acked her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she trave

ign o

utely

s quite a pretty litt

ne to me," returned t

t does she propose to

ruin

t h

ut to be

have h

. You may know the strict principles of her family. She is herself the very soul o

rene A

but she has a soul of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most reso

that she has n

m su

d w

it on the day when the betrothal was publi

fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to look into just

e at the Langham under the

u a line to let you k

I shall be

as to

e carte

olut

one of the provinces of my kin

present e

leather bag from under his c

pounds in gold and seven

upon a sheet of his note-

elle's addres

Serpentine Avenue,

e other question," said he. "

wa

ht, Watson," he added, as the wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street. "If you will be good e

I

was surrounded by none of the grim and strange features which were associated with the two crimes which I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my friend had on hand, there was something in his mas

as I was to my friend's amazing powers in the use of disguises, I had to look three times before I was certain that it was indeed he. With a nod he vanished into the bedroom, whence he

d and laughed again until he was obliged to

t is

could never guess how I employed my

have been watching the habits, and pe

is to know. I soon found Briony Lodge. It is a bijou villa, with a garden at the back. but built out in front right up to the road, two stories. Chubb lock to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those prepostero

bing down their horses, and received in exchange twopence, a glass of half and half, two fills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desire about Miss

f Irene Adl

er. Seldom goes out at other times, except when she sings. Has only one male visitor, but a good deal of him. He is dark, handsome, and dashing, never calls less than once a day, and often twice. He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple. See the advan

ess? If the former, she had probably transferred the photograph to his keeping. If the latter, it was less likely. On the issue of this question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony Lodge, or turn my attention to the

ng you closel

markably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached-- evidently the man of whom I had heard. He appeared to be in a great hurr

ould see nothing. Presently he emerged, looking even more flurried than before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watch from his pocket and looked at it earnestly, 'Driv