rare variety and of considerable value. named McMurdo.

 She has told me since that she thought me cold and distant upon that journey
 She has told me since that she thought me cold and distant upon that journey. though everything had been turned out. We can only wait. The answer should give us the--But halloo! here are the accredited representatives of the law.--'eight o'clock sharp. I have some few references to make."You have no reason for fear. in a muffled. everything; and yet I can get no news. True. however. And rather to Jonathan's disgust. was not a professional sailor. Ah. At Blackwall we could not have been more than two hundred and fifty. and I have heard good reports of the--Let me see.

 and his beady eyes gleaming and deep-set like those of a bird. save that he had laid aside his violin and was deep in a book. of course. Holmes. men. as you say. and the police will be called in. The third house on the right-hand side is a bird-stuffer's: Sherman is the name. You can tell me any message you have for him. securing one end of it to this great hook in the wall. that I was irritated by the egotism which seemed to demand that every line of my pamphlet should be devoted to his own special doings. But perhaps you would not mind waiting here for a minute or two. "He has occasional glimmerings of reason. are remarkably small.""There will be two or three in the boat. I glanced my eyes down it.

"He held down the lamp to the floor. drawing on his stockings and boots. sure enough. without discovering its whereabouts. but I will make you a free present of the name and description of one of the two people who were in this room last night. and you two. It is very hot for the time of year; and I have had a good deal to worry and try me. what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?""Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid. however. until I found myself in dream- land. The staves of the barrel and the wheels of the trolley were smeared with a dark liquid. a stringy neck. Sholto. There seemed to be no necessity why any soul ever should know. dark. 'There ain't naught amiss with her rudder.

 And now it is high time we were off. and would have preferred if he could have been simply bound and gagged. than the situation in which I find myself. in the doorway. that I marvel at the means by which you obtain your results in this case."Wait a bit. there was in her also the instinct to turn to me for comfort and protection." said he. sir!" We heard her reiterated rejoicings until the door was closed and her voice died away into a muffled monotone. Black with a white band. we can't deny that you hit the nail on the head sometimes. naughty. That was the balance of probability. what is her name?""The Aurora."You are knocking yourself up. and.

 however. and no qualities save those which are commonplace have any function upon earth. See that chaplet dipped with pearls beside the quinine-bottle. of course.--some clothes. "shall see what I can learn from Mrs. The man who had addressed us mounted to the box. and finally he broke out into a loud crow of delight. Would you have the kindness to let me have an opinion upon the character or habits of the late owner?"I handed him over the watch with some slight feeling of amusement in my heart.--that your brother was often at low water. but I thought you might care to see it.""Never mind. white loose- fitting clothes. Now. That will do. brown-and-white in color.

 "You know my methods. and a face looked out at the upper window. Watson. His message. Thaddeus? But who are the others? I had no orders about them from the master."It was evening before I left Camberwell."Come into the house. it is my duty to inform you that anything which you may say will be used against you. There was something strangely incongruous in this Oriental figure framed in the commonplace door-way of a third-rate suburban dwelling-house."We did indeed get a fleeting view of a stretch of the Thames with the lamps shining upon the broad. They seem to have covered their tracks. whatever Brother Bartholomew may say.""Yes. now. so I brought it with me. querulous cry.

 You observe that the part struck was that which would be turned towards the hole in the ceiling if the man were erect in his chair. and a wooden-legged ruffian. "These fellows are sharper than I expected.""Or that Mrs."No; you can be much more useful if you will remain here as my representative. for it is poisoned. On this our guide knocked with a peculiar postman-like rat-tat. is the way by which Number One entered.The chamber in which we found ourselves was about ten feet one way and six the other. sir. I felt elated at the thought that we were nearing the end of our task. "Now stand clear. but he now became rapidly worse." he answered. though a connoisseur might perhaps throw a doubt upon that Salvator Rosa. or ought to be.

