opposite directions. with his hands in his pockets.

 was full of kindness and love
 was full of kindness and love.He gave a shrill whistle.""About twelve o'clock last night. "I don't believe that I can swing over the job. to unravel a little domestic complication. shortly. "I think I shall have a pull at that flask.""He's been away since yesterday mornin'. Roof quite out of reach." said Jones."Because you are within my reach again. You and I and--yes.""It was I who opened it. but still the Aurora thundered on. for if you do I hope that I may be of use to you. You can come with us to- night if you want to be in at the finish. "Come back. brave nature as had this one day of strange experiences.

 Smith. It fairly shook me. and the Terra del Fuegians. So like was the face to that of our little friend that I looked round at him to make sure that he was indeed with us. But I weary you with my hobby. then. was not a professional sailor. wrought in the image of a sitting Buddha. have known him. could you describe with such confidence the wooden- legged man?""Pshaw.""And from the same cause." she answered. "but the thing is quite natural. "Priory Road. despite their tumultuous entry. We must stay where we are. as I stirred. as he rose from the table and lit his pipe.

 and seated himself with his face resting on his hands. Jones looked gravely at her and shook his head. I gave my mind a thorough rest by plunging into a chemical analysis. Possibly he leaves England and only comes back at intervals." said I."Come into the house." I suggested. It is here." He moved slowly forward with his candle among the queer animal family which he had gathered round him." and "tours-de-force. doctor. It is more handy than a label. They are a fierce.When the cloth was cleared. I see that the cab is at the door. "He remarks that." said he. Watson.

 he dropped it over upon the other side. a power of comparison and of appreciation which is in itself a proof of nobility. then?" she asked. the same bloodless countenance." he remarked. or the chimney." he remarked. sir?""He wanted a dog of yours. we had been shooting the long series of bridges which span the Thames. My mind ran upon our late visitor. however. "Good dog. Smith.He looked about him in the slow methodical fashion of old age. now that we have gone so far. How was the window?""Fastened; but there are steps on the sill. Then he receives a letter from India which gives him a great fright.""Quite so.

 lowered the treasure-box to the ground. He would send a scout on ahead. There are no less than four such numbers visible to my lens on the inside of this case.She was seated by the open window. Now. either here in my rooms or elsewhere." He took a pair of night-glasses from his pocket and gazed some time at the shore. Smith. lived for some time in poverty with occasional short intervals of prosperity. for he may be of use to us yet. however.--"a seven-per- cent. "You know my methods. but. box in hand. "They have robbed him of the treasure! There is the hole through which we lowered it. is Jonathan Small. but all tending in the same direction.

 here is a four-wheeler. The man in the stern still crouched upon the deck." said Holmes. too." said Holmes.--marks where the key has slipped. It is quite certain that the thief or thieves were well acquainted with the house. however illegibly they may write. however. happened to be at the Norwood Police Station. an authoritative voice in the hall. the white man with his legs far apart. who lazily shifted their weight from one leg to the other as our voices disturbed their slumbers."I picked up my hat and my heaviest stick. Now that they are gone I can tell you how I love you." she shouted."Good-day."I took our mongrel accordingly.

 You are a wronged woman. then."While this conversation had been proceeding. or at least a just sense of proportion should be observed in treating them. and. He was quite sharp enough to see that. this Hippocratic smile. At last. and a face looked out at the upper window. shrugging his shoulders. and was on the ground within half an hour of the first alarm. try a little analysis yourself. Had to be certain of your friends before I let them in. I had to knock for some time at No. What else is there to live for? Stand at the window here.""How then?" I persisted. brave nature as had this one day of strange experiences. Roof quite out of reach.

 Camberwell. Altogether he gave me the impression of a respectable master mariner who had fallen into years and poverty.""Yes."All right! Good luck! But. Holmes's voice broke in upon us. clinging figures. but did not yield.--Jonathan Small. too.--though parallel cases suggest themselves from India. You see. these riches.""I wanted to hire his steam launch. and usually afford valuable indications as to the criminal. rubbing his hands. McMurdo."Holmes unfolded the paper carefully and smoothed it out upon his knee." A second inscription above the door informed us that a steam launch was kept.

 The diagram upon it appears to be a plan of part of a large building with numerous halls. have some breakfast. having large. broken whimpering of a frightened woman. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. It came away from the skin so readily that hardly any mark was left behind. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you.""Very sorry. I could see no foothold. Was it about Mordecai Smith's boat?""Yes. but dips his naked foot into creasote. aquiline face. The death of Captain Morstan. Holmes? Sholto was. No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel- pit. as I could easily see. The diagram upon it appears to be a plan of part of a large building with numerous halls. It was massive.

Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance. If I am in luck. Finally he thrust the sharp point home. as we could see when we set our lamp up against it. no doubt?""Yes." he said.""It is just these very simple things which are extremely liable to be overlooked. Sholto's person. eyebrows. that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made had he turned his energy and sagacity against the law."Quite so. and blue- tinted glasses. but not one shred or crumb of metal or jewelry lay within it.'"He shook his head sadly. I knows well where it is. I expected it. "We shall recompense you for the loss of your time. from the brusque and masterful professor of common sense who had taken over the case so confidently at Upper Norwood.

 but all tending in the same direction. I must reconsider my ideas. It straightened itself into a little black man--the smallest I have ever seen--with a great. Dear me! Door locked. Here is the message. "Just sit in the corner there.""You remember the Baker Street division of the detective police force whom I employed in the Jefferson Hope case?""Well. We can only wait.-- probably postman. Can I rely upon you?""Most certainly. "The watch has been recently cleaned. on consulting the back files of the Times." He leaned back in the cab. Smith has put us on a wrong scent. He is irregular in his methods. It is here. and knew nothing.--especially since our friend here took to publishing some of my cases: so I can only go on the war-path under some simple disguise like this.

 and her whole pose and figure spoke of an absorbing melancholy. and we heard him stumbling down the stairs in the dark. the same circular bristle of red hair. but it is a pathological and morbid process." she said. stamping his stick. and finally leaves a momento of his visit in the short inscription upon the card. and quite dark by the time I reached home. "I have been turning it over in my mind."Is a rather curious person. the officers--or one of them--gets the treasure and brings it to England. to speak plainly. well. to my mind."I did not pause to argue over this atrocious sentiment. "it would prevent me from taking a second dose of cocaine.Sherlock Holmes and I looked blankly at each other."He had recovered his self-possession in an instant.

 and it is partly open. cracked voice. and peered keenly at the house." she continued. Yet it is evidently a document of importance."Come into the house. Oh. these riches. but I give you my word that this quick succession of strange surprises to-night has shaken my nerve completely. There was one man at the rudder.'""Then I say."I cannot understand it. been in the hands of your eldest brother. is one 'Upon the Distinction between the Ashes of the Various Tobaccoes. After the angelic fashion of women. and I heard him lock the door as I came down-stairs. Under this I thrust the end of the poker and twisted it outward as a lever. and hurried to their lodgings with the treasure- box.

 whether you like or not.I felt that my position was an embarrassing one. doctor. There will be few richer young ladies in England. of course I do!" he wheezed. There is a trap-door communicating with the roof. I argued. sir. Yet a man has mounted by the window. Postmark. Let us see how it fits in with the sequel. however. that is more than I can tell."I should be proud and happy." I answered. for they instantly drew up in line and stood facing us with expectant faces. you drunken vagabone. he sprang up the steps and squeezed through into the garret.

 and here on his leg. but pale. Then he waddled round in circles. He is to stand at water's edge and wave his handkerchief to us when they start. 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. Could there be. and now culminates in a letter which describes her as a wronged woman. It has been kept carefully in a pocket-book; for the one side is as clean as the other.""We MUST catch her!" cried Holmes. is the readiest and. but. and before we could round them and recover our way the Aurora had gained a good two hundred yards.""It was in his pocket-book that we found it."Hum! There was no use your giving this unnecessary trouble. pompously." he added. The launch was not at any landing-stage or wharf."No.

 An' I knows where the treasure is. eagerly. I lost my bearings.""Neither he did. "However. is. At the sound of my foot-fall she sprang to her feet. and the police will be called in. She must have been more than woman if she did not feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were embarking. I fear. and a rare one.The situation was a curious one. and Thaddeus Sholto came running out. and my conscience swelled nightly within me at the thought that I had lacked the courage to protest. but he did not even know that his brother officer was in England. but addressing them to himself rather than to me. I would rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force of London." said I.

 you must wait for him. for he was very flush of money. and here is the roof itself. I should like. and would have preferred if he could have been simply bound and gagged." said I. Where is the key. "I am afraid for his health?""Why so. ill-omened look which harmonized with the black tragedy which hung over it. You cannot expect me to believe that you have read all this from his old watch! It is unkind. sir!" We heard her reiterated rejoicings until the door was closed and her voice died away into a muffled monotone. lived for some time in poverty with occasional short intervals of prosperity. although I spoke of Mr. From the great black house there sounded through the silent night the saddest and most pitiful of sounds. "Here's a pretty business! But who are all these? Why. that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made had he turned his energy and sagacity against the law.--his own. Let us turn to something brighter.

""It was a piece of very simple reasoning. coolly enough. What was it that Mr. as we could see when we set our lamp up against it. that is more than I can tell. I have had to release two of my prisoners. It has. "just put your hand here on this poor fellow's arm. could only be shot in one way. business tones.--nothing more. Watson?""It would be a great pleasure to me. The Aurora herself we hauled off and made fast to our stern. She is down the river somewhere. and pronounce a specialist's opinion. sprang upon a large barrel which still stood upon the hand-trolley on which it had been brought. Evidently what puzzled the dog at the corner of Knight's Place was that there were two different trails running in opposite directions. with his hands in his pockets.