The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-08
NEW SHERLOCK
 HOLMES SERIES
(continued from Previous Pase)

Silver Blaze! Five to fifteen against Des-
 boroughl Five to four on the 'field!'
 "There are the numbers" I cried. "They are all six there'
 ''All six there? Then my horse is run
 ming" said the Colonel in great agita-
 ton. But 1 don't see. him. My colors
 have not passed"
 "Only five have passed. This must be
 he."
 As I spoke a powerful hay horse swept out from the weighing inclosure and can
 tered past us, bearing on its back the
 well known black and red of the Colonel.
 That's not my horse." cried the owner. That beast has not white hair upon
 his body. What is this that you have
 done, MT. Holmes?' Well, well, let us see how he gets on'
 said my friend, imperturbably, For few minutes he gazed through my field glass. Capital" An excellent startl" he cried suddenly. '"rhere they are, coming | round the curvei"
 From our drag we had superb view as they came up the straight. The six horses were so close together that a car l pet could have covered them, but half | way up the yellow of the Mapleton sta l ble showed to the front. Before they reached us. however, Desborough's bolt
  | ing away with rush, passed the post 1 a good six lengths before It's rival, the | Duke of Balmorars Iris making a bad 1 third.
 Its my race, anyhow" gasped the | Colonel, passing his hand over his eyes,
 ''I confess that l can make neither head nor tail of 1t. Don't you think you have | kept up your mystery long enough, MT. l Holmes?''
 Certainly, Colonel. you shall know ev- ] erything. Let us go round and have a | look at the horse together. Here he is.' he continued. as we made our way into 1 the Weighing nolosure, where only own CTS and their friends and admittance. You have only to wash his face and his | leg in spirits of wine, and you will find i that he is the same old Silver Blaze | as ever.
 You take my breath away!' I "I found him in the hands of a falxir. and took the liberty of running him just | as he was sent over" My dear sir, you have done wonders. | The horse looks very fit and well. It | never went better in It's life I owe you a thousand apologies for having doubted l your ability. You have done me a great l service by recovering my horse You | would do me greater still if you could lay your hands on the murderer of John | Straker."
 "I have done so,' said Holmes, quietly. The Colonel and I stared at him in amazement. "You have got hml Where | is he, then?"
 He Is here"
 Here, Where?" Tn my company at the present mo-
 ment''
 The Colonel flushed angrily. "I quite | recognize that l am under obligations | to you, MT. Holmes," said he, 'but I , must regard what you have just said as either very bad joke or an insult" I Sherlock Holmes laughed "I assure 1 you that l have not associated you with | the crime, Colonel" said he "The real | murderer is standing immediately behind you" He stepped past and laid his hand | upon the glossy neck of the thorough 1 bred.
 | ''The horse!" cried both the Colonel and | myself.
 l "Yes, the horse. And it may lessen his l guilt if l say that 1t was done in self defense, and that John Straker was a ] man who was entirely unworthy of your l confidence. But there goes the bell, and | as l stand to win q little on this next i race. l shall defer @ lengthy explanation | until more fitting time" ! We had the corner of a Pullman car l to ourselves that evening as we whirled back to London. and I fancy that the 1 journey was short one to Colonel Ross l as well as to myself, as we listened to our | companions narrative of the events which had occurred at the Dartmoor | training stables upon that Monday night.
 and the means by which he had un- ! raveled them.
 'I confess" said he. that any theories
 which l had formed from the newspaper i reports were entirely erroneous. And vet | there were indications there. had thev not been overiaid by other details which l concealed their true import I went to ! Devonshire with the conviction that Fitz-