Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-05-30

the hole was not entirely closed. Sher-
lock Holmes bent down to it, and in
stant1y rose again with a sharp intak
ing of the breath
ssThere is something devilish in this,
Watson,..' said he, more moved than l
had ever before seen him. what do
you make of it?''
1 stopped to the hole, and reeoiledyin
horror. Moonlight was streaming into
the room. and it was bright with
vague and shifty radiance. Looking
straight at me, and suspended, as it
were, in the air, for all beneath was in
shadow, there hung a face-the very
face of our companion Thaddeus.
There was the same high, shining
head, the same circular bristle of red
hair. the same bloodless countenance.
The features were set, however, in a
horrible smile, fixed and unnatural
grin. which in that still and moonlit
room was more Earring to the nerves
than any scow1 or contortion. So like
was the face to that of our little friend
that looked round at him to make
sure that he was indeed with US. Then
recalled to mind that he had men
toned to us that his brother and he
were twins. sftEt lssss
''This is terrible!' said to Holmes.
"What is to be done?'
1.-THE door must come down." he an
swered, and, springing against it, he
put all his weight upon the lock. 1t
creaked and groaned, but did not yield.
Together we flung ourselves upon it
once more, and this time it gave way
with sudden snap, and we found our
selves within Bartholomew Sholto'S
chamber.
It appeared to have been fitted up as
a chemical laboratory. A double line
of glass-stoppered bottles was drawn
up upon the wall opposite the door,
and the table was Uttered over with
Bunsen burners, test tubes and retorts.
In the corners stood carboys of acid in
wicker baskets. One of these appeared
TO leak or to have been broken, for a
stream of dark-colored liquid had
| trickled out from it, and the air was
heavy with a peculiarly pungent tar
like odor. A set of steps stood at one
| side of the room, in the midst of lit
| ter of lath and plaster, and above
| them there was an opening in the cell
| ing large enough for man to pass
through. At the foot of the steps a
long coil of rope was thrown carelessly
| together.
BY the table, in wooden armchair,
the master of the house was seated all
in a heap, with his head sunk upon his
left shoulder, and that CHASTITY, inscrut-
able smile upon his face. He was stiff
and cold, and had clearly been dead
many hours. It seemed to me that not
only his features but all his limbs were
twisted and turned in the most fan
tastic fashion. By his hand upon the
table there lay peculiar instrument,
"a brown, close-grained stick, with a
| stone head like a hammer, rudeiy
dashed on with coarse Irvine. Beside it
was a torn sheet of note paper with
some words scrawled upon it. Holmes
| glanced at it, and then handed it to me.
'You see," he said, with a significant
raising Of the eyebrows.
In the light of the lantern I read
| with thrill of horror: ''The sign OF
the four"
''In Gods name, what does it all
| mean?" asked.
SIT means murder said he, STOPPING
over the dead man. ''Ah, expected it
Look here!'' He pointed to what looked
like long, dark thorn stuck in the
skin just above the ear.
SIT looks like thorn" said I.
sit is thorn. You may pick it out
But be careful, for it is poisoned
thumb. It came away from the Skin
so readily that hardly any mark was