Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-15

busy man. 1t IS 6afe 10
X - say that there was no
public case Of any Diff
Guilty in which he was
not consulted during those eight years,
and there were hundreds OF private
cases. some Of them of the most in
tricate and extraordinary character.
in which he played prominent part.
AS have preserved very full notes of
all these cases and was myself person
ally engaged in many of them, it may
be imagined that it is no easy task to
know which I should select to lay be-
fore the public. | shall. however pre-
serve my former rule and give the pref
erence to those cases which derive their
interest not so much from the brutality
Of the crime as from the ingenuity and
dramatic quality Of the solution. For
this reason will now lay before the
reader the facts connected with Miss
Violet Smith, the solitary cyclist OF
Charlington. and the curious sequel of
our Investigation. which eliminated In
unexpected tragedy.
On referring 10 my notebook for the
year 1895 find that it was upon Sat
nrday, the 23d of April. that we first
heard Of Miss Violet Smith. Her visit
was, remember, extremely unwel-
rome to Holmes. for he was immersed
Mt the moment in very abstruse and
complicated problem concerning the
peculiar persecution to which John Vim
cent Harden, the well known tobacco
millionaire, had been subjected. Ny
friend, who loved above all things pre-
cisiOn and concentration Of thought. re-
scented anything which distracted his
attention from the matter In hand.
And yet, without a harshness which
was foreign to his nature. it was i'm
possible to refuse to listen to the story
Of the young and beautiful woman. tall,
graceful! and queenly who presented
herself at Baker street late in the
evening and implored his assistance
and advice. 1t was vain to urge that
his time was already fully occupied,
for the young lady had come with the
determination to tell her story. and II
was evident that nothing short Of force
could get her out Of the room until she
had done So With a resigned air and
a somewhat weary smile. Holmes beg
ged the beautiful intruder to take q
seat and TO inform us what 1t was that
was troubling her.
AT least it cannot he your health,
said he as his keen eyes darted over
her. 80 ardent bicyclst must be
full of energy
She glanced down in surprise at heI
own feet. ard l observed the slight
roughen!ng of the side of the sole caus
ed by the friction of the edge Of tht
pedal.
"Yes, bicycle a good deal Mr.
Holmes. and that has something to Dc
with my visit to you today"
My friend took the lady's unglovet
hand and examined it with as close ar
attention and as little sentiment as 6
scientist would show to a specimen.
You will excuse me. ! am sure.
Is my business" said he as he dropped
1t. II nearly fell into the error of sup
posing that You were typewriting. o.
course 1t is obvious that it is music
You observe the spatulate finger ends
Watson. which is common to both pro
fessions? There is a spirituality abou
the face, however'-she gently turned
1t toward the light-"which the type
writer does not generate. This lady /
. musician"
Eyes, Mr.. Holmes, teach music"
"In the country, presume. iron
your complexion"
eyes. sir; near Farnham. ON the boz
ners of Surrey"
Nov, Miss Violet, what has happen
cd to you near Farnham, on the Dor
ners Of Surrey?"
md composure, made the followin
curious statement:
my father is dead, Mr.. Holmes. II
was James Smith, who conducted tn
orchestra at the old Imperial theatel
MY mother and were left without
relation in the world except one III
Gle, Ralph Smith. who went to Afric
twenty-five years ago. and we hav
never had Il word from him sine,
When father died we were left yer
poor. but one day we were told thf
there was an advertisement in tn
Times inquiring for our whereabOut
You can imagine how excited We wer
for we thought that some one had lei
MS fortune. We went at once to II
lawyer whose name was given in ii
paper. There we met two gentlemen
Mr.. Carruthers and Mr.. Woodley, wi
were home on visit from South Afr
ia. They said that my uncle was
friend OF theirs, that he had died son
months before in great poverty In J
hannssburg. and that he had askf
them with his last breath to hunt I
bis relations and see that they were
no want. 1t seemed strange to US tn
Uncle Ralph. who took no notice of !
when be was alive. should be 30 car
tul to look after US when he was dea
but Mr.. Carruthers explained that Il
season was that my uncle had ju
heard Of the death Of his brother al
10 felt responsible for our fate"
excuse me-" said Holmes. "Wh'
WAS this interview"
Last December-four months ago
"Pray proceed"
"Mr. Woodley seemed to me to he
most odious person. He was forev
MAILING eyes at me-a coarse, put