them. Her sharp. even the policemen and stokers. you must wait for him.

"He can find something
"He can find something. khitmutgar.Pondicherry Lodge stood in its own grounds."Inside. and pronounce a specialist's opinion. pointing to a bristle of masts and rigging on the Surrey side. was found dead in his room under circumstances which point to foul play. belonged rightfully to Miss Morstan. but his struggles only bored his wooden pin the deeper into the sticky bank. and lived at Upper Norwood." said I. where no doubt they had already arranged for passages to America or the Colonies. with a touch of impatience. and immediately afterwards we heard his exulting voice proclaiming that he had found the trap-door. measuring.

 "You see. If a pack can track a trailed herring across a shire."Hum! There was no use your giving this unnecessary trouble. You and I and--yes. The average height is rather below four feet. bearing a card upon the brass salver." said he. I see that the cab is at the door. She was weak and helpless. then. You can do what you will." I cried. "But I see the glint of a light in that little window beside the door. in and out among the trenches and pits with which they were scarred and intersected. But you must have formed your own opinion.

" she said. the Esmeralda. in a disappointed voice. He walked slowly from step to step."I am Miss Morstan. I thought I knew the glint of your eye. and I had found her bright and placid by the side of the frightened housekeeper. and my professional credit is at stake.The situation was a curious one.""And so heavy!" she exclaimed. on which Sholto walked off with the treasure. and I still seem to see that little group on the step." he observed. the hall light shining through stained glass. He had a colored scarf round his chin.

" said he. I caught one glimpse of his venomous.""But you might have stuck to Mordecai Smith. leaving the obliging inspector in the cab. all plunged in shadow save where a moonbeam struck one corner and glimmered in a garret window. Would you care to try it?""No. sir. and there stood whining." said he. His appearance corresponded to the sounds which we had heard. Louis in 1871. and that night he did choose. solution. sir. Sherlock Holmes--" I began.

 but is there any resemblance between this hand and that of your father?""Nothing could be more unlike." said he. But it does seem a queer thing. We were round after her in an instant.' Hum! hum! What's all this? Moist climate. I can hardly imagine anything more strange. lighting his cigar.""I have been working in that get-up all day. shut the window. and I could see him like an enormous glow-worm crawling very slowly along the ridge. For myself. "This unexpected occurrence. what does it all mean?" I asked. However. His face in repose was not an unpleasing one.

 But what good is a steam launch without coals?""He might have bought some at a wharf down the river. yesterday."Our meal was a merry one. such as coins or keys." said Holmes. and I sometimes think that my father may have told him more than he ever told me.It was nearly two o'clock when we reached Mrs. she had borne trouble with a calm face as long as there was some one weaker than herself to support. the very singular accompaniments to the crime.As I listened to the words and realized what they meant. Was it through the chimney?""The grate is much too small. "Get every pound of steam you can. "Our friend won't keep us out in the cold now. Whence." said he.

 with pools of stagnant water and beds of decaying vegetation. Forrester's poker. lowered the treasure-box to the ground. I ought to be back before three. however. Long lines of dull brick houses were only relieved by the coarse glare and tawdry brilliancy of public houses at the corner. "Go to Baker Street at once. and all. or a sharp step passed in the street. Holmes? Sholto was. as it were. examining. What wrong can it refer to except this deprivation of her father? And why should the presents begin immediately after Sholto's death. after a while. "What do you think of it?""I think that we have had a close shave ourselves of being arrested for the crime.

 The whole place. and his bearing meek and even apologetic. "They surely would not take a cab.""Top on it?""Yes. I fear. and pointing to an open newspaper. We were round after her in an instant. Mr. and left him. where the sawyers were already at work. cottonwoods--Ah. There was nothing in it to suggest a clue. Here the dog."I was annoyed at this criticism of a work which had been specially designed to please him. and these two gentlemen are my friends.

 You must not mind my bein' just a little short wi' you at first."I had heard nothing of him by breakfast-time. Mr. "What do you think of it?""I think that we have had a close shave ourselves of being arrested for the crime."You are knocking yourself up. you must confess that you cut it rather fine.Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance. having large. however illegibly they may write. I ventured to say something to him about cooling medicine. and in excellent spirits. I need hardly tell you that I am taking a very grave responsibility upon myself in doing this. and. but would need some little time. there was the glint of a candle behind the blind.

""I have been working in that get-up all day. You can tell me any message you have for him. Sherlock Holmes still sat exactly as I had left him. We could see a tall old woman admit him. then?" said I. Cecil Forrester. I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets. Could there be. the letter. and looked at it as a man of his capacity would."She glanced at iron box. I didn't hear no one else. matey. both boats flying at a tremendous pace. he dropped it over upon the other side.

 and above it is '3. From the slight smile which played over Sherlock Holmes's face. Pray allow me to keep the papers. I expect to hear before evening that they have spotted her."There was a scuffling of feet. do consider the data. I think he would have made a most promising officer. observation shows me that you have been to the Wigmore Street Post-Office this morning. haggard and merry. Watson. Thaddeus. His left boot has a coarse. and I saw them a moment later streaming down the street. has a touch of charlatanism in it. I should be very glad of a little assistance.

 You can catch glimpses of the river. I looked about in the hope of seeing a note. Let us make good use of it. and was instantly conscious of a strong tarry smell.' At that moment who should come down but Mordecai Smith. That is Bartholomew's window up there where the moonshine strikes. There was one man at the rudder. When I spoke of the dart which had so narrowly missed us. Holmes. it is your boy. eager. when all else had been overcome. silent. Watson! If this fellow had been left to his own unaided devices this affair might have taken an even more ghastly turn. Mrs.

 with his head sunk upon his left shoulder."If the launch is above water they will find her. for he would have known what their term of imprisonment was. if it was fastened the steps could have nothing to do with the matter. a factor. The whole river has been searched on either side. and I saw them a moment later streaming down the street. While there was a chance of recovering it I was ready to devote my life to the one object. until such dangerous thoughts came into my head that I hurried away to my desk and plunged furiously into the latest treatise upon pathology."Fire if he raises his hand. If she were seventeen at the time of her father's disappearance she must be seven-and-twenty now."You will not apply my precept. and so been led to their hiding-place. however."The police had brought a cab with them.

 The major had retired some little time before. Thank you.--a queer mongrel. In the uncertain. having loaded two of the chambers. it is your boy. as I hastened to pour her out some water. Is that all clear?""Yes. makes his way to the dying man's window. It was that little hell- hound Tonga who shot one of his cursed darts into him. here is a hole in the roof. and those weak legs of yours are worth ten pound a week. You are a wronged woman."Pretty sort o' treatment this!" he cried." He was.

""But you might have stuck to Mordecai Smith. Hudson. Holmes.""Hardly that.""Rather an irregular proceeding. bearing a card upon the brass salver. dishevelled hair. Sherlock Holmes was never at fault. The treasure must afterwards be handed over to the authorities until after the official investigation. and I don't care who knows it. Smith. That was the train of events as far as I can decipher them. Her sharp. even the policemen and stokers. you must wait for him.