Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-09-12
murky fan light over the door, Here

murky fan light over the door. Here
Holmes turned suddenly to the right,
and we found ourselves in large,
square, empty room, heavily shadOwed
In the corners, but family lit in the
center from the lights Of the street be-
yond. There was no lamp near, and
the window was thick with dust, so
that we could only just discern each
others figures within. My companion
put his hand upon my shoulder and
his lips close to my ear.
"Do you know where we are?" he
whispered.
Surely that is Baker sti eet," I an
swered, staring through the dim win
dow.
Exactly. We are in Camden House,
which stands opposite to our own old
quarters"
"But why are we here"
Because it commands so excellent
a view Of that picturesque pile. Night
trouble you, my dear Watson. to
draw a little nearer to the window.
taking every precaution not to show
YOURSELF and then to look up Mt our
old rooms-the starting point Of so
many Of your little fairy tales? We
will see If my three years Of absence
have entirely taken away my power to
surprise you."
crept forward and looked across
Mt the familiar window. AS my eyes
fell upon it l gave gasp and cry
of amazement. The blind was down,
and strong light was burning in the
room. The shadow of man who was
seated I'm chair within was thrown
In hard, black outline upon the luni
nous screen OF the window. There was
no mistaking the poise Of the head, the
souareness of the shoulders, the sharp
ness Of the features. The face was
turned half around, and the effect was
that of one of those black silllouettes
which our grandparents loved to
frame. 1t was II perfect reproduction
of Holmes. So amazed was l that l
threw out my hand to make sure that
the man himself was standing beside
me. He was quivering with silent
laughter.
"Well?' said he.
"Good heavens" I cried. ut Is mar
vel0usw
81 trust that age doth not wither nor
custom stale my infinite variety said
he. And recognized in his voice the
ioy and pride which the artist takes in
his own creation. 1T really Is rather
like me, is it nOt?"
81 should be prepared to swear that
It was you"
.'The credit Of the execution Is due
to NJ. Oscar Mennier Of Grenoble. who
spent some days in doing the moldlng'
1t Is n bust in wax. The rest ar
ranged myself during my visit to Ba'
ker street this afternoon"
"But why:"
"Recausc. my dear Watson, had the
strongest possible reason for wishing
certain people to think that l was there
when was really elsewhere"
"And you thought the rooms were
watched?"
81 knew that they were watched"
"Ry whom"
"By my old enemies, Watson. BY the
charming society whose leader lies IN
the Reichcnbach fall. You must re-
member that they knew. and only they
knew, that was still alive. Sooner OF
later they believed that should come
back to my rooms. They watched them
continuously. and this morning they
saw me arrive"
GLOW do you know"
"Because | recognized their sentine!
when glanced out Of my window. He
IS a harmless enough fellow. Parker by
name. n garroter by trade and re-
markable performer upon the jews
harp. cared nothing for him. But
I cared great deal for the much more
formidable person who was behind him.
the bosom friend Of Moriarty the man
who dropped the rocks over the cliff
the most cunning and dangerous crimi'
nal in London. That is the man who is
after me tonight. Watson. and that Is
the man who is quite unaware that we
are after him."
NV friends plans were gradually re
vealing themselves. From this conven
lent retreat the watchers were being
watched and the trackers tracked
rtx,t angular shadow up yonder was
the bait, and we We're the hunters. In
| silence we stood together in the dark
ness and watched the hurrying figures
who passed and repassed In front OF
lis. Holmes was silent ana mOtloIless,
| but | could tell that he was keenly
alert and that his eyes were fixed III
tently upon the stream of pa'sersDy
| II was bleak and boisteroils night
| md the wind whistled shrllly down the
long street. Many people were moving
| to and fro, most Of them muffied In thelr
coats and cravats. Once or twice II
seemed to me that had seen the same
figure before, and l especially noticed
two men who appeared to be shelterins
themselves from the wind in the door
way of house some distance up tht
street. tried to draw my companions
attention to them. but he gave littl'
ejaculation of impatiencc and contin
ucd to stare into the street. More thai
once he fidgeted with his feet anc
tapped rapidly with his fingers upoI
the wall. 1t was evident TO iGc that n
was becoming uneasy and that nh
plans were not working out alto:ethel
rs he had hoped. At last a' manigh
approached and the street gradually
cleared he paced up and down th'
room In uncomfortable agitation.
was about to make so.lc rem TX Il
him when raised M ewes 10 t!i2 iiGit
cd window and a,ain experienced u!
most rs graat Il sjrnrisr ~ h"''re.