Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-08


ECNT@ recollection OF one which
NCSGEGN reached us on a gloomy
February morning, some
seven or eight years ago, and gave Mr..
Sherlock Holmes a puzzled quarter Of
an hour. 1t was addressed to him and
ran thus:
Please await me. Terrible misfortune.
Right wing three-quarter missing, indis-
pensable tomorrow. OVERTON.
Strand postmark and dispatched
1896" said Holmes. reading 1t over
and over. Mr.. Overton was evidently
considerably excited when he sent IL
and somewhat incoherent ia conse-
Quence. Well. well, he will be here, l
dare say, by the time l have looked
through the Times, and then we shall
know all about it. Even the most insig-
nificant problem would be welcome in
these stagnant days"
Things had indeed been very slow
with US, and l had learned to dread
such periods of inaction. for l knew
by experience that my companion's
brain was so abnormally active that 1t
was dangerous TO leave 1t without ma
terial upon which to work. For years
i had gradually wsaned him from
that drug mania which had threatened
once to check his remarkable career.
Now | knew that under ordinary CON
ditions he no longer craved for this
artificial stimulus, but l was well
aware that the fiend was not dead,
but sleeping, and l have known that
the sleep was light one and the wax
I'm nf
] have seen the drawn look upon
Holmes ascetic face and the brooding
of his deep set and inscrutable eyes.
Therefore / blessed this Mr.. OvertOn.
whoever he might be. since he had
come with his enigmatic message 10
break that dangerous calm which
brought more peril to my friend than
all the storms Of his tempestuous life.
AS we had expected. the telegra N
was soon followed by its sender. and
the card of MIR. Cyril Overton. Trinity
college. Cambridge. announced the ar
rival of an enormous young man, six
teen stone OF solid bone and muscle,
who spanned the doorway with his
broad shoulders and looked from one
of us 10 the other with comely face
which was haggard with anxiety.
Mr. Sherlock Holiness
My companion bowed.
I've been down to Scotland Yard,
Mr.. Holmes. l saw Inspector Stanley
Hopkins. He advised me to come TO
you. He said the case, so far as he
could see, was more ia your line than
IN that of the regular police
srak sff oil wis IL
the matter
Its awful, Mr.. Holmes. Simply
awful. 1 wonder my hair isn't gray.
Godfrey Staunton-you'ye heard OF
him, of course? He's simply the hinge
that the whole team turns on Id
rather spare two from the pack and
have Godfrey for my three-quarter
line Whether it's passing or tackiing
or dribbling there's no one to touch
him, and. then, he's got the head and
can hold us all together. What am
10 do? That's what l ask you. Mr..
Holmes. There's MoOrhouse, first re-
serve. but he is trained as a half, and
he always edges right in on to the
serum instead OF keeping out on the
touch line He's fine place kick, it's
true but then he has no judgment, and
he can't sprint for nuts. Why. Nor
ton or johnson. the Oxford hiers,
could romp round him. Stevenson Is
fast enough, but lac couldn't drop from
the twenty five line, and a three
quarter who can't either punt or dror
isn't worth place for pace alone
No. Mr.. Holmes, We are done unless
you can help me TO find Godfrey
Staunton."
My friend had listened with amused
surprise 10 this long speech, which
was poured forth with extraordinary
Vigor and eaTnestness. every point be
ing driven home by the shaping of 1
brawny hand upon the speakers knee
When our visitor was silent Holme:
stretched out his hand and took dowI
letter IS" OF his commonplace book
For once he dug in vain into that min,
OF varied Information.
There is Arthur IL. Staunton, th'
rising young forger." said he. "anC
there was Henry StauntOn. whoGn
helped to hang, but Godfrey StauntoI
Is a new name TO me"
Ii was our visitors turn TO look sur
priSed.
Why, Mr.. Holmes. / thought vol
knew things" said he II suppose
then. IL you have never heard OF God
frey stanton. you don't know Cyri
Overton eitherE"
Holmes shook his head good h1mor
eddy.
Great Scottr' cried the athlete
why. was first reserve for Eng
land against Wales, and I've shippers
the varsity all this year. But that
nothing! / didn't think there was
soul in England who didn't know God
frey stanton. the crack three-quarteI
Cambridge. Blackhesth and i've in