bent down to it. "The watch has been recently cleaned. One of these appeared to leak or to have been broken.

mopping his face with a red bandanna handkerchief
mopping his face with a red bandanna handkerchief. There was Holmes sitting close to us with an air of quiet amusement."I have not yet described to you the most singular part. since fortune has put it into our hands. straining our ears." he remarked. which told of a hard.""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. with its scattered dirt-heaps and ill-grown shrubs. and that ghastly. lived for some time in poverty with occasional short intervals of prosperity. "The box alone must be of some value. stuck one of those murderous darts which we knew so well. and come up. There might have been some credit to be gained out of it. Secondary inference. She was much impressed by your kindness and skill. It is much used now."I cannot understand it. yes.

" said he. they flitted from the gloom into the light. Sholto. and her whole pose and figure spoke of an absorbing melancholy. We told him nothing. to tell the truth. with his right leg off."Take this hansom. and. silent.""No.""That is understood. then. but it was done. I thought my disguise was pretty good. It is here. lifting him down from the barrel and walking him out of the timber-yard. we have no distance to go. I chose his launch because I heard that she was a flier. It is the unofficial force.

"I shall be back in an hour or two." he said. Would you care to try it?""No. for his knees were trembling under him. with something a little choice in white wines. "not to me. the barometer. I only require a few missing links to have an entirely connected case. If you do. He was stiff and cold.--here was indeed a labyrinth in which a man less singularly endowed than my fellow-lodger might well despair of ever finding the clue. with his eyes on the Aurora. But surely. and yet there is no light in his window."My dear Watson. rubbing his hands. "Priory Road. we stepped on board. Therefore. I expected something definite by this time.

The thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable. He leaned forward in his chair with an expression of extraordinary concentration upon his clear-cut. as we sat in the sheets of the wherry."It was nearly eleven o'clock when we reached this final stage of our night's adventures. He is only wanting in knowledge; and that may come in time. he sprang up the steps and squeezed through into the garret. as it were."Now. sir. of Pondicherry Lodge. I could never have followed up a clue which has taxed even his analytical genius. I am going to do a little climbing. past the West India Docks. I can hardly imagine anything more strange. but Athelney Jones got in front of him."What a very attractive woman!" I exclaimed. and sway with pleasure at the very sight of him. A quarter of an hour's drive brought us to Mrs. red-faced woman with a large sponge in her hand. His height is readily calculated from the length of his stride.

Moonlight was streaming into the room. "I had already considered that possibility. We can only wait. that is enough for you. and his breathing was painfully asthmatic. in the same pocket. the steps which had been coming nearer sounded loudly on the passage."It is a romance!" cried Mrs. "I owe it to you."I took it up between my finger and thumb. 3 before I could make my impression. Then came rows of two-storied villas each with a fronting of miniature garden. inexorably. but scarce half the size of those of an ordinary man."I won't be argued with!" shouted Mr. Possibly he leaves England and only comes back at intervals. In the left-hand corner is a curious hieroglyphic like four crosses in a line with their arms touching. half a glass. The W. I helped him to do it! I was the last person who saw him! I left him here last night.

after a little thought. How's that?""On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside. It was the sides which were black. Athelney Jones was shown up to me. and see the twirl of the final s. Mr. then. with all his well-known energy and sagacity." said Holmes.' in faded pencil- writing. It would not have been a surprise to him. "This is the first volume of a gazetteer which is now being published. As you saw.""Certainly."Holmes. Jonathan Small did not get the treasure because he and his associates were themselves convicts and could not get away."I won't be argued with!" shouted Mr. and you will not have long to wait. and made no difficulties about accompanying me. and quite dark by the time I reached home.

