Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-19

woman looked at him iutenuy AMI
ground her heel into his upturned face.
She looked again. but there was no
sound or movement. I heard n sharp
rustic. the night air blew into the heat
Ell room and the avenger was gone
No interference upon our part could
have saved the man from his fate. but
as the woman poured bullet after bull
let into Milverton's shrinking body I
was about to spring out when l felt
Holmes cold. strong grasp upon my
wrist I understood the whole argu-
ment Of that firm. restraining grip
that it was no affair OF ours. that jus
tice had overtallen n villain: that we
had our own duties and our own OBJ
jects. which were not 90 be lost sight
OF But hardly had the woman rushed
from the room when Holmes with
swift, silent steps was over at the 9th
er door. He turned the key in the lock.
At the same instant we heard voices in
the house aud the sound OF hurrying
feet. The revolver shots had reused
the household. With perfect coolness
Holmes slipped across 20 the safe. filled
his two arms with bundles Of letters
and poured them all into the IRE.
Again ana again he did il. until the
safe was empty.
/ Some one turned the handle and beat
upon the outside OF the door Holmes
looked swiftly round The letter which
had been the messenger of death for
AIilverton lay, all notified with his
blood. upon the table. Holmes tossed
It I'm among the blazing papers Then
be drew the key from the outer door.
passed through after me AMI locked IL
on the outside. This way. Watson"
said he eve can scale the garden wall
In this direction"
/ l could not have believed that an
alarm could have spread 50 swiftly.
Looking back. the huge house was one
blaze OF light The front door was
open. and figures were rushing down
the drive The whole garden was alive
with people and one fellow raised a
view halloo as we emerged from the
/ vernnda and followed hard no our heels.
Holmes seemed TO know the grounds
perfectly, and be threaded his way
swiftly among a plantation Of small
trees, ! close at his heels and our
foremost pursuer painting behind us
Ii was "A six foot wall Which barred
our path. but he sprang 20 the top and
over. As did the same | felt the hand
OF the man behind me grab M my an
kle, but kicked myself free and scram-
bled over grass strewn coping / fell
upon my face among some bushes. but
Holmes had me on my feet in an in
slant, and together we dashed away
across the huge expanse Of Hampstead
heath. We had run two miles, / sup
pose. before Holmes at last halted and
listened intently. All was absolute ST.
, lence behind Us. We had shaken or
our pursuers and were safe.
! We had breakfasted and were smok-
ing our morning pipe on the day after
/ the remarkable experience which I
have recorded when Mr. Lestrade OF
! Scotland Yard, very solemn and i'm
1 pressive, was uShered into our modest
sitting room.
Good morning. Mr.. Holmes" said
he; good morning. May ask II you
are very busy just nowf"
Not too busy to listen to you" -
II thought that perhaps If you had
nothing particular on hand you might
care 10 assist us In a most remarkable
case which occurred only last night az
| Hampstead"
Dear mer' said Holmes what was
that?"
~ murder-a most dramatic and re-
markable murder. know how keen
you are upon these things. and would
take il as great favor If you would
( step down to Appladore Towers and
I give us the benefit OF your advice. II
i is no ordinary crime. We have had
I our eyes upon this Mr. Anlverton for
, some time, and. between ourselves. he
was bit OF a villain. lie Is known TO
! have held papers which he used for
blackmailing purposes. These papers
{ have all been burned by the murderers.
/ No article OF value was taken. as il is
I probable that the criminals We're men
Of good position whose sole object was
to prevent social exposure"
"CriminalsY said Holmes. 'Plural?"
''Yes, there were two OF them. They
were as nearly as possible captured red
handed. We have their footmarks. we
have their description. It's ten TO one
that we trace them. The first fellow
: was a bit teo active. but the second
/ was caught by the under gardener and
only got away after a struggle He
was middle sized, strongly built man
square jaw. thick neck. mustache. a
mask over his eyes"
That's rather vague" said sherlock
Holmes. why. 1t might be descrip-
, ton OF Watson
Its true" said the inspector. with
amusement 1T might be a description
OF Watson"