The Sign of the Four

ode of t

ht me cold and distant upon that journey. She little guessed the struggle within my breast, or the effort of self-restraint which held me back. My sympathies and my love went out to her, even as my hand had in the garden. I felt that years of the conventionalities of life could not teach me to know her sweet, brave nature as had this one day of strange experiences. Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips. She was weak and helpless, shaken in mind and nerv

's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her. She was clearly no mere paid dependant, but an honored friend. I was introduced, and Mrs. Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures. I explained, however, the importance of my errand, and promised faithfully to call and report any progress which we might make with the case. As we

rtisement, the letter,-we had had light upon all those events. They had only led us, however, to a deeper and far more tragic mystery. The Indian treasure, the curious plan found among Morstan's baggage, the strange scene at Major Sholto's death, the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder o

I had to knock for some time at No. 3 before I could make my impression. At last, however,

"If you kick up any more row I'll open the k

t it's just what I ha

cious, I have a wiper in the bag, an' I'll

nt a dog,

. Sherman. "Now stand clear, for whe

nstantly slammed down, and within a minute the door was unbarred and open. Mr. Sherman wa

s wicked head and red eyes between the bars of its cage. "Don't mind that, sir: it's only a slow-worm. It hain't got no fangs, so I gives it the run o' the room, for it keeps the beetles down. You must n

d a dog o

t would

by was t

he uncertain, shadowy light I could see dimly that there were glancing, glimmering eyes peeping down at us from every cranny and corner. Even the r

e, and, having thus sealed an alliance, it followed me to the cab, and made no difficulties about accompanying me. It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. The ex-prize-fighter

oor-step, with his hands in

energy since you left. He has arrested not only friend Thaddeus, but the gatekeeper, the housekeeper, and the

was as he had left it, save that a sheet had been draped over the ce

of me. Thank you. Now I must kick off my boots and stockings.-Just you carry them down with you, Watson. I am going to do a

Holmes turned his light once mor

hese footmarks," he said. "Do you ob

said, "to a child

size, though. Is t

o be much as o

ight foot in the dust. Now I make one with my na

ogether. The other print has

indly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the woo

d was instantly consciou

ace him, I should think that Toby will have no difficulty. N

m crawling very slowly along the ridge. I lost sight of him behind a stack of chimneys, but he presently reappeared, and t

, Watson?

es

What is that black

ter-b

on

es

n of a

N

ought to be able to come down where he could climb up.

me steadily down the side of the wall. Then with a light s

ots. "Tiles were loosened the whole way along, and in his hurry he ha

wdry beads strung round it. In shape and size it was not unlike a cigarette-case. Inside were half a dozen s

for the chances are that they are all he has. There is the less fear of you or me finding one in our sk

ly," I a

g will s

, y

d, like a connoisseur sniffing the bouquet of a famous vintage. Holmes then threw the handkerchief to a distance, fastened a stout cord to the mongrel's collar, and led him to the foot of the water-barrel. The creature

re walls, towered up, sad and forlorn, behind us. Our course led right across the grounds, in and out among the trenches and pits with which they were scarred and inte

eech. Where the two walls joined, several bricks had been loosened, and the crevices left were worn down and rounded upon the lower side, a

t smudge of blood upon the white plaster. What a lucky thing it is that we have had no very heavy rai

oad in the interval. My fears were soon appeased, however. Toby never hesitated or swerved, but waddled on in his

nable me to trace them in many different ways. This, however, is the readiest and, since fortune has put it into our hands, I should be culpable if I neglected it. It has, however, prevented

n your results in this case, even more than I did in the Jefferson Hope Murder. The thing seems to me to be d

e chart in Captain Morstan's possession. He had signed it in behalf of himself and his associates,-the sign of the four, as he somewhat dramatically called it. Aided by this chart, the officers-or one of them-gets the treasure and brings it to England, leaving, we will suppose, some condition under which he receive

mere speculat

in with the sequel. Major Sholto remains at peace for some years, happy in the possession of h

he men whom he had wron

t a wooden-legged man,-a white man, mark you, for he mistakes a white tradesman for him, and actually fires a pistol at him. Now, only one white man's name is on the chart. The others are Hind

clear and

e the treasure was hid, for no one ever knew, save the major and one faithful servant who had died. Suddenly Small learns that the major is on his death-bed. In a frenzy lest the secret of the treasure die with him, he runs the gauntlet of the guards, makes his way to the dying man's window, and is only deterred from entering by the presence of his two sons. Mad with hate, however, against the dead man, he enters the room that night, searches his private papers in the hope of discovering some memorandum relating t

clea

the garret, and he is instantly informed of it. We again trace the presence of some confederate in the household. Jonathan, with his wooden leg, is utterly unable to reach the lofty room of Bartholomew Sholto. He

te, and not Jonathan, w

age instincts of his companion had broken out, and the poison had done its work: so Jonathan Small left his record, lowered the treasure-box to the ground, and followed it himself. That was the train of events as far as I can decipher them. Of course as to his personal appearance he must be middle-aged, and must

assoc

r from some gigantic flamingo. Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank. It shines on a good many folk, but on none, I dare bet, who are on a strang

rked back to him

of man's real greatness lies in his perception of his own smallness. It argues, you see, a power of comparison and of appr

e my s

leave to you, but if the other turns nasty I shall shoot him dead." He took out his revolver as he s

d slatternly women were taking down shutters and brushing door-steps. At the square-topped corner public houses business was just beginning, and rough-looking men were emerging, rubbing their sleeves across their beards after their morning wet

aping observation. They had never kept to the main road if a parallel side-street would serve their turn. At the foot of Kennington Lane they had edged away to the left through Bond Street and Miles Street. Where the latter street turns into Knight's Place, To

og?" growled Holmes. "They surely would

od here for some

off again," said my comp

he had not yet shown. The scent appeared to be much hotter than before, for he had not even to put his nose on the ground, but tugged at

k. On the dog raced through sawdust and shavings, down an alley, round a passage, between two wood-piles, and finally, with a triumphant yelp, sprang upon a large barrel which still stood upon the hand-trolley on which it had been brought. With lolling tong

each other, and then burst simultaneousl