The Gastonia
_ ^ l® >■*>• Protavtlon at I loot* and rlia lacmat*
Vol. XVI. Gastonia, N. Cn April 18, 1805.
— 1 " - -1 —— — ■ — WWWff — ...
I
CJll A rTIK ▼
TUB TBAOEDT or FOEOimiUT LOnoh
It waa nearly eloeao o'clock when w*
reached this final stage of onr ulgbl's
adventures Wo had left the dump fig
of the great city behind ua and the
night waa fairly One. A warm wind
blew from the westward, and henry
clouds mo Tad slowly snmss lbs sky,
with half s moon pseplug occasions I ly
through the rift* It wasolesr scongb
to sea for sormo dletanoe. but Tlisddeo*
’ Bholto took down one of the akle-lamps
from the carriage to gire ue a bolter
light upon onr way.
Pondioherry lodge stood In Its own
grounds, and waa girt round with a
t*»7 high stone wall topped wtin
broken glass. A single narrow Iron
clamped door formed the Only monos
of entrance On this oar guule knocked
with B peculiar poatman-llko rat-tat
•'Who l* there?" cried a gruff role*
from within.
**It la I, MeMurdo You sorely know
«HT knock by this time."
There wses grumbling sound and a
clacking and jarring of ksya The
door swung hesrily back, end s short,
deep-ehestrd man stood In lbs opening
with the yellow light of the lantern
shir lag upon his protrudod fees aud
twinkling, distrust/jl area
*Tnat you, llr. Thaddeaa? Bat who
•ra the others? [ bud oo orders shout
them from my master "
"No, McMurdo? You aur|>r1ao me I I
told ay brother lost night that I
should bring some friends”
"Ha haint been out o' hla room to
day. Mr. Thaddeut and I ha™ oo or
ders. Yos know very well that 1 must
•tick to regulations I can let you la.
but your (rieads they must just stop
where they are.”
This was an unexpected obstacle
Thaddeuo Shoito looked about him In
a psrpUxvd and helpless manner
“This la too bad of you. WcMurdol" he
•aid. "If I guarantne them, that is
•BOUgh for you There is the young
lady. too. She cannot wait on the pub
bo road at this hour."
"Very sorry. Mr. Thaddeut" said the
»■»«■>. Inexorably "Folk may be
friends o’ yours, sad yet oo friends o'
the master's He pays me well to do
my duty, aad my duty I’ll do. 1 don't
know none o' your friends"
"Oh, yos. you do, McMurdo," cried
Sherlock Col mot genially "I don't
think you can have forgotten me
Don't you remember the amateur who
fought three rounds with you at Ali
sou's rooms oo the night of your bene
fit four Tsars back?"
“Not Mr. Sherlock Holmes!" roared
the prise fighter. “Clod's truthl how
ooudd 1 hare mistook you? If instead
o’ staadta' there an quiet you had Juci
stepped spend given me that cross hit
of yoors under the Jaw. I'd ha' known
you without a quasi]on. Ah, you'rv
one that has wasted your gifts yon
have I You might have aimed high. If
. you bad Joined th» fancy."
"You see, Watson, If all else fails me
I have st111 ons of the scientific profee
sloes opes to me," said Holmes laugh
ing. “Our friend won't keep as out in
tbs ooid now, 1 sxs sure."
"In you came, sir. In you corns—you
and your friends” ha answered "Very
sorry, Mr. Thaddous, but orders are
Tory strict. Had to be oertoln of your
mnw bvkjtw i mem m.
I Mi da, a gravel path wound through
desolate grounds to a hugr clump of a
bones. square and proaelo, all plunged
hi shadow save whore a moonbeam
•truck one coruei and glimmered In a
garret window. The vast aim of the
building, with Its gloom and Its deathly
sUanoe, strath a shill to the heart.
Iron Theddeua Sholto seemed Ul at
ease, and the lantern quire rod and rat
tled la hla hand.
"I oannot understand It," ha mid
“There must be some mistake. | dis
tinctly told Bartholomew that we
should be here, end yet there la so
light In hla window. I do not know
what to make of It."
