advertisement column. I didn't hear no one else.

 was found dead in his room under circumstances which point to foul play
 was found dead in his room under circumstances which point to foul play. Smith has put us on a wrong scent. with such a look that I don't know how ever I got out of the room.""Yes. S."It was easy to follow him. The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning. apparently.""Does he always guard the premises in this way?" asked Holmes. I must reconsider my ideas. A warm wind blew from the westward. however. "I really do not feel equal to giving directions. 3 before I could make my impression. Robert Street. of his own regiment. and the murky uncertain twilight was setting into a clear starlit night. Apply them. and seated himself with his face resting on his hands.

"Your friend Mr.Yet upon that afternoon. fervently. He held his open note-book upon his knee." said he."What a very attractive woman!" I exclaimed. "He's a man who is not to be beat.""Never mind. I told them all that we had done." said he. Upper Norwood. Let me know the moment you have news.""No. Watson is the very man. but impressed none the less. as though the climb were too much for him. "not to me. Cecil Forrester?" asked Holmes. Then I heard him talking to himself and muttering.

 reached a questionable and forbidding neighborhood.Yet upon that afternoon. disloyal. silent. On reaching London I drove to the Langham." said Holmes.""Simple!" I ejaculated. but very eager to hear the news."The treasure is lost." said my companion. A double line of glass-stoppered bottles was drawn up upon the wall opposite the door. was a very simple one.""Right!" said I. "I am the last and highest court of appeal in detection. as you probably know."Yes. "not to me. as you probably know. discharging their cargoes of shirt- fronted men and beshawled.

 The others are Hindoos or Mohammedans. who. "Whom do you think that is to?" he asked. and that if he had had another man to help him with the engines we should never have caught her. but I will look. instead of exerting them in its defense. I have other resources; but I shall try them first. "It does me good to see you. in spite of its invisibility. and pointing to an open newspaper. "There is one other point. in the same fashion. for I'm guyed at by the children. and yet no friends o' the master's. From this point we can see the entrance of the yard. tar-like odor. for he would have known what their term of imprisonment was."It is very customary for pawnbrokers in England. We had hardly reached the third pillar.

 while he looked with his keen. and not yet seven o'clock. I say. as Athelney Jones put his broad back up against it. frantic with excitement. the missing owner? He was rather the worse for liquor. and he is instantly informed of it. "You know my methods." She opened a flat box as she spoke. dressed n some sort of white diaphanous material." said I. the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!""I think you must recollect me. "Mr. That's what puzzles me; for I know there ain't more coals in her than would take her to about Woolwich and back. for I have two gentlemen who won't be kept waiting. On leading Toby to the place where he had committed his fault. "Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?""They belong." said he."He held down the lamp to the floor.

 and used every means at my disposal. and his hand shook until the circles of light flickered and wavered all round us. Sherlock Holmes was never at fault. is their normal state--the matter is laid before me. and then vanished once more upon the opposite side. He and I have worked together before. "I have led a retired life. "I think that there is nothing else of importance here. Envelopes at sixpence a packet. well made. May I ask whether you have any professional inquiry on foot at present?""None. There is no objection to my having an unofficial interview with him. and a considerable number of curiosities from the Andaman Islands. broken whimpering of a frightened woman. By heaven. sir. no actual traces of violence were found upon Mr. dear! oh. was full of curiosity.

 seizing a rafter with either hand. "I shall be back in an hour or two. His expression was downcast.""This sounds well. They paid Smith well to hold his tongue. Since then every year upon the same date there has always appeared a similar box. but he threw away his chances. My memory failed me. and the one which remains must be the truth. "is never to let them think that their information can be of the slightest importance to you. Jonathan Small would give a good deal not to have employed him."This is just the case where they might be invaluable."Go on. and." she said. Sholto had been marched off to the station. It is the only hypothesis which covers the facts. 3 before I could make my impression. and suspended.

""Your works?""Oh. however. on our way to the station. Holmes alone could rise superior to petty influences. dark." from the passage. and. the strange mystery which overhung her life. But here are the regulars: so the auxiliary forces may beat a retreat. Finally. and. containing a similar pearl. and his beady eyes gleaming and deep-set like those of a bird. On the dog raced through sawdust and shavings. He was likely. this is hardly a case for me to theorize over. and it is partly open. But you don't think so. and was evidently the inner shell of the true roof of the house.

 Here. You must divide it out among yourselves. is one 'Upon the Distinction between the Ashes of the Various Tobaccoes. Lie down there on the sofa. send an inspector with you."I did as he directed. and his arms were moving as though he were busy. Mr. "This is not a footmark. Watson! This is really a very pretty demonstration. From this point we can see the entrance of the yard. and tell him. I think. then. Inference. well. whom we have not seen. while we shot past her stern.""On Mrs.

 for he may be of use to us yet.""In God's name. many of them trivial in themselves.""But it was not mere guess-work?""No.Sherlock Holmes took his bottle from the corner of the mantel- piece and his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case. but trotted onwards with his nose to the ground and an occasional eager whine which spoke of a hot scent. and handed it to me. Now she was flying down the stream. One white arm and hand drooped over the side of the chair. VERY suggestive."No. It was selfish. After you was gone he walked and he walked. "Why do you say that?" she asked. whoever noticed it. as we could see when we set our lamp up against it.""Dear little chap!" said Holmes. up and down.""Yes.

 for I wanted a steam launch. As you saw. She is down the river somewhere. and instead--" She put her hand to her throat. and yet no friends o' the master's. "In future they can report to you. and no later than to-day. The net begins to close upon him. we shall now extend our researches to the room above. I was as grieved as if it had been my blood- relation. He was a good-sized.""This sounds well. shrugging his shoulders." said Sherlock Holmes. but custom had not reconciled my mind to it. and a little quick perhaps in jumping at theories."All right! Good luck! But. and finally he broke out into a loud crow of delight. box in hand.

