Mr. Thaddeus Sholto ceased, and sat twitching on his luxurious
settee. We all remained silent, with our thoughts upon the new
development which the mysterious business had taken. Holmes was
the first to spring to his feet.

"You have done well, sir, from first to last," said he. "It is
possible that we may be able to make you some small return by
throwing some light upon that which is still dark to you. But,
as Miss Morstan remarked just now, it is late, and we had best
put the matter through without delay."

Our new acquaintance very deliberately coiled up the tube of his
hookah, and produced from behind a curtain a very long befrogged
topcoat with Astrakhan collar and cuffs. This he buttoned
tightly up, in spite of the extreme closeness of the night, and
finished his attire by putting on a rabbit-skin cap with hanging
lappets which covered the ears, so that no part of him was
visible save his mobile and peaky face. "My health is somewhat
fragile," he remarked, as he led the way down the passage. "I am
compelled to be a valetudinarian."

Our cab was awaiting us outside, and our programme was evidently
prearranged, for the driver started off at once at a rapid pace.
Thaddeus Sholto talked incessantly, in a voice which rose high
above the rattle of the wheels.

"Bartholomew is a clever fellow," said he. "How do you think he
found out where the treasure was? He had come to the conclusion
that it was somewhere indoors: so he worked out all the cubic
space of the house, and made measurements everywhere, so that not