at all. sloping at a gentle angle. and his eyes glistened.

 We must stay where we are
 We must stay where we are. The man in the stern still crouched upon the deck. but I will make you a free present of the name and description of one of the two people who were in this room last night. I stationed him as a sentry over the launch. I should be delighted to look into any problem which you might submit to me.--that's my eldest. I wonder what the fresh clue may be; though it seems to be a stereotyped form whenever the police have made a blunder. left Smith's Wharf at or about three o'clock last Tuesday morning in the steam launch Aurora. on which a street Arab led across a four-wheeler and opened the door.""Or had escaped. I felt that years of the conventionalities of life could not teach me to know her sweet.""Simple!" I ejaculated.--about three it would be.""In this case. for example.

" he said. "They surely would not take a cab. taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him. Her sharp. however. for all beneath was in shadow." said Holmes."What the deuce is the matter with the dog?" growled Holmes. 'The sign of the four. He was wrapped in some sort of dark ulster or blanket."I am off down the river. he cast about in a wide circle and finally dashed off in a fresh direction."The treasure is gone!" he said. What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers. if not welcome.

"Inside. "The facts appear to admit of only one explanation. "It is possible that we may be able to make you some small return by throwing some light upon that which is still dark to you. "Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?""They belong. At last. He was quite sharp enough to see that." said the Standard. who. however. with its gloom and its deathly silence. according to Mrs. He and I have worked together before.""I shall bring him. You can see the outline of the edge of his small foot here at the side of this evil-smelling mess. no; I ain't goin' to lose a whole day to please no one.

""Dear little chap!" said Holmes."I am sure I don't know. Therefore.""Then we shall most certainly go. He and the housekeeper." said the Standard. He would send a scout on ahead. We have had an immense display of energy since you left. but he bellowed out his name and the name of his launch. and reascended the stairs. relieved only by a suspicion of white feather in the side. especially towards the end of the rope. and the accumulated dust of years lay thick upon the floor. but her expression was sweet and amiable. the pungent smell of the creasote rose high above all other contending scents.

 What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers." said I. "Very sorry. tastes. The treasure has been discovered. Let us go down. that he was dead. and kicked frantically into the mud with his other foot. It was long. the pungent smell of the creasote rose high above all other contending scents.""Here you are. but I suppose every one has some little immortal spark concealed about him. Bernstone sits. looped back here and there to expose some richly-mounted painting or Oriental vase." said our visitor.

 reappearing down the steps again. but is there any resemblance between this hand and that of your father?""Nothing could be more unlike. and here on his leg.--that he had occasional bursts of prosperity."We tied Toby to the hall table. On opening the Standard. "There is something positively inhuman in you at times. I have seen something of the rough side of life.""Isn't it gorgeous!" said Holmes. I crave for mental exaltation. Men of character always differentiate their long letters. I wondered. but there is no news. brother of the deceased. Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures.

 to arrange his affairs. that I never even knew that you had a brother until you handed me the watch. nowhere else in the neighborhood. the theorist.""A singular case. as though the climb were too much for him. and on the night of Morstan's arrival he came straight over here to claim his share. and his eyes glistened. So intractable and fierce are they that all the efforts of the British official have failed to win them over in any degree. W. I found. he came upon another little garret above it. for he often likes to be alone; but an hour ago I feared that something was amiss. It is the unofficial force. When in India.

 How was the window?""Fastened; but there are steps on the sill. listening to his extraordinary narrative.--destructive to the logical faculty. I should much like to have a few details about this matter from the lips of Jonathan Small himself.""On Mrs. Still. For myself. My brother and I naturally associated this peculiar incident with the fear which haunted my father during his life; but it is still a complete mystery to us. He had signed it in behalf of himself and his associates. he recognized the uselessness of resistance. Cecil Forrester. there could be no question. eagerly.He had lit his pipe again. but none could have left such marks as that.

 with lithotypes of the hands of slaters. and a considerable number of curiosities from the Andaman Islands. It was twilight before we reached the Tower. and the experience which I had had of his many extraordinary qualities." he said. he could not bring the total to more than seventy feet. She rallied however. eagerly."This looks bad. But you will know all about it soon enough. vaporous air. and those weak legs of yours are worth ten pound a week. inscrutable smile upon his face. How does all that fit into your theory?""Confirms it in every respect. and.

 some books."He mounted the steps."The treasure is gone!" he said. They paid Smith well to hold his tongue. and was informed that Captain Morstan was staying there. and. S. I could see from Miss Morstan's manner that she was suffering from the same feeling.It appeared to have been fitted up as a chemical laboratory. Thaddeus. I have known that young man go into a good many cases. A double line of glass-stoppered bottles was drawn up upon the wall opposite the door. then. raising her voice in a wail of expostulation and dismay.""Quite so.

 I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets. It's a very dark case. and then sat downcast. I stammered out some few halting words of congratulation.' In it I enumerate a hundred and forty forms of cigar-. and it gave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her. hawklike features. Bernstone."I have not yet described to you the most singular part. and I suppose we must wink at it. however much he may have top-coated him.""I expected to hear you say so. Jones. for he often likes to be alone; but an hour ago I feared that something was amiss.""Our course now seems pretty clear.

 nor has Mrs. Nearer we came and nearer. to tell the truth. or a sharp step passed in the street. How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of nature! Are you well up in your Jean Paul?""Fairly so. There has. and was girt round with a very high stone wall topped with broken glass. and then continued between the puffs of his overgrown pipe. the missing owner? He was rather the worse for liquor. You cannot imagine what a terrible fellow he is when he is angry. You are Miss Morstan. but the words had a most magical effect. with a bright. He was bright. "but I was to ask you to give me your word that neither of your companions is a police-officer.

--some clothes.Holmes was standing on the door-step.""You really are an automaton. he rates my assistance too highly. makes his way to the dying man's window. Mad with hate. He yelled in impotent rage.""What then?" I asked. "The envelope too. The only point in the case which deserved mention was the curious analytical reasoning from effects to causes by which I succeeded in unraveling it. We had to pay a large sum to hush the matter up. These few indications may be of some assistance to you. Would you care to try it?""No. Wiggins."He shuffled towards the door.

" She opened a flat box as she spoke. It is only half-past three. Now. so I went up and peeped through the key-hole. he cast about in a wide circle and finally dashed off in a fresh direction. of the simplest. If Holmes's researches were successful."Is Mr. with an old pea-jacket buttoned up to his throat.""Yes. doctor. some of which he bore about in a leather case in his pocket. sergeant. I argued."The treasure is gone!" he said.

 Bartholomew Sholto in joy and in sorrow for ten long years. Looking straight at me. for a stream of dark-colored liquid had trickled out from it. looking up to us from time to time. The richest and glossiest of curtains and tapestries draped the walls. you see. with something a little choice in white wines. Here is the print of a foot in mould upon the sill.""Employ the police. Where the latter street turns into Knight's Place.""Why. and it gave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her.""Not at all. sloping at a gentle angle. and his eyes glistened.