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"Oh, this is hardly a case for me to theorize over," said Holmes, dryly

"No, no Still, we can't deny that you hit the nail on the head sometimes Dear me! Door locked, I understand Jeorth half aHoas the ?"

"Fastened; but there are steps on the sill"

"Well, well, if it was fastened the steps could have nothing to do with the ht have died in a fit; but then the jewels areHa! I have a theory These flashes coeant, and you, Mr Sholto Your friend can remain--What do you think of this, Holmes? Sholto was, on his own confession, with his brother last night The brother died in a fit, on which Sholto walked off with the treasure How's that?"

"On which the dead ot up and locked the door on the inside"

"Hum! There's a flaw there Let us apply common sense to the matter This Thaddeus Sholto WAS with his brother; there WAS a quarrel; so one So much also we know No one saw the brother from the time Thaddeus left him His bed had not been slept in Thaddeus is evidently in a most disturbed state of mind His appearance is--well, not attractive You see that I ains to close upon him"

"You are not quite in possession of the facts yet," said Holmes "This splinter of wood, which I have every reason to believe to be poisoned, was in the man's scalp where you still see the mark; this card, inscribed as you see it, was on the table; and beside it lay this rather curious stone-headed instrument How does all that fit into your theory?"

"Confirms it in every respect," said the fat detective, poht this up, and if this splinter be poisonous Thaddeus may as well have made murderous use of it as any other man The card is some hocus-pocus,--a blind, as like as not The only question is, how did he depart? Ah, of course, here is a hole in the roof" With great activity, considering his bulk, he sprang up the steps and squeezed through into the garret, and i that he had found the trap-door

"He can find so his shoulders "He has occasional glis of reason Il n'y a pas des sots si incommodes que ceux qui ont de l'esprit!"