The San Francisco call., 1905-03-05

.. C-dln 41EQ 81 u y CSCSp-. t1N ffdd " ~
ed. and then making his way round to
the top of the cliff, he had endeavored
70 succeed where his comrade had
failed.
i did not take long to think about 1t,
Watson. Again l saw that grim face
look over the cliff and I knew that it
was the precursor OF another stone.
scrambled down to the path. /
don't think I could have done IL in cold
blood. 1t was a hundred times more
difficult than getting UP. But had no
time to think of the danger, for an
other stone sang past me as I hung
by my hands from the edge of the
ledge. Half way down 1 slipped. but
by the blessing OF God, / landed, torn
and bleeding. upon the path L took 10
my heels. did ten miles over the noun
tains in the darkness, and a week later,
] found myself in Florence, with the
certainty that no one in the world knew
what had become of me.
i had only one conhdant-my broth
'er,- Mycroft I owe you many apologies,
my dear Watson. but it was all-im-
portant that il should be thought L
was dead, and il is quite certain that
you would not have written 50 con-
vlncing on account Of my unhappy end
had YOU not yourself thought that it
was true. Several times during the
last three years / have taken up my
pen 10 write 10 you. but always
feared lest your affectionate regard for
ME should tempt you to some indis-
cpetion which would betrsy my secret.
For that reason I turned away from
you this evening when you upset my
books, for / was in danger at the time,
and any show Of surprise and emo
ton upon your part might have drawn
attention TO my identity and led to the
most dapIora bic and irreparable re-
suits. AS 10 Mycroft. 1 had TO con-
hde in him in order TO obtain the
money which needed. The course of
events in London cid rot run so well as
had hoped, for the trial of the Mort
srty gang left two Of its most dan
gerous members, my own most vindic-
tive enemies. at liberty. / Travelled for
two years in Tibet, therefore, and
amused myself by visiting Lhassa, and
spending some days with the head
Llama. You may have read Of the re-
marka ble explorations Of q Norwegian
named Siscrson, but 1 am sure that it
never occurred to you that you were
receiving news Of your friend. / then
passed through Persia, looked in at
Mecca. and paid short but interesting
visit 10 the Khalifa at hhartoum. the
results Of which | have communicated
to the Foreign Cffice. Returning to
France, [ spent some months in a re-
search into the coal-tar derivatives,
which l conducted in a laboratory at
Montpelier. in the South of France.
Having concluded this to my satisfac-
ton. and learning that only one OF my
enemies was now left in London, was
about TO return when my movements
were hastened by the news of this very
remarkable Park Lane mystery, which
not only appealed 10 me by its own
merits, but which seemed t. offer some
most peculiar personal opportunities.
came over at once to London, called
in my own person at Baker street,
threw Mrs. Hudson into violent hys
teTics, and found that Iycroft had
preserved my rooms ana my papers ex-
actly as they ha always been. So it
was, my dear Watson, that at O'Clock
to-day / found nysa.f IN my old arm
chair in my own old .noln, and only
wishing that ! coYll have seen roy old
friend Watson in the other chair which
he has 50 often adorned"
Such was the remarkable narrative
70 which I listened on that April even
ing-R narrative which would have
been utterly incredible to me had it
not been confirmed by the actual sight
of the tall, spare figure and the keen,
=. eager face, which / had never thought
TO see again. In some manner he had
learned Of nv own sad bereavement,
and his sympathy was shown in his
manner rather than in his words.
Work is the best antidote to sorrow,
my dear Watson" said he; and
have a piece of work for US both to-
night which, if we can bring it TO
successful conclusion, viii in itself JUS
. tify a mans life on this planet" In
= vain ] begged him to tell me more.
You Will hear and see enough before
e morning" he answered. We have
three years Of the past to discuss.
Let that suffice uhtiI half-past nine,
when We start upon the notable adven-
ture OF the emp,y house"
It was --,Csed like old times when,
at th2t hour, 1 found myself beside
him in q h-nsom, my revolver in my
pOch6lf anu the lnflI OF adventure III
my he4TL. Holmes was cold and stern
and siftut. - The gieam OF the street
lamps Hashed upon his austere feat
ures, / saw that has brows wele drawn
down IN thought and his thin lips
compit SEED ] knew not what wild
beast We were about 10 hunt down
In the dark jungle of criminal Lon
don, bUt / Was we'll assured, from the
bearing Of this master huntsman, that
the adventure was a most grave one
while The sardonic smile which occa-
. sionaliy broke through his ascetic
gloom boded little good for the object
: of our quest.
/ had imagined that We were bound
for Baloer street, but Holmes stopped
the cab at the corner of Cavendish
Square. / observed that as he stepped
out hS gave a most searching glance
10 right and left. and at every subse-
QGent street corner ne took the utmost
. pains 10 assure that he was not fol-
lowed. Cur route was certainly a sin
gular one. Holmes knowledge Of the
byways Of London was extraordinary,
and on this occasion he passed rapidly
and with assured step through a
network Of news and stables, the very
existence Of which I had never known.