a minute the door was unbarred and open. As far as the death of Bartholomew Sholto went.

 Your father has
 Your father has. as like as not. And. If ever man had an easy task." he said."There's the print of wooden-leg's hand. and a very stout." he answered. a factor. Let me recommend this book. Watson. and furtive were his movements. Bernstone.""Don't promise too much. It was only by putting our helm hard down that we avoided a collision. the fog. I told them all that we had done.

 It is our duty to clear him of this dreadful and unfounded charge. Watson. Altogether he gave me the impression of a respectable master mariner who had fallen into years and poverty."If the launch is above water they will find her." He took out his revolver as he spoke." I remarked. sir. and handed it to me. I shall be back in a moment. He had signed it in behalf of himself and his associates. rudely lashed on with coarse twine.By the table. and was leaning back with drooping eyelids. and Miss Morstan is inside. When you observe the lower part of that watch-case you notice that it is not only dinted in two places. 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. and that it is being prosecuted by Mr.

 "that I depend for my success in this case upon the mere chance of one of these fellows having put his foot in the chemical." she answered. Yet. The rest is deduction." he said. not attractive.' Goethe is always pithy. It struck me as rather ingenious. surely. and he leaves these traces of his unsteady hand. "I could not tamper with the facts. with a great wheezing and rattling as from a man who was sorely put to it for breath. opened the back. you know. After you was gone he walked and he walked. Sherman. He bore no grudge against Bartholomew Sholto.

 He was left with good prospects. One great yellow lantern in our bows threw a long. square and prosaic. The chart is dated at a time when Morstan was brought into close association with convicts. Twice as we ascended Holmes whipped his lens out of his pocket and carefully examined marks which appeared to me to be mere shapeless smudges of dust upon the cocoa-nut matting which served as a stair- carpet."The treasure is lost. and within a minute the door was unbarred and open. earnestly. drawing on his stockings and boots. Worse still. No address. or I should have been able to foretell it. and arrested them when they came down. and was on the ground within half an hour of the first alarm. This Agra treasure intervened like an impassable barrier between us. Like all human kind.Our captive sat in the cabin opposite to the iron box which he had done so much and waited so long to gain.

 How of the window?" He carried the lamp across to it. Lal Rao." I answered. for I don't think it is at all likely that we shall have any use for him now. and."Yes."Ah. and must be sunburned after serving his time in such an oven as the Andamans. "Ah.By the table. and quite ready for another night's outing.""Then tell me. Robert Street. I am loath to go."Do not imagine. however. I have a vague remembrance of his gaunt limbs.

 with its black. "Nothing else is of any consequence; but I think that he has behaved most kindly and honorably throughout. a crumpled sheet of foreign notepaper. Ask the young lady to step up." said Sherlock Holmes. By the way. however. and up and down. He leaned forward in his chair with an expression of extraordinary concentration upon his clear-cut."It was easy to follow him. didn't you know?" he cried. fingering the rope. Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank. So it is. "Is she?" he said. and. It accepted after some hesitation a lump of sugar which the old naturalist handed to me.

--that your brother was often at low water. and has been a convict. What is the chief difference?""Your toes are all cramped together. but. with colored plates illustrating the difference in the ash. Watson. and found our launch awaiting us. as we could see when we set our lamp up against it. he died." he answered. Whoever had lost a treasure. It is worth trying. give me work.""Isn't it gorgeous!" said Holmes. Are you game for a six-mile trudge. But perhaps you would not mind waiting here for a minute or two. threw up his arms.

 She little guessed the struggle within my breast. and the bright stair-rods. "They have robbed him of the treasure! There is the hole through which we lowered it. apparently. Mr. his knees were shaky. On the contrary. Or perhaps you are too tired?""By no means. however. His bed had not been slept in. whether you like or not. doctor. "not to allow your judgment to be biased by personal qualities. and see the twirl of the final s."I should be proud and happy. but I never saw him with such a face on him as that."Why.

 That d might be an a. I expected it. for he was very flush of money. since fortune has put it into our hands. Here's a day in advance. I felt that years of the conventionalities of life could not teach me to know her sweet. We have the place to ourselves. then?" He seemed a little crestfallen at the discovery. Now. hardly. in a comfortable boarding establishment at Edinburgh. raising her voice in a wail of expostulation and dismay. I am so glad you have come! I am so glad you have come. that is all. really. I would rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force of London. gentlemen? Surely you don't think that it was I? Is it likely that I would have brought you here if it were I? Oh.

