Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-23


Mr. woOdIey seemed 10 me to be a
most OdiOus person. He was forever
making eyes at me-a coarse. puffy
faced, red nustsched young man. with
his hair plastersd down on each side
Of his forehead. ! thought that he was
perfectly hateful. and ] was sure that
Cyril would not wish me 10 know such
a person
.Oh. Cyril is his name" said Holmes,
smiling
The young lady bIushed and laughed
Yes. Mr.. Holmes, Cyril Morton. an
electrical engineer and we hope TO be
married at the end of the summer.
Dear me. how did / get talking about
him: What l wished 10 say WIS that
SIr. WoodIey was perfectly Odious. but
that Mr.. CarruIhers. who was much
older man, was more agreeable. He
was a dark, saIlow, clean shaven, silent
person. but he had polite manners and
a pleasant smile. He inquired how we
were left. and on finding that We were
very poor lie suggested that | should
come and teach music to bis only
daughter, aged ten. l said that / did
not like 10 leave my mother. on which
he suggested that | should 20 home 10
her every week end. and he offered me
a hundred year, which was certainly
splendid pay. SO IL ended by nay &C
cepting and | went down TO Chiltern
Grange, about six miles from Farm
ham Mr.. CarrutherS WAS II widOwer,
but be had enga ged n lady housekeep-
err a very respectable, elderly person,
~ tor
tablishment The child was a dear. and
everything promised well. Mr.. Car
ruthers was very kind and very music
al, and We had most pleasant evenings
together Every week end | went home
TO my mother i'll town.
The first flaw in my happiness was
the arrival OF the red mustached Mr..
Woodley. He came for visit OF
week. and, Oh, il seemed three months
to me. He was a dreadful persona
bully TO every one else. but to me some
thing infinitely worse. He made odious
love TO me. boosted of his wealth, said
that II married him l could have the
finest diamonds in London, aud finally
when l would have nothing TO do with
him he seized me la bis arms one day
and swore that he would not let me so
until had kissed him. Mr.. Carruthers
came in and tore him from me. on
which be turned Upon bis own host.
knocking him down and cutting his
face open That was the end of his
visit. as you can imagine. Mr.. Carruth
ers apologiZed to me next day and as
sured me that / should never be ex
posed 10 such an insult again. ! have
not seen Mr.. Woodley since.
And now. Mr.. Holmes, / come AT
last TO the special thing which has
caused me To ask your advice today.
You must know that every Saturday
forenoon / ride on my bicycle to Farm
ham station in order TO get the 12:22
10 town. The road from Chiltern
Grange is a lonely one. and at one spot
it is particularly SO. for it lies for over
mile between Charlington heath up
ON one side and the woods which lie
round Charlington Hall upon the other
You could not find more lonely tract
OF road anywhere. and il is quite rare
TO meet SO much as a cart or u peasant
until you reach the hghroad near
Crooksbury hill. Two weeks ago /
was passing this place when / CHANGED
to look back over my shoulder, and
about 200 yards behind me l saw q
man, also on a bicycle. He seemed to
be middle aged man. with a short
dark beard. | looked back before l
reached Farnham. but the man was
gone. SO l thought no more about it,
But you can imagine how surprised /
was. Mr.. Holmes. when on my return on
the Monday saw the same man on the
sape stretch OF road. My astonishment
was increased when the incident oc-
CURED again, exactly as before. on the
following Saturday and Monday. He
always kepthis distance and did not mo
lest me in any way. but still it certain
ly was very odd. l mentioned it to Mr.
Carruthers. who seemed interested in
what l said and told me that he had
ordered a horse and trap. SO that in fu-
ture / should not pass over these lonely
roads without some cOru,a-lion.
the morse ana CGp were 10 have
come this week. but for some reason
they were not delivered. and again /
had TO cycle to the station. That was
this morning. You can think that l
iOOhc0 Oul NACn came 10
heath, and there. sure enough, was the
man. exactly as he had been the two
weeks before. He always kept so far
from me that / could not clearly see
his face. but il was certainly some one
whom did not know. He was dressed
in a dark suit with a cloth cap. The
only thing about his face that could
clearly see was his dark beard.
To-day l was not alarmed. but I was
filled with curiosity. and I determined
TO find out who he was and what he
wanted. l slowed down my machine.
but he slowed down his. Then / stop
ped altogether. but he stopped also.
Then laid a trap for him. There is a
sharp turning OF the road. and / ped
sled very quickly round this, and then
I stopped aud waited. i expected him
20 shoot round and pass me before he
could stop. But he never appeared.
Then ! went back and looked round the