Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-07-18
CHAPTER v.-CosrlxUED

looking around.
1T looks as though all the moles in
England had been let loose in it.
have seen something of the sort on the
side of hill near Ballarat, where the
prospectors had been at work"
land from the same cause" said
Holmes. These are the traces OF
treasure-seekers. You must remember
that they were six years looking for it.
No wonder that the ground looks like
a gravelpit."
AT that moment the door burst open,
| and Thaddeus Sholto came running
out, with his hands thrown forward
| and terror in his eyes.
There is something amiss with Bar
tholomew!" he cried. II am fright
ened! My nerves cannot stand it." He
was, indeed, half-blubbering with fear,
and his twitching, feeble face, peeping
out from the great Astrakhan collar,
had the helpless, appealing expression
of a terrified child.
''Come into the house." said Holmes,
in his crisp. firm way.
Eyes, do" pleaded Thaddeus Sholto.
II really do not feel equal to giving di-
rections."
We all followed him into the house
keepers room, which stood upon the
left-hand side of the passage. The old
woman was pacing up and down with
a scared look and restless. picking
fingers, but the sight OF Miss Morstan
appeared to have a soothing effect upon
her.
God bless your sweet calm facc!'
she cried, with a hysterical sob. st
does me good to see you Oh, but /
have been sorely tired this day.
Our companion patted her thin, work
worn hand, and murmured some few
words of kindly womanly comfort
which brought the color back into the
others bloodless cheeks.
Master has locked himself in and
will not answer me-" she explained.
him, for he often likes to be alone; but
an hour ago feared that something was
amiss, so 1 went up and peeped through
the keyhole. You must go up, Mr..
Thaddeus-you must go up and look
for yourself. have seen Mr. Barthol-
omew Sholto in joy and in sorrow for
ten long years, but l never saw him
with such face on him as that"
Sherlock Holmes took the lamp and
led the way, for Thaddeus Sholto's
teeth were chattering in his head. So
shaken was he that / had to pass my
hand under his arm as we went up the
stairs, for his knees were trembling
under him. Twice as we assembled
Holmes whipped his lens out of his
pocket and carefully examined marks
which appeared to me to be mere
shapeless smudges of dust upon the
cocoa-nut mating which served as a
stair-carpet. He walked slowly from
step TO step, holding the lamp low, and
shooting keen glances to right and
left. Miss Morstan had remained be-
hind with the frightened houseleeper.
The third flight of stairs ended in a
straight passage OF some length, with
a great picture in Indian tapestry.upcn
the right of it and three doors upon the !
left. Holmes advanced along it in the
same slow and methodical way, while |
we kept close at his heels, with our
long black shadows streaming back |
wards down the corridor. The third |
door was that which we We're seeking.
Holmes knocked without receiving any
answer, and then tried to turn the |
il6HOIc dhd 1cICC IL oCCA- ~ "<-j
locked on the inside, however, and by a |
broad and powerful bolt, as we could |
see when we set our lamp up against |
it. The key being turned, however, |
the hole was not entirely closed. Shcr-
lock Holmes bent down to it. and in |
stantly rose again with a sharp intak- |
ing of the breath.
There is something dcvilish in this. !
Watson" said he, more moved than / |
had ever before seen him. What do |
you make of it?"
stopped to the hole, and recoiled in |
horror. Moonlight was streaming into |
the room, and it was bright with a |
vague and shifty radiance. Looking |
at me, and suspended, as it |
were, in the air, for all beneath was in |
shadow, there hung a facc-the very |
face of our companion Thaddeus. |
There was the same high, shining |
head, the same circular bristle of rcd |
hair. the same bloodless countenance.
The features were set, however, in a
horrible smile, fixed and unnatural |
grin, which in that still ard moonlit
room was more Earring to the nerves
than any scowl or contortion. So like
was the face to that of our little friend
that l 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 brNther and he
were twins.
This is terrible!" said to Holmes.
What is to be done?"
The door must come down." he an
and, springing against it, he
put all his weight upon the lock. 1t
,reaked 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 Sholtos
chamber.
It appeared to have been fitted up as
! chemical laboratory. A double line
If glass-stoppered bottles was drawn
Up upon the wall opposite the door,
md the table was Uttered over with
Bunsen burners, test tubes and retorts.
N the corners stood carboys of acid in
wicker baskets. One of these appeared
% leak CT to have been broken, for
tream of dark-colored liquid had
rickled out from it. and the air was
leavy with peculiarly pungent tar
ike odor. A set OF steps stood at one
ide of the room, in the midst of a lit
er of lath and plaster, and above
hem there was an opening in the cell
ng large enough for ran to pass
through. At the foot of the steps
ong coil of rope was thrown carelessly
orethcr.