THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

and reticence, it would have been impossible to make the facts public, but now the principal person concerned is beyond the reach of human law, and with due suppre

eal the date or any other fact by which h

d, frosty winter's evening. As Holmes turned up the lamp the light fell upon a card on the table. He glan

ERTON, Appledore Towe

he?" I

he sat down and stretched his legs before

ned i

at 6:30-C.A

creatures, with their deadly eyes and wicked, flattened faces? Well, that's how Milverton impresses me. I've had to do with fifty murderers in my career, but th

who i

wealth and position. He receives these wares not only from treacherous valets or maids, but frequently from genteel ruffians, who have gained the confidence and affection of trusting women. He deals with no niggard hand. I happen to know that he paid seven hundred pounds to a footman for a note two lines in length, and that the ruin of a noble family was the result. Everything which is in the market goes to Milverton, and there are hundreds in this great city who turn white at his name. No

friend speak with such

the fellow must be with

ment if her own ruin must immediately follow? His victims dare not hit back. If ever he blackmailed an innocent per

y is he

the Earl of Dovercourt. This fiend has several imprudent letters-imprudent, Watson, nothing worse-which were written to an impecunious young squire in the country. They would suf

and pair, the brilliant lamps gleaming on the glossy haunches of the noble chestnuts. A footman opened

n his appearance, marred only by the insincerity of the fixed smile and by the hard glitter of those restless and penetrating eyes. His voice was as smooth and suave as his countenance, as he advanced with a plump little hand extended, murmuring his regret for having m

h a wave in my direction. "Is

is my friend

our client's interests that I pro

has already

that you are acting for Lady Eva.

re your

housand

e alter

not paid on the 14th, there certainly will be no marriage on t

ought for

se, familiar with the contents of these letters. My client will certainly do what I may advise.

ton ch

do not know the

on Holmes's face, I coul

here in the let

. However, since you think otherwise, we will let it rest at that. It is purely a matter of business. If you think that it is in the best interests of your client that these

with anger and

We should certainly make every effor

elapsed int

would see it in tha

pon her resources, and that the sum you name is utterly beyond her power. I beg, therefore, that you will moderate your de

oadened and his eyes

arriage is a very suitable time for her friends and relatives to make some little effort upon her behalf. They may hesitate as to an acceptable

ossible,"

that time it will be in the hands of the lady's husband. And all because she will not find a beggarly sum which she could get by turning her diamonds into paste. It IS such a pity! Now, you remember the sudden end of the engagement between the Honourable Miss Miles and Colonel Dorking? Only two days before the wedding, there was a

ly it is better for you to take the substantial sum which I offer

. I have eight or ten similar cases maturing. If it was circulated among them that I had made a severe

rang from

him out! Now, sir, let us see the

at to the side of the room and stood

tly prepared to use my weapons, knowing that the law will support me. Besides, your supposition that I would bring the letters here in a notebook is entirely mistaken. I would do nothing so foolish. And now, gentlemen, I have one or two little interviews this evening, and it is a long drive to Hampstead." He stepped forward,

who has taken his decision, he sprang to his feet and passed into his bedroom. A little later a rakish young workman, with a goatee beard and a swagger, lit his clay pipe at the lamp before descending into the street. "I'll

I knew nothing of what he was doing. At last, however, on a wild, tempestuous evening, when the wind screamed and rattled against the window

call me a marry

ind

ested to hear th

fellow! I

rton's ho

eavens,

informatio

u have gon

ve walked out with her each evening, and I have talked with her. Good heavens, those talks!

e girl,

ged his

a stake is on the table. However, I rejoice to say that I have a hated rival, who wil

e this w

n, I mean to burgle Milvert

tning in the night shows up in an instant every detail of a wild landscape, so at one glance I seemed to see every possible result of such an action-t

olmes, think what you

a course, if any other were possible. Let us look at the matter clearly and fairly. I suppose that you will admit that the action is morally justifia

it over i

ng as our object is to take no articles s

question of personal risk. Surely a gentleman should not lay much s

in such a fal

day of grace, and unless we can get the letters to-night, this villain will be as good as his word and will bring about her ruin. I must, therefore, abandon my client to her fate or I must play this last card.

I suppose it must be," said

e not c

ver broke it in my life-that I will take a cab straight to the police-st

an't h

Anyway, my resolution is taken. Other people besi

t his brow cleared, and he cl

ade a highly efficient criminal. This is the chance of my lifetime in that direction. See here!" He took a neat little leather case out of a drawer, and opening it he exhibited a number of shining instruments. "This is a first-class, up-to-date b

ber-soled t

nt! And

couple out o

now nine-thirty. At eleven we shall drive as far as Church Row. It is a quarter of an hour's walk from there to Appledore Towers. We shall be at work before mid

t we picked up a hansom and drove to an address in Hampstead. Here we paid off our cab, and with our great coats

