Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-07-08

| WIKI NndittcQ 10 SET YOU ~ into tult
house as / came hobbiing after you.
thought TO myself I'll just step in and
see that Kind gentleman and tell him
that IL l was a bit gruff IN my manner
| there was not any harm meant and that
/ am much obliged 10 him for picking
up my books"
You make too much OF trife." said
1. May I ask how you knew who
wasY"
Yes. sir. II IL isn't too great liher-
| ~ am neighbor Of yours for you'll
( find my little bOokshop az the corner OF
Church street, and very happy 70 see
YOU. / am sure. Maybe you collect
yourself. sir. Here's British Birds
and 'Catullus' and The Holy War'-a
bargain. every one OF them. With FIVE
volumes you could just III that gap on
that second shelf It looks untidy.
does II not, sirT''
moved my head 20 look at the cabi-
| net behind me. When I turned again
/ Sherlock Holmes was standing smiling
at me acress my study table. ] rose 10
| my feet, stared at him for some sec
| onds in utter amazement. and then IL
| appears that I must have tainted for
! the first and the last time In my life
| Certainly a gray mist swirled before
| my eyes, and when IL cleared found
my collar ends undone and the tingling
| after-taste Of brandy upon my lips.
/ Holmes was bending over my chair,
/ his flask In his hand
MY dear Watson" said the well re
memoered voice. Il owe you a thou
sand apologies. had no idea that you
would be so affected"
gripped him 10y the arms.
| Holiness / cried. us 81 really YOU?
Can it indeed be that YOU are alive2 Is
IL possible that you succeeded in climb
Ing out OF that awful abyssY~
walt a moment" said he Are YOU
sure that you are really fit 20 discuss
/ thingsl I have given YOU a serious
shock 10y my unnecessarily dramatic
/ temperance"
Il am an right. but indeed. Holmes.
| can hardly believe my eyes. Good
/ heavens. 20 think that you-you OF all
/ men-should be standing ina my study"
/ Again gripped him 10y the sleeve and
! felt the thin. sinewy arm beneath IT,
/ We'll, you're not spirit anyhow"
| said !. My dear chap. I'm overjoyed
/ 20 see you. Sit down aud tell me how
/ you came alive out Of that dreadful
/ chasm"
He sat opposite 10 me and lit s ciga-
! rette in his old nonchalant manner
I He was dressed in the scedy frock coat
OF the book merchant. hut the rest Of
that individual lay ina pile OF white
/ raN a
/ Holmes looked even thinner and keener
than Of old. but there was a dead white
/ tinge I'm his aquilne face which told
me that his life recently had not been
healthy one.
Il am glad 20 stretch myself. Wat
son" said he. 1T Is no Joke when n
tall man has 10 take foot OF his
stature for several hours on end. Now.
my dear fellow. In the matter Of these
explanations. we have II I may ask
FOR your cooperation. a hard and dan
gerOus nights work In front OF MS Per
haps IL would be better II gave you an
account Of the whole situation when
that work is finished"
| Il am fun Of curiosity. / should
much prefer TO hear now"
You'll come with me tonightf"
when You like and where you like"
This is. indeed. like the old DAYS.
We shall have time for Inouthful Of
dinner before we need go Well then.
about that Chasm. / had no serious
difficulty In getting out OF Il FOR the
very simple reason that never was
In It,"
You never were IN itT'
NO. Watson. / never was IN II. Nv
note 10 you was absolutely genuine. I
had little doubt that had come 20 the
end Of my career when perceived the
somewhat sinister figure OF the late
Professor Moriarty standing upon the
! narrow pathway which led 10 safety.
| ! read an memorable purpose ina his
gray eyes. l exchanged some rpnlarkS
with him, therefore. and obtained his
| courteous permission 10 write the short
note which you afterward received. I
left II with my cigarette box and my
stick, and walked along the pathway.
MOriarty still at my heels When /
reached the end I stood NJ bay. lie
drew no weapon. but he rushed at me
and threw his long arms around me.
He knew that his own game was M
and was only anxious 10 revenge him.
| self upon me- We tottered together
upon the brink OF the fan have some
knowledge. however OF baritsu. or the
Japanese system OF wrestling, which
has more than once been very useful
20 me. l slipped through his grip. and
he with horrible scream kicked mad.
ly for few seconds aud clawed the air
with both his hands. But for all his
efforts he could not get his balance
and over he went With my face over
the brink l saw him fall for a long way
Then he struck "A rock, bounded of and
splashed into the water"
listened with amazement TO this ex
PLANTATION, which Holmes delivered be
tween the puffs OF his cigarette
But the tracks, / cried. II saw
with my own eyes that two went down
the path and none returned"
1t came about in this way. The In
slant that the professor had disap
peared Il struck me what a really ex
traOrdinarily lucky chance fate had
=. nlgeef In pnr way 4 Enax~v fh-f kT,rf