The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-05-19

~ for few seconds and clawed the ak.
with both his hands. But for all his
efforts he could not get his balance,
ana over he went. With my face over
the brink saw him fall for long way.
Then lie struck rock. bounded off and
srlashed into the water"
listened with amazement to this ex
PLANTATION. which Holmes delivered be-
tween the puffs of his cigarette
Bn' the tracks," l cried. Il saw
with my own eyes that two went down
the path and none returned
1T came about in this way. The in
slant that the professor had disap-
peared it struck me what a really ex
traordinarily lucky chance fate had
placed in my way. l knew that Mori
arty was not the only man who had
sworn my death. There were at least
three others whose desire for vepge-
ance upon me would only be increased
by the death of their leader: They We're
all most dangerous men. One or other
would certainly get me. On the other
hand. if all the world was convinced
that l was dead they would take liber-
ties. these men: they would soon lay
themselves open. and sooner or later
could destroy them. Then it would be
time for me to announce that l was
still in the land of the living So rapid
" does the brain act that l believe l
had thought this all out before Profess
or Moriarty had reached the bottom of
the Reichenhach fall
Il stood up and examined the rocky
wall behind me. In your picturesque
account of the matter. which l read
with great interest some months later,
you assert that the wall was sheer
That was not literally true. A few
small footholdS presented themselves.
and there was some indication of
ledge. The cliff is SO high that to climb
it all was an obvious impoSSibility.
and it was equally impossible TO make
my way along the wet path without
leaving some tracks. l might. it is true.
have reversed my boots, as have done
on similar occasions. but the sight of
three sets of tracks in one direction
would certainly have suggested de
ception. On the whole, then, il was
best that l should risk the climb. II
was not a pleasant business. Watson.
The fall roarei beneath me- | am not
fanciful person. but l give you my
word that l seemed 10 hear Mor.arty'S
voice screaming At me out of the abyss.
More than once as tufts of grass came
out in my hand or my foot slipped in
the wet notches of the rock l thought
that l was gone. But struggled up
ward, and 1T last l reached a ledge
several feet deep and covered with
soft green moss, where I could lie IN
seen in the most perfect comfort. There
l was stretched when You. my dear
Watson. and all Your following were
investigating in the most sympathetic
and inefficient manner the circum-
stances of my death.
AT last. when You had all formed
your inevitable and totally erroneous
conclusions. you departed for the hotel
and l was left alone. had imagined
that l had reached the end of my adj
ventures. but very unexpected occur
renee showed me that there We're sur
priSes still in store for me. \ huge
rock. falling from above. doomed past
me, struck the path and bounded over
into the chaSm For an instant |
thought that it was an accident. but
moment later. looking up. I saw a
mans head against the darkening sky,
and another stone struck the very
ledge upon which l was stretched
within a foot of my head. OF course
the meaning of this was obvious Mo-
riarty had not been alone. 4 confeder-
ate-and even that one glance had told
me how dangerous man that confed-
crate was-had kept guard while the
professor had attacked me- From a
distance. unseen by me. he had been a
witness of his friends death and of
my escape He had waited. and then.
making his way around 10 the top of
the cliff. he had endeavored TO succeed
&Fhere his comrade had failed
Il did not take long 10 think about it.
Watson. Again I saw that grim face
look over the cliff. and knew that il
was the precursor of another stone.
scrambled down on to the path
don I think could have done IT in cold
blood. Ii was hundred times more
difficult than getting up But had no
time 10 think of the danger. for an
other stone sang past me as l hung by
my hands from the edge of the ledge
Halfway down l slipped; but. by the
blessing of God, l landed. torn and
bleeding. upon the path took to my
heels. did ten miles over the rnnnn-