-says it is a joke in the servants' hall that it's impossible to wake the master. He has a secretary who is devoted to his interests, and never budges from the study all day. That's why we are going at night. Then he has a beast of a dog which roams the garden. I met Agatha late the last two evenings, a

ent figures in London, we stole up to the silent, gloomy house. A sort of tiled

ould suit us best, but it is bolted as well as locked, and we should make too much noi

wers, carefully cultivated, of seeing in the dark. Still holding my hand in one of his, he opened a door, and I was vaguely conscious that we had entered a large room in which a cigar had been smoked not long before. He felt his way among the furniture, opened another door, and closed it behind us. Putting out my hand I felt several coats hanging from the wall, and I understood that I was in a passage. We passed along it and Holmes very ge

centre, with a turning-chair of shining red leather. Opposite was a large bookcase, with a marble bust of Athene on the top. In the corner, between the bookcase and the wall, there stood a tall, green safe, the firelight flashing back from the polished brass knobs upon its face. Holmes stole across and looked at it. Then he crept to the door of the bedroom, and st

lips to my very ear. "I can't quite m

do an

get away as we came. If they come the other way, we can get through the door if ou

g of safes was a particular hobby with him, and I understood the joy which it gave him to be confronted with this green and gold monster, the dragon which held in its maw the reputations of many fair ladies. Turning up the cuffs of his dress-coat-he had placed his overcoat on a chair-Holmes laid out two drills, a jemmy, and several skeleton keys. I stood at the centre door with my eyes glancing at each of the others, ready for any emergency, though, indeed, my plans were somewhat vague as to what I should do if we were interrupted. For half an hour, Holmes worked with concentrated energy, laying down one tool, picking up another, handli

eps rapidly approaching. They were in the passage outside the room. They paused at the door. The door opened. There was a sharp snick as the electric light was turned on. The door closed once more, and the pungent reek of a strong cigar was borne t

nts, that he had never been to his bedroom, but that he had been sitting up in some smoking or billiard room in the farther wing of the house, the windows of which we had not seen. His broad, grizzled head, with its shining patch of baldness, was in the immediate foreground of our vision. He was leaning far back in the red leather chair, his legs outstretched, a long, bla

any moment observe it. In my own mind I had determined that if I were sure, from the rigidity of his gaze, that it had caught his eye, I would at once spring out, throw my great coat over his head, pinion him, and leave the rest to Holmes. But Milverton never looked up. He was languidly interested by the papers

ever, that he might have an appointment at so strange an hour never occurred to me until a faint sound reached my ears from the veranda outside. Milve

tly, "you are nearly

r direction, but now I ventured very carefully to open it once more. He had resumed his seat, the cigar still projecting at an insolent angle from the corner of his mouth. In front of him, in the full glare of t

night's rest, my dear. I hope you'll prov

n shook

self together. Now, let us get down to business." He took a notebook from the drawer of his desk. "You say that you have five letters which compromise the Countess d'Albert. You want t

handsome, clear-cut face which confronted Milverton-a face with a curved nose, strong, dark eyebro

"the woman whose li

u drive me to such extremities? I assure you I wouldn't hurt a fly of my own accord, but every man ha

st night, when I came through that door, I begged and prayed you for mercy, and you laughed in my face as you are trying to laugh now, only your coward heart cannot keep your lips fr

se my voice and I could call my servants and have you arrested. But I will make allowan

ied in her bosom, and the same de

o more hearts as you wrung mine. I will free the world of a pois

hing furiously and clawing among the papers. Then he staggered to his feet, received another shot, and rolled upon the floor. "You've done me," he cried, and lay still. The woman looked at him in

But hardly had the woman rushed from the room when Holmes, with swift, silent steps, was over at the other door. He turned the key in the lock. At the same instant we heard voices in the house and the sound of hurrying feet. The revolver shots had roused the household. With perfect coolness Holmes slipped across to the safe, filled his two arms with bundles of letters, and poured them all into the fire. Again and again he did it, until the

grounds perfectly, and he threaded his way swiftly among a plantation of small trees, I close at his heels, and our foremost pursuer panting behind us. It was a six-foot wall which barred our path, but he sprang to the top and over. As I did the same I felt the hand of the man behind me grab at my ankle, but I kicked myself free and scrambled o

emarkable experience which I have recorded, when Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland

he; "good-morning. May I ask if y

usy to lis

hand, you might care to assist us in a most remarkabl

id Holmes. "W

ce. It is no ordinary crime. We have had our eyes upon this Mr. Milverton for some time, and, between ourselves, he was a bit of a villain. He is known to have held papers which he used for blackmailing p

" said Holm

it's ten to one that we trace them. The first fellow was a bit too active, but the second was caught by the under-gardener, and o

rlock Holmes. "My, it might be

, with amusement. "It might be

erous men in London, and that I think there are certain crimes which the law cannot touch, and which therefore, to some extent, justify private reveng

ed. "Take your hat! Come with me!" He hurried at his top speed down Baker Street and along Oxford Street, until we had almost reached Regent Circus. Here, on the left hand, there stands a shop window filled with photographs of the celebrities and beauties of the day. Holmes's eyes fixed themselves upon one of them, and following his gaze I saw the picture of a regal and stately lady in Court