The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-25
A Story of Crime and
Mystery.
TEE Case OF GEORGE CANDBLMAS.
Written for The Sun by George R, Sims
IN THE AGONY COLUMN.

ily A charming family residence 1t undoubt-
eddy Is IL you are family. but when you are n
single young fellow its great corridors and its
lofty rooms are suggestive rather OF ghosts
than grandeur. and the ivy that covers its gray
walls is an emblem OF earwigs rather than
Al artistic announcement OF antiquity.
Sir Arthur Strangeways. the young owner.
had boon but short time homo from India
He had nuarreled with his father over n love
affair: he had been compelled to br eak of his
engagement with young lady who had only
her good looks and her amiability to recon-
mend her and he had gone to In dia in order
that amid new scenes, lie might forget the
past He had succeeded in forgetting, and was
lust wondering whether he should propose to
another young lady. when the death Of his
father compelled him to return to England.
During his stay In India he had read an
enormous amount Of light literature. and had
become fascinated 10y the novels OF Goborau.
moro especially by those which dealt with the
unravelng of a crime by the skilled detectives
oil romance.
He read eagerly the detective stories that, as
soon ms the taste for them set in. were poured
forth in shoals by the British and American
publishing firms. And from fiction he turned
TO fact and studied all the murders and all the
mysteries that from time to time cropped UP
as a Godsend to tho newspaper press
Ono thing struck him from the first, and that
was the vast superiority OF the detective OF
fiction to the detective OF fact. He was admon-
ished that with the examples OF the French
and the Anne rican detectives before their eyes.
the crmina! investiga tors OF Scotland Yard
went about their work in such n humdrum and
prosaic manner. and he felt convinced that the
reason so many crimes remained unfathomed
mysteries was that the detectives did not take
as their models those past masters of cunning
and ingenuity. who figure in the pages OF
Gaboriau and his countless imitators.
Since his return from India Sir Arthur had
followed up his theory In practical manner.
He had applied himself to the study OF every
mysterious crime that happened in England.
and lad written long letters OF advice to the
Director o. Criminal Inyes tigaton. pointing
out what ought to be done in order to obtain
the clue which 50 persistently evaded the
search Of the police.
e. should like to take case up myself" he
said, and show them how 1t ought to be done.
but there's no chance. The Scotland Yard peo-
pie wouldn't see it."
But everything comes to those who wait. and
tonight as he sits alone in the library. smoking
his cigar after dinner and gazing intently at
the smoke as It lazy curls upward toward
tho ceiling. an idea has come to him. which he
thinks he may be able to put into execution.
copy OF the Dn'fU IetfpGph lies Dt5iuo MIN
on the table. He has read a portion OF It again
anc again. That portion is the agony column
He picks 1t up and reads one OF the adver-
tisements for the sixth time. repeating it slow
" aloud as il to impress it on his mind.
&c. C.-Refnn at once to your home or ,rrite
TO yO,tr u,rious mother. Your absence is causing
the greatest a,rieH"
For TWO days in succession the above adver-
tisement had appeared. Sir Arthur, who had
that afternoon returned from visit to
Brighton. had seen 1t there and it was the first
thing lie noticed when he picked up the DAILY
IPlpgraph after dinner at StrangewRys Hall.
There was nothing very striking in it, and
nothing to arouse public curiosity. But Sir
Arthur Strangeways. the amateur detective.
saw a chance for his talents. Here was a pri-
vate matter-one in which the Scotland Yard
people ould not be able to interfere with him
If he we're allowed to take 1t IN.
I'm do it," he said to himself; by Jove
will I'll go up to London tomorrow"
He rose and rang the bell, and u man servant
entered.
Fisk" he said. you will go to London by
the first train to morrow See me before you
start. want you to take an advertisement to
the Dailv Telegraph"
Yes SIR"
And then you'd better go TO Mrs. Moloney
and tell her Pm going to stay ut the chambers
for some time. and ask her to get her busting
done before come in the afternoon"
Yes Sir"
Fisk retired to make his preparations for the
morning and pack his masters clothes, and Sir
Arthur Strangeways strolled out into the
grounds to think over his plans.
1t was a dark night and what little moon
there was kept carefully behind the black
clouds which swept across the sky
Civ Arfh utr lad hfn1y 60
until he came to the edge Of little wood on
his estate. Then he turned round to go home
AS he did so he heard a noise as of some one
In the wood.
"Halloa." he called out, who's that2"
There was no answer. but he distinctly
heard the sound OF footsteps close behind him.
He turned round.
IT'S one of those confounded gypsies that
have been about here the last day or two" no
thought to himself He remembered that a
few days before farmer had been waylaid
and robbed not hundred yards from this spot
At that moment tall figure rose up sud
denly before him.
With the instinct OF sef-preservaton Sir
Arthur raised his stick. He thought the figure
raised an arm at the same moment. and as
sumed threatening attitude Without mo-
ments hesitation Sir Arthur brought his stick
down on his aggressor's head.
In moment the figure had vanished.
"Confound tho fellow" he said to himself.
81 must have given him tremendous whack;
hope 1t was somebody who deserved it,"
Then he went back home.
I'd better not say anything about this to
Fisk" he thought; " he'll tell the women SER
wants, and they'll dream OF burglars and MUIR
derers. and all give notice. | expect 1t was a
tramp or gypsy. II he was going for me he's
had lesson. and II he wasn't he ought to
have answered when challenged him"
Whom Sir Arthur reached homo Fisk was
waiting for him In the hall.
" Lor'. SIR" said Fisk, as he took the stick
from his master why whatever is this 2"
He held up his hand, and there was a blood
stain on it.
"Oh. ah. YES" replied his master. "I-er-a
big dog few at me and hit 1t on the head"
Did you, sir? Why. look. the blood has
spurted right VI on your cuffs
$50 1t has | must have fetched the poor
beast an awful crack. Now go to bed. and
mind you como to me for tha advertisements In