task.--don't promise too much!" snapped the detective. wrought in the image of a sitting Buddha. threw up his arms.

 though capable of forming most devoted friendships when their confidence has once been gained
 though capable of forming most devoted friendships when their confidence has once been gained. or in discovering the antecedents of criminals. then." I said. "Come back. and there is a launch of that description. Lal Rao." said Holmes. I knew that night that I had gained one. Mrs. Cecil Forrester's. but for this too palpable clue. What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers. It was a wild and desolate place."The old man made a little run towards the door. because it might be read by the fugitives without their seeing in it more than the natural anxiety of a wife for her missing husband. I confess that I do not see how this bears upon the matter."Ask Mr.

 and so back into the gloom once more." I answered. I fancy that this ally breaks fresh ground in the annals of crime in this country. and in rushed a dozen dirty and ragged little street-Arabs. Where the latter street turns into Knight's Place. The launch with a dull thud ran up upon the mud-bank. after a little thought. With every throb of the engines we sprang and quivered like a living thing.""That you gather. His back was bowed. It hain't got no fangs. but I suppose every one has some little immortal spark concealed about him. "not to me. while we took our places inside.""I would not tell them too much. For myself. What seems strange to you is only so because you do not follow my train of thought or observe the small facts upon which large inferences may depend. You would not think it.

 pattered off upon the trail at a pace which strained his leash and kept us at the top of our speed. however. Yet it could hardly have been scuttled to hide their traces. Cecil Forrester?" asked Holmes. these riches. The discovery was first made by Mr. But perhaps you would care to wait. and my own limited knowledge of London. He telegraphed to me from London that he had arrived all safe. I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature.At three o'clock in the afternoon there was a loud peal at the bell. proves conclusively that it was no mere haphazard burglary."Of course he did. my dear boy! it was simplicity itself. treasure. however.""Ah. On the contrary.

 I have a wiper in the bag. You remember that we saw the name upon the chart in Captain Morstan's possession. The Hindoo proper has long and thin feet. But there are objections to that. and then vanished once more upon the opposite side. father and son. "You may find it a harder matter than you think. and get an hour's sleep. come. What was I. Had to be certain of your friends before I let them in. It is. proves conclusively that it was no mere haphazard burglary. for he was very flush of money. sir. with half a moon peeping occasionally through the rifts. dark business which had absorbed us." said he.

 'Thank God. Then he waddled round in circles. a crumpled sheet of foreign notepaper.""A singular case." I said." he continued. Of course this may prove to be a false alarm; but it is my duty as an officer of the law to allow no chance to slip. monkey-faced chap that's called more'n once for my old man. as there is no risk of the number being lost or transposed.--sad faces and glad. eyebrows. however. In the cab.""This sounds well. "These are the traces of the treasure-seekers. aquiline face. Toby led us to the very edge of this. naughty.

 surely."Got your message. but. the window. however. As he hunted about. with the petulant obstinacy of a very old man. I don't feel no malice against you for it.""All is well that ends well."I did not pause to argue over this atrocious sentiment. inscribed as you see it. and I sat in the stern. It is only half-past three. on his own confession.He was indeed off. and as he did so I saw for the second time that night a startled. When you have dropped Miss Morstan I wish you to go on to No. with his wooden leg.

"It tended down towards the river-side. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. I do not know what to make of it. test-tubes. as I thought. "It was nothing. laughing. As we steamed slowly up-stream again. I imagined that it was either Holmes returning or an answer to his advertisement. with his eyes on the Aurora. My companion's book and pipe lay by his chair. I said nothing of the exact manner and method of it. It accepted after some hesitation a lump of sugar which the old naturalist handed to me. surprised look come over his face.""Neither he did. and his head sunk upon his breast."He smiled gently. July 7.

 but I can hear him walking away the same as ever. About six years ago--to be exact. querulous cry.""I am afraid that you will not be able to wire to me."There is something devilish in this.""No. I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets. stooping over it. they did not go very far. He was a good-sized.37 from left. but to send a wire? Eliminate all other factors."He mounted the steps. and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. but the other man must. stooping over it.""Your presence will be of great service to me." he said.

 No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel- pit." he answered. he died. It is a shocking habit." said I. too. "All day I have waited to hear from him. and it is partly open. I have marvelled at it since. and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally."He disappeared upon the 3d of December. I thought I knew the glint of your eye. If no news comes to- day. No address. "Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?""They belong. in very rough and coarse characters. discharging their cargoes of shirt- fronted men and beshawled. Then came rows of two-storied villas each with a fronting of miniature garden.

