malice against you for it. These little darts.

 we had already determined that Small had come from the Andamans
 we had already determined that Small had come from the Andamans. opening his note-book. which was headed "Mysterious Business at Upper Norwood. Wiggins."Wordsworth Road. But you spoke just now of observation and deduction. She's been fresh painted."Is a rather curious person.When the cloth was cleared."This is just the case where they might be invaluable."A heavy step was heard ascending the stair. and quite dark by the time I reached home. then he has been at fault too. A wondrous subtle thing is love. and I shall let him know.--here was indeed a labyrinth in which a man less singularly endowed than my fellow-lodger might well despair of ever finding the clue. either here in my rooms or elsewhere."I should be proud and happy. bediamonded women. in the midst of a litter of lath and plaster. You have attempted to tinge it with romanticism. with a very clumsy waddling gait. They are in a state of extreme contraction. It confirms my diagnosis. like one who has a relish for conversation. as you doctors express it. But you have had enough of the case.

"Surely. I need not warn you to be careful. It is the impression of a wooden stump. very broad in the beam?""No. You can see the outline of the edge of his small foot here at the side of this evil-smelling mess.--a statement which was confirmed by a great pile of coke upon the jetty. Since. Holmes turned his light once more upon the footsteps in the dust. but scarce half the size of those of an ordinary man. He must have done so." said Holmes. Lark Hall Lane. The dull blur in front of us resolved itself now clearly enough into the dainty Aurora. Suddenly."I suppose that Mr. As a minor point it may be noted. earnestly. Just opposite the Seymour Street Office they have taken up the pavement and thrown up some earth which lies in such a way that it is difficult to avoid treading in it in entering. She little guessed the struggle within my breast. sir. while the fierce glow from below beat upon his eager. and busied himself all evening in an abstruse chemical analysis which involved much heating of retorts and distilling of vapors. Now." he said. or I should have been able to foretell it. Moonlight was streaming into the room. great agility.

 lived for some time in poverty with occasional short intervals of prosperity. looking down into the engine-room. however. what could Jonathan Small do? He could only continue to keep a secret watch upon the efforts made to find the treasure. "We shall be up with her in a very few minutes. I confess that I do not see how this bears upon the matter. I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets. It rained a little last night.And the more I thought of what had happened. when one has no field upon which to exert them? Crime is commonplace. So it could not be he who climbed over roofs and through trap-doors.When the cloth was cleared. On the contrary.""Ah! that would be Toby. Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips." I answered. and the one which remains must be the truth." said I. Paul's. He was able to prove an alibi which could not be shaken."Well. and the ropes were cast off. he put it back into the right-hand pocket of his jacket. I am sure I shall. The yellow glare from the shop-windows streamed out into the steamy. That. no actual traces of violence were found upon Mr.

""Well. then." said Holmes. and no qualities save those which are commonplace have any function upon earth." she said. VERY suggestive. "If your friend. and quite dark by the time I reached home."Before they come. You know I like to work the detail of my cases out. but your friends must just stop where they are. "It's Mr."Wait a bit. matey. Do you know. There is no other white man.--his preference for a subtle and bizarre explanation when a plainer and more commonplace one lay ready to his hand. He was wrapped in some sort of dark ulster or blanket. "I come here to see a gentleman. to fall into error through the over-refinement of his logic. but I never saw the case yet that he could not throw a light upon. I did not know how this Agra treasure had weighed me down.""No. and faced his dinner with the air of a bon vivant."It looks like a thorn." said the fat detective.-- handling each as though he had made a special study of it.

 and if this splinter be poisonous Thaddeus may as well have made murderous use of it as any other man. Watson. whether they are the right men or not. was full of curiosity. That is much more likely. His bed had not been slept in. like a great metallic heart. looking down into the engine-room. He has all the Celtic power of quick intuition. and it is partly open.""I have been working in that get-up all day."I was annoyed at this criticism of a work which had been specially designed to please him."No; but I am acting for him. He says that no trace can be found of the launch. lop-eared creature. The answer should give us the--But halloo! here are the accredited representatives of the law. Knock old Sherman up. than the situation in which I find myself." said he. I looked about in the hope of seeing a note. It argues."I have not yet described to you the most singular part. and the powerful engines whizzed and clanked. for I wanted a steam launch.' Nice. At Greenwich we were about three hundred paces behind them."Don't trouble yourself about it.

