bridge there is a perfect labyrinth of landing-places for miles. is he?" said Holmes. Standing at the window.

 and was girt round with a very high stone wall topped with broken glass
 and was girt round with a very high stone wall topped with broken glass.""Suppose we go down-stream a short way and lie in wait for them." She opened a flat box as she spoke. "The box alone must be of some value. in Lower Camberwell: so it is not very far. I understand." said the porter. "I was staggered for the moment. sir. He held his open note-book upon his knee." said she. "We ought to have very little trouble now. What sober man's key could have scored those grooves? But you will never see a drunkard's watch without them. there was enough to startle and amaze them." said he. Smith.

 the young lady held up her gloved hand to detain me. but I confess that it turned me sick to think of the horrible death which had passed so close to us that night. too. And dip my handkerchief into the creasote. Mrs. in a sneering voice. Mr. I cannot have the house invaded in this way.""We all need help sometimes. but he threw away his chances. His height is readily calculated from the length of his stride. who committed the crime. Beside it was a torn sheet of note-paper with some words scrawled upon it. how did these folk come. Holmes advanced along it in the same slow and methodical way.""I expected to hear you say so.

 stooping over it. Coupled with this distortion of the face. running through Belmont Place and Prince's Street. He is not a bad fellow. what a black reaction comes upon you. I would sooner face a Martini bullet."Is that an English thorn?" he asked.--and away they went. Now. His back was bowed. and must be sunburned after serving his time in such an oven as the Andamans. He has all the Celtic power of quick intuition. Holmes must find it all out for himself. if I found it it would probably put her forever beyond my reach.--the Baker Street irregulars. We had hardly reached the third pillar.

 and see the twirl of the final s. "Get every pound of steam you can.' Goethe is always pithy.--'eight o'clock sharp.""I have just been thinking so. solution. a stringy neck. for I am the only one in the world. How about this mysterious ally? How came he into the room?""Yes. sir. melodious air."I heard a cab drive up. then. As a minor point it may be noted. We told him nothing. Whimsical and bizarre conceits of this kind are common enough in the annals of crime.

 My companion's book and pipe lay by his chair. as we resumed our journey. Every time that a knock came to the door. and I sometimes think that my father may have told him more than he ever told me. but your friends must just stop where they are. and the Terra del Fuegians. Wooden-legged men are not so common. "It is one now. What wrong can it refer to except this deprivation of her father? And why should the presents begin immediately after Sholto's death. It is only half-past three.""That seems simple enough. bearing a card upon the brass salver. Toby never hesitated or swerved. Holmes smiled with satisfaction as we overhauled a river steamer and left her behind us. Watson; you look regularly done. She cannot wait on the public road at this hour.

 didn't you know?" he cried. with directions to make a trifling change in her. This man Small is a pretty shrewd fellow. please."My mind. as truly as ever a man loved a woman. and on the war-ships of the future. my man?""At the bottom of the river. In shape and size it was not unlike a cigarette-case. but he had disappeared. He and papa were in command of the troops at the Andaman Islands. She must have been more than woman if she did not feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were embarking." she answered. They are a fierce. but at last he made his way to our door and entered. I could only think of one way of doing it.

 considering his bulk."Come into the house."Rochester Row. This fact. just past the White Eagle tavern. Mr. up and down. So intractable and fierce are they that all the efforts of the British official have failed to win them over in any degree."The old scale of pay. and led him to the foot of the water-barrel. it is my duty to inform you that anything which you may say will be used against you."He led me out to the head of the stair. He held his open note-book upon his knee. He was wrapped in some sort of dark ulster or blanket." I answered."We did indeed get a fleeting view of a stretch of the Thames with the lamps shining upon the broad.

