Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-19
THE SIGN OF THE FOUR.
By A. CONAN DOYLE.
LnAPTER K.

It was late in tho afternoon before l woke, strengthened and refrvshctl. S::"r- lock Holmes still sat exactly as 1 had left him. save that he had laid ;.,id" his violin and was Gor; in O book. llr i, ked across at me as l stirred, aud.I noiicrI that his facc was t'alh and troubled.
 You have slept Suundly. Lv su!G. '1 l feared that cur talk would wake !ou."
 Il heard nothing" ] aU>wCrvd Have you had fresh Il, ,v>, them"
 "Cnfortunalyly, no, I confess that am surprised and disappointed. Icxpcctcd something definite by this time, Wig2ins has just been up to report. He says that no trace can be found of the launch. It Is n provoking check, for every hour is of importance.
 Can I do anything: I am perfectly fresh now and quito ready for another nights outing.
 No we can do nothing We can only wait. If we go ourselves, the message might come in our absence and delay bo caused You can do what you will, but l must remain on guard.
 Then shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. Cecil Forester. She asked me 10 yesterday.
 On Mrs. Cecil Forrrstcr!" asked Holmes, with the twinkle of smile in his eyes,
 ''WcI, of course. on Miss Morstan too, They wcrr anxious To hear what hap pcncd."
 T would not tell them too much, said HulmV~ Women are never To be entirely trusted, hot the h,>t of them"
 did not pause to argue over this atro- cious sentiment. T shall be back in an hour or two, l remarked.
 All right, Good luck, But, say, if you arc crossing the river you may as we'll return Toby, for don't think it is at all likely that we shall have any use for him now.
 took eur muu2rcl accordingly and left ! him, trgrt!,r with a half sovereign, at the old ua;uvall>t's in Pinchin lane. At CaMhrrwcll l found Miss Morstan little weary after her nights adventures, but very Vagvr to hear the news Mrs. For r,'>tVr, tuu, was full uf curiosity. I told them all that we had done, suppressing, however, the more drcadful parts of the tragedy Thus. although I spoke of Mir. Sholto's death, I said nothing of the exact manner and method of it. With all my omissions, however, there was enough to stnrtlr and annar them.
 '-It iS ru,l.aucc" cried Mrs. Forester An injur,,! l"dy, half million in treas urc. a hlAcl, cauuibal and wooden legged rutlian ChrH take the place of the con vcntinnal dragon CT wicked carl.
 And two knights crrant to tho rescue, - added Miss Nnr>tan, with a bright glance at me,
 -'Why, Mary, your for unc depends up on IhC iSsuC of this search. don't think that you are nearly excited enough. Just imagine what il must he to be so rich and to have thc world at your feet"
 IL sent A little thrill of joy to my heart to notice that she showed no sign of clation at the prospect, On the contrary, she gave a loss of her proud head, as though the matter were ono in which she took small interest.
 It k fer Mir, Thaddcus Sholto that am anxious, she said. Nothing else is of any consequcncr, hut l think that he has behaved most kindly and honorably throughout IL k cur duty tu clear him Of this dreadful and unfnUndCd charge"
 IL was evening hrIurr left Camberwell and quit" dark by the time I reached home My companion book and pipe lay i by his chair, but he had disappeared. locked about in the huYc of sCCing note, but there WIS none.
 T supl s,S2 tllat Mir. sherlock Holmes has gone VUt sid tu Mrs Hudson as she | came up 10 luvvy tAc llindS No, sir. He has gone to his room, sir. Do yuu know, sir, sinking her voice into