The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-03

returned, evidently in excellent spirits
swinging an old elastic sided boot in
his hand He chucked it down into
the corner and helped himself to a
cup of tea
Il only loked in as l passed." said
he. Il am going right on
Where to-"
J oh, to the other side of West End.
! 1t may be some time before / get back.
Don't wait up for me in case L should
be late
| How are you getting on?"
! oh, so so. Nothing to complain of.
l have been out to Streatham since
saw you last, but l did not call at the
house. 1t is ae very sweet little prob
lem, and l would not have missed it
for good deal. However, l must not
/ sit goSsiping here, but must get these
| disreputable clothes off and return to
my highly respectable self"
| | could see by his manner that he
: had stronger reasons for satisfaction
| than his words alone would imply. His
| eyes twinkled and there was even a
| touch of color upon his sallow checks.
| He FASTENED upstairs, and few min
| utes later / heard the slam of the
' hall door, which told me that he was
off once more upon his cOngenial hunt.
| | waited until midnight, but there
| was no sign of his return, so / retired
thing for him to be away for days
and nights on end when he was hot
1 upon a scent, SO that his lateneSS
' caused me no surprise / do not
know at what hour he came in, but
. when l came down to breakfast in
the morning, there he was with a cup
| of coffee in one hand and the paper in
| the other; as fresh and trim as posi-
BILE
you will excuse my beginning with
out you, Watson" said he; "but you
/ remember that our client has rather
an early appointment this morning"
! why, it is after nine now" L an
swered. IL should not be surprised
if that were he. l thought L heard a
ring.
| 1t was indeed, our friend the finan-
| cier. | was Shocked by the change
which had come over him, for his face,
which was naturally of a broad and
massive mould was now pinched and
fallen in, while his hair seemed to me
at least a shade whittier. He entered
with q WEAKNESS and lethargy which
was even more painful than his vlo-
. lence of the morning before, and he
| dropped heavily into the armchair
which i pushed forward for him.
/ II do not know what l have done
to be so severely tried" said he. "Only
porous man, without a care in the
i world. Now | am left to a lonely
and dishonored age. One. sorrow
comes close upon the heels of another.
Ny niece, Mary has deserted me-
Deserted your
Eyes. Her bed this morning had
not been slept in, her room was empty,
and a note for me lay upon the hall
table. 1 had said to her last night
IN, or OF in no
she had married my boy all might
have been we'll with him. Perhaps
it was thoughtless of me to say so. 1t
is TO that remark that she refers in
this note
"'My Dearest Uncle,-I feel that l
have brought trouble upon you, and
that If had acted differently this ter
rible misfortune might never have oc-
Cured. 1 cannot, with this thought
in my mind ever again he happy UNI
der your roof, and | feel that / must
leave you forever. Do not worry
about my future, for that is provided
for; and, above all, do not search for
ME, for it will be fruitless labor and
an ill-service to me. In life or in
death, | am ever your loving
MARY"
What could she mean by that note,
Mr.. Holmes? Do you think it points
to suicide?'
mo, no, nothing of the kind. 1t
is perhaps the best possible solution. [
trust, Mr.. Holder. that you are near
ing the end of your troubles
"Ha You say so! You have heard
something, Mr.. Holmes; you have
learned something! Where are the
gems?"
You would not think $1,000 apiece
an excessive sum for them?"
Il would pay ten"
THAT would be unnecessary. Three
thousand viii cover the matter. And
there is little reward, / fancy. Have
you your check book? Here is a pen.
Better make it out for $4,000 pounds"
With a dazeh face the banker made
out the required check. Holmes
walked over to his desk, took out
little triangular piece of gold with
three gems in it, and threw it down
upon the table.
With a shrek of joy our client
You have it," he .gasped Il am
saved! L am saved"
The reaction of joy was as passion
ate as his grief had been, and he
Rugged his recovered gems to his
bosom.
There is one other thing you owe,
Mr.. Holder" said Sherlock Holmes,
rather sternly.
owe" He caught up pen. Name
the sum, and | will pay it"
NO, the debt is not to me. You
owe a very humble apology to that
, noble lad, your son, who has carried
himself in this matter as l should be
proud to see my own son do, should ]
ever chance to have one"
Then it was not Arthur who took
them"
81 told you yesterday, and [ repeat
, today, that it was not
You are sure of it! Then let us
hurry to MIN at once, to let him know
that the truth is known"
HE knows it already. When | had
cleared it all up l had an interview
with him, and, finding that he would
not tell me the story, l told it to him,
on which ne had to confess that | was
right, and to add the very few details
which were not yet quite clear to me.
Your news of this morning, however.
may open his lips.
For Heavens sake, tell me, then,
what is this extraordinary mystery
II will do so, and | will show you
the steps by which | reached it. And
let me say to you, first, that which it
is hardest for me to say and for you
to hear: there has been an under
c+opd;po hotween CO.. George RurnweII