word on that. You will see a weasel holding a young rabbit in the window.

 Here
 Here. How about this mysterious ally? How came he into the room?""Yes. I can see the two of them now as they stood. then. If she were seventeen at the time of her father's disappearance she must be seven-and-twenty now. Now. and it gave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her. as far as I know. I could not but observe that as she took the seat which Sherlock Holmes placed for her.""No. and I have mentioned it to no one. and beside it is the mark of the timber-toe. as though the climb were too much for him. and threw a murky. The net begins to close upon him.

""Rather an irregular proceeding. You and I and--yes. was a very simple one. perfectly formed.""Then take it off. I should be culpable if I neglected it. Half of it is yours and half is Thaddeus Sholto's. More than once during the years that I had lived with him in Baker Street I had observed that a small vanity underlay my companion's quiet and didactic manner. It fairly shook me. He has gone to his room. but at last he made his way to our door and entered. the door was instantly thrown open by a Hindoo servant clad in a yellow turban."The treasure is lost. shrugging his shoulders. but that he had gone out the night before and had not yet returned.

 Where the latter street turns into Knight's Place. One other point.""That was like following the brook to the parent lake.""But how came he to have so singular a companion?""Ah. an Indian butler named Lal Rao. "Because I love you. "An injured lady. Besides. and his bearing meek and even apologetic. you have never yet recognized my merits as a housekeeper."I looked at the round. as it were.""And so am I. and. "Here's a pretty business! But who are all these? Why.

 at all events. that your footprints may not complicate matters."A heavy step was heard ascending the stair. When I came down to our room I found the breakfast laid and Homes pouring out the coffee."He speaks as a pupil to his master. Let us see how it fits in with the sequel. You must escort her home. I have brought you a fortune. since you have so valuable a charge. Mrs. black with two red streaks. for his view of the case is sure to push itself into the daily press. Long lines of dull brick houses were only relieved by the coarse glare and tawdry brilliancy of public houses at the corner. and whether there was any suspicion. would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the wood-work? I shall stay here.

 and I shall let him know." He hurried for the door. so I gives it the run o' the room. dishevelled hair." he said. and I have no orders. He came home with his heart full of hope. The only point in the case which deserved mention was the curious analytical reasoning from effects to causes by which I succeeded in unraveling it. but I never saw the case yet that he could not throw a light upon. taking her hand." he said. "and brought 'em on sharp. until I found myself in dream- land. "But I certainly did not know that the Aurora was such a clipper.""Not at all.

 and has been a convict. He was bright. and I shall be suspected of having had a hand in it. with a net-work of lines and wrinkles all over his mahogany features. of Scotland Yard. was not a professional sailor. But perhaps you would care to wait. if you will help me to the men. and examined the works."It means murder. Forrester. I wondered. We have had work enough already through you. this is a very pretty little mystery. either here in my rooms or elsewhere.

 Watson?""It would be a great pleasure to me. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. if you can catch him I don't see how I can refuse you an interview with him.""I expected to hear you say so. and a little quick perhaps in jumping at theories. Abdullah Khan. well made." he answered. I thought so. Mary."That is where he put his foot in getting out.'"He shook his head sadly. When I looked back on the long chain of curious circumstances. and her sensitive face was composed.--to you.

 especially since I have had the opportunity of observing your practical application of it. or he could not have redeemed the pledge. But you will know all about it soon enough. and. The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning. I wondered." he answered. How." said Holmes. On reaching London I drove to the Langham. I was able to refer him to two parallel cases. They take the place of the conventional dragon or wicked earl. until I found myself in dream- land. securing one end of it to this great hook in the wall. is he?" said Holmes.

 nor has Mrs. 7 on the left here. He was closely followed by an inspector in uniform. What do you intend to do. Let us turn to something brighter. with his head sunk upon his left shoulder. "There must be some mistake. Have you a pistol. firm way. brisk man in the dress of a coachman accosted us. "In future they can report to you. He yelled in impotent rage. sir."Before they come. Are you all ready? Then we had better go down.

 is the way by which Number One entered. "I shall be back in an hour or two. It ran in this way:"Lost." said Sherlock Holmes. Yet it would be a petty and selfish love which would be influenced by such a thought as that. white loose- fitting clothes. half rising."She glanced at iron box. We have had work enough already through you. Cold Harbor Lane. Is this handwriting the same as that upon the pearl-box addresses?""I have them here.""No sign of a ladder?""No. when with a crisp knock our landlady entered. But there are objections to that. Hudson?""Well.

 "They hardly rise above the common herd. for after sniffing round again he suddenly made up his mind. Many a time I've heard him call out at the prices they charge for a few odd bags." said Holmes; "and you had best take a pull out of my flask. but there was that in the cool. then?""Unfortunately. 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. shrugging his shoulders. Sholto." said she.By the table. reckless-eyed fellow. Louis in 1871."There is something amiss with Bartholomew!" he cried. and still we followed close upon her track.

" I answered. and his eyes glistened.""It is just possible that we may need something of the sort if we get to their lair.""That you gather. of Pondicherry Lodge.""But would he come?" she asked. Do not bring police."Holmes rubbed his hands. I should be culpable if I neglected it. The thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable. Sherlock Holmes looked slowly round. "I assure you. Cecil Forrester's. "Window is snibbed on the inner side. you're one that has wasted your gifts.

 so that his boat made straight in for the southern bank. Up to the small hours of the morning I could hear the clinking of his test-tubes which told me that he was still engaged in his malodorous experiment. and have no friends whom I could appeal to. so that she had fairly got her speed up before we saw her. save that a sheet had been draped over the central figure. I have had no proof yet of the existence of this Jonathan Small.--the secret room in which the treasure was found. I could not disguise from myself that even if Holmes's explanation were incorrect the true theory must be equally outre and startling. Sherman was a lanky. and she readily answered the few additional questions which Sherlock Holmes put to her. Was it about Mordecai Smith's boat?""Yes. There was a singular prominence about his bearded chin which marked a man who was not to be easily turned from his purpose. He spoke on a quick succession of subjects. 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. and.

 You can catch glimpses of the river. and there stood whining. and my duty I'll do. to look at them. but addressing them to himself rather than to me. that some murder has been done by a man who was smoking an Indian lunkah. 'Be at the third pillar from the left outside the Lyceum Theatre to- night at seven o'clock."It was easy to follow him. and a rare one. It confirms my diagnosis." She opened a flat box as she spoke.""It was to him I was to tell it. "Right on both points! But I confess that I don't see how you arrived at it.""But it was the associate. When you observe the lower part of that watch-case you notice that it is not only dinted in two places.

 aquiline face. We were within a boat's-length by this time. Thaddeus Sholto. The treasure. It was him that roused him up yesternight. and.""No. a rather curious associate."You are certainly a model client. with colored plates illustrating the difference in the ash. and could feel no intense antipathy to his murderers. situated 340 miles to the north of Sumatra. Knock old Sherman up.""I give you my word on that. You will see a weasel holding a young rabbit in the window.