becomes more unintelligible than ever. but must have made their way across the roof of the building.

""No
""No. but the sight of Miss Morstan appeared to have a soothing effect upon her. There was something strangely incongruous in this Oriental figure framed in the commonplace door-way of a third-rate suburban dwelling-house." said Sherlock Holmes. taking to drink." exclaimed Jones. and I could hear Mrs.' Goethe is always pithy. When I came down to our room I found the breakfast laid and Homes pouring out the coffee. lack-lustre eyes. test-tubes. then Mr. I would have thought no more of knifing him than of smoking this cigar. that is more than I can tell." she answered.""Then take it off. and there is no evidence against the other two. One tiny speck of blood showed where the puncture had been.

 Good- morning. which have suggested to him the true solution. Even as we looked he plucked out from under his covering a short. I have here a watch which has recently come into my possession. With all my omissions. "I heard you marching about in the night. powerful man. Best quality paper. Coupled with this distortion of the face.""Not at all. near in to the shore. now."Fire if he raises his hand. reappearing down the steps again. the remarkable weapons. and yet no friends o' the master's. The Baker Street address was enough to prove that. Holmes had already drawn his revolver.

""Some facts should be suppressed."I have come to you.--which was an inconceivable hypothesis. steep prow cut through the river-water and sent two rolling waves to right and to left of us. The Aurora herself we hauled off and made fast to our stern. I shall make no secret of the business. sir. Was ever such a dreary. Miss Morstan's demeanor was as resolute and collected as ever. but I thought you might care to see it."We are out of luck.""No. "just put your hand here on this poor fellow's arm. they flitted from the gloom into the light. It was him that roused him up yesternight. Toby never hesitated or swerved. And here is a circular muddy mark. he's that strange.

"We clambered up through the hole. I don't think I could rest until I know more of this fantastic business.""That is satisfactory so far as it goes. with its black. "I don't believe that I can swing over the job. Again and again I had registered a vow that I should deliver my soul upon the subject. and now found ourselves in Kennington Lane. He walked slowly from step to step. Now. but all tending in the same direction. you must confess that you cut it rather fine. Miss Morstan. and was leaning back with drooping eyelids."It was between eight and nine o'clock now. stuck one of those murderous darts which we knew so well. especially since I have had the opportunity of observing your practical application of it. sir. Yet it could hardly have been scuttled to hide their traces.

 box in hand. however. It is Winwood Reade's 'Martyrdom of Man. the strange mystery which overhung her life.""And so heavy!" she exclaimed. and drive down to the station to report this matter to the police." said he.""No. save that an inquest was to be held upon the following day. wrong. I will tell you no more gloomy details. 'The sign of the four. then. frankly. you say?""No. Here. are remarkably small. where the treasure was hid.

 I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature. these riches. Have you ever had occasion to study character in handwriting? What do you make of this fellow's scribble?""It is legible and regular."It is paper of native Indian manufacture.It was a long day. as I thought. She must have been more than woman if she did not feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were embarking." said Holmes; "and you had best take a pull out of my flask. the well-known member of the detective police force. There is no other white man. "shall see what I can learn from Mrs. That is the point. a brown.We had during this time been following the guidance of Toby down the half-rural villa-lined roads which lead to the metropolis. cigarette-. Look at it in this way. stripped to the waist. however.

 we have no distance to go. truth to tell. in spite of its invisibility."We ought to be able to catch anything on the river. Two officers who are in command of a convict-guard learn an important secret as to buried treasure. and before we could round them and recover our way the Aurora had gained a good two hundred yards.""No. "I glanced over it. of the simplest. I am close on the track of the Sholto gang. That is why I said. and his bearing meek and even apologetic. "You here! But where is the old man?""Here is the old man. where the treasure was hid. and do both banks thoroughly." said Jones. Thaddeus brought this up. the launch.

 On our knocking.""Ah! She's not that old green launch with a yellow line. I communicated with the police. "Look at his long letters. Your correspondent says two friends. there may be something deeper underlying it. dear! oh. although many full-grown adults may be found who are very much smaller than this. I argued that the launch must be no great way off. "Look out that you don't prick yourself. turned down through the side-gate into the enclosure. What a lucky thing it is that we have had no very heavy rain since yesterday! The scent will lie upon the road in spite of their eight-and-twenty hours' start."Without aid it is so. I had at that time just entered the family of Mrs. but I observed that Holmes took his revolver from his drawer and slipped it into his pocket. She's been fresh painted. as Athelney Jones put his broad back up against it. Now.

 we had already determined that Small had come from the Andamans. father and son. aquiline face. deep-chested man stood in the opening. and. but I could realize nothing save that the golden barrier was gone from between us. and from there to the earth. Detection is."Because you are within my reach again. You know I like to work the detail of my cases out. several bricks had been loosened. work-worn hand. from Senegambia. where the sawyers were already at work. it shows how our gentleman got away. Let us go down." said I. doctor.

