Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-23

tnAn your own.
The Thursday brought us another let
ter from our client.
You will not be surprised. Mr.
Holmes" said she. Ito hear that 1 am
leaving Mr.. Carruthers employment
Even the high pay cannot reconcile me
TO the discomfortS OF my situation. On
Saturday l come up to town. and l do
not intend 10 return. Mr.. CarrutherS
has got a trap. and SO the dangers Of
the lonely road. if there ever were any
dangers. are now over
AS to the special cause OF my leav-
ing. il is not merely the strained Situa-
ton with Mr.. CarrutherS. but il is the
reappearance Of that odions man. Mr.
WoOdley. He was always hideouS. but
he looks more awful than ever now.
for he appears To have had an acct
dent, and he is much disfigured. saw
him out of the window. but l am glad
TO say l did not meet him. He had n
long talk with Mr.. ,CarrutherS. who
seemed much excited afterward Wood
ley must lie staying in the neighbOr-
hood. for he did not sleep here. and
yet l caught a glimpse OF him again
this morning Sinking about in the
shrubbery. / would sooner have a saw
age Wild animal loose about the place.
l loathe and fear him more than | can
say How can Mr.. Carruthers endure
such a creature for moment: How
ever. all my troubles will be over on
Saturday"
80 / trust. Watson: so l trust" said
Holmes gravely. There is some deep
intrigue going ON round that little WON
an. and il is our duty 10 see that no one
mOlests her upon that last journey. l
think, Watson. that we must spare time
to run down together on Saturday
morning. and make sure that this curl
Gus and inclusive investigation has no
untOward ending"
confess that | had not up to now
taken very serious view OF the case.
which had seemed to me rather gro
tesque and bizarre than dangerous.
That Il man should lie in walt for and
follow a very handsome woman is no
unheard OF thing. and IL he has so lit
tie audacity that he not only dared not
address her, but even fed from her ap-
proach. he was not very formidable
assailant The ruffian WoOdley was Il
very different person, but except on one
occasion he had not mOlested our client,
and now he visited the house OF Car
ruthers without intruding upon her
presence. The man Oh the bicycle was
doubtless a member of those week end
parties at the hall Of which the pub
licah had spoken, but who he was or
what he wanted was as obscure as
ever. 1t was the severity OF Holmes
~
revolver into his pocket before leaving
our rooms which impressed me with
the feeling that tragedy might prove
10 lurk behind this curious train of
events.
A rainy night had been followed by
glorious morning, and the heath Gov
cred countryside, with the glowing
clumps OF towering gOrse, seemed all
the more beautiful to eyes which were
weary of the duns and drGbs and slate
grays of London. Holmes aud / walk
ed along the broad. sandy road. inhal-
ing the fresh morning air and rejoicing
in the music OF the birds and the fresh
breath OF the spring. From a rise of
the road on the shoulder of CrOOksbury
hill we could see the grim hall bristling
out from amid the ancient oaks. which,
old as they were, were still younger
than the building which they surround
ed. Holmes pointed down the long
tract Of road which wound, a reddish
yellow band. between the brown of the
heath and the budding green of the
woods. Far away, a black dot, we
could see vehicle moving in our direc-
ton. Holmes gave an exclamation of
impatience.
Il have given margin OF half an
hour" said he IF that is her trap
she must he making for the earlier
train. fear. Watson, that she will be
past CharIington before we can posi-
bly, meet her"
From the instant that we passed the
rise we could no longer see the vehicle,
but we FASTENED onward at such a
pace that my sedentary life began to
tell upon me, and l was compelled TO
fall behind. Holmes, however. was al
ways i'm training. for he had inexhaust-
ible stores or nervous energy upon
which 10 draw. His springy step never
slowed until suddenly. when he was a
hundred yards i'm front OF me. he halt
ed. and l saw him throw UP his hand
with gesture of grief ana despair.
At the same instant an empty dogcart,
the horse cantering, the reins trailing,
appeared round the curve OF the road
and ratified swiftly toward Us.
TOO late, Watson; too later' cried
Holmes as I ran painting TO his side.
Fool that / was not to allow for that
earlier train. It's abduction, Watson
abduction. Murder! Heaven knows
what, Block the road. Stop the horse!
That's right Now. jump in and let us
see il I can repair the consequences OF
my own bIundeT."
We had sprung into the dogcart, and
Holmes, after turning the horse. gave
it sharp cut with the whip. and we
dew back along the road. As we turn
ed the curve the whole stretch OF road
between the hall and the heath was
opened Gp. | grasped Holmes arm.
That's the man" I gasped.
A SOLITARY t-YciiSt was coming toward