The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-07-21

with us and begun once more to foment
the brulse upon her mistress brow.
Il hope said the lady. that you
have not come to cross examine me
againw
NO" Holmes answered in bis gen.
! tlost voice; II will not cause YOU any
unnecessary trouble, Lady Bracken.
stali, and my whole desire is to make
things easy for you. for am convinc-
ed that you are a much tried woman.
IL you Will treat me as friend and
trust me YOU may find that / will Jus
tify your trust"
What do YOU want me to do?"
ITO tell me tho truth"
"Mr. Holiness"
NO. no. Lady Brackenstall: II is no
use. You may have heard Of any little
reputation which ] possess. will
stake il all on the fact that your story
is an absolute fabrication"
Mistress and maid were both staring
at Holmes with pale faces and fright
ened eyes.
you are an impudtlt feIlow!" cried
Theresa. "Do YOU mejm to say that
my mistress has told li4?"
Holmes rose from his chair.
Have you nothing to tell meT
Il have told you everything"
Think once more, Lady Bracken-
stall. Would it not be better to be
frank p
For an instant there was hesitation
in her beautiful face Then some new,
strong thought caused 1t TO set like a
mask
Il have told you all know"
Holmes toek his hat aud shrugged
his shoulders. Il am sorry" he said.
And without another word we left the
room and the house There was
pohd in the park, and to this my friend
led the way. 1t was frozen over but a
single hole was left for the conven-
ience OF a solitary swan. Holmes gazed
at il and then passed on to the lodge
gate, Then he scribbled a short note
for Stanley Hopkins and left il with
the lodge keeper.
1T may De hit or Il may be a miss.
but we are bound to do something for
Friend Hopkins just to justify this sec
ond visit said he. Il will not quite
take him INTO my confidence yet
think our next scene of operations
must be the shipping office of the AIDE
aide-Southampton line, which stands
at the end Of Pail Mall, il l remember
right There IS a second line of steam
ers which connect South Australia
with England. but we will draw the
larger cover first"
Holmes card sent in to the manager
insured instant attention, and he was
dot long in acquiring all the informa-
tion he needed. In June of '95 only one
Of their line had reached home port
II was the Rock of Gibraltar, their lar
gest and best boat A reference to the
passenger list showed that Miss Fra.
ser OF Adelaide, with her maid, had
made the voyage in her. The boat was
now on her way to Australia somewhere
In the south of the Suez canal. Her Off
GERS were the same as in '05. with one
exception. The first officer, Mr.. Jack
Crocker, had been made captain and
was to take charge OF their new ship.
the Bass Rock. sailing in two days
time from Southampton. He lived at
Sydenham. but he was likely to be In
that morning for instructions, IL we
cared to wait for him.
No; Mr.. Holmes had no desire 70 see
him, but would be glad to know more
about bis record and character
His record was magnificent There
was not an officer IN the feet to touch
him. As TO his character, he was relia-
bic on duty, but a wild. desperate fel-
low OF the deck of his shlp-hot head
ed, excitable but loyal, honest and
kind hearted. That wes the pith OF the
Information with which Holmes left
the ONCE OF the de-southampton
company. Thence be drove to Scotland
Yard, but instead OF entering. he sat
in his cab with his brows drawn down,
lost In profound thought Finally he
drove round 20 the Charing Cross tele-
graph office, sent OF a message and
then. at last, we made for Baker street
once more.
mo; couldn't do II, Watson" said
he as we re-entered our room. "One0
that warrant was made out nothing on
earth would save him. Once or twice
In my career ! feel that have done
more real harm by my discovery OF the
criminal than ever be had done by his
crime. have learned caution now, and
/ had rather play tricks with the law OF
England than with my own conscience.
Let us know a little more before we
act"
Before evening we had visit from
Inspector Stanley Hopkins Things
were not going very well with him.
II believe that you are a wizard, Mr..
Holmes. really do sometimes think
that you have powers that are not hu-
man. Now, how on earth could you
know that the stolen silver was at the
bottom Of that pond 2"
Il didn't know 81"
"But you told me 20 examine H."
you got IT, them"
Eyes, got It,"
Il am very glad II / have helped
you"
"But you haven't helped me- You
have made the AFFAIR far more difficult.
What sort OF burglars are they who
steal silver and then throw II into the \
nearest pond?'
"It was certainly rather eccentric be-
hayior. ! was merely going "a the
IDEA that n the silver had been taken
by persons who did not want it-who
merely took # for blind, as II were