Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-15
Copyright by Harper & Eros.l

iheR pray send him home In it. You may
s naieiy trust MIN, for he appears to De too
imp 10 get into any mischief. l should rec
ommend you also to send note by the cab
man to your wife to say that you have
thrown in your lot with me. If you will
utes"
1t was difficult to refuse any of Sherlock
Holmes requests, for they were always SO
exceedingly definite and put forward with
such quiet air of mastery I felt how
ever. that when Whitney was once confined
In the cab my mission was practically ac-
complished, and for the rest, 1 could not
~isn anything better than to be associated
with my friend in one of those singular adj
ventures which were the normal condition
OF his existence. In few minutes I had
written my note, paid Whitney's BILL led
MN out to the cab and seen him driven
through the darkness. In very short time
decrepit figure had emerged from the
opium den. and 1 was walking down rhe
street with Sherlock Holmes. For two
streets he shuffied along with bent back
and an uncertain foot Then CHANGING
quickly around. he Strengthened himself out
ana burst into hearty fit of laughter.
1 suppose, Watson" said he, that you
imagine that have added opium smoking
ID cocaine injections, and all the other little
weaknesses on which you have favored me-
with your medical views
4 was certainly surprised to find you
there"
But not more so than to find you"
came to find friend"
And l to find an enemy"
AN enemy7''
YES one of my natural enemies, or, shall
say, my natural prey Briefly Watson |
am In the midst of very remarkable in
qu1ry, and have hoped to find clue in the
lncoherent ramblings Of these sots as |
nave done before now. Had / been recog-
nized In that den my life would not have
been worth an hours purchase: for ! have
used 1t before now. for my own purposes
ana the raseaily Lascar who runs 1t has
sworn to have vengeance upon me- There
is a trap door at the back of that building
near the corner of PauIs wharf which
could tell some strange tales of what has
passed through it upon the moonless
nights
What! You do not mean bodies?"
Aye bodies, Watson We should be rich
men If we had Ell 900 for every poor devil
who has been done to death in that den. It
is the vilest murder trap on the whole river
side, and I fear that Neville st. Clair has
entered 1t never to leave it more. But our
trap should be here" He put his two fore
fingers between his teeth and whistled
shriliy-a signal which was answered by
similar whistle from the distance FOLLOWED
shortly by the rattle Of wheels and the clink
of horses hoofs
Now. Watson said Holmes, as tall
dog cart dashed up through the gloom,
throwing out two golden tunnels of yellow
light from Its side lanterns, you'll come
with me, won't your"
IF l can be of USE
On, rusty comrade Is always OF use;
and chronicler still more So NV room
at The Cedars' is a double bedded one"
THE Cedars?
Yes; that is Mr.. st. Glars house I am
staying there while 1 conduct the inquiry"
Where is 1t, then?'
Near Lee. in Kent. We have seven
mile drive before u.s."
But l am all In the dark"
"Of course you are. You'll know all about |
1T presently. Jump up here. All right, |
John: shall not need you. Here's half |
a crown. Look out for me tomorrow, about |
IL. Give her her head So long, then!"
He flicked the horse with his whip. and |
We dashed away through the endless sue |
cession of somber and deserted streets, |
which widened gradually, until we were fly |
ing across a broad balustraded bridge, with |
the murky river flowing sluggishly beneath !
U.s. Beyond lay another dull wilderness of |
bricks and mortar, Its silence broken only |
by the heavy, regular football of the police |
man, or the songs and shouts of some |
belated party of jewellers. A dull wrack |
was drifting slowly across the sky, and a
star or two twinkled dimly here and there |
through the riffs of the clouds. Holmes |
drove in silence, with his head sunk upon |
his breast, and the air of a man who Is lost |
In thought, while / sat beside him. curious |
to learn what his new quest might be |
which seemed to tax his powers so sorely, |
and yet afraid to break in upon the current |
of his thoughts We had driven several |
miles, and were beginning to get to the i
fringe of the belt of suburban villas, when |
he shook himself, shrugged his shoulders. |
and lit up his pipe with the air of a man |
who has satisfied himself that he Is acting |
for the best.
You have a grand gift OF silence, Wat
son, said he. 1T makes you quite IN |
as a companion. Pom my word |
one to talk to, for my own thoughts are not |
over pleasant. | was wondering what / |
should say to this dear little woman to- |
night when she meets me at the door,"
you forget that | know nothing hOnt |
II shall just have time to tell you the |
facts of the case before we get to Lee. |
1t seems absurdly simple. and yet some I
how, l can get nothing TO go upon. There's |
plenty of thread, no doubt, but l can't get |
the end of it INFO my hand. Now, I'll state |
the case clearly and concisely TO you, Wat
son, and maybei you can see spark where |
all Is dark to me-.
Proceed, then
Some years ago-to be definite, in May, |
came 10 Lee a gentleman, Ne |
VILE st. Clair by name, who appeared to |
villa, laid out the grounds very nicely, and |
lived generally IN good style. BY degrees
he made friends in the neghborhood and |
In 1887 he married the daughter of a local |
brewer by whom he has two children. |
He had no occupation, but was interested |
in several companies, and went into town
as rule in the morning, returning by the |
5:14 from Canton street every night. Mr.. |
St. Clair is now thirty-Seyen years of age, |
is man of temperate habits, a good hus-
band, a very ahectionate father, and man /
who Is popular with all who know him. 1 |
may add that his whole debts at the pres |
emit moment, as far as We have been able
to ascertain, amount to fSS los, while he |
has S220 standing TO his credit in the Cap
ital and Counties Bank. There is no reason,
therefore, TO think that money troubles have |
been weighing upon his mind
Last Monday Mr.. Neville st. Clair went |
Into town rather earlier than usual, re- |
before he started that he had |
two important commissions to perform, |
and that he would bring his little boy |
home a box of bricks. Now, by the mer- /
est chance, his wife received a telegram |
upon this same Monday, very shortly |
after his departure, to the effect that |
small parcel of considerable value which |
she had been expecting was waiting for |
her at the Offices OF the Aberdeen Ship |
ping Company. Now, if you are well up |
In your London you will know that the |
offices of the company Is in Fresno street, |
which branches out of Upper Swandam |
lane, where you found me tonight Mrs. |
St Clair had her lunch, started for the |
city, did some shopping, proceeded to the |
office. got her packet and !
found herself at exactly Abs walking |
through Swandam lane on her way back |
to the station. Have you followed me |
so far?
AZ