !"oss ble had there been anyone n charge of t# $here, then, could the dr &er be, unless he %ere ns de the houseK Aga n, t s absurd to su""ose that any sane !an %ould carry out a del berate cr !e under the &ery eyes, as t %ere, of a th rd "erson, %ho %as sure to betray h !# ;astly, su""os ng one !an % shed to dog another through ;ondon, %hat better !eans could he ado"t than to turn cabdr &er# All these cons derat ons led !e to the rres st ble conclus on that Nefferson +o"e %as to be found a!ong the jar&eys of the :etro"ol s# FIf he had been one there %as no reason to bel e&e that he had ceased to be# 7n the contrary, fro! h s "o nt of & e%, any sudden chance %ould be l kely to dra% attent on to h !self# +e %ould, "robably, for a t !e at least, cont nue to "erfor! h s dut es# There %as no reason to su""ose that he %as go ng under an assu!ed na!e# $hy should he change h s na!e n a country %here no one kne% h s or g nal oneK I therefore organ 6ed !y Street Arab detect &e cor"s, and sent the! syste!at cally to e&ery cab "ro"r etor n ;ondon unt l they ferreted out the !an that I %anted# +o% %ell they succeeded, and ho% <u ckly I took ad&antage of t, are st ll fresh n your recollect on# The !urder of Stangerson %as an nc dent %h ch %as ent rely unex"ected, but %h ch could hardly n any case ha&e been "re&ented# Through t, as you kno%, I ca!e nto "ossess on of the " lls, the ex stence of %h ch I had already sur! sed# Lou see the %hole th ng s a cha n of log cal se<uences % thout a break or fla%#F FIt s %onderfulEF I cr ed# FLour !er ts should be "ubl cly recogn 6ed# Lou should "ubl sh an account of the case# If you %onMt, I % ll for you#F FLou !ay do %hat you l ke, Doctor,F he ans%ered# FSee hereEF he cont nued, hand ng a "a"er o&er to !e, Flook at th sEF It %as the TEchoT for the day, and the "aragra"h to %h ch he "o nted %as de&oted to the case n <uest on#

FThe "ubl c,F t sa d, Fha&e lost a sensat onal treat through the sudden death of the !an +o"e, %ho %as sus"ected of the !urder of :r# Enoch Drebber and of :r# Nose"h Stangerson# The deta ls of the case % ll "robably be ne&er kno%n no%, though %e are nfor!ed u"on good author ty that the cr !e %as the result of an old stand ng and ro!ant c feud, n %h ch lo&e and :or!on s! bore a "art# It see!s that both the & ct !s belonged, n the r younger days, to the ;atter Day Sa nts, and +o"e, the deceased "r soner, ha ls also fro! Salt ;ake C ty# If the case has had no other effect, t, at least, br ngs out n the !ost str k ng !anner the eff c ency of our detect &e "ol ce force, and % ll ser&e as a lesson to all fore gners that they % ll do % sely to settle the r feuds at ho!e, and not to carry the! on to *r t sh so l# It s an o"en secret that the cred t of th s s!art ca"ture belongs ent rely to the %ellOkno%n Scotland Lard off c als, :essrs# ;estrade and Gregson# The !an %as a""rehended, t a""ears, n the roo!s of a certa n :r# Sherlock +ol!es, %ho has h !self, as an a!ateur, sho%n so!e talent n the detect &e l ne, and %ho, % th such nstructors, !ay ho"e n t !e to atta n to so!e degree of the r sk ll# It s ex"ected that a test !on al of so!e sort % ll be "resented to the t%o off cers as a f tt ng recogn t on of the r ser& ces#F FD dnMt I tell you so %hen %e startedKF cr ed Sherlock +ol!es % th a laugh# FThatMs the result of all our Study n Scarlet> to get the! a test !on alEF F8e&er ! nd,F I ans%ered, FI ha&e all the facts n !y journal, and the "ubl c shall kno% the!# In the !eant !e you !ust !ake yourself contented by the consc ousness of success, l ke the )o!an ! ser OO FWPo"ulus !e s b lat, at ! h "laudo I"se do! s !ul ac nu!!os conte!"lor n arca#MF OOOOOOOOOOOOO * +eber C# Re!ball, n one of h s ser!ons, alludes to h s hundred % &es under th s endear ng e" thet# OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO End of Text OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTextual notesOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO U,V U'ront s" ece, % th the ca"t on> F+e exa! ned % th h s glass the %ord u"on the %all, go ng o&er e&ery letter of t % th the !ost ! nute exactness#F ?TPageT 2B#@V U2V UFN7+8 +# $ATS78, :#D#F> the n t al letters n the na!e are ca" tal 6ed, the other letters n s!all ca"s# All cha"ter t tles are n s!all ca"s# The n t al %ords of cha"ters are n s!all ca"s % th f rst letter ca" tal 6ed#V UBV UFlodg ngs#F> the "er od should be a co!!a, as n later ed t ons#V U3V UFhoe!oglob nF> should be hae!oglob n# The oYe are concatenated#V U/V UF22,*F> the * s n s!all ca"sV UIV UFT+E ;A9)IST78 GA)DE8 :LSTE)LF> the tableOofOcontents l sts

th s cha"ter as F###GA)DE8S :LSTE)LF OO "lural, and "robably !ore correct#V U.V UFbrought#FF> the text has an extra doubleO<uote !arkV UHV UF nd & dual OOF> llustrat on th s "age, % th the ca"t on> FAs he s"oke, h s n !ble f ngers %ere fly ng here, there, and e&ery%here#FV U-V UF!anoeu&resF> the oYe are concatenated#V U,5V UFPatent leathersF> the hy"hen s ! ss ng#V U,,V UFcondon!entF> should be condone!ent#V U,2V UF*ohe!eF> the f rst FeF has a back%ard accent ?Z@ abo&e t#V U,BV UF%ages#F> end ng <uote s ! ss ng#V U,3V UFthe f rst#F> end ng <uote s ! ss ng#V U,/V UF!ake !uch of###F> 7ther ed t ons co!"lete th s sentence % th an F t#F *ut there s a ga" n the text at th s "o nt, and, g &en the context, t !ay ha&e actually been an nterject on, a dash# The ga" s just the r ght s 6e for the characters F t#F and the start of a ne% sentence, or for a FOOOOFV U,IV UFtho cush onF> FthoF should be FtheFV U,.V UFToutreTF> the e has a for%ard accent ?G@ abo&e t#V U,HV UFcanonsF> the f rst n has a t lde abo&e t, as do all other occurrences of th s %ord#V U,-V UFsho& ngF> later ed t ons ha&e Fsho% ngF# The or g nal s clearly su"er or#V U25V UFstared about###F> llustrat on, % th the ca"t on> F7ne of the! se 6ed the l ttle g rl, and ho sted her u"on h s shoulder#FV U2,V UFu"on theF> llustrat on, % th the ca"t on> FAs he %atched t he sa% t %r the along the ground#FV U22V UF'7):E);L###F> ',S,;,C n ca"s, other letters n th s l ne n s!all ca"s#V U2BV UFanclesF> ankles#V U23V UFasked,F> should be Fasked#FV U2/V UF"o s onsF> should be F"o sonsFV U2IV UF###fancyF> should be FI fancyF# There s a ga" n the text#V U2.V UFsnackledF> FshackledF n later texts#V U2HV UFTblaseTF> the e has a for%ard accent ?G@ abo&e t#V OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO End Textual 8otes OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO *********** End 7f Project Gutenberg Etext study,5#txt *************