The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-21

\ of tho hill and OF the huge lake Of fog vhdch
lay over the Grimpen Miro. IT see the ngAtx
Of a house ahead Of U.s."
That Is Merripit House and the end of
our journey ] must request you to WIS
on tiptoe and not to talk above q whispseyt
We moved cautiously along tho track an
II We were bound for the house. but Hofme3
halted - when We were about 100 yards
1 from IL.
This VIII do" said he These roeka
upon the right make an admirable screen"
we are to wait herer"
yes. We shall make our little ambush
here. Get into this hollow. Lestrada You
have been inside the house. have you not.
Watson? Can you tell the position of the
rooms? What are those latticed windous
at this snd?'
81 think they are the kitchen vindoNs"I
And the one beyond. which shine 80
0IigS.yF -.%
The blinds are up. You know the lie OF
the land best. Creep forward quietly and
see what they are doing-but for heavens
s1ke don't let them know that they ars
watchedr' Z
I 'tiptOed down the path and stopped be,
hind the low wall which surrounded the
stunted orchard. Creeping In its shadow Z
reached a point whence I could look
straight through the uncurtained window.
There were only two men IN the room.
Sir Henry and Stapleton. They sat with
-Nla( NaA ZIG Vi elLQeI 0lQA 0E
the round table. Both Of them were smok-
Ing cigars. and coffee and wine were in
'front.' of them. Stapleton was talking with
animation. but the baronet looked pale
and distract. Perhaps the thought of that
lonely walk across the m moor vax
weighing heavily upon his mind.
As L watched them Stapleton rose ana
left the room. while Sir Henry dIled hik
glass again and leaned back In his Chair
putting at his cigar. I heard the cresk Of
a>door and the crisp sound Of boots upon
gravel The steps passed along The path
on the other side OF the wall under vh,chy
1 crouched- Looking over. I saw the nat-1
uraiist pause at the door OF an outhousef
in the corner Of the orchard. A key turnes4
In a lock. and as he passed In there wasA
curious SQUIRTING noise from within.
was only a minute or so inside, and then
i heard the key turn once more ana ht
passed me and re-entered the house. ! saw,
him rejoin his guest. and I crept quietly
back to where my companions were waiting
to tell them what / had seen.
You say. Watson. that the lady n not
thereT' Holmes asked. when I had fn-
ishsd my report.
Where can she be. then. since there f..
no light in any other room except the
I have said that over the great Grimpen
Mire there hung a dense. white fog. II,
was drifting slowly In our direction and
OF Us. low, but thick and wen defined. The
moon shone on It. and 1t looked ike a great
shirn1nerfng iceheld. with the heads Of the
distant tors as rocks borne upon its sur
face. m face was turned toward II,
and he muttered impatiently as he watches
Its sluggish drift.
It's moving toward US, Watson"
rs that serious?"
Very serious. indeed-the one thing upo4
earth which could have disarranged myk
plans. He cant be very long now. 1t is al
ready 10 O'Clock. Our success and even his 4
life may depend upon his coming out be- \
fore the fog Is over the path"
Ine night was clear and fine above US.
The stars shone cold and bright. while a
nal moon patned the whole scene in a soft.
light Before US Law the dark
buik OF the house. its serrated roof and
chimneys hard outlined against the
siiver-spangled ky Broad bars OF golden
lisnt from the lower windows stretched
across the orchard and the moor. One OF
them was suddenly shut on. The servants
had left the kitchen There only remained
the lamp IN the dfning-room, where the two
men. the murderous host and the uncon,
scious guest. sim chatted over their q
GO BE coNTINUED3
$50. by A Conan Doyle.
coDyrisht nG ~ George Nsuusb