Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-07-16

| No. MeMurdo? You surprise me, I
| told my brother last night that I
| should bring some friends"
lie haint been out o. his room to-
| day. MIR Thaddeus. and have no or
| ders You know very well that | must
! stick TO regulations. can let Won in
| but your friends they must Just stop
| where they are"
This was an une expected obstacle.
| Thaddeus Sholto looked about him in
! perplexed and helpless manner.
This is too bad of you, McMurdol' he
said. IF j guarantee them, that is
enough for you. There is the young
lady, too. She cannot wait on the pub
| lie road at this hour"
| Very sorry, Mr.. Thaddeus," said the
| porter, inexorably. Folk NAV be
| friends o yours, and yet no friends o.
| the masters. He pays me well to do
my duty, and my duty I'll do | don't
know none O. your friends
/ oh, yes, you do, McMurdo," cried
| Sherlock Holmes, genially. Il don't
think you can have forgotten me.
, Don't you remember the amateur who
| fought three rounds with you at Ali
sons rooms on the night of your bene-
fit four wears back?'
1 Not Mr.. Sherlock Holiness" roared
the prize fighter. Gods truth how
could | have mistook your If instead
O. standin' there so quiet you had lust
stepped up and given me that cross hit
of yours under the jaw, I'd ha' known
l you without question. All, you're
one that has wasted your gifts, you
havel You might have aimed high, il
| you had joined the fancy"
/ You see, Watson, if all else fails me
have still one of the scientific profess
sions open to me-" said Holmes, laugh
ing Our friend won't keep us out in
the cold now, am sure
| In you come, sir, in you come-you
and your friends" he answered very
sorry, Mr.. Thaddeus, but orders are
very strict. Had to be certain of your
friends before let them in"
Inside, gravel path wound through
desolate grounds to a huge clump of a
house, square and prosaic, all plunged
In shadow save where a moonbeam
struck one corner and glimmered in
garnet window. The vast size of the
building, with its gloom and its deathlv
silence, struck chill to the heart.
Even Thaddeus Sholto seemed i'll at
ease, and the lantern quivered and rat
tied in his hand.
Il cannot understand it." he said.
There must be some mistake. dis
tinctly told Bartholomew that we
should be here, and yet there is no
light in his window. l do not know
what TO make of it.
docs he always guard the premises
In this way?" asked Holmes
Yes; he has followed my fathers
custom. He was the favorite son. You
know, and metimes think that nv
father may have told him more than
he ever told me. That is Barthol-
omew's window up there where the
moonshine strikes 1t is quite bright,
but there is no light from within, 1
think"
None" said Holmes. But I see
the CLINT of a light in that little win
dow beside the door"
"Ah, that is the houselxeeper's room.
That is where old Mrs. Bernstone sits.
She can tell us ali about il. But per
haps you would not mind waiting here
for minute or two, for if we all 90 in
together, and she has no word of our
coming, she may be alarmed But
hushl What is that?"
| He held up the lantern, and his hand
shook until the circles of light flicllered
and wavered all round us. Miss Nor
stan seized my wrist, and we all stood
with humping hearts, straining our
ears. From the great black house there
sounded through the silent night the
saddest and most pitiful of sounds
the shrill, broken whimpering of a
frightened woman
| ut is Mrs. Bernstone," said Sholto.
"She is the only woman IN the house.
Wait here. | shall be back in a mo-
ment." He hurried for the door, and
knocked in his peculiar way. We
could see a tall old woman admit him
and sway with pleasure at the very
sight of him.
"Oh, Mr.. Thaddeus, sir, am so glad
you have comet | am so glad YOU
have come, Mr.. Thaddeus, sirr We
heard her reiterated rejoicings until
the door was closed and her voice died
away into muflied monotone.
| Our guide had left us the lantern.
Holmes swung it slowly round, and
peered keenly at the house, and at the
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