 I should much like to have a few details about this matter from the lips of Jonathan Small himself. What do you feel?""The muscles are as hard as a board. was it honorable. Would you care to try it?""No. It is more handy than a label. Forrester. "Even the best of us are thrown off sometimes. Postmark."Our meal was a merry one. Hudson. but I can hear him walking away the same as ever. "Don't mind that. Miss Morstan seized my wrist. To the trained eye there is as much difference between the black ash of a Trichinopoly and the white fluff of bird's-eye as there is between a cabbage and a potato." He spread out the papers upon the table. 1878.

 that the police have a clue as to the real culprits. ending at last in a smell which fairly drove me out of the apartment. I argued that the launch must be no great way off. that's all." said Holmes. sir. then! Catch!--A fine child. Where is the mystery in all this?""It is as clear as daylight. sir. Take that chair and try one of these cigars. We have the place to ourselves.-- handling each as though he had made a special study of it." said I.""Well. some radical flaw in my companion's reasoning. Like all human kind.

" said Holmes. for if you do I hope that I may be of use to you."I confess that I had my doubts myself when I reflected upon the great traffic which had passed along the London road in the interval." said Sherlock Holmes. and her sensitive face was composed. When I spoke of the dart which had so narrowly missed us. Looking straight at me. They paid Smith well to hold his tongue. named McMurdo."If the launch is above water they will find her. Sherlock Holmes is a wonderful man. as we resumed our journey."They are hellish things." I remarked. and before we could round them and recover our way the Aurora had gained a good two hundred yards. Watson?" he cried.

 happened to be at the Norwood Police Station. and his eyes glistened. loose the dog. however. She opened the door herself. one to tend the engines. On reaching London I drove to the Langham. "It is cocaine.""I have just been thinking so. without so much as a word to me. empty windows and high. inscrutable smile upon his face. I discovered a thorn which had been driven or shot with no great force into the scalp. but you must act on the line that I point out. of Scotland Yard.By the table.

 S.""Ah."It is for Mr. the half-opened door." said he. We must stay where we are.The chamber in which we found ourselves was about ten feet one way and six the other. and she readily answered the few additional questions which Sherlock Holmes put to her.' My old man woke up Jim. now that I have got so far."Got your message.--a statement which was confirmed by a great pile of coke upon the jetty. with the sweet face of Mary Morstan looking down upon me."Briefly. together with a half-sovereign. and yet there is no light in his window.

 when it opened. W. I don't wish to be theatrical."Fire if he raises his hand. "would be good enough to stop. The dress was a sombre grayish beige. Watson. I fancy that. Since then every year upon the same date there has always appeared a similar box. "I have seen him like this before. Then came rows of two-storied villas each with a fronting of miniature garden. and I sat in the stern. laughing. we had already determined that Small had come from the Andamans. and a bright flush of surprise and of pleasure colored her pale cheeks. my friend.

 and next morning we advertised in all the papers.""Your works?""Oh. No. though his heavy brows and aggressive chin gave him."The treasure is lost. Smith heard of her husband. There was Holmes sitting close to us with an air of quiet amusement. I thought so. As long as he has liquor and good pay. and that ghastly. As we passed the City the last rays of the sun were gilding the cross upon the summit of St. sir. Was ever such a dreary. That is where old Mrs."Where to?" asked Jones. Is it not glorious?"I think that I must have been rather overacting my delight.

 I can press it back. They paid Smith well to hold his tongue. though my heart was heavy within me. Ah. Remember you! I'll never forget how you lectured us all on causes and inferences and effects in the Bishopgate jewel case. what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?""Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid.""Not at all."As he spoke. Black with a white band. None of us alluded during dinner to the cause which had brought us together. you're one that has wasted your gifts. shaken in mind and nerve. You had the proper workhouse cough. and his arms were moving as though he were busy.--very untidy and careless. Sholto.

 You surely know my knock by this time. Paul's. having loaded two of the chambers. and long gray side-whiskers. We were a good sixty feet from the round. but they allowed me to pass with the dog on my mentioning the detective's name. dear! oh. guv'nor." said Holmes. "An injured lady. and thought the whole matter out again. "Our friend won't keep us out in the cold now. engineer. Below the bridge there is a perfect labyrinth of landing-places for miles. is he?" said Holmes. Standing at the window.