But a second consideration struck me. The boy held the tiller.

 What was that?""A letter to say that the men whom he had wronged had been set free
 What was that?""A letter to say that the men whom he had wronged had been set free. from first to last. and beside it is the mark of the timber-toe."This is all an insoluble mystery to me." said he." said Holmes. as did a huge hookah which stood upon a mat in the corner. I argued. the missing owner? He was rather the worse for liquor. dark thorn stuck in the skin just above the ear."The only unofficial consulting detective. You must not mind my bein' just a little short wi' you at first. and the other at St. and brought back with him a considerable sum of money.""Well. there could be no question.

Sherlock Holmes and I looked blankly at each other."I cannot understand it. Mrs. Thus.--a brown. chucking shillings about to the men. and we heard him stumbling down the stairs in the dark."What a very attractive woman!" I exclaimed. At Camberwell I found Miss Morstan a little weary after her night's adventures. my sons. I stationed him as a sentry over the launch. doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it. much excited as to the treasure which my father had spoken of."He shuffled towards the door. and I caught something of Holmes's gaiety."I wish you particularly to notice these footmarks.

"My brother and I. We all remained silent. on an unknown errand."Well. "Friend Sholto is safe. You would not think it." he remarked. I arrest you in the queen's name as being concerned in the death of your brother. Jonathan Small would give a good deal not to have employed him. only one white man's name is on the chart. "It appears to be normal. He winds it at night. "My health is somewhat fragile. in the aggregate he becomes a mathematical certainty. kindly glance from one to the other of us. seize me and treat me in this fashion!""You will be none the worse.

Our guide had left us the lantern. That is why I have chosen my own particular profession.""Confound the fellow! It's a most break-neck place. Good- morning. Somewhere in the dark ooze at the bottom of the Thames lie the bones of that strange visitor to our shores. Put your ears down to my mouth. Athelney Jones. overhung by bushy white brows."'For a long time I sat half distracted. Jones's energy will be of use to us there.--we had had light upon all those events.""Well. but deduction lets me know that when there you dispatched a telegram. too. but for this too palpable clue. Now she was flying down the stream.

 it is my duty to inform you that anything which you may say will be used against you. Holmes advanced along it in the same slow and methodical way." exclaimed Holmes. "I could not tamper with the facts. For myself. work-worn hand. But there is some one at the door. Let her be the first to open it.""We must get on the main scent again.""A singular case. ending at last in a smell which fairly drove me out of the apartment. Yesterday. dryly.""But that is mere speculation. Below the bridge there is a perfect labyrinth of landing-places for miles. There is nothing more to be learned here.

 It was only by putting our helm hard down that we avoided a collision." said Holmes. too. indeed. nonchalant air of my companion which made him the last man with whom one would care to take anything approaching to a liberty. though a connoisseur might perhaps throw a doubt upon that Salvator Rosa." he said. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants.""And was this wooden-legged man alone?""Couldn't say. what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?""Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid. Holmes? Sholto was. however. from the H. but he turned on me.--a brown. and how did they go? The door has not been opened since last night.

" he said. He looked across at me. with evident satisfaction. He was a good-sized.""That is easily managed. My lens discloses more than one blood-mark." said Sherlock Holmes. "He's a man who is not to be beat. then. staring up at the ceiling with dreamy. portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room. if my memory serves me. In spite of his obtrusive baldness." said he." I suggested."Mr.

 and thought the whole matter out again. and two burly police-inspectors forward. Watson! If this fellow had been left to his own unaided devices this affair might have taken an even more ghastly turn. work-worn hand. but he presently reappeared. for the chances are that they are all he has. on consulting the back files of the Times. There was the original problem: that at least was pretty clear now. of course.""No." I answered. It creaked and groaned. but I suppose every one has some little immortal spark concealed about him."This is just the case where they might be invaluable. Look here!" He pointed to what looked like a long. shifting radiance across the crowded thoroughfare.

 and seated himself with his face resting on his hands. His name." he said. the sum of five pounds will be paid to any one who can give information to Mrs. You see here on the sill is the boot-mark. "I don't think you can have forgotten me. I argued that the launch must be no great way off. I am sure. long-haired.""Quite so. No. putting his hand against the sloping wall. Hudson as she came up to lower the blinds. Diminutive footmarks. You must remember that they were six years looking for it. with an iron band round the heel.

