Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-03

do not wish TO have anything TO do
either with him or with his agents.
No, sir-not another word" lie rang
gentlemen out" A poinpous butler
ushcrcd MS severely TO the door, and
we found ourselves in the street
Holmes burst out laughing.
DIR Leslie Armstrong il certainly n
man Of energy and character" said he.
II have not seen a man who. If he
turns his talents that way. was more
calculated TO fill the gap left by the
illustrious Moriarty. And now, my
poor Watson, here we nrc. stranded
and friendlcss i'm this inhospitable
town, which we cannot leave without
abandoning our case. This little inn
just opposite Armstrong; house Is
slngularly adapted to our needs. IF
you would engage front room and
purchase the ncccssarcs for the night.
may have time to make few in
quirics"
These few inquiries proved, however,
to be a moro lengthy proceeding than
Holmes had imagined, for he did not
return to the inn until nearly Q o'clock.
ilc was pale and detected, stained with
dust. and exhausted with hunger and
fatigue. A cold supper was ready up
OH the table, and when his needs were
satisfied and his pipe alight he was
ready to fake that half comic and
wholly philosophic view which was
Natural to him when his affairs were
going awty. The sound Of carriage
wheels caused him to rise and glance
out of the window. y brougham and
pair of ..rays stood before the doctor
door,
IFS been out three hours" said
Holmes. started at ESQ. and here it
ten or twelve miles, and he does it
once or sometimes twice a day"
no unusual thing for u doctor in
practice"
"l'ut Armstrong is not really doc
tor in practice He is a lecturer and
n consu.tant. but he does not care for
general practice, which abstracts him
from his literary work. Why. then,
does lie make these long journeys,
which must be exceedingly rksomc to
him. and who is it that he visits!"
His coachman"-
"My dear Watson. can you doubt
that it was to him that first applied
] do not know whether it came from
his own innate depravity or from the
promptings of his master. but he was
rude enough to set a dog at me. Nei
ther dog nor man liked the look of my
stick. however. and the matter fel
through. All that have learned
got from a friendly native in the
yard of our own inn. 1t was he who
told me of the doctors habits and OF
his daily journey. At that instant, tC
give point to his words. the carrag,
came round to the door"
Gould you not follow it:'
"Excellent. Watson. You are scin
tillnting this evening. Tho idea di,
cross my mind. There is, as you ma.
have observed. bicycle shop next t
our inn. Into this rushed. engaged
bicycle and was able to get started be
fore the carriage was quite out o
sight. rapidly overlook it, and thcr
keeping at Il discreet distance of hur
drcd yards or so. followed its light
until we were clear of the town. w
, had got we'll out on the country roa'
when Il somewhat Notifying nciden
occurred. The carriage stopped, tn
doctor alightcd. walked swiftly hack +
where had halted and told mo in al
excellent sardonic fashion that he fear
r | Al, "a
: hoped his carriage did not impede tn
, passage Of my bicycle. Nothing coul
have been more admirable than hi
way of putting it. ut once rode pas
, the carriage. and. keeping to the mai
road, | went on for n few miles an
, then halted in Il convenient place
' see if the carriage passed. There wa
r no sign of il, however, and SO it b'
= came evident that 1t had turned dow
9 one of several side roads which / ha
, observed. ] rode back. but again sa'
nothing of the carriage, and now. i
you perceive it has returned after M
OF course ! had at the outset no pa
ticular reason to connect these jOu
. neys with the disappearance Of Coo
Trey Nti uIltOll anu WIS Oill. iii'liii'
Q to investigate them on the gcner;
( grounds that. everything which col
Germs DR.. Armstrong is at present
S interest to us. but now that | iind Il
keeps so keen Il lookout upon any on
who may follow him on these cNcu
i sions the affair appears more impo
tant, and shall not be satisfied unit
@ l have made the matter clear"
G Eve can follow him tomorrow"
n "Can We? 1t is not 50 easy as 20
s seem to think. You are not famiIia
with Cambridgeshire. are You: II doe
v not lend itself to concealmcnt All tn
!. country that passed over tonight is
fiat as the palm of your hand. and tn
man we are following is 10 fool, as Il
:. very clearly showed tonight. nav
wired to OvertOn TO let us know an
fresh London developments at this az
" dress, and In the meantime we can onl
concentrate our attention upon -
Armstrong, whose name the oDllgill
young lady at the office allowed me
y read upon the counterfeit of Staunton
- urgent message. He knows where u
n young man is-to that I'll swear-af
l. If he knows, then il must he our oW
l. fault if we cannot manage 10 Kuo
Il also. At present it must he admittf
" that the odd trick Is in his posseSslo
and. as you are aware, watson, II
~ NOT my hnhit 10 leave the gImc in tn,