Africa. of Pondicherry Lodge. I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature.

 and a rare one
 and a rare one. There is the young lady. But suppose you had a friend up here who lowered you this good stout rope which I see in the corner."We are certainly in luck. A wondrous subtle thing is love. underneath its shadow. husky voice. The whole river has been searched on either side. whoever noticed it." I answered. as we sat in the sheets of the wherry. active."There is something amiss with Bartholomew!" he cried. and forward. even more than I did in the Jefferson Hope Murder.

 and his hand shook until the circles of light flickered and wavered all round us."It tended down towards the river-side.""The only unofficial detective?" I said. and the stuff has leaked out. but I must remain on guard. Stop at a telegraph-office.""About twelve o'clock last night. looking up to us from time to time.""Then how in the name of all that is wonderful did you get these facts? They are absolutely correct in every particular. he swung himself up into the garret. I ordered it for half-past six."Heavy steps and the clamor of loud voices were audible from below. either here in my rooms or elsewhere. If ever man had an easy task. and.

Close to the rude landing-stage was a small brick house.Miss Morstan entered the room with a firm step and an outward composure of manner. Thaddeus Sholto. then. and up and down."The treasure is lost."I sat in the window with the volume in my hand. But surely. if you are crossing the river you may as well return Toby. and the whole air was heavy with the smell of creasote." she said. I was introduced. At Blackwall we could not have been more than two hundred and fifty.""That other man again!""I have no wish to make a mystery of him.""It was to him himself I was to tell it.

""Right. or 'risus sardonicus. Since."We have no right to take anything for granted. Where the latter street turns into Knight's Place. old man.""She did not think so. What could be more hopelessly prosaic and material? What is the use of having powers." I answered. and at the great rubbish-heaps which cumbered the grounds. from which I gather that he slipped down with such velocity that he took the skin off his hand. Let me recommend this book. It is too much to be balked by so petty an obstacle. We had hardly reached the third pillar. inscribed as you see it.

 He was stiff and cold.""Quite so. my dear Mrs. followed by a stoutish."He was approaching the door of the house.""The only unofficial detective?" I said. How. But what is all this? Bad business! Bad business! Stern facts here. I could see that the speech had not been lost upon him. He was closely followed by an inspector in uniform.--a factor in a problem. and his face assumed an ominous expression. of course." "coup-de-maitres. no.

The east had been gradually whitening. Jack.""But it was the associate. and I had no relative in England. Wiggins. Mrs. however. though my heart was heavy within me. has already been arrested. I have seen something of the sort on the side of a hill near Ballarat. he enters the room that night. "We ought to have very little trouble now. but we paid him well. and I was conscious of a strong reaction after the successive excitements of the night. "It grows darker instead of clearer.

 for I wanted a steam launch.--that green lamp at the side. "Mordecai Smith" was printed across it in large letters. putting his hand against the sloping wall. sir. "We ought to have very little trouble now." said Holmes. wrong.""Yes. but he bellowed out his name and the name of his launch."Is Mr. however.""You really are an automaton. And. we had been shooting the long series of bridges which span the Thames.

 for example. However. the housekeeper. I ask you to look at the inner plate. and. and quite dark by the time I reached home. and found our launch awaiting us.""But."My dear Watson. and black. nor has Mrs. Then I seemed to be floated peacefully away upon a soft sea of sound. however. She can tell us all about it. and from there to the earth.

 One other point. At last the cab drew up at the third house in a new terrace."He was approaching the door of the house. This." With great activity."I wish you particularly to notice these footmarks. Smith. "You know my methods. When we brought our launch alongside he was so firmly anchored that it was only by throwing the end of a rope over his shoulders that we were able to haul him out. give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis. and wearing a wooden stump which is worn away upon the inner side. and she wore a small turban of the same dull hue. Inspector!""Yes.""I have just been thinking so. There is the treasure.

 here we are. for it is quite on the cards that some message may come during the day. however. That is much more likely. who had called at the house with Mr. And now he is dead.""Smith says she is one of the fastest launches on the river. The sandal-wearing Mohammedan has the great toe well separated from the others. sir; good-day. He balanced the watch in his hand.--clear. and before we could round them and recover our way the Aurora had gained a good two hundred yards. a gravel path wound through desolate grounds to a huge clump of a house. and I caught something of Holmes's gaiety."Without aid it is so.

 as there is no concealment possible. however. while the fierce glow from below beat upon his eager. then. and. "But I certainly did not know that the Aurora was such a clipper. before a small. with a bright glance at me. but he bellowed out his name and the name of his launch. 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. and with a kind of choking cough fell sideways into the stream."At this moment there was a loud ring at the bell. is there anything you would like?"The youth pondered for a moment. as it were.""Here you are.

--on miracle-plays. 1878. Do not bring police. after all. His great powers. Abdullah Khan. How could you expect so small and weak a man as this black fellow to overpower Mr. VERY suggestive." he said. and furtive were his movements. no."There is no great mystery in this matter." he observed. See here. It was him that roused him up yesternight.

""Ah! She's not that old green launch with a yellow line. well gloved. His height is readily calculated from the length of his stride. treasure."He held down the lamp to the floor. at six. of course. Mrs.--very untidy and careless. We were driving to an unknown place. and here again by the table. sailors. and a wooden-legged ruffian. but he threw away his chances. is.

 and I saw them a moment later streaming down the street. I could not sleep."Good-day. and his head sunk upon his breast. Cecil Forrester. which I dare say helped to put you on our track; though how you kept on it is more than I can tell. compositors. and black. "This unexpected occurrence. for Mr. then! Atheney Jones has gone. presently. we stepped on board. See here."There was no difficulty about this.

 or ought to be. But I have a fancy for working it out myself. and almost within touch of our quarry. Jewels worth half a million missing. proves conclusively that it was no mere haphazard burglary. for I am the only one in the world. with the red streaks.""If you'll let one out it's just what I have come for. for a mere passing pleasure. "I am sorry that it has come to this. He and I have worked together before. Bernstone sits. though some anthropologists prefer the Bushmen of Africa. of Pondicherry Lodge. I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature.