Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-08-05
BY CONAN DOYLE.

protestations Of gratitude, the old crone
packed it away III her pocket and
shuff1ed off down the stairs. Sherlock
Holmes Sprang to his feet the moment
she was gone and rushed into his room.
He returned in a few seconds envelOp-
ed in an ulster and a cravat. I'll
follow her." he said, hurriedly; "She
must be an accomplice, and will lead
me to him. Wait up for me- The
hall door had hardly slammed behind
our visitor before Holmes had descend
ed the stair. Looking through the win
dow, / could see her walking feebly
along the other side while her purSuer
logged her some little distance behind.
EITHER his whole theory is incorrect
/ thought to myself, "or else he will
be led now to the heart of the mys-
terry There was no need for him to
ask me to wait up for him, for / felt
that sleep was impossible until heard
the result of his adventure.
1t was close upon 8 when he set out.
I had no idea how long he might be,
but I sat stolidly putting at my pipe
and skipping over the pages OF Henri
Murger'S "Vie de Boheme." Ten
o'clock passed, and I heard the foot
steps Of the maid as they battered off
to bed. Eleven, and the more stately
tread of the landlady passed my door,
bound for the same destination. 1t was
close upon II before l heard the s'arp
sound of his latch-key. The instant he
entered I saw by his face that he had
not been successful. AmuSemnt and
chagrin seemed to be struggling Tor
the mastc.v, until the former suddenly
carried the day, and he burst into a
hearty laugh
Il wouldn't have the Scotland Yard
ers know it for the world" he cried,
dropping into his chair; Il have chat
fed them so much that they would
never have let me hear the end OF 1T.
/ can afford to laugh, because l know
that I will be even with them III the
long run"
what is it, then?" I asked.
ooh. | don't mind telling story
against myself. That creature had gone
a little way when she began to limp
and show every sign of being foot
sore. Presently she came to a halt ana
hailed a four wheeler which was pass
ing. I managed to be close to her Sc
as to hear the address, but | need not
have been so anxious, for she sang 1t
ont Il I'D enough to be heard at the
other end of the street. Drive to NO.
~ Duncan street, HOundSditch, she
cried. This begins to look genuine,
thought, and having seen her safely
inside. perched myself behind. mat
an art that every detective SHOULD De
an expert at. Well, away we ratified,
and never drew rein until we reached
the street in question. hoped OH
before we came to the door, ami stroll
e1 down the streel in an easy, iounGlng
way. 1 saw the cab pull up. The driv-
er Jumped down, and / saw him open
the door and stand cxpectantly. Moth
ING came out though. When l reached
him, he was cropping about franucally
in the empty cab, and giving vent to
the finest assorted collection OF ooihs
that ever / listened to- There was no
sign OF trace of his passenger, and
fear it will be some time before he gets
his fare. On inquiring at No. IL we
found that the house belonged to
respectable paper-hanger named kes-
wick, and that no one Of the name
either of Sawyer or Dennis had ever
been heard of there.
sYou don't mean to say / cried, in
amaZement, that that lettering. feeble
old woman was able to get out of the
cab while it was in motion, without
either you or the driver seeing herr"
"Old woman said Sherlock Holmes,
sharply. 1--WE were the old woman to
be taken in. It. must have been
young man, and an active one, too,
besides being an Incompatible actor.
The get-up was inimitable. He saw
that he was followed, no doubt, and
used this means of giving me the Slip.
1t shows that the man we are after is
not as lonely as | imagined he was.
but has friends who are ready to risk
something for him. Now, doctor, you
are looking done-up. Take my adj
vice and turn in
I was certainly feeling very weary,
so I obcyed his Injunction. l left
Holmes seated in front Of the smould
ering fire, and long into the watches of
the night / heard the low, melancholy
wailings of his violin, and knew that
he was still bordering over the strange
problem which he had set himself to
unravel.
CHAPTER vi.
l