The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-19

ID aware that we are interesting ourselves In
mis- affairs; SO II you are ready, we shall
call cab and drive to Waterloo. should
be very much obliged If you would slip your
revolver into your pocket. An Eley's No. 2 il
an excellent argument with gentlemen who can
twist steel pokers into knots. That and q
toothbrush are, l think, all that we need
At Waterloo we were fortunate In catching
a train for Leatherhead, where we hired trap
1t the station inn, and drove for four or
five miles thru the lovely Surrey lanes. It was
a perfect day, with a bright and few
deecy clouds in the heavens. The trees and
wayside hedges were just throwing out their
first green shoots, and the air was full of the
pleasant smell of the moist earth. To me at
least there was strange contrast between the
sweet promise of the spring and this sinister
quest upon which we were engaged My com
panion sat in the 'front.' Of the trap, his arms
folded, his hat pulled down over his eyes, and
his chin sunk upon his; breast, buried in the
deepest thought. Suddenly, however, he started,
tapped me on the shoulder, and pointed over
the meadows
s...Look there!,' said he.
A heavily timbered park stretched up in 9
gentle slope, thfckening into grove at the
highest point -. From amid the branches there
1utted out the gray gables and high roof-tree
of a very old mansion.
''Stoke Moran" said he.
Eyes, sir, that be the house of DR.. GrimesbJ
Roylott,' remarked the driver.
"There is some building going on there,
said Holmes; that is where we are going.
There's the village" said the driver, point
10 q nI,,c%4 @f oFo fSfa 10
left; "but If you want to get to the house
you'll find 1t shorter to get over this stile, ant
SO by the footpath over the fields. There 1t is
where the lady is walking
"And the lady, I fancy, is Miss Stoner,
observed Holmes. shading his eyes. Eyes,
think we had better do as you suggest.
We got off, paid our fare, and the trap rat
tied back on it's way to Leatherhead.
climbed the stile, ''that this fellow shoul'
think we had come here as architects, or Of
some definite business 1t may stop his COS
SIP Good afternoon, Miss Stoner You Sc
that we have been as good as our word.''
Our client of the morning had hurried for
ward to meet us with a face which spoke he
joy. IT have been waiting 80 eagerly 70
you" she CRIED shaking hands with US warmly
''All has turned out splendid1y. DR.. Roylot
has gone to town, and it Is unlikely that h
will be back before evening" .l.Hg
.'We have had the pleasure Of making tn
Doctors acquaintance said Holmes, and in
few words he sketched out what had occurred
Miss Stoner turned white to the lips as sh
listened.
.'Good heayens!' she cried, che has To-
lowed me, them -4. - -
$50 it appears" r. s%,sA%a -.v.s-% s..
"He is cunning that never know whe
am safe from him.. What will he say whe
he returns7' - s.-,
'.He must guard himself, for he may fin
that there is someone more cunning than hin
self upon his track. You must lock yourse
: - ex,{o1 Oh
take you away to your aunt's at Harrow. Nov
we must make the best use of our time, {
kindly take us at once to the rooms which "
are to examine" 'tr~fe
The building was OF gray nchen-olotche
stone, with a high central portioa,p and tN
| curving wings, like the claws of a crab throw
J out on eachFside. In one Of these wings IL
windows were broken, and blocked with woode
| boards, while the roof was partly caved; y
! a picture of ruin. The central portion was
little better repair, but the right-hand bloc
was comparatively modern. and the blinds :
the windows, with the blue smoke curling
from the chimneys, showed that this WI
| where the family resided. Some scaffolding hs
been erected against the end wall, and tt
| stone work had been broken into, but the
| were no signs Of any workmen at the momel
| of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up al
down the ill-trimmed lawn, and examined vii
| deep attention the outsides of the windows.
''This, I take IT. belongs to the room
| which you used to sleep, the center one
your sisters, and the one next to the ma
building to DR.. Roylott's chamber?'
| EXACTLY But l am now sleeping
the middle One.' ,at -. .. r..-,..~sse.,
pending the alterations, as I understan
By-the-way, there does not seem to be any vel
pressing need for repairs at that end wall.
| ''There were none. I believe that 1t was 6
| excuse to move me from my ROOM
| "Ah! that Is suggestive. Now, on the 9TH
side of this narrow wing runs the corr1d
from which these three rooms open. Ihefe al
| %
| ''Yes, but very small ones. Too narrow II
anyone to pass thru"
''As you both locked your doors at nigh
your rooms were unapproachable from that sid
Now, would you have the kindness to go In
your room and bar your shutters" ~
| Miss Stoner did SO, and Holmes, after
careful examination thru the open window, e
deavored In every way to force the smut
open, but without success There was no 81
| thru which knife could be passed to raj
the bar Then with his lens he tested Il
hinges, but they were of solid iron, built firm
into the massive masonry. HUM said :. D
scratching his chin in some perplex1ty; N
| theory certainly presents some difficulties. \
one could pass these shutters If they we
bolted Well, we shall If the inside throw
any light upon the matter
small side door led into the whitewash'
| corridor from which the three bedrooms opene
| Holmes refused to examine the third chambe
| so we passed at once to the second, that
which Miss Stoner was now sleeping, ana
| which her sister had met with her rate.
| was a homely little room, with a low ceiling al
| a gaping fireplace after the fashion of o
| country houses. brown chest OF draWe
| stood in one corner, q narrow Whlte-colnte
/ paned bed in another, and dressing table
/ the left-hand side of the window. me
! articles with two small wicker-work chair
made Up all the furniture in the room, sa'
for square of Wilton carpet In the cente
The boards round and the paneiing OF Il
walls We're of brown, worm-eaten oak, so
%hot ma
| the original building of the house. Holm
/ drew one of the chairs into corner al
sat silent, while his eyes Travelled round al
round and up and down, taking In every deta
| Of the apartment. -,
| "Where does that bell communicate with
4 he asked, at last, pointing to thick pc
rope which hung down beside the bed, tt
i tassel actually lying upon the pillow.
! uIt goes to the housekeeper's ROOM
! eft looks newer than the other thingsF
/ Eyes, it was only put there couple
! years ago. -,
| s.No. I never heard of her using 1T. we u.s.
i ALWAYS to get what we wanted for ourselves
i Indeed, it seemed unnecessary to put
nice a beii-pull there. You will excuse me
4 a few minutes while I satisfy myself as
face with his lens in his hand, and crawl
| swiftly backward and forward, examining
nutely the cracks between the boards, Th
!. he did the same with the woodwork wi
/ walked over to the bed, and spent some time
/ staring at 1t, and in running his eye up a
down the wall. Finally he took the be
rope in his hand and aye s It q 5 Or tug
4 won't 1t ring
'No, 1t is not even attached to VIII
This is very interesting. You can see nc
/ that 1t is fastened to a hook lust above Whe
i the little opening for the ventilator Is
4 "How very absurd! II never noticed tn
before"
i ....yery strange!'' muttered Holmes, pulling
1 the rope s.There are one or two very singul
4 points about this room. For example, what
4 fool a builder must be to open a ventilat
into another room, when, with the same troub
i he might have communicated with the outsi
air!' ),