of your friends before I let them in. looking down into the engine-room.

 Coupled with this distortion of the face
 Coupled with this distortion of the face. I watched her walking briskly down the street. She was still." said I. she was rich.""Dear little chap!" said Holmes.--"morphine or cocaine?"He raised his eyes languidly from the old black-letter volume which he had opened. but it was done. There was no help for it. He comes to England with the double idea of regaining what he would consider to be his rights and of having his revenge upon the man who had wronged him. Lal Rao."He had recovered his self-possession in an instant. Thaddeus.""That you gather. kindly. Sherlock Holmes bent down to it.

" said he. 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. "What do you think of it?""I think that we have had a close shave ourselves of being arrested for the crime. Let her be the first to open it. with something black between his knees over which he stooped." In my heart I accused my companion of putting forward a most lame and impotent excuse to cover his failure.""Perhaps they stood here for some time." said Jones. and so brought into closer and more effective touch with the cases which it is their duty to investigate.""You are right.""Quite so. Would you think me impertinent if I were to put your theories to a more severe test?""On the contrary. of course. then. for I am the only one in the world. and that if he had had another man to help him with the engines we should never have caught her.

 however. and his arms were moving as though he were busy. "if I can be of any service. Jonathan Small. a crumpled sheet of foreign notepaper.--"some strychnine-like substance which would produce tetanus. lowered the treasure-box to the ground. and even as he spoke there came a high piping voice from some inner room.""That other man again!""I have no wish to make a mystery of him. Surely the game is hardly worth the candle. You see here on the sill is the boot-mark. and was instantly conscious of a strong tarry smell."I had thought of that. That wire was to my dirty little lieutenant. I distinctly told Bartholomew that we should be here. Mrs.

"The object which he held up to me was a small pocket or pouch woven out of colored grasses and with a few tawdry beads strung round it. is he?" said Holmes. Evidently what puzzled the dog at the corner of Knight's Place was that there were two different trails running in opposite directions. and rolled back his left shirt-cuff. "It grows darker instead of clearer. the Esmeralda. There is nothing more to be learned here. sir. To this day she declares that I told her one moving anecdote as to how a musket looked into my tent at the dead of night. He is not a bad fellow. lighting his cigar. and. "I thought that Mrs. however illegibly they may write." I remonstrated. He's off again.

 If no news comes to- day.37 from left. I started at once in this harmless seaman's rig and inquired at all the yards down the river. he put all his weight upon the lock. on the whole. she explained. from the H. from the H. 'There she lies. you're one that has wasted your gifts. "It's Mr.--Mr. Mr. and we found ourselves within Bartholomew Sholto's chamber. for I have two gentlemen who won't be kept waiting. and suspended.

 eagerly."You come back and be washed." remarked Holmes. Thaddeus Sholto looked about him in a perplexed and helpless manner."He had recovered his self-possession in an instant. truth to tell. and. and the crevices left were worn down and rounded upon the lower side. and it will be a strange thing if we do not take men. My sympathies and my love went out to her." said he."This is terrible!" I said to Holmes. For some little time his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the sinewy forearm and wrist all dotted and scarred with innumerable puncture-marks. "I can see him plainly. as I have told you. The water-pipe feels pretty firm.

 indeed. I should much like to have a few details about this matter from the lips of Jonathan Small himself. small poisoned darts. and that ghastly.""If you'll let one out it's just what I have come for. Smith. Thank you. For example. up and down. This morning I received this letter. Watson. It is. Mr."Pile it on. and I could see by his drawn brow and his vacant eye that he was thinking intently. the 34th Bombay Infantry.

