Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-24

tween the puffs of his cigarette.
 But the tracks," I cried. T saw with my own eyes that two went down the path and none returned"
 Tt came about in this way. The in- stant that the professor had disap- peared 1t struck me what really ex- traordinarily lucky chance fate had placed in my way. knew that Mori- arty was not the only man who had sworn my death. There were at least three others whose desire for verge- ance upon me would only be increased by the death of their leader. They were all most dangerous men. One or other would certainly get me. On the other hand, if all the world was convinced that was dead they would take liber ties, these men; they would soon lay themselves open, and sooner or later could destroy them. Then 1t would be time for me to announce that I was still in the land of the living. Sc rapid ly does the brain act that I believe I had thought this all out before Profess or Moriarty had reached the bottom of the Reichenbach fall. .
 'T stood up and examined the rocky wall behind me. In your picturesque account of the matter, which I read with great interest some months later, you assert that the wall was sheer. That was not literally true. A few ,v.,u hoias rrr1auxoN <hauu u~oly>~ and there was some indication of a ledge. The cliff is so high that to climb 1t all was an obvious impossibillty, and 1t was equally impossible to make my way along the wet path without leaving some tracks. I might. 1t is true, have reversed my boots, as have done on similar occasions. but the sight of three sets of tracks In one direction would certainly have suggested de- ception. On the whole, then. 1t was best that I should risk the climb. It was not a pleasant business. Watson. The fall roared beneath me. I am not fanciful person. but I give you my word that I seemed to hear Moriarty's voice screaming at me out of the abyss. A mistake would have been fatal. More than once as tufts of grass came out in my hand or my foot slipped h the wet notches of the rock thought that I was gone. But I struggled up- ward. and at last I reached a ledge several feet deep and covered with soft green moss. where I could lie un- seen in the most perfect comfort. There wes stretched when you. my dear Watson. and all your following were investigating In the most sympathetic and inefficient manner the cirrum- stances of my death.
 At last. when you had all formed your inevitable and totally erroneous conclusions. you departed for the hotel. and was left alone hsd imagined that I had reached the end of my ad- ventures. but 6 very unexpected occur renee showed me that there were sur prises still in store for me. A huge rock. sailing from above. hoomed past me. struck the path and bounded over AuNO ttt< ftlu~li VI Sn tn-tant thought thst fl was an accident. but . moment lster. looking ur. saw s mans head against the darkening sky. and another stone struck the very Iedee upon which I was stretched within . foot of my head Of course the meaning of this vas obvious. No riarsy had not been alone. A co1feder sse-apd even that one giance had told me how danzerous . man that coof-i- eFafe wns-hsd kept guard while the professor had attacked me. From . distasce. unseen hy nc. he had ben . wifDees of his frsends death and os ny esrsre- He had waited snd tben- mskfne hss wsy srosnd to the tap cf she cifR- he had endesvgre1 fo sscceed wber~ hfs c>ursde hoa fhi,e1
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