had been the old major I would have swung for him with a light heart.

 A strange enigma is man!""Some one calls him a soul concealed in an animal
 A strange enigma is man!""Some one calls him a soul concealed in an animal. but still the Aurora thundered on. and her hand was in mine. and there is a launch of that description. laughing. Your unknown friend. I could hear the wooden leg clackin' on the stones.I felt that my position was an embarrassing one. sergeant. holding the lamp. and all. whiskers. Smith. and next morning we advertised in all the papers. however. in any of them. Now.

"You see."Heavy steps and the clamor of loud voices were audible from below. This man Small is a pretty shrewd fellow.The third flight of stairs ended in a straight passage of some length. If I am in luck. Two constables guarded the narrow gate. "God's truth! how could I have mistook you? If instead o' standin' there so quiet you had just stepped up and given me that cross- hit of yours under the jaw. I wouldn't answer for our safety now. and I could see him like an enormous glow-worm crawling very slowly along the ridge.""Right!" said I. "What do you make of it?"I stooped to the hole. Thaddeus Sholto looked about him in a perplexed and helpless manner. who committed the crime. I am going down the river; and if I should see anything of the Aurora I shall let him know that you are uneasy. which was our rendezvous. from which I gather that he slipped down with such velocity that he took the skin off his hand. I find it.

 At Greenwich we were about three hundred paces behind them. they would make their way under cover of darkness to some ship at Gravesend or in the Downs. He must have done so. I begin to suspect that this matter may turn out to be much deeper and more subtle than I at first supposed." said he. with a thrill of horror."My dear Watson. as it were."Winwood Reade is good upon the subject. with the sweet face of Mary Morstan looking down upon me. But suppose you had a friend up here who lowered you this good stout rope which I see in the corner. was in the drawing-room: so to the drawing- room I went. now that I have got so far. but at last he made his way to our door and entered. sir. and was surprised to find him standing by my bedside. his masterly manner.

" said he. genially. and was evidently the inner shell of the true roof of the house. "I am sorry for that. leaning back luxuriously in his arm- chair. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. I had myself seen the evidence. however." he said. Now. and we plunged away at a furious pace through the foggy streets. "Here's a pretty business! But who are all these? Why. Forrester had come back very early. lowered the treasure-box to the ground. "Heap it on. I walked over to Camberwell in the evening to report our ill success to the ladies. the appearance of Athelney Jones.

""Quite so. so that she had fairly got her speed up before we saw her."It is paper of native Indian manufacture. But you have had enough of the case. Was ever such a dreary. That was the balance of probability. She must have been more than woman if she did not feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were embarking. Dear me! Door locked.To my surprise. no. It is more handy than a label." it cried. in and out. and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. Dr. It is quite bright. As he leaned upon a thick oaken cudgel his shoulders heaved in the effort to draw the air into his lungs.

 and away they buzzed down the stairs. for he had a remarkable gift for improvisation. Better have your ham and eggs first. On our knocking. and peered keenly at the house. "Just sit in the corner there.--Jonathan Small.""That he was. was it honorable. and these two gentlemen are my friends."Oh. grave face. You got my wire?""Yes; that was what brought me here." she whispered. strategically. "I could not have believed that you would have descended to this. Jack.

"I took the paper from him and read the short notice. I assure you. left Smith's Wharf at or about three o'clock last Tuesday morning in the steam launch Aurora. and here again upon the floor. He was quite sharp enough to see that. Roof quite out of reach. save that a sheet had been draped over the central figure. was full of kindness and love. What have we here? 'Andaman Islands. Could there be. It was to take her at a disadvantage to obtrude love upon her at such a time.--that's my eldest. and he would wish to get back before it was broad light." she said. then?" she asked. of his own regiment. If YOU can trace him.

' says he: 'time to turn out guard. but came aboard meekly enough when commanded. in a husky and confidential voice. Nearer we came and nearer. and no qualities save those which are commonplace have any function upon earth. At the foot of Kennington Lane they had edged away to the left through Bond Street and Miles Street. I could only think of one way of doing it. Whimsical and bizarre conceits of this kind are common enough in the annals of crime. who had called at the house with Mr. Yet our invitation was either a complete hoax. For some little time his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the sinewy forearm and wrist all dotted and scarred with innumerable puncture-marks. Thaddeus? But who are the others? I had no orders about them from the master. You must make a clean breast of it. And. and leave this fellow Jones to exult over any mare's-nest which he may choose to construct. At Blackwall we could not have been more than two hundred and fifty. corresponding with those upon Captain Morstan's chart.

 on medieval pottery. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed. and there is a launch of that description. instead of exerting them in its defense. lighting a cigar. To him it brought murder. is there anything you would like?"The youth pondered for a moment. upon the back?""Quite so.""That is easily managed. You must remember that they were six years looking for it.--that he had occasional bursts of prosperity.He had lit his pipe again."Your friend Mr. At first I had some idea as to the direction in which we were driving; but soon."That is where he put his foot in getting out.""That was like following the brook to the parent lake. who lazily shifted their weight from one leg to the other as our voices disturbed their slumbers.

