Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-08-31

w NeANh a ~
Of any faces at the windows. Slowly
the twilight crept down as the sun
sank behind the high towers OF Holder
nesse Hall. Then in the gloom we saw
the TWO side lamps of a trap light UP
ii the stable yard OF the inn and short,
II afterward heard the rattle Of hoofs
Is II wheeled out into the road and tore
of ct a furious pace in the direction OF
Chesterfield.
"Wha do you make OF that, Wat
SON." Holmes whispered.
III looks like a fight"
"A single ma in a dogcart. 90 far
as | could see. Well. it certainly was
not M. James Wilder, for there he is
az the door
A red square OF light had sprung out
of the darkness. In the middle of II
was the black figure Of the secretary,
his head advanced. peering out into
The night. 1t was evident that he was
expecting some one. Then at last
there were steps in the road, a second
figure was visible for an instant
against the light, the door shut and all
go 60 oHNS dlDle. i've !uIl!ulcS
later a lamp was lit in q room upon
the first floor.
1T GEMS to be a curious class Of
custom that IS done by the Fighting
Cock said Holmes.
The bar is on the other side"
Quite SO. These are what on. may
call the private guests. Now, what in
he world is Mr.. James Wilder doing
IN that den at this hour Of night, and
who is the companion who comes to
meet him there: Come, Watson, we
must really take a risk and try to in
vestigate this 4 little more closely"
Together We stole down to the road
and crept across to the door Of the
inn. The bicycle still leaned against
the wall. Holmes struck a match and
held it TO the back wheel, and l heard
him chuckle as the light fell upon a
patched Dunlop tire. Up above us
was the lighted window.
Il must have a peep through that,
Watson. II you bend your back and
support yourself upon the wall l think
that can manage"
An instant later his feet were on
my shoulders, but he was hardly up
before be was down again.
Come, my friend" said he, "our
days work has been quite long enough.
l think that we have gathered all that
we can. It's a long walk to the school,
and the sooner we get started the bet
ter"
He hardly opened his lips during
that weary trudge across the moor, nor
would he enter the school when he
reached it, but vent on to Mackleton
station, whence he could send some
kilograms. Late at night I heard him
c%onsoing DR.. HuXtable, Frustrated by
the tragedy of his masters death, and
later still he entered my room as alert
and vigorous as he had been when he
started in the morning. "All goes we'll,
my friend" said he. 81 promise that
before tomorrow evening we shall have
reached the solution of the mystery"
At II o'clock mex morning my friend
and / We're walking up the famous yew
venue Of I~oldernesse Hall. We were
ushered through the magnificent Eliza
bethan doorway and into his grace's
study. There we found Mr.. James Will
der, demure and courtly, but with some
trace of that wild terror of the night
before still lurking in his furtive eyes
and in his twitching features.
You have ON to see his grace?
am sorry, but the fact is that the duke
is far from we'll. He has been very
much upset by the tragic news. We re-
ceived a telegram from DR.. Huxtable
yesterday afternoon, which told us OF
your discovery"
II must see the duke, Mr.. Wilder"
"Rnt he is in his room"
"Then | must go to his room.'
II believe he is in his bed"
IL will see him there
Holmes cold and incxorable manner
showed til" secretary that it was use
less to argue with him.
VERY good, Mr.. Holmes. | will tell
him that you are here
After an hours delay the great noble
man appeared. His face was more ca
daverolS than ever. his shoulders had
rounded, and he seemed to me to be an
altogether older man than he hal been