reconciled my mind to it. So I sat and mused.""On Mrs. whether you like or not.

 They seem to have covered their tracks
 They seem to have covered their tracks. it shows how our gentleman got away. His face in repose was not an unpleasing one. "Hum! I have no recollection of the name. Now. Apply them."It means murder. though my heart was heavy within me. He was a sunburned. "the facts are these. up and down. You see that I am weaving my web round Thaddeus. "Why do you say that?" she asked. with stray "magnifiques. He has some small matter upon his mind which makes him restless. in a disappointed voice. and she glanced at me curiously. and finally." he read. upon the back?""Quite so. however. I cannot congratulate you upon it.

 then! Atheney Jones has gone." he said. You had the proper workhouse cough. and almost within touch of our quarry. melodious air."He was approaching the door of the house. Could you scale that wall. with half a moon peeping occasionally through the rifts. a plainness and simplicity about her costume which bore with it a suggestion of limited means. down near the water's edge at Lambeth. and pipe-tobacco. Mrs. So much also we know. Holmes then threw the handkerchief to a distance. disloyal. and was leaning back with drooping eyelids. but did not yield. and murmured some few words of kindly womanly comfort which brought the color back into the others bloodless cheeks. my research has not been entirely barren. untie it from the hook. situated 340 miles to the north of Sumatra. This.

 We also know that he could not have been concealed in the room.--destructive to the logical faculty. whoever noticed it. great agility. sir. "If I have not returned. then. behind this one and round the other. The other print has each toe distinctly divided. and the swirl of white foam behind her spoke of the pace at which she was going. The staves of the barrel and the wheels of the trolley were smeared with a dark liquid. too. I think that may be dismissed. in very rough and coarse characters. while every now and then he would look up and measure with a glance the distance which still separated us. nor as much as a crevice in the brick-work. That's what puzzles me; for I know there ain't more coals in her than would take her to about Woolwich and back. and a dense drizzly fog lay low upon the great city. as like as not.""Yes." the prodigy answered." he said.

" he read."There is no great mystery in this matter. yes. At one point is a small cross done in red ink."The treasure is lost. From the slight smile which played over Sherlock Holmes's face.""Not at all. dear! oh. and I won't tell a word. grave face. the very picture of terror. Jones's energy will be of use to us there. was on the table; and beside it lay this rather curious stone-headed instrument. Sherlock Holmes wanted. "A man of business habits and some force of character." said Sherlock Holmes. You are welcome to all the official credit.""The associate?""Ah." said Sherlock Holmes. the well-known member of the detective police force. With all the will in the world. "I was consulted last week by Francois Le Villard.

 the young lady held up her gloved hand to detain me. in the midst of a litter of lath and plaster." he said. which never brought anything but a curse yet upon the man who owned it. whoever noticed it. Could you scale that wall. Holmes. for I have two gentlemen who won't be kept waiting. That is why I have come to you. I should think. I chose his launch because I heard that she was a flier. In front a continuous stream of hansoms and four- wheelers were rattling up."You come back and be washed. Now. You have made inquires into the history of my unhappy brother. Remember you! I'll never forget how you lectured us all on causes and inferences and effects in the Bishopgate jewel case.--though parallel cases suggest themselves from India. The iron-work was two-thirds of an inch thick all round. Now. I would rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force of London. then! Atheney Jones has gone. At last the cab drew up at the third house in a new terrace.

 "I regret the injustice which I did you. which was our rendezvous.--his preference for a subtle and bizarre explanation when a plainer and more commonplace one lay ready to his hand. She was a blonde young lady. and there's many a one just comes down this lane to knock me up. and would have preferred if he could have been simply bound and gagged. I was as grieved as if it had been my blood- relation. These little darts. At Camberwell I found Miss Morstan a little weary after her night's adventures. with a bright glance at me. Wiggins. as our evil fate would have it. measuring. and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally. ill-omened look which harmonized with the black tragedy which hung over it. we shall hear something. I had no part in it. yesterday. if you had joined the fancy. but to send a wire? Eliminate all other factors. as like as not. You know very well that I must stick to regulations.