“Does ho always guard the premlaee
In this weyT asked Holmes
"Yeei he has followred my tether's
eustorn Be was the fartirlle era, you
know, and I sometime* think that my
father may Kara told him more than
be ever told me That Is Usrtkoi
onew'a window up there where the
•orathine strikes It Is quits height
tmt there Is no light from within. I
think."
••Nona, mid Holrom 'riot I eae
the glint of t light In that IKtla win
dow baalde tha door.*
"Ah, that ta the hoaaeWnepar’a room.
That la where old Mre. Bornatooe alia
•be aaa tall at all a boat It. Bat per
hapa jam woald not mind waiting Imre
for a mlaate or two, for If we ail go la
together, and aha baa no word of onr
oomlag, ah® may be alarmed. But
baahl What la thetr
Ba held op tha lantern, and hk head
abook antII the elralee of light dickered
end wararad all roand aa. Mki Mor
el an eetand my wrlat, and we all stood
with tbamptag hearts, etrelalag oor
earn Prom tho great blank hoe a* there
aouwded through the duel night the
mddanl ead moat pUIfnl ol aoanda
the shrill, broken whimpering of a
frightened woman.
"It la Mrs Bmutnaa." mid Iholk
•'She k tba only woman ta the hoeaa
Walt here. I shall ba beak ta a mo
mam V Ba harried for tha door, amd
baoabal la kla paoellar way. Wa
aoald am a tall old wnmaa admit him
and away with pleaaare at tba revy
algtto(>lnt,
%
•Oh, MV Thaddouv air, I am *o glad
you have oonel I am to glad you
liiira come. Nr Thaddeua, ait!" We
heard her reiterated rejoicing* until
U>e door was oluaod and her roica died
atvuy into* mnCDod monotone.
Oar guide had loft ua the lantern.
Holme* awDUff It slowly round, and
peered keenly at the bouae. — h at ttui
■■ m» vr na i_»imtiu«.
great rubbish hasps which otimbered
the ground*. Miss Morstan and I stood
together, aod her hand wet la mine A
wondrous subtle thing la loss, for hare
trar# we two who had never assn each
other before that day. botween whose
no word or even look of affection had
aver pataod. and yet now In an hour of
Ironbie our hands instlncUvoly sought
tor each other. I have marveled at It
since, hot at the time it seemed the
moat natural thing that I should go
ont to her so. and, as aba has often told
m*. there was in her also the instinct
to ID rn to me for oomfort and protec
tion. bo we stood hand In hand. Idea
two children, and there was peace in
our hearts fur all the dark things that
surrounded as
"What a strange placer ah* said,
locking around.
“It looks as though all th* moles In
England had bean let loom In It. I
have seen something of th* sort ou the
side of a bill near Ballarat, where the
prospectors had been at work."
“And from th* same canes," said
Holmes. “Them are th* traces of
treasure seekers. Yon must remember
that they were six years looking for It.
No wonder that the ground looks like
a grurulplv."
At that moment the door burst open,
and Thaddeoa Bholto came running
out, with hia hands thrown forward
acd terror In his ayes.
“There is something amis* with Bar
tholomew!" he or led. “I am fright
ened I My nerves cannot stand it." lie
was. indeed, half-blubbering with fear,
and hia twitching, feeble fae*. peeping
out from the great Astrakhan collar,
had th* helpless, appealing expression
of a terrified ehild.
“Coma into the bouse," said Holmes,
in his crisp. firm way.
"Yea. do!" pleaded Thaddeoa fiholto.
“1 really do not feel equal to giving di
rections."
YYa ail followed hLa Lb to live
keeper'* room, which stood upon the
left-bond aide of the passage. The old
woman waa pacing op and down with
a soared look and rsstleaa. picking
Angers, but the sight ol Mia* Morales
appeared to base a toothing effeot opoa
her.
"Ood blest yonr sweet ala faoeP
the cried, with a hysterical sob. “It
doe* me good to one you Oh, hut I
hare been sorely tired this day!"
