The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-18

down the street. l"If; you will be good
enough to call tomorrow afternoon at
O'Clock, I should like to chat this
little matter over with you.
II.
At 3 clock precisely 7 was at, Baker
street, but Holmes had not yet returned.
The landlady informed me that he had
left the house shortly after O'Clock
fire, however, with the intention Of
awaiting him., however long he might
be. I was already deeply interested in
his inquiry, for, tho it was surrounded
by none of the grim and strange
features which were associated with the
two crimes which I have already re-
corded, still, the nature of the case and
the exalted station Of his client gave
it character Of its own. Indeed,
apart from the nature Of the investiga-
tion which my friend had on hand,
grasp of situation, and his keen, in
Ecisive reasoning, which made it pleas
ure to me" to- study his system of work,
and to follow the quick, subtle methods
by which he ,disentangled the most in
extricable mysteries: So accustomed
was I to his invariable success that the
very possibility of his failing had
ceased to enter into my head.
It was close upon 4 before the door
opened, and drunken-looking groom,
ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an
inf1amed face and disreputable clothes,
walked into the room. Accustomed as
in the use Of DISCUSSES, I had to look
three times before I was certain that
it was indeed he. With nod he van
ished into the bedroom, whence he
emerged in five minutes tweedsuited
and respectable, as of old. Putting his
hands into his pockets, he stretched out
his legs in front of the fire and laughed
heartily for some minutes. i
"Well, really" he cried, and then
he choked, and laughed again until he
was obliged to lie back limp and help:
less in the chair. ~e>s
"What is it9'' .--
could never guess how I employed my
morning, or what T ended by doing. -
81 can It imagine. I suppose that
you have been ching<the habits, and
fer.' "
"Quite so; but the sequel was rather
unusual. I will tell you, however. I
left the house a little after 8 O'Clock
this morning in the character of a
groom out Of work. There is won
derful sympathy aud freemasonry
among horsey men. Be one Of them,
and you will know all that there is to
is ,bijou villa, with a garden at the
back, but built out in front right up to
the:$road, two stories. Chubb lock to
the door. Large sitting room on the
right side, we'll furnished, with long
windows almost to the floor, and those
preposterous English @window-fasteners
which a child could open. Behind there
was nothing remarkable, save that the
passage window could be reached from
the top Of the coach-house. I walked
round it and examined it closely from
anything else of interest.
III then lounged down the street and
found, as I expected, that there was Il
! news in lane which runs down by
one wall of the garden. | lent the
ostlers hand in rubbing down their
horses, and I received in exchange two
pence, a glass of half-and-half, two fills
of shag tobacco and as much informa-
ton as could desire. about Miss Adler.
| to say nothing of half dozen other
people in the neighborhood in whom
fkI: was not in, the least interested, but
Whose WHO t b biographies was compelled to
"And what of Irene Adler,'
asked.
~'FOh, she has turned all the men Is
heads down in that part. She is the
daiptiest thing under a bonnet on this
planet. So say the Serpentine-mews, tC
a man.. She lives quietly, sings at con
certs, drives out at IS every day, ant
returns at sharp for dinner. Seldom
goes out at other times, except whe1
she sings. Has only one male visitor
lbut good deal of him. He is dark
handsome and dashing,i never calls les
than once a day, and often twice: H,
is a Mr.. Godfrey Norton Of the Inne1
Temple. See the advantage Of a cab
man as a confdant. They had driver
him home a dozen times from Serpen
tine-mews, and knew all about him
When I had listened to all they hat
, to tell, began to walk up and dow
, near Briony Lodge once more, and t.
think over my plan Of campaign.
"This Godfrey Norton was evidentl.
an important factor in the matter. H
= was a lawyer. That sounded ominous
: What was the relation between them
and what the object Of his repeated
visits7 Was she his client, his frien'
or his mistress9 If the former, sh
! had probably transferred the photo
graph W Ills heepiuS. IL IIle ldCCel,
was less likely. On the issue Of thi
question depended whether 7 shout
+ continue my work at Briony Lodge, O
;. turn my attention to the gentleman
= chambers in the Temple. It was
:, delicate point, and it widened the feel
of my inquiry. I fear that I bore yo
r with these details, but have to let yo
4 see my little difficulties, if you are t
understand the situation.''
II am following you Closely I an
swered. = 60 -...
81 was still balancing the matter i
my mind, when hanson cab drove u
/ to Briony Lodge and gentlema
| sprang out. He was remarkabl
l handsome man, dark, aquiline and 1nu
tached-evidently the man of whol
, I had heard. He appeared to be in
8 great hurry, shouted to the cabman t
0 wait and brushed past the maid 'wh
t opened the door with the air of a ma
f who was thoroly at home. @..
j. "He was in the house about half a
hour, and I~could catch glimpses Of hill
Q in the windows Of the sitting-roon
t pacing up and down, talking excited
and waving his arms. Of her coul
It see nothing. Presently he: emerge
looking even more; furried than befor
y AS he stepped up to the cab, he pulle
gold watch from his pocket an
, looked at it earnestly. Drive like tt
4 DEVIL he shouted, first to Gross
f Hankey's in Regent, street, and then
. the church Of ST. Monica in the Ed
ware Road. Half guinea if you {
| it in twenty minutes!
8 "Away they went, and was ju
d wondering whether 1 should not do we
c.1 IL. hon, To-,