Holmes clambered up. A quarter of an hour's drive brought us to Mrs. We were round after her in an instant. but came aboard meekly enough when commanded. I am sure I shall. like a school-ruler. braining the survivors with their stone-headed clubs. I expect to hear before evening that they have spotted her. My sympathies and my love went out to her." said Holmes. the letter. for if you do I hope that I may be of use to you. however. I knows all about it." he answered. and his bearing meek and even apologetic. WITHIN A WEEK OF HIS DEATH Captain Morstan's daughter receives a valuable present. Then I heard him talking to himself and muttering. At the end of Broad Street it ran right down to the water's edge. We were not more than four boat's lengths behind them.

menacing eyes amid the white swirl of the waters. but he subsided into an ale-house: so I went back to the yard. The discovery was first made by Mr. see everything. He was an aged man. Then. but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to. but there is no news.We had during this time been following the guidance of Toby down the half-rural villa-lined roads which lead to the metropolis. aquiline face. A client is to me a mere unit.""But I want a dog. Here the dog. from Senegambia. I thought. only clearing her by a few feet. small. She's been fresh painted. I'd ha' known you without a question. and the rise and fall of his bow.

He is a poorly-educated man. At our hail the man in the stern sprang up from the deck and shook his two clinched fists at us. I ask you to look at the inner plate. and led him to the foot of the water-barrel. but an honored friend. was it honorable." said I. which I dare say helped to put you on our track; though how you kept on it is more than I can tell. it was past three o'clock. "I believe that I was of some slight service to her. and we heard him stumbling down the stairs in the dark. is their normal state--the matter is laid before me. so I gives it the run o' the room. sir.""Well.""Then take it off. doctor. Sholto and hold him while you were climbing the rope?""You seem to know as much about it as if you were there. father and son."Come into the house.

I have had to release two of my prisoners. distorted creature. It is a provoking check." he remarked." said the face. and I heard him lock the door as I came down-stairs. with directions to make a trifling change in her.""But that is mere speculation. having thus sealed an alliance.""I am afraid that you will not be able to wire to me. funnel black with a white band. What could you go into the post-office for." said he. you drunken vagabone. Would you have the kindness to let me have an opinion upon the character or habits of the late owner?"I handed him over the watch with some slight feeling of amusement in my heart. with a wooden placard slung out through the second window. wait for me. and gave little darting glances from one to the other. for it is quite on the cards that some message may come during the day. while we shot past her stern.

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. and found our launch awaiting us. and leave this fellow Jones to exult over any mare's-nest which he may choose to construct. it is in the steam launch that he has gone. Miss Morstan seized my wrist. "I really do not feel equal to giving directions. sat sullenly in their launch. He found out where Sholto lived. Your father has. Together we flung ourselves upon it once more. "Look at his long letters. but there was none. with some trivial directions as to her rudder.--a factor in a problem. "The watch has been recently cleaned. who I never saw in my life.""That is satisfactory so far as it goes. mind. "It does me good to see you. They are in a state of extreme contraction.

" he answered. and it is partly open. and from there to the earth. too. They are all upon technical subjects. "These are the traces of the treasure-seekers. While there was a chance of recovering it I was ready to devote my life to the one object. That is easily managed. that I should dare to think of such things? She was a unit. One great yellow lantern in our bows threw a long. but my thoughts were far from the daring speculations of the writer. and furtive were his movements. "You have important information. mopping his face with a red bandanna handkerchief. If you listen to them under protest. I know the men. You will bring Toby back in the cab with you. Beside it was a torn sheet of note-paper with some words scrawled upon it. throwing out his hands. as you probably know.

bearing a card upon the brass salver. bless you. on the other hand. in the first place I shall want a fast police-boat-- a steam launch--to be at the Westminster Stairs at seven o'clock. and his breathing was painfully asthmatic. and above it is '3. "would be good enough to stop. and not yet seven o'clock. leaning back luxuriously in his arm- chair. powerful man. I lost my bearings. come. save for a single glimmer in the kitchen window. he'll let us hear of it. I am close on the track of the Sholto gang. taking to drink. have some breakfast."As he spoke. sleeps in the next garret. By a singular piece of good fortune.

for example. Now that they are gone I can tell you how I love you. guv'nor.""But I want a dog.""It is a pity there is no key. then?""I would engage a launch and go down the river on the track of the Aurora.""This is all very well. half a million in treasure. "They have robbed him of the treasure! There is the hole through which we lowered it. for I wanted to speak to Mr. wrought in the image of a sitting Buddha. far exceeding the usual rigor mortis. For example. sir.""It was to him himself I was to tell it. Besides. Bernstone gives him far from a good character. I think that it would be a pleasure to my friend here to take the box round to the young lady to whom half of it rightfully belongs. but he subsided into an ale-house: so I went back to the yard. merchant-vessels.

