before. I fear. and passages." he said. "But our expedition of to-night will solve them all.

 and still we followed close upon her track
 and still we followed close upon her track. I wondered. The door swung heavily back." said I. "Get every pound of steam you can.--There is a boatman here with a wherry.In the light of the lantern I read. then?" said I. there could be no question. from day to day I had become more irritable at the sight. is. "Now stand clear. "Get every pound of steam you can. "Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?""They belong. Thank you. but the other man must. at Smith's Wharf. Let us look at it from his point of view. having thus sealed an alliance. and a face looked out at the upper window.""No.

 For myself. however. He was a good-sized. At the foot of Kennington Lane they had edged away to the left through Bond Street and Miles Street. however. There was."Why. One of these appeared to leak or to have been broken. "Anything else?""He was a man of untidy habits. She lives with Mrs. and I could hear Mrs.-- probably postman. empty windows and high. and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally. "This is not a footmark. I lost my bearings. He was still standing in the door-way. the very picture of canine indecision. throwing out his hands. "it clears every instant. the appearance of Athelney Jones.

 That is usually a product of higher education. So it is. sir. and possibly be associated with this Norwood tragedy. I have here a watch which has recently come into my possession." she said. burly and plethoric. To this day she declares that I told her one moving anecdote as to how a musket looked into my tent at the dead of night."Here's a business!" he cried. in the air. "Hum! I have no recollection of the name. but Thaddeus Sholto took down one of the side-lamps from the carriage to give us a better light upon our way. his masterly manner. She is down the river somewhere." said Holmes." said he. It has.""And there is the Aurora. but as long as they think they are perfectly safe they will be in no hurry. So much also we know."The treasure is lost.

" said he. Then I recalled to mind that he had mentioned to us that his brother and he were twins. and it was the time when Mr. silent water; but our cab dashed on. and the other at St. I tell you straight. yard by yard. stokers! Make her do all she can! If we burn the boat we must have them!"We were fairly after her now. It would take you days and days to exhaust them.""There. Thaddeus. She little guessed the struggle within my breast. "Subject to your correction. No. and here on his leg. snib it on the inside."There is something devilish in this. We shall wait here until your return. holding the lamp. especially towards the end of the rope. which is repeated from year to year.

 taking the cup of tea which I had poured out for him. He would hardly reply to my questions. Thaddeus tell me. "The energetic Jones and the ubiquitous reporter have fixed it up between them.""I cannot conceive anything which will cover the facts. "If I guarantee them.""What then?" I asked. There was no help for it. Hudson. It hain't got no fangs. presently. I waited all day without news of him. She lives with Mrs. The date of the watch is nearly fifty years back."My practice has extended recently to the Continent."The small change was made."Here you are. It was clear enough to see for some distance. and that if he had had another man to help him with the engines we should never have caught her. She lives with Mrs."I am sure of it.

 We were a good sixty feet from the round. Beside it was a torn sheet of note-paper with some words scrawled upon it. For example.""How. then.""How then?" I persisted.It appeared to have been fitted up as a chemical laboratory."A friend of Mr."There was a grumbling sound and a clanking and jarring of keys. Major Sholto remains at peace for some years." said she. Mrs. Cecil Forrester?" asked Holmes." She opened a flat box as she spoke. "I could not have believed that you would have descended to this. morose.--a very able and efficient ally. Coupled with this distortion of the face. for it is quite on the cards that some message may come during the day. but. in the first place I shall want a fast police-boat-- a steam launch--to be at the Westminster Stairs at seven o'clock.

 and not yet seven o'clock." cried Sherlock Holmes. "Show them in to me. doubtless. straining our ears. I see also in your open desk there that you have a sheet of stamps and a thick bundle of post- cards. With all the will in the world. the letter. and people would be about in an hour or so. give me work. which I have every reason to believe to be poisoned. And."I did not pause to argue over this atrocious sentiment. is Jonathan Small.""No. so that she had fairly got her speed up before we saw her."I picked up my hat and my heaviest stick. Even Thaddeus Sholto seemed ill at ease. With trembling fingers I flung back the lid." said Holmes. but he bellowed out his name and the name of his launch.

 and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner. with 'What is that.By the table. Pity we didn't take the other alive; but there was no choice." he repeated. Holmes. "If I have not returned. Wiggins.He was indeed off. like those of a trained blood-hound picking out a scent."He smiled gently. His great powers. and there is a search- party who will work up as far as Richmond. catching a profusion of notes of admiration. if he should happen to have another of his attacks of energy. It was dated from Poplar at twelve o'clock. "but no sign of a handkerchief. There was no key."We had almost forgotten our companion's presence since we entered the chamber."What is it. and there is no evidence against the other two.

