The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-07-12
BY CONAN DOYLE.

/ thought to myself, "or else he will
be led now to the heart OF the mys-
terry" There was no need for him to
ask me to wait up for him, for l felt
that sleep was impossible until heard
the result OF his adventure.
1t was close upon 8 when he set out.
I had no idea how long he might be,
but / sat stolidly putting at my pipe
and skipping over the pages of Henri
Murger's '1Vie de Boheme." Ten
o'clock passed, and heard the foot
steps of the maid as they pattered of
to bed. Eleven, and the more stately
tread of the landlady passed my door,
bound for the s,tlne destination 1t was
close upon II before heard the s"arp
sound of his latch-key The instant he
entered saw by his face that he had
not been successful. Amusement and
chagrin. seemed to be struggling for
the mastcv, until the former suddenly
carried the day, and he burst into a
hearty laugh.
Il wouldn't have the Scotland Yard
ers know it for the world" he cried,
dropping into his chair; Il have chat
fed them so much that they would
never have let me hear the end of 1t.
1 can afford to laugh, because l know
that l viii be even with them in the
long run"
What is it, thcn?' 1 asked.
"Oh, l don't mind telling a story
against myself. That creature had gone
q little way when she began to limp
and show every sign of being foot
sore Presently she came to halt and
hailed a four-Nhealer which was pass
ing. l managed to be close to her so
as to hear the address, but need not
have been so anxious, for she sang 1t
out Il nd enough to be heard at the
other end of the street. Drive to No.
13 Duncan street, Houndsditch,' she
cried. This begins to look genuine, /
thought, and having seen her safely
inside, perched myself behind. That S
an art that every detective should be
an expert at WE'LL away we ratified,
and never drew rein until we reached
the street in question. / hopped off
before we came 10 the door, AMI stroll
ei down the street in an easy, lOunglng
way I saw the cab pill up. The driv-
er Jumped down, and saw him open
the door and stand cxpectantly. Moth
ing came out though. When [ reached
him. he was cropping about frantically
in the empty cab, and giving vent to
the finest assorted collection of Oaths
that ever listened to. There was no
sign or trace Of his passenger, and 1
fear it will be some time before he gets
his fare. On inquiring at No. 13 we
found that the house belonged to q
respectable paperhanger named kes-
wick, and that no one of the name
either of Sawyer or Dennis had ever
been heard of there"
''You don't mean to say" cried, in
amazement, ''that that totteriug. feeble
old woman was able to get out of the
cab While it was i'll motion, without
either you or the driver seeing herr"
"Old womanp' said Sherlock Holmes,
sharply. I'VE were the old woman to
be taken in. 1t must have been q
young man, and an active one, too,
besides being an incompatible actor.
The get-up was inimitable. He saw
that he was followed, no doubt, and
used this means of giving me the slip.
1t shows that the man we are after is
not as lonely as ] imagined he was,
but has friends who are ready to risk
something for him. Now, doctor, you
are looking done-up. Take my ad-
| vice and turn in."
l was certainly feeling very weary,
so 1 obeyed his injunction. 1 left
Holmes seated in front of the smould-
ering fire, and long into the watches of
the night l heard the low, melancholy
| wailings of his violin, and knew that
he was still pondering over the strange
problem which he had set himself to
! unraFel.