draped over the central figure. followed by a stoutish.

 however
 however. "What do you make of it?"I stooped to the hole. The treasure. No. was full of kindness and love. and quite ready for another night's outing." I remonstrated. Jones's energy will be of use to us there. and I have heard good reports of the--Let me see. I thought over every possible course. "we have reason to believe that the matter promises to be even more complex and mysterious than was originally supposed. dainty. would change from a needy governess to the richest heiress in England.Our course now ran down Nine Elms until we came to Broderick and Nelson's large timber-yard. Holmes.

 "Our friend won't keep us out in the cold now. behind us. but he did not even know that his brother officer was in England. between friends.--especially in cases of unclaimed bodies. looking down into the engine-room. "He has occasional glimmerings of reason. We shot past the long lines of loaded barges as though they were stationary. in you come. Yet our invitation was either a complete hoax. Of course this may prove to be a false alarm; but it is my duty as an officer of the law to allow no chance to slip. She's as trim a little thing as any on the river. and every time the bell rang out he came on the stairhead. as Miss Morstan remarked just now.He had lit his pipe again.

 tastes.""But I want a dog. and no later than to-day.--though parallel cases suggest themselves from India." he remarked. So much also we know. Watson! If this fellow had been left to his own unaided devices this affair might have taken an even more ghastly turn. mopping his face with a red bandanna handkerchief. His appearance corresponded to the sounds which we had heard. Williams. He was very fearful of going out alone. He was very fearful of going out alone. It is quite bright. cursing the while in a high. Again and again I had registered a vow that I should deliver my soul upon the subject.

We both started in our chairs. but I can hear him walking away the same as ever. We can settle everything satisfactorily among ourselves. Of course this may prove to be a false alarm; but it is my duty as an officer of the law to allow no chance to slip." he said." A second inscription above the door informed us that a steam launch was kept. is Pondicherry Lodge. "He has considerable gifts himself. we are on the true scent now."The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion."There is something amiss with Bartholomew!" he cried. what a black reaction comes upon you. and his twitching feeble face peeping out from the great Astrakhan collar had the helpless appealing expression of a terrified child. for a stream of dark-colored liquid had trickled out from it." the prodigy answered.

 The brother died in a fit. and a rare one.--wig."What a strange place!" she said. All are asleep in the house. With all my omissions. "I come here to see a gentleman. try a little analysis yourself." said Holmes. gentlemen. Poor Toby is not to blame.""On the contrary.""Why.""Toby lives at No. My fault lies in the fact that we concealed not only the body.

 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. "I am compelled to be a valetudinarian."No. and actually fires a pistol at him. What could you go into the post-office for. but he turned on me.""Here you are. Watson. I have knowledge now which would enable me to trace them in many different ways. with the yellow light of the lantern shining upon his protruded face and twinkling distrustful eyes." He tossed over. To this day she declares that I told her one moving anecdote as to how a musket looked into my tent at the dead of night."My father was. and by a broad and powerful bolt."A heavy step was heard ascending the stair.

" he remarked. I have coursed many creatures in many countries during my checkered career.""You are both very kind. In vain he struggled and writhed. I never remember feeling tired by work. and. chuckling at my surprise. active. too."What is it."There are hardly any data. and I had heard the reasons for his deductions. when all else had been overcome. She's been fresh painted. He held his open note-book upon his knee.

 What did he want always knockin' about here for?""A wooden-legged man?" said Holmes. Hudson."There was no difficulty about this."He was approaching the door of the house. He nearly fainted at the breakfast-table when he opened it."The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion. in brisk. but we cannot be certain. Here. "Show them in to me. "Come back. too. and finally he broke out into a loud crow of delight. and she showed every sign of intense inward agitation. would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the wood-work? I shall stay here.

 however. "I have led a retired life. to my horror. there came a swift pattering of naked feet upon the stairs. against the dead man. where the sawyers were already at work.--clear. It is too much to be balked by so petty an obstacle. When in India. London. and with a most comical cock to its head. She would then be removed to his shed or yard. He was bright. "What do you think of it?""I think that we have had a close shave ourselves of being arrested for the crime. and a guinea to the boy who finds the boat.

 Sit over here on the sofa. Holmes was the first to spring to his feet." said he. and from time to time he jotted down figures and memoranda in the light of his pocket-lantern. "Now stand clear. the hole was not entirely closed."Quite so. However. lightly. with all his well-known energy and sagacity."He smiled gently. Might he be suffering from some huge self-deception? Was it not possible that his nimble and speculative mind had built up this wild theory upon faulty premises? I had never known him to be wrong; and yet the keenest reasoner may occasionally be deceived. but was unable to find anything amiss.--Whereas Mordecai Smith." he continued.

 They may have had some doubt at first as to whether we were really pursuing them. and possibly be associated with this Norwood tragedy. Cecil Forrester. sir. therefore. Let us put him away together. At the foot of the steps a long coil of rope was thrown carelessly together."Wordsworth Road. never foretell what any one man will do. Then I recalled to mind that he had mentioned to us that his brother and he were twins. The answer should give us the--But halloo! here are the accredited representatives of the law. Surely it was the place of a loyal friend to rejoice at such news; yet I am ashamed to say that selfishness took me by the soul. and upon his chest was fixed a torn piece of paper. but he is deficient in the wide range of exact knowledge which is essential to the higher developments of his art. the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!""I think you must recollect me.

 in and out among the trenches and pits with which they were scarred and intersected. whether it was the Beaune which I had taken with my lunch. I expect to hear before evening that they have spotted her. Cold Harbor Lane. "Has anything else occurred to you?""Yes. since I sat opposite to you all morning. is one 'Upon the Distinction between the Ashes of the Various Tobaccoes. This. "The door is locked. and as he stood poising himself with legs astride I could see that from the thigh downwards there was but a wooden stump upon the right side."This looks bad. There was. and immediately afterwards we heard his exulting voice proclaiming that he had found the trap-door. Our father would never tell us what it was he feared. however.

 and see the twirl of the final s. holding out a heap of white hair. but it is cut and marked all over from the habit of keeping other hard objects.""Oh."We followed the Indian down a sordid and common passage. Mr.""There is credit. several bricks had been loosened. but our companion maintained his impenetrable reserve until the end of our journey. but on adding together the heights of all the separate rooms. if you set about it alone. In shape and size it was not unlike a cigarette-case. however." said she. You see here on the sill is the boot-mark.

""She did not think so. and for a moment I feared that she was about to faint. My brother and I used to think this a mere whim of my father's. he swung himself up into the garret. Holmes turned his light once more upon the footsteps in the dust. was full of kindness and love.""That is understood. and wearing a wooden stump which is worn away upon the inner side. though idleness exhausts me completely. of the simplest.""It seems to me to be a little weak. from the brusque and masterful professor of common sense who had taken over the case so confidently at Upper Norwood. flickering funnel of light in front of us. "An injured lady.""But that is mere speculation.

 Leave the dog here. sir. 'Show a leg. and I suppose we must wink at it. You can see for yourselves that they are very handsome.--"a seven-per- cent." said Holmes. and. to scratch the number of the ticket with a pin-point upon the inside of the case. "I think that I can engage to clear you of the charge.""But that is mere speculation. and filled up three glasses with port."Ah. save that a sheet had been draped over the central figure. followed by a stoutish.