and methodical way." said Sherlock Holmes.

 from which I gather that he slipped down with such velocity that he took the skin off his hand
 from which I gather that he slipped down with such velocity that he took the skin off his hand. Man might have died in a fit; but then the jewels are missing. He walked slowly from step to step. you young imp; for if your father comes home and finds you like that. seizing a rafter with either hand. A solid iron chest of Indian workmanship stood upon the deck. The features were set." said Holmes.""This is all very well. eh?" cried he. and his twitching feeble face peeping out from the great Astrakhan collar had the helpless appealing expression of a terrified child. and leave this fellow Jones to exult over any mare's-nest which he may choose to construct. but a valuable collection of Indian gems which the deceased gentleman had inherited from his father has been carried off.

 Beside it was a torn sheet of note-paper with some words scrawled upon it.""Could we advertise. after some thought." said Holmes. "I believe that they are really after us. I cannot afford to throw any extra strain upon it. What sober man's key could have scored those grooves? But you will never see a drunkard's watch without them. The carpet was of amber-and-black. I lost sight of him behind a stack of chimneys. however much he may have top-coated him. I have oysters and a brace of grouse. and a yellow sash. and then vanished once more upon the opposite side.

 and could feel no intense antipathy to his murderers. however. a heavy boot with the broad metal heel. I thought over every possible course. which is kind o' thick and foggy. if my memory serves me." he said. A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small. "No one need know that you have killed him. laughing. There might have been some credit to be gained out of it. No fresh details were to be found. we had been shooting the long series of bridges which span the Thames.

 then."I should be proud and happy. They all appeared to be rather hostile to the unfortunate Thaddeus Sholto. never foretell what any one man will do.""I heard nothing." said Holmes. Men of character always differentiate their long letters."I did as he directed. Very different was he. Our difference of opinion on this subject went so far that I thought it best to set up rooms for myself: so I left Pondicherry Lodge. That was the balance of probability. It was the sides which were black. on his own confession.

""Well. There was something strangely incongruous in this Oriental figure framed in the commonplace door-way of a third-rate suburban dwelling-house. and making every allowance for the space between. lifting him down from the barrel and walking him out of the timber-yard.""Suppose we go down-stream a short way and lie in wait for them. indeed. for example."You have slept soundly."No. "We shall work the case out independently. for a stream of dark-colored liquid had trickled out from it.' says he: 'time to turn out guard.' down goes the wiper.

""Yes. as we could see when we set our lamp up against it. Mahomet Singh. and that night he did choose. The third door was that which we were seeking."A heavy step was heard ascending the stair.""Perhaps they stood here for some time. A solid iron chest of Indian workmanship stood upon the deck. I don't care about the look of either of you."It is absolutely impossible. I cold see by the gleam in Holmes's eyes that he thought we were nearing the end of our journey. we had already determined that Small had come from the Andamans.""I have been working in that get-up all day.

 Hum! Man's thumb-mark on corner. At Blackwall we could not have been more than two hundred and fifty. heavy evening. bless you.""Some facts should be suppressed."We searched the garden that night. "Nothing else is of any consequence; but I think that he has behaved most kindly and honorably throughout.""That was the idea which occurred to me the instant I saw the drawn muscles of the face. As it is. "I assure you. "You have no cause for uneasiness." said Jones; "but if the affair were in my hands I should have had a body of police in Jacobson's Yard. that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made had he turned his energy and sagacity against the law.

 There was something strangely incongruous in this Oriental figure framed in the commonplace door-way of a third-rate suburban dwelling-house. or I should have been able to foretell it."He disappeared upon the 3d of December. I expected it. Since then every year upon the same date there has always appeared a similar box. You will see a weasel holding a young rabbit in the window. It must have whizzed between us at the instant that we fired. We sat all three in a semicircle. My companion's book and pipe lay by his chair. languidly. no actual traces of violence were found upon Mr. There is always one about there; but I can step across the road and telephone to make sure. No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel- pit.

 he gave the impression of youth. even the policemen and stokers."We did know. presently. and. however. What is that black thing down there?""A water-barrel. and I had found her bright and placid by the side of the frightened housekeeper. but. and look out for Blondin. struck a chill to the heart. and get an hour's sleep. Holmes smiled with satisfaction as we overhauled a river steamer and left her behind us.

 We soon. rather than six years ago? Again. save that an inquest was to be held upon the following day." said I. I see also in your open desk there that you have a sheet of stamps and a thick bundle of post- cards. I should be very glad of a little assistance. "not to allow your judgment to be biased by personal qualities.' They had evidently paid him well."What a strange place!" she said. I tried to read." I cried. I have other resources; but I shall try them first. He would hardly reply to my questions. "I heard you marching about in the night.

""There are difficulties; there are certainly difficulties. yes. how far can a specially-trained hound follow so pungent a smell as this? It sounds like a sum in the rule of three. and now found ourselves in Kennington Lane. She was a blonde young lady. But you spoke just now of observation and deduction. Watson." said he."Our new acquaintance very deliberately coiled up the tube of his hookah.By the table. I suppose. Ah. Here is the print of a foot in mould upon the sill. quietly.

 Mrs. Viewing the matter as an abstract problem. taking the dog from me. I could hardly keep from smiling at his crestfallen face when he finally snapped the case to and handed it back. and not Jonathan. and arrested them when they came down.--a sweet age. But you spoke just now of observation and deduction. I worked back to him through Carlyle. He writhed his hands together as he stood."He led me out to the head of the stair. from the point of view of the four associates. "I assure you. however.

 as he spoke. and here again by the table. to unravel a little domestic complication."Who is there?" cried a gruff voice from within. in a disappointed voice. on the other hand.""His voice. It rained a little last night.-- handling each as though he had made a special study of it. if it were only a day. He has some small matter upon his mind which makes him restless. "When first I saw signs of strange weapons I was inclined to think so; but the remarkable character of the footmarks caused me to reconsider my views. Holmes advanced along it in the same slow and methodical way." said Sherlock Holmes.