Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-12-28

HsME "a Grange" to be the last
ESMa4@SsEvzw of those exploits of my
EGNMMSE friend. Mr.. Sherlock
lsS9W@aaE Holmes, which | should
ever communicate to the
public. This resolution of mine was
not u to any lack of material, since
have notes of many hundreds OF cases
10 Which l have never alluded. nor was
it caused by any waning interest on
the part Of my readers in the singular
personality and unique methods of his
remarkable man. The real reason lay
III the reluctance which Nh. Holmes
mas shown to the continued publication
OF his experiences. SO long as he was
IN actual professional practice the rec
ordS of his successes were of some
practical value to him. but since he has
definitely retired from London and be-
taken himself to study and bee farm
ing on the Sussex downs notoriety has
become hateful to him, and he has per-
emptorlly requested that his wishes in
this matter should be strictly observed.
1t was only upon my representing to
hlm that l had given a promise that
1.-The Adventure of tho Second Stain"
should be published when the times
We're ripe and pointing out to him that
1t Is only appropriate that this long
series of episodes should eliminate in
the most important international case
which he has ever been called upon to
handle that l at last succeeded in OBJ
tanning his consent that a carefully
guarded account of the incident should
at last he laid before the public.
1t was. then, in a year, even in Il dec
d that shall benameless, that upon one
Tuesday morning in autumn we found
two visitors of European fame within
the walls of our humble room in Baker
street. The one, austere, high nosed,
eagle eyed and dominant. was none 9TH
er than the illustrious Lord Bellinger,
twice premier of Britain. The other,
dark, clean cut and elegant, hardly vet
Of middle age and endowed with ev-
cry beauty of body and of mind, was
the Right Hon. Trelawney Hope, sec
rotary for European affairs and the
most rising statesman in the country.
They sat side by side upon our paper
Uttered Settee, and it was easy TO see
from their Worn and anxious faces that
it was BIZ mess of the most pressing
Importance which had brought them.
The Dremier's thin, blue veined hands
We're clasped tightly over the ivory
head Of his umbrella, and his gaunt,
ascetic face looked gloomily from
Holmes to me. The European secre-
tary pulled %nervously at his mustachc
and tidgeted with the seals of his
watch chair.
When | discovered my loss. Mr..
Holmes, which was at s o'clock this
morning, l at once informed the prime
minister. It was at his suggestion that
we have both cor to YOU
Have YOU Informed the p~olice:"
"No, SIR" said che prime minister.
with the quick, decisive manner for
which he was famous. I'VE have not
done so, nor is it possible that we
should do so. To inform the police
must, in the long run, mean to inform
the public. This is what we particular
~ desire to avoid"
"And why, Sir?'
Because the document in question
Is of such immense Importance that IFS
publication might very easily-I might
almost say probably-lead to Euronean
complications Of the utmost
1t is not too much to say that peace or
war may hang Upon the issue. Unless
1fS rnnOInrJ- aal la, +@,1 90,
utmost secrecy then it may as we'll not
be recovered at all. for all that is aim
ed at by those who have taken if is
thai it's contents should be ccnoraI;.
known"
II understand. Now, Mr.. Trelawncv
Hope, I should be much Obliged if vo,,
would tell me exactly the circu,n.
stances under which this document
Disappeared"
THAT can be done in a very few
words. MI. Holmes. The lettnr-for If
was a letter ron a foreign potentate-
was received six days ago. 1t was of
such Importance that have never loft
it in my safe, but l lave taken it
across each evening to my house in
Whltehall terrace and kept it in nv
bedroom in a locked dispatch box. r
was there last night. Of that 7 am
certain. l actually opened the box
while | was dressing for dinner and
saw the document inside. This morn
ing it was gone. The dispatch box had
stood beside the glass upon my dress
ing table all night. am Il light slcon-
er, and so is my wife. We are both
prepared to swear that no one could
have entered the room during the
night, and yet / repeat that the paper
is gone"
what time did you dine?"
Half past T."
"How long was it before you went
to bedY"
"My wife had gone to the theatcr. |
waited up for her. 1t was half past II
before w" went to our ROOM
"Then for four hours the dispatch
box had lain unguardcd!"
mo ono is ever permitted to enter
that room save the houscmaid in the
morning and my valet or my wirc's
maid during the rest OF the day. Thcy
1ra hath frIlsty aarvoptc and bnyn l,,,