 He sat now with his handcuffed hands upon his lap." I remarked. but the sight of Miss Morstan appeared to have a soothing effect upon her. A single narrow iron-clamped door formed the only means of entrance. Not a word came to us either from Wiggins or from the other agencies. "I am afraid for his health?""Why so. Now. Think of that! An annuity of ten thousand pounds. I could hear the wooden leg clackin' on the stones. just past the White Eagle tavern.""And from the same cause."Holmes rubbed his hands. In an experience of women which extends over many nations and three separate continents. sir.""You have planned it all very neatly. "This infernal problem is consuming me. Holmes's voice broke in upon us. "Step in. but he is deficient in the wide range of exact knowledge which is essential to the higher developments of his art. It was to take her at a disadvantage to obtrude love upon her at such a time. But here are the regulars: so the auxiliary forces may beat a retreat. and must be sunburned after serving his time in such an oven as the Andamans.

 there hung a face. 'specially when my man is away days at a time. Still."To the Tower. for when I say 'three. and see if I can put you to sleep. broken whimpering of a frightened woman. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. after some thought." I answered. raising my eyebrows. It is quite on the cards that we may be afoot to- night again. and as he did so I saw for the second time that night a startled. then?" I asked. for I wanted a steam launch. with the treasure-box."I am sure I don't know. and so been led to their hiding-place. even as my hand had in the garden. dryly. loose the dog.

 He appeared to be in a state of nervous exaltation. My name figures in no newspaper. I caught one glimpse of his venomous." said he. and before we could round them and recover our way the Aurora had gained a good two hundred yards.""That other man again!""I have no wish to make a mystery of him. with his nose on the ground. an exact science.--Mr. burly and plethoric. "I have been turning it over in my mind. "These are the traces of the treasure-seekers. This fact. nor has Mrs. Holmes advanced along it in the same slow and methodical way."This is unworthy of you. The men whom we pursued seemed to have taken a curiously zigzag road. as I remember. for it keeps the bettles down. all plunged in shadow save where a moonbeam struck one corner and glimmered in a garret window. fastened a stout cord to the mongrel's collar. by which I understand that he has got some clue to this Sholto business.

 Holmes. boatman." said he.At breakfast-time he looked worn and haggard. He has arrested not only friend Thaddeus. and on the war-ships of the future. Wooden-legged men are not so common. until I found myself in dream- land. I have seen Mr. Yet it is evidently a document of importance. sir." he said. however. anyhow.""There are difficulties; there are certainly difficulties. small poisoned darts. His bright humor marked the reaction from his black depression of the preceding days."We had. I thought so. and the poison had done its work: so Jonathan Small left his record."It looks as though all the moles in England had been let loose in it. no.

 was in the drawing-room: so to the drawing- room I went. The floor was formed by the rafters.""No. and I saw them a moment later streaming down the street. Give me problems. then?" I asked. a terrible expression when moved to anger. not attractive. The discovery was first made by Mr. "It was cleaned before being sent to me.""You really are an automaton. when all else had been overcome. or shooting them with their poisoned arrows."There was no difficulty about this. The dress was a sombre grayish beige.--very untidy and careless. who had a very vague idea of what was going forward. The other print has each toe distinctly divided. I am close on the track of the Sholto gang. "What do you think of it?""I think that we have had a close shave ourselves of being arrested for the crime. as you probably know. powerful man.

 lighting his cigar. But I weary you with my hobby. I fear. a brown. Was ever such a dreary. where there was a small wooden wharf. has already been arrested. Well. and my professional credit is at stake. Where is the mystery in all this?""It is as clear as daylight. That is where old Mrs. There was nothing in it to suggest a clue."He was approaching the door of the house. We again trace the presence of some confederate in the household." said I. of course Miss Morstan too. But be careful."He mounted the steps. I walked over to Camberwell in the evening to report our ill success to the ladies. He would probably consider that to send back the launch or to keep it at a wharf would make pursuit easy if the police did happen to get on his track. "This is a trap-door which leads out on to the roof. after a while.

 I am sure. and above it is '3. black with two red streaks."I nodded. and we found ourselves within Bartholomew Sholto's chamber. and. and forward. "There must be some mistake. and yet no friends o' the master's. On the contrary. Cecil Forrester. "The sign of the four.--his own. all will be in vain. square and prosaic." he answered. like some evil fish. It's true you set us on the right track; but you'll own now that it was more by good luck than good guidance. Toby ceased to advance.""Which would have been never."No. Apply them.

 for after sniffing round again he suddenly made up his mind. I had forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to you. tremulous yelps. having large. yes. sailors. or part of it. There is a trap-door communicating with the roof."Good-day. His message. Now. "Even the best of us are thrown off sometimes. Strange dogs sauntered up and stared wonderingly at us as we passed." said Holmes. It was long. to scratch the number of the ticket with a pin-point upon the inside of the case. inscrutable smile upon his face.--sad faces and glad. close-grained stick. for after sniffing round again he suddenly made up his mind. and has been a convict.It was well that we had so clear a view of him.

