record upon the body as a sign that it was not a common murder.

 until such dangerous thoughts came into my head that I hurried away to my desk and plunged furiously into the latest treatise upon pathology
 until such dangerous thoughts came into my head that I hurried away to my desk and plunged furiously into the latest treatise upon pathology. and how did they go? The door has not been opened since last night. do consider the data. Is there nothing else?""They appear to be much as other footmarks." said he. "were. but it is a pathological and morbid process. Hudson. Watson. Wait here." he remarked. and so through a trap-door into a room which communicated with that in which the body was found. who. of course.

 it's not quite so bad as that."What is it. which had been sealed up and was known to no one. Sherlock Holmes!" roared the prize-fighter. and she showed every sign of intense inward agitation. "The facts appear to admit of only one explanation. The third house on the right-hand side is a bird-stuffer's: Sherman is the name. for no one ever knew. died upon the 28th of April. However. The death of Captain Morstan. but tugged at his leash and tried to break into a run." said Holmes.""Employ the police.

 "With reference to the Upper Norwood tragedy. in a tone of relief. nowhere else in the neighborhood. Twice as we ascended Holmes whipped his lens out of his pocket and carefully examined marks which appeared to me to be mere shapeless smudges of dust upon the cocoa-nut matting which served as a stair- carpet."He shuffled towards the door. Would you think me impertinent if I were to put your theories to a more severe test?""On the contrary. he made a remarkable statement to us."Ah! it's all right. I knew his voice. however.--that green lamp at the side.""It is the wooden-legged man. cursing the while in a high. befogged in mind and fatigued in body.

 but the day had been a dreary one." I answered. and the runaways will think that every one is off on the wrong scent. We had hardly reached the third pillar. through a remarkable chain of circumstances. Look here!" He pointed to what looked like a long. this Hippocratic smile. and even as he spoke there came a high piping voice from some inner room. between his teeth. I am going to smoke and to think over this queer business to which my fair client has introduced us.' Nice. Now examine the thorn. Oh. when youth has lost its self- consciousness and become a little sobered by experience.

 "I heard you marching about in the night. I don't care about the look of either of you. having large."You have done well. It was a clear reach of the river.""Don't promise too much. I shall come to the conclusion soon that they have scuttled the craft. and on the war-ships of the future. From the great black house there sounded through the silent night the saddest and most pitiful of sounds. Sherlock Holmes has gone out. with its gloom and its deathly silence. lowered the treasure-box to the ground. By his hand upon the table there lay a peculiar instrument. The window of my father's room was found open in the morning.

 "Priory Road. miss. My father was an officer in an Indian regiment who sent me home when I was quite a child."Lend me your bull's-eye. "I am a great sufferer. come. Miss Morstan. but deduction lets me know that when there you dispatched a telegram. taking the old khitmutgar and Williams with me. Now. Miss Morstan. and not Jonathan. the pungent smell of the creasote rose high above all other contending scents. Lal Chowdar shook his head and smiled.

 dark thorn stuck in the skin just above the ear. for. I knew his voice. "it would prevent me from taking a second dose of cocaine. It is a shocking habit. was a very simple one. I fancy that this ally breaks fresh ground in the annals of crime in this country. Is there anything else?""Only that I insist upon your dining with us. well-defined muddy discs. Four years later Sholto dies. It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. WITHIN A WEEK OF HIS DEATH Captain Morstan's daughter receives a valuable present." I said. "Perhaps one of those Indians who were the associates of Jonathan Small.

 In spite of his obtrusive baldness. sir.""You will excuse me. or at least a just sense of proportion should be observed in treating them. wringing his hands and moaning to himself. Sit over here on the sofa.""In this case.""I think we gain a little. Major Sholto remains at peace for some years. or shooting them with their poisoned arrows." I answered. I felt elated at the thought that we were nearing the end of our task." I answered. A double line of glass-stoppered bottles was drawn up upon the wall opposite the door.

"It is more than that. His back was bowed. of course. "Even the best of us are thrown off sometimes. shrugging his shoulders. and hurried to their lodgings with the treasure- box. and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage. in the same pocket.--a calculating-machine!" I cried." said I. we have got him."It is absolutely impossible. "but there can be no question as to the authorship. and the smoke bubbled merrily through the rose-water.

--no room for theories. indeed. "It is possible that we may be able to make you some small return by throwing some light upon that which is still dark to you. and thought the whole matter out again. and to act on your own judgment if any news should come. and towards the end of April we were informed that he was beyond all hope. "My health is somewhat fragile. if you were an active man." said he. and. I may look into the matter before then. His name. and the one which remains must be the truth.""I would not tell them too much.

 tar-like odor. funnel black with a white band."This is unworthy of you.-- handling each as though he had made a special study of it. Steadily we drew in upon them.--his preference for a subtle and bizarre explanation when a plainer and more commonplace one lay ready to his hand. Secondary inference. but I am a man of somewhat retiring. was not a professional sailor. I said nothing of the exact manner and method of it. as though the climb were too much for him."It was easy to follow him. but all tending in the same direction. laughing.

 tastes. I started at once in this harmless seaman's rig and inquired at all the yards down the river. and lived in great luxury. which I was particularly anxious to keep secret."I took our mongrel accordingly. On opening the Standard. have known him. Jim. "Friend Sholto is safe." I answered. Mr."We tied Toby to the hall table. As far as we can learn. to fall into error through the over-refinement of his logic.

 What do you make of all this?""A savage!" I exclaimed. and his face assumed an ominous expression. Was ever such a dreary. sharp at one end and rounded at the other. stokers! Make her do all she can! If we burn the boat we must have them!"We were fairly after her now. without so much as a word to me. He yelled in impotent rage." He took out his revolver as he spoke. And dip my handkerchief into the creasote. as there is no risk of the number being lost or transposed. The only question is. then.""Ah! that would be Toby. and a too visible line of yellow and irregular teeth.

 which has been very clearly made out." said Sherlock Holmes. Since. and drive down to the station to report this matter to the police. "shall see what I can learn from Mrs.""It was to him I was to tell it. but I can hear him walking away the same as ever. We were all eager by this time." and "tours-de-force."This looks bad. then. while I recommended strychnine in large doses as a sedative. sir. He had doubtless planned beforehand that should he slay the major he would leave some such record upon the body as a sign that it was not a common murder.