The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-30
COPYRIGHT BY HARPER q sRoTHERs.

u.
stay" said ]. There is a friend of
mine here, Mr.. lsa Whitney, and L
wish to speak with him.
There was a movement and an ex-
cIamation from my right, and, peer
ing through the gloom, l saw Whit
ney, pale, haggard, and unkempt,
staring out at me.
my God! It's Watson" said he.
He was in a pitiable state of reaction,
with every nerve in twitter. Il say,
Watson, what o'clock is it?"
Nearly eleVen.
"Of what day."
"Of Friday, June 10TH"
Good heaVens / thought it was
Wednesday. 1t is Wednesday. What
dyou want to frighten chap for?'
He sank his face onto his arms, and
began to sob in a high treble key.
'I tell you that it is Friday, man.
Your, wife has been waiting this two
days for you. You should be asham-
ed of yourself"
80 / am. But you've got mixed,
Watson, for I have only been here a
few hours. three pipes, four pipes-l
forget how many. But I'll go home
with you. j wouldn't frighten Kate
poor little Kate. Give me your
hand! Have you cab?
"Yes, | have one waiting"
owe something. Find what L owe.
Watson. ] am all off color. l can do
nothing for myself
l walked down the narrow passage
between the double row of sleepers,
holding my breath to keep out the
vile, stupefying fumes of the drug, and
looking about for the proprietor AS
passed the tall man who sat by the
brazier | felt a sudden pluck at my
skirt and a low voice whispered
Walk past me, and then look back
at me-" The words fell quite distinct
ly upon my ear. | glanced down.
They could only have come from the
old man at my side, and yet he sat
now as absorbed as ever. very thin
very wrnRled bent with age, an
opium pipe dangling down from be-
| tween his knees, as Though it had
| dropped in sheer lassitude from his
fingers. / took two steps forward
and looked back 1t took all my self
control to prevent me from breaking
out into cry Of astoniahment. he
had turned his back so that none
could see him but 1. His form had
l"flled out, his wrinkles were gone,
the dull eyes had regained their fire,
and there sitting by the fire, and
grinning at my surprise. was none 9TH
! er than Sherlock Holmes He made a
slight motion to me to approach him,
and instantly, as he turned his face
half round to the company once more,
subsided into doddering, loose-lipped
senility.
Holiness" / whispered. '"what on
earth are you doing in this den?'
"AS low as you can, he answered;
Il have excellent ears If you would
have the great kindness to get rid of
that scottish friend of yours | should
be exceedingly glad to have a little
talk with you
II have n cab outside"
"Then pray send him home in it..
You may safely trust him. for he ap-
pears to be too limp to get into any
mischief I should recommend you
also to send a note by the cabman to
your wife to say that you have thrown
in your lot with me. If you will wait
outside, l shall be with you in five
minutes"
1t was difficult to refuse any of
Sherlock Holmes requests. for they
were always so exceedingly definite,
and put forward with such a quiet air
of mastery. L felt. however, that
when Whitney was once confined in the
cab my mission was practically ac-
complished; and for the rest, | could
not wish anything better than to be
associated with my friend in one of
those singular adventures which We're
the normal condition of his existence
In few minutes / had written my
note, paid Whitney's bill, led him out
to the cab, and seen him driven
through the darkness. In very
short time a decrepit figure had
emerged from the opium den, and
was walking down the street with
Sherlock Holmes. For two streets he
shuffled along with a bent back and an
uncertain foot. Then. glancing quick
ly round, he Strengthened himself
and burst out into a hearty fit of
laughter
81 suppose, Watson" said he, that
you imagine that | have added opium
smoking to cocaine injections, and all
the other little weaknesses on which
you have favored me with your
medical views"
II was certainly surprised to find
you there"
"But not more SO than 1 to find
you"
II came to find a friend"
"And 1 to find an enemy"
"An enemy
Eyes; one of my natural enemies.
or, shall | say, my natural prey.
Briefly, Watson, l am in the midst of
very remarkable inquiry, and / have
hoped to find a clew. in the incoher-
done before now. Had L been recog-
nized in that den my life would not
have been worth an hours purchase;
for l have used it before now for my
own purposes, and the rascally Lascar
who runs it has sworn to have ven
geance upon me. There is trap
door at the back of that building,
near the corner of Paul's Wharf.
which could tell strange tales of what
has passed through it upon the moon
less nights
What! You do not mean bodies?'
aye, bodies, Watson. We should
be rich men if we had $1,000 for every
poor devil who has been done to
death in that den. 1t is the vilest
murder-trap on the whole riverside,
and | fear that Neville st. Clair has
entered it never to leave it more. But
our trap should be here" He put his
two fingers between his teeth and
whistIed shrilly-a signal which was
answered by similar whistle from the
distance, followed shortly by the rat