pit."

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

"There is something amiss with Bartholomew!" he cried. "I am
frightened! My nerves cannot stand it." He was, indeed, half
blubbering with fear, and his twitching feeble face peeping out
from the great Astrakhan collar had the helpless appealing
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 room, which stood upon
the left-hand side of the passage. The old woman was pacing up
and down with 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 calm face!" she cried, with an hysterical
sob. "It does me good to see you. Oh, but I have been sorely
tried this day!"

Our companion patted her thin, work-worn hand, and murmured some
few words of kindly womanly comfort which brought the color back
into the others bloodless cheeks.