Our companion paltod her thin, work
worn hand, and anannured tome lew
words of kindly woman Iy comfort
which brought the color back into the
other's bloodless cheeks.
' Master has looked himself In and
will not answer me." aha explained.
"All day I hare waited to hear from
him. lor he often libaa to be a oae: but
aa hour ago I feared that something was
amiss, ao I wont up and peeped through
the keyhole You moat go up, Mr.
Thaddene—you meat go up and look
for yourealf. I hare aeeo Mr. Uarlhot
naaew Aholto In Joy and in sorrow lor
ten long years, faint I oarer saw him
with such a face on him a* that."
Hher look Holmes took lha lamp and
wd use wav, for Thaddana Ahnlto'e
teeth ware chattering la kit bml 8a
•hakeo waa ha that I had bo pern mj
hand nnder hU arm aa wa went ap Dm
•lairs, for his It ossa war* tr* tabling
ander hint. Twlea aa wa aaorndod
Hoi mas whipped Jab lens on l of hie
poo Wot sod oerefnllj examined taarWs
which appeared to ma la be mere
shspolesa eraodgra of dost upon the
cocoa-nut matting which tarred ae a
•talr-cnrpet Ha walked elowlj from
•top to atop, holding tlw lamp low. ered
•hooting kaaa glancet to right and
left. Mb* Moral an had remained be
hind with the frightened hoe •cheeper
The third (light of elalrt ended In a
straight Damage of tome Itngth. with
* great picture hi Indian tapnetrjagoe
• right of It and three doors spew tha
left. Holmes advanced along It In tha
aama alow and methodic*I wag, whlla
wa kept a loan at hit heals, with onr
long black thadnwi ■trramlag hack
wnrde dowa Ike eorridor Tha third
done waa that which wa warn tasking.
Dolman kaoeked without rneaWIng nap
aanwar, sad than triad to tarn ike
kaadla and force It open, ft waa
Mrta* 1 Ik* krtk hflarrar. and hg a
SiWIiiH pov erfCI 'S5K,lf~'fl% odBld
•co w Ur n wo Ml oar lamp up aga I Mt
It. Tha hay being turned. however,
tha tola waa not aoUroly closed. (flier
loch Holmes bout down to It, and In
■tnatly roao again with a sharp In tab
lug at the breath.
“Thaare la something dovllkab la this,
Wataon,” aald he, more moved than l
had ever before even him. “What do
7cm make of ItV”
I stooped to the hole, and recoiled Is
horror. Moonlight'was streaming Into
the room, end It waa bright with a
vague and shifty radiance. Looking
straight at dm, und suspended, aa It
were. In the air, fm- all beneath waa In
shadow, there hoog ■ face-the very
face of our companion TLaddcue
There waa the some high, shining
hand, the tamo circular bristle of red
hair, the same bloodies* eonntenaae*.
The fuu tores were set. howover. la n
horrible smile • fixed and unnatural
grin, which in that still and moonlit
room wot more jarring to the nerves
thorn any sonwi or contortion. Bo like
was the face to that of our llttlo friend
that I looked round at him to make
•tue that be was Indeed with us Thou
I recalled to mind that he hud men
tioned to ne that his brother and be
were twin*.
•This 1* terribler I aald to Holmes.
“Whet la to be done?”
“The door must come down,” bv an
swered, end, springing against it, be
pul all his weight upon the look It
crooked and groaned, but did not yield.
Together we Deng ourselves upon It
oaoe more, sod this time it gave way
with a sudden vuep. and we found oar
selves within Bartholomew Bholto'a
chamber.
It appeared to have bow fitted up aa
a ohemlral laboratory. A double Uo«
of glaaa-stopptrtd bottle a waa drawn
up upon the wall opposite the door,
and the table waa llttamd over with
Bunaen buroars, last tubaa and retorts
In tbs corners stood carboys of acid In
wicker baskets. One of tlioao appeared
to leak or to ham been broken, for n
stream of dark-colored liquid bod
trickled out from it- and the air was
honey with a peculiarly pengeut tar
like odor. A set of steps stood at one
aide of tha room. In the midst of a lit
ter of lath and plaster, sod above
them there waa an opening In the Cell
ing large enough for n man to pam
through. At the fool of the Hops a
long coll of rope was thrown carelessly
together.
