Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-09-05
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not be happy until had seen you and
had your advice"
Holmes sat in silence for some little
time.
Where is the gentleman to whom
you are engaged?" he asked at last.
Gle is in the Midland Electrical COM
pany, at Coventry"
He would not pay you surprise
visit?"
ooh, Mr.. Holmes! AS il I should not
know himr'
slave you had any other admirersT'
Several before knew Cyril"
"And since?"
'"rhere was this dreadful man, Wood
ley, If you can call him an admirer."
mo one else?"
Our fair client seemed little con-
fused.
"Who was he?" asked Holmes.
ooh, it may be mere fancy Of mine,
but it had seemed to me sometimes
that my employer, Mr.. Carruthers,
takes great deal of interest in me.
He has never said anything. He is a
perfect gentleman. But girl always
knows"
"Haw Holmes looked grave. what
does he do for uving?"
"He is rich man."
NO carriages or horsesT'
"Well, at least he is fairly well to do.
But he goes into the city two or three
times week. He is deeply interested
In South, frioo,, GOLD choroo
"You will let me know any fresh de-
velopment, Miss Smith. 1 am very
busy just now, but will find time to
make some inquiries into your case.
In the meantime take no step without
letting ME know. Goodby, and trust
that we shall have nothing but good
news from YOU
''It is part of the settled order Of ma
ture that such a girl should have fol-
lowers" said Holmes as he pulled at
his meditative pipe, "but for choice not
on bicycles in lonely country roads.
Some secretive lover, beyond all doubt.
But there are curious and suggestive
details about the case, Watson"
"That he should appear only ut that
pointi"
Exactly Our first effort must be to
find who are the tenants of Charling-
ton Hall. Then, again, how about the
connection between Carruthers and
Woodley, since they appear to be men
of such different type? How came
they both to be so keen upon looking
up Ralph Smiths relations? One more
I,ot Nrf of 90 ia
which pays double the market price for
a governess, but does not keep horse,
although six miles from the station?
Odd, Watson-very odd"
"You will go down?"
"No. my dear fellow; you will go
down. This may be some trifiing in
trigue, and I cannot break my other
important research for the sake of it.
On Monday you will arrive early at
Farnham; you will conceal yourself
near Charlington heath; you will OBJ
serve these facts for yourself and act
as your own judgment advises. Then,
having inquired as to the occupants Of
the hall, you will come back to me and
report"
that she went down upon the Monday
by the train which leaves Waterloo at
| $50, so started early and caught the
9:13. At Farnham station had no diff
flculty in being directed to Charlington
heath. 1t was impossible to mistake
the scene of the young lady's' adven-
ture, for the road runs between the
open heath on one side and an old yew
hedge upon the other, surrounding a
park which is studded with magnificent
trees. There was main gateway of
lichen studded stone, each side pillar
surmounted by moldering heraldic en-
blems, but besides this central car.
riage drive observed several points
where there were gaps in the hedge
and paths leading through them. The
house was invisible from the road, but
the surroundings all spoke Of gloom
and decay.
The heath was covered with golden
patches of Towering gorse cleaning
magnifcently In the light Of the bright
spring sunshine. Behind one of these
clumps took up my position so as tc
command both the gateway Of the hal
and a long stretch Of the road upon
either side. 1t had been deserted when
I left it, but now saw cyclist riding
down it from the opposite direction to
that In which had come. He was clad
In dark suit, and I saw that he had a
black beard. On reaching the end Of
the Charllngton grounds he sprang
from his machine and led it through a
gap in the hedge, disappearing from
my view.
A quarter Of an hour passed, and
then second cyclist appeared. This
time 1t was the young lady coming
from the station. saw her look about
her as she came to the Charlington
hedge. An instant later the man emerg.
ed from his hiding place, sprang upon
bis cycle and followed her. In all the
broad landscape those were the only
moving figures, the graceful girl sit.
ting very straight upon her machine
and the man behind her bending low
over his handle bar with curious,,y
furtiye suggestion in every movement
She looked back at him and slowed hel
pace. He slowed also. She stopped
He at once stopped. too, keeping 20C
yards behind her. Her next movement
was as unexpected as it was spirited
She suddenly whisked her wheels
round aud dashed straight at him. He
was as quick as she, however, and
darted off in desperate flight. Present
ly she came back up the road again, bel
head haughtily in the air, not deignine
to take any further notice Of her silent
attendant. He had turned also ant
still kept his distance until the curve OF