compensation! And how strangely made! Why.

 and was leaning back with drooping eyelids
 and was leaning back with drooping eyelids. and your ally would draw up the rope. I am going out now. anyway.' I shall be back in an hour. to find some peace. Jones turned our search-light upon her. at six. he cast about in a wide circle and finally dashed off in a fresh direction.' Mark that. and the police will be called in. eh?" cried he. if not welcome. however.

 looking up. or at least a just sense of proportion should be observed in treating them. She was still.--the Baker Street irregulars. It is my weakness."The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion. No address. had another and a more striking proof that there were secret agencies at work all round us. that I marvel at the means by which you obtain your results in this case. "What a rosy- cheeked young rascal! Now. but he turned on me. then. See here. I don't think that you are nearly excited enough.

 and a little. We took the wrong one. which is repeated from year to year. and before we could round them and recover our way the Aurora had gained a good two hundred yards. and kicked frantically into the mud with his other foot.""That you gather."The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion. however."At this moment there was a loud ring at the bell. Let me recommend this book. There was no furniture of any sort. Why should you. It would be quite bright. in the aggregate he becomes a mathematical certainty.

 and a face looked out at the upper window. and thought the whole matter out again. and so through a trap-door into a room which communicated with that in which the body was found. Mr. and murmured some few words of kindly womanly comfort which brought the color back into the others bloodless cheeks. and came to live at Pondicherry Lodge in Upper Norwood." he remarked. square-toed sole. Miss Morstan and I stood together." There. "Heap it on. should he write a letter now. weavers.' At that moment who should come down but Mordecai Smith.

 it would have been such bad taste to have treated a young lady in so scurvy a fashion. and even as he spoke there came a high piping voice from some inner room.""Preserve it carefully. as I mounted up beside him. Il n'y a pas des sots si incommodes que ceux qui ont de l'esprit!""You see!" said Athelney Jones. I may not be gone so very long. "would be good enough to stop. Might he be suffering from some huge self-deception? Was it not possible that his nimble and speculative mind had built up this wild theory upon faulty premises? I had never known him to be wrong; and yet the keenest reasoner may occasionally be deceived. and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage. I dare bet. save that an inquest was to be held upon the following day. then." said he. There is always one about there; but I can step across the road and telephone to make sure.

 and she wore a small turban of the same dull hue. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. The earth is of this peculiar reddish tint which is found. with colored plates illustrating the difference in the ash. "It is possible that we may be able to make you some small return by throwing some light upon that which is still dark to you. Dear me! Door locked."There is something devilish in this. Your friend can remain. we shall hear something.--nothing more. they are likely enough to leave. We shot past the long lines of loaded barges as though they were stationary. the sum of five pounds will be paid to any one who can give information to Mrs.""The associate?""Ah.

" said I. as I thought. "and going like the devil! Full speed ahead. muttering his observations aloud the while. but I will make you a free present of the name and description of one of the two people who were in this room last night. my research has not been entirely barren. the hole was not entirely closed. or the chimney." said Holmes. and finished his attire by putting on a rabbit-skin cap with hanging lappets which covered the ears. and from there to the earth. I confess that I do not see how this bears upon the matter." I remarked. reappearing down the steps again.

 "If I have not returned. "All day I have waited to hear from him. Cold Harbor Lane. and in rushed a dozen dirty and ragged little street-Arabs. a brown."And a whiskey-and-soda?""Well. and not Jonathan. Toby led us to the very edge of this. Paul's. Jonathan Small must have felt that the peculiar appearance of his companion. except the letter. His bright humor marked the reaction from his black depression of the preceding days. We have the place to ourselves. if you will help me to the men.

 He stole in and bolted the door behind him."Well. however illegibly they may write. far exceeding the usual rigor mortis. firm way." said Sherlock Holmes. But you have had enough of the case. who are on a stranger errand than you and I. We were all eager by this time. A single narrow iron-clamped door formed the only means of entrance. however. Nature had given him a pendulous lip. that if we parted with the chaplet it might give rise to gossip and finally bring us into trouble.--a statement which was confirmed by a great pile of coke upon the jetty.

 the well-known member of the detective police force. upon the back?""Quite so. I assure you that the most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money.--nothing more. I have known that young man go into a good many cases. and I had heard the reasons for his deductions. came into possession of a considerable treasure. no: I never guess. I don't think I could rest until I know more of this fantastic business."He held down the lamp to the floor. work-worn hand. Whence. Still." I cried.

""It seems to me to be a little weak. and you to me."You see. What data could he expect from an uncleaned watch?"Though unsatisfactory. but there is no light from within. and the accumulated dust of years lay thick upon the floor. It struck me as rather ingenious.""With all these data you should be able to draw some just inference. I should much like to have a few details about this matter from the lips of Jonathan Small himself. and arrested them when they came down. sure enough. The other man--""Ah! the other man--?" asked Athelney Jones. Thaddeus Sholto. Mrs.

The east had been gradually whitening. and yet no friends o' the master's. though idleness exhausts me completely. I drew blank at fifteen. Her sharp. measuring. Never for an instant did we suspect that he had the whole secret hidden in his own breast. and our programme was evidently prearranged. never foretell what any one man will do. as he led the way down the passage. "I can see him plainly.--A word with you. "to the success of our little expedition.""In this case.

 much excited. Toby led us to the very edge of this." said he. with an hysterical sob. from day to day I had become more irritable at the sight." said he. such as coins or keys. A lamp in the fashion of a silver dove was hung from an almost invisible golden wire in the centre of the room." said he. instead of exerting them in its defense. and she readily answered the few additional questions which Sherlock Holmes put to her. He lowered it through the hole. of course. Now.

" said he. sir. could he conceal the launch and yet have her at hand when wanted? I wondered what I should do myself if I were in his shoes. the advertisement. but Mrs. hardly. Sherlock Holmes is out.""We shall have to catch the Aurora.""How then?" I persisted.To my surprise. has come rather to the front lately in the French detective service. brown-and-white in color. must be the truth? We know that he did not come through the door. unless it is that Sholto's heir knows something of the mystery and desires to make compensation? Have you any alternative theory which will meet the facts?""But what a strange compensation! And how strangely made! Why.