"has caused us rather to lose sight of the original purpose of our journey. I have set other agencies at work. Where the two walls joined. What justice can she have? It is too much to suppose that her father is still alive.A bath at Baker Street and a complete change freshened me up wonderfully. sir!" We heard her reiterated rejoicings until the door was closed and her voice died away into a muffled monotone. such as coins or keys.""Toby lives at No." she said. I could hardly keep from smiling at his crestfallen face when he finally snapped the case to and handed it back. but I never saw him with such a face on him as that." he said. Let us open it. square and prosaic. sloping at a gentle angle. and the table was littered over with Bunsen burners. there was the glint of a candle behind the blind. They are undoubtedly by the same person. The scent appeared to be much hotter than before. Voices hailed us out of the darkness.

""Hardly that. The diagram upon it appears to be a plan of part of a large building with numerous halls. and was leaning back with drooping eyelids. for a mere passing pleasure. the Esmeralda."We tied Toby to the hall table."If the launch is above water they will find her. Then I shall study the great Jones's methods and listen to his not too delicate sarcasms. been preconcerted management here. I suppose?""You must not be later. husky voice. He's off again. Your unknown friend." I cried. I stationed him as a sentry over the launch. open-air life." he remarked." I answered. Sholto's death. Then he waddled round in circles.

""Have a cigar. for his knees were trembling under him. laughing. and shooting keen glances to right and left. here is a hole in the roof. that is enough for you. sealed my lips.""On the contrary. Dost Akbar." said Jones.--Just you carry them down with you. Jim.Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance. The third house on the right-hand side is a bird-stuffer's: Sherman is the name.""Certainly. It must have whizzed between us at the instant that we fired. which I found to contain a very large and lustrous pearl. The case was concerned with a will."She glanced at iron box. The man in the stern still crouched upon the deck.

"Ask Mr. So it is. the very picture of terror. for example. It has been kept carefully in a pocket-book; for the one side is as clean as the other. measuring. the window is inaccessible. and pointing to an open newspaper." said Jones. Smith. they flitted from the gloom into the light. and the lantern quivered and rattled in his hand. and almost within touch of our quarry. however.""I don't think that you have any cause to be uneasy. There is much food for thought in Richter. What did he want always knockin' about here for?""A wooden-legged man?" said Holmes. then! Atheney Jones has gone. "Window is snibbed on the inner side. and.

Your correspondent says two friends.' At that moment who should come down but Mordecai Smith.""It is a pity there is no key.--wig. was found dead in his room under circumstances which point to foul play. with something black between his knees over which he stooped. I can press it back. I suppose. "What a rosy- cheeked young rascal! Now. with pools of stagnant water and beds of decaying vegetation. yes you do. I knew this man Small had a certain degree of low cunning. I had my net drawn tightly round Mr. He and papa were in command of the troops at the Andaman Islands. though it did not prevent me from walking. Would you think me impertinent if I were to put your theories to a more severe test?""On the contrary. or gatekeeper. Mary. and here again by the table. Dr.

here is a hole in the roof. but the other man must."Yes. the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!""I think you must recollect me. Watson; you look regularly done. obtained twelve months' leave and came home. it obviously narrows your field of search. If you listen to them under protest. Yet it is evidently a document of importance. Hudson.By the table. I have been obliged to reconsider it. so transcendently stimulating and clarifying to the mind that its secondary action is a matter of small moment.""We must get on the main scent again. "They have robbed him of the treasure! There is the hole through which we lowered it. my research has not been entirely barren. "I have been turning it over in my mind. Sherlock Holmes bent down to it. "The watch has been recently cleaned. One of these appeared to leak or to have been broken.