The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-14

Bed"
,,; m1,D3' Y L.? mean ne to say those are
"They were certainly very much
larger than any which. he could have
rained hard this afternoon, as you
know, and my patients were the only
people who called. It must have been
the case, then, that the man in the
waitingroom had, for some unknown
reason, while was busy with the other,
assembled to the room of my resident
patient. Nothing had been touched or
taken, but there were the footprints to
prove that the intrusion was an I'M
doubted fact.
"Mr. Blessington seemed more ex-
cited over the matter than should
have thought possible, tho Of course it
was enough to disturb anybody's peace
of mind. He actually sat crying in an
armchair, and I could hardly get him
to speak coherently. It was his sug-
gestion that | should come round to
propriety Of it, for certainly the Incl
dent is very singular one, tho he ap-
pears to completely overrate it's impor-
lance. If you would only come back
with me in my brougham, you would at
least be able to soothe him, tho I can
hardly hope that you will be able to
explain this remarkable occurrence
Sherlock Holmes had listened to this
long narrative with an intentness which
| showed me that his interest was keenly
| aroused. His face was as impassive as
ever, but his lids had dropped more
| heavily over his eyes, and his smoke
had curled up moro thickly from his
pipe to emphasize each curious episode
in the doctors tale. AS our visitor
concluded, Holmes sprang up without a
word, handed me my hat, picked his
own from the table, and followed Dr.
Trevelyan to the door. Within quar-
ter of an hour we had been dropped at
the door Of the physician Is residence il
Brook street, one of those somber, fiat
faced houses which one associates will
a West End practice. A small page ad
mitted us, and we began at once to as
cend the broad, well-carpeted stair.
us to standstill. The light at the to1
was suddenly whisked out, and from
the darkness came a reedy, quaverins
voice.
IT have pistol,' it cried. ri civ,
you my word that III fire if you com,
any nearer
"This, really grows outrageous, Mr.
Blessington,' cried DR.. Trevelyan.
ooh. then it is you, doctor.,' sal!
|
"But those other gentlemen, are the,
: what they pretend to be?'
We were conscious Of long scrutin,
out Of the darkness.
yes, yes, it g all rightly said tn
voice at last. "You can come up, an
| am sorry if my precautions have an
noyed YOU ~a...-.F
He relit the stair gas as he spoke
| and we saw before us singular-lookin
man, whose appearance. as well as hi
!. voice, testified to his tangled nerves
He was very fat, but had apparentl
at some time been much fatter, 50 tina
: the skin hung about his face in loos
pouches. like the cheeks of blood
hound no, He was of sickly color, and hi
with the intensity Of his emotion. I
l his hand he held pistol, but he thrus
it into his pocket as we advanced.
2 "Good evening, Mr.. Holiness sal
he - am sure [ am very niue
q obliged to you for coming round. N
/ one ever needed your advice more tina
o | do. l suppose that DR.. Trevelyan hs
n intrusion into my rooms.'
d "Quite so,' said Holmes. "WE
d are. these two men, Mr.. Blessingto
n and why do they wish to modest you9
: Well, well,' said the resident p
0 tient, in a nervous fashion, "of cour!
e it is hard to say that. You can hard
f expect me to answer that, Mr.. Holmes.
h HDo you mean that you don
know9'
d Come in here, if you please. Ju
d have the kindness to step in here.'
= He led the way into his bedroom
is which was large and comfortably flu
% nished.
d "You see that, ~ said he, pointing
a big black box at the end of his be
y - have never been very rich ma
s Mr.. Holmes made but one i
vestment in my life, as DR.. Trevelys
II would tell you But I don It believe
bankers. I would never trust banke
d, Mr.. Holmes. Between ourselves, VIII
IS little / have is in that box, SO you c;
to understand what it means to me VIII,
in unknown people force themselves in
Id my rooms.'
a Holmes looked at Blessington in
b. questioning way and shook his head.
81 cannot possibly advise you if y
~ try to deceive me, - said he. :
q HBut I have told you everything
n Holmes turned on his heel with
as gesture Of disgust. "Good night,
I Trevelyan,o saidA he.
f. And no advice for metz cri
Blessington, in breaking voice.
Is Is !, my l. ad 1y to you, sir, is to spe
ly A minute later we were in the sire
be and walking for home. We had cross
IN Oxford street and were half way doy
d Harley street before could get wo
from my companion.
ed '1Sorry to bring you out on such
tn FOOLS errand, Watson" he said
or last. cit is an interesting case, t,
Of at the bottom Of it,
II can make little Of it," CT
e. fessed.
he Well, it is quite evident that the
rt- are two men-more, perhaps, but
IN least two--who are determined for so
yn reason to get at this fellow Blessil
i'm ton. I have no doubt in my mind tt
both on the first and on the seco
he occasion that. young man penetrat
a to Blessington g room, while his c,
federate, by an ingenious device, ke
up the doctor from interfering.
III And the catalepsyqo
MS fraudulent imitation, Watts
his tho I should hardly dare to hint
irs much to our specialist. 1t is a VI
OF easy complaint to initiate. ! have d.
/ it myself. = #1