Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-06-03
CONTINUED

Docket and the thrill Of adventure IN
my heart Holmes was cold and stern
and silent. AS the CLEAN of the street
lamps flashed upon his auStere features
/ saw that his brows were drawn down
in thought and his thin lips compressed.
I knew not what wild beasts we were
about to hunt down in the dark jungle
of criminal London, but | was we'll as
sured from the bearing Of this master
huntsman that the adventure was a
most grave one, while the sardonic
smile which occasionally broke through
his ascetic gloom BODIED little good for
the object Of our quest.
I had imagined that we were bound
for Baker street, but Holmes stopped
the cab at the corner of Cavendish
square | observed that as he stepped
out he gave a most searching glance to
right and left and at every subsequent
street corner he took the utmost pains
TO assure that he was not followed
Our route was certainly singular one
Holmes knowledge of the byways Of
London was extraordinary, and on this
occasion he passed rapidly and with an
assured step through a network Of
news and stables the very existence
of which I had never known. We
emerged at last into small road lined
with Old, gloomy houses which led Us
into Manchester street and so to Bland
ford street. Here he turned swiftly
down narrow passage, passed through
a wooden gate into a deserted yard ana
then opened with key the back door
of house We entered together, and
he closed it behind us
The place was pitch dark, but it was
evident to me that it was an empty
house. Our feet creaked and cracked
over the bare planking, and my out
stretched hand touched wall from
which the paper was hanging in rib
bons. Holmes cold, thin fingers closed
around my wrist and led me forward
down a long hall until dimly saw the
Gmurky fan light over the door, Here
Holmes turned suddenly to the right,
and we found ourselves in a large,
square, empty room, heavily Swallowed
In the corners, but family lit in the
center from the lights Of the street be-
yOnd. There was no lamp near, and
the window was thick with dust, so
that we could only just discern each
others figures within. My companion
put his hand upon my shoulder and
his lips close to my ear
"Do you know where we are?" he
whispered.
Surely that is Baker street." I an
swered, staring through the dim win
dow
Exactly. We are in Camden House,
which stands opposite to our own old
quarters
''But why are we here?"
because it commands so excellent
q view of that picturesque pile. Might
] trouble you, my dear Watson, to
draw little nearer to the window,
taking every precaution not to show
yourself, and then to look up at our
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
surprise you"
I crept forward and looked across
at the familiar window. AS my eyes
fell upon it I gave a gasp and cry
Of amaZement. The blind was down,
and 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 lumi-
nous screen of the window. There was
no mistaking the poise of the head, the
squareness Of the shoulders, the sharp
ness Of the features. The face was
turned half around, and the effect was
that Of one of those black silhouettes
which our grandparents loved to
frame. It was "a perfect reproduction |
of Holmes So amazed was | that |
threw out my hand to make sure that !
the man himself was standing beside
me. He was quivering with silent |!
laughter 4
"Well?" said he
''Good heavens.' I cried. 'It is mar
Telousv'
II trust that age doth not wither nor
custom stale my infinite variety" said
be- And / recognized in his voice the
Joy and pride which the artist takes in
his own creation. ct really is rather
like me, is it not?"
1T should be prepared to swear that
At was you"
1.-THE credit Of the execution is due
to M. Oscar Mennier of Grenoble, who
spent some days in doing the molding.
It is bust in wax. The rest l ar
ranged myself during my visit to Ba-
Ger street this afternoon"
"But why?"
Because, my dear Watson, I had the
strongest possible reason for wishing
certain people to think that was there
when was really elsewhere"
"And you thought the rooms were
sWatchedw
u knew that they were watched"