Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-09-17
The Exploits Of Sherlock Holmes

extraordinary? Puzzle as I would. I could
make nothing at all OF what It meant. l
returned the strange hair to the drawer,
and l said nothing OF the matter to the
Rucastles, I felt that had put myself
in the wrong by opening a drawer which
they had locked.
Il am naturally observant as you may
have remarked, Mr. Holmes, and l soon
had a pretty good plan OF the whole house
in my head. There was one wing, how
ever. which appeared not to be inhabited
at all. A door which faced that which led
into the quarters Of the Tollers opened
into this suite, but II was invarlable locked.
One day, however, as assembled the stair.
l met MIR. Rucastle coming out through
this door, his keys in his hand, and a look
on his face which made him a very diff
ferent person to the round, jovial man to
whom was accustomed His cheeks were
red. his brow was all crinked with anger,
and the veins stood out at his temples
with passion. He locked the door and hur-
ried past me without a word or a look.
This aroused my curiosity; so when 1
went out for a walk in the grounds with
my charge | stroled round to the side from
which l could see the windows of this part
of the house. There were four OF them in
a row, three OF which were simply dirty.
while the fourth was shattered up. They
were evidently all deserted. AS / strolled
up and down, glancing at them occasion
ally, Mr.. Rucastle came out to me, looking
as merry and jovial as ever.
"Ahr said he, you must not think me
rude If l passed you without a word, my
dear young lady. was preoccupied with
business matters
81 assured him that I was not offended.
Won n ba
quite a suite Of spare rooms up there, and
one Of them has the shutters up
He looked surprised, and, as It seemed
to me, a little startled at my remark
Photography is one of my hobbies said
he. L have made my dark room up there.
But, dear me? what an observant young
lady we have come upon. Who would have
believed It? Who would ever have believed
it| He spoke in testing tone, but there
was no Jest in his eyes as he looked at me.
1 read suspicion there and annoyance, but
no Jest
well, Mr.. Holmes, from the moment that
I understood that there was something
about that suite of rooms which l was not
TO know, l was all on fire to go over them.
1t was not mere curiosity, though l have
my share Of that 1t was more a feeling Of
duty-a feeling that some good might come
from my penetrating to this place. They
talk of woman's instinct perhaps it was
woman's instinct which gave me that feel
ing At any rate, 1t was there, and was
keenly OH the lookout for any chance to
pass the forbidden door.
ut was only yesterday that the chance
came. l may tell you that, besides Mr..
Rucastle both TOller and his wife find
something to do in these deserted rooms,
and I once saw him carrying a large black
linen bag with him through the door. Re
Gently he has been drinking hard, and yes
terday evening he was very drunk; and,
when l came upstairs, there was the key
in the door. I have no doubt at all that he
had left It there Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle
were both downstairs, and the child was
with them, so that I had an admirable OPP
portunity. l turned the key gently In the
lock, opened the door and slipped through.
"There was little passage in front Of
me- unpapered and uncarpeted, which
turned at a right angle at the farther end.
Round this corner were three doors In
line, the first and third OF which were
OPEN They each led into an empty room,
dusty and cherries, with two windows
in the one and one In the other, so thick
with dirt that the evening light glimmered
dimly through them. The center door was
closed and across the outside of 1t had
been fastened one of the broad bars of an
iron bed, padlocked at one end to ring
in the wall and fastened at the other with
stout cord. The door itself was locked as
we'll and the key was not there. This barri-
caded door correspondent clearly with the
shattered window outside, and yet / could
see by the glImmer from beneath 1t that
the room was not in darkness. Evidently
there was a skylight which let in light from
auTa = it1Er
at the sinister door and wondering what
secret It might veil I suddenly heard the
sound OF steps within the room and saw
shadow pass backward and forward against
the little slit of dim light which shone out
from under the door. A mad, unreasoning
terror rose up in me at the sight, Mr..
Holmes NY overstrung nerves failed me
suddenly and 1 turned and ran--ran as
though some dreadful hand were behind me
clutching at the skirt of my dress. rushed
down the passage, through the door and
straight into the arms OF Mr.. Rucastle,
who was waiting outside
so said he. smiling, It was you, then.
I thought that it must be when saw the
door OPEN
"'Oh. I am so frightened I painted.
MY dear young lady! Ny dear young
ladyr-you cannot think how caressing and
soothing his manner was-and what has
frightened you, my dear young lady?'
'But his voice was just little too coax
ing He overdid II. I was keenly on my
guard against him.
a. was foolish enough to go into the
empty wing I answered. But 1t is so
lonely and eerIe in this dim light that I
was frightened and ran out again. Oh, it
is so dreadfully stin in therer
" Only that?' said he, looking at me
keenly.
why, what did you think? I asked.
" Why do you think that I lock this
door?
q" I am sure that do not know
" 1T is to keep out people who have no