The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-09

these gentlemen Whom you nave
brought with you?"
one is Mr., Harris of Bermondsey.
and and the other is Mr. Price, of this
town. said our clerk, glibly. They
are friends of mine and gentlemen OF
experience, but have been out of a
place for some little time, and they
hoped that perhaps you might find an
opening for them in the companys
employment.
Very possibly! very possibly" cried
Mr.. Primer with a CHASTITY smile. Yes,
| have no doubt that we shall be able
to do something for you. What is your
particular line, Mr.. Harris?"
Il am an accountant" said Holmes:
"Ah, yes we shall want something of
that sort. And you, Mr. Price,
"A clerk" said /.
I have every hope that the company
may accommodate you. / will let you
know about it as soon as we come TO
any conclusion. And now | beg that
you will go. For Gods sake leave me to
myself.
These last words were shot out of
him, as though the constraint which
he was evidently setting upon himself
had suddenly and utterly burst aSun-
der. Holmes and l glanced at each
other, and Hall Pycroft took step to-
ward the table.
L
here by appointment to receive some
directions from YOU" said he
Certainly, Mr.. Pycroft, certainly.
the other resumed in a calm tone.
You may wait a moment; and there
is no reason why your friends should
not wait with you. | will certainly be
at your service in three minutes, If
might treSSpass upon your patience for
so far He rose with very courteous
Nv nd inn tn no n nv
through a door at the farther end of
the room, which he closed behind him.
What now" whispered Holmes.
is he giving us the slip?'
Impossible" answered Pycroft.
why so 2?
THAT door leads into an inner
ROOM.
There Is no eXit?''
None"
rs, it furnished?"
ut was empty yesterday"
Then what on earth can he be
doing? There is something which l
don't understand i'm this matter. If
ever a man was three parts mad with
terror, that mans name is Primer.
What can have put the shivers on
him 2"
He suspects that we are detectives,
| suggested.
That's it, cried Pycroft
Holmes shook his head. 'He did
not turn pale. He was pale when we
entered the room" said he. 1T is just
possible that"
His words were interrupted by
sharp rat-tat from the direction of the
inner door.
What the deuce is he knocking at
his own door for?" cried the clerk.
Again and much louder came the
rat-tat-tat. We gazed expectantly at
the closed door. CHANGING at Holmes,
saw his face turn rigid. and he leaned
forward in intense excitement. Then
suddenly came a low gurgling, gar~l
Cling sound. and brisk drumming on
the woodwork. Holmes sprang franti-
cally across the room and pushed at
the door. 1t was fastened on the inner
side. Following his example. we threw
ours elves upon it with all our weight.
One hinge snapped. then the other,
and down came the door with crash.
Rushing over it, we found ourselves
in the inner room. 1t was empty.
But it was only a moment that we
were at fault. At one corner, the cor
ner nearest the room which we had
left, there was a second door. Holmes
sprang to it and pulled it open. coat
and waistcoat We're lying on the floor,
and from hook behind the door, with
his own braces round his neck, was
hanging the managing director OF the
Franco Midland Hardware Company.
His knees were drawn up, his head
hung at dreadful angle to his body,
and the clatter of his heels against the
door made the noise which had broken
i'm upon our conversation. In an instant
had caught him round the waist and
held him upswhile Holmes and Pycroft
united the elastic bands which had
disappeared between the livid creases
of skin. Then we carried him into the
other room, where he lay with a clay
colored face, putting his purple lips in
and out with every breath-a dreadful
wreck of all that had been but five
minutes before.
What do you think of him, Wat
SOM" asked Holmes
/ stopped over him and examined
him. His pulse was feeble and inter-
mittent, but his breathing grew longer,
and there was a little shivering of his
eye-lids, which showed a thin white
slit of ball beneath.
1T has been touch and go with him."
said i, "but he'll live now. Just open
that window, and hand me the water
carafe." / undid his collar, poured
the cold water over his face, and rails
ed and sank his arms until he drew
long, natural breath. Its only a ques-
ton of time now" said l. as / turned
away from him.
Holmes stood by the table. with his
hands deep in his trousers pockets
and his chin upon his breast.
Il suppose we ought to call the po-
lice in now said he. And yet | con
fess that I'd like to give them a com
plete case when they come
It's blessed mystery to me-" cried
Pycroft, scratching his head" What
ever they wanted to bring me all the
way here for, and then"
Pooh! All that is clear enough
said Holmes, impatiently. 1T is the last
sudden move"
You understand the rest, then ?''
Il think that is fairly obvious. What
do you say, Watson? ?"
/ shrugged my shoulders. 81 must
confess that / am out of my depths,
said +.
"Oh, surely if you consider the
events at first they can only point to
one conclusion
What do you make of them ?"
well, the whole thing hinges upon
two points. The first is the making Of
Pycroft write declaration by which
he entered the services of this prepos-
ferrous company Do you not see how
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