Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-08

bles. Holmes had sat down again
after one of these excursions. when he
suddenly sprang out Of his chair with
a loud exclamation.
'By heaven, Watson, believe that
I've got it!w he cried. Eyes, yes, it
must be so! Watson, do you remem-
Der seeing any COW tracks today?"
Eyes, several"
"WhereW
"Well, everywhere. They were at
the morass and again near where poor
Heidegger met his death"
Exactly. Well, now. Watson, how
many cows did you see on the moor"
II don't remember seeing any"
STRANGE, Watson, that we should
see tracks all along our line but never
a COW on the whole moor Very strange,
Watson, eh?'
Eyes, it is strange"
'.Now, Watson, make an effort
Throw your mind back. Can you see
those tracks upon the path?"
Eyes, l can"
"Can you recall that the tracks were
something like that, Watson"-he ar
ranged a number Of breadcrumbs in
this fashion -: : - land some
times like this: =. 3. land
occasionally like this. :.
"Can you remember that?'
mo. l cannot"
but ! can. could swear to it
However, we will go back at our leis-
ure and verify 1t. What blind beetle
I have been not to draw my conclu-
sionv'
And what Is your conclusion?"
"Only that it Is n remarkable COW
which walks, canters and gallops. By
George, Watson, it was no brain Of Il
country publican that thought out such
a blind as that. The coast seems to be
clea, save for that lad in the smlthy.
Let us slip out and see what we can
see"
There were two rough haired. I'M
kempt horses In the tumbledown sta
bic. Holmes raised the hind leg of one
Of them and laughed aloud.
"Old shoes. but newly shod; old
shoes, but new nails. This case de-
to the smithy."
The lad continued his work without
regarding U.S. saw Holmes eye dart
i..g to right and left among the litter Of
iron and wood which was scattered
about the floor. Suddenly, however, we
heard step behind us, and there was
the landlord, his heavy eyebrows drawn
down over his savage eyes, his swarthy
features convulsed with passion. He
held a short, metal headed stick In his
hand, and he advanced In SO menacing
a fashion that I was right glad to feel
the revolver In my pocket.
''You internal spies" the man cried.
"What are you doing there?'
'Why, Mr.. Reuben Hayes" said
Holmes coolly, zone might think that
you were afraid of our finding some
thing out"
The, man mastered himself with a
violent effort, and his grim mouth
loosened into false laugh, which was
more menacing than his frown.
you're welcome to all you can find
out in my smithy," said he. "But look
here, mister, don't care for folk polk
ing about my place without my leave,
SO the sooner you pay your score and
get out of this the better I shall be
pleased"
"All right, Mr.. Hayes; no harm
meant" said Holmes. eve have been
having a look at your horses, but l
think I'll walk, after all. It's not far, 1
believe"
..Not more than two miles to the hall
gates. ''That's the road to the left"
He watched us with sullen eyes until
we had left his premises.
We did not go very far along the
road, for Holmes stopped the instant
that the curve hid us from the land
lords view.
1--WE were warm, as the children say,
at that inn," said he. 81 seem to grow
colder every step that / take away
from it. No, no; can't possibly leave
it,,
II am convinced" said I, that this
Reuben Hayes knows all about it. A
more self evident villain never saw"
"Oh, he impressed you in that way,
did he? There are the horses, there is
the smithy. Yes, it is an interesting
place, this Fighting Cock. 1 think we
shall have another look at it in an I'M
ohtruSiye way'
A long, sloping hillside dotted with
gray limestone powders stretched be-
hind us. We had turned off the road
and were making our way up the hill
when, looking in the direction Of Hol-
dernesse Hall, saw cyclist coming
swiftly along.
Get down, Watson" cried Holmes,
with heavy hand upon my shoulder.
We had hardly sunk from view when
the man flew past us on the road.
Amid a rolling cloud Of dust caught
a glimpse Of pale, agitated face-a
face with horror in every lineament,
the mouth open, the eyes staring wild
ly in front. 1t was like some strange
caricature of the dapper James Wilder
whom we had seen the night before.
'The dukes secretary" cried Holmes.
"Come, Watson; let us see what he
does.'
We scrambled from rock to rock I'M
til in few moments we had made our
way to point from which we could
see the front door of the inn. Wilder's