The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-05

a scream and fell upon his back his hideous red face turning suddenly to a dreadful mottled pallor. The old man, still clad in his surplice. burst into such a string of foul oaths as I have never heard. and pulled out a revolver of his own. but before he could raise it. he was looking down the barrel of Holmes weapon.
 Enough of this, said my friend, coldly. Drop that pistol! Watson, pick it upl Hold it to his head Thank you. You. Carruthers, give me that revolver. We'll have no more violence. Come. hand it overr
 Who are you, thenr'
 My name Is Sherlock Holmes"
 Good Lord!r
 You have heard of me, I see will represent the official police until their arrival Here, youv' he shouted to a frightened groom. who had ap- peared at the edge of the glade Come here. Take this note, as hard as you can ride, to Farnham." He scribbled a few words upon a leaf from his notebook Give it to the superintendent at the police-station. Until he comes I must detain you all under my personal custody"
 The strong, masterful personality of Holmes dominated the tragic scene, and all were equally puppets in his hands. Williamson and Car ruthers found themselves carrying the wounded Woodley into the house. and I gave my arm to the frightened girl. The injured man was laid on his bed, and at Holmes request I ex- amined him. I carried my report to where he sat in the old tapestry-hung dining-room with his two prisoners before him.
 He will live" said I.
 'Whatr cried Carruthers, spring ing out of his chair. 'Tll go upstairs and finish him first. Do you tell me that that girl, that angel, is to be tied to Roaring Jack Woodley for life?"
 You need not concern yourself about that" said Holmes. There are very good reasons why she should, under no circumstances, be his wife. In the first place, we are very safe in questioning MT William sons right to solemnize a marriage"
 "I have been ordained" cried the old rascal.
 And also unfrocked."
 "once a clergyman, always a clergyman"
 q think not. How about the li- cense?"
 ''We had a license for the marriage. I have it here in my pocket
 Then you got 1t by a trick. But in any case, a forced marriage is no marriage, but it is a very serious felony. as you will discover before you have finished. You'll have time to think the point out during the next ten years or so, unless I am mis- taken. As to you, Carruthers, you would have done better to keep your pistol in your pocket"
 q begin to think so, MT Holmes, but when I thought of all the precau- tion I had taken to shield the girl flor I loved her, MT. Holmes, and it is the only time that ever I knew what love was-it fairly drove me mad to think that she was in the power of the greatest brute and bully in South Africa-a man whose name Is a holy terror from Kimberley to Johannesburg. Why, MT. Holmes, you'll hardly believe it, but ever since that girl has been In my employment I never once let her go past tsis house, where knew the raseals were lurking, without following her on my bicycle, just to see that she came to no harm I kept my distance from her, and I wore a beard, so that she could not recognize me, for she is a good and high-spirited girl. and she wouldn't have. stayed in my employ ment long If she had thought that I was following her about the country roads"
 "Why didn't you tell her of her danger?"
 Because. then. again. she would have left me, and I couldn't bear to face that. Even if she couldn't love me. 1t was great deal to me just to see her dainty form about the house, and to hear the sound of her voice.
 Well, said I. you call that love, MT. Carruthers. but I should call 1t selfshness."
 Maybe the two things go together. Anyhow, I couldn't let her go. Be- sides, with this crowd about, 1t was well that she should have some one near to look after her. Then, when the cable came, I knew they were bound to make a move"
 What cable?"
 Carruthers took a telegram from his pocket.