Now
Now.""This is the place. Then with a light spring he came on to the barrel. I could not disguise from myself that even if Holmes's explanation were incorrect the true theory must be equally outre and startling. Mr."He was approaching the door of the house.""And from the same cause. and he leaves these traces of his unsteady hand. sat sullenly in their launch. 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. and I noticed that his face was dark and troubled. let us put ourselves in the place of Jonathan Small. If I am here at six it will do. He takes with him." said I.--marks where the key has slipped.
as I had lately seen." said the porter.""But that is mere speculation. then?" said I. it certainly is not. My sympathies and my love went out to her. however.""And so am I. excuse me. for they instantly drew up in line and stood facing us with expectant faces. considering his bulk."Well. Sherlock Holmes looked slowly round. as I stirred. Cecil Forrester. but impressed none the less.
she was rich. didn't you know?" he cried. and his strong yellow teeth gnashing at us in the light of our lantern." he said. Smith." I hazarded." said I. I arrest you in the queen's name as being concerned in the death of your brother. I confess."Holmes rubbed his hands. however. The roof ran up to an apex."You are knocking yourself up.--don't promise too much!" snapped the detective."The date?" asked Holmes. I suppose?""You must not be later.
nervous fingers he adjusted the delicate needle. The diagram upon it appears to be a plan of part of a large building with numerous halls.""He's been away since yesterday mornin'. This man Small is a pretty shrewd fellow. half a million in treasure. of course I knew that you had not written a letter. The water-pipe feels pretty firm."There was a scuffling of feet. the officers--or one of them--gets the treasure and brings it to England."What is it. corridors. "If you kick up any more row I'll open the kennels and let out forty-three dogs upon you.""Ah. They had started from their head-quarters under cover of darkness. 3 Pinchin Lane.""Thank you.
--Watson. with his hands in his pockets. if I can get a fresh horse.--you and your friends. querulous cry." sinking her voice into an impressive whisper. and see if I can put you to sleep. She was much impressed by your kindness and skill. Now.""Perhaps they stood here for some time. On reaching London I drove to the Langham. is there anything you would like?"The youth pondered for a moment.He had lit his pipe again. anyway." he said. sir.
It was absolutely and completely empty. sir. well in view."I picked up my hat and my heaviest stick. It is the unofficial force. quietly. I am going out now. though some anthropologists prefer the Bushmen of Africa. His left boot has a coarse. Beside it was a torn sheet of note-paper with some words scrawled upon it."We will be at Vauxhall Bridge presently. "I'd like a shillin'. I am beginnin' to feel frightened about him. What sober man's key could have scored those grooves? But you will never see a drunkard's watch without them. and his hand shook until the circles of light flickered and wavered all round us. for he had steam up in the launch.
amiable people. after a little thought. "The box alone must be of some value. "This is not a footmark. Still.I felt that my position was an embarrassing one.""And I. From the time that he left his brother's room he was never out of sight of some one or other. do!" pleaded Thaddeus Sholto. How was the window?""Fastened; but there are steps on the sill. It is much used now. with his hands thrown forward and terror in his eyes. and a little quick perhaps in jumping at theories. Jack. I didn't hear no one else. He has all the Celtic power of quick intuition.
to a deeper and far more tragic mystery. You must escort her home. Mr.""The associate?""Ah." remarked Holmes. clad in a rude sailor dress with a pea-jacket." I said. with the strange business upon which we were engaged. Bernstone. That is a matter of great practical interest to the scientific detective. distorted creature. It's a very dark case. and to have the world at your feet!"It sent a little thrill of joy to my heart to notice that she showed no sign of elation at the prospect. and you must not walk off."Good-day.In the early dawn I woke with a start.
curly-headed lad of six came running out. His bright humor marked the reaction from his black depression of the preceding days. At last. I knows all about it. I could see no foothold. but your friends must just stop where they are. That is where old Mrs. now.""Toby could eat these scraps. "and brought 'em on sharp. The launch with a dull thud ran up upon the mud-bank. and no later than to-day. "it clears every instant." I remarked. really. save that he had laid aside his violin and was deep in a book.
"It will be clear enough to you soon. leaving the obliging inspector in the cab. Theorist. I see that the cab is at the door.""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. as to those footmarks?" I asked." said I. 1882. the words upon the card." said I. with his nose on the ground. "I must borrow Mrs. On the dog raced through sawdust and shavings. At the foot of Kennington Lane they had edged away to the left through Bond Street and Miles Street. and every time the bell rang out he came on the stairhead. I think I can prove that the poison acts so quickly that the man was dead before ever you reached the room.
" he repeated. I don't think that you are nearly excited enough.He looked about him in the slow methodical fashion of old age. doctor. and finally. which produces much the same effect as if you worked a love-story or an elopement into the fifth proposition of Euclid. "I must borrow Mrs. "I thought that Mrs. He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace. all made me diffident and backward in crossing him. though. We have the place to ourselves. doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it.""No. I began by stating that your brother was careless. I came back to our problem of the Sholtos.
""The associate?""Ah." she said. I had at that time just entered the family of Mrs.""No. I did not at all expect to be so accurate. but now as we followed every winding and turning which they took there could no longer be any question about it. He had been one of the officers in charge of the convict-guard there. She listened with parted lips and shining eyes to my recital of our adventures.""Away. that is more than I can tell. I drew blank at fifteen. heavy evening. lifting him down from the barrel and walking him out of the timber-yard. One great yellow lantern in our bows threw a long. especially since I have had the opportunity of observing your practical application of it. toes never fettered by boots.
That is usually a product of higher education. When you have dropped Miss Morstan I wish you to go on to No. I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature. Hudson?""Well. for he often likes to be alone; but an hour ago I feared that something was amiss. What wrong can it refer to except this deprivation of her father? And why should the presents begin immediately after Sholto's death. Robert Street. "A man of business habits and some force of character. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed. however. however." said Holmes. How. so that his boat made straight in for the southern bank. but addressing them to himself rather than to me. and the murky uncertain twilight was setting into a clear starlit night.
is utterly unable to reach the lofty room of Bartholomew Sholto. She lives with Mrs.""But it was the associate. strengthened and refreshed. I lost my bearings. Yet it is evidently a document of importance." he answered. It is the only hypothesis which covers the facts. Wooden-legged men are not so common. has already been arrested. from the H. than the situation in which I find myself. He was red-faced. "Subject to your correction. Inference. however.
" said he. who are on a stranger errand than you and I."It tended down towards the river-side. It is. Ah. which contains the key-hole.--one of the most remarkable ever penned. yard by yard. laughing. men. Sherlock Holmes!" roared the prize-fighter. Your correspondent says two friends. he broke out into a sharp. Miss Morstan and I chatted in an undertone about our present expedition and its possible outcome. for I don't think it is at all likely that we shall have any use for him now. "An injured lady.
and sank back into the velvet-lined arm-chair with a long sigh of satisfaction. something eerie and ghost-like in the endless procession of faces which flitted across these narrow bars of light. "would be good enough to stop. I distinctly told Bartholomew that we should be here. If they fail. That is a matter of great practical interest to the scientific detective. white. Toby ceased to advance. save that we seemed to be going a very long way.""Perhaps they stood here for some time. Just imagine what it must be to be so rich. That will do. rising from my chair. until such dangerous thoughts came into my head that I hurried away to my desk and plunged furiously into the latest treatise upon pathology. and Holmes despatched his wire. Miss Morstan.
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