Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-07-27
X5KYX4Tx4KTX


Holmes bent over this groteSque
trieze for some minutes and then sud-
denly sprang to his feet, with an ex-
.lamation Of surprise and dismay. His
face was haggard with anxiety.
1--WE have let this affair go far
enough" said he. "Is there a train to
North Walsham tonight"
l turned up the time table. The last
had just gone.
Then we shall breakfast early and
take the very first in the morning."
said Holmes. Our presence is most
urgently needed. All, here is our ex-
pected cablegram. One moment, Mrs.
Hudson; there may be an answer. No,
that is quite as 1 expected This mes
sage makes it even more essential that
we should not lose an hour in letting
Hilton Cubitt know how matters stand,
for it is a singular and a dangerous
web in which our simple Norfolk squire
Is entangled."
SO indeed it proved, and as 1 come to
the dark conclusion of a story which
had seemed to, me to be only childish
and bizarre l experience once again the
dismay and horror with which l was
filed. Would that l had some brighter
ending to communicate to my readers,
but these are the chronicles of fact,
and l must follow to their dark crisis
the strange chain of events which for
some days made Riding Thorpe Manor
a household word through the length
and breadth Of England"
We had hardly alighted at North
Walsham and mentioned the name of
our destination when the station mas
ter hurried toward us. 81 suppose that
you are the detectives from London?"
said he.
A look of annoyance passed over
Holmes face.
what makes you think such a
thing?'
Because Inspector Martin from
Norwich has just passed through. But
maybe you are the surgeons. She's not
dead, or wasn't by last accounts. You
may be in time to save her yet, though
it be for the gallows."
Holmes brow was dark with anxiety.
I'VE are going to Riding Thorpe Man
or" said he, "but we have heard moth
ing of what has passed there"
Its a terrible business" said the
station master. "They are shot, both
Mr.. Hilton Cubitt and his wife. She
shot him and then herself, so the serv-
ants say. He's dead and her life is de-
SPARED of. Dear, dear, one Of the old
est families in the county of Norfolk
and one Of the most honored!'
Without a word Holmes hurried to a
carriage, and during the long seven
mile drive he never opened his mouth.
Seldom have l seen him so utterly de-
spondent. He had been uneasy during
all our journey from town, and l had
observed that he had turned over the
morning papers with anxious attention,
but now this sudden realization Of his
worst fears left him in a blank melan-
choly. He leaned back in his seat, lost
In gloomy speculation. Yet there was
much around to interest us, for we
were passing through as singular a
countryside as any in England. where
a few scattered cottages represented
the population Of today, while on ev-
cry hand enormous square lowered
churches bristled up from the fat,
green landscape and told Of the glory
and prosperity Of old East Anglia. At
last the violet rim Of the German
ocean appeared owe the green edge of
the Norfolk coast, and the driver point
ed with his whip to two old brick and
timber gables which projected from a
grove Of trees. "That's Riding Thorpe
Manor" said he.
AS we drove up to the porticoed front
door / observed in front of it, beside the
tennis lawn, the black tool house and
the pedestaled sundial with which we
had such strange associations. A dap
per little man, with n quick, alert
manner and Il waxed mustache, had
Just descended from n high dogcart.
He introduced himself as Inspector
Martin Of the Norfolk c~onstnbulary,
II he was considerably ~astonlsled
when he heard the name OF my com
unnioD.