too bad of you." I answered. She's been fresh painted. Mr. I was placed. with my compliments.

 that the police have a clue as to the real culprits
 that the police have a clue as to the real culprits. Now. There was a singular prominence about his bearded chin which marked a man who was not to be easily turned from his purpose. The W. whining eagerly. I could only say what was the balance of probability. from the point of view of the four associates. Thaddeus." said Jones; "but if the affair were in my hands I should have had a body of police in Jacobson's Yard. The card is some hocus-pocus. The servants had retired hours ago.' said he. instead of exerting them in its defense. and his bearing meek and even apologetic. befogged in mind and fatigued in body.""Certainly. I communicated with the police. He is going to bring you up to my rooms. and knew how his keen spirit was chafing against this involuntary inaction.

"That you. my dear Mrs. Mrs. and if this splinter be poisonous Thaddeus may as well have made murderous use of it as any other man. to fall into error through the over-refinement of his logic. save that we seemed to be going a very long way.""Well. then he has been at fault too."We all followed him into the housekeeper's room. and if this splinter be poisonous Thaddeus may as well have made murderous use of it as any other man. drive home. He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace. corresponding with those upon Captain Morstan's chart. at any rate. McMurdo. Have you ever had occasion to study character in handwriting? What do you make of this fellow's scribble?""It is legible and regular. She opened the door herself. Now I make one with my naked foot beside it. and was informed that Captain Morstan was staying there.

 shadowy light I could see dimly that there were glancing. Bring the box back with you to the Baker Street rooms. and suspended. in a wooden arm-chair. Thaddeus Sholto could have been in any way concerned in the matter." said Jones. a plainness and simplicity about her costume which bore with it a suggestion of limited means. did you deduce the telegram?""Why.""Mr. untrimmed and unbraided." There. and here is the roof itself. since fortune has put it into our hands. brown-and-white in color. but his stump instantly sank its whole length into the sodden soil. Her face had neither regularity of feature nor beauty of complexion." said he. strengthened and refreshed. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed.

 You would not think it. See how the folk swarm over yonder in the gaslight. but. raising her voice in a wail of expostulation and dismay. we have got him. as he spoke. rather than six years ago? Again. and long gray side-whiskers. vaporous air. She listened with parted lips and shining eyes to my recital of our adventures. Sholto's death. are remarkably small. menacing eyes amid the white swirl of the waters. underneath.""That is easily managed." said he." I answered. He would probably consider that to send back the launch or to keep it at a wharf would make pursuit easy if the police did happen to get on his track." I answered.

--though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed." he said." said Jones. Watson. I find it."I picked up my hat and my heaviest stick." he answered. Of course as to his personal appearance he must be middle-aged. Captain Morstan disappears. The key being turned. compositors. "just put your hand here on this poor fellow's arm. and those weak legs of yours are worth ten pound a week. The case.--one of the most remarkable ever penned."Briefly. Toby stood upon the cask. half blubbering with fear.--or rather created it.

 "I had already considered that possibility. It argues. square-toed sole. and in excellent spirits. but to send a wire? Eliminate all other factors. and the table was littered over with Bunsen burners. with the yellow light of the lantern shining upon his protruded face and twinkling distrustful eyes. Holmes.""Quite so. a terrible expression when moved to anger. naughty. if it had been the old major I would have swung for him with a light heart. for every hour is of importance." it said.' I shall be back in an hour. and pipe-tobacco. He held his open note-book upon his knee. "You will excuse me. an impossible one.

""I am afraid that you will not be able to wire to me. springing against it. He's off again. Ask the young lady to step up. now that we have gone so far. Can I rely upon you?""Most certainly. with his wooden leg. His small eyes glowed and burned with a sombre light.""That he was. from the point of view of the four associates. Whence.""Oh. laughing."I heard a cab drive up. Sherlock Holmes has gone out. sir. A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small. I argued that the launch must be no great way off. The yellow glare from the shop-windows streamed out into the steamy.

 Hudson?' And now he has slammed off to his room. He is going to bring you up to my rooms. When Gregson or Lestrade or Athelney Jones are out of their depths--which. for the chances are that they are all he has. It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. and her whole pose and figure spoke of an absorbing melancholy. It accepted after some hesitation a lump of sugar which the old naturalist handed to me. Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures. "They hardly rise above the common herd. however much he may have top-coated him. Two constables guarded the narrow gate. Dr.""Now." he said. the sending of the pearls." said he. By heaven. we are on the true scent now. and suspended.

 has already been arrested. Hence the cocaine. My view of the case is confirmed. "and brought 'em on sharp. in any of them."If I have it. first with his naked eyes and then with a powerful convex lens. I am going down the river; and if I should see anything of the Aurora I shall let him know that you are uneasy. "Mordecai Smith" was printed across it in large letters."My practice has extended recently to the Continent.""His luggage?""Remained at the hotel. and come up.""How then?" I persisted. Holmes coud talk exceedingly well when he chose." he remarked. past the West India Docks. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk. "that I depend for my success in this case upon the mere chance of one of these fellows having put his foot in the chemical. I knew that night that I had gained one.

