No. 1 The Adventure of the Empty House by Arthur Conan Doyle
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reason for wishing certain people to_think that i_was there when i_was really elsewhere ."

" and you thought the rooms were watched ? "

" I_knew that_they were watched ."

" by whom ? "

" by my old enemies, Watson . by_the charming society whose leader lies in_the Reichenbach fall . you_must remember that_they knew, and only they knew, that i_was still alive . sooner or later they believed that i_should come back to my rooms . they watched them continuously, and this_morning they saw me arrive ."

" how do_you_know ? "

" because I recognised their sentinel when I glanced out of_my window . he_is a harmless enough fellow, Parker by name, agarroter by trade, and a remarkable performer upon_the Jew's harp .I cared nothing for him . but I cared a great deal for_the much more formidable person who was behind him, the bosom friend of Moriarty, the man who dropped the rocks over the cliff, the most cunning and dangerous criminal in London . that_is_the man who_is after me to- night, Watson, and that_is_the man who_is quite unaware that we_are after him ."

my friend's plans were gradually revealing themselves . from_this convenient retreat the watchers were being watched and_the trackers tracked . that angular shadow up yonder was_the bait and we were the hunters . in silence we stood together in_the darkness and watched the hurrying figures who passed and repassed in front of us .Holmes was silent and motionless; but I_could tell that he_was keenly alert, and_that his eyes were fixed intently upon_the stream of passers- by . it_was a bleak and boisterous night, and_the wind whistled shrilly down the long street . many people were moving to and fro, most of_them muffled in their coats and cravats . once_or_twice it seemed to_me that I had seen the same figure before, and I especially noticed two men who appeared to_be sheltering themselves from_the wind in_the doorway of a house some distance up the street .I tried to draw my companion's attention to_them, but he_gave a little ejaculation of impatience and continued to stare into_the street . more than once he fidgeted with_his feet and tapped rapidly with_his fingers upon_the wall . it_was evident to_me that he_was becoming uneasy and_that his plans were_not working out altogether as he had hoped . at last, as midnight approached and_the street gradually cleared, he paced up and down the room in uncontrollable agitation . i_was about to_make some remark to him when I raised my eyes to_the lighted window and again experienced almost as great a surprise as before .I clutched Holmes's arm and pointed upwards .

" the shadow has moved ! " I cried .

it_was, indeed, no longer the profile, but the back, which_was turned towards us .

three years had certainly not smoothed the asperities of_his temper or his impatience with a less active intelligence than his own .

" of_course it has moved," said he ."Am I such a farcical bungler, Watson, that i_should erect an obvious dummy and expect that some_of_the sharpest men in Europe would_be deceived by_it ? we_have_been in_this room two hours, and Mrs Hudson has_made some change in_that figure eight times, or once in every quarter of an hour . she works it from_the front so_that her shadow may never be seen .Ah ! " he drew in_his breath with a shrill, excited intake . in_the dim light I_saw his head thrown forward, his whole attitude rigid with attention . outside, the street was absolutely deserted . those two men might still be crouching in_the doorway, but I_could no longer see them . all was still and dark, save only that brilliant yellow screen in front of us with_the black figure outlined upon its centre . again in_the utter silence I heard that thin, sibilant note which spoke of intense suppressed excitement . an instant later he pulled me back into_the blackest corner of_the room, and I_felt his warning hand upon my lips . the fingers which clutched me were quivering . never had I known my friend more moved, and yet the dark street still stretched lonely and motionless before_us .

but suddenly i_was aware of_that which his keener senses had already distinguished .a low, stealthy sound came to my ears, not from_the direction of baker street, but from_the back of_the very house in_which we lay concealed .a door opened and shut . an instant later steps crept down the passage -- steps which were meant to_be silent, but which reverberated harshly through_the empty house .Holmes crouched back against the wall and I_did the same, my hand closing upon_the handle of_my revolver .Peering through_the gloom, I_saw the vague outline of a man, a shade blacker than_the blackness of_the open door . he stood for an instant, and then he crept forward, crouching, menacing, into_the room . he_was within three yards of us, this sinister figure, and I had braced myself to meet his spring, before I realised that he had no idea of_our presence . he passed close beside us, stole over to_the window, and very softly and noiselessly raised it for half a foot . as he sank to_the level of_this opening the light of_the street, no longer dimmed by_the dusty glass, fell full upon his face . the man seemed to_be beside himself with excitement . his two eyes shone like stars and_his features were working convulsively . he_was an elderly man, with a thin, projecting nose, a high, bald forehead, and a huge grizzled moustache . an opera- hat was pushed to_the back of_his head, and an evening dress shirt- front gleamed out through his open overcoat . his face was gaunt and swarthy, scored with deep, savage lines . in_his hand he carried what appeared to_be a stick, but as he laid it down upon_the floor it gave a metallic clang . then from_the pocket of_his overcoat he drew a bulky object, and he busied himself in some task which ended with a loud, sharp click, as_if a spring or bolt had fallen into its place . still kneeling upon_the floor he bent forward and threw all his weight and strength upon some lever, with_the result that there came a long, whirling, grinding noise, ending once more in a powerful click . he straightened himself then, and I_saw that what he held in_his hand was a sort of gun, with a curiously misshapen butt . he opened it at_the breech, put something in, and snapped the breech- block . then, crouching down, he rested the end of_the barrel upon_the ledge of_the open window, and I_saw his long moustache droop over the stock and_his eye gleam as it peered along the sights .I heard a little sigh of satisfaction as he cuddled the butt into his shoulder, and saw that amazing target, the black man on_the yellow ground, standing clear at_the end of_his fore sight . for an instant he_was rigid and motionless . then his finger tightened on_the trigger . there_was a strange, loud whiz and a long, silvery tinkle of broken glass . at_that instant Holmes sprang like a tiger on to_the marksman's back and hurled him flat upon his face . he_was up again in a moment, and with convulsive strength he seized Holmes by_the throat; but I struck him on_the head with_the butt of_my revolver and he dropped again upon_the floor .I fell upon him, and as I held him my comrade blew a shrill call upon a whistle . there_was the clatter of running feet upon_the pavement, and two policemen in uniform, with one plain- clothes detective, rushed through_the front entrance and into_the room .

