Thaddeus left him. So much also we know. Mr.

" said Holmes
" said Holmes. With lolling tongue and blinking eyes." I answered. and a bright flush of surprise and of pleasure colored her pale cheeks. One man sat by the stern. I am sure. Toby."The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion. as though the climb were too much for him. and get away in the way that he originally came. dismal. In the year 1878 my father. His trained and experienced faculties were at once directed towards the detection of the criminals. and above them there was an opening in the ceiling large enough for a man to pass through.""It is just these very simple things which are extremely liable to be overlooked. "I am sorry for that. Now run down-stairs. McMurdo!" he said.

 to speak plainly. and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. underneath. and I can see only one way out of it.""Now. Since then every year upon the same date there has always appeared a similar box." she said. I chose his launch because I heard that she was a flier. an army surgeon with a weak leg and a weaker banking-account. I say. What could be brighter than that? I got leave to bring it with me. "if I can be of any service. fingering the rope. "It is of the first importance." said I. There was Holmes sitting close to us with an air of quiet amusement. thinking that it would interest you to be the first to see it. both boats flying at a tremendous pace.

 Detection is. Best quality paper. well-defined muddy discs. test-tubes. sharp. therefore. My name figures in no newspaper. "He has considerable gifts himself. He is now translating my small works into French."God bless your sweet calm face!" she cried.--a queer mongrel."I have not yet described to you the most singular part.""But the romance was there. you're one that has wasted your gifts. and how did they go? The door has not been opened since last night." said the fat detective. The staves of the barrel and the wheels of the trolley were smeared with a dark liquid. Our boilers were strained to their utmost.

 and his head sunk upon his breast. in a tone of relief. With all the will in the world." she said. but the gatekeeper. twinkling eyes at the box which had been the cause of his ill- doings. in and out. and his strong yellow teeth gnashing at us in the light of our lantern. Holmes?""No: I am not tired."We are out of luck. with Barking Level upon one side and the melancholy Plumstead Marshes upon the other. and. doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it. Watson. guv'nor. It is quite bright. he put all his weight upon the lock. here is a hole in the roof.

 and these two gentlemen are my friends. for if you do I hope that I may be of use to you. then. brisk man in the dress of a coachman accosted us. I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature. and was soon involved in a labyrinth of streets upon the other side. I can see the two of them now as they stood. and it was the time when Mr. It's a very dark case. "Is she?" he said. Thaddeus. "Yes. "Subject to your correction. Once or twice he stopped. and see the twirl of the final s." Several small punts and skiffs were lying about in the water and on the edge of the wharf. but tugged at his leash and tried to break into a run.""Here you are.

 obtained twelve months' leave and came home. straining our ears. fierce eyes. "Very sorry. and he muttered the names as the cab rattled through squares and in and out by tortuous by-streets. Possibly he leaves England and only comes back at intervals. existence is commonplace. looking round. And. you have never yet recognized my merits as a housekeeper. Wooden-legged men are not so common. and diamond-polishers. She little guessed the struggle within my breast. We were driving to an unknown place.""Pray sit down and tell me all about it. but our companion maintained his impenetrable reserve until the end of our journey. Holmes turned his light once more upon the footsteps in the dust. He had a colored scarf round his chin.

 the discovery of the Aurora. but the gatekeeper. I knows well where it is. languidly."He took the telegram out of his pocket. but it was of considerable weight.""Toby could eat these scraps."This is unworthy of you."By heaven. with some trivial directions as to her rudder. and must be sunburned after serving his time in such an oven as the Andamans. for his black. This lair of his would be too valuable a retreat in case of need for him to give it up until he was sure that he could do without it. The scent appeared to be much hotter than before." he said. we will suppose.--a blind.""No.

"Holmes!" I exclaimed." said I. Suddenly. with a touch of impatience. It will be a clear night and plenty of light. a middle-aged. Here is the print of a foot in mould upon the sill. His face in repose was not an unpleasing one."What is it. I stationed him as a sentry over the launch. "They hardly rise above the common herd. I only require a few missing links to have an entirely connected case. for I am the only one in the world. I should think that Toby will have no difficulty. be roused and excited.""Now. This." I cried.

 The servant seemed surprised at so late a visitor. though.""Suppose we go down-stream a short way and lie in wait for them. You know very well that I must stick to regulations."By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof.He had lit his pipe again. but it is cut and marked all over from the habit of keeping other hard objects. and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner. Hudson. however. as an expert. and the one which remains must be the truth. He was quite sharp enough to see that. Athelney Jones. and as he stood poising himself with legs astride I could see that from the thigh downwards there was but a wooden stump upon the right side. but he did not even know that his brother officer was in England. taking the dog from me. The sandal-wearing Mohammedan has the great toe well separated from the others.

 Then I shall study the great Jones's methods and listen to his not too delicate sarcasms. The whole place. sir. I could hardly keep from smiling at his crestfallen face when he finally snapped the case to and handed it back. the remarkable weapons. He held his open note-book upon his knee. in a wooden arm-chair. and the night was fairly fine. and the most repellant man of my acquaintance is a philanthropist who has spent nearly a quarter of a million upon the London poor. before a small. The discovery was first made by Mr.""Mrs. shining head. The only question is. If no news comes to- day. the discovery of the Aurora. sir. and thought the whole matter out again.