By the table. In a wooden arm-elialr.
tha master of tha house was seated all
in a hasp, with hla head sank upon bli
left shoulder, and that ghastly, lose rut
able smile upon hla faoc. Us waa stiff
and cold, and had clearly been dead
many hours. It teemed to me that Dot
only hla features bat all hla limbs were
twisted and turned in the most fan
tastic fashion. By hla hand upon the
table there lay a peculiar instrument,
—n brown, sloae-gralsed stick, with a
etono head like a hammer, rudely
lashed on with coareo twine. Bsslde it
was a tom ah oat of note paper with
some words scrawled upon It Holmes
glanced at It. and then handed II to me.
"Yma ace," he sold, with a sign ill cant
raising of tha eyebrows
la the light of the lantern I reed,
with n thrill of horror: "The algo of
tha foor."
"In Cod's name, what does It all
mean?” I asked
"It means murder," said ha, stooping
Orer the dead man. “Ah. I expected it
n WAI mrv AJfD COLD.
Look here!" Ho pointed to what looked
Hire a tong, dark thorn stuck la the
akin just abort the ear.
“It looks like a thorn," said I.
“It le a thorn. Yon may pick It out
Hut be careful, for it la poisoned.”
I took it op between cny (rjcr and
thomh. It name away from the akin
eo readily that hardly any mark waa
left behind. One liny spooli of blood
showed mn the ponetnre had been.
"This is all an insoluble mystery to
me," said I. “It grows darker Instead
orf eionrer."
"On Uie contrary." he answered. "It
eleare erery instant. I only require a
few missing links to hare an entirety
connected cess."
We had almost forgotten our ones,
ponton's pesos per tinea wa enured the
eh amber lie wee still standing In Ue
doorway, the rery picture of terror,
wringing Ue hands sod moaning tn
hires elf. Suddenly, boweeer, he broke
oot hi to a sharp, q nerulona cry
'The treasure is goner he said
“They hare robbed him of the troaaurol
There la the hole through which we
lowered IV I helped him to do It f
wee the last person who aw Mm! 1
left him here last night, and I heard
him leek the dear an I cam down
stairs."
"What time wae Utntf
"It was tan o'clock. And now he le
I deed and the poliee trill he tailed In
I and I shall be enapeotod of baring a
Jssf In It Oh, yes. I am sore I shell.
rs don't think to. eeollararaf
■erely roe don't think that It waa It
la It likely tkai I would hare hr ought
you keru H H were l» Oh. dear: ok,
deerl I kndw that I shall go madr
Re jerked hie arms tod • lamped kit
last in n kind of eoimlafea frsnsy.
“lorn, hatg •fiuuac’Q-fat Vac. Jfr.
; KkolieC" *i« Holme*. TtCTy,
bis band upon hl» ibgoUtr. "T^ik* my
sdvloa and drive down to tbc station to
report tha matter to the police Offer
V> assist them In every way We shall
wait here until your return.’
The little man obeyed la a half
stupefied Cushion, and we beard him
stumbling down the stairs la the dark.
_ CMAPTEJl VL
sntaioou moutr.t aivus s stsesrnu.
Tins.
“Now, Watson." said Holmee rub
bing Ms hands, “we have half an boar
to oursalvm. U>t us maks good ass of
IV My eas* U. as I have told you.
slmcwt Complete; but wu ssust Dot err
on the side of overwooCdePes filmpla
as the cose seems now. than may be
Someth lag deeper underlying IV
••9tmplcr” | ejaculated.
"Bursly." said be, with something of
the sir of s elluiusl professor expound
ing to his dais “Just sit hi the eor
aer thsrs, that your footprints may out
srsnplloute matters. Now to work, la
the first ptaoc, bow did the** folk*
aoma. and how did they got Tbs door
ha* not boon opened since last night.
How of the window r* Q* carried the
lamp across to It, rauttsrirtg bis obser
vations aloud the while, but address
ing tham to himself rather thou to sw.