" that you, Lestrade ? " said Holmes .

" yes, Mr Holmes . i_took the job myself . it's good to_see you back in London, sir ."

" i_think you_want a little unofficial help . three undetected murders in one year won't do, Lestrade . but you handled the Molesey mystery with less_than your usual -- that's to_say, you handled it fairly well ."

we had all risen to our feet, our prisoner breathing hard, with a stalwart constable on each side of him . already a few loiterers had begun to collect in_the street .Holmes stepped up_to_the window, closed it, and dropped the blinds .Lestrade had produced two candles and_the policemen had uncovered their lanterns . i_was able at last to_have a good look at our prisoner .

it_was a tremendously virile and yet sinister face which_was turned towards us . with_the brow of a philosopher above and_the jaw of a sensualist below, the man must_have started with great capacities for good or for evil . but one could_not look upon his cruel blue eyes, with their drooping, cynical lids, or upon_the fierce, aggressive nose and_the threatening, deep- lined brow, without reading nature's plainest danger-signals . he_took no heed of any of us, but his eyes were fixed upon Holmes's face with an expression in_which hatred and amazement were equally blended ." you fiend ! " he kept on muttering ." you clever, clever fiend ! "

"Ah, colonel ! " said Holmes, arranging his rumpled collar; "`journeys end in lovers' meetings,' as_the old play says .I don't think I_have_had the pleasure of seeing you since you favoured me with those attentions as I lay on_the ledge above the Reichenbach fall ."

the colonel still stared at my friend like a man in a trance ." you cunning, cunning fiend ! " was all that he could_say .

" I_have_not introduced you yet," said Holmes ." this, gentlemen, is colonel Sebastian Moran, once of her majesty's Indian army, and_the best heavy game shot that_our eastern empire has ever produced .I believe I_am correct, colonel, in saying that your bag of tigers still remains unrivalled ? "

the fierce old man said nothing, but still glared at my companion; with_his savage eyes and bristling moustache he_was wonderfully like a tiger himself .

"I wonder that my very simple stratagem could deceive so old ashikari," said Holmes ." it must_be very familiar to_you . have_you not tethered a young kid under a tree, lain above it with your rifle, and waited for_the bait to bring up your tiger ? this empty house is my tree and you_are my tiger . you_have possibly had other guns in reserve in_case there should_be several tigers, or in_the unlikely supposition of your own aim failing you . these," he pointed around, " are my other guns . the parallel is exact ."

colonel Moran sprang forward, with a snarl of rage, but the constables dragged him back . the fury upon his face was terrible to look at .

"I confess that you had one small surprise for_me," said Holmes ." I_did_not anticipate that you_would yourself make use of_this empty house and this convenient front window .I had imagined you as operating from_the street, where my friend Lestrade and_his merry men were awaiting you . with_that exception all has gone as I expected ."

colonel Moran turned to_the official detective .

" you_may or may not have just cause for arresting me," said he, " but at_least there can_be no reason why i_should submit to_the gibes of_this person . if I_am in_the hands of_the law let things be_done in a legal way ."

" well, that's reasonable enough," said Lestrade ." nothing further you_have to_say, Mr Holmes, before we go ? "

Holmes had picked up the powerful air- gun from_the floor and was examining its mechanism .

" an admirable and unique weapon," said he, " noiseless and of tremendous power . I_knew Von Herder, the blind German mechanic, who constructed it to_the order of_the late professor Moriarty . for years I_have_been aware of_its existence, though I_have never before had the opportunity of handling it .I commend it very specially to your attention, Lestrade, and also the bullets which fit it ."

" you_can trust us to look after_that, Mr Holmes," said Lestrade, as_the whole party moved towards the door ." anything further to_say ? "

" only to ask what charge you intend to prefer ? "

" what charge, sir ? why, of_course, the attempted murder of Mr Sherlock Holmes ."

" not so, Lestrade . I_do_not propose to appear in_the matter at all . to_you, and to_you only, belongs the credit of_the remarkable arrest which you_have effected . yes, Lestrade, I congratulate you ! with your usual happy mixture of cunning and audacity you_have got him ."

" got him ! got whom, Mr Holmes ? "

" the man that_the whole force has_been seeking in vain -- colonel Sebastian Moran, who shot the Honourable Ronald Adair with an expanding bullet from an air- gun through_the open window of_the second- floor front of no .427, park Lane, upon_the 30th of last month . that's the charge, Lestrade . and now, Watson, if_you_can endure the draught from a broken window, i_think that half an hour in my study over a cigar may afford you some profitable amusement ."

our old chambers had_been left unchanged through_the supervision of Mycroft Holmes and_the immediate care of Mrs Hudson . as I entered I_saw, it_is true, an unwonted tidiness, but the old landmarks were all in their place . there were the chemical corner and_the acid- stained, deal- topped table . there upon a shelf was_the row of formidable scrap-books and books of reference which many of_our fellow-citizens would_have_been so glad to burn . the diagrams, the violin- case, and_the pipe-rack -- even the Persian slipper which contained the tobacco -- all met my eyes as I glanced round me . there were two occupants of_the room -- one Mrs Hudson, who beamed upon us both as_we entered; the other the strange dummy which had played so important a

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