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Our guide had left us the lantern Hol it slowly round, and peered keenly at the house, and at the great rubbish-heaps which cuether, and her hand was inis love, for here o who had never seen each other before that day, bethom no word or even look of affection had ever passed, and yet now in an hour of trouble our hands instinctively sought for each other I have marvelled at it since, but at the tio out to her so, and, as she has often told me, there was in her also the instinct to turn to me for comfort and protection So we stood hand in hand, like two children, and there was peace in our hearts for all the dark things that surrounded us

"What a strange place!" she said, looking round

"It looks as though all the land had been let loose in it I have seen so of the sort on the side of a hill near Ballarat, where the prospectors had been at work"

"And from the same cause," said Holmes "These are the traces of the treasure-seekers Youfor it No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel-pit"

At that moment the door of the house burst open, and Thaddeus Sholto ca out, with his hands thrown forward and terror in his eyes

"There is sohtened! My nerves cannot stand it" He was, indeed, half blubbering with fear, and his twitching feeble face peeping out fro expression of a terrified child

"Come into the house," said Holmes, in his crisp, firm way

"Yes, do!" pleaded Thaddeus Sholto "I really do not feel equal to giving directions"

We all followed him into the housekeeper's rooe The old wo up and doith a scared look and restless picking fingers, but the sight of Miss Morstan appeared to have a soothing effect upon her

"God bless your sweet calood to see you Oh, but I have been sorely tried this day!"

Our companion patted her thin, orn hand, and ht the color back into the others bloodless cheeks

"Master has locked himself in and will not answer me," she explained "All day I have waited to hear froo I feared that soh the key-hole You o up and look for yourself I have seen Mr Bartholo years, but I never saw him with such a face on him as that"