"Window la salbbedao the Inner side
Framework U solid. 4 No hinges at Us*
side. Let ns open Ig. No water pipe
near. Roof quite out of rese*. Yet a man
has mounted by the window. It rained
a little last night Here Is Ike print of
u mold upon the slit god bars la a
circular muddy murk, and here again
upoe tho floor, nod her* again by the
table Bee bars, Watson! This I* re
ally a very prrtty drtaoasuatinn."
I looked at tho round, well-defined
maddy discs. ‘That is not a fnov
mark." mid L
It U something much more valuable
tone. It is the Itnpromdoaof a wooden
stomp. Yon eeo here oa the dll le the
boot mark, a heavy boot with a broad
awtol heel aud betide It to the mark of
the Umbcr-toe.”
“It U the wooden-legged men.”
“Quite ao. Uel thvre has been some
ooe else—e very able aad efficient ally.
Could you scale Utat wall, doctor?"
I looked out of the open window.
The moon still shone brightly oa that
aagla of the house. We were a good
sixty feet (rum the ground, end, look
where I woe id. I could see ao foothold,
nor as much as e cronies In the brick
work.
“It Is absolutely impossible.” I an
ew* rod
“Without aid It U ao. Bat ■ oppose
yoa had a friend ap hate who lowered
you this good, stout rope which I eoe
In the corner, securing <*e end of It to
this greet hook la tfte wall. Then. I
think. If yoa were aa active man, yon
might swarm np, wooden leg end ell.
You would depart, of onune. In the
seme fashion, aad your ally would
draw up the rope, matie it from the
book, shat the window, snlb It on the
1 aside, and gat away In the way that
be originally same. As e minor point, it
may be acted.” be oootinued, Angering
the rope, “that oar woodca-leggud
friend, though a fair slim her, was not
a professional sailor. Die bands were
far from horny, kj lens dlaolnaes
more than oa# blood mark, especially
toward lha sad of the rope, from which
I gather that he slipped down with
each velocity that b* took the skin o*
bta hands.*
“This la ell very well" mid I, "hot
the thing becomes more unintelligible
thna ever. How about this mysterious
ally? How oaae he koto the room7”
“Yea. the ellyP repeated Holmes,
pensively. “Thai* are featnraa of In
ternet about this ally- lie lifts the
case from lha regions of the eommon
ptaoe. I fancy that this ally breaks
fresh ground la the annals of crime In
this eonntry—though parallel eases
suggest themselves from ladle, and. if
my memory serves me, from Saaegam
He."
“How came be, then?" I reiterated.
"The doer to locked, the window Is In
eooeeelble. Was it through the chim
aeyr
"Th* grata to m*oa too ■mil],’* t»
answered ••] hid already oomablcred
that poaalbility.*'
"How thenT" I persisted
"You will not apply oty precept,” ha
•aid.shaking hla bead. "How often ham
I said to yon tltat whan yon ham allaal
natad the Impomibla, whitomr re
■aalaa, however Improbable, mart fa*
the troth? W# know that h* did aot
ooiae tlirough th* door, th* window, or
th* ehlmnay. W« alao know that ha
oonld not ham bam oooeeaied in tha
room, •■ them la no aonemiment pos
sible. Wbanee. then, did ba onmer*
"lie eama throagb th* hole la the
roof," I cried
"Of coarse he did. tl* tnnst bam
don* so. If eon will hare th*
to hold th* lamp hr me, we shall now
•stand oar raararobea to th* room
a bom—tha aaerat room in which tha
tmeaar* sraa found. “
Ha mean ted the atwpa and. lalaiog a
mfter with either hand, h* swung hlm
aalf np into th* ferret. Then, lying on
Hie face, ha reached down tor tha lamp
and held H whtl* I followed him.
The chamber in which we (bond tmr
eelme was a boat Ian feat on* way by
ale th* oth*r Tb* floor wsa formed by
the rafter*, with thin lath-and plaster
between, so that in walking one bad
to step from beam to beans, its roof
ran np to aa ape*, aad wa* evidently
the Inner abcll of tha Iror roof of th*
hoaa*. Them wna no furniture of a*y
•ort. and th* aeotmolated d„si of
year* lay thick a poo the floor.
