The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-17

however. that before taking the final step l should like to submit the whole matter to your consideration"
 Well Miss Hunter. if your mind is made up, that settles the question: said Holmes smiling.
 But you would not advise me to re- fuse?n
 q confess that it Is not the situation which l should like to see sister Of mine apply for
 What is the meaning of it all, MT. HoImes?p
 An have no data. I cannot tell, Perhaps you yourself have formed some opiniong'
 Well, there seems to me to be only one possible solution. MT. Rucastle seemed to be a very kind, good-natured man. Is it not possible that his wife is a lunatic, that he desires to keep the matter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum and that he honors her fancies in every way in order to prevent an outbreak.
 That is possible solution-infact, as matters stand. it is the most probable one. But in any case, it does not seem to be nice household for a young lady"
 "Dut the money, MT. Holmes, the moneyr'
 Well. yes, of course the pay is good too good. That is what makes me un- easy. Why should they give you e12O a year. when they could have their pick for e40? There must be some strong reason behind.''
 T ,,.-.-,-bt that if I told you the cir cumstances you would understand after ward if I wanted your help. l should feel so much stronger if I felt that you were at the back of me"
 "Oh, you may carry that feeling away with you. l assure you that your little problem promises to be the most inter- esting which has come my way for some months. There is something distinctly novel about some of the features. If you should find yourself in doubt or in dan- ger
 Danger! what danger do you fore see.
 Holmes shook his head gravely. Tt would cease to be q danger if we could define it." said he. But at any time; day or night, telegram would bring me down to your help
 That is enough" She rose briskly from her chair with the anxiety all swept from her face. T shall go down to Hampshire quite easy in my mind now. shall write to MT. Rucastle at once, sacrifice my poor hair tonight and start for Winchester tomorrow" With few grateful words to Holmes she bade us both good night and hustled off upon her way.
 At least" said I, as we heard her quick, firm step descending the stairs, ''she seems to be a young lady who is very well able to take care of herself"
 And she would need be-" said Holmes gravely, flor I am much mistaken if we do not hear from her before many days are past"
 It was not very long before my friend s prediction was fulfilled. A fortnight went by, during which l frequently found my thoughts turning in her direction and wondering what strange side alley of hu- man experience this lonely woman had strayed into. The unusual salary, tho curious conditions, the light duties, all pointed to something abnormal though whether a fad or plot, or whether the man was a philanthropist or a villain it was quite beyond my powers to deter mine. As to Holmes, l observed that he sat frequently for half an hour on end, with knitted brows and an absuacted air, but he swept the matter away with a wave of his hand when I mentioned 1t. "Datal data! datal' he cried impatient- ly. q can't make bricks without clay And yet he would always wind up by muttering that no sister of his should ever have accepted such a situation.
 The telegram which we eventually re- ceived came late one night, just as I was thinking of turning in and Holmes was settling down to one of those all night chemical researches which he fre- quently indulged in, when 1 would leave him stopping over a retort and test tube at night and find him in the same position when l came down to breakfast In the morning. He opened the yellow envelope, and then, glancing at the mes sage, threw it across to me.
 Just look up the trains in Bradshaw, said he. and turned back to his chemical studies.
 The summons was a brief and urgent one:
 'Please be at the Black Swan Hotel at Winchester at midday tomorrow" it said Do come I am at my wits end
 HUNTER"
 "will you come with mel" asked Holmes, glancing up.
 'I should wish to-
 Just look it up, then."
 There is a train at halfpast nine, " said l, glancing over my Bradshaw. "It is due at Winchester at 11:30."
 That will do very nicely. Then per haps l had better postpone my analysis of the acetones, as we may need to be at our best in the morning"
 By eleven o'clock the next day we were well upon our way to the old English capital. Holmes had been buried in the morning papers all the way down, but after we had passed the Hampshire bor- der he threw them down and began tc admire the scenery. It was an idea spring day, lght-blue sky fiecked with little fleecy white clouds drifting across from west to east. The sun was shin ing very brightly, and yet there was ar collaborating nip in the air which set ar edge to a mans energy All over the countryside, away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red and gray roofs of the farm -steadings peeped out from amid the light green of the new | foliage. #
 Are they not fresh and beautful?" cried with all the enthusiasm of a mar fresh from the fogs of Baker street. 1 But Holmes shook his head gravely.
 Do you know, Watson." said he. 'tha | 1t is one of the curses of a mind with { 1 turn like mine that I must look at every 1 thing with reference to my own specia subject. You look at these scattered houses and you are impressed by theil beauty. I look at them, and the only thought that comes to me Is feeling O isolation and of impunity with whici crime may be committed there.''
 Good heavensr 1 cried 'who would associate crime with these dear old home steads?"
 "They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief. Watson. founded upon my experience, that the lowest anC vilest alleys in London do not present more dreadful record of sin than doe, the smiling and beautiful countryside" i You horrify mel
 But the reason Is very obvious Tn, pressure of public opinion can do in thu town what the law cannot accomplish There is no lane so vile than the scream of a tortured child or the thud of I drunkard's blow does not beget sympa | thy and indignation among the neighbors | and then the whole machinery of justic, | T Af. I-p ..-t.s l..