Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-03-28
CHAPTER Y

~ WIS nearly ciSFCh " Si"S" ""eh ~
reached this final stage Of our night
adventures. We had left the damp fog
Of the great city behind us, and the
night was fairly fine. A warm winc
blew from the westward, and heavy
clouds moved slowly across the Sky
with half u moon pceping occasionally
through the riffs. 1t VASE clear enough
to see for some distance, but Thaddeu'
Sholto took down one Of the sidc-lamps
from the carriage to give us Il better
light upon our way
pondicherry lodge stood in Its owl
grounds and was girt round with Il
very high stone wall topped with
broken glass. A single narrow iron
clamped door formed the only means
Of entrance. On this our guide knocked
with peculiar postman-llie rat-tat
"Nho Is there" cried grulf voice
from within.
ut Is ], McMurdo. You surely know
my knock by this time
There was 0 grumbllng sound and tt
clanhing and Earring OF keys. The
! door swung heavily buck, and a short
| dcep-ehested man stood In the opening
with the yellow light OF the lantern
| shining upon his protruded face and
twinkling, distrustful eyes.
THAT you, Mr.. Thaddcus? l'ut who
are the others? | had no orders about
them from my MASTER
mo, McMurdo? You surprise me-
told my brother last night That
should bring some friends.
"Ilc hain't been out o his room "
day, Mr. Thaddeus, and have no or
dcrs, You know very well that must
stick to regulations can let you IN,
but your friends they must just stop
where they are"
This was an unexpected obstacle
rhaddeus Sholto looked about him In
q pcrplcxcd and helpless manner
This Is too bad Of You. sleNlurdo!" he
mid. ~ ! guarantee them, that IL
enough for YOU There Is the young
Indy, too She cannot walt on the pab-
lie road at this hour"
Very sorry, Mr.. 'lhaddcus." said the
porter inexorably. FOLK may be
frieuds q yours, and yet no frlcnds G
the masters, lie pays me well TO do
my duty. and my duty I'll do don't
know none o yonr friends"
"oh, yes, You do, McNlurdo," cried
Sherlock Holmes, gcnlally u doa't
think You can have forgotten me.
Don't you remember the amateur who
fought three rounds with you at All
sons rooms on the night Of your beno-
lit four years back%
Not Mr. Sherlock Holiness voared
the prize fighter. Gods truth how
could ! have mlstook you? II instead
o standin' there no quiet yon had just
stepped up and given inc that cross hit
Of yours under the jaw, ia ha' known
you without n question All, you're
one that has wasted your gifts, you
havel You might have aimed high, If
you had joined the fancy"
"you see, Watson, II all else fails me
have still one Of the scientific profess
ions open to me-" said Holmes, laugh
ing Our friend won't keep us out in
The cold now, am sure"
"ln you come, sir, In you oome-you
and your friends, he answered "Vcry
sorry, Mr. Thaddcus, but orders are
very strict. Had to be certain OF your
friends before let them In"
Inside, II gravel path wound through
desolate grounds to n huge clump of a
house. square and prosaic, all plunged
In shadow save where Il moonbeam
struck one corner md glimmercd In n
garrett window. The vast size Of the
building, withits gloom and Its dcathly
silence, struck Il chill to the heart
Even Thaddeus Sholto seemed in at
ease, and the lantern quiycred and rat
tied In his hand
81 cannot understand it," he said
There must be some mistake dis
tinctly told Bartholomew that we
should be here, and yet there is no
light in his window. do not know
whit to make OF IT.
docs he always guard the premises
in this way?' asked Holmes.
"Yes; he has followed my fathers
custom. IIe was the fayorite son, you
know, and I sometimes think that my
father may have told him more than
he ever told me. That Is Ilarthol.
omew's window up there where the
moonshine strikes 1t Is quite bright
but there is DO light from within, |
think"
None sud Holmes ''Dut ! see
the CLINT Of . light IN that little win.
dow beside the door"
'Ah, that Is the housekeeper's room.
That Is where old Mrs Bernstone sits.
She Gun tell US al about It. But per
haps you would not mind waiting here
for minute or two, for II we all 10 In
together, and she has no word Of our
coming, she may be alarmed. But
hush What Is that2"
lie held up the lantern, and his hand
shook until the circles Of light flickered
and wavered all round us. Miss Nor.
stan seized my wrist, and we all stood
with humping hearts, straining our
cars From the great black house there
sounded through the silent night the
saddesi and most pitiful Of sounds
the shrill, broken whimperine Of q
frightened woman.
ut is Mrs. Dernstone,H said Sholto.
'She is the only woman In the house.
Wait here. shall be back In a mo-
ment." lie hurried for the door, and
knocked in his peculiar way. We
could see n tall old woman admit him
and sway with pleasure at the very
sight of him.
"0h, Mr.. Thaddeus, SIR, am so glad
Ycu have come! I am SO glad you
have come, Mr. Thaddeus, sir" We
heard her reiterated reioicinps until