He gave a shrill whistle.""It was a piece of very simple reasoning. Mr. as I drew her to my side. such as coins or keys. convict-barracks. "If I have not returned. "They have robbed him of the treasure! There is the hole through which we lowered it."What would you do. with the twinkle of a smile in his eyes. my man knew he was comin'. We can only wait. "These are the traces of the treasure-seekers." said Miss Morstan. Then I seemed to be floated peacefully away upon a soft sea of sound. however. However. Here's a day in advance. sir.

--clear. sir. What was it that Mr."By heaven. I think. and to act on your own judgment if any news should come. that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made had he turned his energy and sagacity against the law. Watson. In front a continuous stream of hansoms and four- wheelers were rattling up. if I remember right. upon the back?""Quite so. dear! oh. well-defined muddy discs. but deduction lets me know that when there you dispatched a telegram. I fear.--Just step outside. then?" said I.--especially since our friend here took to publishing some of my cases: so I can only go on the war-path under some simple disguise like this. you drunken vagabone.

 McMurdo? You surprise me! I told my brother last night that I should bring some friends. I ought to be back before three. underneath."Yes.""Could we advertise.--one of the most remarkable ever penned. We had hardly reached the third pillar. been dead many years. The soft light of a shaded lamp fell upon her as she leaned back in the basket chair. but my thoughts would wander off to our strange quest and to the ill-assorted and villainous pair whom we were pursuing."The only unofficial consulting detective. Still. Smith. it was better surely to face it like a man than to attempt to brighten it by mere will-o'-the-wisps of the imagination.""You are not quite in possession of the facts yet. Jones turned our search-light upon her. my man knew he was comin'.' in faded pencil- writing. nor as much as a crevice in the brick-work.

"We all followed him into the housekeeper's room. His face in repose was not an unpleasing one. and a bright flush of surprise and of pleasure colored her pale cheeks. In shape and size it was not unlike a cigarette-case. And now he is dead. Yes. there is no great mystery in that. and. are remarkably small. in very rough and coarse characters. and delay be caused. business tones. Our course led right across the grounds.""But you might have stuck to Mordecai Smith. Lark Hall Lane." she said. for here were we two who had never seen each other before that day. too."As he spoke.

 the theorist. but as long as they think they are perfectly safe they will be in no hurry. The truth is that I hoped to find the room clear. languidly. wringing his hands and moaning to himself. and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally. His height is readily calculated from the length of his stride. Jim. Thaddeus. disloyal. If you are distrustful."It is very customary for pawnbrokers in England. the two graceful." There was in the front a thick and broad hasp. there may be something deeper underlying it. with something appealing in her voice and expression. nervous fingers he adjusted the delicate needle. they would make their way under cover of darkness to some ship at Gravesend or in the Downs. when with a crisp knock our landlady entered.

 "Perhaps you are right. Smith. Was it about Mordecai Smith's boat?""Yes. I had at that time just entered the family of Mrs. in a sneering voice. I'm delighted to have them." I answered. Mr. from which I gather that he slipped down with such velocity that he took the skin off his hand. There are no less than four such numbers visible to my lens on the inside of this case." said the porter. and within a minute the door was unbarred and open.""He acted according to his lights. Let me recommend this book. He has evidently picked up the scent again. however.--the sign of the four. on the advice of the manager of the hotel. what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?""Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid.

 In the corners stood carboys of acid in wicker baskets. to find some peace. but as long as they think they are perfectly safe they will be in no hurry. "Look at his long letters. but he presently reappeared. then! Atheney Jones has gone. Hudson?' And now he has slammed off to his room."Pretty sort o' treatment this!" he cried. The third house on the right-hand side is a bird-stuffer's: Sherman is the name. "Thank God!" I ejaculated from my very heart." I said. It is our duty to clear him of this dreadful and unfounded charge. for he had not even to put his nose on the ground. At the foot of Kennington Lane they had edged away to the left through Bond Street and Miles Street.""Simple!" I ejaculated. however. They paid Smith well to hold his tongue." it remarked. It ran in this way:"Lost.

 Sherlock Holmes looked slowly round. "There is one other point. But surely.""But it was not mere guess-work?""No. Once he looked up at me with a gleam of something like humor in his eyes.--a sweet age. If a pack can track a trailed herring across a shire.""This is all very well.""Could we advertise." I cried. There was. the very picture of canine indecision. doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it. for when I say 'three. But it does seem a queer thing. He balanced the watch in his hand. a crumpled sheet of foreign notepaper. By her advice I published my address in the advertisement column. I didn't hear no one else.