The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-16
Adventure
 of The Golden Pince -Nez By 4. CONAN DOYLE.


 motives are, or what exact part you play in this strange business, am not vet able to say In a few minutes I shall probably hear 1t from your own lips Meanwhile I will reconstruct what is past for your benefit, so that you may know the information which l still require.
 "A lady yesterday entered your study. She came with the intention of possessing herself of certain docu- ments which were in your bureau. She had a key of her own. I have had an opportunity of examining yours, and do not find that slight discoloration which the scratch made upon the var nish would have produced. You were not an accessory, therefore, and she came so far as l can read the evi- dence. without your knowledge to rob you.''
 The professor blew a cloud from his lips. This Is most interesting and instructive" said he. Have you no more to add? Surely. having traced this lady so far, you scan also say what has become of her"
 "I will endeavor to do so. In the first place she was seized by your secretary, and stabbed him in order to escape. This catastrophe I am in- clined to regard as an unhappy incl dent. for l anu convinced that the lady had no intention of infiicting so gi-iev- ous an injury. An assassin does not come unarme | Mortified by what she had done, she rushed wildly away from the scene of the tragedy. Un- fortunately for her. she had lost her glasses in the fscuffle. and as she was extremely short-sighted she was really helpless without them. She ran down a corridor which she imagined to be that by which she had come-both were lined with cocoanut mating and 1t was only when it was too late that shc understood that she had taken the wrong passage, and that her retreat was cut off behind her. What was she to do? She could not go back. She could not remain where she was. Sfe must go on. She went on. She mounted a stair. pushed open door, and found herself in your room.'
 The old man sat with his mouth open, staring wildly at Holmes. Amazernent and fear were stamped upon his expressive features. Now, with an effort he shrugged his shoul- ders and burst into insincere laugh ter.
 'All very fine. Mir Holmes" said he. But there is one little flaw in your
 
 room, and l never left 1t during the day."
 T am aware of that, Professor Co., ram"
 And you mean to say that I could lie upon that bed and not be aware that woman had entered my room ?'' '1 never said so. You were aware of it. You spoke with her You rec ognized her. You aided her to es- cape"
 Again the professor burst into high keyed laughter He had risen to his feet, and his eyes glowed like em- bers
 You are mad!' he cried. You are talking insanely. I helped her to es- cape? Where is she now?"
 She is there," said Holmes and he pointed to a high bookcase in the cor ner of the room.
 saw the old man throw up his arms. terrible convulsion passed over his grim face. and he fell back in his chair. At the same instant the book casce at which Holmes pointed swung round upon hinge. and a woman rushed out into the room. You are rightn she cried, in a strange, for eign voice. You are right I am here' She was brown with the dust, and draped with the cobwebs, which had come from the walls of her hiding place. Her face. too, was streaked with grime, and at the best she could never have been handsome, for she had the exact physical characteristics which Holmes had divined, with. in addition. a long and obstinate chin. What with her natural blindness, and what with the change from dark to light, she stood as one dazed, blink ing about her to see where and who we were. And yet, in spite of all these disadvantages, there was a certain nobility in the woman's bearing-a gall lantry in the defiant chin and in the upraised head which compelled some- thing of respect and admiration.
 Stanley Hopkins had laid his hand upon her arm and claimed her as his prisoner. but she waved him aside gently, and yet with an overmastering dignity which compelled obedience. The old man lay back in his chair with a twitching face. and stared at her with breeding eyes. 'Yes, sir 1 am your prisoner" she said From where I stood I could hear everything, and I know that you have learned the truth. l. confess 1t all. It was I who killed the young man. But you are right-you who say
 
 know that it was a knife which I held in my hand, for in my despair I snatched anything from the table and struck at him to make him let me go. It is the truth that tell"
 Madam said Holmes, T am sure that it Is the truth. I fear that you are far from well.'
 She had turned a dreadful color. the more ghastly under the dark dust
 
 herself on the side of the bed; then she resumed.
 q have only g. little time here,' she said. but would have you to know the whole truth. I am this mans wife. He is not an Englishman. He is Russian. His name I will not tell"
 For the first time the old man stirred. God bless you, Anna" he cried God bless you"'
 She cast look of the deepest dis dain In his direction. Why should you cling so hard to that wretched life of yours. Sergius?" said she. ''It has done harm to many. and good to none-not even to yourself. However, 1t Is not for me to cause the frail thread to be snapped before Gods time I have enough already upon my soul since I crossed the threshold of this cursed house. But l must speak or shall be too late.
 "I have said. gentlemen, that I am this mans wife He was fifty and a foolish girl of twenty when we mar ried. It was in a city of Russia university-I will not name the place. God bless you, Anna" murmured the old man again.
 I've were reformers-revolution -nihilists you understand. He and and many more. Then there came a time of trouble. police officer was killed many were arrested evidence was wanted. and in order to save his own life and to earn a great reward.