The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-13

| My step-father has offered no oppoSi-
ton to the match, and We are to be
| married in the course of the spring.
| Two days ago some repairs were
started in the west wing of the build
! ing, and my bed room wall has been
pierced, SO that l have had to move
into the chamber in which my sister
! died, and to sleep in the very bed IN
| which she slept Imagine then, my
| thrill of terror when last night, as ]
| lay awake, thinking over her terrible
fate, [ suddenly heard in the silence OF
! the night the low whistle which had
| been the herald of her own death. l
sprang up and lit the lamp, but moth
| ing was to be seen in the room. I
was too shaken to go to bed again.
| however, SO / dressed, and as soon as
| 1t was daylight / slipped down, got a
| dog cart at the Grown Inn, which is
| opposite, and drove to Leatherhead,
| from whence / have come on chis
| morning with the one object of seeing
| you and asking your advice
you have done wisely said my
friend. But have you told me all?"
Eyes, ALL
Miss Roylott, you have not. You
are screening your step-father."
why. what do you mean
For answer Holmes pushed back the
| frill of black lace which fringed the
llaHd lIlttI lay upon Oul NAoltCi . hllCS'
| Five little liVid spots, the marks of
four fingers and a thumb, were printed
| upon the white wrist
"You have been cruelty used" said
| Holmes.
The lady colored deeply and covered
over her injured wrist HE is hard
man" she said, land perhaps ne
hardly knows his own strength"
There was q long silence. during
| VIII
his hands and stared into the cracking
| fire.
"Ths is a very deep business" he
| said, at last. "There are a thousand
details which I should desire to know
! before / decide upon our course of
action. Yet we have not a moment to
| lose. If we were to come to Stoke
Moran today, would it be possible for
US to see over these rooms without the
| knowledge of your step-father?"
LAS 1t happens, he spoke of coming
| into town today upon some most im-
| portant business. 1t is probable that
| he will be away all day, and that there
would be nothing to disturb you.
We have a use-keeper now, but she
| is old and foolish and I could easily
get her out of the way.
Excellent. You are not averse to
| this trip, WatsOn?"
by no means"
Then we shall both come What
are you going to do yoursef?"
Il have one or two things which
would wish TO DO now that l am in
town. But I shall return by the
twelve o'clock train, so as to be there
in time for your coming"
And you may expect us early in
the afternoon. | have myself some
small business matters to attend to.
Will you not wait and breakfast"
NO, | must go. My heart is ligh
tened already since l have confided
ward to seeing you again this after
noon" She dropped her thick black
veil over her face and glided from the
room.
And what do you think of it all,
Watson?" asked Sherlock Holmes,
leaning back in his chair.
1T seems to me to be a most dark
and sinister business
Dark enough and sinister enough"
yet if the lady is correct in say
ing that the hoorng and walls are
sound, and that the door, window,
and chimney are impossible, then her
sister must have been undoubtedly
alone when she met her mysterious
end"
what becomes, then. of these noe
turnal whistles, and what of the very
peculiar words of the dying woman ?"
Il cannot think
when you combine the ideas of
whistles at night. the presence of a
band of gypsies Who are on intimate
terms with this old doctor, the fact
that we have every reason to believe
that the doctor has an interest in pre-
venting his daughters marriage,
the dying alluSiOn to a band, and,
finally, thee fact that Miss Helen Ston-
Ell heard metallic clang, which might
have been caused by one of those met
al bars which secure the shutters fall
ing back into their place, ] think that
there is good ground that the mystery
may be cleared along those lines
But what then, did the gypsies
do?"
II cannot imagine"
II See many objections to any such
theory"
and so do l. 1t is precisely for
that reason that we are going to
Stoke Moran this day | want to see
whether the objections are fatal, or if
they may be explained away. But
what in the name of the devil?'
The ejaculation had been drawn
from my companion by the fact that
our door had been suddenly dashed
open, and that a huge man had franz
ed himself in the aperture. His cos
tune was a peculiar mixture of the
professional and OF the agricultural.
having black-top hat, long frock-
coat, and a pair of high CATERS, with
a hunting-crop swinging in his hand.
SO tall was he that his hat actually
brushed the cross bar of the doorway
and his breadth seemed to span it
across from side to side A large face
scared with a thousand wrinkles, burn
ed yellow by the sun, and marked
with every evil passion, was turned
from one to the other of us. while his
deep-set, ble-shot eyes, and his high
thin. fieckless nose gave him some
what the resemblance to a fierce old
bird of prey.
(Which of you is Holiness" asked
this apparitiOn.
My name, sir; but you have the
advantage Of me-" said my companion
quietly.
Il am DR.. Grimesby Roylott, of
Stoke Moran
Indeed, DOCTOR" said Holmes,
blandly. Pray take a seat
Il will do nothing of the kind. My
step daughter has been here. L have
traced her. What has she been say
ing TO you? ?" 1T is q little cold for
this time of year" said Holmes.
L 4,