The San Francisco call., 1905-05-28

Yes, sir. only once"
who was she2''
Don't know the name. sir. Was an
swering an advertisement about type
writing and came to the wrong number
very pleasant. -genteel young woman,
SIR
Tall? Handsome?"
les, sir, she was an weIl-grown young
woman. suppose you might say she
was handsome Perhaps some one would
say she was very handsome. Oh officer.
do let me have peepr says she. She
had pretty, coaxing ways, as you might
say. and l thought there was no harm in
letting her just put her head through the
door,
"How was she dressed?'
Quiet. SRA long mantle down to her
feet
What time was it?''
1t was just growing dusk at the time.
They were lighting the lamps as l came
pdck with the brandy.
Very good said Holmes. Come.
watson, l think that we have more i'm
portant work elsewhere
AS We left the house Lestrade remained
Ill the front room, while the repentant
constable opened the door to let us out
Holmes turned on the step and help up
something In his hand. The constable
stared ihtently
Good Lord, sir" he cried, with amaze
ment on his face. Holmes put his finger
on his lips, replaced his hand In his
breast pocket, and burst out laughing as
We turned down the street. ''Excellsntr'
said he Come. friend Watson. the cur
tain rings up for the last act. You will
De relieved to hear that there will be no
war. and the Right Honorable Tre-
iawney Hope will suffer no setback In
his brilliant career. that the indfscreet
sovereign will receive no punishment for
his tndiscretion, that the Prime Minister
VIII have no European complication to
deal with, and that with a little tact and
management upon our part nobody will
be a penny the worse for what might
have been very ugly incident
My mind filed with admiration for this
extraordinary man.
You have solved. itr' I cried.
Hardly that. Watson There are some
points which are as dark as ever. But
we have SO much that 1t will be our own
fault IL we cannot get the rest We will
go straight to Whitehall Terrace and
bring the matter to head
When We arrived at the residence of
the European secretary it was for Lady
Hiida Trelawney Hope that Sherlock
Holmes inquired. We were shown into
the morntng-room.
Mr. Holiness said tho lady, and her
face was pink with her indignation, this
is surely most unfair ana ungenerous
upon your part. desired. as have ex-
pIained, to keep my visit to you a secret,
lest my husband should think that I was
intruding into his affairs. And yet you
compromise me by coming here and so
showing that there are business rela-
tions between u.s.
Unfortunately, madam, I had no pos
sible alternative. l have peen commits
stoned to recover this immensely import
ant paper. I must therefore ask you
madam, to be kind enough to place it in
my hands,
The lady sprang to her feet, with the
color all dashed in an instant from her
beautiful face. Her eyes glazed-she tot
tered-I thought that she would faint
Then with a grand effort she rallied from
the shock, and supreme astonishment
and indignation chased every other ex-
preston from her features.
'You-you Insult me. Mr. Holmes
Come. come. madam. 1t IS useless Give
up the letter.
She darted to the bell.
The butler shall show you out"
DO not ring. Lady Hilda. II you do
tEeH all my earnest efforts to avoid q
scandal will be frustrated. Give up ths
letter and all will be set right. If you viii
work with me can arrange everything
If you work against me I must expose
you"
She stood grandly defiant. queenly
figure. her eyes fixed upon his as IL she
would read his very soul. Her hand was
on the bell, but she had forborne tc
ring it.
You are trying to frighten me. It 1:
not very manly thing. Mr.. Holmes, tc
come here and browbeat woman. YoJ
say that you know something. What 4
Il that you know?''
Pray sit down, madam. You will hurt
yourself there If you fall. I will not