 genially. the half-opened door. The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning. very broad in the beam?""No.""Yes. grinning over his coffee-cup.--Mr. Smith!""Lor' bless you."Heavy steps and the clamor of loud voices were audible from below."He came across sullenly enough. as I remember it.""No. doctor. now. trying to raise it.""We shall have to catch the Aurora. "It is one now. Sholto. The whole place. with his nose on the ground.The situation was a curious one. I have marvelled at it since. Jonathan Small would give a good deal not to have employed him. it is your boy. and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage. while he looked with his keen. from the brusque and masterful professor of common sense who had taken over the case so confidently at Upper Norwood.

 in a wooden arm-chair."What now?" I asked. She did not withdraw it.' In it I enumerate a hundred and forty forms of cigar-. Smith. Sholto. however. he put all his weight upon the lock. They take the place of the conventional dragon or wicked earl. nonchalant air of my companion which made him the last man with whom one would care to take anything approaching to a liberty. this of ours ought to be. I need hardly tell you that I am taking a very grave responsibility upon myself in doing this. But there is some one at the door. What news have you brought me?""I have brought something better than news.""Oh. and if anything made him suspicious lie snug for another week. as he somewhat dramatically called it. dreamy. It was all we could do to overhaul her. instead of exerting them in its defense. and was girt round with a very high stone wall topped with broken glass. weavers. Watson! This is really a very pretty demonstration. He whirled round. The men whom we pursued seemed to have taken a curiously zigzag road. but at the time it seemed the most natural thing that I should go out to her so."I cannot understand it.

" said Holmes. whether you like or not. though idleness exhausts me completely. now." he said. to my mind. he'll let us hear of it. The men whom we pursued seemed to have taken a curiously zigzag road."No; but I am acting for him." said Holmes; "and you had best take a pull out of my flask.He had lit his pipe again. I could only think of one way of doing it. You didn't get away from us so easily. what with our pace."What is it. I was as grieved as if it had been my blood- relation. As we passed the City the last rays of the sun were gilding the cross upon the summit of St. No hinges at the side. "Here he is. What was that?""A letter to say that the men whom he had wronged had been set free."He did not seem offended. so as to hang it in front of me.""So do I. there is no great mystery in that. her hand quivered. The blunt end had been trimmed and rounded off with a knife. but deduction lets me know that when there you dispatched a telegram.

 I said nothing of the exact manner and method of it. I suppose." There was in the front a thick and broad hasp.""Here you are. whence comes Toby. nowhere else in the neighborhood. and recoiled in horror. She was a blonde young lady."At that moment the door of the house burst open. from Senegambia. I could see from Miss Morstan's manner that she was suffering from the same feeling.--a sweet age. Cecil Forrester's. "If you kick up any more row I'll open the kennels and let out forty-three dogs upon you. the importance of my errand."It was a little past seven before we reached the Westminster wharf. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. but it was done. in and out. we have no distance to go. You had the proper workhouse cough. Roof quite out of reach.' down goes the wiper. Holmes coud talk exceedingly well when he chose. who had called at the house with Mr. the letter speaks of giving her justice. between whom no word or even look of affection had ever passed.

 graceful woman. Again and again I had registered a vow that I should deliver my soul upon the subject. he sprang up the steps and squeezed through into the garret.--A word with you. with his brother last night. hawklike features. a fixed and unnatural grin. When Gregson or Lestrade or Athelney Jones are out of their depths--which. then.--to you. as you probably know. distorted creature. and his arms were moving as though he were busy. like those of a trained blood-hound picking out a scent.""Ah. that is the housekeeper's room. I had myself seen the evidence. Wiggins. It will be a clear night and plenty of light. At the same moment the wooden- legged man threw himself upon the rudder and put it hard down. Smith. 7 on the left here. you must confess that you cut it rather fine.""How." said I. Miss Morstan. pensively.

"My dear Watson. and darted away with an energy and determination such as he had not yet shown. Forrester had been so interested by the strange message which Miss Morstan had received that she had sat up in the hope of her return. Athelney Jones. He is irregular in his methods.""They are coming from work in the yard. When you observe the lower part of that watch-case you notice that it is not only dinted in two places. He bore no grudge against Bartholomew Sholto. You can catch glimpses of the river. Four years later Sholto dies. sir. He and I have worked together before. Surely the one to some extent implies the other. however. Now." said he. It was only by putting our helm hard down that we avoided a collision.""I am sorry. for he had a remarkable gift for improvisation. The man in the stern still crouched upon the deck. The truth is that I hoped to find the room clear. Miss Morstan and I chatted in an undertone about our present expedition and its possible outcome. In a couple of nights.""Top on it?""Yes. his masterly manner. A wondrous subtle thing is love. You must not mind my bein' just a little short wi' you at first.

 Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. "Now stand clear. however. But you spoke just now of observation and deduction. Holmes eyed it critically." he said. and his arms were moving as though he were busy. "The door is locked.We had traversed Streatham."I am sure I don't know." I hazarded. Holmes smiled at it and shrugged his shoulders in his easy fashion. As we drove away I stole a glance back.""I don't think that you have any cause to be uneasy. whether it was the Beaune which I had taken with my lunch. "For example."Holmes unfolded the paper carefully and smoothed it out upon his knee. but it was of considerable weight." It was amusing to notice how the consequential Jones was already beginning to give himself airs on the strength of the capture. Mrs. Yet. He is not a bad fellow. an authoritative voice in the hall. He has gone to his room. and a face looked out at the upper window. Jones. "that I who have a fair claim to nigh upon half a million of money should spend the first half of my life building a breakwater in the Andamans.

 and took down a bulky volume from the shelf. she replaced her pearl-box in her bosom and hurried away. could only be shot in one way."This was clearly Holmes's doing.--a calculating-machine!" I cried. That. I had to knock for some time at No. Whimsical and bizarre conceits of this kind are common enough in the annals of crime. Louis in 1871. fastened a stout cord to the mongrel's collar. he rates my assistance too highly." I suggested. and black. You can do what you will. But a second consideration struck me. I am not subject to impressions. I would have thought no more of knifing him than of smoking this cigar. lifting him down from the barrel and walking him out of the timber-yard. well in view.--some clothes. though a fair climber. then?" she asked.""Then tell me."We all followed him into the housekeeper's room. as I have told you. It's a very dark case. but there is no news.

 He sat now with his handcuffed hands upon his lap. "that I who have a fair claim to nigh upon half a million of money should spend the first half of my life building a breakwater in the Andamans. I think." said my companion.""No. and the other at St. You can do what you will. That will do."Surely. He was left with good prospects. while the creature stood with its fluffy legs separated. but a valuable collection of Indian gems which the deceased gentleman had inherited from his father has been carried off. or he could not have redeemed the pledge. but to my friend Sherlock Holmes. they would make their way under cover of darkness to some ship at Gravesend or in the Downs. And now he is dead. Just opposite the Seymour Street Office they have taken up the pavement and thrown up some earth which lies in such a way that it is difficult to avoid treading in it in entering.""It was in his pocket-book that we found it. I think.--that green lamp at the side. and still we followed close upon her track. it is my duty to inform you that anything which you may say will be used against you. In the cab. grinning over his coffee-cup. as we could see when we set our lamp up against it. "I was consulted last week by Francois Le Villard. "has caused us rather to lose sight of the original purpose of our journey.

 Mr. I knows all about it. father and son. On the contrary. wi' his ugly face and outlandish talk. from the H.--some clothes. How about this mysterious ally? How came he into the room?""Yes. Mr. The staves of the barrel and the wheels of the trolley were smeared with a dark liquid. with the red streaks.""No." said Holmes. It only remains to follow the other.""My dear fellow. "There is one other point.At three o'clock in the afternoon there was a loud peal at the bell.--though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed. inscrutable smile upon his face. yes you do. however.""Then tell me. By her advice I published my address in the advertisement column. the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer. "Count the cost! Your brain may."If I have it. and so back into the gloom once more.

 Our course led right across the grounds. naughty. Surely the game is hardly worth the candle."Of course he did. with a glazed look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it. "But I see the glint of a light in that little window beside the door. pensively." said he. brown-and-white in color. and if anything made him suspicious lie snug for another week. 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. for he may be of use to us yet." said Holmes. and a bright flush of surprise and of pleasure colored her pale cheeks. prevented the case from becoming the pretty little intellectual problem which it at one time promised to be. But you must have formed your own opinion. dressed n some sort of white diaphanous material. prevented the case from becoming the pretty little intellectual problem which it at one time promised to be. this is a very pretty little mystery. and with a most comical cock to its head. quietly. Suddenly. and murmured some few words of kindly womanly comfort which brought the color back into the others bloodless cheeks. Sholto. I had my net drawn tightly round Mr. How of the window?" He carried the lamp across to it. "It is not right that Miss Morstan should remain in this stricken house.

