The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-05


hundr d
of private cases, some Of them of
the most intricate and extraordinary
character, in which he played a prom
inent part Many startling successes
and few unavoidable failures
were the outcome of this long
period of continuous work. AS
have preserved very full notes of
all these cases, and was myself
personally engaged in many or
them, it may be imagined that it is
no easy task to know which | should
select to lay before the public.
shall, however, preserve my former
rule, and give the preference to those
cases which derive their interest not
~ much from the brutality of the
lyae as from the ingenuity and
dramatic quality of the solution. For
his reason l will now lay before the
The facts connected with Miss
W.r smith, the solitary cyclist Of
H.artt yton, and the curious sequel OF
4 estigation, which eliminated
i# aues oected tragedy. 1t is true that
ciccumstance did not admit of
.uy liking illustration of those
powers for which my friend was
faualS. but there were some points
about ne case which made it stand
Qua IN hose long records of crime
frur- ~5 ich / gather the material for
these Ajtle narratives.
OH erring to my note book for
sthe SOD 1895, find that il was upon
/ saturday the 23rd of April, that we
I first aaard of Miss Violet Smith. Her
vis, wae. | remember, extremely un-
welcome to Holmes, for he was inn
r7ereal t the moment in very abb
. strusc and complicated problem con-
egsuiag he peculiar persecution to
aioh John Vincent Harden, the
vetl- Known tobacco millionaire had
gcg oubiacted. My friend, who loved
a91ve a} things precision and con-
eeuaIatiae of thought, resented any
taag va ch distracted his attention
rra'n " matter in hand. And yet,
E,t.sJl harshness which was for
e.a. 10 MS nature, it was impossible
H. refuse to listen to the story of
taa la1 and beautiful woman, tall,
ars nd queenly. who presented
hare Baker street late in the
-s .u9 nd implored his assistance
.s.a advice 1t was vain to urge that
Bass inc as already fully occupied,
fat the ung lady had comeH with
.e determination to tell her story,
and it was evident that nothing short
of force could get her out of the room
until she had done so. With re-
signed air and a somewhat weary
smile, Holmes begged the beautiful
form us what it was that was troub-
ling her.
"At least it cannot be your health,
said he, Us his keen eyes darted over
her; $50 ardent a bicyclist must be
full of energy"
She glanced down in surprise at
her own feet, and ] observed the
slight roughening of the side of the
sole caused by the friction of the
edge of the pedal.
Yes, 1 bicycle a good deal, Mr..
Holmes, and that has something to-.
do with my visit to you today"
My friend took the lady's ungloved
hand, and examined it with as close
an attention and as little sentiment as
scientist would show to specimen.
You will excuse me, / am sure.
dropped it. Il nearly fell into the
error of supposing that you were
typewriting. f course it is obvious
that 1T is music. You observe the
spaJuiate finger-ends, Watson, which
is common to both professions? There
is d spirituality about the face, how
ever'-she gently turned it towards
not generate. This lady is musi-
cian.'
yes, Mr.. Holmes, l teach music.
I'm the country, 1 presume, from
your complexion"
yes, sir, near Farnham, on the
borders of Surrey"
"A beautiful neighborhood, and ,
full of the most interesting associa-
tions. You remember Watson, that
it was near there that we took Archie
Stamford, the forger Now, Miss
Violet, what has happened to you.
near Farnham, on the borders of
Surrey?"
The young lady, with great clear
ness and composure, made the fol-
lowing curious statement:
My father is dead, Mr.. Holmes He
was James Smith, who conducted the
orchestra at the old Imperial Theatre.
My mother and / were left without
relation in the world except one
uncle, Ralph Smith, who went to
Africa twenty-five years ago, and We
have never had a word from him
since. When father died we were left
very poor, but one day we were told
that there was an advertisement in
the Times, inquiring for our where
abouts. You can imagine how ex-
cited we were, for we thought that
some one had left us a fortune. EYe
went at once to the lawyer whose
name was given in the paper. There
we met two gentlemen, Mr.. Car
ruthers and Mr.. Woodley, who were
home on visit from South Africa. |
They said that my uncle was a friend
of theirs, that he had died some
months before in praat Tovnytv in