Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-05-26
CHAPTER x.
THE END OF TIE ISLANDER.

Our meal was n merry one. Holmes
could talk exceedingly we'll when he
chose, and that night he did choose.
He appeared'to be in state of nerv-
Gus exaltation / have never known
him so brilliant. He spoke on quick
succession of subjects,-on miracle
plays, on medieval pottery, on Stradi-
varius violins, on the Buddhism Of Ccy-
lon, and on the warships of the flu
ture-handling each as though he had
made a special study Of it. His bright
humor marked the reaction from his
black depression of the preceding days.
Athelney Jones proved to be sociable
soul in his hours Of relaxation, and
faced his dinner with the air of bon
vivant. For myself. I felt clated at
the thought that we were nearing the
end of our task, and | caught some
thing Of Holmes gayety. None of us
alluded during dinner to the cause
which had brought us together.
When the cloth was cleared Holmes
glanced at his watch and filed up
three glasses with port lone
bumper" said he, ito the success of
our little expedition. And now it is
high time we were off. Have you
pistol, Watson"
~ have my old service revolver in
my desk"
you had best take it, then. 1t is
we'll to be prepared. l see the cab is
at the door. ordered it for half past
six"
1t was a little past seven before we
reached the Westminster wharf and
found our launch awaiting US. Holmes
eyed it critically.
us there anything TO mark it as .
police boat?"
"Yes-that green lamp At the side"
''Then take it off,"
The small change was made, we
stepped on board, and the ror~s were
the stern. There was one man at the
rudder, one to tend the engines, and
two burly police inspectors forward
where TOP" asked Jones.
'To the tower. Tell them TO stop
opposite to Jacobson's yard"
Our craft was evidently a very fast
one. We shot past the long lines Of
loaded barges as though they were sta
tionary. Holmes smiled with satisfac.
ton as we overhauled a river steam.
er and left her behind U.S.
1--WE ought to be able TO catch any.
thing on the river" he said.
"Weu, hardly that. But there are
not many launches to beat u.s."
1--WE shall have to catch the Aurora,
and she has name for being clipper.
will tell you how the land lies, Wat
son. You recollect how annoyed was
at being baked by so small thing?"
Eyes"
"Well. gave my mind thorough
rest by plung:ng into chemical
analysis. One Of our greatest states
men has said that a change of work is
the best rest. So il is. When had
succeeded in dissolving the hydrocar-
bon which ! was at work at, ! came
back TO our problem of the Sholtos, and
thought the whole matter out again.
My boys had been up the
river and down the river without
result. The launch was not at
any landing stage or wharf, nor had it
returned. Yet it could hardly have
been scuttlcd to hide their traces
though that always remained as pos
sible hypothesis il all else failed |
knew that this man Small had a GER
tain degree of low cunning, but / did
not think him capable of anything in
the nature Of delicate finesse. That is
usually product of higher education.
| then reflected that since he had GER
tainly been in London some time--as
we had evidence that he maintained a
continual watch over Pondicherry
lodge-he could hardly leave at n mo-
ment's notice, but would need some
little time, il il were only day, to
arrange his affairs. That was the bal
ance of proba bility, at any rate"
1T seems to me to be little weak"
said |. st is more probable that he
had arranged his affairs before ever he
set out upon his expedition"
mo, hardly think so. This lair of
his would be too valuab BILE retreat in
case of need for him TO give it up until
he was sure that he could do without
it. But q second consideration struck
me- Jonathan Small must have felt
that the peculiar appearance OF his
companion, however much he may
have top-coated him, would give rise
to gossip, and possibly be associated
with this Norwood tragedy. He was
quite sharp enough to see that. They
had started from their headquarters