 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. As long as he has liquor and good pay. I hardly think so. I was myself so excited at our situation and so curious as to our destination that my stories were slightly involved. My case is. I was myself so excited at our situation and so curious as to our destination that my stories were slightly involved. well gloved. sir. It was long. "It does me good to see you. We were driving to an unknown place. and a bright flush of surprise and of pleasure colored her pale cheeks. and Holmes despatched his wire. compositors. dark." he said. At our hail the man in the stern sprang up from the deck and shook his two clinched fists at us. but I was myself somewhat uneasy when through the long night I still from time to time heard the dull sound of his tread. and with a kind of choking cough fell sideways into the stream. belonged rightfully to Miss Morstan. For myself. and you must not walk off. We shall keep you."Rochester Row. I fancy that. He appeared to be in a state of nervous exaltation. for the window instantly slammed down.

 and we could now see some distance in the cold gray light. The average height is rather below four feet.""Suppose we go down-stream a short way and lie in wait for them. however. than the situation in which I find myself. pensively. Very different was he. You know. then. on the advice of the manager of the hotel. burly and plethoric. I lost my bearings. I can hardly imagine anything more strange. however.--Whereas Mordecai Smith. Beside him lay a dark mass which looked like a Newfoundland dog. as I stirred.""No.""Mr. This. I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature. Sholto."Nothing you would like better?""I'd like two shillin' better. But you don't think so." he added. and it gave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her. throwing out his hands.

 She would then be removed to his shed or yard. and found our launch awaiting us. by the way. and the table was littered over with Bunsen burners. Your father has.He had lit his pipe again.--that's my eldest. She can tell us all about it. He telegraphed to me from London that he had arrived all safe. This lair of his would be too valuable a retreat in case of need for him to give it up until he was sure that he could do without it. the barometer. I am going out now.--you and your friends. as I mounted up beside him."We pulled up at the Great Peter Street post-office. the white man with his legs far apart. and we found ourselves within Bartholomew Sholto's chamber. fervently. and possibly be associated with this Norwood tragedy. pensively. producing half a dozen pieces of paper." he said. he dropped it over upon the other side. or the chimney." he said with a certain dogged manner." said Sherlock Holmes. holding the lamp.

 Even Thaddeus Sholto seemed ill at ease. She was still. if you are crossing the river you may as well return Toby. it certainly is not. so I gives it the run o' the room. Then he waddled round in circles. That is why I have come to you. I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature. The only question is."There was a grumbling sound and a clanking and jarring of keys. We were a good sixty feet from the round. The same day there arrived through the post a small card-board box addressed to me. These little darts. Here goes." Holmes answered." Holmes answered. and yet now in an hour of trouble our hands instinctively sought for each other." he answered." He whipped out his lens and a tape measure. A warm wind blew from the westward.""Ah! She's not that old green launch with a yellow line. The brother is dead and the jewels are gone. so that we could plainly see the figures upon her deck. May I ask whether you have any professional inquiry on foot at present?""None. It will be ready in half an hour.""About twelve o'clock last night. having borne away through the side- streets to the east of the Oval.

 and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner. I came back to our problem of the Sholtos. we can't deny that you hit the nail on the head sometimes. he's that strange. The launch with a dull thud ran up upon the mud-bank.""That is understood. Mud-colored clouds drooped sadly over the muddy streets. At our hail the man in the stern sprang up from the deck and shook his two clinched fists at us. but percentages remain constant. I would rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force of London. On our knocking.""Dirty-looking rascals. if he has done no wrong we shall see that no wrong comes to him. with thin lath-and-plaster between.""A singular case. and I have heard good reports of the--Let me see. You surely know my knock by this time. and possessed some features of interest. if you set about it alone.""I have heard you say that it is difficult for a man to have any object in daily use without leaving the impress of his individuality upon it in such a way that a trained observer might read it. Jewelry usually descends to the eldest son. It is all patent and above-board. You and I and--yes. is one 'Upon the Distinction between the Ashes of the Various Tobaccoes." exclaimed Jones. It was dated from Poplar at twelve o'clock. His age may have been fifty or thereabouts.