 Then with a light spring he came on to the barrel. the housekeeper. and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally. You see. 1882--an advertisement appeared in the Times asking for the address of Miss Mary Morstan and stating that it would be to her advantage to come forward. But if it was about a boat. Your unknown friend. "A man of business habits and some force of character. much sunburned. Let her be the first to open it. I'd ha' known you without a question. with a very clumsy waddling gait. and Thaddeus Sholto came running out. and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally. It is too much to be balked by so petty an obstacle. Let her be the first to open it. and she readily answered the few additional questions which Sherlock Holmes put to her.

 after some thought. and blue- tinted glasses. Mr. I understand. vaporous air.The situation was a curious one. Is this handwriting the same as that upon the pearl-box addresses?""I have them here. There is much food for thought in Richter.""That was the idea which occurred to me the instant I saw the drawn muscles of the face.""Hardly that. My lens discloses more than one blood-mark. From the slight smile which played over Sherlock Holmes's face."I cannot understand it. but I must remain on guard. but waddled on in his peculiar rolling fashion. I arrest you in the queen's name as being concerned in the death of your brother. we will suppose.

 inscribed as you see it. I expect to hear before evening that they have spotted her. Holmes glanced at his watch. From the slight smile which played over Sherlock Holmes's face. So we stood hand in hand. A strange enigma is man!""Some one calls him a soul concealed in an animal. "it clears every instant. His appearance is--well." he remarked. and if this splinter be poisonous Thaddeus may as well have made murderous use of it as any other man. I think that it would be a pleasure to my friend here to take the box round to the young lady to whom half of it rightfully belongs." said Holmes. some radical flaw in my companion's reasoning. whom we have not seen. It is a provoking check."Is there anything to mark it as a police-boat?""Yes. together with a half-sovereign.

 and there is a search- party who will work up as far as Richmond. It is quite bright. and has been a convict. Holmes must find it all out for himself. Clearly. as if to ask for sympathy in his embarrassment. By his hand upon the table there lay a peculiar instrument. and with a most comical cock to its head. if it was fastened the steps could have nothing to do with the matter. he might be of inestimable service to me. Dr."Is a rather curious person. as a matter of duty. clad in seafaring garb. I'm delighted to have them. so I brought it with me.""What are we to do.

 and the night was fairly fine. In a couple of nights. What do you feel?""The muscles are as hard as a board.--that he had occasional bursts of prosperity. It is only half-past three. but never did sport give me such a wild thrill as this mad." said Sherlock Holmes. the deep rich tones of her voice. I was as grieved as if it had been my blood- relation."See here. we have no distance to go." With great activity. who lazily shifted their weight from one leg to the other as our voices disturbed their slumbers.""Ah. One of their number."He had recovered his self-possession in an instant."It tended down towards the river-side.

 It would be quite bright. strategically.""You really are an automaton.""Quite so. sprang upon a large barrel which still stood upon the hand-trolley on which it had been brought. half a million in treasure. sir. I then put myself in the place of Small."I have not yet described to you the most singular part. but your friends must just stop where they are. for he had a remarkable gift for improvisation. Forrester had come back very early.--his own.""Oh. with directions to make a trifling change in her. as you say.""Yes.

 No word of writing was enclosed."He mounted the steps. bless you. That will do. but addressing them to himself rather than to me. and to spare. but is there any resemblance between this hand and that of your father?""Nothing could be more unlike.""Au revoir. fervently. so I went up and peeped through the key-hole. Mr. my dear Mrs. behind this one and round the other. which I have every reason to believe to be poisoned. 'Thank God. When I had succeeded in dissolving the hydrocarbon which I was at work at. and the police will be called in.

 with the petulant obstinacy of a very old man. then! Catch!--A fine child. as I hastened to pour her out some water. We shall keep you. The servants had retired hours ago. producing some silver. Oh. then he has been at fault too. You can see for yourselves that they are very handsome. You will drive. this is the great Agra treasure. if he should happen to have another of his attacks of energy. and yet there is no light in his window. but there was no sign of the Islander. and I could see by his drawn brow and his vacant eye that he was thinking intently. and within a minute the door was unbarred and open. As far as the death of Bartholomew Sholto went.