Morris tribune., 1895-04-24

you cannot say the same of mine. ]
can hardly imagine anything more
strange, more utterly inexplicable,
| than the situation in which find my
self"
Holmes rubbed his hands, and his
eyes glistened. He leaned forward in
his chair with an expression of extraor-
binary concentration upon his clear
cut, hawl1-like features. State your
| case" said he, in brisk. business tones.
felt that my position was an en-
barrassing one. sYou will, am sure,
excuse me-" said, rising from my
chair.
TO my surprise the young lady held
up her gloved hand to detain me. IF
your friend" she said, would be good
enough to stop, he might be of inestim-
able service to me-"
! relapsed into my chair.
s'Briefly,' she continued, ''the facts
are these: My father was an officer in
an Indian regiment who sent me home
when was quite child. My mother
was dead, and had no relative in Eng
land / was placed, however, in a
comfortable boarding establishment at
Edinburgh, and there remained until
was seventeen years of age. In the
year 1873 my father, who was senior
captain of his regiment, obtained
twelve months leave and came home.
He telegraphed to me from London
that he had arrived all safe, and di-
rected me to come down at once, giving
the Langham hotel as his address. His
message, as I remember, was full of
kindness and love. On reaching Lon
don drove to the Langham, and was
informed that Capt. Morstan was stay
ing there, but that he had gone out the
night before and had not returned. /
waited all day without news of him.
That night, on the advice of the man
ager of the hotel, communicated with
the police, and next morning we adver-
tised in all the papers. Our inquiries
led to no result; and from that day to
this no word has ever been heard of
my unfortunate father. He came home
with his heart full of hope, to find
some peace, some comfort, and in
stead" She put her hand to her
throat, and choking sob cut short the
sentence
1.-THE date?' asked Holmes, opening
his notebook.
HE disappeared upon the Sd of De-
cember, 1S7s-nearly ten years ago"
His luggage?"
Remained at the hotel. There was
nothing in it to suggest a clew-some
books, and considerable number of
curiosities from the Andaman islands.
He had been one of the officers in
charge of the convict guard there
Had he any friends in town."
''Only one that we know of-Maj.
Sholto, of his own regiment, the Thir-
ty-fourth Bombay infantry. The ma
jor had retired some little time before,
and lived at Upper Norwood. We COM
with. him, of course, but he /
did not even know that his brother Of
ficer was in England"
"A singular case" remarked Holmes.
II have not yet described to you the |
most singular part. About six years
ago-to be exact, upon the 4th of May, |
lSS2-an advertisement appeared in the
Times asking for the address of Miss
Mary Morstan, and stating that it
would be to her advantage to come for
ward. There was no name or address
appended. I had at that time just en-
tered the family of Mrs. Cecil Forester
n the capacity of governess. By her
advice I published my address in the
advertisement column. The same day
here arrived through the post small
cardboard box addressed to me, which
found to contain very large and lus-
rous pearl. No word of writing was
nclosed. Since then, every year, upon
he same date, there has always APP
,eared a similar box, containing SIM
lar pearl, without any clew as to the
sender They have been pronounced
" an expert to be of rare variety and
# considerable value. You can see for
ourselves that they are very hand
ono" She opened a fat box as she
poke, and showed me six of the finest
'earls that had ever seen.
Your statement is most interest
ng, said Sherlock Holmes. HAS any
hing else occurred stosyou?"
Yes, and no later than to-day. That
5 why have come to you. This morn
ng i received this letter, which you
viii perhaps read for yourself"
Thank you," said Holmes. "The
nvelope, too, please. Postmark, Lon
on, S. W.; date, July 7. Hum. Mans
on corner-probabl post
IAN. Best quality paper. Envelopes
t sixpence packet. Particular man
4 his stationery. No address. Be at
he third pillar from the left outside
he Lyceum theater tonight at seven ,
clock. If YOU are distrustful. bring
wo friends. You are wronged wom-
n. and shall have iuStice. Do not !