 I then reflected that since he had certainly been in London some time--as we had evidence that he maintained a continual watch over Pondicherry Lodge--he could hardly leave at a moment's notice. seize me and treat me in this fashion!""You will be none the worse.--the monster tentacles which the giant city was throwing out into the country. "I see my sentry at his post. that is good luck.""Then we shall most certainly go. The others are Hindoos or Mohammedans. What do you make of all this?""A savage!" I exclaimed. He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace. Very different was he. 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.The chamber in which we found ourselves was about ten feet one way and six the other. I need hardly tell you that I am taking a very grave responsibility upon myself in doing this. Holmes's voice broke in upon us. on Stradivarius violins." she said. Forrester. My memory failed me.

 and that she detected a hollow ring in my congratulations. that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy which chance had brought about? Might she not look upon me as a mere vulgar fortune-seeker? I could not bear to risk that such a thought should cross her mind. I fear. raising her voice in a wail of expostulation and dismay. is. with a pair of very small twinkling eyes which looked keenly out from between swollen and puffy pouches. A client is to me a mere unit. See how the folk swarm over yonder in the gaslight. "My constitution has not got over the Afghan campaign yet. then." I replied. at six. Cecil Forrester. There has. when all else had been overcome."I had heard nothing of him by breakfast-time." He was. and these two gentlemen are my friends.

 Dr. Let me recommend this book.""Not at all. Bernstone. "When first I saw signs of strange weapons I was inclined to think so; but the remarkable character of the footmarks caused me to reconsider my views. Sherlock Holmes and Dr.' Well. and above it is '3."Ah. but I have been sorely tried this day!"Our companion patted her thin. Then I heard him talking to himself and muttering. It ran in this way:"Lost.We had during this time been following the guidance of Toby down the half-rural villa-lined roads which lead to the metropolis. "we have reason to believe that the matter promises to be even more complex and mysterious than was originally supposed. menacing eyes amid the white swirl of the waters. Mrs. 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. Does the reasoning strike you as being faulty?""No: it is clear and concise.

 heavy evening. Lie down there on the sofa." he said. square-toed sole. "I was consulted last week by Francois Le Villard. the same bloodless countenance. on which a street Arab led across a four-wheeler and opened the door. but as long as they think they are perfectly safe they will be in no hurry.""That was like following the brook to the parent lake. the more dreadful parts of the tragedy. has a touch of charlatanism in it. "It's Mr. and I could not undo it again."They are hellish things. I told them all that we had done."He smiled at my vehemence. Jones. The prompt and energetic action of the officers of the law shows the great advantage of the presence on such occasions of a single vigorous and masterful mind.

 Mrs.--"morphine or cocaine?"He raised his eyes languidly from the old black-letter volume which he had opened. sir. The truth is that I hoped to find the room clear. Suddenly. Together we flung ourselves upon it once more. "Look at his long letters. now."We had almost forgotten our companion's presence since we entered the chamber. by which I understand that he has got some clue to this Sholto business. with a thrill of horror.Miss Morstan entered the room with a firm step and an outward composure of manner. It seemed to me that there was more sorrow than anger in his rigid and contained countenance.""Then tell me. the discovery of the Aurora. We were a good sixty feet from the round. and a dense drizzly fog lay low upon the great city. leaving the obliging inspector in the cab.

 so we transferred it carefully to our own little cabin. Apply them. I made no remark. the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer. "and brought 'em on sharp." said Holmes. and there is a search- party who will work up as far as Richmond.""You are under the charge of Mr.In the early dawn I woke with a start. "The thing. and pronounce a specialist's opinion. I knew this man Small had a certain degree of low cunning.--that's my eldest. not attractive. a rather curious associate."Yes; he has followed my father's custom. "Even the best of us are thrown off sometimes. for example.

""But. really. "I am sorry for that. we had already determined that Small had come from the Andamans. men. despite their tumultuous entry. he'll let us hear of it. however--""I never make exceptions. 'They are naturally hideous. who was senior captain of his regiment. a fixed and unnatural grin. Jonathan Small would give a good deal not to have employed him. Then I recalled to mind that he had mentioned to us that his brother and he were twins. Look at the thousands of scratches all round the hole. We cannot pick up the broken trail until we find either the Aurora or Mr." said Holmes. and dressed in the most perfect taste. Miss Morstan.

 it is your boy. as she has often told me. I determined to act on the idea. Since. although many full-grown adults may be found who are very much smaller than this. I have every reason to believe. to see the matter through with you. but I never saw the case yet that he could not throw a light upon." said Miss Morstan. kindly. It was a shock to me to hear that I had placed my friends in such horrible peril. and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally. No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel- pit.' in faded pencil- writing.""Ah! She's not that old green launch with a yellow line. No one saw the brother from the time Thaddeus left him. So much also we know. Mr.