not so quick in
condemning them." It was amusing to notice how the consequential Jones
was already beginning to give himself airs on the strength of the
capture. From the slight smile which played over Sherlock Holmes's
face, I could see that the speech had not been lost upon him.

"We will be at Vauxhall Bridge presently," said Jones, "and shall land
you, Dr. Watson, with the treasure-box. I 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. I 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."

"It 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. However, 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 hour's drive brought
us to Mrs. Cecil Forrester's. The servant seemed surprised at so late
a visitor. Mrs. Cecil Forrester was out for the evening, she
explained, and likely to be very late. Miss Morstan, however, was in
the drawing-room: so to the drawing-room I went, box in hand, leaving
the obliging inspector 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 the neck and
waist. The soft light of a shaded lamp fell upon her as she leaned
back in the basket chair, playing over her sweet, grave face, and
tinting with a dull, metallic sparkle the rich coils of her luxuriant
hair. One white arm and hand drooped over the side of the chair, and
her whole pose and figure spoke of an absorbing melancholy. At the
sound of my foot-fall she sprang to her feet, however, and a bright
flush of surprise and of pleasure colored her pale cheeks.

"I heard a cab drive up," she said. "I thought that Mrs. Forrester had
come back very early, but I never dreamed that it might be you. What
news have you brought me?"

"I have brought something better than news," said I, putting