"Hero yon ir* yon nr*." sold Rhar
ipek Holme* putting hi* bend again*!
tha aioping wall “ThU le * trapdoor
wbtoh loads oat mV* th* roof. | can
press It bask and her* to th* roof It
••If. eloping at a gmtla angle Thia,
than, to th# way hr which Nambar On*
ante rad Let ea w* If »e ran Cod
•etna other tmaaa of hi* individuality
Ua held dawn th* lamp lath* Boar,
and aa ha did a* I «« for tha **oond
time that eight a etnrtlcd, *urprtae.|
look ooma orrr hie f*** Tor rayaaU.
H 1 fol lowed a la m-» milk'?**
J under my OdMt The 'Boor war
] nra«d thickly with the prints of *
i naked foot—dear, wall Mad. per
fectly formed, bat aearaa half the aim
of the a* of aa ordinary ma
“Holme*,* | aeid. in a whisper, la
child ha* doe* this horrid thing,”
H* had reoorerod hi* aaU-poaaaaafoe
Is an lhatent “I area ataggered for
1 «•* moment,” b* aeid. “bat tha thing
1 b quite natural My memory failed
me. or I aheald hare boea able to fore
tell It- There la nothing more to be
learned hem. Let ae go down."
“What la yoar theory, then, a* to
thoae footmarkar* I asked, eagerly,
when we bad regained the lower room
oaoe more.
“My dear Wat.aon, try e little aaaiy
■M younwIf,” aaid he. with a tench of
I impotlanto. "You know my method*
I Apply thorn, and It will be Inatrnelire
to oompere reealte. ’
| “1 cannot conoclrc anything which
will eorer the fact*" I answered.
| “It artll be clear enough to yoa aooa,"
; be aaid. In an offhand way, “I think
that there la nothing alee of tmpor
j tonee bars, bat I will look." He
as 110.0 Duvl TM* LAMP TO TU nxwik
whipped oet hi* lent end a tape meei
urn. end hurried aboul the room oa Ua
knees, measuring, compering, ejeamio
h»g. with hie long thin noee only a few
Inches from the planks, aad !*• beady
eyes gleaming end deep-set like those
of a bird. So swift, silent aad forties
were hit movement*. Uke those of a
trained blood-hound picking oat a
scent, that I coaid not bat think what
a terrible criminal bo would have
made had he turned hie energy aad
eagaeity against the law, instead of ex
erting them in He defense. As be
hunted about, ha kept muttering to
himself, aad finally ho broke out Into
loud erow of delight.
“We are certainly la look," mid he.
“We ought to have rosy little trouble
now. Kumbcr One bee had tha misfor
tune to tread in the creosote You can
see the outline of the odge of hla sma.1
foot here at the side of this erU-smeU
fog mean The carboy haa been cracked,
yoa see. aad the stuff haa leaked oat.**
“What thear I asked.
“Why, we have got him, that's all,'
said be. “I know a dog that would
follow that scant to the world's end.
If a peek eaa track a trailed herring
acrom a shire, how far can a spsoially
tralned bound follow so puageat a
smell as this? It sounds like a mm in
tha rule of three. Tha answer should
give os the— tint halloa: bare are the
accredited representatives of the law."
Heavy sups aad tha «i«—» of load
voice* wore audible from below, and
the hall door shut with a loud crash.
"Belovs they oooe," said Holmes,
'■just pat your head here on this poor
fellow's arm, sod hare oa bis leg. What
do yon feeir
"The muscles era as hard as a board,"
I answered.
vniu> so TiujinioiiUMiXcF
Dense ooutraotiau, tar exceeding the
ureal nrar mortis. Coupled with this
distortion at Um face. this Hippocratic
reilla. or visaa card onions.' aa tha old
writers oailod it, whstconclusion would
It suggest to your rnlndT"
"Death from eosne powerful vogota
ble alkaloid," 1 answered—' ‘warns
strychnine-1 Ik* rahotaare whioh Would
produce tetanus."