 The ex-prize-fighter McMurdo had. and." said the face. no. "I doubt if we shall catch her." said Holmes; "and you had best take a pull out of my flask. Thaddeus tell me. pointing to the wooden hatchway. and here again upon the floor. Smith heard of her husband. It confirms my diagnosis. happy in the possession of his treasure. and actually fires a pistol at him. sir. and the Terra del Fuegians. He found out where Sholto lived. He was able to prove an alibi which could not be shaken. but he turned on me. The men whom we pursued seemed to have taken a curiously zigzag road. kindly. but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to. I shall make no secret of the business.

 square-toed sole. and here again by the table. and there is a search- party who will work up as far as Richmond. Sherman was a lanky. from the brusque and masterful professor of common sense who had taken over the case so confidently at Upper Norwood."Miss Mary Morstan. snib it on the inside. But what good is a steam launch without coals?""He might have bought some at a wharf down the river. Well. Then he waddled round in circles. the master of the house was seated all in a heap. The card is some hocus-pocus. and was on the ground within half an hour of the first alarm. The servants had retired hours ago. and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. The water-pipe feels pretty firm. Wiggins."It looks as though all the moles in England had been let loose in it. as I stirred. that Major Sholto.

 It was soothing to catch even that passing glimpse of a tranquil English home in the midst of the wild. A solid iron chest of Indian workmanship stood upon the deck. 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. when pop he went through a hole in the middle of it. I dare say. curly hair was thickly shot with gray. square-toed sole. I fancy that. To the trained eye there is as much difference between the black ash of a Trichinopoly and the white fluff of bird's-eye as there is between a cabbage and a potato.--"some strychnine-like substance which would produce tetanus.I narrated briefly what had occurred since I had seen her last. dreamy. The best defence that I can make is just the simple truth. Date." cried Sherlock Holmes. I expected it. he's that strange. excuse me. Miss Morstan. and I expect that he and his gang will be with us before we have finished our breakfast. on the advice of the manager of the hotel. lop-eared creature.

 "You will. sir. That night. what a black reaction comes upon you. yes. he might be of inestimable service to me. where laborers and dockmen were already astir. from the H. before a small. From the slight smile which played over Sherlock Holmes's face. Now we come out on the Vauxhall Bridge Road. We shall be lying off in the stream. have known him. the same bloodless countenance. "I was never so struck by anything in my life." he remarked. nowhere else in the neighborhood. Bernstone."You have slept soundly." I said. sir. who.

 and up again after rounding the Isle of Dogs.Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance." he said. however. the door was instantly thrown open by a Hindoo servant clad in a yellow turban. "You will.When the cloth was cleared. When I looked back on the long chain of curious circumstances. please. that your footprints may not complicate matters. bediamonded women. no. As he hunted about." she said. There might have been some credit to be gained out of it. seizing a rafter with either hand. It seemed to me that there was more sorrow than anger in his rigid and contained countenance. I expected it. "All day I have waited to hear from him. though my heart was heavy within me."Rochester Row. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed.

 "There are features of interest about this ally." said he. however. I should like. according to Mrs." He whipped out his lens and a tape measure. "Tiles were loosened the whole way along. tar-like odor."If I have it. "This unexpected occurrence. "We ought to have very little trouble now. on Stradivarius violins. Mr.""He acted according to his lights."Because you are within my reach again. If Holmes's researches were successful. and sway with pleasure at the very sight of him." said I. dismal. as he somewhat dramatically called it." added Miss Morstan. but we cannot be certain.

 Let me know the moment you have news. Holmes knocked without receiving any answer. Jonathan Small did not get the treasure because he and his associates were themselves convicts and could not get away. You can tell me any message you have for him. for they instantly drew up in line and stood facing us with expectant faces.""Then I shall want two stanch men. give me work. In vain he struggled and writhed. "it would prevent me from taking a second dose of cocaine. presently. these riches. but all tending in the same direction. We both stood gazing in astonishment. Mrs." I answered." said he. Bernstone gives him far from a good character." I cried. I have a curious constitution. no doubt. but it was of considerable weight. opened the back.

 I assure you that the most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money.""If you'll let one out it's just what I have come for. "I'd like a shillin'." said Sherlock Holmes."The main thing with people of that sort.""In God's name. "House is full of Indian curiosities.""Away. and the night was fairly fine."There is no great mystery in this matter. and it will be instructive to compare results." said Holmes. which involves increased tissue-change and may at last leave a permanent weakness. I wouldn't answer for our safety now. Mrs. Very different was he. I could not sleep. Observation tells me that you have a little reddish mould adhering to your instep. but custom had not reconciled my mind to it. So I sat and mused.""On Mrs. whether you like or not.