Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-08

You have not seen him since yester-
day."
NO. I have not"
WAS Mr.. Staunton a healthy MANI
Absolutely"
did you ever know him ill?"
Never"
Holmes popped n sheet OF paper be-
fore the doctors eyes. Then perhaps
you Will explain this receipted bill for
13 guineas paid by Mr.. Godfrey Staun-
ton last month 10 DR. Leslie Arm
strong OF Cambridge. I picked II out
from among the papers upon his desk"
The doctor flushed with anger
Il 10 not feel that there is any reason
why should render an explanation to
you. Mr. Holmes"
Holmes replaced the bill in his note
book. IF you prefer public explana-
ton. IL must come sooner or later"
said he. Il have already told You that
I can hush up that which others will be
bound to publish. and you would really
be wiser to take me into your COM
plete confidence"
81 know nothing about IT,"
did you hear from Mr.. stanton IN
London?"
Certainly not"
Dear me. dear me the postofice
again" Holmes sighed YEARLY. "A
most urgent telegram was dispatched
TO you from London by Godfrey
Staunton at G:I5 yesterday evening-a
telegram which is undoubtedly assOci-
ated with his diSappearance-and yet
you have not had it. 1t is most cul-
pable. 1 shall certainly go down to
NIn., @fNl hur
plant"
DIR. Leslie Armstrong sprang up from
behind his desk. and his dark face was
crimson with fury.
"Pll trouble You TO walk out OF my
house. sir" said he. You can tell your
employer, Lord MOunt-James. that /
do not wish TO have anything to do
either with him or with his agents
No. sir-nOt another word!" He rang
the bell furiously. "John. show these
gentlemen out" \ pOmpous butler
ushered us severely to the door. and
we found ourselves in the street
Holmes burst out laughing.
"Dr. Leslie Armstrong Is certainly
man Of energy and character" said he
II have not seen man who. IL he
turns his talents that way, was more
calculated to I'LL the gap left by the
illustrious Moriarty. And now, my
poor Watson, here we are. stranded
and friendless 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. If
you would engage n front room and
purchase the necessarles for the night.
l may have time to make a few In
quiries."
These few inquiries proved, however.
to be more lengthy proceeding than
Holmes had imagined, for he did not
return to the inn until nearly 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
ready to take that half comic and
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 and
pair Of grays stood before the doctors
door.
Its been out three hours" said
Holmes. STARTED at $50. and here IL
is back again. That gives a radius OF
ten or twelve miles. and he does it
once or sometimes twice a day"
NO unusual thing for a doctor in
practice"
"But Armstrong is not really a 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.
which must be exceedingly irksome 10
him, and who is 1t that he vlsits:''
His cOachman"-
"My dear Watson. can you doubt
that il was to him that / first appliedG
l do not know whether IL came from
his own innate depravity or from the
prOmptlngs Of his master, but he was
rude enough to set a dog at me. Nei-
Their dog nor man liked the look Of my
stick, however. and the matter fell
through. All that l have learned /
got from a friendly native in thu
yard OF our own inn. 1t was he who
told me OF the doctors habits and OF
his daily journey. At that instant, TO
give point to his words, the carriage
came round to the door"
Gould you not follow itT'
Excellent, Watson! You are scin-
tillating this evening The idea did
cross my mind. There is. as you may
have observed, a bicycle shop next to
our inn. Into this / rushed, engaged a
bicycle and was able to get started be
fore the carriage was quite out OF
sight / rapidly overlook IL. and then,
keeping at a discreet distance OF hun
dred yards or so. 1 followed it's lights
until we were clear Of the town. We
had got well out on the country road
when somewhat notifying incident
occurred. The carriage stopped, the
doctor alighted, walked swiftly back TO
where l had halted and told me IN an
excellent sardonic fashion that he fear