Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-08

i
Holmes examined it for some time,
and then. folding it carefully up, he
placed IL in his pocketbook.
This promises to be most interest
ing and unusual case" said he. You
gave me a few particulars in your let
ter, Mr.. Hilton Cubitt but l should
be very much obliged il You would
kindly go over it all again for the ben
eft Of my friend. Or. Watson"
I'm not much Of story teller" said
our visitor nervously clasping and I'M
clasping his great strong hands. You
will 1us: ask me anything that don't
make clear. I'll begin at the time of
my marriage last year, but want to
say frst of all that. though I'm not
rich man. my people have been at Rid
ing Thorpe for a matter of five centu'
ries. and there is no better known fam
lily in the county OF Norfolk. Last year
! came up TO London for the jubilee.
and I stopped. at boarding house In
Russell square because Parker. the
vicar of our parish. was staying In it.
"Thero was an American young lady
tbere-Patrick was the name-Elsie
Patrick. In some way we became
friends. until before my month was up
I was as much in love as man could
be. We were quietly married at reg.
istry Office. and we returned to Nor,
folk a welded couple. You'll think II
very mad. Mr.. Holmes. that man Of
a good old family should marry a wife
in this fashion knowing nothing of her
past or of her people but if you saw
her and knew her it would help you to
understand.
''She was very stra ght about 1t. was
Elsie. can't say that she did not give
me every chance Of getting out Of it il
l wished to do so. I have had some
very disagreeable associations in my
life,' said she. I wish to forget all
about them. l would rather never al
to me. II you take me, Hilton. you will
take woman who has nothing that
she need be personally ashamed Of, but
you will have to be content with my
word for ii and to allow me to be silent
as to all that passed up 70 the time
when l became yours. II these cOndi-
tons are too hard. then go back to Nor
folk and leave me to the lonely life In
which you found me- 1t was only the
day before our wedding that she said
those very words to me told her that
l was content to take her on her own
terms, and l have been as good as my
word.
"Well. we have been married now for
year, and very happy we have been
But about a month ago. ut the end of
June. ! saw for the first time signs OF
trouble. One day my wife received Il
letter from America. / saw the Amer
lean stamp. She turned deadly white
read the letter and threw it into the
Gre. She made no allusion to it after
ward. and l made none. for promise
Ia promise. but she has never known
an easy hour from that moment. There
is always q look of fear upon her face
"a look as II she were waiting and ex
pecting. She would do better to trus
me. She would find that l was her bcs
friend. But until she speaks / can ga!
nothing. Mind you, she is truthful
woman, Mr.. Holmes. and whatever
trouble there may have been in hel
past life 1t has been no fault of hers
am only simple Norfolk squire, hui
there Is not q man in England wh'
ranks his family honor more highl.
than do. She knows it well. and sh'
knew 1t we'll before she married me
She would never bring any stain upol
1t; Of that am sure.
well, now come to the queer par
Of my story. About week ago.
was the Tuesday OF last week. foun'
on one Of the window stills number o
absurd little dancing figures like thes
upon the paper. They We're scrawlc,
with chalk. thought that It was tn
stable boy who had drawn them, bu
the lad swore he knew nothing abou
1t. Anyhow. thev had come there dun
Ing the night. Ind them washed Out
and | only mentioned the matter to m
wife afterward. TO nay surprise sh
took it very seriously and begged me
any more came to let her see them
None did come for u week. and the
yesterday morning found this pape
lying on the sundial in the garden.
showed it to Elsie. and down she drOl
ped in dead faint. Since then she ha
looked Ike woman in dream, hal
dazed and with terror always lurkin
In her eyes. 1t was then that | wrOt
and sent the paper to you, Mr.. Holmes
1t was not thing that could take
the police, Cor they would have laughe
at me, but you will tell me what to do
am not a rich man, hut II there Ia an
danger threatening my little woman
would spend my last copper to shiel
her,"
He was fine creature, this man {
the old English soil-simple. straigl
and gentle. with his great. earnest blu
eyes and broad. cOmely face. His low
for his wife and his trust In her shou
In his features. Holmes had listsne
to his story with the utmost attention
and now he sat for some time In silsr
thought.
Don't you think. Mr.. Cubltt." sai
he at last. "that your best DlCn Woul