The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-21

. Plaster from His Lips and Rushed Into
tstinacy. Who are you?'
!. . Il care not. I am a stranger in
London
Is 8" Your fate will be on your own
head. How long have you been here9'
s Let it be so. Three weeks.
!" The property can never be yours.
What ails you9'
are statv shall mo not go to villains. They
- You shall go free if you sign.
What house is this2'
81 will never sign. I do not
know
"EYou are not doing her any ser
vice. What is your Names
g Let me hear her say SO. Kratides.'
etYou shall see her if you sign.
Where are you from?,
'Then I shall never see her.
Athens. .
"Another FIVE minutes, MI. Holmes,
and I should have wormed out the
whole story under their very noses. My
very next question might have. cleared
the matter up, but at that instant the
door opened and woman stepped into
enough to know more than that she was
tall and graceful with black hair, and
clad in some sort of loose white gown.
e. Harold said; she, speaking Eng
lish with broken accent. II could not
stay away longer. It is 50 lonely up
there with only Oh, my God, it is
PAUL.
"These last words were in Greek,
and at the same instant the man with
convulsive effort tore the plaster from
his lips, and screaming out 'Sophy!
Sophy!' rushed into the woman's arms.
Their embrace was but for an instant,
however, for the younger man seized
the woman and pushed her out of the
room, while the elder easily overpow-
cred his emaciated victim, and dragged
him away thru the other door. For. q
moment / was left alone in the room
and I sprang, to my feet with SOME
vague idea that might in some way
get clue to what this house was il
which I found myself. Fortunately
however, I took no steps, for looking
up saw that the older man was stand
ing in the doorway, with his eyes fxet
upon me. 4tr
i"'That will do, Mr. Melas, said he
You perceive that we have taken YOU
into our confidence over some very prl
vate business. We should not hav'
troubled you, only that our friend wht
speaks Greek and who began these ne
gotiations has been forced to return tt
the east. It was quite necessary TO-
, US to find some one to take his place
and we were fortunate in hearing o:
your powers
81 bowed.
, /" There are five ,sovereigns here,
said he, walking up to me, (which will
I hope, be sufficient fee. But remem
: ber,' he added, tapping me lightly o.
the chest and giggling. If you spea]
l. to a human soul about this[one huma1
! upon your soull
:, ~ cannot tell you the loathing an
=, horror with which this insignificant
looking man inspired me. ! could Sc
d, him better now as the lamplight shon
r upon him. His features were peaky an
, sallow, and his little pointed beard wa
I thready and ill-nourished. He pushe
j his face forward as he spoke and hi
!: lips and eyelids were continually d7;a twltcf
e could not help thinking that hi
f strange, catchy little laugh was also
/ symptom Of some nervous malady. Til
i terror of his face lay in his eyes, how
f ever, steel gray, and glistening coldl
9 with a malignant, inexorable cruelt
d in their depths.
4 st'We shall know if you speak 9
t this, said he. 'We have our own mean
r, of information Now you will find tn
n carriage waiting, and my friend WI
n see you on your way.
3. II was hurried thru the hall and int
e the vehicle, again obtaining that M
o mentary glimpse Of trees andsa garde1
h Mr.. Latimer followed closely at m
l. heels and took his place opposite
n drove for an interminable distanc
IS with the windows raised, until at las
e Just after midnight, the carriage pulle
IS up.
$ q. sYouwill get down here, Mr.. Melas
vt my companion, & am sorry to leave 70
II 50 far from your house, but there is I
alternative. Any attempt upon yol
= part to follow the carriage can onl
g end in injury to yourself.
a He opened the door as he spoke, an
v, I had hardly time to spring out whe
70 the coachman dashed the horse and tt
le carriage ratified away. I looked arour
u me in astonishment. l was on some SO
dark clumps of furze-bushes. r;
away stretched a line Of houses, with
IN light here and there in the upper wi
dows On the other side saw the IT
le signal lamps Of a railway.
t3The carriage which had brought n
Y was already out of sight. 1 stood ga
/ ing round and wondering where on. ear
I might be, when I saw some one col
US ing towards me in the darkness. As
came up to me I made out that he w
= a railway porter.
!" Can you tell me what place til
ns is7' I asked.
ye !" sWandsworth Common said he.
n. 90 Can I get a train into town?
m eff you walk on a mile or so
he Chaplain Junction, said he. you
be just be in time for the last to Victoris
p 80 that was the end Of my adve
d ture, Mr.. Holmes do not know whe
to I was, nor whom, I spoke with, nor an
st, thing save what I have told you. B
NJ know that there is foul play going {
he and want to help that unhappy man
nd I can. I told the whole story to. n
a Mycroft Holmes next morning, and ST
ia sequently to the police. i
We all sat in silence for some lit
ID time after listening to this extraor