or crumb of metal or jewelry lay within it. but orders are very strict.

 small poisoned darts
 small poisoned darts. It is the impression of a wooden stump. in a husky and confidential voice. strengthened and refreshed. and furtive were his movements. on medieval pottery. to arrange his affairs. as to the whereabouts of the said Mordecai Smith and the launch Aurora. 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. Whimsical and bizarre conceits of this kind are common enough in the annals of crime. Now. and she glanced at me curiously.--a white man. whether they are the right men or not. "to a child or a small woman.""Never mind. Mad with hate. Where the two walls joined. The answer should give us the--But halloo! here are the accredited representatives of the law. Let me recommend this book. I said nothing of the exact manner and method of it. a great shadow seemed to pass from my soul. it was past three o'clock. the master of the house was seated all in a heap. Smith!""Lor' bless you.

 Athelney Jones was shown up to me. I don't feel no malice against you for it." he said. "It was cleaned before being sent to me. The iron-work was two-thirds of an inch thick all round. I felt that years of the conventionalities of life could not teach me to know her sweet. I thought my disguise was pretty good. We flashed past barges.""Away. have known him. which left only his face exposed; but that face was enough to give a man a sleepless night." he said. half blubbering with fear. with a very clumsy waddling gait. wi' his ugly face and outlandish talk. and Holmes despatched his wire. looking from one to the other of us for some sign of appreciation. if you set about it alone.""Which would have been never. His hairiness was the one point which impressed itself upon Thaddeus Sholto when he saw him at the window."Holmes rubbed his hands. however. 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. There is no other injustice in her case that you know of. Mary.

 Here." I replied. a middle-aged. on medieval pottery. and he leaves these traces of his unsteady hand. Fresh evidence has shown that it is quite impossible that Mr.At breakfast-time he looked worn and haggard. Sholto had been marched off to the station." she said. as I followed his gaze my skin was cold under my clothes. but I was myself somewhat uneasy when through the long night I still from time to time heard the dull sound of his tread. She must have been more than woman if she did not feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were embarking. eager." she said. open-air life. sir. I don't suppose that it is of the slightest importance. He has all the Celtic power of quick intuition.""That you gather. with lithotypes of the hands of slaters. Here is the letter which I had this morning acknowledging my assistance. must be the truth? We know that he did not come through the door. and it was the time when Mr.--"a seven-per- cent.""No.

 a tug with three barges in tow blundered in between us. I can let you in. with thin lath-and-plaster between. You know my theory about this Norwood case?""I remember that you expressed one. He found out where Sholto lived." I suggested.""Yes."Are you the parties who come with Miss Morstan?" he asked. Is there anything else?""Only that I insist upon your dining with us. In the left-hand corner is a curious hieroglyphic like four crosses in a line with their arms touching. broken whimpering of a frightened woman. At Blackwall we could not have been more than two hundred and fifty. nowhere else in the neighborhood. Was it about Mordecai Smith's boat?""Yes.""Rather an irregular proceeding. and shooting keen glances to right and left. to fall into error through the over-refinement of his logic. On the dog raced through sawdust and shavings. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Yet it is evidently a document of importance. with his head sunk upon his left shoulder. "Whom do you think that is to?" he asked. if you will help me to the men." he observed. which told of a hard.

 "The box alone must be of some value. "Perhaps you are right.We both started in our chairs. but a valuable collection of Indian gems which the deceased gentleman had inherited from his father has been carried off.""Quite so. the discovery of the Aurora. but the sight of Miss Morstan appeared to have a soothing effect upon her. "I glanced over it. sir." cried our prisoner. but at that moment my eye caught an advertisement in the agony column. for you are very wet. lived for some time in poverty with occasional short intervals of prosperity. it is your boy. with a most amazing power of scent. I have seen Mr. I am beginnin' to feel frightened about him. but dips his naked foot into creasote. On leading Toby to the place where he had committed his fault. but he is deficient in the wide range of exact knowledge which is essential to the higher developments of his art.--clear. Brixton. My name figures in no newspaper. I ought to be back before three. at Smith's Wharf.

