Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-11
IL III let you have two horses as far ~ the

Hail. -.
well. we'll" said Holmes, well talk
about It when we've had something to eat"
When We were left alone In the stone
tagged kitchen. 1t was astonishing how
ra pidly that sprained ankle recovered. IL
was nearly nghtfall. and we had eaten
nothing since early morning. so that we
spent some time over our meal Hoimes
was lost in thought and once or twice ne
walked over to the window and stared
earnestly out. 1t opened on to a sduatld
/ courtyard. In the far corner was a smithy.
where a grimy lad was at work. On the
other side were the stables. Holmes had
sat down again after one of these ex-
cursions. when he suddenly sprang out of
his chair with loud exclamation
BY Heaven. Watson, l believe that I've
got tr' he cried.
Yes. yes. 1t must be so. Watson, do
you remember seeing any COW tracks to-
Yes. several"
.'Where?''
well. everywhere They were at the
morass, and again on the path. and again
near where poor Heidegger met his death
Exactly. Well, now, Watson, how many
,, cows did you see on the moore
Il don't remember seeing any
Strange Watson, that should see
tracks all along our line. but never a COW
| on the whole moor. Very strange. Wat
son, eh?'
YES it Is strange"
Now, Watson. make an effort, throw
your mind back. Can you see those tracks
upon the path?''
J. Yes, can.
Can you recall that the tracks were
sometimes like that, Watson''-he arranged
a number of bread crumbs In this fashion
(: and sometimes ike TINS
:: .-''and occasionally like this
Can you remember that?'
mo. 1 cannot
But L cen. I could swear to IT. How
ever We Will go back at our leisure and
verify 1t. What blind beetle l have been
not to draw my concluson!
And what is you conclusion!
"Only that II is remarkable cow which
walks eanters and gallops. BY George!
Watson 1t was no brain of country pub
lican that thought out such blind as that
The coast seems to be clear. save for that
lad in the smithy. Let us slip out and see
J There were two rough-haired. unkempt
| horses in the tumble-down stable Holmes
raised the hind leg of one of them and
laughed aloud.
''Old shoes, but newly shod-old shoes,
| but new nails. This case deserves to be a
| classic. Let us go across to the smithy.'
The lad cor tinued his work without re-
garding u.s. 1 saw Holmes eye dartng to
| right and left among the litter of iron and
| wood which was scattered about the floor.
| Suddenly, however, we heard step benin
U.S. and there was the landlord, his heavy
| eyebrows drawn down over his savage
| eyes. his swarthy features CONFUSED with
passion. He held a short, metal-headed
| stick in his hand, and he advanced in so
| menactng fashion that / was right glad
to feel the revolver in my pocket.
You Internal spiesl" the man cried.
What you doing there?'
| why, Mr.. Reuben Hayes" said Holmes
| cody, 'one might think that you were
| afraid of our finding something out"
The man mastered himself with a violent
| effort, and his grim mouth loosened into
| a false laugh. which was more menaCing
| than his frown.
| You're welcome to all you can find out
| in my snithy," said he. But look here,
mister 1 don't care for folk polSing about
| ,1fo x.,tth co no
| you pay your score and get out of this the
| better l shall be pleased.
"Au right. Mr. Hayes. no harm meant"
said Holmes 1--WE have been having "A
| look at your horses, but | think I'll walk.
| after all. It's not far, / believe"
| Not more than two miles to the Hall
gates. That's the road to the left" He
| watched us with sullen eyes until we had
! left his premises,
| We did not go very far along the road.
| for Holmes stopped the instant that the
| curve hid us from the landlords view.
| 1--WE were warm, as the children say at
that inn," said he. 81 seem to grow colder
| every step that l take away-from 1t. No.
| no, l can't possibly leave it,"
! 81 am convinced" said ]. that this Reu-
ben Hayes knows all about it. more
| self-evident villain / never saw"
"Ohl he impressed you in that way. did
| he? There are the horses, there Is the
| smithy. Yes, il is an Interesting place,
| this Fighting Cock. / think we shall have
| another look at 1t in an unobtrusive way"
| A long sloping hillside dotted with grey
| limestone bouders, stretched behind as.
| We had turned off the road, and were MAX
| ing our way up the hill. when. looking in
| the direction of Holdernesse Hall, l saw a
| cycist coming swiftly along.
| Get down, WatsOn!' cried Holmes. with
| a heavy hand upon my shoulder. We had
| hardly sunk from view when the man flew
| past us on the road. Amid a rolling cloud
OF dust 1 caught glimpse of pale, agl-
| tated face-a face with horror in every
| Iineament the mouth open, the eyes star
| ing wildly in front. 1t was like some
| strange caricature of the dapper James
| Wilder whom we had seen the night before.
| THE dukes secretary" cried Holmes.
! Come, Watson, let us see what he does.
| We scrambled from rock to rock, until in
| a few moments we had made our way to
point from which could see the front
door of the inn. Wider's bicycle was lean
| ing against the wall beside IT. No one was
| moving about the house, nor could We catch
| a glimpse of any faces at the windows
Slowly the twilight crept down the sun
sank behind the high towers of Holdernesss
| Hall. Then, in the gloom, we saw the two
| side lamps of trap light up in the stable
| yard of the inn, and shortly afterward
| heard the rattle of hoofs as it wheeled out
| into the road and tore off at a furious pace
| In the direction of Chesterfield
| What do you make of that, Watson?'
| Holmes whispered
ut looks like a flight"
"a single man in a dog-cart, far as
| James Wilder. for there he is at the door"
A red square of light had sprung out OF