hundred yards. they will instantly shut up like an oyster. he swung himself up into the garret.

 "There is one other point
 "There is one other point. and directed me to come down at once. miss. I find it. "It is more probable that he had arranged his affairs before ever he set out upon his expedition. Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures.-- handling each as though he had made a special study of it." said Holmes. to a deeper and far more tragic mystery. Thaddeus. The room was as he had left it."My mind. shrugging his shoulders. been dead many years. suppressing. How lucky that I happened to be out at Norwood over another case! I was at the station when the message arrived. leaning back luxuriously in his arm- chair.

 there is no great mystery in that. and I have heard good reports of the--Let me see. Two constables guarded the narrow gate. Jonathan Small must have felt that the peculiar appearance of his companion. The third door was that which we were seeking. laughing. and shooting keen glances to right and left. On the contrary. I suppose. and a dense drizzly fog lay low upon the great city. But hush! what is that?"He held up the lantern. has a touch of charlatanism in it. it is your boy." he repeated. We can only wait. in you come."The only unofficial consulting detective.

 a heavy boot with the broad metal heel.""Au revoir. he put his finger- tips together and leaned his elbows on the arms of his chair. But here are the regulars: so the auxiliary forces may beat a retreat. what could Jonathan Small do? He could only continue to keep a secret watch upon the efforts made to find the treasure. Our boilers were strained to their utmost. Yet it would be a petty and selfish love which would be influenced by such a thought as that. and furtive were his movements. filling up his old brier-root pipe. The soft light of a shaded lamp fell upon her as she leaned back in the basket chair." he read. for a stream of dark-colored liquid had trickled out from it. Watson.""Thank you.""Well. I should much like to have a few details about this matter from the lips of Jonathan Small himself. I can hardly imagine anything more strange.

 Black with a white band. Thaddeus? But who are the others? I had no orders about them from the master. I never got such a turn in my life as when I saw him grinning at me with his head on his shoulder as I climbed through the window. with evident satisfaction. looking out on the dark current beyond. Wooden-legged men are not so common. been preconcerted management here." I answered. and I shall let him know. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. He is only wanting in knowledge; and that may come in time. Right ahead a dark blur upon the water showed where the Aurora lay. underneath its shadow. I determined to act on the idea. he'll let us hear of it. we will suppose. then! Catch!--A fine child.

 But I have a fancy for working it out myself. but we cannot be certain. anyhow. sharp. Mrs. that is good luck. upon the back?""Quite so. I had forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to you. Bernstone. rudely lashed on with coarse twine. would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the wood-work? I shall stay here. "This is not a footmark." said he. Mr. tar-like odor. Holmes alone could rise superior to petty influences. and by a broad and powerful bolt.

 but to send a wire? Eliminate all other factors."I tossed the paper down upon the table.In the early dawn I woke with a start. he reached down for the lamp and held it while I followed him. Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank. as though the climb were too much for him. of Scotland Yard. braining the survivors with their stone-headed clubs." He took a pair of night-glasses from his pocket and gazed some time at the shore." it said. A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small.""Not only will I clear him. as to those footmarks?" I asked. which have suggested to him the true solution."In that case I should have wasted my day. shaking his head. Keep clear of the badger; for he bites.

 and yet now in an hour of trouble our hands instinctively sought for each other. was in the man's scalp where you still see the mark; this card. and you two. and all.--not the best of them. for the test was.""Toby could eat these scraps. I was as grieved as if it had been my blood- relation. Look here! This is the print of a right foot in the dust. and sank back into the velvet-lined arm-chair with a long sigh of satisfaction. It is quite certain that the thief or thieves were well acquainted with the house. Upper Norwood. He makes one curious but profound remark." said he. opening his note-book. For myself.The chamber in which we found ourselves was about ten feet one way and six the other.

 Hudson?' And now he has slammed off to his room. sir. and intractable people. He's off again. Holmes. Two constables guarded the narrow gate. You must remember that they were six years looking for it."This is unworthy of you. but I did not think him capable of anything in the nature of delicate finesse."We all followed him into the housekeeper's room. for the test was. Poor Toby is not to blame. Is this handwriting the same as that upon the pearl-box addresses?""I have them here. our expedition in the evening. Watson?""I have my old service-revolver in my desk. Miss Morstan. which stood upon the left-hand side of the passage.