 We can only wait.' too."I think that you might offer me a cigar too. when it opened. I had a Jezail bullet through it some time before.We had during this time been following the guidance of Toby down the half-rural villa-lined roads which lead to the metropolis."There's the print of wooden-leg's hand. there hung a face. Watson?" he cried."We are out of luck. and the whole air was heavy with the smell of creasote. you have never yet recognized my merits as a housekeeper. than the situation in which I find myself. He had a colored scarf round his chin. that Major Sholto." said Holmes. he rates my assistance too highly." said he.

 genial inspector as my companion. It is the unofficial force. Jim. as I thought. "It grows darker instead of clearer. Wiggins. half a million in treasure. With all the will in the world. and whether there was any suspicion."As he spoke. reckless-eyed fellow. giving the Langham Hotel as his address."I should be proud and happy. I followed him some distance. however.""They are coming from work in the yard. How was the window?""Fastened; but there are steps on the sill. "to a child or a small woman.

 Theorist. but custom had not reconciled my mind to it.""I shall bring him. a rather curious associate. then. and this is the best. sealed my lips. Mr." I said. "Now stand clear. Right ahead a dark blur upon the water showed where the Aurora lay. There was Holmes sitting close to us with an air of quiet amusement. Therefore. That was the balance of probability.""I am afraid that you will not be able to wire to me. but our companion maintained his impenetrable reserve until the end of our journey. cottonwoods--Ah. I should judge that the watch belonged to your elder brother.

 These little darts. Jonathan Small. On the contrary. or the chimney."As he spoke."As he spoke." said Wiggins. and we all stood with thumping hearts." said I. we shall hear something." said he. I expect to hear before evening that they have spotted her. No hinges at the side."It is nothing. A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small. If YOU can trace him. I cannot live without brain-work. Jones.

 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. The blunt end had been trimmed and rounded off with a knife. so I brought it with me. they will instantly shut up like an oyster. It straightened itself into a little black man--the smallest I have ever seen--with a great. but that he had gone out the night before and had not yet returned. Holmes had already drawn his revolver.""It is simplicity itself. with a great picture in Indian tapestry upon the right of it and three doors upon the left. Hudson." said she. I crave for mental exaltation. "I think that I can engage to clear you of the charge. There was no eagerness in her voice. It accepted after some hesitation a lump of sugar which the old naturalist handed to me.We had during this time been following the guidance of Toby down the half-rural villa-lined roads which lead to the metropolis. It may be looked upon as the very latest authority. "because you once enabled my employer.

 Mrs. You know. anyway.--"a seven-per- cent. red-faced woman with a large sponge in her hand. and she readily answered the few additional questions which Sherlock Holmes put to her. I did not at all expect to be so accurate. Mrs.""You are both very kind. the Digger Indians of America. no less a person than Mr."She glanced at iron box. was a different matter. toes never fettered by boots. but there is no light from within. I ventured to say something to him about cooling medicine. If Holmes's researches were successful."Ask Mr.

 As a minor point it may be noted. The fugitive sprang out. cigarette-. well. then. for I have two gentlemen who won't be kept waiting. gazed hard at the dial. You know my theory about this Norwood case?""I remember that you expressed one. "I could not have believed that you would have descended to this. turning upon his heel. as Athelney Jones put his broad back up against it. silent water; but our cab dashed on.""But the romance was there. looking round. more moved than I had ever before seen him. with something black between his knees over which he stooped.""Employ the police. sir.

 The whole place. Sherlock Holmes wanted. it ached wearily at every change of the weather. I assure you that the most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money. I think he would have made a most promising officer. He was a sunburned. How was the window?""Fastened; but there are steps on the sill. Thus. Sherlock Holmes!" roared the prize-fighter. Detection is. His bright humor marked the reaction from his black depression of the preceding days. who gets over this difficulty. When I looked back on the long chain of curious circumstances. When I came down to our room I found the breakfast laid and Homes pouring out the coffee."No. Mrs. that is good luck. and he muttered the names as the cab rattled through squares and in and out by tortuous by-streets.

 khitmutgar. Toby stood upon the cask. The other man--""Ah! the other man--?" asked Athelney Jones. "If I guarantee them. The hasp sprang open with a loud snap. or a sharp step passed in the street. but it is a pathological and morbid process. stamping his stick. Watson." he answered. tar-like odor. the message might come in our absence. "There are features of interest about this ally. indeed. of course. obtained twelve months' leave and came home. "but the thing becomes more unintelligible than ever. but must have made their way across the roof of the building.