The Washington times., 1905-05-28

was able at last to persuade my COM
| ~anion TO take my advice, though I
knew from his excited manner that
there was not much hope of sleep for
him.. Indeed, his mood was infectious.
for lay tossing half the night myself,
brooding over this strange problem. and
inventing q hundred theories, each OF
which was more impossible than the
last. Why had Holmes remained at
Woking? why had he asked Miss Har-
rison to remain In the sick room all
day? Why had he been so careful not
! to inform the people at Briarbrae that
he intended to remain near them? 1
cudgeled my brains until I fell asleep
in the endeaVor TO find some explanation
which would cover all these facts.
1t was o clock when / awoke, and l
set off at once for Phelps room, TO find
him haggard and spent after q sleeplesS
night. His firsc question was whether
Holmes had arrived yet.
He'll be here when he promised"
said I, ''and not an instant sooner or
| iategr
And my words were true. for shortly
| after S a hanson dashed up TO the door
and our friend got out of it. Standing
| In the window we saw that his left hand
was swathed in a bandage and that his
face was very grim and pale. He en-
tered the house. but IL was some little
time before he came upstairs.
] He looks like p beaten man." cried
/ Phelps
| I was forced to confess that he was
right. After ALL" said I. the clue of
the matter lies probably here in town. I"
| Phelps gave a groan.
Il don't know how 1t is" said he. but
had hoped for so much from his re-
| 1T
up like that yesterday. What can be
| the matter?'
You are not wounded, Holmes?" ]
Iasked. as my friend entered the room.
Tut. it is only a scratch through my
| own clunsiness." ne answered. nodding
| his good-ruornings to US. This case of
yours. Mr.. Phelps, is certainly one Of
the darkest which : have ever investi-
Igated."
at feared that you would find it beyond
| you"
at has been a most remarkable ex-
| perience"
''That bandags tells of adventures. .
said L Wont you tell us what has
| happened?"
after breakfast. my dear Watson.
Reuember that I have breathed thirty
miles of Surrey air this morning /
suppose that there has been no answer
from my cabman advertisement? Well,
well, we cannot expect tc score every
| time"
The table was all laid. and just as I
was about to ring Mrs. Hudson entered
with the tea and coffee. A few minutes
later she brought In three covers, and
we all drew up to the table. Holmes
ravenous, I curious. Phelps in the
gloomiest state OF depression.
Mrs. Hudson has risen to the occa-
sion" said Holmes. uncovering a dish
OF curried chicken. Her cuisine is a
little limited, but she has as good an
idea of breakfast as a Scotchwoman.
What have you there, Wstson?''
Ham and eggs I answered.
Good! What are you going to take
Mr.. Phelps-curried fowl Or eggs. or will
you help yourself?''
THANK you. I can eat nothing said
Phelps.
/ Thank you, would really rather
not"
well. them said Holmes, with a
mischevious twinkle, ~ suppose that
you have no objection TO helping me?'
Phelps raised the cover. and as he did
so he uttered q scream, and sat there
staring with Il face as white as the
plate upon which he looked. Across the
center Of it was lying a little cylinder OF
blue-gray paper. He caught it up. de-
youred it with his eyes. and then danced
nadIy about the room. pressing it TO his
bosom and shrieking out in his delight
Then he fell back into an armchair sc
limp and exhausted with his own emo
tions that we had TO pour brandy down
his throat TO keep him from fainting.
| aarrtattzi fhaFpP' said Holmes Snif IL
! ingly. patting him upon the shoulder
ut was too bad to spring it on you like
this, but Watson here will tell you thai