The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-02-12
Continued from Saturday issue. !
CHAPTER v.

adventures. We had left the damp fog
of the great city behind us, and the
night was fairly fine. A warm wind
blew from the westward, and heavy
clouds moved slowly across the sky,
with half moon peeping occasionally
through the riffs. 1t was clear enough
to see for some distance, but Thaddeus
Sholto took down one of the side-lamps
from the carriage to give us better
light upon our way.
Pondicherry lodge stood in it's own
grounds, and was girt round with a
very high stone wall topped with
broken glass. A single narrow iron
clamped door formed the only means
of entrance. On this our guide knocked
with peculiar postman-like rat-tat.
"Who is there?" cried a gruff voice
from within.
ut is l, ,McMurdo You surely know
my knock by this time"
There was a grumbling sound and a
clanking and EARRING of keys. The
door swung heavily back, and short,
deep-chested man stood in the opening
with the yellow light of the lantern
shining upon his protruded face and
twinkling, distrustful eyes.
''That you, Mr.. Thaddeus? But who
are the others? / had no orders about
them from my master"
''No, McMurdo? You surprise me! I
told my brother last night that I
should bring some friends"
HE hain't been out o. his room to-
day, Mr.. Thaddeus, and have no Or
ders. You know very well that must
stick to regulations. can let you in,
but your friends they must just stop
where they are"
This was an unexpected obstacle.
Thaddeus Sholto looked about him in
a perplexed and helpless manner.
This is too bad of you, McMurdo!" he
said elf l guarantee them, that is
enough for you. There is the young
lady, too. She cannot wait on the pub
lie road at this hour"
Every sorry, Mr.. Thaddeus," said the
porter, inexorably. Folk may be
friends O. yours, and yet no friends O.
the masters. He pays me well to do
my duty, and my duty I'll do. I don't
know none O. your friends"
"Oh, yes, you do, McMurdo," cried
Sherlock Holmes, genially. II don't
think you can have. forgotten me.
Don't you remember the amateur who
fought three rounds with you at Ali
sons rooms on the night of your bene-
fit four years backP"
"Not Mr.. Sherlock Holmesv' roared
the prize fighter. Goods truth! how
could I have mistook you? If instead
O. standin' there so quiet you had just
stepped up and given me that cross hit
of yours under the jaw, I'd ha' known
you without question. All, you're
one that has wasted your gifts, you
havel You might have aimed high, if
you had joined the fancy"
you see, Watson, if all else fails me
l have still one of the scientific profess
sions open to me" said Holmes, laugh
ing. "Our friend won't keep us out in
the cold now, ] am sure"
I'm you come, sir, in you come-you
and your friends" he answered. every
sorry, Mr.. Thaddeus, but orders are
very strict Had to be certain of your
friends before let them in"
Inside, gravel path wound through
desolate grounds to huge clump of a
house, square and prosaic, all plunged
in shadow save where moonbeam
struck one corner and glimmered in a
garnet window. The vast size of the
building, with its gloom and it's deathly
silence, struck chill to the heart.
Even Thaddeus Sholto seemed i'll at
ease, and the lantern quivered and rat
tied in his hand.
Il cannot understand it." he said.
There must be some mistake. I dis
tlnctly told Bartholomew that we
should be here, and yet there is no
light In his window. l do not know
what to make of it."
docs he always guard the premises
in this way?" asked Holmes.
Yes; he has followed my fathers
custom. He was the favorite son, YOU
know, and l sometimes think that nv
father may have told him more than
he ever told me. That is Barthol-
omew's window up there where the
moonshine strikes 1t is quite bright,
but there is no light from within,
think"
"None," said Holmes. eBut I Sc
the CLINT of a light in that little win
dow beside the door,"
"Ah, that is the housekeeper's room
That is where old Mrs. Bernstone sits
She can tell us all about it. But Der
maps you would not mind waiting her
Tor minute or two, for if we all 90 i,
together, and she has no word of ON
coming, she may be alarmed. Rn
hush! What is that?"
He held up the lantern, and his han
shook until the circles of light fiiclere
and wavered all round us. Miss Mo,
stan seized my wrist, and we all stoo
with humping hearts, straining on
ears. From the great black house Their
sounded through the silent night tn
saddest and most pitiful of sounds
the shrill, broken whimpering of
frightened woman
1T is Mrs. Bernstone." said Sholte
she is the only woman In the house
Wait here. l shall be back in a m,