The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-10-31
A STUDY IN SCARLET
= = =
BY A. CONAN DOYLE.

1 Cumberland, over on the other side
of the river. When once found them
out l knew that | had them at my
mercy.
81 had grown my beard, and there
was no chance of their recognizing
me.
Il would dog them and follow them
until saw my opportunity. | was de.
termined that they should not escape
me again.
Sometimes | followed them on my
cab, and sometimes on foot, but the
former was the best, for then they
could not get away from me.
1T was only early in the morning
or late at night that 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.
Il watched them late and early, but
never saw the ghost of chance; but
l 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 a 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 saw a cab drive up to their
door.
Presently some luggage was
brought out, and after time Drebber
and Stangerson followed 1t and drove
off. l whipped up my horse and kept
within sight Of them, feeling i'll at
ease, for l feared that they were go
ing to shift their quarters.
"At Euston station they got out, and
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. l 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 a
delicate one, and that he must go
alone.
Il 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 1t 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 had wait
ed so long had at last come. had
my enemies within my power. To-
gether they could protect each other,
but singly they were at my mercy. |
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 MIN, 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 chanced 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 had TAX
en- a molding Of it, and had dupli-
cate constructed.
by means of this had access to at
least one spot in this great city where
could rely upon being free from in
terruption. How to get Drebber to
that house was the difficult problem
which l had now to solve.
HE walked down the road and
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 a hanson just in
front of me and he hailed it.
81 followed it so close that the nose
of my horse was within yard of his
driver the whole way.
I'VE ratified across Waterloo Bridge
and through miles of streets until, to
my astonishment, We found ourselves
back in the terrace in which he had
boarded.
81 could not imagine what his inten-
tion was in returning there, but went
on and pulled up my cab a hundred
yards or so from the house. He en-
tered 1t and his hanson drove away.
Give me glass of water, if you
please; my mouth gets dry with the
talking"
That's better" he said. We'll, l
W HdlICd III q 4udiNSi VI uu hOuA VI
more, when suddenly there came a
noise like people struggling to enter
the house. Next moment the door
was flung open and two men ap-
peared, one of whom was Drebber and
the other was young chap whom
had never seen before.
This fellow had Drebber by the
collar, and when they came to the
head of the steps he gave him a shove
and kick which sent him half across
the road.
"You houndl' he cried, shaking his
stick at him. I'll teach you to Insult
an honest girl!'
He was so hot that 1 think he
would have thrashed Drebber with his
eudgel, only that the cur staggered
away down the road as fast as his
legs would carry him. He ran as far
as the corner, and then, seeing my
cab, he hailed me and jumped in.
Drive me to Halliday's private
hotel said be.
when / had him fairly inside my
cab my heart jumped so with Joy that
7