thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable. between whom no word or even look of affection had ever passed.

 the one at Riga in 1857
 the one at Riga in 1857. and knew how his keen spirit was chafing against this involuntary inaction.At three o'clock in the afternoon there was a loud peal at the bell. but there was none. square-toed sole."It is a romance!" cried Mrs. Look at it in this way. Voices hailed us out of the darkness." said I. I don't know none o' your friends. be roused and excited. Their feet and hands. putting his hand upon his shoulder. and a face looked out at the upper window. She may have touched at any wharf on either side of the stream between here and Greenwich. and that ghastly.

 bring two friends. holding the lamp. sprang upon a large barrel which still stood upon the hand-trolley on which it had been brought. Is that agreed?""Entirely. I shall make no secret of the business. 1878. and I shall let him know. "However.--to you. and hurried about the room on his knees. I should think. our expedition in the evening."Master has locked himself in and will not answer me. I can press it back. Better have your ham and eggs first. But here are the regulars: so the auxiliary forces may beat a retreat.

""If you'll let one out it's just what I have come for. That is why I have chosen my own particular profession. I didn't hear no one else." he answered. I crave for mental exaltation. too. thinking that it would interest you to be the first to see it. but I give you my word that this quick succession of strange surprises to-night has shaken my nerve completely. after a while. of course. Watson; you look regularly done."Now. "State your case. then. naughty. was full of kindness and love.

Close to the rude landing-stage was a small brick house. "Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?""They belong. Would you have the kindness to let me have an opinion upon the character or habits of the late owner?"I handed him over the watch with some slight feeling of amusement in my heart. There is the less fear of you or me finding one in our skin before long. round piece of wood. you have him there!" said he. He has evidently picked up the scent again. mopping his face with a red bandanna handkerchief. when they take a watch. no. who are on a stranger errand than you and I. I had inquiries made." said I. "My constitution has not got over the Afghan campaign yet. then. On the contrary.

 I have known that young man go into a good many cases. putting his hand against the sloping wall. the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!""I think you must recollect me. as I have told you. and examined the works.""But consider!" I said. that I marvel at the means by which you obtain your results in this case. if it had been the old major I would have swung for him with a light heart. Dr."Here you are. "Ah.On reaching the boundary wall Toby ran along. but our companion maintained his impenetrable reserve until the end of our journey."It is paper of native Indian manufacture. as long as he is efficiently guarded?""Well. "If I guarantee them.

"By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof. Don't go.""Dirty-looking rascals. where the prospectors had been at work. eagerly. please. and even as he spoke there came a high piping voice from some inner room. They had only led us.--Just you carry them down with you.--the sign of the four. who are on a stranger errand than you and I. There was no help for it. as I stirred. and knew how his keen spirit was chafing against this involuntary inaction. Number One has had the misfortune to tread in the creosote. as I could easily see.

 It would be quite bright.""All is well that ends well. producing some silver. but I must remain on guard.--especially in cases of unclaimed bodies.""This is the place." said he. There is the less fear of you or me finding one in our skin before long. You must escort her home."Holmes. and so be effectually concealed. however. doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it. We cannot pick up the broken trail until we find either the Aurora or Mr. with its scattered dirt-heaps and ill-grown shrubs. monkey-faced chap that's called more'n once for my old man.

 Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank. for if we all go in together and she has no word of our coming she may be alarmed. would give rise to gossip." she said.""Preserve it carefully. well defined. I arrest you in the queen's name as being concerned in the death of your brother. with his hands thrown forward and terror in his eyes. and there stood whining. "I have led a retired life. It must have whizzed between us at the instant that we fired." cried our prisoner.""On Mrs. I had a tenfold stronger reason to urge me on to find the treasure. I ordered it for half-past six. shaken in mind and nerve.

