My lens discloses more than one blood-mark, especially towards the end of the rope, from which I gather that he slipped down with such velocity that he took the skin off his hand." "This is all very well," said I, "but the thing becomes more unintelligible than ever.

How about this mysterious ally?
How came he into the room ?" "Yes, the ally!" repeated Holmes, pensively.

"There are features of interest about this ally.

He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace.

I fancy that this ally breaks fresh ground in the annals of crime in this country,--though parallel cases suggest themselves from India, and, if my memory serves me, from Senegambia." "How came he, then ?" I reiterated.