The Columbus journal., 1905-12-27

Of expression in the rugged features q
the doctor.
"He left his hotel hast night-hs ha.
not been heard Of"
mo doubt he will return"
Tomorrow b the varsity football
match.
II have NO sympathy with thes.
childish games. The young mans fatl
interests me deeply. since I know him
and like him. The football match does
not come within my horizon at an"
II claim your sympathy. then, In my
investigation Of Mr.. Staunton's fate
Do You know where he is?'
Certainly not"
You have not seen him since yester
day."
NO, I have not"
"Was Mr.. stanton q healthy man?'
absolutely"
ibid you yer know HIN ill!'
"Never."
Holmes popped a sheet Of paper Be
fore the doctors eyes. Then perhaps
you will explain this rcceipted bin fol
Is guincas paid by Mr.. Godfrey Staun
ton last month to DR., Leslie Arm
strong OF Cambridge. I picked II on,
from among the papers upon his desk
The doctor flushed with anger.
Il 60 not feel that there IS any reason
why I should render an =. planation Il
you. Mr.. Holiness"
Holmes replaced the bill In his note
book. IF you prefer a public explana.
ton. it must come sOoner or later"
said he. Il have already told You that
I can hush up that which others win be
bound to publish. and you would really
be wiser to take me into your com
plete confidence"
Il know nothing about IT,"
did You hear from Mr.. Staunton in
LondOn?"
Certainly not"
Dear me-. dear me the postomce
again." Holmes sighed YEARLY. "A
most urgent telegram was dispatched
to You from London by Godfrey
StauntOn at 6:15 yesterday evening"
telegram which Is undoubtedly associ-
ated with his disappearance-and yet
you have not had It. 1t is most cul-
pable. I shall certainly 90 down to
the Office here and register q com
plaint."
DR.. Leslie Armstrong sprang up from
behind his desk. and his dark face was
crimson with fury.
Ill trouble You to walk out Of my
house. sir" said he. You can tell your
employer. Lord Mount James. that I
do not wish to have anything to do
either with him or with his agents.
No. sir-not another word: He rang
the bell f%uriOusly. John. show these
Gentlemen out" A pompous butler
Osheced US severely to the door. and
we found ourselves in the street.
Holmes burst ont laughing.
"Dr. Leslie Armstrong Is certainly a
man Of energy and character" said he.
Il have not c a a who. II he
turns his talents that way. was more
calculated to fill the gap left by the
ilIustriCLs Noriarty. And now. my
poor Wrtson. here we are. stranded
and fr:eIdless in this inhospitable
town. which we cannot leave without
abandoning our case. This little inn
Just opposite Armstrong; house Is
singularly adapted to our needs. II
You would engage a front room and
purchase the n~ecessaries for the night.
l ilIy have time to make a few In
qniries."
These few inquiries proved. however.
to be a more lengthy proceeding than
Holmes had imagined, for he did not
return to the inn until nearly 0 O'Clock.
He was pale and detected. stained with
dust. and exhausted with hunger and
fatigue. A cold supper was ready up
on the table. and when his needs were
satisfied and his pipe alight he was
wholly philosOphic view which was
natural to him when his affairs were
going awry. The sound Of carriage
wheels caused him to rise and glance
out Of the window. A brOugham end
pair Of grays stood before the doctors
door.
Its been out three hours said
Holmes. started ut $50. and here ii
is back again. That gives q radius Of
ten or twelve miles. and he does II
once or sometimes twice q day"
mo unusual thing for q doctor In
practice"
But Armstrong IS not really q doc
tor in practice. He Is a lecturer and
a cOnsultant. but he does not care for
general practice. which distracts him
from his literary work. Why. then.
does he make these long journeys.
must be exceedingly irksOme to
him. and who is 1t that he visits?"
His cOachman"-
MY dear Watson. can you doubt
that 1t was to him that I first applied?
l do not know whether It came from
his own innate depravity Dr. from the
prOmptings Of his master. but he was
rude enough to set q deg at me. Mel
Their dog nor man liked the look Of my
stick. however. and the matter fell
through. All that I have learned
got from q friendly native In the
ward of our own inn. 1t was he who