A Study in Scarlet (Serial Edition Cover) — page 68: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

6e A STUDY IN SCARLET, “Does Dr. Watson live here?” asked a clear but rather harsh voice. We could not hear the servant's reply, but the door closed, and some one began to ascend the stairs. The footfall was an uncertain and shuffling one. A look of surprise passed over the face cf my companion as he listened to it. It came slowly along the passage, and there was a feeble tap at the | door. “Come in!” I cried. At my summons, instead of .e man of violence whom we expected, a very old and wrinkled woman hobbled into the apartment. She appeared to be dazzled by the sudden blaze of light, and, after dropping a curtsey, she stood blinking at us with her bleared eyes and fumbling in her pocket with nervous, shaky fingers. I glanced at my companion, and his face had assumed such a disconsolate expression that it was all I could do to keep my countenance. The old crone drew out an | evening paper, and pointed at our advertisement. “Tt’s this as has brought me, good gentlemen,” she said, dropping another curtsey; “a gold wedding-ring in the Brixton Road. It belongs to my girl, Sally, as was married only this time twelvemonth, which her husband 1s steward aboard a Union boat, and what he’d say if he come ’ome and found her without her ring 1s more than I can think, he being short enough at the best o’ times, but more especially when he has the drink. If it please you, she went to the circus last night along with—” “Ys that her ring ?” I asked. “The Lord be thanked!” cried the old woman,