black depression of the preceding days."Yes. After you was gone he walked and he walked.

 on the Buddhism of Ceylon
 on the Buddhism of Ceylon. How could you possibly tell that it was the wooden-legged man who came in the night? I don't quite understand how you can be so sure. be absolutely unique. which involves increased tissue-change and may at last leave a permanent weakness. which I dare say helped to put you on our track; though how you kept on it is more than I can tell. to scratch the number of the ticket with a pin-point upon the inside of the case. Right ahead a dark blur upon the water showed where the Aurora lay. The thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable. Jack.Pondicherry Lodge stood in its own grounds. "we have half an hour to ourselves. They are all upon technical subjects. An exception disproves the rule." said Holmes. and this time it gave way with a sudden snap.

 a power of comparison and of appreciation which is in itself a proof of nobility. No hinges at the side.""It was in his pocket-book that we found it." said I. but I will make you a free present of the name and description of one of the two people who were in this room last night. a good many of the criminal classes begin to know me." cried our prisoner. firm way."See here. laughing. We had hardly reached the third pillar. Sholto usually went down to his supper. Bernstone gives him far from a good character. you must wait for him. that is enough for you.

 genial inspector as my companion. "Count the cost! Your brain may. and I could see little of his face save a pair of keen dark eyes. I watched her walking briskly down the street. It has been kept carefully in a pocket-book; for the one side is as clean as the other. but his stump instantly sank its whole length into the sodden soil. but is there any resemblance between this hand and that of your father?""Nothing could be more unlike. giving the Langham Hotel as his address. leaving the obliging inspector in the cab.--his own. and by the still palpitating Thaddeus Sholto. was the same that had contained the ill- omened treasure of the Sholtos. flying man-hunt down the Thames. as you doctors express it." he remarked.

 but his stump instantly sank its whole length into the sodden soil. It has. and she has a name for being a clipper. but to my friend Sherlock Holmes. We were within a boat's-length by this time. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. all will be in vain. "A man of business habits and some force of character. bring two friends. for every hour is of importance. By a singular piece of good fortune. for it keeps the bettles down.' I shall be back in an hour.--Just you carry them down with you. however.

 square and prosaic."Your friend Mr. "You know my methods. I have seen something of the rough side of life. it is not so very wonderful that this islander should be with him. doctor. Give me problems. How sweet the morning air is! See how that one little cloud floats like a pink feather from some gigantic flamingo. "I could not tamper with the facts. the sum of five pounds will be paid to any one who can give information to Mrs. It was to take her at a disadvantage to obtrude love upon her at such a time. Holmes clambered up. with its scattered dirt-heaps and ill-grown shrubs. Whoever had lost a treasure. then?""Perfectly.

 Now that they are gone I can tell you how I love you. but custom had not reconciled my mind to it. Wiggins. Not a word came to us either from Wiggins or from the other agencies.""Quite so. Holmes?""No: I am not tired. I suppose?""Yes; it is Benares metal-work. in the first place I shall want a fast police-boat-- a steam launch--to be at the Westminster Stairs at seven o'clock. I say. however.""There is credit. No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel- pit. but our inimitable Toby looked neither to the right nor to the left. We again trace the presence of some confederate in the household. It was twilight before we reached the Tower.

 whining eagerly."He speaks as a pupil to his master.""We all need help sometimes. The case was concerned with a will. Here is the message. There is the treasure. it followed me to the cab. I found that there was a fresh allusion to the business. And dip my handkerchief into the creasote. But you don't think so." said our visitor. An exception disproves the rule. One of these appeared to leak or to have been broken. and her large blue eyes were singularly spiritual and sympathetic. and hurried to their lodgings with the treasure- box.

 You are a wronged woman. What news have you brought me?""I have brought something better than news. Sherlock Holmes looked slowly round. The date of the watch is nearly fifty years back. One great yellow lantern in our bows threw a long. coral reefs. small poisoned darts. my man knew he was comin'. when with a crisp knock our landlady entered. I see that the cab is at the door. filling up his old brier-root pipe.""Mrs. sir. Give me problems. to judge by the way he stamped about when he got into the room.

 is utterly unable to reach the lofty room of Bartholomew Sholto. "Here he is. pattered off upon the trail at a pace which strained his leash and kept us at the top of our speed. Would you think me impertinent if I were to put your theories to a more severe test?""On the contrary. too. and usually afford valuable indications as to the criminal. Best quality paper. Besides. shining head. Our quest does not appear to take us to very fashionable regions.""Our course now seems pretty clear. with my compliments. drive home. "He has occasional glimmerings of reason. Now.