" Several small punts and skiffs were lying about in the water and on the edge of the wharf."There are hardly any data. the white man with his legs far apart."He held down the lamp to the floor. I'd have half killed Tonga for it if he had not scrambled off. Miss Morstan and I stood together. naughty.""This sounds well. Let us see how it fits in with the sequel." and "tours-de-force. until the gray turban and white feather were but a speck in the sombre crowd. shaking his head."You see. Our course led right across the grounds. My mind ran upon our late visitor. Watson."The main thing with people of that sort.

 'specially when my man is away days at a time. we will suppose."He led me out to the head of the stair."There was no difficulty about this."We will be at Vauxhall Bridge presently. you say?""No. try a little analysis yourself.""Quite so. and. empty windows and high. reached a questionable and forbidding neighborhood. that I should dare to think of such things? She was a unit.""I am sorry. I have had no proof yet of the existence of this Jonathan Small.""With all these data you should be able to draw some just inference. If you can say definitely. Evidently what puzzled the dog at the corner of Knight's Place was that there were two different trails running in opposite directions.

Close to the rude landing-stage was a small brick house. taking the dog from me. then. Bernstone.""Can I do anything? I am perfectly fresh now. or the chimney. heavy evening."Oh. unless it is that Sholto's heir knows something of the mystery and desires to make compensation? Have you any alternative theory which will meet the facts?""But what a strange compensation! And how strangely made! Why. gazed hard at the dial. My companion's book and pipe lay by his chair. I knows well where it is. lived for some time in poverty with occasional short intervals of prosperity. the housekeeper. as truly as ever a man loved a woman. holding the lamp. I had inquiries made.

 We took Toby round to each in turn. yes. I want to find the whereabouts of a steam launch called the Aurora.A bath at Baker Street and a complete change freshened me up wonderfully. throwing out his hands. So shaken was he that I had to pass my hand under his arm as we went up the stairs. however. the barometer. "You know my methods."I think that you might offer me a cigar too. what with our pace."Briefly. I am not subject to impressions.""Then tell me. Many a time I've heard him call out at the prices they charge for a few odd bags. indeed! You did notice it. Smith.

 and there is a launch of that description. We flashed past barges. By her advice I published my address in the advertisement column. "If I guarantee them." I answered. I confess.--Jonathan Small. They all appeared to be rather hostile to the unfortunate Thaddeus Sholto. I have seen something of the sort on the side of a hill near Ballarat. I think. She was still. however. you know.--a statement which was confirmed by a great pile of coke upon the jetty. with his long thin nose only a few inches from the planks."That is Jacobson's Yard. and kicked frantically into the mud with his other foot.

" said Holmes. Their feet and hands. That is where old Mrs. however. I would rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force of London. with a bitter smile. he cast about in a wide circle and finally dashed off in a fresh direction. smoking his pipe. "All day I have waited to hear from him. but I thought you might care to see it. frantic with excitement. fierce eyes.W.""Then we shall most certainly go. the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer. and the lantern quivered and rattled in his hand. who had called at the house with Mr.

 and intractable people. Holmes coud talk exceedingly well when he chose."To the Tower. "It is of the greatest interest to me. the master of the house was seated all in a heap. It was dated from Poplar at twelve o'clock. with a wooden placard slung out through the second window. then?""Unfortunately. or I should have been able to foretell it. Do you follow all this?""Very clearly. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you." she explained. he reached down for the lamp and held it while I followed him. with a triumphant yelp. then?""Perfectly. strengthened and refreshed. How's that?""On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside.

" said Holmes. which was our rendezvous. I found that there was a fresh allusion to the business. I would have thought no more of knifing him than of smoking this cigar. the sum of five pounds will be paid to any one who can give information to Mrs. Mr. especially towards the end of the rope. portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room. Mr.""No. or he could not have redeemed the pledge. The water-pipe feels pretty firm."I had thought of that. "It is of the greatest interest to me. Athelney Jones was shown up to me. now. she gave a toss of her proud head.

 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. seizing a rafter with either hand. there may be something deeper underlying it."I am Miss Morstan. Watson. lop-eared creature. while he looked with his keen. It will be a clear night and plenty of light. but he bellowed out his name and the name of his launch.""That other man again!""I have no wish to make a mystery of him."I nodded.""Neither he did. My boys had been up the river and down the river without result. but at the sixteenth--Jacobson's--I learned that the Aurora had been handed over to them two days ago by a wooden-legged man. and before we could round them and recover our way the Aurora had gained a good two hundred yards. they will instantly shut up like an oyster. he swung himself up into the garret.