Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-11-04
A STUDY IN SCARLET

BY A. CONAN DOYLE.

-
don my pocket was about empty, and
I found that 1 must turn my hand to
something for my living.
Driving and riding are as natural
to me as walking, so I applied at
cab owners Office, and soon got en-
ployment. / was to bring certain
sum a week to the owner, and what
ever was over that 1 might keep for
myself.
There was seldom much over, but
] managed to scrape along somehow
The hardest job was to learn my way
about. for I reckon that of all the
maZes that ever were contrlved, this
city is the most confusing.
"They were at a boarding house at
Cumberland, over on the other side
of the river. When once found them
out 1 knew that l had them at my
mercy.
81 had grown my beard, and there
was no chance of their recognizing
me.
81 would dog them and follow them
until l saw my opportunity. I was de-
termined that they should not escape
me again.
Sometimes 1 followed them on my
cab, and sometimes on foot, but the
former was the best, for then they
could not get away from me.
"It was only early in the morning
| or late at night that I could earn any
thing, SO that began to get behind-
hand with my employer.
During two weeks / drove behind
them every day, and never once saw
them separate. Drebber himself was
| drunk half the time, but Stangerson
was not to be caught mapping.
| 81 watched them late and early, but
never saw the ghost of a chance; but
1 was not discouraged, for something
| told me that the hour had almost
come. My only fear was that this
thing in my chest might burst little
too soon and leave my work undone.
"At last one evening, was driving
up and down Torquay Terrace, as the
street was called in which they board
ed, when 1 saw a cab drive up to their
door.
Presently some luggage was
brought out, and after time Drebber
and Stangerson followed it and drove
off. l whipped up my horse and kept
within sight of them, feeling i'll at
ease, for feared that they were go
| ing to shift their quarters.
"At Euston station they got out, and
I left boy to hold my horse and fol-
lowed them on to the platform.
heard them ask for the Liverpool
train, and the guard answer that one
had just gone, and that there would
not be another for some time.
"Stangerson seemed to be put out
at that, but Drebber was rather
pleased than otherwise. I got so
close to them in the hustle that |
could hear every word that passed be-
tween them.
"Drebber said that he had a little
business of his own to do, and that If
the other would wait for him he would
soon rejoin him.
His companion demonstrated with
him, and reminded him that they
had resolved to stick together. Dreb-
ber answered that the matter was u
delicate one, and that he must go
alone.
81 could not catch what Stanger-
son said to that, but the other burst
out swearing, and reminded him that
he was nothing more than his paid
servant, and that he must not pre-
sumo to dictate to him.
"On that the secretary gave it up
as a bad job, and simply bargained
with him that If he missed the last
train he should rejoin him at Halli-
days private hotel; to which Drebber
answered that he would be back on
the platform before eleven, and made
his way out of the station.
"The moment for which I had wait
ed so long had at last come. I had
my enemies within my power. To
gether they could protect each other,
but singly they were at my mercy. l
did not act. however, with undue pre-
cipitation. My plans were already
formed.
There is no satisfaction in ven
geance unless the offender has time to
realize who it is that strikes him. and
why retribution had come upon him.
had my plans arranged by which
should have the opportunity of max
ing the man who had wronged me un-
derstand that his old sin had found
him out.
"It CHANGED that some days before
a gentleman who had been engaged
in looking over some houses in the
Brixton road had dropped the key OF
one of them in my carriage. 1t was
claimed that same evening and re
turned. But in the interval l had TAX
en- a molding of it, and had a dupli
cate constructed.
"By means of this / had access to al
least one spot in this great city where
1 could rely upon being free from in
/ terruption. How to get Drebber to
that house was the difficult problem
which | had now to solve.
| HE walked down the road ant
: went into one or two liquor shops
| staying for nearly half an hour in the
last of them.
) when he came out he staggered
in his walk, and was evidently pretty
we'll on. There was hanson just II
front of me and he hailed it.
. 81 followed it so close that the nost
of my horse was within yard OF hi;
{ driver the whole way.
I'VE ratified across Waterloo Bridgt
r and through miles of streets until, tt
my astonishment, we found ourselves
? back in the terrace in which he hat
l boarded.
: Il could not imagine what his inten
ton was in returning there, but wen
J, on and pulled up my cab hundrea
: yards or So from the house. He en-
| tered it and his hanson drove away
. Give me a glass of water, If yo'
I please; my mouth gets dry with tn
!, talking"
8 That's better" he said. We'll,
Y waited for a quarter of an hour o
|. more, when suddenly there came
q noise like people struggling to ente
the house. Next moment the doc
:, was flung open and two men ar