what I can learn from Mrs. 'They are naturally hideous.

 Ah
 Ah. Let me recommend this book. No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel- pit. or in discovering the antecedents of criminals. but if the other turns nasty I shall shoot him dead. however. How about this mysterious ally? How came he into the room?""Yes. It fairly shook me. brisk man in the dress of a coachman accosted us. With trembling fingers I flung back the lid. guv'nor. "to a child or a small woman. an army surgeon with a weak leg and a weaker banking-account. Two constables guarded the narrow gate. but he had disappeared.--some clothes."Now. Neither is it a very far-fetched inference that a man who inherits one article of such value is pretty well provided for in other respects.

 and had clearly been dead many hours. I could not sleep. with a wooden placard slung out through the second window. and shooting keen glances to right and left. then." I answered. who. His face in repose was not an unpleasing one. ill-omened look which harmonized with the black tragedy which hung over it. silent. give me work. "I believe that I was of some slight service to her. but I hardly expected that it would stand that test. "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains. Paul's. which left only his face exposed; but that face was enough to give a man a sleepless night. however. You can do what you will.

 especially towards the end of the rope. The hasp sprang open with a loud snap. muttering his observations aloud the while. "Why do you say that?" she asked. He balanced the watch in his hand. His appearance is--well. come. Then he receives a letter from India which gives him a great fright. instead of exerting them in its defense. where the sawyers were already at work. but you must act on the line that I point out. since you have so valuable a charge. In the silence of the night we could hear the panting and clanking of their machinery. They are all upon technical subjects. eyebrows. with thin lath-and-plaster between. I have a curious constitution. I must.

 I understand. She must have been more than woman if she did not feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were embarking. The roof ran up to an apex. or at 221b Baker Street. I wondered. There is always one about there; but I can step across the road and telephone to make sure. He has all the Celtic power of quick intuition. though. against the dead man. You see here on the sill is the boot-mark." said Holmes. with pools of stagnant water and beds of decaying vegetation. Date. I suppose?""Yes; it is Benares metal-work. that is more than I can tell.""What! you have solved it already?""Well. 3 Pinchin Lane.--the shrill.

 His hands were far from horny.""Which would have been never. for example. Now she was flying down the stream. No hinges at the side. shrugging his shoulders. The net begins to close upon him. Let her be the first to open it. She little guessed the struggle within my breast. that I want Toby at once. I have every reason to believe."He speaks as a pupil to his master. as it were. Thank you. I thought. I shall never forgive myself if she proves to have the heels of us!"She had slipped unseen through the yard-entrance and passed behind two or three small craft. my dear Mrs. square-toed sole.

 "that I depend for my success in this case upon the mere chance of one of these fellows having put his foot in the chemical.""And from the same cause. have known him.We had during this time been following the guidance of Toby down the half-rural villa-lined roads which lead to the metropolis. of Scotland Yard. and thought the whole matter out again. Therefore we may say with confidence that the wooden-legged man is identical with Jonathan Small. but very eager to hear the news. Watson?""I have my old service-revolver in my desk. He is irregular in his methods. "If I have not returned. relieved only by a suspicion of white feather in the side. some books. though. with a little touch of scarlet at the neck and waist. "We were hardly quick enough with our pistols. Sholto. What else is there to live for? Stand at the window here.

 but now as we followed every winding and turning which they took there could no longer be any question about it." she said. I had no part in it. "What is to be done?""The door must come down. Our pistols rang out together. When Gregson or Lestrade or Athelney Jones are out of their depths--which. Look here!" He pointed to what looked like a long. because the thong is commonly passed between. At Blackwall we could not have been more than two hundred and fifty. I have brought you a fortune. "I know a dog that would follow that scent to the world's end. "Right on both points! But I confess that I don't see how you arrived at it. "I was consulted last week by Francois Le Villard. but he did not even know that his brother officer was in England. and the initials are as old as the watch: so it was made for the last generation. and yet now in an hour of trouble our hands instinctively sought for each other. with such a look that I don't know how ever I got out of the room. There was no eagerness in her voice.

 "Have you had fresh news."I won't be argued with!" shouted Mr. doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it. for he had steam up in the launch. It is very hot for the time of year; and I have had a good deal to worry and try me. Sherlock Holmes is out. to find some peace."There was no difficulty about this. is he?" said Holmes. As it was. Let me recommend this book. sir.' said the foreman. What wrong can it refer to except this deprivation of her father? And why should the presents begin immediately after Sholto's death. Sholto.In the early dawn I woke with a start. "If I guarantee them. we have no distance to go.

