s to its solution."

*****

THE STRAND MAGAZINE
Vol. 27 JUNE, 1904
THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.
By ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.

IX.--The Adventure of the Three Students.

IT was in the year '95 that a combination of events, into which I need
not enter, caused Mr. Sherlock Holmes and myself to spend some weeks in
one of our great University towns, and it was during this time that the
small but instructive adventure which I am about to relate befell us. It
will be obvious that any details which would help the reader to exactly
identify the college or the criminal would be injudicious and offensive.
So painful a scandal may well be allowed to die out. With due discretion
the incident itself may, however, be described, since it serves to
illustrate some of those qualities for which my friend was remarkable.
I will endeavour in my statement to avoid such terms as would serve
to limit the events to any particular place, or give a clue as to the
people concerned.

We were residing at the time in furnished lodgings close to a library
where Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some laborious researches in early
English charters--researches which led to results so striking that they
may be the subject of one of my future narratives. Here it was that one
evening we received a visit from an acquaintance, Mr. Hilton Soames,
tutor and lecturer at the College of St. Luke's. Mr. Soames was a tall,
spare man, of a nervous and excitable temperament. I had always known
him to be restless in his manner, but on this particular occasion he was
in such a state of uncontrollable agitation that it was clear something
very unusual had occurred.

"I trust, Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours of your valuable
time. We have had a very painful incident at St. Luke's, and really, but
for the happy chance of your being in the town, I should have been at a
loss what to do."

"I am very busy just now, and I desire no distractions," my friend
answered. "I should much prefer that you called in the aid of the
police."

"No, no, my dear sir; such a course is utterly impossible. When once the
law is evoked it cannot be stayed again, and this is just one of those
cases where, for the credit of the college, it is most essential to
avoid scandal. Your discretion is as well known as your powers, and you
are the one man in the world who can help me. I beg you,