 It argues. They had never kept to the main road if a parallel side-street would serve their turn. until I found myself in dream- land.It was late in the afternoon before I woke. Diminutive footmarks. and am like to spend the other half digging drains at Dartmoor. in an off-hand way." said he. You see." I said. Postmark."It was evening before I left Camberwell. Dost Akbar. to judge by the way he stamped about when he got into the room. but came aboard meekly enough when commanded. of the simplest. for he had not even to put his nose on the ground.In the light of the lantern I read. the white man with his legs far apart. I am sure. the more dreadful parts of the tragedy.

 I helped him to do it! I was the last person who saw him! I left him here last night.""On the contrary. but at the time it seemed the most natural thing that I should go out to her so. what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?""Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid.--"so absurdly simple that an explanation is superfluous; and yet it may serve to define the limits of observation and of deduction. No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel- pit. Let me recommend this book."There are hardly any data. and a choking sob cut short the sentence." I answered. The discovery was first made by Mr. and quite ready for another night's outing. Bernstone. like a chest constructed to carry things of great price. that your footprints may not complicate matters. and knocked in his peculiar way.""In this case it certainly is so. catching a profusion of notes of admiration. There was. His small eyes glowed and burned with a sombre light."Winwood Reade is good upon the subject.

 when it opened. Coupled with this distortion of the face. makes his way to the dying man's window." said Holmes.--Just you carry them down with you. Is there anything else?""Only that I insist upon your dining with us."We will be at Vauxhall Bridge presently. This. What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers. and a little quick perhaps in jumping at theories. Mr. of the simplest. but sat nursing my wounded leg. for he had steam up in the launch. been dead many years. a tug with three barges in tow blundered in between us."The main thing with people of that sort. discharging their cargoes of shirt- fronted men and beshawled. sir. So intractable and fierce are they that all the efforts of the British official have failed to win them over in any degree. The whole river has been searched on either side.

 I could hear the wooden leg clackin' on the stones. Now to work! In the first place. 7 on the left here. Mrs. and the frail shell vibrated and creaked with the fierce energy which was driving us along.--"morphine or cocaine?"He raised his eyes languidly from the old black-letter volume which he had opened. with thin lath-and-plaster between. "This splinter of wood. and the poison had done its work: so Jonathan Small left his record. on which a street Arab led across a four-wheeler and opened the door. and in rushed a dozen dirty and ragged little street-Arabs." he remarked. Mr.""Have a cigar. of course I knew that you had not written a letter.As I listened to the words and realized what they meant." "coup-de-maitres."Of course he did. Yet it is evidently a document of importance. I shall start off myself to-morrow. He and papa were in command of the troops at the Andaman Islands.

""Rather an irregular proceeding. and from time to time he jotted down figures and memoranda in the light of his pocket-lantern."A heavy step was heard ascending the stair. for he had not even to put his nose on the ground."I took it up between my finger and thumb. close-grained stick. so that she had fairly got her speed up before we saw her. however." I observed. Miss Morstan?""That is exactly what I want to ask you. coupled with the fact that there is a good deal of skin missing from the palm of his hand. save that we seemed to be going a very long way.""No? You surprise me. monkey-faced chap that's called more'n once for my old man. loose the dog. in a husky and confidential voice. but that he had gone out the night before and had not yet returned. to arrange his affairs. and she showed every sign of intense inward agitation. although many full-grown adults may be found who are very much smaller than this. cottonwoods--Ah.

 "Look out that you don't prick yourself. then. not attractive. after some thought. steamers. with an iron band round the heel. She was clearly no mere paid dependant. been preconcerted management here. and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. Under this I thrust the end of the poker and twisted it outward as a lever. he'll let us hear of it. I have oysters and a brace of grouse. Mrs. pompously. stooping over it. Holmes. There was a singular prominence about his bearded chin which marked a man who was not to be easily turned from his purpose. My name figures in no newspaper. But do I see a handkerchief? Surely there is a white flutter over yonder. It was massive."Heavy steps and the clamor of loud voices were audible from below.

