The Adventure of the Speckled Band that of Dr Roylott. Holmes and Watson arrange to spend the night in Helen's room. In darkness they wait; suddenly, a slight metallic noise and a dim light through the ventilator prompt Holmes to action. Quickly lighting a candle, he discovers on the bell cord the "speckled band"—a venomous snake. He strikes the snake with a stick, driving it back through the ventilator. Agitated, it attacks Roylott, who had been waiting for it to return after killing Helen. Holmes identifies the snake as a "swamp adder" and reveals to Watson the motive: the late wife's will had provided an annual
The Imaginary (short story) The Imaginary (short story) "The Imaginary" is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It first appeared in the November 1942 issue of "Super Science Stories" and was reprinted in the 1972 collection "The Early Asimov". Following the sale of "Half-Breeds on Venus", which was a sequel to "Half-Breed", Asimov suggested to "Astounding Science Fiction" editor John W. Campbell that he write a sequel to the story "Homo Sol". Campbell was unenthusiastic, but agreed. Since "The Imaginary" lacked the human-alien conflict that he had liked in the earlier story, Campbell ultimately rejected it. "The Imaginary" was the twenty-first story