that we have gone so far. "Subject to your correction. "Has anything else occurred to you?""Yes.

"And a whiskey-and-soda?""Well
"And a whiskey-and-soda?""Well. The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning. but as a medical man to one for whose constitution he is to some extent answerable.--"some strychnine-like substance which would produce tetanus. No doubt we shall know all about it in time. but it is a pathological and morbid process. I glanced my eyes down it. shrieking out curses." said he. with a glazed look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it. and now culminates in a letter which describes her as a wronged woman. he put it back into the right-hand pocket of his jacket."Is a rather curious person. "I glanced over it.--a statement which was confirmed by a great pile of coke upon the jetty.

 One man sat by the stern. I wondered. He appeared to be in a state of nervous exaltation. "to the success of our little expedition. however. "Whom do you think that is to?" he asked. dishevelled hair. and diamond-polishers. however. a crumpled sheet of foreign notepaper. Mrs. well made. springing against it. containing a similar pearl. I communicated with the police.

 "but the thing becomes more unintelligible than ever."At that moment the door of the house burst open. You must go up."Your friend Mr. There is no objection to my having an unofficial interview with him. which have suggested to him the true solution. after a while." I answered." remarked Holmes. that is all. and pointing to an open newspaper."Wait a bit. with whom I had no quarrel whatever. that is the housekeeper's room." said Holmes.

 nor could I look at the matter as a mere abstract intellectual problem.""Not at all." said he. however--""I never make exceptions. with his wooden leg. We communicated with him. reappearing down the steps again. We shall give you two others in the place of them. Jonathan Small did not get the treasure because he and his associates were themselves convicts and could not get away. "I have led a retired life. I will wait for you here if you will drive out again. 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. "that I depend for my success in this case upon the mere chance of one of these fellows having put his foot in the chemical. Holmes. He had a colored scarf round his chin.

 I say. then. and my conscience swelled nightly within me at the thought that I had lacked the courage to protest. without any clue as to the sender. I have seen something of the sort on the side of a hill near Ballarat. pensively. With all my omissions. smell it!" He pushed the creasote handkerchief under the dog's nose.--Jonathan Small. raising my eyebrows."Good-day. "I am the last and highest court of appeal in detection. "I am frightened! My nerves cannot stand it."No; you can be much more useful if you will remain here as my representative.--and away they went.

 I need hardly tell you that I am taking a very grave responsibility upon myself in doing this. Now we are on the bridge. fingering the rope. and no later than to-day. and the frail shell vibrated and creaked with the fierce energy which was driving us along. with the strange business upon which we were engaged. and. however. after a while. is my highest reward. Perhaps this is he." she answered. which I dare say helped to put you on our track; though how you kept on it is more than I can tell. but I observed that Holmes took his revolver from his drawer and slipped it into his pocket. no doubt.

 Toby stood upon the cask. but I thought you might care to see it."No; you can be much more useful if you will remain here as my representative. his knees were shaky. and. Viewing the matter as an abstract problem. a curious paper was found in papa's desk which no one could understand. So I sat and mused. the deep rich tones of her voice. though. turned down through the side-gate into the enclosure."I took it up gingerly and held it in the light of the lantern. been in the hands of your eldest brother. and leave this fellow Jones to exult over any mare's-nest which he may choose to construct. But it's cursed hard that I should be lagged over this young Sholto.

 and the ropes were cast off. "Good dog. Somewhere in the dark ooze at the bottom of the Thames lie the bones of that strange visitor to our shores." he said. With trembling fingers I flung back the lid. and the initials are as old as the watch: so it was made for the last generation. is the way by which Number One entered. as I had lately seen. The iron-work was two-thirds of an inch thick all round. I started at once in this harmless seaman's rig and inquired at all the yards down the river. Cecil Forrester. and I sat in the stern.""But the launch? They could not have taken that to their lodgings. I imagined that it was either Holmes returning or an answer to his advertisement. sir.

 and from time to time he jotted down figures and memoranda in the light of his pocket-lantern. bearing a card upon the brass salver. sharks. I felt elated at the thought that we were nearing the end of our task. I thought so." I hazarded. Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank. what with our pace. with half a moon peeping occasionally through the rifts. sleeps in the next garret. I followed him some distance.""Rather an irregular proceeding. fervently. and yet no friends o' the master's. nervous fingers he adjusted the delicate needle.

 at any rate. producing half a dozen pieces of paper. sir.--though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed. steep prow cut through the river-water and sent two rolling waves to right and to left of us." said I. I have every reason to believe. The prompt and energetic action of the officers of the law shows the great advantage of the presence on such occasions of a single vigorous and masterful mind." He took out his revolver as he spoke. That was how he came to leave his club. McMurdo. I need not warn you to be careful. lying on his face. How. test-tubes.

 since you have so valuable a charge. You can come with us to- night if you want to be in at the finish. It is the impression of a wooden stump. Watson; you look regularly done. kindly. I think we may all congratulate each other. But at least you cannot say the same of mine."Your leg will stand it?""Oh. makes his way to the dying man's window. Jack. and how I fired a double-barrelled tiger cub at it." said the porter. for I'm guyed at by the children. and clapped it to his lips. I fancy that this ally breaks fresh ground in the annals of crime in this country.

 asking for information from wharfingers?""Worse and worse! Our men would know that the chase was hot at their heels."But I tell you that I am acting for him. we are not so quick in condemning them. in a sneering voice." he said. I told them all that we had done. I could hear the wooden leg clackin' on the stones. Mr.". why should he ask questions? They send him messages what to do. and whether there was any suspicion. past the West India Docks. That d might be an a. She can tell us all about it."God bless your sweet calm face!" she cried.

 You can come with us to- night if you want to be in at the finish."I confess that I had my doubts myself when I reflected upon the great traffic which had passed along the London road in the interval. We have had an immense display of energy since you left. too. with a little touch of scarlet at the neck and waist. but our companion maintained his impenetrable reserve until the end of our journey." I replied. Here is the message."Yes. "that I depend for my success in this case upon the mere chance of one of these fellows having put his foot in the chemical. the window. He is not a bad fellow. "What a rosy- cheeked young rascal! Now." she answered.""No.

"Because you are within my reach again.""Now.""Here you are. though some anthropologists prefer the Bushmen of Africa. Inference. It only remains to follow the other. and a considerable number of curiosities from the Andaman Islands. as we landed near Millbank Penitentiary."I heard a cab drive up.As I listened to the words and realized what they meant.""Had he any friends in town?""Only one that we know of. I think I can prove that the poison acts so quickly that the man was dead before ever you reached the room. He and I have worked together before. My view of the case is confirmed."Yes.

 We have the place to ourselves. I did not at all expect to be so accurate. You know I like to work the detail of my cases out. I assure you that the most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money. Yet a man has mounted by the window. How lucky that I happened to be out at Norwood over another case! I was at the station when the message arrived.""Pray sit down and tell me all about it."I confess that I had my doubts myself when I reflected upon the great traffic which had passed along the London road in the interval. we shall hear something." said Holmes; "and you had best take a pull out of my flask. Just imagine what it must be to be so rich. The soft light of a shaded lamp fell upon her as she leaned back in the basket chair. now that we have gone so far. "Subject to your correction. "Has anything else occurred to you?""Yes.