The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-20

holmes find many tragic, some comic
large number of merely strange. but
none commonplace; for, working as he
did, rather for the ldve of his art than
Tor the requirement of wealth. he re-
fused to associate himself with any
investigation which did not tend to-
Ward the unusual and even the fantas-
tic. OF all these varied cases how
ever, 1 cannot recall any which pres
enled more singular features than that
which was associated with the we'll
known Surrey family of the Roylotts
OF Stoke Moran. The events in ques-
ton occurred i'm the early days of my
association with Holmes. when we were
sharing rooms as bachelors in Baker
street. 1t is possible that ! might have
placed them uDon record before but q
promise Of secrecy was made at the
time, from which have only been freed
during the last month by the untiInely
death Of the lady to whom the pledge
was given It is perhaps as we'll that
the facts should now come to light. for
j have reasons to know that there are
widespread rumors as to the death .of
Or. Grimesby RoylOtt which tend to
make the matter even more terrible
than the truth.
1t was early in April i'm the year SO
that ] woke one morning to find Sher-
lock Holmes standing. fully dressed. by
the side of my bed. He was a late
riser as a rule, and as the clock on the
lnantelpiece showed me that it was only
a quarter past seven I blinked uD at
MN in some surprise, and perhaps just
a little resentment. FOR / was myself
regular i'm my habits
Very sorry to wake you uD. Wat
son, said he, but it's the common lot
this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been
walked up. she retOrted upon me. and
1 on you
What is it. then-a fire."
NO; client. 1t seems that a young
lady has arrived in a considera BILE state
OF excitement, who insists upon seeing
me. She is waiting now in the sitting
room Now, when young ladies wander
about the metropolis at this hour of the
morning and knock sleepy people out of
their beds. l presume that it is some
lhing very pressing which they have
10 communicate. Should it prove to BE-
an interesting case you would. I am
sure, wish to follow il from the out
set / thought, at any rate that
should call you and give YOU the
chance"
My dear fellow, I would not miss it
for anything"
I had no keener pleasure than in fol-
lowing Holmes in his professional in
designations and in admiring the rapid
deductions. as swift as intuitions. and
yet always founded on q logical basis
with which he unravelled the problems
which were submitted to him. / r. pidIy
NuitN on my clothes and ready in
2 rev minutes to accompany my friend
down TO the sitting room. A lady
dressed in black and heavily yelled who
mad been sitting i'm the window. rose
as We entered.
Good morning. madam" SAID
Holmes. cheerily My name is Sher-
lock Holmes. This is my intimate.
TREND and associate, Dr. Watson. be-
lore whom YOU can speak as freely as
before myself Ha,t I am glad to see
Yrs N iGsrtr nrra Z
sense to light the fire. Pray draw up
10 it. and ! shall order YOU a cup of
hot coffee. for L observe that you are
shiVering"
1T is not cold which makes me
SILVER said the woman in a low voice
changing her seat as requested.
What. them"
1T IS fear, Mr. Holmes. Il is terror"
She raised her veil as she spoke, and we
could see that she was indeed in 4
pitiable state OF agitation. her face an
drawn and gray, with restless. fright
ened eyes. like those of some hunted
animal. Her features and figure were
those of a woman of thirty. but her hair
was shot with premature gray. and her
expression was weary and haggard.
Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one
of his quick. all comprehensive glances.
You must not fear" said he. sOoth-
iugly. bending forward and patting her
forearm. I'VE shall soon set matters
right. 7 have no doubt. You have come
in by train this morning, / see"
You know me, them"
No, but I observe the second half
of return ticket in the palm OF your
left glove. You must have started
early. and yet you had d good drive in
a dog cart along heavy roads before
you reached the station"
The lady gave a violent start and
stared in bewilderment at my compan-
ion.
There is no mystery. my dear
madam, said he, smiling. The left
arm of your jacket is spattered with
mud in no less than seven places. The
marks are perfectly fresh There is
no vehicle safe "a dogcart which throws
up mud in that way. and then only
when you sit on the Ieft-hand side OF
the driver"
''Whatever your reasons may be. you
are perfectly correct" she said 4
started from home before s. reached
Leatherhedd at twenty past and came
in by the first train to Waterloo Sir
can stand this strain no longer. /
shall go mad il il continues. have
no one 10 turn to-nOne save only one.
who cares Tor me: and he. poor fellow
can be of little aid / have heard of
you, Mr. Holmes; l have heard of YOU
from Mrs Farintosh, whom you helped
in the hour of her sore need It was
from her that [ had your address. Oh
sir, do you not think that YOU could
help me. toe. and at least throw a little
light through the dense darkness which
surrounds me? At present il IS out
OF my power TO reward you for your
services. but in month OF six weeks
/ shall be married. with the control OF
my own income. and then at least YOU
shall ind me not ungrateful"
Holmes turned to his desk and uu-
locking IT, drew out a small casebook
which he consulted.
'Farintosh. said he. All yesl
recall the case II was concerned with
an opal tiara. I think II was before
your time, Watson. l can only say.
madam. that I shall be happy to de-
vote the same care TO your case as
did TO that of your friend. As to re-
ward, my profession is its own reward.
but you are at liberty 20 defray what
ever expenses I may be put to. at the
time which suits you best And now I
beg that you viii lay before US every
thing that may help us in forming an
opinion upon the matter"
sAIasi" replied our visitor the very
horror Of my situation lies in the fact
that my fears are so vague and my
suspicious depend so entirely upon
small points which might seem trivial
TO another, that even he to whom. OF all
others. / have "A right To look for helm
and advice looks upon ali that 1 tell
him about is at the fancies of a nerv-