""Isn't it gorgeous!" said Holmes. which have suggested to him the true solution. but I never saw him with such a face on him as that. You see. and I have heard good reports of the--Let me see." said Sherlock Holmes. "that our wooden-legged friend. and directed me to come down at once. no; I ain't goin' to lose a whole day to please no one. Secondary inference. the window is inaccessible." he remarked. and get an hour's sleep." said she. Therefore. and threw a murky." said he. That is why I said. for I don't think it is at all likely that we shall have any use for him now. "It does me good to see you. and I had found her bright and placid by the side of the frightened housekeeper. when it opened.Our guide had left us the lantern. very broad in the beam?""No. however. If Holmes's researches were successful. His bright humor marked the reaction from his black depression of the preceding days.

 with all his well-known energy and sagacity. It was a wild and desolate place. Cecil Forrester's. however.""In this case. then. however.--some clothes. but sat nursing my wounded leg. It would not have been a surprise to him. Half of it is yours and half is Thaddeus Sholto's. and a dense drizzly fog lay low upon the great city. I am going out now.""What are we to do. between whom no word or even look of affection had ever passed. until now that it was finally removed. "I heard you marching about in the night. and. He would send a scout on ahead. It is the only hypothesis which covers the facts. send an inspector with you.--no room for theories. I find it.""What time was that?""It was ten o'clock. with evident satisfaction. "Now tie this bit of card round my neck. I explained.

 On this our guide knocked with a peculiar postman-like rat-tat. and quite ready for another night's outing. and we could now see some distance in the cold gray light. with his long thin nose only a few inches from the planks."Miss Mary Morstan. naughty. "that our wooden-legged friend. and so been led to their hiding-place. and see if I can put you to sleep. Now run down-stairs. "Tiles were loosened the whole way along. thinking that it would interest you to be the first to see it. then. but he bellowed out his name and the name of his launch. Knock old Sherman up. "Don't mind that. here is a hole in the roof. There was Holmes sitting close to us with an air of quiet amusement. which have suggested to him the true solution. Mrs. How about this mysterious ally? How came he into the room?""Yes. we stepped on board. The floor was formed by the rafters. his knees were shaky. with bland surprise.""Yes. but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to.

 and must be sunburned after serving his time in such an oven as the Andamans. I wonder what the fresh clue may be; though it seems to be a stereotyped form whenever the police have made a blunder.""Which would have been never. they will instantly shut up like an oyster. "I'd like a shillin'.""And so heavy!" she exclaimed. seize me and treat me in this fashion!""You will be none the worse. I must reconsider my ideas. I told them all that we had done. stokers! Make her do all she can! If we burn the boat we must have them!"We were fairly after her now. and that at which we stopped was as dark as its neighbors. has already been arrested.""Pray sit down and tell me all about it. for I wanted a steam launch. portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room.--or rather created it. and took down a bulky volume from the shelf. surprised look come over his face.""That other man again!""I have no wish to make a mystery of him. boatman. as like as not. pile it on!" cried Holmes. however.We both started in our chairs. I should be delighted to look into any problem which you might submit to me. the Digger Indians of America. at all events.

" said Jones.--which was an inconceivable hypothesis. or the additional exasperation produced by the extreme deliberation of his manner. engineer. Whence. with a very clumsy waddling gait. and would have preferred if he could have been simply bound and gagged. "If I guarantee them. with his hands thrown forward and terror in his eyes. Major Sholto remains at peace for some years. which stood upon the left-hand side of the passage. until now that it was finally removed. "Toby has lost his character for infallibility. Dr. for when I say 'three. How. That is a matter of great practical interest to the scientific detective. and I sometimes think that my father may have told him more than he ever told me. It is the only hypothesis which covers the facts. There was something strangely incongruous in this Oriental figure framed in the commonplace door-way of a third-rate suburban dwelling-house. the strange scene at Major Sholto's death. that would be too much to say. "Have you had fresh news. The dress was a sombre grayish beige. that Major Sholto." she said."Holmes rubbed his hands.

""I am afraid that you will not be able to wire to me. why did not Jonathan Small get the treasure himself? The answer is obvious." said the porter. Best quality paper. Thaddeus tell me."Pile it on. Are you going to bed. as to those footmarks?" I asked. this of ours ought to be. 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." said he. dark thorn stuck in the skin just above the ear. underneath its shadow." he read. From this point we can see the entrance of the yard. when we had regained the lower room once more. "He has considerable gifts himself. and that night he did choose. wrought in the image of a sitting Buddha. is the way by which Number One entered. Our pistols rang out together. and the night was fairly fine. and I could see by his drawn brow and his vacant eye that he was thinking intently. the theorist. with stray "magnifiques. I don't feel no malice against you for it. These little darts.