Morris tribune., 1905-06-24
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Holmes examined it for some time,
and then, folding it carefully up, he
placed it in his pocketbook.
.'This promises to be most interest
ing and unusual case" said he. "You
gave me a few particulars in your let
ter, Mr.. Hilton Cubitt, but / should
be very much obliged if you would
kindly go over it all again for the ben
eft of my friend, DR.. watson
I'm not much Of a story teller" said
our visitor, nervously clasping and un-
clasping his great, strong hands. 'You
will just ask me anything that don't
make clear. I'll begin at the time of
my marriage last year, but want to
say first of all that, though I'm not a
rich man, my people have been at Rid
ing Thorpe for matter Of five centu-
ries, and there is no better known fam
lily in the county of Norfolk. Last year
1 came up to London for the jubilee,
and stopped at boarding house in
Russell square, because Parker, the
vicar of our parish, was staying In it.
"There was an American young lady
there-Patrick was the name Elsie
Patrick In some way we became
friends, until before my month was up
I was as much in love as man could
be. We were quietly married at reg
istry Office, and we returned to Nor
folk a welded couple. You'll think It
very mad, Mr.. Holmes, that man Of
a good old family should marry a wife
In this fashion, knowing nothing Of her
past or of her people, but If you saw
her and knew her 1t would help you to
understand
"She was very straight about 1t, was
Elsie. / can't say that she did not give
me every chance Of getting out Of 1t If
I wished to do so. I have had some
very disagreeable associations in my
life,' said she, I wish to forget all
about them. I would rather never al
lude to the past, for it is very painful
to me. If you take me, Hilton, you will
take woman who has nothing that
she need be personally ashamed Of, but
you will have to be content with my
word for 1t and to allow me to be silent
as to all that passed up to the time
when I became yours. If these condi-
tions are too hard, then go back to Nor
folk and leave me to the lonely life in
which you found me- 1t was only the
day before our wedding that she said
those very words to me. told her that
I was content to take her on her own
terms, and | have been as good as my
word.
''Well, we have been married now for
a year, and very happy we have been.
But about month ago, at the end Of
June, saw for the first time signs of
trouble. One day my wife received a
letter from America. saw the Amer
lean stamp. She turned deadly white,
read the letter and threw it into the
fire. She made no allusion to 1t after
ward, and made none, for promise
Is promise, but she has never known
an easy hour from that moment. There
is always look Of fear upon her face
"a look as If she were waiting and ex-
pecting. She would do better to trust
me. She would find that / was her best
friend. But until she speaks I can say
nothing Mind you, she is truthful
woman, Mr.. Holmes, and whatever
trouble there may have been In her
past life 1t has been no fault OF hers.
I am only simple Norfolk squire, but
there is not a man In England who
ranks his family honor more highly
than do. She knows It well, and she
knew It well before she married me.
She would never bring any stain upon
It; Of that I am sure.
well, now / come to the queer part
OF my story. About week ago-it
was the Tuesday Of last week. found
On one of the window sills a number OF
absurd little dancing figures like these
upon the paper. They were scrawled
with chalk. l thought that it was the
stable boy who had drawn them, but
the lad swore he knew nothing about