"That waa the Idea whioh occurred
to me the Instant I saw tha drawn
muscles of tha foou. On gutting into
Dm room I at ran* looked for tha
maun* by whioh tha pc Isos had entered
Use System. As you saw, I discovered
a thorn whioh had bean driven or shot
with no great form Into tha aaalp.
You otMorve that Dm part struck was
that which would be turned towards
the hole la the celling If the man wore
areas In his ohair. Now examine thia
tboca."
I look It ap gingerly aad held it In
the light of the lantern. It waa long,
oharp aad black, with a gl—ail look
sear tha point aa though aoma gammy
aabetanoe had dried opoa It Tha
blunt aad had been trimmed aad
rounded off with a knit*
"in thio as be filth thornT" ha aaVad
“Hat it oar lately U not.”
"With all Lbaaa data yoa ohoaM ba
abta to draw KOM jaat Infarumno. Hat
hare are tha raffalarai ao tha aaalllary
foroao may boat a rate eat-"
▲a ha opoka, the atapa which had
haaa oomlag nearer aoaadad loodly oa
tha paaaaga. aad a vary atout. portly
man la a gray aalt atrode heavily lata
tha room. H« ini red-faced. burly aad
.rlathorio, with a pair of vary email
tainkllng ayaa which looked keenly
<mt from behind rarnllea aad pally
pouahea. Ba waa eloaaly followed by
aa lupaetor la aalform. aad by tha
atUJ palpitatlog Thaddewo Sholto.
"Uerek a buateaaar ha oriad, Va a
«»■ Clad hetky erdaa. "llera'o a pretty
boUneool hot who are all thaaaf Why.
Ih* kooaa aaama to ba a* fall a* a rob
bit-warn a."
”1 think yea eery meek reonUeal ma.
Ur. Atketaey Jonev" aaM Holaica
tataUy.
“Why. of rwm I dot” k* w beared
"lt'» Mr the leak Bciaat the time
Hoi. Seam ni her you I I'll aeaaf feqrvt
knw yon Wwtarad tm all on a—a aad
laferrnoM tad effort* to tha llhhop
gaea jewel atm Ilk true you net an oa
Um-tfaVl *qg
<utir wm -an'Syria'i*b uu
good raldaasa."
-H waa a plan* of wary dull raw
amIna “
"0h< mm, mam. aoaaal Xmr ba
nhawad to own np. Bit what la all
thia? Bad baatacaal Bad
H^Tlo^kJ*itetl Jp^StTteMtowi
Norwood omr another aaaol I wot at
tha l tali cm whan tha ■■■am a i-rlmd.
What d'yoa think tbo owa died aft*
“Ok. tblm la hardly a aaa* for aa to
thaorla* mr,” aadd Hoi am*, dryly.
“No, no. bUll. wo oan't dany that
you hit tha nail os the h«ed aonMtima*.
Daar awl Door locked. I
Jewel* worth half a miUtoa alaalar.
Bow arm tha window?"
“Pastaaedt hot thara an atapa oa
tha alU.”
>v«u, well. If It m fastened Urn
»tep« could Urt nothing to do with
the matter. That's oommoo Sanaa.
Mao might hara died ia a flt: hot then
the Jewels are aUalag. Urn! I hake ■
theory. Those flashes some spec me
at times. Jost atop nuxdde, sergeant,
aad you, Mr. Khoite. Vow friend aaa
remain. What do yoe thick of this,
Dolmas? Bholto waa oo hU owe wxv
feastoa, with kls brother last eight.
Tk» brother died la a flt. oo which
khoito wsllmd off with the trseeavu.
□tw’a that?"
"On which the dead waa very coo*
MderatHy^got ep aad looked the door
"UumJ There’s a flow theta. Lot
an apply common actus to the matter.
