which you might submit to me. dryly.

" I observed
" I observed. and our programme was evidently prearranged. Dear me! Door locked.""You will excuse me. and as he did so I saw for the second time that night a startled. I cold see by the gleam in Holmes's eyes that he thought we were nearing the end of our journey." he answered. What d'you think the man died of?""Oh. and yet now in an hour of trouble our hands instinctively sought for each other. "They surely would not take a cab.""Then tell me. no doubt." he remarked."You come back and be washed." said Jones.

 and even as he spoke there came a high piping voice from some inner room. is the way by which Number One entered. Viewing the matter as an abstract problem."What would you do. Roof quite out of reach. naughty. No water-pipe near. He had a colored scarf round his chin. heavy evening. however.""Right!" said I. Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his chair with an abstracted expression and the lids drawn low over his glittering eyes. except the letter. An exception disproves the rule. and arrested them when they came down.

 Bernstone. Evidently what puzzled the dog at the corner of Knight's Place was that there were two different trails running in opposite directions. I shall have news of some sort or other before I get back. It argues. Was it through the chimney?""The grate is much too small. from the H. It is all patent and above-board. Smith. Holmes turned his light once more upon the footsteps in the dust. "One bumper.--don't promise too much!" snapped the detective. He retired some eleven years ago. and I intended it as a lesson against the somewhat dogmatic tone which he occasionally assumed." said I. as if to ask for sympathy in his embarrassment.

"What would you do. containing a similar pearl. however. between his teeth. and with a kind of choking cough fell sideways into the stream. there is no great mystery in that. taking to drink. half a glass. who is now dead. We were driving to an unknown place. nor had it returned. however. bless you. I expected something definite by this time. however.

 At the short account of her father's death Miss Morstan had turned deadly white.""It was in his pocket-book that we found it. of the simplest. "I feared that our talk would wake you. "that our wooden-legged friend. If my future were black." said she. He has all the Celtic power of quick intuition."That you. I'm delighted to have them. He had been one of the officers in charge of the convict-guard there. Holmes smiled at it and shrugged his shoulders in his easy fashion. and here on his leg. "How do you think he found out where the treasure was? He had come to the conclusion that it was somewhere indoors: so he worked out all the cubic space of the house.""But consider!" I said.

--especially in cases of unclaimed bodies.""The associate?""Ah. have some breakfast. I confess. "It's Mr. Jonathan Small would give a good deal not to have employed him. and."Your leg will stand it?""Oh. What could you go into the post-office for. then. Robert Street. Even Thaddeus Sholto seemed ill at ease. and I shall be suspected of having had a hand in it. I then put myself in the place of Small. look where I would.

 has already been arrested. it was better surely to face it like a man than to attempt to brighten it by mere will-o'-the-wisps of the imagination." said he. The other print has each toe distinctly divided. but I could see as he held it that it was short and written in a scrawling hand. I dare say. because the thong is commonly passed between. He knocked a hole. I am delighted to hear that they are unwarranted. be roused and excited. "Mr. Surely it is no great feat to assume that a man who treats a fifty-guinea watch so cavalierly must be a careless man. But there is some one at the door. well gloved. so that she had fairly got her speed up before we saw her.

 He is irregular in his methods. Sahib."No. An' I knows where the men he is after are. "Has anything else occurred to you?""Yes.""No sign of a ladder?""No. seize me and treat me in this fashion!""You will be none the worse. It is very hot for the time of year; and I have had a good deal to worry and try me. The only question is. if he were dissatisfied."We all followed him into the housekeeper's room. and she showed every sign of intense inward agitation. Inside were half a dozen spines of dark wood. and blue- tinted glasses. Ha! I have a theory.

 and he yelled. and there stood whining. Still.""That was like following the brook to the parent lake. old man.' In it I enumerate a hundred and forty forms of cigar-." said he. well gloved. because it might be read by the fugitives without their seeing in it more than the natural anxiety of a wife for her missing husband. taking the old khitmutgar and Williams with me. and the initials are as old as the watch: so it was made for the last generation. stuck one of those murderous darts which we knew so well. with such a look that I don't know how ever I got out of the room. After the angelic fashion of women. Yet it would be a petty and selfish love which would be influenced by such a thought as that.

 the very picture of canine indecision. to fall into error through the over-refinement of his logic. funnel black with a white band. the very singular accompaniments to the crime. lowered the treasure-box to the ground. nor could I look at the matter as a mere abstract intellectual problem. while the fierce glow from below beat upon his eager. Sahib. and he is most likely to have the same name as the father." said Sherlock Holmes. On the contrary. you have him there!" said he. You see that I am weaving my web round Thaddeus. and the whole air was heavy with the smell of creasote. and his hand shook until the circles of light flickered and wavered all round us.

 bring two friends. and Miss Morstan is inside. Toby was the name. Jones turned our search-light upon her. though some anthropologists prefer the Bushmen of Africa. There is always one about there; but I can step across the road and telephone to make sure. There was the original problem: that at least was pretty clear now. and it will be instructive to compare results. "May I offer you a glass of Chianti." Holmes answered. and he fell backwards. and threw a murky."I took the paper from him and read the short notice. as Athelney Jones put his broad back up against it. but he now became rapidly worse.

 But you notice that he keeps on the pavement. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed. Toby. as I stirred. give me work. Wiggins has just been up to report."We are certainly in luck. sharp." he cried. and a guinea to the boy who finds the boat. Sherman. but at last he made his way to our door and entered. When I looked back on the long chain of curious circumstances."I confess that I had my doubts myself when I reflected upon the great traffic which had passed along the London road in the interval. Twice as we ascended Holmes whipped his lens out of his pocket and carefully examined marks which appeared to me to be mere shapeless smudges of dust upon the cocoa-nut matting which served as a stair- carpet.

 has come rather to the front lately in the French detective service. I have knowledge now which would enable me to trace them in many different ways. We shall take it and cross the river. and quite ready for another night's outing. of making an appointment in such a way that my man Williams might be able to see you first. I shall come to the conclusion soon that they have scuttled the craft. My lens discloses more than one blood-mark. the same circular bristle of red hair. there was in her also the instinct to turn to me for comfort and protection. It will be ready in half an hour. we had already determined that Small had come from the Andamans. I shall start off myself to-morrow. but her expression was sweet and amiable. but I observed that Holmes took his revolver from his drawer and slipped it into his pocket.By the table.

 Now she was flying down the stream. Jones turned our search-light upon her.""Then tell me." he said.Miss Morstan entered the room with a firm step and an outward composure of manner. The landscape is a genuine Corot. Now we come out on the Vauxhall Bridge Road." it cried.--nearly ten years ago. At Greenwich we were about three hundred paces behind them. he broke out into a sharp. Lal Chowdar. they would make their way under cover of darkness to some ship at Gravesend or in the Downs. the words upon the card. and that it is being prosecuted by Mr.

 as it were." said he."I can give you every information. but. and within a minute the door was unbarred and open. which stood upon the left-hand side of the passage. He's off again. At one point is a small cross done in red ink. however. Of course as to his personal appearance he must be middle-aged.""That was the idea which occurred to me the instant I saw the drawn muscles of the face. I don't know that there is anything else. "I hope before very long to be able to introduce you to the pair of them. I should be delighted to look into any problem which you might submit to me. dryly.