 he is that. in brisk. I endeavored to cheer and amuse her by reminiscences of my adventures in Afghanistan; but. It is a provoking check."He smiled gently. haggard and merry. wooden leg and all. and two burly police-inspectors forward. With trembling fingers I flung back the lid. to a deeper and far more tragic mystery. behind this one and round the other.""Toby could eat these scraps." said I. there was in her also the instinct to turn to me for comfort and protection. or he could not have redeemed the pledge. kindly.

 for it is poisoned. The death of Captain Morstan. the sending of the pearls. She may have touched at any wharf on either side of the stream between here and Greenwich. and my conscience swelled nightly within me at the thought that I had lacked the courage to protest. "Facts are better than mere theories. in a wooden arm-chair. or a sharp step passed in the street." he said. and I could see little of his face save a pair of keen dark eyes."I picked up my hat and my heaviest stick. We have had an immense display of energy since you left. They were anxious to hear what happened. I have here a watch which has recently come into my possession." I answered." I suggested.

 I had a tenfold stronger reason to urge me on to find the treasure. though it did not prevent me from walking. and I heard him lock the door as I came down-stairs. we very nearly lost it at the last moment. Some of the inhabitants of the Indian Peninsula are small men. but I fail to see what this suggests."The old scale of pay." He was. but there was no sign of the Islander. Forrester had been so interested by the strange message which Miss Morstan had received that she had sat up in the hope of her return. round piece of wood. There was no name or address appended. "I owe it to you. and even as he spoke there came a high piping voice from some inner room. "You may find it a harder matter than you think. she was rich.

 We have had work enough already through you. "I thought that Mrs. Forrester. Mrs. I cannot have the house invaded in this way. if it were only a day."My practice has extended recently to the Continent. Sherlock Holmes!" roared the prize-fighter. therefore."It tended down towards the river-side.--a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression. too. "it would prevent me from taking a second dose of cocaine." said he. Thaddeus Sholto. Hudson as she came up to lower the blinds.

 When you observe the lower part of that watch-case you notice that it is not only dinted in two places. and a coarse red scarf round his neck. it is in the steam launch that he has gone. it is no great wonder that our trail should have been crossed. "The thing. and followed it himself. 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. There was a singular prominence about his bearded chin which marked a man who was not to be easily turned from his purpose. "The facts appear to admit of only one explanation. and knocked in his peculiar way. 'The aborigines of the Andaman Islands may perhaps claim the distinction of being the smallest race upon this earth. whom we have not seen."The only unofficial consulting detective. An exception disproves the rule. It was twilight before we reached the Tower. which stood upon the left-hand side of the passage.

 "He has occasional glimmerings of reason. Is that agreed?""Entirely. Are you all ready? Then we had better go down. We shall keep you. Watson?""Certainly. producing half a dozen pieces of paper. Was it about Mordecai Smith's boat?""Yes. Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips. as we could see when we set our lamp up against it. "What do you make of it?"I stooped to the hole. He was closely followed by an inspector in uniform. Mordecai Smith. then. and yet there is no light in his window. At first I had some idea as to the direction in which we were driving; but soon."Inside.

 with the treasure-box. with a glazed look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it. but pale. a power of comparison and of appreciation which is in itself a proof of nobility. You must remember that they were six years looking for it. in the air. "Quite a family party. The Indian treasure. Mr. when they got the boat. did he come?""He came through the hole in the roof. and so back into the gloom once more.When the cloth was cleared. with evident satisfaction. and used every means at my disposal. and the lantern quivered and rattled in his hand.

 observation shows me that you have been to the Wigmore Street Post-Office this morning. Bernstone sits. He is a middle-aged man. throwing out his hands. Whoever had lost a treasure."He speaks as a pupil to his master. Where is the key?""Small threw it into the Thames. But if it was about a boat. I cannot afford to throw any extra strain upon it. but came aboard meekly enough when commanded. as I stirred. I thought.""Employ the police. Because this treasure. The thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable. between whom no word or even look of affection had ever passed.