again, why such laconic messages?"

"I cannot imagine."

"It opens a pleasing field for intelligent speculation. The words
are written with a broad-pointed, violet-tinted pencil of a not
unusual pattern. You will observe that the paper is torn away at
the side here after the printing was done, so that the 's' of
'soap' is partly gone. Suggestive, Watson, is it not?"

"Of caution?"

"Exactly. There was evidently some mark, some thumbprint,
something which might give a clue to the person's identity. Now.
Mrs. Warren, you say that the man was of middle size, dark, and
bearded. What age would he be?"

"Youngish, sir--not over thirty."

"Well, can you give me no further indications?"

"He spoke good English, sir, and yet I thought he was a foreigner
by his accent."

"And he was well dressed?"

"Very smartly dressed, sir--quite the gentleman. Dark clothes--
nothing you would note."

"He gave no name?"