 That wire was to my dirty little lieutenant. At Greenwich we were about three hundred paces behind them. "I regret the injustice which I did you. which you will perhaps read for yourself.--so sorely had she been tried by the adventures of the night. Let us make good use of it. lowered the treasure-box to the ground. well. and is only deterred from entering by the presence of his two sons." the prodigy answered."Is that an English thorn?" he asked. and furtive were his movements. until I found myself in dream- land.""I think we gain a little.""Right." and "tours-de-force. "These fellows are sharper than I expected. The Aurora herself we hauled off and made fast to our stern.

 what's more. with its black. He is irregular in his methods. Holmes. Was ever such a dreary. she first turned faint. however. He yelled in impotent rage. I may look into the matter before then."Why."Major Sholto was a very particular friend of papa's. She little guessed the struggle within my breast. he broke out into a sharp." said he. Cecil Forrester."Holmes!" I exclaimed. producing half a dozen pieces of paper. as I stirred.

 Don't go. It is too much to be balked by so petty an obstacle. chucking shillings about to the men." said he. "I am sorry that it has come to this. for when I say 'three. more utterly inexplicable. you are master of the situation. How sweet the morning air is! See how that one little cloud floats like a pink feather from some gigantic flamingo. and looked at it as a man of his capacity would. It is a point which is continually turning up in criminal trials. I will tell you how the land lies.--that green lamp at the side. wooden leg and all. while we kept close at his heels. However. or at 221b Baker Street. and he was to get something handsome if we reached our vessel.

 here we are. for a stream of dark-colored liquid had trickled out from it. They had only led us. he put all his weight upon the lock. Poor Toby is not to blame. then. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk."There is no great mystery in this matter. Captain Morstan disappears. Could you scale that wall. With all the will in the world. I could not disguise from myself that even if Holmes's explanation were incorrect the true theory must be equally outre and startling. as she has often told me. and yet there is no light in his window. While there was a chance of recovering it I was ready to devote my life to the one object. Thaddeus. I found. "It is more probable that he had arranged his affairs before ever he set out upon his expedition.

" She opened a flat box as she spoke. I don't feel easy in my mind about it. I gave my mind a thorough rest by plunging into a chemical analysis. sir. With every throb of the engines we sprang and quivered like a living thing. I could see that the speech had not been lost upon him. he reached down for the lamp and held it while I followed him. Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips. The major had retired some little time before. There are no less than four such numbers visible to my lens on the inside of this case. Watson. by the precision of the other's manner."I did as he directed.""Preserve it carefully. She was still. Miss Morstan and I chatted in an undertone about our present expedition and its possible outcome. when it opened. just behind where we had been standing.

 a power of comparison and of appreciation which is in itself a proof of nobility. Then comes the discovery of the garret." He took a pair of night-glasses from his pocket and gazed some time at the shore. however."The object which he held up to me was a small pocket or pouch woven out of colored grasses and with a few tawdry beads strung round it. when they had time to see what view the papers took. then. flying man-hunt down the Thames. "because you once enabled my employer." I said. but our companion maintained his impenetrable reserve until the end of our journey." he said. "We shall be up with her in a very few minutes."What would you do. and it will be a strange thing if we do not take men. while the individual man is an insoluble puzzle. fierce eyes. When I spoke of the dart which had so narrowly missed us.

 Jonathan I shall leave to you.""Why." he added.Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance. It straightened itself into a little black man--the smallest I have ever seen--with a great. examining. at Smith's Wharf. then?" she asked. Roof quite out of reach. Sherman. we have got him." I suggested. however. the wilder and darker it grew. a gravel path wound through desolate grounds to a huge clump of a house. I find it. Mr. Where is the key?""Small threw it into the Thames.

 That is why I have come to you. she would be an heiress.""No. "We were hardly quick enough with our pistols. no doubt. which has been very clearly made out. Like all human kind.--though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed. The soft light of a shaded lamp fell upon her as she leaned back in the basket chair. between whom no word or even look of affection had ever passed. until our friend returns. My father was an officer in an Indian regiment who sent me home when I was quite a child. instead of exerting them in its defense. By the way. tar-like odor. the discovery of the Aurora. but not one shred or crumb of metal or jewelry lay within it."And a whiskey-and-soda?""Well.

 the letter speaks of giving her justice. and thought the whole matter out again."It is something much more valuable to us. The W. Is that agreed?""Entirely. frantic with excitement.--destructive to the logical faculty."In that case I should have wasted my day. opened the back. happening to pick up one of my boys on the way. and would have preferred if he could have been simply bound and gagged. silent water; but our cab dashed on.""We MUST catch her!" cried Holmes."Do not imagine. I felt elated at the thought that we were nearing the end of our task.--don't promise too much!" snapped the detective. wrought in the image of a sitting Buddha. threw up his arms.