Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-07-19
The Adventure OF
the Second Stain
No. Is of the Series

uOWu OIL ueT kuecS VI IlOiiDeS leet,
her hands outstretched, her beautiful
face upturned and wet with her tears
ooh, spare me, Mr.. Holiness! Spare
me-" she pleaded in frenzy of sup
plication. For heavens sake, don't
tell him. love him SOL would not
bring one shadow on his life, and this
! know would break his noble heart
Holmes raised the lady II am
thankful, madam. that you have come
to your senses even ut this last mo
ment! There is not an instant to lose.
Where is the letter.!
She darted across to writing desk.
unlocked it and drew out long blue
envelope
Here It is, Mr.. Holmes Would to
heaven had never seen It'll!
"How can we return IT.? Holmes
muttered. "Quick, quick. we must
think Of some way! Where Is the
dispatch box!"
'Still in his bedroom"
What stroke Of luck! Quick,
madam. bring it here!'
A moment later she had appeared
with red, fiat box IN her hand.
How did you open it before? You
have duplicate key? Yes, of course
you have. Open it,"
From out Of her bosom Lady Hilda
had drawn small key. The box few
open. 1t was stuffed with papers.
Holmes thrust the blue envelope deep
down into the heart Of them. between
the leaves Of some other document,
The box was shut, locked and returned
to the bedroom.
"Now we are ready for him. said
Holmes. 1--WE have still ten minutes.
l am going far to screen you, Lady
Hilda. In return you will spend the
time In telling me frankly the real
meaning OF this extraordinary affair."
mfr. Holmes, will tell you every
thing" cried the lady. "Oh. Mr..
Holmes, would cut of my right hand
before l gave him q moment OF sor-
row! There Is no woman in all Lon
don who loves her husband as do,
and vet il he knew how have acted
how have been compelled to act-he
would never forgive me, for his own
honor stands SO high that he could not
forget or pardon lapse in another.
Help me, Mr.. Holmes! My happiness,
his happiness, our very lives, are at
stalker
~"Quick, madam; the time grows
shortv
"It was letter OF mine, Mr.. Holmes.
an indiscreet letter written before my
marriage-a foolish letter, letter Of
an impulsive, loving girl I meant no
harm, and yet he would have thought
1t criminal. Had he read that letter
his confidence would have been forever
destroyed. 1t is years since I wrote
1t. had thought that the whole mat
ter was forgotten. Then at last I
heard from this man Lucas that 1t had
passed into his hands and that he
would lay it before my husband. I
implored his mercy. He said that he
would return my letter If would bring
him a certain document which he de-
scribed In my husbands dispatch box.
He bad some spy in the Office who had
told him Of Its existence. He assured
me that no harm could come to my
husband. Put yourself in my posi-
ton, Mr.. Holmes! What was to do?"
.Tnke your husband into your conf
dence."
II could not, Mr.. Holmes. could
not! On the one side seemed certain
ruin; on the other, terrible as it seem
ed, to take my husbands paper; still in
matter Of politics I could not I'M
derstand the consequences, while In q
matter of love and trust they were on
" too clear to me. did it, Mt.
Holmes! / took an impression of his
key. This man Lucas furnished a
duplicate. I opened his dispatch box,
took the paper and conveyed 1t to
Godolphin street"
"What happened there, MADAME"
II tapped at the door as agreed. Lu-
cas- opened It, followed him into his
room, leaving the hall door ajar behind
me. for feared to be alone with the
man. l remember that there was a
woman outside as entered. Our bust
ness was soon done. He had my let
ter on his desk. handed him the doc
ument. He gave me the letter. At this
instant there was sound at the door.
There were steps in the passage. Lu
cas- quickly turned back the drugget,
thrust the document into some hiding
place there and covered it over.
"what happened after that is like
some fearful dream. have vision of
dark, frantic face, of woman's
voice, which screamed In French: My
Whiting is not in vain At last, at last,
l have found you with her! There was
savage struggle. I saw him with a
chair In his hand; knife cleaned in
hers. rushed from the horrible scene,
ran from the. house, and only next
morning III the paper did learn the
dreadful result. That night 1 was
happy, for had my letter, and l had
not seen vet what the future would
bring
"It was the next morning that real
lied that l had only exchanged one
trouble for another Ny husbands an
guish at the loss of his paper went to
my heart. I could hardly prevent my
self from there and then kneeling down
at his feet and telling him what ! had
done. But that. again would mean q
|. cd6ka1sion Of thepast ! cape.Ao you