Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-11

patience with a less active intelligence than
his own
"Of course it has moved" said he Am
1 such farcical bungler, Watson, that 1
should erect an obvious dummy and expect
that some of the sharpest men in Europe
would be deceived by it? We have been in
this room two hours and Mrs Hudson has
| made some change In that figure eight
times or once in every quarter of an hour.
She works it from the front, so that her
shadow may never be seen. "Ah.' He
drew in his breath with a shrill excited
intake. In the dim light [ saw his head
thrown forward, his whole attitude rigid
with attention. Outside the street was
still be crouching in the doorway but I
could no longer see them. All was still
and dark, save only that brilliant yellow
screen in front of us with the black figure
outlined upon its center Again In the ut-
ter silence l heard that thin sibilant note
which spoke of intense suppressed excite
ment. An instant later he pulled me back
into the blacklist corner of the room and
l felt his warning hand upon my lips. The
fingers which clutched me were quivering
Never had known my friend more moved,
and yet the dark street still stretched lone
ly and motionless before US.
But suddenly I was aware of that which
his keener senses had already distinguished
A low, stealthy sound came to my ears, not
from the direction of Baker street. but from
the back of the very house in which We lay
COuCedleu. "A door opened and shut. An
instant later steps crept down the passage
steps which were meant to be silent, but
which reverberated harshly through the
empty house. Holmes crouched back
against the wall and / did the same, my
hand closing upon the handle of nv re-
volver Peering through the gloom I saw
the vague outline of man, shade black
er than the blackness of the open door
He stood for an instant and then he crept
forward, crouching, menacing, into the
a W. yxrith II, fIrnn orI, of
this sinister figure and had braced myself
to meet his spring before l realized that he
had no idea Of our presence. He passed
close beside us, stole over to the window
and very softly and noiselessly raised 1t for
half foot. AS he sank to the level of
this opening. the light of the street, no
longer dimmed by the dusty glass, fell full
upon his face. The man seemed to be be-
side himself with excitement. His two
eyes shone like stars, and his features were
working convulsively. He was an elderly
man, with thin, projecting nose, a high,
bald forehead. and huge griZzled NOUS
tache. An opera hat was pushed to
the back of his head and an evening
dress shirt-front cleaned out through
his open overcoat. His face was gaunt and
swarthy, scored with deep, savage lines.
In his hand he carried what appeared to be
stick. but he laid it down upon the
floor it gave a metallic clang. Then from
the pocket of his overcoat he drew bulky
object, and he busted himself in some task
which ended With q l0ud Sharp Click, as
If a spring or bolt had fallen into it's place.
Still kneeling upon the floor. he bent for
ward and threw all his weight and strength
upon some lever, with the result that there
came long. whirling. grinding noise, end
ing once more in powerful click. He
Strengthened himself then, and l saw that
what he held in his hand was sort of
a gum with curiously misshapen butt.
He opened it at the breech. put some
thing in, and snapped the breech-block.
Then, crouching down, he rested the end
of the barrel upon the ledge of the open
window, and I saw his long moustache
droop over the stock and his eye CLEAN as
1t peered along the sights I heard a lit
tie sigh Of satisfaction as he cuddled the
butt into his shoulder, and saw that amaz-
ing target, the black man on the yellow
ground, standing clear at the end of his
foresight. For an instant he rigid
and motionless. Then his finger frightened
on the trigger. There was strange, loud
whiz and long. slvery tinkle of broken
glass. At that instant Holmes sprang like
a tiger on to the marksman's back, and
hurled him fiat upon his face. He was up
again In a moment. and with convulsive |
strength he seized Holmes by the throat, |
but ] struck him on the head with the |
butt of my revolver. and he dropped again |
upon the floor. / fell upon him, and as |
held him my comrade blew shrill call |
upon whistle. There was the clatter of |
running feet upon the pavement. and two |
policemen in uniform, with one plain |