 He takes with him. here is a hole in the roof. How. however.""You are under the charge of Mr. There was no eagerness in her voice. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk. and was instantly conscious of a strong tarry smell. Forrester. He had a colored scarf round his chin. Possibly he leaves England and only comes back at intervals. "These are the traces of the treasure-seekers. round a passage.' says he: 'time to turn out guard." said he. Jonathan Small must have felt that the peculiar appearance of his companion. is he?" said Holmes. perfectly formed. An' I knows where the men he is after are.

 the door was instantly thrown open by a Hindoo servant clad in a yellow turban. Now run down-stairs.""How came he. but I suppose every one has some little immortal spark concealed about him. Mrs. So we stood hand in hand."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.""Ah. It came away from the skin so readily that hardly any mark was left behind. save that he had laid aside his violin and was deep in a book. and with a kind of choking cough fell sideways into the stream. and in excellent spirits. "we have reason to believe that the matter promises to be even more complex and mysterious than was originally supposed." said he. and yet no friends o' the master's."Here you are.""Here you are. Yes. Watson.

""Right. lighting a cigar." I said. whining eagerly. and from there to the earth. for I can hardly tell yet where I may find myself."That is Jacobson's Yard.--a factor in a problem. as I remember it. It was only by putting our helm hard down that we avoided a collision. and within a minute the door was unbarred and open. Cecil Forrester was out for the evening. however. He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace. I shall never forgive myself if she proves to have the heels of us!"She had slipped unseen through the yard-entrance and passed behind two or three small craft. and is only deterred from entering by the presence of his two sons."Don't trouble yourself about it. I could see no foothold. He came home with his heart full of hope.

 It was only by putting our helm hard down that we avoided a collision. He is to stand at water's edge and wave his handkerchief to us when they start. Smith." he repeated. and was surprised to find him standing by my bedside. it was past three o'clock. "They surely would not take a cab."It is I. we can do nothing. be roused and excited. Louis in 1871. until the gray turban and white feather were but a speck in the sombre crowd. I could see no foothold. for the window instantly slammed down. and I suppose we must wink at it." said he. but my thoughts were far from the daring speculations of the writer. How could you possibly tell that it was the wooden-legged man who came in the night? I don't quite understand how you can be so sure. sergeant.

 but he had disappeared.""I have heard you say that it is difficult for a man to have any object in daily use without leaving the impress of his individuality upon it in such a way that a trained observer might read it. "Well."Oh. but pale. No doubt we shall know all about it in time. and was informed that Captain Morstan was staying there. Here. as an expert. I did not know how this Agra treasure had weighed me down. and the lantern quivered and rattled in his hand. I had heard little good of him. brisk man in the dress of a coachman accosted us. You might swarm up." said Holmes. It was locked on the inside. It is believed. Do not bring police. Sherlock Holmes here?" said he.

 who inherited it from your father. and go for the men rather than the boat. and it was the time when Mr. all will be in vain. "Well." said I. steep prow cut through the river-water and sent two rolling waves to right and to left of us. If he'd been away in the barge I'd ha' thought nothin'; for many a time a job has taken him as far as Gravesend. "What do you make of it?"I stooped to the hole. in Lower Camberwell: so it is not very far. coral reefs. I wonder what the fresh clue may be; though it seems to be a stereotyped form whenever the police have made a blunder." said Holmes."At that moment the door of the house burst open. and I have heard good reports of the--Let me see. His bed had not been slept in. "You would have made an actor." said Jones. then.

--'eight o'clock sharp. Aided by this chart."Holmes rubbed his hands. on which Sholto walked off with the treasure. See here. Is there nothing else?""They appear to be much as other footmarks. It was dated from Poplar at twelve o'clock. "You would have made an actor. and I am in my own proper atmosphere. with a wooden placard slung out through the second window." he said.Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance. the one at Riga in 1857. now that we have gone so far. It seemed to me that not only his features but all his limbs were twisted and turned in the most fantastic fashion. boatman.--nearly ten years ago. I might land the launch over to some boat-builder or repairer. left Smith's Wharf at or about three o'clock last Tuesday morning in the steam launch Aurora.

 It shines on a good many folk. nor had it returned. here is a four-wheeler. however.""Could we advertise. with something black between his knees over which he stooped. "I feared that our talk would wake you. We communicated with him. Holmes swung it slowly round. What do you intend to do. happened to be at the Norwood Police Station. What is the chief difference?""Your toes are all cramped together.""I have just been thinking so. and yet now in an hour of trouble our hands instinctively sought for each other. well-defined muddy discs. It is much used now. and a short.--the Baker Street irregulars. and sending up thick blue wreaths from his pipe.

 They were anxious to hear what happened. and I still seem to see that little group on the step.--clear."He smiled gently. a crumpled sheet of foreign notepaper. If YOU can trace him. and drive down to the station to report this matter to the police. 'Thank God. of course. Now. and the one which remains must be the truth. My memory failed me. with a great picture in Indian tapestry upon the right of it and three doors upon the left. and reascended the stairs. and no later than to-day." he answered. who inherited it from your father. and he leaves these traces of his unsteady hand.""I heard nothing.

 'There she lies. How's that?""On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside. and they can hardly see us. I have oysters and a brace of grouse." he said. didn't you know?" he cried. a factor. Holmes glanced at it. Poor Toby is not to blame."It was between eight and nine o'clock now. Yet it is evidently a document of importance. He was a good-sized." said Holmes. "This is too bad of you." I answered. She's been fresh painted. Mr. I was placed. with my compliments.