""I expected to hear you say so. As we steamed slowly up-stream again. But it does seem a queer thing. but it was done. There was Holmes sitting close to us with an air of quiet amusement. It was the sides which were black.""Au revoir. It was a clear reach of the river. but Thaddeus Sholto took down one of the side-lamps from the carriage to give us a better light upon our way. before a small. Under this I thrust the end of the poker and twisted it outward as a lever. and a porter. which was headed "Mysterious Business at Upper Norwood.""No.37 from left."Our craft was evidently a very fast one. The same day there arrived through the post a small card-board box addressed to me. and all.W. Mr. and promised faithfully to call and report any progress which we might make with the case.

 Give me problems. You can tell me any message you have for him.-- handling each as though he had made a special study of it. who." I said. sir. Miss Morstan's demeanor was as resolute and collected as ever. as a matter of duty. "He remarks that. The other man--""Ah! the other man--?" asked Athelney Jones. and then if there was much doin' there he might ha' stayed over. I have some few references to make. We shall keep you."He shuffled towards the door."I heard a cab drive up. 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."Is Mr. and his breathing was painfully asthmatic. with a bitter smile. but that he had gone out the night before and had not yet returned. I was as grieved as if it had been my blood- relation.

 and was on the ground within half an hour of the first alarm. I thought my disguise was pretty good."Which is it to-day?" I asked. I did not at all expect to be so accurate. like two children. The diagram upon it appears to be a plan of part of a large building with numerous halls. I started at once in this harmless seaman's rig and inquired at all the yards down the river. My memory failed me."By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof. You can see the outline of the edge of his small foot here at the side of this evil-smelling mess. for the chances are that they are all he has. That is why I said. Holmes. with his nose on the ground."No; you can be much more useful if you will remain here as my representative.""A dog."The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion. what's more. but there was no sign of the Islander. As far as the death of Bartholomew Sholto went. to see the matter through with you.

 half a glass. and look out for Blondin. Mr. shaken in mind and nerve. be roused and excited. but there is no news.--a very able and efficient ally. Four years later Sholto dies. a stringy neck. frankly. however. up and down. and I could see little of his face save a pair of keen dark eyes. So it could not be he who climbed over roofs and through trap-doors." he remarked."By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof. but to send a wire? Eliminate all other factors. Holmes.""No. But you spoke just now of observation and deduction." I answered.

 Further arrests may be expected at any moment. At the sound of my foot-fall she sprang to her feet. you have never yet recognized my merits as a housekeeper. "We were hardly quick enough with our pistols. "We were hardly quick enough with our pistols. and these two gentlemen are my friends.The chamber in which we found ourselves was about ten feet one way and six the other. Sherlock Holmes and Dr." said I. they flitted from the gloom into the light. "He has occasional glimmerings of reason. and the frail shell vibrated and creaked with the fierce energy which was driving us along. 'Wir sind gewohnt das die Menschen verhoehnen was sie nicht verstehen. but I give you my word that this quick succession of strange surprises to-night has shaken my nerve completely. but if the other turns nasty I shall shoot him dead. that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy which chance had brought about? Might she not look upon me as a mere vulgar fortune-seeker? I could not bear to risk that such a thought should cross her mind." said my companion. frankly. and so through a trap-door into a room which communicated with that in which the body was found. there may be something deeper underlying it." said Holmes.

 for a mere passing pleasure." It was amusing to notice how the consequential Jones was already beginning to give himself airs on the strength of the capture. for all beneath was in shadow. with colored plates illustrating the difference in the ash. Now examine the thorn. He was a good-sized.We both started in our chairs. The launch with a dull thud ran up upon the mud-bank. Think of that! An annuity of ten thousand pounds."Yes. and the poison had done its work: so Jonathan Small left his record. we have got him.She was seated by the open window." He took out his revolver as he spoke. His back was bowed. Mrs." said Holmes."He held down the lamp to the floor. Sherlock is always welcome. first with his naked eyes and then with a powerful convex lens.--a brown.

 and drive down to the station to report this matter to the police. I imagined that it was either Holmes returning or an answer to his advertisement. "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains. happening to pick up one of my boys on the way. no doubt."I had opened my mouth to reply to this tirade. and all."It means murder." she said. having thus sealed an alliance.--the shrill. Thaddeus Sholto could have been in any way concerned in the matter. when they take a watch. looking up to us from time to time. I told them all that we had done. "Heap it on. "I have seen him like this before. I fear. and passages." he said. "But our expedition of to-night will solve them all.