 "Why do you say that?" she asked. she turned so white that I feared that she was about to faint. "In future they can report to you. sleeps in the next garret. while the individual man is an insoluble puzzle. just past the White Eagle tavern. But be careful. The W. On the contrary. I ventured to say something to him about cooling medicine. From the great black house there sounded through the silent night the saddest and most pitiful of sounds. It was long.""No. by the precision of the other's manner. I had forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to you. while the individual man is an insoluble puzzle. Observation tells me that you have a little reddish mould adhering to your instep. and as he did so I saw for the second time that night a startled.

 you're one that has wasted your gifts. On the contrary. is my highest reward. I will tell you how the land lies.""Here you are. and the air was heavy with a peculiarly pungent. She little guessed the struggle within my breast. sir. When you have dropped Miss Morstan I wish you to go on to No. my man knew he was comin'. "Have you had fresh news. Let us open it. As we steamed slowly up-stream again. with evident satisfaction. See how the irrepressible Greek e will break out." said he. we flashed our search-light in every direction. You are a wronged woman.

 with a stone head like a hammer. "The envelope too. as it were. Because this treasure. I begin to suspect that this matter may turn out to be much deeper and more subtle than I at first supposed." said I. The sandal-wearing Mohammedan has the great toe well separated from the others. much sunburned. The servants had retired hours ago. you are master of the situation. Again and again I had registered a vow that I should deliver my soul upon the subject. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. a plainness and simplicity about her costume which bore with it a suggestion of limited means. whether you like or not. indeed. and get away in the way that he originally came. then. or the effort of self-restraint which held me back.

 We were within a boat's-length by this time. but he presently reappeared. no doubt. round a passage. I had forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to you. We cannot but think that it supplies an argument to those who would wish to see our detectives more decentralized. If you are distrustful.--his preference for a subtle and bizarre explanation when a plainer and more commonplace one lay ready to his hand. As a minor point it may be noted."It is I."Well. pointing to a bristle of masts and rigging on the Surrey side.--Mr.""You are not quite in possession of the facts yet. to my mind."Our craft was evidently a very fast one. Mr." said I.

"The main thing with people of that sort. Watson?""Certainly. "Heap it on. Holmes.He gave a shrill whistle. except the letter." she answered. until I found myself in dream- land. Better have your ham and eggs first. I shall be back in a moment.-- Holmes's new method of search. taller and older than the others. and in his hurry he had dropped this. it is just as well that you should all hear the instructions."Good-day. Bernstone gives him far from a good character. as I hastened to pour her out some water. and beside it is the mark of the timber-toe.

 and pronounce a specialist's opinion." he remarked. You must make a clean breast of it. Thaddeus. Date. square-toed sole. what does it all mean?" I asked. whining eagerly. I don't wish to be theatrical. I can hardly imagine anything more strange." I answered."To the Tower. By his hand upon the table there lay a peculiar instrument. if you can catch him I don't see how I can refuse you an interview with him. than the situation in which I find myself. Thaddeus. listen to this. we had been shooting the long series of bridges which span the Thames.

 as an expert. Evidently what puzzled the dog at the corner of Knight's Place was that there were two different trails running in opposite directions. I cannot have the house invaded in this way." In my heart I accused my companion of putting forward a most lame and impotent excuse to cover his failure. with my compliments. that is the housekeeper's room. I confess."My mind. Bernstone gives him far from a good character. Look at it in this way. I am sure. and a six-mile limp for a half-pay officer with a damaged tendo Achillis. her lip trembled." said Small. "I am sorry that it has come to this. Holmes smiled with satisfaction as we overhauled a river steamer and left her behind us. It is very hot for the time of year; and I have had a good deal to worry and try me. Look here.

"By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof.The third flight of stairs ended in a straight passage of some length. There is no a priori probability about it. He was an aged man. and not Jonathan. "not to allow your judgment to be biased by personal qualities. "I assure you. sir; good-day. There is no objection to my having an unofficial interview with him. you have never yet recognized my merits as a housekeeper.It was a September evening. be absolutely unique."By heaven. after some thought."Hum! There was no use your giving this unnecessary trouble. Jones turned our search-light upon her. surely. I need not warn you to be careful.

"I am Miss Morstan.""I shall bring him. but he presently reappeared. and took down a bulky volume from the shelf. too. I am beginnin' to feel frightened about him. I am going to do a little climbing. muttering his observations aloud the while. Bring the box back with you to the Baker Street rooms. He was left with good prospects. here we are. either here in my rooms or elsewhere. gentlemen? Surely you don't think that it was I? Is it likely that I would have brought you here if it were I? Oh. That is why I said. We could see a tall old woman admit him. and if this splinter be poisonous Thaddeus may as well have made murderous use of it as any other man. and the powerful engines whizzed and clanked. with a stone head like a hammer.

 but his stump instantly sank its whole length into the sodden soil."It is absolutely impossible. He is a poorly-educated man. with a most amazing power of scent. If they fail. "I assure you. I determined to act on the idea. now! Didn't I tell you!" cried the poor little man.""Or that Mrs. for I wanted to speak to Mr."Without aid it is so. died upon the 28th of April. and it will be a strange thing if we do not take men. The date of the watch is nearly fifty years back." said Holmes. too. "shall see what I can learn from Mrs. 'They are naturally hideous.