The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-23

and then he glanced back at the road
which he had just traversed. A
brougham was coming down 1t, and
there could be no mistaking those
grey horses.
bac<i'' cried Holmes. THAT settles it,
We are bound to see what it means
before he comes"
He opened the door, and we stepped
into the hall The droning sound
swelled louder upon our ears until IL
became one long deep wall of distress:
IT came from upstairs. Holmes darted
up, and l followed him. He pushed
open a half-closed door, and we both
stood appalled, at the sight before us.
A woman, young and beautiful, was
lying dead upon the bed. Her calm,
pale face, with dim, wide-opened blue
eyes, looked upwards from amid
great tangle of golden hair. AT the
foot of the bed, half sitting, half
knceling, his face buried in the
clothes, was a young man, whose
frame was racled by his sobs. So alb
sorbed was he by his bitter grief, that
he never looked up until Holmes hand
was on his shoulder.
Are you Mr.. Godfrey Staunton ?"
Eyes, yes, | am-but you are too
late. She is dead"
The man was SO dazcd that he could
not be made to understand that we
were anything but doctors who had
been sent to his assistance. Holmes
was endeavouring to utter a few words
of consolation, and TO explain the
alarm which had been caused to his
friends by his sudden disappearance
! when there was step upon the stairs
and there was the heavy, stern, ques-
! tioning face of Dr. Armstrong al the
door.
80, gentlemen said he, 'you have
! attained your end, and have certainly
! chosen a particularly delicate moment
for your intrusion [ would not braWi
in the presence of death, but l can
assure you that if / were a younger
! man your monStrous conduct would
not pass with IMMUNITY
Excuse me, DIR. Armstrong, | think
! we are a little at cross purposes" said
my friend, with dignity. eff you could
/ step downstairs with us, we may each
/ be able to give some light to the other
! upon this miserable affair"
| a minute later the grim doctor and
! ourselves were in the sitting-room be-
! lew.
well sir?'' said he
| II wish YOU to understand in the
, first place, that / am not employed by
! Lord Mount-James, and that my SYM
| pathies in this matter are entirely
against that nobleman. When 4 man
| is lost it is my duty to ascertain his
| fate, but having done so the matter
| ends so far as | am concerned, and 50
| long as there is nothing criminal, /
! am much more anxious to hush up
! private scandals than to give them
| publicity. If as | imagine there is no
| breach of the law in this matter you
! can absolutely depend upon my discre-
! ton and my cooperation in keeping
the facts out of the papers"
! Tor. Armstrong took a quick step
! forward and wrung Holmes by the
hand
"You are good fellows" said he.
81 had misjudged you. l thank
| Heaven that my conjunction at leav-
/ ing poor Staunton all alone in this
! plight caused me to turn my carriage
| back, and SO to make your acquaint-
/ ancc. Knowing as much as you do,
| the situation is very easily explained.
! A year ago GodfreW StauntOn lodged
| in London for a time, and became pas
sionately attached to his landlady' S
daughter whom he married. She was
! as good as she was beautiful, and as
| intelligent as she was good. No man
| need be ashamed of such a wife. But
/ Godfrey was the heir to this grabbed
! old noblemau, and it was quite certain
that the news of his marriage would
| have been the end of his Inheritance.
/ / knew the lad WELL and | loved him
/ for his many excellent qualities. l
! did all I could to help him to keep
/ things straight. We did our best to
/ keep the thing from every one, for,
| when once such a whisper gets about,
it is not long before every one has