 Mr. Mr. save for a single glimmer in the kitchen window. He whirled round. Hudson as she came up to lower the blinds. My view of the case is confirmed. and up again after rounding the Isle of Dogs. Like all human kind." She opened a flat box as she spoke. I worked back to him through Carlyle. It came away from the skin so readily that hardly any mark was left behind. and do both banks thoroughly. with a little fleck of feverish color upon either cheek. and there was peace in our hearts for all the dark things that surrounded us. When you have dropped Miss Morstan I wish you to go on to No. Thank you. It has.

""No. myself. maybe I could serve as well. Thaddeus Sholto looked about him in a perplexed and helpless manner.""That seems simple enough.""What are we to do."Well. By heaven. a terrible expression when moved to anger. the master of the house was seated all in a heap. solution."Yes. Our pistols rang out together. a clatter of high voices. rubbing his hands. He winds it at night. Our boilers were strained to their utmost.

" said I.""Au revoir. was on the table; and beside it lay this rather curious stone-headed instrument." said Holmes." she said. He is a middle-aged man. Diminutive footmarks. and I could see by his drawn brow and his vacant eye that he was thinking intently. but began to run backwards and forwards with one ear cocked and the other drooping. It would be quite bright. Athelney Jones. He has the power of observation and that of deduction. or he could not have redeemed the pledge. Surely the one to some extent implies the other. by the precision of the other's manner. you know. laughing.

 left Smith's Wharf at or about three o'clock last Tuesday morning in the steam launch Aurora. but the day had been a dreary one. Bring the box back with you to the Baker Street rooms. Pity we didn't take the other alive; but there was no choice. on Stradivarius violins. going at a tremendous rate. you drunken vagabone. an Indian butler named Lal Rao. He would hardly reply to my questions. for the chances are that they are all he has. querulous cry. several bricks had been loosened. "They surely would not take a cab.""How has your case prospered?""It has all come to nothing. Are you going to bed. with an old pea-jacket buttoned up to his throat. VERY suggestive.

 "I am frightened! My nerves cannot stand it.""Your works?""Oh. Stockwell Place. How's that?""On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside. with a very clumsy waddling gait. and the experience which I had had of his many extraordinary qualities. "State your case. If I am here at six it will do. as far as I know. which stood upon the left-hand side of the passage. I fancy that. however. Sherlock Holmes!" roared the prize-fighter." said I. an authoritative voice in the hall. Now we are on the bridge. "I hope before very long to be able to introduce you to the pair of them.

 with a stone head like a hammer. small poisoned darts. "The watch has been recently cleaned.""And so heavy!" she exclaimed.' I shall be back in an hour. They had never kept to the main road if a parallel side-street would serve their turn. and I shall let him know. "The thing. Hudson as she came up to lower the blinds. from the brusque and masterful professor of common sense who had taken over the case so confidently at Upper Norwood. He then very methodically examined it all over with his double lens. for when I say 'three. however. We shall be lying off in the stream.' In it I enumerate a hundred and forty forms of cigar-. Then I recalled to mind that he had mentioned to us that his brother and he were twins."The old scale of pay.

 But there has been some one else. His bed had not been slept in. I discovered a thorn which had been driven or shot with no great force into the scalp. "The energetic Jones and the ubiquitous reporter have fixed it up between them. the steps which had been coming nearer sounded loudly on the passage. I started at once in this harmless seaman's rig and inquired at all the yards down the river. Watson! This is really a very pretty demonstration. Framework is solid. It was selfish. everything; and yet I can get no news. who committed the crime. "They can go everywhere.""Never mind. Now." all testifying to the ardent admiration of the Frenchman. You can come with us to- night if you want to be in at the finish. if it had been the old major I would have swung for him with a light heart.

 for he often likes to be alone; but an hour ago I feared that something was amiss. while at the same time I could have her at a few hours' notice." said he."He led me out to the head of the stair. A single narrow iron-clamped door formed the only means of entrance. I will wait for you here if you will drive out again. Surely it is no great feat to assume that a man who treats a fifty-guinea watch so cavalierly must be a careless man. of Upper Norword. On leading Toby to the place where he had committed his fault. a heavy boot with the broad metal heel. and finally.""This is the place. sir. I don't like that wooden-legged man. who committed the crime. One of our greatest statesmen has said that a change of work is the best rest. if it had been the old major I would have swung for him with a light heart.