Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-29
The Return of
Sherlock Holmes
BY A. CONAN DOYLE
The Adventure of the Abbey Grange.
Cog1gt.19 by A Conan nle y Week
by & Co

did a job at Sydenham a fortnight ago.
and We're seen and described Rather cool
to do another SO soon. and so near; but it
is they. beyond all doubt. It's a hanging
matter this time
Sir Eustace is dead. then.
Yes, his head was knocked in with his
own poker
sir Eustace Brackenstau, the driver tells
me-"
Exactly one of the richest men in
Kent-Lady Brackenstall is in the morning
room. Poor lady; she has had a most
dreadful experience. She seemed half dead
when 1 saw her first. | think you had best
see her and hear her account of the facts.
Then we will examine the dining room to-
gether."
Lady Brackenstall was no ordinary per-
son. Seldom have l seen so graceful
figure, so womanly a presence and so beau
tiful a face. She was a blonde, golden
haired, blue-eyed. and would no doubt have
had the perfect complexion which goes
with such coloring. had not her recent ex-
perence left her drawn and haggard. Her
sufferingS were physical as well as mental,
for over one eye rose a hideous. plum-col-
Ored swelling. which her maid a tall, au-
stere woman was bathing assiduously with
vinegar and water. The lady lay back eX-
hausted upon couch, but her quick, OBJ
servant gaze, as we entered the room, ana
the alert expression of her beautiful fea
lures. showed that neither her wits nor
her courage had been shaken by her ter
rble experience. She was envelOped in
loose dressing gown of blue and silver, but
a black Sequin-COvered dinner dress was
hung upon the couch beside her
Il have told you all that happened, Mr..
Hopkins" she said, YEARLY: could you not
repeat it for me? Well, if you think 1t
necessary, I will tell these gentlemen what
occurred. Have they been in the dining
room yet?'
Il thought they had better hear your
ladyship's story first"
4 shall be glad when you can arrange
matters 1t is horrible to me to think OF
him still lying there" She shuddered and
buried her face in her hands. AS she did so
the loose gown fell back from her forearms-
Holmes uttered an exclamation.
you have other injuries, madam What
is this?" Two vivid red spots stood out on
one of the white, round limbs. She hastily
covered it
at is nothing. It has no connection with
this hideous business tonight If you and
your friend will sit down 1 will tell you all
l can.
II am the wife of Sir Eustace Bracken-
stall. have been married about a year. 1
suppose that it is no use my attempting to
conceal that our marriage has not beeh a
happy one. 1 fear that all our neighbors
would tell you that even if l were to at
tempt to deny it. Perhaps the fault may
be partly mine. | was brought up in the
freer less conventional atmosphere of South
Australia, and this English life, with its
proprieties and its primness, is not congo
NAL to me. But the main reason lies in the
one fact. which is notorious to every one
and that Is that Sir Eustace was a con-
firmed drunkard. To be with such a man
for an hour is unpleasant Can you imag-
inc what it means for sensitive and high
spirited woman to be tied to him for day
and night? 1t is sacrilege, crime, viii