Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-27
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 Holmes examined 1t for some time, and then, folding 1t carefully up, he placed 1t in his pocketbook.
 This promises to be most interest ing and unusual case" said he. You gave me few particulars in your let ter. Mfr. Hilton Cubitt, but should be very much obliged if you would kindly go over 1t all again for the ben cit of my friend, Dr. Watson"
 "I'm not much of a story teller" said our visitor, nervously clasping and un- clasping his great, strong hands. You will just ask me anything that l don't make clear. I'll begin at the time of my marriage last year. but want to say first of all that, though I'm not . rich man, my people have been at Rid ing Thorpe for a matter of i've centu- ries, and there is no better known fam fly in the county of Norfolk Last year I came up to London for the jubilee. and stopped at boarding house in Russell square, because Parker, the vicar of our parish, was staying in 1t.
 There was an American young lady there-Patrick was the name-Elsie Patrick. In some way we became friends, until before my month was up was as much in love as man could be. We were quietly married at reg istry office, and we returned to Nor folk welded couple. You'll think 1t very mad, Mir. Holmes, that . man of a good old family should marry wife in this fashion. knowing nothing of her past or of her people. but if you saw her and knew her 1t would help you to understand.
 "She was very straight about fl, was Elsie. can't say that she did not give me every chance of getting out of 1t if l wished to do 50. I have had some very disa zreeable associations in my lIfe,' said she. I wish to forget all about them. I would rather never aL Jude to the past. for 1t Is very painful to me. If you take me, Hilton. you will take a woman who has nothing that she need be personally ashamed of. but you will have to be content with my word for 1t and to allow me to be silent as to all that passed up to the time when I became yours. If these condi- tons are too hard. then go back to Nor folk and leave me to the lonely life in which you found me- It was only the day before our wedding that she said those very words to me. told her that I was content to take her on her own terms, and I have been as good as my word.
 "Well, we have been married now for c year, and very happy we have been. But about a month ago, at the end of June. I saw for the first time signs of trouble. One day my wife received . letter from America. I saw the Amer lean stamp. She turned deadly white. read the letter and threw it into the fire. She made no alIusion to 1t after ward, and made none. for a promise is a promise, but she has never known. an easy hour from that moment. There is always look of fear upon her face "a look as if she were waiting and ex- pecting. shc would do better to trust me She would find that I was her best friend. But until she speaks can say nothing. Mind you. she Is truthful woman. Mfr. Holmes. and whatever trouble there may have been in her past life it has been no fault of hers. I am only simple Norfolk squire. but there is not a man In England who ranks his family honor more highly than I do. She knows If well. and she knew it well before she married me. She would never bring any stain upon Ii. of that am sure.
 Well now I come to the queer part Of my story About a week ago-it was the Tuesday of last week-I found on one of the window sills number of absurd little dancing figures like these upon the paper. They were scraviei with chalk. I thought that if was the stable boy who had drawn them. but the lad swore he knew nothing about 1t. Anyhow, they had come there dur iae the nigh.. had them washed out and only mentioned the matter to ny wife afterward- To my surprise shs took 1t very seriously and begged me R any more came to let her see them None did come for a week. and then yesterday. morning I found this paper ly1ng on the sundiai 10 the ssrden- slowed is to Elsie. and down sbe drop ped In . dead faint Since then sbe has Iooksd Hke . woman in . dream, haf asssd and with terror alvays lurking b bw eyaL It was fhsn that I wrote and sent the pap~ e ysu- Ar. Holmes- It was sos . thing that cosld take b the pel,ce. fer fb<y wonh have laughsd at ne. bsf you wiIi tell Ds vhst e dsL len Bst rich Dan- but if fkers is ahy danoR shrs<fsnfng ay llefie wsoan VI sp01 " nse eopD9 e dn1sad hw.-
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