Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-23

nome and met with courtesy from the
representative. No, l could not have
CharlingtOn Hall for the summer
was just too late. 1t had been let
about month ago. Mr.. Williamson
was the name OF the tenant. He was a
respectable, elderly gentleman. The
polite agent was afraid he could say no
more, as the affairs OF his clients were
not matters which he could discuss
Mr.. Sherlock Holmes listened with
attention TO the long report which
was able to present TO him that even
ing. but IT did not elicit that word OF
curt praise which had hoped for and
should have valued. On the contrary.
his austere face was severe.
Your hiding place. my dear Watson.
was very faulty You should have been
behind the hedge. Then you would
have had Il close view OF this interest
ing person. As IL is. you were some
hundreds of yards away and can tell
me even less than Miss Smith She
thinks she does not know the man.
am convinced she does. Why. other
wise, should he be so desperately anX-
iOus that she should not get so near
him as to see his features? You de-
scribe him as bending over the handle
bar COncealment again. you see. You
really have done remarkably badly. He
returns To the house. and you want to
find out who he Is. You come to Il
London house agent"
What should have DONE" | cried.
with some heat
Gone TO the nearest public house
That is the center of country gossip.
They would have told you every na1e
from the master 10 the scullery maid.
Williamson? II conveys nothing to my
mind. If he is an elderly man he is
not this active cyclist who sprints
away from that young lady's athletic
pursuit What have we gained by your
expedition The knowledge that the
girls story is true. never doubted it,.
That there is a connection between the
cyclist and the hall. | never doubted
that either That the hall is tenanted
by Williamson. Who's the better for
that? Well, well. my dear sir. don't
look so depressed. We can do little
more until next Saturday, and i'll the
meantime | may make one or two in
Quiries myself"
Next morning he had a note from
Miss Smith recOunting shortly and Ac-
curately the very incidents which /
had seen. but the pith Of the letter lay
in the postscript:
81 am sure that you will respect my
confidence, Mr.. Holmes. when l tell
you that my place here has become diff
f1cult owing To the fact that my en-
plOyer has proposed marriage to me.
am convinced that his feelings are
most deep and most honorable. At the
same time my promise is OF course
given. He took my refusal very seri-
Ously, but also very gently. You can
understand, however, that the situation
is little strained"
"Our young friend seems 10 he get
ting into deep waters" said Holmes
thOughtfully as he finished the letter.
The case certainly presents more fea
lures of interest and more possibility
Of development than l had originally
thought. I should be none the worse
for a quiet. peaceful day in the cOun-
try, and am inclined to run down this
afternoon and test one or two theories
which / have formed"
hOiIbtS Iuitt ud III
a singular termination. for he arrived
at Baker street late in the evening with
a cut lip and discOlored lump upon
his forehead. besides general air Of
dissipation which would have made his
own person the fitting object OF a Scot
land Yard investigation. He was i'm
mensely tickled by his own adventures
and laughed heartily as he recounted
them.
Il get so little active exercise that il
is always n treat" said he You are
aware that l have some proficiency I'm
the good old British sport Of boxing
Occasionally it is OF service; today, for
example, | should have come To- very
ignominious grief without it,"
I begged him TO tell me what had oc-
CURED.
Il found that country pub which !
had already recommended to your no
tice. and there / made my discreet in
quiries. i was in the bar, and a garru-
lous landlord WAS giving me all that /
wanted. Williamson is a white bearded
man. and he lives alone with a small
staff OF servants at the hall There is
some rumor that he is or has been a
clergyman, but one or two incidents OF
his short residence at the hall struck
me as peculiarly unecclesiasticaL. /
have already made some inquiries at a
clerical agency. and they tell me that
there was a man OF that name in or
ders whose career has been a singu-
larry dark one.
The landlord further Informed me
that there are usually week end Wis
itOrs-'a warm lot, sir'-at the hall,
and especially one gentleman with ii
red mustache, MIR WOodley by name,
who was always there. We had got
as far as this when who should walk in
but the gentleman himself. who had
been drinking his beer iD the taproon
and had heard the whole conversation.
Who was i: What did ! wantl What
did l mean by asking questions? He
had fine fbOw OF language, and his
adjectives were very vigorous He
ended string OF abuse by a vicious
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