The Press., 1895-06-06

we may all congratulate each other. Pity we didn't take the other alive, but there was no choice. l say, Holmes, you must confess that you cut it rather fine. It was all we could do to overhaul her. "
 All is well that ends well," said Holmes. But certainly did not know that the Aurora was such a clipper" Smith says she is one of the fastest launches on the river, and that if he had had another man to help h:m with the engines we should never have caught her. He swears he knew nothing of this Nor wood business ''
 ''Neither he did," cried our prisoner, mot a word. 1 chose his launch because heard that she was q f1ier. We told him nothing, but we paid him well, and he was to get something handsome if we reached our vessel-the Esmeraida-at Gravesend, outward bound for the Bra zils.''
 Well, if he has done no wrong, we | shall see that no wrong comes to him. If we are pretty quick in catching our men, we arc not so uick in condemning them" It was amusing to notice how the con- sequential Jones was already beginning to give himself airs on the strength of the capture. From the slight smile which | played over Sherlock Holmes face could see that the speech had not been lost upon him.
 I've will be at Vauxhall bridge pres ently," said Jones, "and shall land you, Dr. Watson, with the treasure box. l need hardly tell you that I am taking a very grave responsibility upon myself in | doing this It is most irregular, but of | course an agreement is an agreement. l must, however, as a matter of duty, send an inspector with you, since you have so valuable a charge You will drive, no doubt?'
 "Yes, I shall drive"
 Ut is a pity there is no key, that we may make an inventory first. You will have to break it open. Where is the key, my man?"
 At the bottom of the river," said Small shortly.
 "Hum There was no use your giving this unnecessary trouble We have had work enough already through you. How ever, doctor I need not warn you to be careful. Bring the box back with you to the Baker street rooms. You will find us | there on our way to the statiOn.' They landed me at Vauxhall, with my heavy iron box and with a bluff, genial | inspector as my companion. A quarter of an hours drive brought us to Mrs | Cecil Forresters. $. The servant seemed sur prised at so late a visitor Mrs. Cecil Forester was out for the evening, she ex- plained and likely to be out very late. Miss Morstan, however, was in the draw ing room, so to the drawing room I went, box in hand, leaving the obliging inspect | or in the cab
 She was seated by the open window, dressed in some sort of white diaphanous material, with a little touch of scarlet at l Ct a soft iCh Of 9 shaded lamp fell upon her as she leaned | back in tho basket chair, playing over he1 sweet, grave face anG tinting with dull metallic sparkle the rich coils of her lux uriant hair, one white arm and hand dropped over the side of the chair, and her whole pose and figure spoke of an ab- sorbing melancholy. At the sound of my footfall she sprang to her feet, however and bright flush of surprise and pleasure colored her pale cheeks.
 II heard a cab drive up," she said. ''] thought that Mrs. Forester had come back very carly, but never dreamed that it might be you. What news have you brought mH?"
 II have brought something better thar news,' said I, putting down the box upor the table and speaking jovially and bois terously, though my heart was heavy within mo. II have brought you some thing which is worth all the news in tht world. have brought you fortune"
 She glanced at tho iron box. ''1s tha the treasure, then?" she asked, cooll, enough.
 -"Yes, this is" the great Agra treasure Half of it is yours, and half is Thaddeu Sholtos. You will have a couple of hun dred thousand each. Think of thatL Al annuity of G1O,O There will be fev richer young ladies in England. Is it no glorious?''
 I think that I must have been rathe overacting my delight, and that she dc tected a hollow ring in my congratula tions, for saw her eyebrows rise little and she glanced at mo curiously.
 If l have 1t, said she, II owe it t you.
 ''No, no, answered, mot to me- bu to my friend Sherlock Holmes. With al the will in tho world I could never hav followed up clcw which has taxed ever his analytical genius As it was, we yer. nearly lost it at the last moment
 Pray, sit down and tell me all abou it, Dr. Watson,' said she.
 I narrated briefly what had occurred since I had seen her last-Holmes' nev method of search, the discovery of th Aurora the appearance of Athelney Jones our expedition in the evening and tn wild chase down the Thames. She listened with parted lips and shining eyes to m. recital of our adventures. When spok of the dart which had so narrowly missed us, she turned so white that feared sh was about to faint.
 Ut is nCthing," she said as I hastencC to pour hor out some water. II am al right again. It was shock to me to hea &hn+ ' hoA V3loo fri0 1- I1oI11 1,ou rible peril.''
 That is all over," answered. Ut wa nothing. I will tell you no more gloom. details Let us turn to something bright CT. There is the treasure What could b brighter than that? l got leave to bring it with mo, thinking that it would inter est you to be the first to see it.
 Ut would be of the greatest interest t. me, " she said. There was no eagerness il her voice, however. It struck her doubt less that it might seem ungracious upol her part to be indifferent to prize whicl had cost so much to win.
 What a pretty box!'' she said, stoopin over it. This is Indian work, 1 sup posc?"
 Yes, it is Bcnarcs metal work ''
 And so hcavy!" she exclaimed, tryin to raise it. The box alone must be c l
 Small threw it into the Thames, ' answered. 1 must borrow Mrs. Torres ter's poker" There was in the front thick and broad hasp, wought in tn image of a sitting Buddha. Under this thrust the end of the poker and twisto it outward as lever. The hasp spran open with a loud snap. With trembIin fingers I flung hack the lid. We bot stood gazing in astonishment. The bo was empty!
 No wonder that it was heavy. The fro work was two-thirds of an inch thick al round. It was massive, we'll made an solid, like chest constructed to carr things of great price, but not one shred c crumb of metal or jowelry lay within il It was absolutely and completely empty. "The treasure is lost" said Miss Mol stan calmly.
 As listened to the words and realize