.”
“No,Icouldnotsleep,”heanswered.“Thisinfernalproblemisconsumingme.Itistoomuchtobebalkedbysopettyanobstacle,whenallelsehadbeenovercome.Iknowthemen,thelaunch,everythingandyetIcangetnonews.Ihavesetotheragenciesatwork,andusedeverymeansatmydisposal.Thewholeriverhasbeensearchedoneitherside,butthereisnonews,norhasMrs.Smithheardofherhusband.Ishallcometotheconclusionsoonthattheyhavescuttledthecraft.Butthereareobjectionstothat.”
“OrthatMrs.Smithhasputusonawrongscent.”
“No,Ithinkthatmaybedismissed.Ihadinquiriesmade,andthereisalaunchofthatdescription.”
“Couldithavegoneuptheriver?”
“Ihaveconsideredthatpossibilitytoo,andthereisasearch-partywhowillworkupasfarasRichmond.Ifnonewscomesto-day,Ishallstartoffmyselfto-morrow,andgoforthemenratherthantheboat.Butsurely,surely,weshallhearsomething.”
Wedidnot,however.NotawordcametouseitherfromWigginsorfromtheotheragencies.TherewerearticlesinmostofthepapersupontheNorwoodtragedy.TheyallappearedtoberatherhostiletotheunfortunateThaddeusSholto.Nofreshdetailsweretobefound,however,inanyofthem,savethataninquestwastobehelduponthefollowingday.IwalkedovertoCamberwellintheeveningtoreportourillsuccesstotheladies,andonmyreturnIfoundHolmesdejectedandsomewhatmorose.Hewouldhardlyreplytomyquestions,andbusiedhimselfalleveninginanabstrusechemicalanalysiswhichinvolvedmuchheatingofretortsanddistillingofvapours,endingatlastinasmellwhichfairlydrovemeoutoftheapartment.UptothesmallhoursofthemorningIcouldheartheclinkingofhistest-tubeswhichtoldmethathewasstillengagedinhismalodorousexperiment.
IntheearlydawnIwokewithastart,andwassurprisedtofindhimstandingbymybedside,cladinarudesailordresswithapea-jacket,andacoarseredscarfroundhisneck.
“Iamoffdowntheriver,Watson,”saidhe.“Ihavebeenturningitoverinmymind,andIcanseeonlyonewayoutofit.Itisworthtrying,atallevents.”
“SurelyIcancomewithyou,then?”saidI.
“Noyoucanbemuchmoreusefulifyouwillremainhereasmyrepresentative.Iamloathtogo,foritisquiteonthecardsthatsomemessagemaycomeduringtheday,t