The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-20
Adventures Of Sherlock
Holmes.
Continued from page two.)

voices, one answering the other, from
the floor on which we were and from
beneath. Ny guide stopped and look
ed about her like one who is at her
wits end. Then she threw open 1t
door which led into a bedroom
through the window of which the
moon was shining brightly.
1t is your only chance said she.
1T is high, but it may be that you
can Jump it.
AS she spoke a light sprang into
vfsw at the further end of the passage
ancNI saw tho lean figure of Colonel
lysahder Stark rushing forward with
a lantern i'm one hand and a weapon
4, like butchers cleaver in the other.
/ rushed across the bedroom flung
open the window, and looked out. How
quiet and sweet and wholesome the
garden looked in the moonlight and it
could not be more than thirty feet
down. / clambered out upon the sill,
but hesitated to jump until / should
have heard what passed between my
savior and the ruffian who pursued
me. IL she were ill-used. then at any
risks | was determined to go back to
her assistance. The thought had hard
~ flashed through my mind before he
was ut the door. pushing his way past
her; but she threw her arms round
him and tried to hold him back.
Fritz! FRITZ she cried in English
remember your promise after the last
time. You said it should not begin
again. He will be silent. Oh, he will
be silent'
s"'You are mad, Elsie!' he shouted,
struggling to break away from her.
You will be the ruin of us. He has
seen too much. Let me pass, / sayl'
He dashed her to one side. and. rush
ing to the window cut at me with his
weapon. | had let myself go. and was
hanging by the hands to the sill. when
his blow fell / was conscious of Il
dull pain, my grip loosened, and l fell
to the garden below.
II was shaken but not hurt by the
fall; SO picked myself up and rushed
off among the bushes as hard as ]
could run, for l understood that 1 was
Tar from being out of danger yet Sud
denly. however, as / ran, q deadly dir
illness and sickness came over me as
4 glanced down at my hand, which was
throbbing painfully. and then, for the
first time, saw that my thumb had
been cut off and that the blood was
Z pouring from my wound. I endeavor-
cd to tie my handkerchief round it,
but there came a sudden buZZing in
my ears. and next moment 1 fell in a
dead faint among the bushes.
How long 1 remained unconscious
i cannot tell. 1t must have been q
very long time. for the moon had
sunk and bright morning was break
ing when / came to myself. Nv
clothes We're all sodden with dew, and
my coat sleeve was drenched with
blood from my wounded thumb The
amarting OF it recalled in an instant MI
the particulars of my nights adven-
ture. and sprang to my feet with the
feeling that / might hardly yet be safe
from my nursuers. But. to my as
tonishment, when / came to look
around me. neither house nor garden
were to be seen. I had been living in
an angle of the hedge close by the
high-road. and just little lower down
was long building, which proved.
upon my approaching it. to be the very
station at which I had arrived upon the
previous night. Were it not for the
ugly wound upon my hand, all that
had passed during those dreadful
hours might have been an evil dream.