Morris tribune., 1895-06-12
to clear him of this dreadful and nm

founded charge"
1t was evening before left Gambler
well, and quite dark by the time l
reached home. My companions book
and pipe lay by his chair, but he had
disappeared. l looked about in the
hope of seeing a note, but there was
none.
81 suppose that Mr.. Sherlock Holmes
has gone out" said to Mrs. Hudson as
she came up to lower the blinds.
mo, sir. He has gone to his room,
sir. Do you know, sir" sinking her
voice into an impressive whisper, II am
afraid for his health?"
''Why so, Mrs. Hudson?"
''Well, he's that strange, sir. After
you was gone he walked and he
walked, up and down, and up and
down, until I was weary of the sound
of his footstep. Then I heard him
talking to himself and muttering, and
every time the bell rang out he came
on the stair-head with: What is that,
Mrs. Hudson? And now he has
slammed off to his room, but I can hear
him walking away the same as ever. 1
ventured to say something to him about
cooling medicine, but he turned on me,
sir, with such look that / don't know
how ever got out of the room"
81 don't think that you have any
cause to be uneasy, Mrs. Hudson I
answered. 81 have seen him like this
before. He has some small matter up
on his mind which makes HIM restless"
/ tried to speak lightly to our worthy
landlady, but was myself somewhat
uneasy when, through the long night,
/ still from time to time heard the dull
sound of his tread, and knew how his
keen spirit was chatting against this
involuntary inaction.
At breakfast time he looked worn
and haggard, with a little fleck of
feverish color upon either cheek.
''You are knocking yourself up, old
man." remarked. II heard you march
ing about in the night"
mo, I could not Sleep" he answered.
''This internal problem is consuming
me. It is too much to be baked by SO
petty an obstacle, when all else had
been overcome. I know the men, the
launch, everything; and yet can get
no news. have set other agencies at
work, and used every means at my dis
posal. The whole river has been
searched on either side, but there is no
news, nor has Mrs. Smith heard of her
husband. I shall come to the conclu-
sion soon that they have scuttled the
craft. But there are objections to that"
cor that Mrs. Smith has put us on a
wrong scent"
mo, think that may be dismissed
I had inquiries made, and there is a
launch of that description"
could it have gone up the river?"
81 have considered that possibility
too, and there is a search party who
will work up as far as Richmond. If
no news comes to-day, shall start off
myself tomorrow, and go for the men
rather than the boat. But surely,
surely, we shall hear something"
We did not, however. Not a word |
came to us either from Virgins or
from the other agencies. There were
articles in most of the papers upon the
Norwood tragedy. They all appeared
to be rather hostile to. the unfortunate
Thaddeus Sholto. No fresh details |
were to be found, however, in any of
them, save that an inquest was held
upon the following day. I walked
over to Camberweu in the evening to
to report our ill success to the ladies,
and on my return found Holmes de-
jected and somewhat morose. He
would hardly reply to my questions,
and busted himself all evening in an
abstruse chemical analysis which in
volved much heating of retorts and dis
filling of vapors, ending at last in a
smell which fairly drove me out of the
apartment. Up to the small hours of
,he morning could hear the clicking
If his test-tubes which told me that he
vas still engaged in his malodorous ex-
pertinent.
In the early dawn woke with
tart, and was surprised to fiud him