The Washington times., 1905-05-28

can never resist a touch Of the dra-
matte
Phelps seized his hand and Kissed it.
"Ged bless your he cried. 'fTou have
saved my honor
''Wei1. my own was at stake. you
know" said Holmes '.I assure you it
is Just as hateful 10 me TO fail in a case
as it can be to you TO blunder over a
commission
Phelps thrust away the precious docu-
rnent into the innermost pocket Of his
ccat
Il have not the heart TO Interrupt your
breakfast any further, and yer L am
dying 10 know how you got it ana where
st was"
Sherlock Holmes swallowed a cup OF
coffee, and turned his attention TO tha
ham and eggs. Then he rose. Iit his pipe,
and settled himself down into his chair:
III tell you what I did first, and how
1 came to do it afterward." said he.
After leaving you at the station
went for charming walk through
some admirable Surrey scenery 10 q
pretty little village called Ripley, where
l had my tea at an inn, and. took the
precaution of filing my flask and Of
putting a paper of sandwiches in my
| pocket There I remained until evening,
when I set off for -Nokirg again. and
found myself in the high road outside
| Briarhrae Just after sunset. :
well, I waited until the road was
clear-it is never a very frequented one
| at aEy time I fancy-and then l clam
| bered over the fence into the grounds
Surely the gate was OPEN eJaeu-
t lated Phelps.
| Yes. but I have peculiar taste In
| these matters. I chose the place where
the three ffr-trees stand. and behind
! their screen got over without the least
| chance of any one in the house being
able TO see me. I crouched down among
| the bushes on the other side, and
| crawled from one TO the other-witness
| the disreputabIe state CT my trouser
knees-until I had reached the clunp
| of rhododendrons Just opposite to your
bedroom window. There I squatteI
down and awaited developments.
The blind was not down in your
room. and could see Miss Harrison sit-
ting there reading by the table. II was
quarter past ten when she closed her
book. fastened the shutters, and re-
| tired.
Il heard her shut the door. and felt
quite sure that she had turned the key
| in the lock-
1.-THE key!' calculated Phelps.
Yes; I had given Miss Harrison In
structions TO lock the door on the out
side and take the key with her when
she went to bed. She carried out every
one of my lnjunctions TO the letter, AMI
certainly without her cooperation you
would not have that paper in your
| coat pocket. She departed then and tho
lights went out, and I was left gquatting
| in the rhododendron-bush.
| THE night was fine. but still it was
very weary vigil. OF course it has ths
SOFT of excitement about ii that the
sportsman feels when he lies beside the
Watercourse and waits for the big gaTne.
1t was very long, though-almast as
| long. Watson, as when you and Walte1
| in that deadly room when we locked
into the little problem of the Speckled
Band. There was a church clock down
at Woking which struck the quarters
and l thought more tnan once that II
had stopped At last, however. abput
two in the morning, I suddenly hears
the gentle sound OF bolt being pusIed
back and the creaking of a key A mo-
ment later the servants door was open.
| ed, and Mr.. Joseph Harrison stepped
, out into the moonlight.
| Joseph calculated Phelps.
| He was bareheaded but he had
black cloak thrown over his shoulder.
$50 that he could conceal his face III M dn
! instant tf there we're aiy alarm. fAs
walked on tiptoe under The shadow OF
the wall. and when he reached the VIM
| dow he worked u long-biaded khlfe
through the sash and pushed Gdeh ms
catch. Then he flung open The window.
and putting his knife through the eFaek
in the shutters, he thrust the BAR up
and swung them open.
From where / lay I had perfect
view of the inside of the room and OF
every one Of his movements He lit
the Two candles which siced upon the
i Continued on Page Il, This sectionl.