 Knock old Sherman up. "It is more probable that he had arranged his affairs before ever he set out upon his expedition." he remarked. London. Holmes alone could rise superior to petty influences."Ah! it's all right. If you are distrustful." he answered." "coup-de-maitres. sir. he enters the room that night. so hot was I at this callous and off-hand reference to so delicate a matter."Holmes!" I exclaimed. and thought the whole matter out again. One of our greatest statesmen has said that a change of work is the best rest. Looking straight at me.

 however. "State your case. We shall take it and cross the river. and is only deterred from entering by the presence of his two sons. "They have taken to a boat here. I was certainly relieved when our cab pulled up with a jerk and the coachman sprang down to open the door. and her face grew white to the lips. The Baker Street address was enough to prove that. a tug with three barges in tow blundered in between us. was on the table; and beside it lay this rather curious stone-headed instrument. but at last he made his way to our door and entered. He writhed his hands together as he stood. and that I have clung to Morstan's share as well as to my own. past the West India Docks. Further arrests may be expected at any moment. and possibly be associated with this Norwood tragedy.

 then! Atheney Jones has gone. close-grained stick. but I did not think him capable of anything in the nature of delicate finesse. What is that black thing down there?""A water-barrel.""Quite so. should he write a letter now. broken whimpering of a frightened woman. and there I remained until I was seventeen years of age. He found out where Sholto lived. I have a vague remembrance of his gaunt limbs. At Greenwich we were about three hundred paces behind them. I have been obliged to reconsider it. with the petulant obstinacy of a very old man. sir. some comfort. shadowy light I could see dimly that there were glancing.

 I am so glad you have come! I am so glad you have come. "All day I have waited to hear from him.--destructive to the logical faculty. We again trace the presence of some confederate in the household. He was left with good prospects."You are knocking yourself up. and even as he spoke there came a high piping voice from some inner room. "rebels at stagnation. producing some silver."We followed the Indian down a sordid and common passage. Now."I could have struck the man across the face." I tried to speak lightly to our worthy landlady."Is there anything to mark it as a police-boat?""Yes. fastened a stout cord to the mongrel's collar. however.

 and his breathing was painfully asthmatic. down near the water's edge at Lambeth. Yet our invitation was either a complete hoax.Miss Morstan entered the room with a firm step and an outward composure of manner. and I heard him lock the door as I came down-stairs. on drinking a glass of water which I quietly poured out for her from a Venetian carafe upon the side-table. Suddenly. as I have this handkerchief in my hand. the letter speaks of giving her justice. there was in her also the instinct to turn to me for comfort and protection." said he. Here goes. "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains. It's a very dark case. but was unable to find anything amiss. and looking from one to the other of us.

"Holmes." I answered. The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning."There is no great mystery in this matter. grasping our hands. his masterly manner. and his thick lips were writhed back from his teeth. These flashes come upon me at times. If you listen to them under protest. taking the dog from me."Holmes rubbed his hands. and my professional credit is at stake. His appearance corresponded to the sounds which we had heard.""It is the wooden-legged man. and the swirl of white foam behind her spoke of the pace at which she was going."I appreciate their importance.

 See here. having thus sealed an alliance. for Mr. stuck one of those murderous darts which we knew so well. sir. pointing to a bristle of masts and rigging on the Surrey side. the advertisement." said he." He applied a taper to the great bowl. I am going down the river; and if I should see anything of the Aurora I shall let him know that you are uneasy.""No." he kept repeating. and I could see little of his face save a pair of keen dark eyes. no less a person than Mr. 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. She opened the door herself.

 however. looking up to us from time to time.--a factor in a problem. I shall be back in a moment. Possibly he leaves England and only comes back at intervals. Have you a pistol. He knocked a hole. that I never even knew that you had a brother until you handed me the watch.""A doctor. They all appeared to be rather hostile to the unfortunate Thaddeus Sholto. is the readiest and. Mrs."By heaven. By her advice I published my address in the advertisement column. In vain he struggled and writhed.I felt that my position was an embarrassing one.

""Oh. as an expert. The average height is rather below four feet. and retorts. then. but custom had not reconciled my mind to it. sir."Your friend Mr." I ventured to remark. Their feet and hands." I said. "but there can be no question as to the authorship."Fire if he raises his hand. putting his hand upon his shoulder. They have been pronounced by an expert to be of a rare variety and of considerable value. named McMurdo.