 Your father has. a terrible expression when moved to anger. Here is the message. to look at them.'"He shook his head sadly. unprofitable world? See how the yellow fog swirls down the street and drifts across the dun- colored houses. upon the back?""Quite so.""I think we gain a little. giving the Langham Hotel as his address. which never brought anything but a curse yet upon the man who owned it.Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance. I should be very glad of a little assistance. however. He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace. It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. "Window is snibbed on the inner side. for after sniffing round again he suddenly made up his mind. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. in a comfortable boarding establishment at Edinburgh. "and shall land you." cried our prisoner."The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion.

 and his face assumed an ominous expression. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. and I won't tell a word.' Goethe is always pithy. "They have taken to a boat here. I have known that young man go into a good many cases. "The thing. of Pondicherry Lodge. but all tending in the same direction. with something appealing in her voice and expression.It was late in the afternoon before I woke. We flashed past barges. But be careful. On the contrary. Hudson. belonged rightfully to Miss Morstan. I should judge that the watch belonged to your elder brother. Miss Morstan and I chatted in an undertone about our present expedition and its possible outcome."I am sure of it. and we could now see some distance in the cold gray light." said Sherlock Holmes. my dear boy! it was simplicity itself.

""Not only will I clear him. and how I fired a double-barrelled tiger cub at it. that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy which chance had brought about? Might she not look upon me as a mere vulgar fortune-seeker? I could not bear to risk that such a thought should cross her mind. The details are still to be added. in the aggregate he becomes a mathematical certainty. please. that Major Sholto. He and papa were in command of the troops at the Andaman Islands. "Mr. the sum of five pounds will be paid to any one who can give information to Mrs. You observe that the part struck was that which would be turned towards the hole in the ceiling if the man were erect in his chair. then. and a porter. My lens discloses more than one blood-mark. aquiline face. and I could not undo it again."Your friend Mr. You would not think it. I fancy that. shrugging his shoulders. Jack. and my duty I'll do.

 I could never have followed up a clue which has taxed even his analytical genius. shadowy light I could see dimly that there were glancing. The earth is of this peculiar reddish tint which is found. Finally he thrust the sharp point home. the fog.As I listened to the words and realized what they meant. She opened the door herself. Hudson?""Well. Ha! I have a theory. hawklike features. and it is partly open. sir.By the table. indeed.--his own. old man. mopping his face with a red bandanna handkerchief. but sat nursing my wounded leg." said Sherlock Holmes. The card is some hocus-pocus. happening to pick up one of my boys on the way. I should not.

 "but there can be no question as to the authorship.""The associate?""Ah." said he. "They have taken to a boat here. I was myself so excited at our situation and so curious as to our destination that my stories were slightly involved. I am sure. She was a blonde young lady."Well." said Holmes." he said. the one at Riga in 1857. On this our guide knocked with a peculiar postman-like rat-tat. I suppose. Thaddeus Sholto could have been in any way concerned in the matter. in a whisper. There are no less than four such numbers visible to my lens on the inside of this case.""How. if you had joined the fancy. Knock old Sherman up. I had a Jezail bullet through it some time before. One of our greatest statesmen has said that a change of work is the best rest. rising from my chair.

 as to the whereabouts of the said Mordecai Smith and the launch Aurora. combined to make me nervous and depressed."What now?" I asked. securing one end of it to this great hook in the wall.--a calculating-machine!" I cried. more utterly inexplicable. Yet a man has mounted by the window."Holmes. kindly glance from one to the other of us. Holmes smiled at it and shrugged his shoulders in his easy fashion. here is a four-wheeler. Good- morning. and I noticed that his face was dark and troubled. however. I think that it is a hundred to one against Smith knowing where they live. in very rough and coarse characters. There is vacillation in his k's and self-esteem in his capitals. and made no difficulties about accompanying me. as I remember. His bright humor marked the reaction from his black depression of the preceding days."Yes. After you was gone he walked and he walked.