The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-06-28


Eyes, Alr. Holmes, cyril Morton. az
electrical engineer, and we hope Go bs
married st tie end on the summer
Deaf me, how did get talking about
himg What I wished to say was tha,
Mr. Woodley was perfectly odious, but
that Mr. Carruthers, who was a much
older man, was more agreeable. He
was a dark. sallow, clean shaven. silent
person, but he had polite manners and
a pleasant smile. He inquired how we
were left, and on finding that we were
very poor he suggested that ! should
come and teach music 20 his only
daughter. aged ten. ] said shat / did
not like 60 leave my mother, on which
be suggested that ! should 70 home tc
her every week end, and he offered me
hundred a year. which was certainly
splendid pay. SO it ended by my ac-
ceptng. and went down 30 Chihern
Grange, about six miles from Farm
ham. Mr. Carruthers was widower,
but he had engaged lady housekeep-
er, a very respectable, elderly person,
called Mrs. Dixon, to look after his cs-
tablishment The child was dear. and
everything promised well. Mr. Car
ruthers was very kind and very music
al, and we had most pleasant evenings
together Every week end / went home
to my m0'Aer in town.
THE first faw in my happiness was
the arrival of the red mustached Air.
Woodley He came for a visit Of a
week, and. ON. 1t seemed three months
TO me. lie was a dreadful person "a
bully TO every one else, but to me some
thing infinitely worse. He made odious
love TO me. boasted Of his wealth. said
that If ] ma aied him ! could have the
finest diamonds In London. ana nnaly
when I would have nothiE3 10 DO with
him he seized me IN his arms one day
after dinner-he was hideously strong
until had kissed him. Mr. Carruthers
came in and tore him from me, op
which he turned upon his own host,
knocking him down and cutting his
face open. That was the end of bis
visit as you can imagine Mr. Carruth-
ers apologized to me next day and as
sured me that should never be ex-
posed to such an insult again. l have
not seen Mr.. Woodley since.
And now, Mr.. IL lines, 1 come at
last to the special thing which has
caused me 20 ask your advice today.
You must know that every Saturday
forenoon / ride on my bicycle TO Farm
ham station in order to get the u p
to town The road from Chltern
Grange is a lonely one, and at one spot
it is particularly so, for it lies for over
mile between CharNngton heath up-
on one side and the woods which lie
round CharIington Hall upon the other
You could not find q more lonely tract
of road anywhere, and il is quite rare
70 meet SO much rs cart or a peasant
until you reach the highroa6 near
Crooksbury hill Two weeks ago 1
was passing this place when / Glanced
to look back over my shoulder, and
about 200 yards behind me / saw a
man, also on a bicycle. He seemed 70
be middle aged man, with a short
dark beard. I looked back before
reached FaFnham, but the man was
gone, 80 l thought no more about II.
But you can imagine how surprised 1
was, Mr. Holmes. when on my return on
the Monday / saw the same man on the
same stretch OF road. Ny astOnishment
was increased when the incident oc-
Cured again, exactly as before, on the
following Saturday and Monday. Ike
always keptbis distance and did DOT mo
lest me in any way, but still le certain
ly was very odd. 1 mentioned II 60 Mr.
CarrutheFs, who seemed interested iu
what I said and told me that he has
ordered horse and trap, so that In fu-
ture 1 should not pass over these lonely
roads without some companion.
'The horse and trap were to have
come this week, but for some reason
they were not delivered, and again 1
had to cycle TO the station. That was
this morning You can think that i
looked out when / came to Charllngton
heath, and there, sure enough, was the
man, exactly as he had been the two
weeks before. He nlwayJ kept so far
from me that could not clearly see
his face, but II was certainly some one
whom l did not know. He was dressed
in dark suit with cloth cap. Tie
only thing about his face that ! could
clearly see wac his dark beard
To-day 1 was not alarmed, but was
oiled with curiosity. and L determined
70 find out who he was and what he
wanted. slowed down my machine.
but he slowed down bis. Then / stop
ped altogether, but lie stopped also.
Then laid trap for him There is O
sharp turning Of the road. aud i ped
aled very quickly round this. aud then
1 stopped and waited. ! expected him
10 shoot round aud pass me before be
could stop. But he never appeared.
Then went back and looked round the
corner. could see q mile OF road, but
be was not on II. To make II the more
extraordinary, there was no side road
at tbis pSint down which be could have
gone"
Holmes chuckled and rubbed bis
hands. THIS case certainly presents
some features Of its own" said he.
dow much time elapsed between your
turning the corner and your discover
that the road was ciearY
two or three minutes"
Then he could not have retreated
down the road, and you say that there
are no side roadsT
"None"
Then be certainly took a footDath
on one side or the other"