Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-11-30

ana lald 1t upon the table.
mo, no.. my dear fellow. there is no
cause for alarm. 1t is not upon this
occasion the instrument of evil, but
1t will rather prove to be the KEY
which will unlock our mystery. On
tins syringe l base all my hopes. |
have just returned from a small scout
ing expedition and everything is favor
bic Eat 4 good breakfast. Watson.
for | propose to get upon DR.. Arm
slrong's trail today, and once on it |
Will not stop for rest or food until l
u him to his burrow."
I'm that case" said |, eve had best
carry u breakfast with us. for he is
making an early start. His carriage
Is at the door,"
Never mind. Let him so. He will
be clever if he can drive where | can
not follow him. When you have finish
eel, come downstairs with me, and l
Will Introduce you to a detective who
Is a very eminent specialist in the
work that lies before U.S."
When we descended l followed
Holmes into the stable yard. where he
opened the door Of q loose box and led
out a squat, lop cared, white and tan
dog, something between a beagle and
q fOXhound.
Let me introduce You to Pompey,"
said he. "Pompey is the pride of the
local draghounds-no very great fier,
as his build will show, but a stanch
hound on a scent. Well. Pompey, you
may not be fast, but l expect o will
be too fast for a couple of middle aged
London gentlemen, so l will take the
liberty Of fastening this leather leash
to your collar. Now, boy, come along
and show what you can do" He led
him across to the doctors door. The
dog shifted round for an instant and
then with q shrill whine of excitement
started of down the street, Juggling at
his leash in his efforts to go faster.
In half an hour we were clear Of the
town and fastening down a country
road.
"What have you done, Holmes" 1
asked.
"a threadbare and venerable device,
but useful upon occasion. I walked
into the doctors yard this morning and
shot my syringe full of aniseed over
the hind wheel. A Greyhound will fol-
Groat's, and our friend Armstrong
would have to drive through the Cam
before he would shake Pompey off his
trail. Oh, the cunning rascal! This is
how he gave me the slip the other
night"
The dog had suddenly turned out Of
the road into a grass grown lane. Half
a mile farther this opened INTO another
broad road. aGl n" trail ;nrncl llar,
to the right in lie ;,,:.'" on Of thv
town which we had just quilted. The
road took a sweep 10 the south of the
town and continued in the opposite
direction to that in which we had
started.
This detour has been entirely for
our benefit. then:' said Holmes. NO
wonder that my inquiries among those
villages led to nothing. The doctor has
certainly played the game for all it is
worth. and Il would like to know the
reason for such elaborate deception.
This should be the village of Trumping-
ton to the right Of us. And, by Jove,
here is the brougham coming round the
corner. Quick. Watson-quick, or we
are DONE"
He sprang through a gate into q field,
dragging the reluctant Pompey after
him. We had hardly got under the
shelter Of tho bod 20 >yhon t6n m ~; n m
ratified past. l caught a glimpse Of
DR.. Armstrong within, his shoulders
bowed, his head sunk on his hands, the
very image of distress. l could tell by
my companions graver face that he
also had seen.
Il fear there is ome dark ending to
our quest" said he. at cannot be long
before we know it. Come. Pompey!
All, it is the cottage in the feldw
The ould be no doubt that we had
reached the end Of our journey. Pom
pey ran Q and Nhined eagerly out
side the gate, where the marks Of the
brOugham's wheels were still to be
seen. a footpath led across to the lone
~ cottage. Holmes tied the dog to the
hedge. and we FASTENED onward. Nv
friend knocked at the little rusty door
and knocked again without response.
II yet the cottage was not deserted.
for Il low SOund came to our ears--a
kind Of drone of misery and despair
winch was indescribably melancholy.
Holmes paused %irresolute, and then he
glanced back at the road which he had
just traversed. a brOugham was com-
ing down it. and there could be no mis-
taking those gray horses.
by Jovc. the doctor is coming backw
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 swell
ed loude upon our ears until it became
one long, deep wall Of distress. 1t came
from upstairs. Holmes darted up. and
l followed him. He pushed open u
half closed door, and we both stood ap-
palled at the sight before us.
A woman, young and beautiful, was
lying dead upon the bed. Her calm,
nn1n fnrn with din, ,,i,I1 n,r,,,I lJ,.