The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-23

said he. "Pompey is the pride of the
local draghounds-no very great fier
as his build will show, but staunch
hound on a scent. Well. Pompey, you
may not be fast, but | expect you
will he too fast for a couple of mid
dle-aged London gentlemen so | will
take the liberty of fastening this
leather leash to your collar. Now,
boy, come along and show what you
can do He led him across to the
doctors door. The dog sniffed round
for an instant. and then with shrlll
whine of excitement started off down
the street, Juggling at his leash in his
efforts to go faster. In half an hour
we were clear of the town and hasten
ing down a country road.
What have you done, Holmes?'
/ asked.
"A threadbare and venerable device.
but useful upon occasion. | walked
into the doctors yard this morning,
and shot my syringe full of aniseed
over the hind wheel Greyhound
will follow aniseed from here to John
o. Greats, and our friend, Armstrong;
would have to drive through the Cam
before he would shake Pompey off
his trail. OH the cunning rascal!
This is how he gave me the slip the
other night"
The dog had suddenly turned out of
the main road into grass-grown lane
Half a mile farther this opened into
another broad road and the rail turned
hard to the right In the direction of the
town, which we had just quilted. The
road took sweep to the south of the
town. and continued in the opposite di-
rection to that in which we started
This detour has been entirely for
our benefit, them said Holmes. mo
wonder that my inquiries among those
villages led to nothing. The doctor
has certainly played the game for all
it is worth, and one would like to
know the reason for such elaborate
deception This should be the village
of Trumpington to the right of us.
And. by Jove! here is the brougham
coming round the corner. Quick, Wat
: son-uuick, or we are donei'
lie sprang through a gate into
field dragging the reluctant Pompey
after him. We had hardly got under
the shelter of the hedge when the
carriage ratified past. caught a
glimpse of DR.. Armstrong within, his
shoulders bowed, his head sunk on his
hands, the very image of distress. |
could tell by my companions grave
face, that he also had seen.
II fear there Is some dark ending
to our quest" said he ut cannot be
long before we know it. Come, Pom
peyi All, it is the cottage in the
fieldl''
There could be no doubt that we
had reached the end of our journey.
Pompey ran about and whined eager
ly outside the gate. where the marks
of the brougham's wheels were still
to be seen. A footpath led across to
the lonely cottage. Holmes tied the
dog to the hedge and we FASTENED
EDWARDS. My friend Knocked at the
little rustic door, and knocked again
without response. And yet the cot
tage was not deserted, for low sound
came to our ears-a kind of drone of
misery and despair, which was indie
scribably melancholy. Holmes paused
irresolute, and then he glanced back
at the road which he had just ira
versed. A brougham was coming down
IL, and there could be no installing
those grey horses.
by Jove, the doctor Is coming back!'
cried Holmes THAT settles 1t. We
are bound to see what 1t means before
he comes"
He opened the door, and we stepped
into the hall. The droning sound
swelled louder upon our ears until 1t
became one long. deep wall of dis
tress. 1t came from upstairs. Holmes
darted up. and | followed him. He
pushed open a half-closed door, and
we both stood appalled, at the sight
before us.
A woman, young and beautiful, Was
lying dead upon The bed. Her calm,
pale face, with dim. wideopened blue
eyes, looked upwards from amid
great tangle of golden hair. At the foot
of the bed. half sitting, half kneeling.
his face buried In the clothes, was a
young man. whose frame was racked
by his sobs.- So absorbed was he by
his grief that he never looked up un-
til Holmes hand was on his Shout
der.
aAre you Mr. Godfrey Staunton?'