The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-12-10


and let me congratulate you once
more on the important position which
you have been fortunate enough TO
gain He bowed me out of the room,
and / went home with my assistant,
hardly knowing what to say or do.
was so pleased at my own good for
tune.
"Well. thought over the matter all
day, and by evening | was in low
spirits again, for | had quite per
suaded myself that the whole affair
must be some great hoax or fraud,
though what it's object might be
could not imagine. 1t seemed alto
gether past belief that any one could
make such a will, or that they would
pay such a sum for doing anything
so simple as copying out the En-
cyclopaedia Britannica. Vincent
Spaulding did what he could to cheer
me up, but by bedtime / had rea-
soned myself out of the whole thing.
However. in the morning ] deter
mined to have a look at it anyhow, so
1 bought a penny bottle of ink. and
with a quill pen, and seven sheets OF
foolscap paper | started off for Pope S
Court.
well, to my surprise and delight,
everything was as right as possible.
and Mr. Duncan Ross was there to
see that / got fairly to work. He
started me off upon the letter A, and
then he left me. but he would drop
in. from time to time to see that all
was right with me. At two o'clock
he babe me good-day, complimented
me upon the amount that | had
written, and locked the door of the
office after me.
"This went on day after day, Mr..
Holmes. and on Saturday the manager
came in and planked down four golde
sovereigns for my weeks work. 1t
was the same the next week. and the
same the week after. Every morn
ing l was there at ten. and every af-
ternoon l left at two. BY degrees Mr..
Duncan Ross took to coming in only
once of a morning. and then, after Il
time nv did not come in at all. Still
of course, ] never dared to leave the
room for an instant for | was not
sure when he might come, and the
billet was such a good one. and suited
me so well. that l would not risk the
loss of it.
Eight weeks passed away like this
and I had written about Abbotts and
Archery and Armor and Architecture
and Attica. and hoped with diligence
JIldI i InlSIll SeL Oh 10 TIE ID > DCIOI
very long. 1t cost me something in
foolscap. and ! had pretty nearly filled
a shelf with my writings. And then
suddenly the whole business came tC
an. end
Yes. sir. And not later than this
morning | went to my work as usual
at ten O'Clock. but the door was shut
and locked. with a little square card
board hammered on to the middle OF
the panel with a tack. Here it is. and
you can read for yourself
He held up a piece of white card
board about the size of a sheet OF
note-paper. II read IN this fashion:
"Thc Red-IIeadcd League
Dissolved
October 8, 1890"
Sherlock Holmes and | surveyed this
curt announcement and the rueful race
behind it, until the comica! side of the
affair was so completely overtopped
every other consideration that we both
burst into a roar of laughter.
II cannot see that there IS anything
very funny" cried our client. flushing
UP to the roots of his flaming head
IF you can do nothing better thar
laugh at me, l can go elsewhere"
mo. no." cried Holmes, showing hin
back into the chair from which ht
had half risen. II really Wouldnt
miss your case for the world. 1t is
most refreshingly unusual. But there
is, if YOU will excuse my saying so
something just a little funny about it
Pray what steps did you take Wher
you found the card upon the door,
81 was staggered. sir | did mo-
know what TO do. Then / called al
4 1,,4 IF n
seemed to know anything about it
Finally | went TO the landlord who is
an accountant living on the ground
floor, and asked him If he could tel
me what had become of the Red-head.
ed League He said that he had never
heard of such a body Then I asked
him who Mr. Duncan Ross was. He
answered that the name was new tC
him.
"'Well, said I. the gentleman a
No. A.
What, the red-headed MANI
Yes
ooh said he. his name was Will
liam Morris. He was a solicitor. ant
was using my room as a temporary
convenience until his new premise;
were ready He moved out yesterday.
Where could / find him?'
"'Oh. at his new office. He did tel
me the address. Yes. II King Ed
ward street, near St PauPs.
81 started off. Mr.. Holmes. but wher
got to that address it was a manu-
factory of artificial knee-caDs and nc
one in it had ever hear of either Mr.
William Morris or Mr.. Duncan Ross.
tAnd what did you do them" asked
Holmes.
II went home to Saxe-Coburg Square
and | took the advice Of my assistant
But he could not help me in any way
He could only say that if / waited
should hear by post But that was moi
quite good enough. Mr.. Holmes. / die
not wish to lose such a place without
a struggle, so, as | had heard that you
were good enough to give advice tC
poor folk who were in need of it.
came right away to you
"And you did very wisely" said
Holmes "Your case is an exceedingly
remarkable one, and l shall be happy
to look into it. From what you have
told me / think that it is possible that
graver issues hang upon it than might
at first sight appear.
Grave enough" said Mr.. Jabez
Wilson. 'Why, l have lost -four
pound a week.
'As far as you are concerned" re-
marked Holmes. 81 do not see tina,
you have any grievance against this
extraordinary league. On the con-
trary you are, as / understand, richer