The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-05
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was not consulted during those eight years, and theres were hundreds of private cases, some of them of the most intricate and extra ordinary character, in winch he played prominent part. Many startling successes and a few un- ayoidable failures were the outcome of this long period of continuous work. As I have preserved very full notes of all these cases, and was my self personally engaged in many of them, it may be imagined that it Is no easy task to know which l should select to lay before the public. l shall, however preserve my former rule and give the preference to those cases which derive their interest not so much from the brutality of the crime as from the ingenuity and dramatic quality Of the solution. For this reason I will now lay before the reader the facts connected with Miss Violet Smith, the solitary cyclist of Qharlington, and the curious sequel of our investigation, which culmi- mated in unexpected tragedy. It is true that the circumstance did not admit, of any striking illustration of those powers for which my friend was famous, but there were some
 
 stand out in those long records of crime from which I gather the ma terial for these little narratives.
 On referring to my note book for the year 1895, I find that 1t was upon Saturday, the 23rd of April, that we first heard of Miss Violet Smith. Her visit was I remember extremely un- welcome to Holmes, for he was im- mersed at the moment in a very ab- struse and complicated problem con- corning the peculiar persecution to which John Vincent Harden, the well known tobacco millionaire. had been subjected. My friend, who loved above all things precision end concentration of thought, resented anything which distracted his attention from the matter in hand. And yet without a harshness which was foreign to his nature, it was impossible to refuse to listen to the story of the young and beantiful woman, tall, graceful, and queenly, who presented herself at Baker street late in the evening, and implored his assistance and ad- vice. It was vain to urge that his time was already fully occupied, for the young lady had come with the determination to tell her story and it was evident that nothing short Of force could get her out of the room until she had done so. With a re- signed air and somewhat weary smile, holmes begged the beautiful intruder to take a seat, and to inform us what 1t was that was troubling her.
 At least it cannot be your health" said ne as his keen eyes darted over her; "so ardent bicyclist must be full of energy"
 She glanced down in surprise at her own feet. and I observed the slight roughening of the side of the sole caused by the friction of the edge. of the pedal.
 "Yes, I bicycle good deal, MT. Holmes, and that has something to do with my visit to you today
 My friend took the ladys ungloved hand. and examined 1t with as close an attention and as little sentiment as scientist would show to a speci- men.
 z''You will excuse me, I am sure. It is my business" said he, as he dropped 1t. "I nearly fell into the error of supposing that you were typewriting. Of course, it Is obvious that 1t is music. You observe the spatulate finger-ends, Watson, which is common to both professions? There is spirituality about the face, how ever''-she gently turned it towards the light-fwhich the typewriter does not generates This lady Is a musi- cian."
 Yes, Mr. Holmes, I teach music.'
 Tn the country, l presume, from your complexion"
 'Yes. sir near Farnham, on the borders of Surrey"
 "A beautiful neighbourhood, and E.,ff | -t tx.t1 tions. You remember. Watson that 1t was near there that we took Archie Stamford, the forger. Now, Miss Violet. what has happened to you, near Farnham, on the borders of Surrey?'
 The young lady, with great clear ness and composurc, made the fol- lowing curious statement:
 My father is dead, Mir. Holmes. He was James Smith. who conducted the orchestra at the old Imperial Theatre. My mother and were left without relation in the world ex- cept one uncle Ralph Smith, who went to Africa twenty-five years ago, and we have never had a word from him .ince. When father died. we were left very poor. but one day we were told that there was an adver- tisement in the Times. inquiring for our whereabouts. You can imagine how excited we were, for we thought that some one had left us a fortune. We went at once 10 the lawyer whose name was given in the paper. There we met two gentlemen, Mir. Carruth- CTS and MT. Woodley. who were home on visit from South Africa. They said that my uncle was friend of theirs. that he had died some months hafo in In, T11 burg, and that he had asked them with his last breadth to hunt up his relations, and see that they were in no want. It seemed strange to us that Uncle Ralph, who took no notice of us when he was alive, should be so careful to lok after us. when he was dead, but Mr. Carruthers ex- plained that the reason was that my uncle had just heard of the death of his brother, and so felt responsible for our fate.'
 Excuse me-" said Holmes. When was this interview?'
 Last December-four months ago."
 Pray proceed"
 ''Mr. Woodley seemed to me. to be most odious person. He was for eyer making eyes at me-a coarse puffy-faced. red-moustached young man, with his hair plastered down oh each side of his forehead I thought that he was perfectly hate ful-and I was sure that Cyril would not wish me to know such person."
 "Oh. Cyril is his name!" said Holmes, smiling.
 The young lady blushed and laughed
 "Yes, MT Holmes, Cyril Morton, an electrical engineer, and we hope to be married at the end of the sum- Tner Dear me. how did get talking about him? What I wished to say