The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-02-12

great rubbish heaps which numbered
the grounds. Miss MOrstan and stood
together, and her hand was in mine A
wondrous subtle thing is love, for here
were we two who had never seen each
other before that day. between whom
no word or even look of affection had
ever passed, and yet now in an hour Of
trouble our hands instinctively sought
for each other | have marveled at it
since, but at the time it seemed the
most natural thing that | should go
out to her SO. and, as she has often told
me, there was in her also the instinct
to turn to me for comfort and protec-
ton. So we stood hand in hand, like
two children, and there was peace III
our hearts for all the dark things that
surrounded us
What a strange place!" she said.
looking around
SIT looks as though all the moles in
England had been let loose in it. |
have seen something of the sort on the
side of a hill near Ballarat, where the
prospectors had been at work"
And 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. Il am fright
ened! My nerves cannot stand it," He
was, indeed, alf-blubbering with fear,
and his twitching, feeble face, peeping
out from the great Astrakhan collar,
had the helpless, appealing expression
of terrified child.
Come into the house," said Holmes,
in his crisp, firm way.
Yes, do!' pleaded Thaddeus Sholt0
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
her.
God bless your sweet calm FACET
she cried with a hysterieal sob. 1T
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 checks.
Master has locked himself in and
will not answer me-" she explained.
"All day l have waited to hear from
him, for he often likes to be alone; but
an hour ago feared that something was
amiss, so | went up and pecped 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 ! never saw him
with such a face on him as that"
Sherlock Holmes took the lamp and
Y led the way, for Thaddeus 'Sholto's
teeth were chattering in his head So
g shaken was he that l had to pass my
10 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
e which appeared to lne to be mere
shapeless smudges of dust upon the
r cocoa-nut mating which served as a
t stair-carpet. He walked slowly from
step to step, holding the lamp low, and
q shooting keen glances to right and
d left. Miss Morstan had remained be.
: hind with the frightened housekeeper
d The third flight of stairs ended in a
r straight passage of some length, with
e great picture in Indian tapestryupor
e 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 on,
;, long black shadows streaming back
. wards down the corridor The thirf
= door was that which we were seeking
= Holmes knocked without receiving any
answer, and then tried to turn the
: handle and force it open. It wa,
locked on the inside, however, and bv 8
broad and powerful bolt, as we coulf