The San Francisco call., 1905-05-14

and knocked again without response
And yet the cottage was not deserted.
for a low sound came TO our ears--d
kind Of drone of misery and despair
which was indescribably melancnoiy.
Holmes paused irresolutely and tnen ne
glanced back at the road wnlcn ne n1u
Just traversed. A brougham was COM
ing down il, and there could be no mis-
taking those gray horses
BY Jove, the doctor is coming back!
>cried Holmes. THAT settles it, We are
bound to see what it means before ne
comes"
He opened the door and we stepped
into the hall. The droning sound swell
ed louder upon our ears until IT became
one long, deep wall of distress. Ii came
from upstairs. Holmes darted UP ana
followed him. He pushed open a hall
closed door, and we both stood appalled,
at the sight before US.
A woman, young and beautiful was
/. lying dead upon the bed. Her calm,
pale face, with dim, wide-opened blue
eyes, looked upward from amid a great
tangle of golden hair. AT the foot OF
the bed. half sitting. half kneeltng. his
face buried in the clothes, was a younS
man, whose frame was racked by his
sobs. So absorbed was he by his bitter
grief that he never looked up until
holmes hand was on his shoulder
Are you Mr.. Godfrey Staunton?"
''Yes, yes, am-but you are too late.
She is dead"
The man was so dazed that he could
not be made to understand that We
were anything but doctors who had
been sent to his assistance. Holmes
was endeavoring to utter a few words
of consolation and to explain the-alaruI
which had been caused TO his friends
by his sudden disappearance when
there was a step upon the stairs and
!. Hao 1fe ffCr0 0frlcr
face of DR.. Armstrong at the door.
$50, gentlemen" said he, you have
attained your end. and have certainly
chosen a particularly delicate moment
for your intrusion. / would not braWl
in the presence OF death, but / can as
sure you that If 1 were a younger man
your monstrous conduct would not pass
with impunity."
Excuse me, DR.. Armstrong, think
we are little at cross-purposes," said
my friend, with dignity. IF you could
step downstairs with US, we may each
be able TO give some light to the other
upon this miserable affair
A minute later the grim doctor and
ourselves were in the sitting-room be-
low
We'll, sir?" said he.
II wish you to understand, In the
first place, that I am not employed by
Lord Mount-James, and that my SYM
against that nobleman. When a man
is lost it is my duty to ascertain his
fate, but having done SO the matter
ends so far as i am concerned, and so
long as there is nothing criminal am
much more anxious to hush UP private
scandals than to give them publicity.
If, as imagine, there is no breach of
the law in this matter. you can abso-
lutely depend upon my discretion and
my cooperation in keeping the facts
out of the papers"
DR.. Armstrong took a quick step for
ward and wrung Homes by the hand.
You are a good fellow" said he. Il
had misjudged you. thank Heaven
that my cOmpunctiOn at leaving poor
Staunton all alone in this plight caused
me to turn my carriage back, and so to
make your acquaintance. Knowing as
much as you do, the situation is very
easily explained. A year ago Godfrey
Stauntcn lodged in London for time,
and became passionately attached to
his landlady's daughter, whom he mar.
ried. She was as good as she was
beautiful. and as intelligent as she was
good. No man need be ashamed of
such a wife. But Godfrey was the heir
to this Grabbed old nobleman. and it
was quite certain that the news of his
marriage would have been the end of
his Inheritance / knew the lad well.
and 1 loved him for his many excellent
qualities. / did all could to help him
to keep things straight. We did our
very best to keep the thing from every
one, for, when once such a whisper
gets about, it is not long before every
one has heard it. Thanks to this lonely
cottage and his own discretion. Godfrey
has up TO now succeeded. Their secret
was known to no one save to me and
to one excellent servant, who has at
present gone for assistance to Trump
ington. But at last there came q ter
rible blow in the shape of dangerous
Illness to his wife. 1t was consumption
of the most virulent kind. The poor
boy was half crazed with grief. and
vet he had to go to London to play this
match, for he could not get out Of it
without explanations which would ex-
pose his secret. / tried to cheer him uD
by wire, and he sent me one in reply.
imploring me to do all / could. This
was the telegram which you appear in
some inexplicable way to have SEEN
] did not tell him how urgent the
danger was, for I knew that he could
do no good here, but sent the truth
to the girls father, and he very in
judiciouly communicated 1t to Godfrey.
The result was that he came straight
away in state bordering on frenzy,
and has remained in the same state.
kneeling at the end of her bed. until
this morning death put an end to her
sufferings. That is all. Mr.. Holmes.
and I am sure that 1 can rely upon
your discretion and that Of your
friend"
Holmes grasped the Doctors hand.
Come, Watson" said he. and we
passed from the house Of grief into the
pale sunlight Of the winter day.
(The End.)