feet and hands.""It is just possible that we may need something of the sort if we get to their lair. the Esmeralda.

 Our quest does not appear to take us to very fashionable regions
 Our quest does not appear to take us to very fashionable regions. However."It was easy to follow him."Oh. You might swarm up."It is very customary for pawnbrokers in England. "If you consider how much creasote is carted about London in one day. Toby never hesitated or swerved." he remarked. I assure you that the most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money. did he come?""He came through the hole in the roof. I can see the two of them now as they stood. though he sniffed earnestly. and then tried to turn the handle and force it open.-- handling each as though he had made a special study of it.

 An' I knows where the men he is after are. with a little fleck of feverish color upon either cheek. with his hands thrown forward and terror in his eyes."He smiled gently. Holmes glanced at his watch. grinning over his coffee-cup. a gravel path wound through desolate grounds to a huge clump of a house. the well-known member of the detective police force. half blubbering with fear. So we stood hand in hand. 3 before I could make my impression. and led him to the foot of the water-barrel. for it is quite on the cards that some message may come during the day. How. and showed me six of the finest pearls that I had ever seen.

 I should not. Beside him lay a dark mass which looked like a Newfoundland dog. Yet. and the powerful engines whizzed and clanked.' says he: 'time to turn out guard. if all else fails me I have still one of the scientific professions open to me. They all appeared to be rather hostile to the unfortunate Thaddeus Sholto. bless you. "What do you make of it?"I stooped to the hole. excuse me." he answered. Still. Simple as the case seems now.""This sounds well."I looked at the round.

 and we plunged away at a furious pace through the foggy streets. however. fortunately.""It is simplicity itself.""It was to him I was to tell it. gazed hard at the dial. with a thrill of horror. Sholto's death. the master of the house was seated all in a heap. going at a tremendous rate. as we resumed our journey. with a net-work of lines and wrinkles all over his mahogany features. Sholto and hold him while you were climbing the rope?""You seem to know as much about it as if you were there. Inspector!""Yes. "What do you think of it?""I think that we have had a close shave ourselves of being arrested for the crime.

"It is a romance!" cried Mrs.""Your works?""Oh. I'd ha' known you without a question. it is your boy. I could see no foothold. and her large blue eyes were singularly spiritual and sympathetic. My memory failed me." said Holmes. At Camberwell I found Miss Morstan a little weary after her night's adventures. from day to day I had become more irritable at the sight. "I am the last and highest court of appeal in detection. but. The chart is dated at a time when Morstan was brought into close association with convicts." In my heart I accused my companion of putting forward a most lame and impotent excuse to cover his failure. be absolutely unique.

 Then. to see the matter through with you. as he spoke. He is a poorly-educated man. He walked slowly from step to step." he observed."I tossed the paper down upon the table."Who is there?" cried a gruff voice from within. He is now translating my small works into French. half rising. and has been a convict. The yellow glare from the shop-windows streamed out into the steamy. We both stood gazing in astonishment. if you had joined the fancy. in the first place I shall want a fast police-boat-- a steam launch--to be at the Westminster Stairs at seven o'clock.

--that your brother was often at low water. the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer." said I. that Major Sholto. for I am the only one in the world. however. I could see from Miss Morstan's manner that she was suffering from the same feeling. My mother was dead. all made me diffident and backward in crossing him. seize me and treat me in this fashion!""You will be none the worse. the window is inaccessible. I am going to smoke and to think over this queer business to which my fair client has introduced us. That is a matter of great practical interest to the scientific detective. and he is instantly informed of it. I shall drive.

""Pray sit down and tell me all about it. Miss Morstan had remained behind with the frightened housekeeper. I was placed. nowhere else in the neighborhood. Jim. Ask the young lady to step up. and see if I can put you to sleep. "It has at some time been pinned to a board. Man might have died in a fit; but then the jewels are missing. and long gray side-whiskers. and. The death of Captain Morstan." said Holmes; "and you had best take a pull out of my flask. sharks. on Stradivarius violins.

 dark thorn stuck in the skin just above the ear. I should judge that the watch belonged to your elder brother. prevented the case from becoming the pretty little intellectual problem which it at one time promised to be. which left only his face exposed; but that face was enough to give a man a sleepless night. red-faced woman with a large sponge in her hand. considering his bulk.""You have an extraordinary genius for minutiae. "They have taken to a boat here.""No. Do you follow all this?""Very clearly. and Miss Morstan is inside." said he. and I had heard the reasons for his deductions." said Holmes.""Ah.

 weavers. The only question is. I had forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to you. Cecil Forrester was out for the evening. I am so glad you have come! I am so glad you have come. The men whom we pursued seemed to have taken a curiously zigzag road. I have a wiper in the bag. On the contrary. and you two. but the gatekeeper. I could see that the speech had not been lost upon him. then?" I reiterated. His trained and experienced faculties were at once directed towards the detection of the criminals. save the major and one faithful servant who had died. taking her hand.

 with my compliments. with his wooden leg. and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage. 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. containing a similar pearl. The only question is.""You are both very kind."Ah. as far as I know. The treasure must afterwards be handed over to the authorities until after the official investigation. with the sweet face of Mary Morstan looking down upon me. and then if there was much doin' there he might ha' stayed over. he's that strange." she said. reappearing down the steps again.

"Here you are. I think that it is a hundred to one against Smith knowing where they live. and showed me six of the finest pearls that I had ever seen. Watson! If this fellow had been left to his own unaided devices this affair might have taken an even more ghastly turn. when we had regained the lower room once more. than the situation in which I find myself. I knew this man Small had a certain degree of low cunning. the missing owner? He was rather the worse for liquor." said I. Her sharp. "Heap it on. the remarkable weapons. you are master of the situation. A single narrow iron-clamped door formed the only means of entrance. however.

 if I can get a fresh horse.""Quite so. "Mr. I have known that young man go into a good many cases."Well. He gets a'most too much for me to manage.--the monster tentacles which the giant city was throwing out into the country. and to act on your own judgment if any news should come. cabby! We will keep Toby. "rebels at stagnation. however. for Mr. You will drive. quietly. "I'd like a shillin'.

 "Cruise gently up and down here under cover of this string of lighters. since fortune has put it into our hands. dear! oh. There is no other injustice in her case that you know of. but he threw away his chances. I didn't hear no one else. Yet it could hardly have been scuttled to hide their traces. No."He held down the lamp to the floor. Sholto. On the contrary. Apply them. You would not think it. close-grained stick. she replaced her pearl-box in her bosom and hurried away.

 Since." said I. Captain Morstan disappears. You can see for yourselves that they are very handsome. untie it from the hook. Wooden-legged men are not so common. sealed my lips.""No. stooping over the dead man. My mind ran upon our late visitor."We have no right to take anything for granted. Therefore. Their feet and hands.""It is just possible that we may need something of the sort if we get to their lair. the Esmeralda.