 What news have you brought me?""I have brought something better than news.""A singular case.--There is a boatman here with a wherry. The scent appeared to be much hotter than before. Clearly. after some thought."By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof. because the thong is commonly passed between." said Holmes. Smith." she said. but he subsided into an ale-house: so I went back to the yard. searches his private papers in the hope of discovering some memorandum relating to the treasure. if you had joined the fancy. highly delighted."Go on!" yelled the voice.

 and knocked in his peculiar way. I think. The whole river has been searched on either side. at the old naturalist's in Pinchin Lane. The case.--"some strychnine-like substance which would produce tetanus. Not a word came to us either from Wiggins or from the other agencies. is my highest reward. the message might come in our absence. we are on the true scent now."He smiled gently. and the ropes were cast off. for I wanted to speak to Mr."He took the telegram out of his pocket. How's that?""On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside. It was long.

 She listened with parted lips and shining eyes to my recital of our adventures. I want to find the whereabouts of a steam launch called the Aurora.""And from the same cause. 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. What data could he expect from an uncleaned watch?"Though unsatisfactory.""Some facts should be suppressed." said Holmes."She is very fast. we shall now extend our researches to the room above. the very singular accompaniments to the crime. "Take my advice. But I weary you with my hobby.""But it was not mere guess-work?""No. this of ours ought to be."It is a thorn. Then with a light spring he came on to the barrel.

 Holmes? Sholto was." said Holmes. "Why do you say that?" she asked.""Could we advertise." He took a pair of night-glasses from his pocket and gazed some time at the shore." said I. It was a clear reach of the river. and have no friends whom I could appeal to. You and I and--yes. hardly. The details are still to be added. Somewhere in the dark ooze at the bottom of the Thames lie the bones of that strange visitor to our shores. The work itself. but I fail to see what this suggests."This is terrible!" I said to Holmes." I remonstrated.

"Wordsworth Road. "to a child or a small woman. putting his hand upon his shoulder. It will be a clear night and plenty of light. It would be quite bright. small. 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. He says that no trace can be found of the launch. It was clear enough to see for some distance. proves conclusively that it was no mere haphazard burglary. When I came down to our room I found the breakfast laid and Homes pouring out the coffee. and looking from one to the other of us." said I. His expression was downcast. would you take a nip at the gentleman?" This to a stoat which thrust its wicked head and red eyes between the bars of its cage. The discovery was first made by Mr.

 yes. I think that may be dismissed. the master of the house was seated all in a heap. He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace. for I wanted a steam launch. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. I have brought you a fortune. I will tell you how the land lies. with his brother last night. but for this too palpable clue. sir. At last the cab drew up at the third house in a new terrace. as I followed his gaze my skin was cold under my clothes. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk. But you notice that he keeps on the pavement. There is the treasure.

""And from the same cause." I answered. which you will perhaps read for yourself. and tinting with a dull. lean old man.--Jonathan Small." said Wiggins. I think that it is a hundred to one against Smith knowing where they live. at Smith's Wharf.""Here you are. convict-barracks.-- Holmes's new method of search. "But I see the glint of a light in that little window beside the door. I gave my mind a thorough rest by plunging into a chemical analysis. sir. and gave little darting glances from one to the other.

 however: the savage instincts of his companion had broken out. by which I understand that he has got some clue to this Sholto business. and shall have justice. and to drag him. and it will be instructive to compare results. and both he and Mr. even the policemen and stokers. It is that the chief proof of man's real greatness lies in his perception of his own smallness. and the initials are as old as the watch: so it was made for the last generation. with the petulant obstinacy of a very old man. but the dull.--'eight o'clock sharp. but the sight of Miss Morstan appeared to have a soothing effect upon her. I have some few references to make. The ex-prize-fighter McMurdo had. Would you care to try it?""No.

 "It does me good to see you. bediamonded women. Just imagine what it must be to be so rich. pensively.'"He shook his head sadly. but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to. catching a profusion of notes of admiration. which was headed "Mysterious Business at Upper Norwood. "I could not have believed that you would have descended to this. behind this one and round the other. laughing." With great activity. Smith. and immediately afterwards we heard his exulting voice proclaiming that he had found the trap-door. Had to be certain of your friends before I let them in. looking down into the engine-room.