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His words were interrupted by a sharp rat-tat from the direction of the inner door.

"What the deuce is he knocking at his own door for?" cried the clerk.

Again and much louder came the rat-tat-tat.

We all gazed expectantly at the closed door.

Glancing at Holmes, I saw his face turn rigid, and he leaned forward in intense excitement.

Then suddenly came a low guggling, gargling sound, and a brisk drumming upon woodwork.

Holmes sprang frantically across the room and pushed at the door.

It was fastened on the inner side.

Following his example, we threw ourselves upon it with all our weight.

One hinge snapped, then the other, and down came the door with a crash.

Rushing over it, we found ourselves in the inner room.

It was empty.

But it was only for a moment that we were at fault.

At one corner, the corner nearest the room which we had left, there was a second door.

Holmes sprang to it and pulled it open.

A coat and waistcoat were lying on the floor, and from a hook behind the door, with his own braces round his neck, was hanging the managing director of the Franco-Midland Hardware Company.

His knees were drawn up, his head hung at a dreadful angle to his body, and the clatter of his heels against the door made the noise which had broken in upon our conversation.

In an instant I had caught him round the waist, and held him up while Holmes and Pycroft untied the elastic bands which had disappeared between the livid creases of skin.

Then we carried him into the other room, where he lay with a clay-colored face, puffing his purple lips in and out with every breath-a dreadful wreck of all that he had been but five minutes before.

"What do you think of him, Watson?" asked Holmes.

I stooped over him and examined him. His pulse was feeble and intermittent, but his breathing grew longer, and there was a little shivering of his eyelids, which showed a thin white slit of ball beneath.

"It has been touch and go with him," said I, "but he'll live now.

Just open that window, and hand me the water carafe." I undid his collar, poured the cold water over his face, and raised and sank his arms until he drew a long, natural breath.

"It's only a question of time now," said I, as I turned away from him.

Holmes stood by the table, with his hands deep in his trouser's pockets and his chin upon his breast.

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