The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-09-28

can hardly imagine anything more
strange. more utterly inexplicable.
than the situation In which ! find my
self"
Holmes rubbed his hands. and hts
eyes glistcned. He leaned forward In
bis chair with an expression Of extraor-
binary concentration upon his clear
cut. hawlS-lil<c features estate your
case" said he, la brisk, business tones
felt that my position wns an en-
barrnssing one. You viii, am sure,
excuse me-" said, rising from my
chair.
To my surprise the young lady held
mp her glovcd hand e. detain me. IF
your friend" she said, would be good
enough to stop. he might be OF incstim-
able service TO me-"
relnpsed into my chair.
Briefly" she continued, ''the facts
arc these: My father was an officer I'm
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 n
comfortable boarding establishment at
Edinburgh, and there remained until
was seventeen years OF age. In the
year 1878 my father. who was senior
captain of his regiment, obtained
twelve months leave and came home.
He tclcgraphed TO me from London
that he had arrived all safe, and di-
rectcd mo 10 come down at once, giving
the Lnngham hotel as his address. His
message, as / remember, was full of
kindness and love. On reaching Lon
don drove TO the Langham, and was
Informed that Capt. Morotan 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-
tiscd In NIL the papers. Our inquiries
led TO no result; and from that day TO
this no word has ever been heard Of
my unfortunate father. lie came home
with his heart full OF hope. 20 find
some peace, some comfort, and in
stead She put her hand TO her
throat, and n choking sob cut short the
sentence.
''The dnte?" asked Holmes, opening
his notebook.
"IIc disappeared upon the I'd OF De-
cembcr, 1s7s-nearly ten years ago.
"Ilis luggage?''
"Rcmaincd at the hotel. There was
nothing In IL 10 suggest a clew--some
books, aud considerable number OF
curiosities from the Andamnn islands.
lie had been one OF the officers In
charge of the convict guard there"
Had he any friends in town."
"Only one that wo know of-Maj.
Sholto, Of his own regiment, the Thir-
ty-fcurth Bombay infantry. The MP
jor had retired some little tune before,
aud lived at Upper Norwood. We com
munjcatcd with. him. of course, but he
did not even know that his brother Of
ficcr was In England"
"A singular case" remarked Holmes.
II have not yet described 20 you the
most singular part. About six years
ago-to be exact, upon the 4th OF May,
iese-an advertisement appeared In tho
Times asking for the address OF Miss
Mary Morstan, and stating that H.
would be 20 her advantage To come for
ward. There was no name or address
appended. | had at that time just en-
tered the family OF Mrs Cecil Forester
in the capacity Of governcss. by her
advice | published my address In the
advertisement column. The same day
there arrived through the post a small
cardboard box addressed 10 me. which
found 10 contain very large and lus-
..=ss;ss. pearl Ne word 81 writing WAS
incloscd. Since then. every year. upon
the same date. there has always APP
pearcd similar box, containing a sim
liar pearl. without any clew as 70 the
sender They have been pronounced
by an expert 90 be Of n rare variety and
of considerable value. You can see for
yourselves that they are very hand
some" She opened fat box as she
spoke, and showed me six OF the finest
pearls that had ever seen.
"Your statement IL most interest
ing" said Sherlock Holmes. Has any
thing else occurred 20 you?"
Eyes, and no later than to-day. That
Is why have come tovou. This morn
ing | received this letter, which you
will perhaps read for yourself"
THANK YOU" said Holmes 1.-THE
envelope. too, please. Postmarls, Lon
don, $. w: date, July Z. Hunt Mans
thumbmarS on corner-probably post
man. Best quality paper. Envelopes
at sixpencc packet. Particular man
In his stationery. No address. BE at
the third pillar from the left outside
the Lyceum thcntcr tonight ut seven
o'clock. II you are distrustfnl. bring
two friends. You arc wronged WON
an. and shall have justice. DO not
bring police. II you do, all win be In
vain. Yonr unknown friend Well.
really, this is n very pretty little mys-
sery. What do you intend 10 do. Miss
Morstan?"
"Thnt Is exactly what want 70 ask
you"
"Then we shall most certainly 20
You and l and-yes, why, DIR. Watson
Ia tho worry man Hour norrnUftondaut