The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-10-15

cooked his eye at me to see if I had fol-
lowed his reasoning.
you think man must be well-to-doif
he smokes a seven-shilling pipe" said |.
This is Grosvenor mixture at eight
pence an once" Holmes answered
knocking a little out on his palm. LAS
he might get an excellent smoke for half
the price, he has no need to practice
economy"
And the other ponts?"
He has been in the habit of lighting
his pipe at lamps and gas jets. You can
see that 1t is quite charred all down one
side. Of course a match could have done
that. Why should man hold match
to the side of his pipe? But you cannot
light at a lamp without getting the bowl
eharred. And it is all on the right side of
the pipe. From that I gathered that he is
a left-handed man. You hold your own
| pipe to the lamp, and see how naturally
| you, being rght-handed. hold the left sldf
| to the flame You might do 1t once the
| other way, but not as a constancy. This
| has always been held so. Then he has
| bitten through his amber. 1t takes
| muscular energetic fellow, and one with
| a good set of teeth. to do that But II
I am not mistaken hear him upon the
stair. so we shall have something more
interesting than his pipe to study
An instant later our door opened, and
a tall young man entered the room. He
| was well but quietly dressed In a dark
| gray suit. and carried brown wideawake
| In his hand. ! should have put him at
| about thirty, though he was really some
| years older.
'I beg your pardon" said he with some
! embarrassment; Il suppose | should have
| Knocked. Yes, of course I should have
| knocked. The fact is that [ am a little
| upset. and you must put it all down to
| fbnt 10 bic nd
! head like n man who is half dazed, and
| then fell rather than sat down upon
| chair.
It can see that you have not slept for
| night or two" said Holmes. in his easy,
| genial way. THAT tries a mans nerves
| more than work. and more even than
| pleasure. May ask how l can help your
| Il wanted your advice. sir. I don't
| know what to do, and my whole life
| seems to have gone to pieces
you wish to employ me as a consult
| ing detective?"
Not that only. I want your opinion as
| judicious man-as a man of the world.
want to know what I ought to do next.
! I hope to God you'll be able to tell
| me-"
| He spoke in little, sharp, jerky out
| bursts. and 1t seemed to me that to speak
at all was very painful to him. and that
his will all through was overriding his
| inclinations.
Its very delicate thing" said he.
"One does not like to speak of ones do
| nestle affairs to strangers. 1t seems
| dreadful to discuss the conduct of ones
| wife with two men whom | have never
| seen before. It's horrible to have to do
1t. But I've got to the end of my tether,
and I must have advice"
my dear Mr.. Grant Munro" began
| Holmes.
| Our visitor sprang from his chair.
What" he cried, you know my manner"
"1f you wish to preserve your incog-
nito, said Holmes, smiling, Il would
suggest that you cease to write your
| name upon the lining of your hat. or
| else that you turn the crown towards
| the person whom you are addressing.
| was about to say that my friend and I
have listened to a good many strange
| secrets in this room, and that we have
had the good fortune to bring peace to
| many troubled souls. | trust that we
may do as much for you. Might l beg
you, as time may prove to be OF i'm
portance, to furnish me with the facts
of your case without further delay?"
{ Our visitor again passed his hand over
his forehead, as If he found it bitterly
| hard. From every gesture and express
| sion ! could see that he was reserved,
| self-contained man. with a dash of pride
in his nature, more likely to hide his
wounds than to expose them. Then sud-
/ denly. with fierce gesture of his closed
| hand. like one who throws reserve to the
| winds, he began.
1.-THE facts are these Mr. Holmes" said
he. 81 am a married man. and have been
| so for three years. During that time my
| wife and I have loved each other as fond
| ly and lived as happily as any two that
| ever were Joined. We have not had a