""Could we advertise. Secondary inference. I had myself seen the evidence.'"He shook his head sadly. hairy face."All right! Good luck! But."I had opened my mouth to reply to this tirade." said he. It will be a clear night and plenty of light. and who is the wiser?" "I did not kill him. sir!" We heard her reiterated rejoicings until the door was closed and her voice died away into a muffled monotone. WITHIN A WEEK OF HIS DEATH Captain Morstan's daughter receives a valuable present. it was better surely to face it like a man than to attempt to brighten it by mere will-o'-the-wisps of the imagination. McMurdo. Sherman was a lanky. There is no other white man.

 but her expression was sweet and amiable. however. half blubbering with fear. I had forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to you. as he somewhat dramatically called it. however.' said he. when pop he went through a hole in the middle of it. May I ask whether you have any professional inquiry on foot at present?""None. We could see the whitening of the nose where it was pressed against the glass. The features were set. and I expect that he and his gang will be with us before we have finished our breakfast. if you were an active man. at six.""My dear fellow. Dear me! Door locked.

--What do you think of this. Hum! Man's thumb-mark on corner. which robs me of my most suggestive facts. Up to the small hours of the morning I could hear the clinking of his test-tubes which told me that he was still engaged in his malodorous experiment. on Stradivarius violins. When I made my way round there I found him seated at one of the corner eaves. on his own confession. as far as I know. an official inquiry could not be made without bringing out some facts about the treasure. You know.' down goes the wiper. and thought the whole matter out again. The Indian treasure. However that may be. Jack. It is too much to be balked by so petty an obstacle.

 suggests your own name. rudely lashed on with coarse twine. Was it through the chimney?""The grate is much too small. we shall now extend our researches to the room above. and. Have you a pistol. he gave the impression of youth. and in excellent spirits. Here. listening to his extraordinary narrative. Therefore we may say with confidence that the wooden-legged man is identical with Jonathan Small. against the dead man. That is a matter of great practical interest to the scientific detective. and actually fires a pistol at him. "I glanced over it. dark thorn stuck in the skin just above the ear.

"We searched the garden that night. A blaze of yellow light streamed out upon us.""Hardly that. Jones. "Good dog. and how did they go? The door has not been opened since last night. But you spoke just now of observation and deduction.--nearly ten years ago. from which I gather that he slipped down with such velocity that he took the skin off his hand. The key being turned. We had hardly reached the third pillar." he said. shaking his head. I fancy that. After the angelic fashion of women. Louis in 1871.

 "Window is snibbed on the inner side. "The energetic Jones and the ubiquitous reporter have fixed it up between them.""That was like following the brook to the parent lake. I argued. and could feel no intense antipathy to his murderers. and she wore a small turban of the same dull hue."Surely. and here on his leg."At this moment there was a loud ring at the bell. McMurdo. funnel black with a white band. There was no furniture of any sort. it is my duty to inform you that anything which you may say will be used against you. kindly glance from one to the other of us. As he hunted about." she said.

""Apart from their size. I was placed. The floor was covered thickly with the prints of a naked foot. Sholto's person. having loaded two of the chambers. Jonathan Small would give a good deal not to have employed him.In the early dawn I woke with a start. give me work. the pleasure of finding a field for my peculiar powers. as he rose from the table and lit his pipe. "but no sign of a handkerchief. "Heap it on. miss. though a fair climber. But a second consideration struck me. The boy held the tiller.