The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-10

ing9 There is something which I don 7
understand in this matter. If ever q
man was three parts mad with terror
that man Is name is Primer. What car
have put the shivers on him?'
"He suspects that we are detec'
tives, suggested.
"That' IS it, cried Pycroft.
Holmes shook his head. He die
not turn pale. He was pale when We
entered the ROOM said he. sit is
Just possible that
His words were interrupted by 8
sharp rat-tat from the direction of the
inner door.
"What the deuce is he knocking at
his own door for?' cried the clerk.
Again and much louder came the rat
tat-tat. We all gazed. expectantly Al
the closed door. CHANGING at Holmes, ]
saw his face turn rigid, and he leaned
forward in intense excitement Then
suddenly came low juggling, gargling
sound, and brisk drumming upon
woodwork. Holmes sprang frantically
across the room and pushed at the door
It was fastened on the inner side. Fol,
lowing his example, we threw ourselves
upon it with all our weight. One hinge
snapped, then the other, and down came
the door with a crash. Rushing over 1t
we found ourselves in the inner room
1t was empty. ,-
But it was only for moment that we
were at fault. At one corner, the cor.
ner nearest the room which we HAD
left, there was a second door. Holmes
sprang to it and pulled it open. A coat
and waistcoat were lying on the floor
and from hook behind the door, with
his own braces round his neck, was
hanging the managing director Of the
Franco Midland Hardware Company
His knees were drawn up, his heaG
hung at dreadful angle to his body
and the clatter Of his heels against the
door made the noise which had broker
had caught him round the waist, anc
held him up while Holmes and Pycroft
united the elastic bands which had dis
appeared between the livid creases OF
skin Then we carried him into The
other room, where he lay with clay
colored face, putting his purple lips II
and out with every breath-a dreadful
wreck of all that he had been but five
minutes before.
"What do you think Of him, Wat
son?' asked Holmes.
I stopped over him and examined
him. His pulse was feeble and inter
mittent, but his breathing grew longer
and there was little shivering of hi
eyelids, which showed thin white sill
of ball beneath.
1FIt has been touch and go will
him. said I, ''but he I'll live now. Jus
open that window, and hand me tn
water carafe.' I undid his collar
poured the cold water over his face, an
raised and sank his arms until he drew
long, natural breath. It's only
| Of |
turned away from him.
Holmes stood, by the table, with hi
and his chin upon his breast.
suppose we ought to call the pc
lice in now,' said he. "And vet
confess that I'd like to give them
complete case when they Gomez
Its a blessed mystery to me,
cried Pycroft, scratching his heac
"Whatever they wanted to bring m
all the way up here for, and them
"Pooh! All that is clear enough
said Holmes, impatiently. cit is thi
last sudden move. s-.. ST.. .a..
"You understand the rest, then?'
"I think that it is fairly obvious
| What do you say, Watson?'
/ I shrugged my shoulders. OF mus
confess that I am out of my depths,
said l. r..s...
"Oh, surely, if you consider tn
events at first they can only point t
one conclusion ~ g..
ttWhat do you make of them7'
/ Well, the whole thing hinges upo
two points The first is the making G
I Pycroft write declaration by whic
he entered the service of this prepo!
ferrous company. Do you not see no.
l very suggestive that is9'
u am afraid I miss the point. -
/ Well why did they want him to
it? Not as business matter, for thes
arrangements are usually verbal, an
there was no earthly business reaso
why this should be an exception. Don
you see, my young friend, that the
men of your handwriting, and had n
other way Of doing it?''
And why?''
"Quite so. Why? When we answe
that we have made some progress wit
our little problem. Why? There ca
be only one adequate reason. Some on
wanted to learn to initiate your wri
ing. and had to procure a specimen c
it first. And now if we pass on to TIL
second point we find that each throw
light upon the other. That point
the request made by Primer that 70
should not resign your place, but shoul
ASeS VAAS
business in the full expectation that
Mr.. Hall Pycroft, whom he had nevt
seen, was about to enter the. office upo
the Monday morning.
my God!" cried our client, e whs
!. a blind beetle I have been!'
Now you see the point about tt
handwriting. Suppose that some OF
turned up in your place who wrote
, completely different hand from that
), which you had applied for the vacanc
5 of course the game would have been u
But in the interval the rogue ha
learned to initiate you, and his pos
ton was therefore secure, as I presun
/, that nobody in the office had ever s
eyes upon you.
/" Not soul, y groaned Hall Pycrof
Very good. Of course it was
the utmost Importance to prevent W
from thinking better of it, and also
keep you from coming into conta
with any one who might tell you tn
your double was at work in Mawson
office. Therefore they gave you
Il handsome advance on your salary, al
IA WA 50 GA n l q EyE e.