The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-05

round the corner. J. could see a
| mile of road but he was not on it.
To make it the more extraordinary,
there was no side road at this point
! down which he could have gone"
Holmes chuckled and rubbed his
hands. This case certainly presents
some features of its own" said he.
'How much time elapsed between
your turning the corner and your
discovery that the road was clear?'
1.-TWO or three minutes"
"Then he could not have retreated
down the road, and you say that
there are no side roads? 2"
None"
"Then he certainly took foot
path on on eside or the other"
1T could not have been on the side
of the heath, or I should have seen
him" ~
$50, by the process of exclusion,
| we arrive at the fact that he made his
way toward Charlington Hall, which,
as ! understand, is situated in it's own
grounds on one side of the road
Anything else?'
Nothing, Mr.. Holmes save that
was so perplexed that 1 felt
should not be happy until [ had seen
you and had your advice"
Holmes sat in silence for some lit
Where is the gentleman to whom
. you are GUSdBeus lie cShGu ctJ lcbol
He is in the Midland Electrical
Company, at Coventry"
He would not pay you surprise
visit?
"Oh, Mr. Holmes! AS if I should
not know him."
Have you had any other ad-
mirers?"
Several before 1 knew Cyril"
'And since?"
saThere was this dreadful man.
Woodley, if you can call him an ad-
mirer."
mo one else?"
Our fair client seemed a little con-
fused.
who was he?" asked Holmes
"Oh, it may be a mere fancy of
mine; but it had seemed to me some
times that my employer, Mr. Car
ruthers takes a great deal of in
terest i'm me. We are thrown rather
together. / play his accompaniments
II in-the evening. He has never said
anything. He is a perfect gentle
man. But a girl always knows"
"Ha!" Holmes looked grave. What
does he do for a living?"
He is a rich man.
mo carriages or horses ?"
"Well, at least he is fairly well-to-
do. But he goes into the city two
or three times a week. He is deeply
interested in South African gold
shares"
You will let me know any fresh
development, Mis- Smith. l am very
busy just now, but l will find time
to make inquiries into your case. In
the meantime take no step without
letting me know Goodbye, and I
trust that we shall have nothing but
good news from you.
ut is part of the settled order of
Nature that such a girl should have
followers" said Holmes, as he pulled
at his medtative pipe, but for choice
not on bicycles in lonely country
roads. Some secretive lover, beyond
all doubt. But there are curious and
suggestive details about the case,
! Watson.
THAT he should appear only at that
point?"
Exactly. Our first efforts must
be to find who are the tenants OF
Charlington Hall. Then, again, how
about the connection between Car
ruthers and Woodley, since they ,ap-
pear to be men of such a different
| type? How came they both to be SO
keen upon looking up Ralph Smiths
relations? One more point What
sort of menage is it which pays
double the market price for gov
erness, but does not keep a horse, al
though six miles from the station?
I
"You will go down?'
mo, my dear fellow, you will go
| down. This may be some trifling
| intrigue, and l cannot break into Other
| important researches for the sake of
| it. On Monday you will arrive early
at Farnham; you will conceal your
| self near Charlington Heath; you will
observe these facts for yourself, and
| act as your own judgment advises.
! Then having inquired as to the oc-
cupants of the Hail. you will come
back to me and report. And now,
| Watson, not another word of the mat
| ter until we have a few solid stepping
stones on which we may hope to get
across to our solution
We had ascertained from the lady
that she went down upon the Monday
! by the train which leaves Waterloo
at $50, so 1 started early and caught
the 9:13. At Farnham Station / had
no difficulty in being directed to
! Charlington Heath. 1t was impossi-
BILE to mistake the scene of the young
! lady's adventure, for the road runs
between the open heath on one side
and an old yew hedge upon the other,
surrounding a park which is studded
with magnificent trees. There was
main gateway of lichen-studded
stone, each side pillar surmounted by
mouldering heraldic emblems, but be-
sides this central carriage drive
observed several points where there
were gaps in the hedge, and paths
| leading through them. The house
was invisible from the road, but the
surroundings all spoke of gloom and
| decay
The heath was covered with golden
/ patches of towering gorse, cleaning
magnihcently in the light of the
| bright spring sunshine. Behind one of
these clumps I took up my position
so as to command both the gateway
of the Hall and long stretch of the
road upon either side. 1t had been
/ deserted when / left it, but now ]
saw cyclist riding down it from the
! opposite direction to- that in which I
had come. He was clad in dark
suit, and saw that he had a black
| beard. On reaching the end of the
Charlington grounds, he sprang from
his machine and led it through gap
Continued on Page Tive.)