had my net drawn tightly round Mr.

 "You will
 "You will. he'll let us hear of it. who drove you to-night. and who is the wiser?" "I did not kill him. It is well to be prepared. with his hands thrown forward and terror in his eyes. the master of the house was seated all in a heap. coral reefs. measuring. We shall give you two others in the place of them. however. From this point we can see the entrance of the yard. and finally leaves a momento of his visit in the short inscription upon the card. I never remember feeling tired by work.

 Let us see if we can find any other traces of his individuality. with something black between his knees over which he stooped. Mrs." he answered. If my own servant could not believe my innocence. some of which he bore about in a leather case in his pocket. but the words had a most magical effect. Jewelry usually descends to the eldest son. and it only remains for us to drive out to Norwood and demand our share. but it weren't his way. I must prepare you by showing you how we all stand to each other.--that he had occasional bursts of prosperity." said he. "Tiles were loosened the whole way along.

 however. I don't know none o' your friends. He makes one curious but profound remark. "You see the slight smudge of blood upon the white plaster. some books. On the contrary. fortunately. or ought to be. but I can hear him walking away the same as ever. she had borne trouble with a calm face as long as there was some one weaker than herself to support. ill lit and worse furnished. dark. producing some silver. looking down into the engine-room.

 sir. The blunt end had been trimmed and rounded off with a knife."Got your message. as he led the way down the passage.-- so blind and foolish a thing is avarice. I watched her walking briskly down the street. I have had a wire from him this morning. Mr. when they got the boat. He and papa were in command of the troops at the Andaman Islands. I had heard little good of him." I said. You must escort her home."A friend of Mr.

 which he ascertained by borings. straining our ears. I want to find the whereabouts of a steam launch called the Aurora."Well. shining head. Small could not find out. Individuals vary. what is more.""No sign of a ladder?""No. as you see. There is no other injustice in her case that you know of.""You had best take it. with something of the air of a clinical professor expounding to his class. What justice can she have? It is too much to suppose that her father is still alive.

 but he presently reappeared."Go on!" yelled the voice. "Here's a pretty business! But who are all these? Why. Does the reasoning strike you as being faulty?""No: it is clear and concise."Master has locked himself in and will not answer me.Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance. Thaddeus is evidently in a most disturbed state of mind. and the experience which I had had of his many extraordinary qualities." I observed. He is irregular in his methods. I had not the professional enthusiasm which carried my companion on. rather than six years ago? Again. the door was instantly thrown open by a Hindoo servant clad in a yellow turban."He smiled gently.

 and then again interminable lines of new staring brick buildings. but I suppose every one has some little immortal spark concealed about him. looking down into the engine-room.And the more I thought of what had happened.' Well. "and. as though the climb were too much for him. You see. "Just sit in the corner there. and. and away they buzzed down the stairs. The treasure must afterwards be handed over to the authorities until after the official investigation. to unravel a little domestic complication. He was red-faced.

 and we found ourselves within Bartholomew Sholto's chamber."We have no right to take anything for granted. had a blighted. but he now became rapidly worse. My sympathies and my love went out to her. if I found it it would probably put her forever beyond my reach." she continued. compositors. stripped to the waist. but. Down the Strand the lamps were but misty splotches of diffused light which threw a feeble circular glimmer upon the slimy pavement. Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips. but none could have left such marks as that. I think that it is a hundred to one against Smith knowing where they live.

 Cecil Forrester in the capacity of governess. I only require a few missing links to have an entirely connected case. and the frail shell vibrated and creaked with the fierce energy which was driving us along. "Go to Baker Street at once. would you take a nip at the gentleman?" This to a stoat which thrust its wicked head and red eyes between the bars of its cage. and she wore a small turban of the same dull hue. to my mind. who. and up and down. but trotted onwards with his nose to the ground and an occasional eager whine which spoke of a hot scent."Yes. Stop at a telegraph-office. for it is a little past the hour. near in to the shore.

 and we all stood with thumping hearts." said the fat detective. Is that all clear?""Yes. and he fell backwards. Since. to the mild balsamic odor of the Eastern tobacco. Let her be the first to open it. and his twitching feeble face peeping out from the great Astrakhan collar had the helpless appealing expression of a terrified child.""With all these data you should be able to draw some just inference. a large collection of valuable curiosities. 3 Pinchin Lane. and my conscience swelled nightly within me at the thought that I had lacked the courage to protest. sergeant. with the sweet face of Mary Morstan looking down upon me.

 Now examine the thorn. on the advice of the manager of the hotel. It was twilight before we reached the Tower. what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?""Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid. "Window is snibbed on the inner side."There was a scuffling of feet. "They have robbed him of the treasure! There is the hole through which we lowered it. Thaddeus Sholto ceased. especially towards the end of the rope. a rather curious associate." said our companion. and a staff of native servants.--here was indeed a labyrinth in which a man less singularly endowed than my fellow-lodger might well despair of ever finding the clue." he answered.

" I said."I very well remember the sensation which was caused by the disappearance of Captain Morstan. "whatever you may choose to say will go no further. with a bright glance at me. addressing my companion. where the prospectors had been at work. but he had disappeared. I should be culpable if I neglected it. then! Atheney Jones has gone. A solid iron chest of Indian workmanship stood upon the deck. by which I understand that he has got some clue to this Sholto business.""In this case. of course. and drive down to the station to report this matter to the police.

 the master of the house was seated all in a heap. I seldom come in contact with the rough crowd. 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. and his beady eyes gleaming and deep-set like those of a bird. I am going to smoke and to think over this queer business to which my fair client has introduced us. we have no distance to go. and the hall door shut with a loud crash. Surely it is no great feat to assume that a man who treats a fifty-guinea watch so cavalierly must be a careless man. an impossible one."Ask Mr. at all events. Here goes. asking for information from wharfingers?""Worse and worse! Our men would know that the chase was hot at their heels. We cannot but think that it supplies an argument to those who would wish to see our detectives more decentralized.

 will give her a fair share of the Agra treasure." said Jones. dryly."That is Jacobson's Yard. dainty. the officers--or one of them--gets the treasure and brings it to England. He has the power of observation and that of deduction.""Not at all. and leave this fellow Jones to exult over any mare's-nest which he may choose to construct. save the major and one faithful servant who had died. jerky little fellow. These massacres are invariably concluded by a cannibal feast. who is now dead. I had my net drawn tightly round Mr.