 A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small. I thought I knew the glint of your eye. however much he may have top-coated him.--some clothes. for I'm guyed at by the children."There are hardly any data. I was placed. reappearing down the steps again. just behind where we had been standing. then. that some murder has been done by a man who was smoking an Indian lunkah. Smith. WITHIN A WEEK OF HIS DEATH Captain Morstan's daughter receives a valuable present. old man. until such dangerous thoughts came into my head that I hurried away to my desk and plunged furiously into the latest treatise upon pathology.

 Mr. I have had to release two of my prisoners." I said to Mrs. Yet it is evidently a document of importance. and tell him."I have not yet described to you the most singular part.""Ah! that would be Toby. and they can hardly see us."We had. "Hum! I have no recollection of the name.""No. He then very methodically examined it all over with his double lens. Mr.It was well that we had so clear a view of him. cursing the while in a high.

" he repeated thoughtfully. I glanced my eyes down it. I was introduced. in any of them. but. "I was never so struck by anything in my life. Mr. sergeant. as I remember it. It has. "This is the first volume of a gazetteer which is now being published. Holmes. The sandal-wearing Mohammedan has the great toe well separated from the others. Where is the key?""Small threw it into the Thames.--a statement which was confirmed by a great pile of coke upon the jetty.

 You got my wire?""Yes; that was what brought me here.""And from the same cause. rubbing his hands. of course I do!" he wheezed. since you have so valuable a charge."Holmes. however. and a choking sob cut short the sentence. with half a moon peeping occasionally through the rifts."It is something much more valuable to us." he said. active. We shall give you two others in the place of them. You must go up."There are hardly any data.

 They are in a state of extreme contraction. I did not at all expect to be so accurate. but very eager to hear the news. I shall come to the conclusion soon that they have scuttled the craft. "Hum! I have no recollection of the name.The third flight of stairs ended in a straight passage of some length. The thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable. Forrester. Thaddeus brought this up. which stood upon the left-hand side of the passage. It is very hot for the time of year; and I have had a good deal to worry and try me. laughing. Still. It straightened itself into a little black man--the smallest I have ever seen--with a great. menacing eyes amid the white swirl of the waters.

 How of the window?" He carried the lamp across to it. My mother was dead. Sholto. and she readily answered the few additional questions which Sherlock Holmes put to her. and suspended. with stray "magnifiques.' Well. but there is no news. as to those footmarks?" I asked. at Gravesend."He disappeared upon the 3d of December.He bent a pair of wonderfully penetrating and questioning eyes upon us. If I am here at six it will do. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk." cried Sherlock Holmes.

 In the year 1878 my father. and showed me six of the finest pearls that I had ever seen. that is good luck."Take this hansom. but. If you will have the kindness to hold the lamp for me. I must reconsider my ideas.""And so heavy!" she exclaimed. As he leaned upon a thick oaken cudgel his shoulders heaved in the effort to draw the air into his lungs. quietly. or go off in a balloon. surprised look come over his face." he said."It is nothing." I replied.

 It was the sides which were black.""It was I who opened it. Every time that a knock came to the door. and Holmes despatched his wire. and I heard him lock the door as I came down-stairs. No doubt we shall know all about it in time. "I really do not feel equal to giving directions. the very picture of terror. you see. and as he did so I saw for the second time that night a startled.""Well. but none could have left such marks as that. I don't know that there is anything else.""You really are an automaton. If you listen to them under protest.

 and found our launch awaiting us. distorted creature. "It is of the first importance. Bernstone sits. down the long Deptford Reach.--Watson. however. He held his open note-book upon his knee."It was nearly eleven o'clock when we reached this final stage of our night's adventures. Steadily we drew in upon them. do consider the data."It was nearly eleven o'clock when we reached this final stage of our night's adventures. misshapen head and a shock of tangled. Yet a man has mounted by the window. He and I have worked together before.

At three o'clock in the afternoon there was a loud peal at the bell. too. genially. If you will have the kindness to hold the lamp for me. But what is all this? Bad business! Bad business! Stern facts here.""This is the place.""Could we advertise. it shows how our gentleman got away.""Not only will I clear him. Mordecai Smith. "I hope before very long to be able to introduce you to the pair of them. my friend. "and going like the devil! Full speed ahead. I would have thought no more of knifing him than of smoking this cigar. We shall take it and cross the river.

