The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

! if / did not think you quite eXcep-
! tional woman"
| II will try. What is it,"
| 1--WE shall be at the Copper Beeches
by seven o'clock, my friend and L. The
/ Rucastles will be gone by that time,
! and Toller will, we hope, be incapable.
i There only remains Mrs. Toller, who
might give the alarm. If you could
! send her into the cellar on some err
rand, and then turn the key upon her,
| you would facilitate matters immense
! ly."
| Il will do it,
Excellent, We shall then look
! thoroughly into the affair. OF course
there is only one feasible explanation.
: You have been brought there to per-
J senate some one, and the real person
/ is imprisoned in this chamber. That
is obvious. AS to who this prisoner
, is, l have no doubt that it is the
daughter, Miss Alice Rucastle, if l re-
member right who was said to have
gone to America. You were chosen.
doubtless, as resembling her in height,
figure, and the color of your hair. Hers
had been cut off, very possibly in some
| illness through which she has passed,
and so, of course. yours had to be sac
rificed also. By a curious chance you
came upon her tresses. The man in
the road was undoubtedly. some
lIItlCS VI neIS-p OSSlDly Her llndHcG--
and no doubt, as you wore the girl S
dress and were so like her. he was
convinced from your laughter, when
ever he saw you, and afterwards from
your gesture that Miss Rucastle was
perfectly happy, and that she no
longer desired his attentions. The dog
is let loose at night to prevent him
from endeavoring to communicate
with her. So much is fairly clear. The
CT cnI,in int in, hn iC
disposition of the child"
what on earth has that to do with
it 2" / CALCULATED.
MY dear Watson, you as medical
man are continually gaining light as
to the tendencies of child by the
study of the parents. Don't you see
that the converse is equally valid.
have frequently gained my first real
insight into the character of parents
by studying their children. This
child's disposition is abnormally cruel,
merely for Cruelty's sake, and whether
he derives this from his smiling faith
CT. as I should suspect, or from his
mother, it BODIES evil for the poor girl
who is in their nower."
81 am sure that you are right, Mr.
Holiness cried our client A thou
sand things come back to me which
make me certain that you have hit it,
Oh, let us lose not an instant in bring
ing help to this poor creature
eve must be circumspect, for we
are dealing with very cunning man.
We can do NOTHING until seven o'clock
At that hour We shall be with you, and
it will not be long before we solve the
mystery"
We were as good as our word. for
it was just seven when we reached the
Copper Beeches, having put up our
trap at a way-side public-house The
group CT trees, with their dark leaves
shining like FURNISHED metal in the
light of the setting sun, were sufli-
cient 10 mark the house even had Miss
Hunter not been standing smiling on
the doorstep.
A loud thudding noise came from
somewhere downstairs. THAT is
Mrs. Toller in the cellar" said she.
"Her husband lies snoring on the
kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which
are the duplicates of Mr.. Rucastle s. y
You have done v" irdeoa!" cried
Holmes. with enthusiasm Now lead
the way, and we shall soon see the
end of this black business.
We passed up the stair, unlocked the
door followed en- down passage, and
found ourselves in front of the barri
cade which Miss Hunter had describ-
ed. Holmes cut the cord and removed
the transverse bar. Then he tried
out success. No sound came from
within, and at the silence Holmes face
clouded over.
81 trust that we are not too late
said he. 81 think. Miss Hunter, that
we had better go in without you. Now,
Watson, put your shoulder to it, and
we shall see whether we cannot make
our way in
1t was an old rickety door and gave
at once before our united strength. To-
gether we rushed into the room. 1t
was empty. There was no furniture
save a little pallet, bed, small table,
and a baskctful of linen. The skylight
above was open, and the prisoner gone.
There has been some villainy here, =
said Holmes; this beauty has guessed
Miss Hunters intentions, and has car
ried his victim off,
But how?''
Through the skylight. We shall
soon see how he managed it," He
swung himself up onto the roof. "Ah,
yes" he cried here's the end of d
long light ladder against the caves.
That is how he did it.
But it is impossible" said Miss
Hunter; 'the ladder was not there
when tho Rucastles went away"
"He has como back and done it, 1
tell you that he is a clever and dan
gerOus man. / should not be very
much surprised if this were he whose
step l hear now upon the stair.
think, Watson, that it would be as
we'll for you to have your pistol ready. p"
The words were hardly out of his
mouth before a man appeared at the
door of the room, very fat and burly
, man, with a heavy stick in his hand.
Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk
, against the wall at the sight of him,
but Sherlock Holmes Sprang forward
and confronted him.
you villain!' said he; where's
| your dauGhter?'
| The fat man cast his eyes round,
and then up at the open skylight.
cit is for me to ask you that" he
! shrieked, you tGieveS. Spies and
| thieves, | have caught you. have L?
You are in my power. III serve you!"
He turned and clattered down the
stairs as hard as he could go.
Hes gone for the dog cried Miss
Hunter.
81 have my revolver" said I.
Better close the front door, cried
Holmes. and we all rushed down the
stairs together. We had hardly
reached the hall when we heard the
baying of a hound, and then a scream