Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-07-04

Wordsworth road" said ny .om-
panion- ''Priory road Lark Hall
lane Stoc!sweil place Pc,,e-t street.
Cold Harbor lane. Our quest does not
appear to take rs to very fashiona bis
regions"
We had, indeed. reached a question
able and forbidding neighborhood.
Long lines of dull brick houses were
only relieved by the coarse glare and
tawdry brilliancy of public houses at
the corner. Then came two rows of
two-storied villas. each with fronting
of minia ture garden, and then again in
terminal bic lines of new staring brick
buildings-the monster tentacies which
the giant city was throwing ont into
the country. At last the cab drew up
at the third house IN q new terrace
None of the other houses were inhab-
tied, and that at which we stopped was
as dark as its neighbors, save for a sin
gle gIi1nmer IN the kitchen window
On our knocking, however, the door
was instantly thrown open by Hfndoo
servant clad IN a yellow turban, white,
Ioose-ftting clothes. and a yellow sash
There was something strangely ineon-
gruous IN this oriental figure framed in
the commonplace doorway of third
rate suburban dwelling house.
The sahib awaits you," said he, and
even as he spoke there came a high
piping voice from some inner room.
Show them In to me, khitmutgar," it
cried. Show them straight IN to me-
CHAPTER ".
THE STORY OF THE BALD-HEADED NAN.
We followed the Indian down the
sordid and common passage, i'll lit and
worse furnished, until he came to a
door upon the right, which he threw
open. A blaze OF yellow light streamed
out upon US, and in the center Of the
glare there stood small man with
c very high head. a bristle of red
hair all round the fringe of it, and
a bald shining scalp, which shot
out from among it like mountain
peak from fir trees He writhed his
hands together as he stood, and his
features were in perpetual jerk. low
smiling. now scowling. but never for
an instant in repose. Nature had given
him pendulous lip. and too visible
line of yellow and irregular teeth,
which he strove feebly to conceal by
constantly passing his hand over the
lower part of his face. In spite of his
obtrusive badness, he gave the impress
sion of youth In point of fact he had
just turned his thirtieth year.
Your servant, Miss Morstan,- he
kept repeating in thin, high voice.
Your servant, gentlemen. Pray step
into my little sanctum. A small place,
miss, but furnished to M own liking.
An oasis of art il the bowling desert of
South London"
We were all astonished by the ap-
pearance of the apartment into which
he invited US. In that sorry house it
looked as out of place as a diamond of
the first water in a setting Of brass.
The richest and glossiest of curtains
and tapestries draped the walls. Topped
back here and there to expose some
richly mounted painting or Oriental
vase. The carpet was of amber and
black, so soft and so thick that the
foot sank pleasantly into it. as into a
bed of moss. Two great tiger-skins
thrown athwart it increased the sug-
gestion of eastern luxury, as did a
huge hoolSah which stood upon mat
in the corner. A lamp in the fashion of
a silver dove was hung from an almost
invisible golden wire in the center of
the room. As it burned it filled the air
with a subtle and aromatic odor.
Mr. Thaddeus Sholto." said the little
man. still jerking and smiling. That
is my name. You are Miss Morstan, of
course. And these gentlemen
This is Mr.. Sherlock Holmes, and
this DIR. Watson"
a doctor, eh?- cried he, much ex-
cited. Have you your stethoscope?
Might ask you-would You have the
kindness? 1 have grave doubts as to
my mi:ral valve. if you would be so very
good The aortic may rely upon, but
should value your opinion upon the
mitral-"
/ listened to his heart as requested.
but was unable to find anything amiss,
save indeed that he was in an ecstasy
of fear. Tor he shivered from head to
foot. 1t appears to be normal, l
said. You have no cause for uneasi-
ness
You will excuse my anxiety. Miss
Morstan." he remarked. airily. Il am
Il great sufferer, and l have long had
suspicious as TO that valve. I am de-
lighted to hear that they are unwar-
ranted. Had Your father, Miss Nor
stan. refrained from throwing a strain
upon his heart he might have been
! alive now"
I could have struck the man across
the face, so hot was l at this callous
and off-hand reference to SO delicate a
matter. Miss Morstau sat down and
her face grew white to the lips Il
knew IN my heart that he was dead, "
said she.
Il can give you every information y
said he. and, what is more, l can do
yon justice; and 1 viii. too, whatever
Brother Bartholomew may say. I am
so glad to have your friends here. not
| only as an escort to you, but also as
witnesses to what I am about to do and
say. The three of US can show bold
front to Brother bartholomew. But let
/ us have no outsiders-no police or Off
| Gals. We can settle everything salts
factorily among ourselves, without any
| interference. Nothing would annoy
| Brother Bartholomew more than any
| publicity" He sat down upon low
settee and blinked at us inquirIngty
with his weak, watery blue eyes
| For my part" said Holmes what
| ever yeu may choose to say win go nc
/ further
/ nodded to show my agreement
That is we'll. That is we1lr' said he
| II off