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

| then opened with key the back door of a
| house. We entered together, and he closed
| it behind u.s..
The place was pitch-dark, but it was ev-
| ldent to me that 1t was empty house.
| Our feet creaked and cracked over the bare
| planking and my outsretched hand touch
| ed wall from which the paper was hang
| ing In ribbons. Holmes cold, thin fingers
closed around my wrist and led me forward
down a long hall, until l dimly saw the
murky fanlight over the door. Here Holmes
turned suddenly to the right, and we found
ourselves In large, square, empty room,
heavily Swallowed in the corners, but faint
1y lit in the center from the lights of the
street beyond. There was no lamp near,
and the window was thick with dust, so
that we could only just discern each other 8
figures within. My companion put his hand
upon my shoulder and his lips close to my
ear
do you know where we are?' he whis-
pered.
Surely that is Baker street." 1 answered,
staring through the dim window
Exactly. We are in Camden House,
which stands opposite to our own old quar-
ters"
But why are we here?"
Because it commands so excellent a
view of that picturesque pile. Might
trouble you, my dear Watson, to draw q
little nearer to the window, taking every
precaution not to show yourself, and then
to look up at old rooms-the starting
point of SO many of your little fairy tales
We will see if my three years of absence
have entirely taken away my power to sur
prise you
l crept forward and looked across at the
familiar window. AS my eyes fell upon
1t, gave a gasp and a cry of amazement
The blind was down, and a strong light
was burning In the room. The shadow of
a man who was seated in a chair within
was thrown in hard, black outline upon
the luminous screen of the window. There
was no installing the poise of the head,
t1,n Nf CHI
ness of the features. The face was turned
nall round, and the effect was that of one
of those black silhouetteS which our grand
parents loved to frame. 1t was perfect
reproduction of Holmes. So amazed was
that 1 threw out my hand to make sure
that the himself standing beside
me. He was quivering with silent laughter
"Well?" said he.
Good heavens!' 1 cried. at is mar
velous.''
Il trust that age doth not wither nor
custom stale my infinite variety" said he,
and 1 recognized in his voice the joy and
pride which the artist takes in his own
creation. ut really is rather like me, is
1t hot?'
Il should be prepared to swear that it
was YOU"
1.-THE credit OF the execution Is due to
Monsieur Oscar Meunier of Grenoble, who
spent some days in doing the molding. 1t
is bust in wax. The rest 1 arranged my
self during my visit to Baker street this
afternoon"
But why?"
Because. my dear Watson, had the
strongest possible reason for wishing GER
tain people to think that I was there when
l was really elsewhere"
And you thought the rooms were
watched?"
II knew that they were watched"
by whom?"
BY my old enemies, Watson. BY the
charming society whose leader lies In the
Reichenbach Fall. You must remember
that they knew. and only they knew, that
l was still alive Sooner or later they be-
lieved that I should come back to. my
rooms. They watched them continuously,
and this morning they saw me arrive"
How do you know"
Because recognized their sentinel when
1 glanced out of my window. He Is a
harmless enough fellow, Parker by name,
a garroter by trade, and remarkable per-
former upon the jew SHARP. / cared moth
ing for him. IaI cared a great deal for
the much more formidable person who was
behind him, the bosom friend of Moriarty,
the man who dropped the rocks over the
cliff, the most cunning and dangerous
criminal in London. That Is thu man who |
is after me. tonight, Watson, and that Is |
the man who Is quite unaware that we are |
after him.
My friends plans were gradually reveal |
ing themselves. From this convenient re-
treat the watchers were being watched |
and the crackers tracked. That angular |
shadow up yonder was the bait and we J