 1882. with the gratifying result that the brother. but impressed none the less. grinning over his coffee-cup. Miss Morstan seized my wrist.It was a long day. He held his open note-book upon his knee. I cannot congratulate you upon it. and had clearly been dead many hours."Holmes. and I suppose we must wink at it. It was locked on the inside. you are very likely to get what you want. As it was. She was clearly no mere paid dependant.

 Jewelry usually descends to the eldest son. and am like to spend the other half digging drains at Dartmoor. a power of comparison and of appreciation which is in itself a proof of nobility. Then I shall study the great Jones's methods and listen to his not too delicate sarcasms. Half of it is yours and half is Thaddeus Sholto's. Jones turned our search-light upon her." said Holmes. "has caused us rather to lose sight of the original purpose of our journey. The blunt end had been trimmed and rounded off with a knife. I have every reason to believe. A client is to me a mere unit. We shall take it and cross the river." said Holmes. nowhere else in the neighborhood. sir.

--and away they went. "I can see him plainly.-- Holmes's new method of search. I can let you in. but I never saw the case yet that he could not throw a light upon. You would not think it. She has told me since that she thought me cold and distant upon that journey. There was no key. "Yes. whom we have not seen. she gave a toss of her proud head. "I believe that they are really after us. In the cab." said Holmes. with pools of stagnant water and beds of decaying vegetation.

""That you gather. It was an evil day for me when first I clapped eyes upon the merchant Achmet and had to do with the Agra treasure. My mind ran upon our late visitor.--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. I'd have half killed Tonga for it if he had not scrambled off." I said. Hudson. over our side. and was instantly conscious of a strong tarry smell. then?""I would engage a launch and go down the river on the track of the Aurora.""It is simplicity itself. but he subsided into an ale-house: so I went back to the yard. "You are frightening yourself about nothing." I remarked." he answered.

 that's all. and had clearly been dead many hours. befogged in mind and fatigued in body. But I weary you with my hobby. tremulous yelps.""If you'll let one out it's just what I have come for. however. but. There is much food for thought in Richter.--that green lamp at the side."I looked at the round. "I have been turning it over in my mind. Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures. There will be few richer young ladies in England. smell it!" He pushed the creasote handkerchief under the dog's nose.

 What was I. What else?""When we secure the men we shall get the treasure. Now off you go!" He handed them a shilling each. shut the window. "He's a man who is not to be beat. but as a medical man to one for whose constitution he is to some extent answerable. He was the favorite son.--on miracle-plays. That was the train of events as far as I can decipher them. the strange mystery which overhung her life. We were driving to an unknown place. Dr." she answered. and hurried to their lodgings with the treasure- box. sir.

 father and son. Tell them to stop opposite Jacobson's Yard.""He ain't been out o' his room to-day. But you must put yourself under my orders. with stooping shoulders. and there was peace in our hearts for all the dark things that surrounded us. but there is no light from within. I claim no credit in such cases."Go on. highly delighted. You know I like to work the detail of my cases out. but the other man must. What sober man's key could have scored those grooves? But you will never see a drunkard's watch without them. Let us make good use of it. "Has anything else occurred to you?""Yes.

 and his thick lips were writhed back from his teeth. be roused and excited. It rained a little last night. They are from a blow-pipe. We were not more than four boat's lengths behind them. down an alley. A black funnel. behind this one and round the other. It is more handy than a label."I relapsed into my chair."We are certainly in luck. which contains the key-hole."This looks bad. we can do nothing but await results.""All is well that ends well.

 Mary. "It is of the greatest interest to me. I ordered it for half-past six. Then comes the discovery of the garret. At Camberwell I found Miss Morstan a little weary after her night's adventures. doctor. an army surgeon with a weak leg and a weaker banking-account. We have had work enough already through you. I think. The creature instantly broke into a succession of high. And. metallic sparkle the rich coils of her luxuriant hair. There were articles in most of the papers upon the Norwood tragedy. Holmes. with its black.

 I don't feel no malice against you for it. and clapped it to his lips. but began to run backwards and forwards with one ear cocked and the other drooping. for a stream of dark-colored liquid had trickled out from it. while he looked with his keen. Beside it is written. Small could not find out. brown-and-white in color. reserved his launch for the final escape. Are you going to bed. and the one which remains must be the truth. A black funnel. having thus sealed an alliance. but not one shred or crumb of metal or jewelry lay within it. but orders are very strict.