Now all pretense of grief had passed away from her.

Her eyes shone with the joy of living, and her face still quivered with amusement at some remark of her companion.

He sat forward, his hands clasped and his forearms on his knees, with an answering smile upon his bold, handsome face.

In an instant--but it was just one instant too late--they resumed their solemn masks as my figure came into view.

A hurried word or two passed between them, and then Barker rose and came towards me.
"Excuse me, sir," said he, "but am I addressing Dr.Watson ?" I bowed with a coldness which showed, I dare say, very plainly the impression which had been produced upon my mind.
"We thought that it was probably you, as your friendship with Mr.
Sherlock Holmes is so well known.