The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-05

not like to leave my mother, on which he suggested that I should go home to her on every weekend, and he offered me a hundred a year. which was certainly splendid pay So iaf ended by my accepting, and I went down to Chiltern Grange, about six miles from Farnham. MT. Carruth- CTS was a widower, but he had en- gagged a lady housekeper. avery re- spectacle, elderly person, called Mrs. Dixon, to look after his establish ment. The child was a dear. and everything promised well. MT. Car ruthers was very kind and very mus ical, and we had most pleasant even ings together. Every weekend I went home to my mother in town.
 "The first flaw in my happiness was the arrival of the red-moustached Mir. Woodley. He came for visit oi week, and oh! it seemed three months to me. He was a dreadful persona bully to everyone else, but to me something infinitely worse. He made odious love to me- boasted of his wealth, said that if married him I could have the finest diamonds in London and finally when I would have nothing to do with him, he seized me in his arms one day after dinner-he was hideously strong-and swore that he would not let me go until I had kissed him. MT. Carruth- CTS came in and tore him from me, on which he tured upon his own host, knocking him down and cutting his face open. That was the end of his visit, as you can imagne. MT Car ruthers apologized to me next day, and assured me tha1 I should never be exposed to such an insult again. I have not seen MT. Woodley since
 And now, Mir Holmes, I come at last to the special thing which has caused me to ask your advice today. You must know that every Saturday forenoon I ride on my bicycle to Farnham Station, in order to get the 1922 to town. The road from Chill ton Grange is' a lonely one, and at one spot it is particularly so. for it lies for over mile between Charling- ton Heath upon one side and the woods which lie round Charlington Hall upon the other. You could not find a more lonely tract of road any where, and it is quite rare to meet so much as a cart. or peasant. until you reach the high road near Crooks bury Hill. Two weeks ago I was passing this place, when I chanced to look back over my shoulder, and about two hundred yards behind me I saw a man, also on a bicycle. He seemed to be a mddle-aged man, with a short. dark beard. l looked back before I reached Farnham, but ; the man was gone, so 1 thought no more about it. But you can imagine how surprised I was, MT. Holmes, when, on my return on the Monday, saw the same man on the same stretch of road My astonishment was fhA fnn 6araf snd again. exactly as before, on the fol- lowing Saturday and Monday. He all ways kept his distance and did not molest me in any way, but still 1t certainly was very odd. Tmentioned ? it to MT. Carruthers, who seemed in- terested in what I said. and told me that he had ordered horse, and trap, so that in future l should, not pass over these lonely roads without some companion.
 The horse and trap were to have come this week, but for some reason they were not delivered. and again I had to cycle to the station. That was this morning You can think that I loked out when I came to Charling- ton Heath, and there, sure enough. ! was the man. exactly as he had been the two weeks before. He always ] kept so far from me that I could not clearly see his face, but 1t was certainly someone whom I did not know. He was dressed in a dark suit with a cloth cap The only thing about his face that I could clearly see was his dark beard. Today I was not alarmed but I was filled with curiosity, and I determined to find |. out who he was and what he wanted. I slowed down my machine, but he slowed down his. Then I stopped al- together, but he stopped also. Then I laid a trap for him. There is a sharp turning of the road. and I ped dled very quickly round this, and then I stopped and waited. I expect ed him to shoot round and pass me before he could stop. But he never appeared. Then I went back and looked round the corner. I could see a mile of road. but he was not on it. To make it the more extraordinary, there was no side road at this point down which he could have gone.'
 Holmes chuckled and rubbed his hands This case certainly presents some features of its own said he. "How much time elapsed between ] your turning the corner and your dis covery that the road was clear?"
 Two or three minutes"
 "Then he could not have retreated down the road. and you say that there are no side roads?"
 None"
 "Then he certainly took a footpath on one side or the other"
 ''It could not have been on the side of the heath, or I should have seen him.
 "So. by the process of exclusion. we arrive at the fact that he made his way toward Charlington Hall. which. as I understand, is situated in it's own grounds on one side of the road' Anything else?"
 Nothing. MT. Holmes. save that I was so perplexed that I felt that I should not be happy until I had seen you and had your advice"
 Holmes sat in silence for some little time
 where is the gentleman to whom you are engaged?' he asked at last.
 "He Is in the Midland Electrical Company at Coventry"
 ''He would not pay you surprise visit?"
 "Oh, MT Holmes As if I should not know himi
 Have you had any other admir- ers?'
 Several before I knew Cyril.''
 And since?''
 ''There was this dreadful man, Woodley, if you call him an ad- mirer."
 NO one else?"
 Our fair client seemde l.ttie con- fused.
 'sWho was hep asked Holmes.
 "Oh, it may be a mere fancy of mine; but it had seemed to me some- times that my employer. MT. Car ruthers, takes a great deal of interest in me We are thrown rather to-