This Tbaddeaa Bbollo waa with bis
brother; there waa a qnamdi ao aaaoh
we liaow. The brother la dead aad the
Jewels era gone. Wo meek alee tea
know. No one aew the hmthai tnm
the time Thaddeoa left him. Hie bod
had not boon slept la. Thaddeoa to
evidently la a most disturbed elate of
mlad. Hie eppeosaaoe to' well, not st
Unctiee. Toe see that I am wearing
■y web rooad Tbaddeaa. The act be
gins to clone apoa him.*
"Yoa are not qoite W poaeeedoa of
the feete yet," acid Hoboes. "This
splinter of wood, which I has* every
raaaoa to believe to bo podeosmd, waa
in the men's scalp where yoa still see
the mark! this sard. Inscribed as yoa
son H, waa oo the table; aad beside U
lay this rather carious —-ns heeded
Instrument- How doe* aU that flt into
your theory?"
"Confirms It la cony respect," s»tit
the fat detective, pompously. "Boas*
to fall of ladles curiosities. Thaddeoa
tenooght this op. aad If this splinter ha
potooooca Thaddeoa nay a* sroU have
made murderous aaa of Use say other j
a blind, ae like aa not. Ths only earns
Most to, how did bo depart? Ah. of
oonme. bare to a bole to the rood.*
With grant activity, considering Mo
balk, ho sprang op u» stops aad
aqa eased throogh Into the garret, aad
ImturUlataly afterwards era beard his
exulting votes proclaiming that he had
found the trapdoor.
"He can find aameOtlcg," -smarted
Halmoa. shrugging hi* shoulders. "Be
has occasional glimmerings of raaaoa.
II a'p a paa dot acts pj looommodm qua
aeux qol oet da I'aoprltr
"Too aaar said Athalnoy Jones, rw
appoariag down the stupe agate.
"Facte ere better thea mere tboertao.
after elL My slow of the esse to eoa
flnnod. Thera to a trapdoor aonas
atesting with ths roof, aad this partly
ppfB **
"It woo I who opened it*
“Oh. Indeed! You did notice it,
then?" Ha oaomad a little ms Its I leu
at the dlaoorsry. "tYalL whoever wo
"emnm it a nun iwn ~
Ue*d It. It ikon how ov gaattoaaa
go* away, loapaotarr
"Yea. air.- from the pamago.
"Aak Ur. (fholto to *Up tkU w**._
Ur. Bbolto, It to my daty to ladatm yoa
that earthing whiah you may my wtU
b* omd against yoa. larreatyoo to
tb* qnaea'a aaaaa aa balag inmmad
In tba <to»tb of year brother *
"Thar*, aowl DUa't I tatl yoof
ortad tbo poor lluto maa. throw lag not
hla hand* and looking tern an* to Urn
other of aa.
"Don't trouble yoormlf about to. Mr.
Bbolto.- mid UoUaat "1 tblak that
I can eogagu to otoer yoa of tbaeharga.'*
• Don't promise too mash, Ur. Thrnv
rlat don't promise tea maohr —rmsj
tba detect!**. "Yoa may lad Me hard
•r ms Ur than yoa tblak.**
"Not only will I dear him. Ur.
Juoee. hat I will amlra yon a free ersj
rrtt of Iba star aod dmnrfptton ofoaa
of th* two people who was* Us thto
rood Inst night 111* -mi. I ha**
•T**y rraaoa to beliera, la Jonathan
thoall. IU to a poorly-art seated man.
aosall. eetlra. with hU right bg aB
aod w earing a woodra stamp whtoh to
awm awry upon tb* tnamr stdt Bto
left l oot ha« • wars*. MMrrtetl ooto.
whh an Iron bead round tb* beet B*
la a ml.ldktoffad ua. much me bora ad.
and he* bora a ooarlet Thru* tow to
rt k-ftt ion* any l>* of worn* **shns*> bn
K. ocopt. l wl*b the fact that th«rn
gras-l deft I Ilf ftj.tw mlaatag from Use
palm of lib. hand. Th* other maw— *
t "Ahl vha other m**r Baked A that
aoj Jonew. la ■ wraht rotot bat toa
prr r*r Ik* V-n. ee I e.-*M *aalte
«-* k; lls« yfttlduw of til* uthveto
maaitar.
.
'
!
\
H