The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-20

written in an hotel
.How in the world can you say that?'
IF you examine it carefully you will
see that both the pen and the ink have
given the writer trouble. The pen has
spluttered twice in q single word, and
has run dry three times in short adj
dress, showing that there was very little
ink in the bottle. Now. private pen
or ink bottle is seldom allowed to be in
such state. and the combination of the
two must be quite rare. But you know
the hotel ink and the hotel pen, where
it is rare to get anything else. Yes, ]
have very little hesitation In saying
that could we examine the waste-paper
baskets of the hotels round Charing
Cross until we found the remains Of the
mutilated Times leader we could lay
our hands straight upon the person who
sent this singular message. Halloa!'
Halloa! What's ths?"
He was carefully examining the fools
cap, upon which the words We're pasted.
holding it only an inch or two from his
eyes.
'Wel?"
Nothing" said he. throwing it down.
TT is blank half-sheet of paper. with
out even a. water-mark upon 1t. I think
we have drawn as much as we can from
this curious letter; and now, Sir Henry,
has anything else Of interest happened
to you since you have been in London?"
why, no. Mr.. Holmes. l think not"
"You have not observed any one fol-
low or wa tch you?
'.I seem to have walked right into the
thick of a dime novel;" said our visitor.
why in thunder should any one follow
or watch me?"
I'VE are coming to that You have
nothing else to report to us before we
go into this matter?''
We'll it depends upon what you think
worth reporting
II think anything out OF the ordinary
routine of life well worth reporting"
Sir Henry smiled
Il don't know much of British life yet,
fer I have spent nearly all my time in
the States and in Canada. But I hope
that to lose one of your boots is not part
of the ordinary routine of life over here"
''You have lost one of your boots:'
lily dear SIR cried DR.. Mortimer. cit
is only mislaid. You will find it when
use of troubling Mr.. Holmes with triAes
Of this sort?"
well, he asked me for anything out
side the ordinary routine
Exactly" said Holmes. however fool
ish the incident may SEEM You have
lest one of your boots. you saH?''
We'll. mislaid it, anyhow. I put them
both outside my door last night. and
there was only one in the morning. I
could get no sense out of the chap who
cleans them. The worst of it is that I
only bought the pair last night in the
Strand and I have never had then. on
If you have never worn them. why did
YOU put them out to be cleaned?"
80! hey were tan boots and had never
been vanished. That was why 1 put
them out"
Then I understand that on your ar
rival in London yesterday you went out
at once and bought a, pair of boots?"
L did a good deal Of shopping. DR..
Mortimer here went round with me. You
see, If I am to be squire down there I
must dress the part. and it may be that
l have got little careless in my ways
out West. Among other things I bought
these brown boots-gave six dollars for
them-and had one stolen before ever ]
had them on my feet
1T seems a singularly useless thing to
steal" said Sherlock Holmes. Il confess
that I share Dr. Mortimers belief that 1t
will not be long before the missing boot