Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-05-23

"Ws searched the garden that night,
but found no sign of the intruder, save
that just under the window a single
footmark was visible in the hower-bed.
But for that one trace, we might have
thought that our imaginations had con-
jured up that wild. fierce face. We
soon, however, had another and more
striking proof that there were secret
agencies at work all around us. The
window of my fathers room was found
open in the morning, his cupboards and
boxes had been rifled, and upon his
chest was fixed torn piece OF paper,
with the words The sign of the four
scrawled across it. What the phrase
meant, or who our secret visitor may
have been, we never knew: As far as
we can judge, none of my fathers
property had been actually stolen,
though everything had been turned
out. Ny brother and naturally asso-
ciated this peculiar incident with the
fear which haunted my father during
his life; but it is still a complete mys-
terry to u.s."
The little man stopped to relight his
hookah, and pulled thoughtfully for a
few moments. We had all sat absorbed,
listening to his extraordinary nara
tive. At the short account of her IA
theirs death Miss Morstan had turned
deadly white, and for moment
feared that she was about to faint. She
rallied, however, on drinking glass of
water which quietly poured out for
her from Venetian carafe upon the
side table. Sherlock Holmes leaned
back in his chair with an distracted
expression and the lids drawn low
over his glittering epes. AS 1 glanced
at him could not but think how on
that very day he had complained Bit
terly of the commonplaceness Of life.
Here. at least, was a problem which
would tax his sagacity to the utmost.
Mr.. Thaddeus Sholto looked from one to
the other of us with an obvious pride
at the effect which his story had pro-
duced, and then continued between
the puffs of his overgrown pipe.
''My brother and l." said he, were,
as you may imagine, much excited as
to the treasure which my father had
spoken of. For weeks and for months
we dug and delved in every part of the
garden, without discovering its where
abouts. It was maddening to think
that the hiding place was on his very
could judge the splendor of the missing
riches by the chaplet which he bad
taken out. Over this chaplet my
brother Bartholomew and had some
little discussion. The pearls were evil
IDENTIFY of great value, and he was
| averse to part with them, for, between
| friends, my brother was himself a lit
tie inclined to my fathers fault. He
| thought, too, that if we parted with
| the chap1et it might give rise to gossip
and finally bring us into trouble. Il
was all that could do to persuade hin
to let me find out Miss Morstan's ad
dress and send her detached pearl a
fixed intervals, so that, at least, she
might never feel destitute
''It was a kindly thought" said oul
companion. earnestly. 1T was ex
tremely good of you.''
The little man waved his hand dep
recatingly. eve were your trustees,
he said. ''That was the view which
took of it, though Brother Bartholo
new could not altogether see it in tina
light. We had plenty of money our
selves. I desired no more. Besides, i
would have been such bad taste to hav'
treated a young lady in SO scurvy
| fashion. lie mauvais govt meme al
crime The French have a very nea
way of putting these things. Our dill
ference of opinion on this subject wen
so far that I thought it best to set u