Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-24

Church street, and very happy to see you. am sure. Maybe you collect yourself, sir. Here's British Birds and 'Catullus' and The Holy War'-a bargain, every one of them. With i've volumes you could just i'll that gap on that second shelf. It looks untidy, does it not, sir?"
 moved my head to look at the cabi- net behind me. When turned again Sherlock Holmes was standing smiling at me across my study table. rose to my feet. stared at him for some sec onds in utter amazement, and then 1t appears that I must have fainted for the first and the last time in my life. Certainly a gray mist swirled before my eyes. and when it cleared found my collar ends undone and the tingling after-taste of brandy upon my lips. Holmes was bending over my chair, his flask in his hand.
 My dear Watson" said the well re- membered voice. 'I owe you a thou sand apologies. had no idea that you WOulQ Oe SO duccteu.
 gripped him by the arms.
 "Holmesw cried. "Is 1t really you? Can 1t indeed be that you are alive? Is 1t possible that you succeeded in climb ing out of that awful abyssT'
 Wait a moment" said he. Are you sure that you are really 1t to discuss things? I have given you a serious shock by my unnecessarily dramatic reappearance."
 'T am all right. but indeed. Holmes. I can hardly believe my eyes. Good heavens. to think that you-you of all men-should he standing in my study" Again gripped him by the sleeve and felt the thin. sinewy arm beneath 1t. "well, you're not 6 spirit anyhow" said I. My dear chap. I'm overjoyed to see you. Sit down and tell me how you came alive out of that dreadful chasm."
 He sat opposite to me and lit a ciga- rette In his old nonchalant manner. He was dressed in the seedy frock coat of the book merchant but the rest of that individual lay in a pile of white hair and old books upon the table. Holmes looked even thinner and keener than of old. but there was dead white tlnge in his aqulline face which told me that his life recently had not been a healthy one
 ''I am glad to stretch myself. Wat son." said he. Tt is no joke when tall man has to take a foot on his stature for several hours on end. Now. my dear fellow. in the matter of these explanations. we have. if may ask for your cooperation. a hard and dan gerous nights work In front of us. Per haps it would be better If gave you an account of the whole situation when that work is finished"
 'T sm full of curiosity I should much prefer to hear now
 You'll come with me tonishty'
 "when you like and where you Ike"
 This is. indeed. like the old days. We shall have time for . n1oufhful of dinner before we need %. We'll. then. about that chssm- I had 10 serious di6iculty in getting out Of fl for the very simple reason that I never was in ft-
 You never were in itT
 'yo. Watson. I never WAS in it- My note to you was absolutely genuine. I had little doubt thaf had come to the end of ny ca.eer when I perceived the somewhat sinister 1eure of the late ProNeesor Mcefarty standine upon the narrvw pathway whsch Bed to safefy- I rcd an inexorabse purpose in his nay eyes. I exchaneed some remsrks wfth him therefore. and obtained his coutesus permission to wrfte the sborf nsfe vaSch yos sfservsrd revived [ Defs k vl<1 ny dg1refse bsx aDd ny st1rk ssd I varke1 sIne the pashvay. nGoH1uov ouD e ny h111k V1D [