The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-07-28

Y A to receive weird tele-
wy Grams at Baker street.
- but I have "a particular
@gTSEsT recollection of one which
ksESl ,GtH reached us Oh a gloomy
February morning some
seven or eight years ago. and gave Mr..
Sherlock Holmes a puzzled quarter of
an hour. 1t was addressed 10 him ana
ran thus:
Please await me. Terrible misfortune.
Right wing thgec-quartcr missing. iudis-
pensable tomorrow. ONEETON.
STRAND postmark and dispatched
1896" said Holmes reading it over
and over. "AIr Overton was evidently
considerably excited when he sent it
and somewhat iucoherent in couse-
quenee. Well, well, he viii be here.
dare say, 10y the time / have looked
through the Times and then we shall
know an about it, Even the most msig-
nifeaut problem would lie welcome in
these stugnant days
Things had indeed been very slow
with US and | had learned to dread
such periods of iuaction. for | knew
by experience that my companions
brain was 50 abnormallv active that it
was dangerous to leave it without ma
terial upon which to work. For years
l had gradually wcaned 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 | was well
aware that the fieud was not dead.
but sleeping, and l have known that
the sleep was a light one and the wax
ing near when in periods of idleness
have seen the drawn look upon
Holmes ascetic face and the brooding
of his deep set and inScrutable eyes.
Therefore l blessed this Mr.. Overton.
whoever he might be, since he had
come with his enigmatic message to
break that dangerous calm which
brought more peril To my friend than
all the storms of his tempestuous life.
As we had expected, the telegram
was soon followed by its sender, and
the card of Mr.. Cyril Oyerton. 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 ana looked from one
of US to the other with a comely face
which was haggard with anxiety.
Mr. Sherlock Holmes?"
My companion bowed.
I've been down to Scotland Yard.
Mr.. Holmes. | saw Inspector Stanley
Hopkins. He advised me to come TO
you. He said the case, so far as he
could see, was more in your line than
in that of the regular police"
Pray sit down and tell me what is
the matter"
Its awful Mir Holmes. Simply
awful. | wonder my hair isn't gray.
Godfrey Stauntou- you've heard of
him, Of course? Hes simply tie hinge
that the whole team turns on. ia
rather spare two from the pack and
have Godfrey for my three-auarter
line. Whether it's passing or tackling
or dribbling there's no one to touch
him. and, then, hes got the head and
can hold Us all together What am /
TO do: That's what ask you, Mr..
Holmes. There's Moorhouse, first re-
serve, but he is trained as Il half. and
he always edges right in on to the
serum instead of keeping out ON the
touch line He's a line 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 diers.
could romp round him. Stevenson is
fast enough. but he couldn't drop from
the twenty-five line and a three
quarter who can't either punt or drop
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 to this long speech, which
was poured forth with extraordinary
vigor and earnestnesS. every point be-
ing driven home by the slapping of a
brawny hand upon the speakers knee.
When our visitor was silent Holmes
stretched out his hand and took down
letter IS of his commonplace book
For once he dag in vain into that mine
of varied information.
There is Arthur IL. Staunton. the
rising young forger.' said he. land
there was Henry stanton, whom l
helped to hang, but Godfrey Staunton
is a new name to me"
1t was our visitors turn to look sur
prised.
Why, Mr.. Holmes, 1 thought you
knew things" said he. Il suppose,
then, if you have never heard of God
frey Staunton, you don't know Cyril
overton either?'
Holmes shook his head good humor-
eddy.
Great Scottr' cried the athlete.
"Why, l was first reserve for Eng
land against Wales, and I've skippered
the varsity all this year. But that's
nothing! l didn't think there was
soul in England who didn't know God
frey Staunton. the crack three-quarter,
Cambridge, Blackheath and five in
ternationals. Good Lord Mr.. Holmes.
where have you lived?"
Holmes laughed at the young giants
naive establishment
you live In a different world from
me, Mr.. Overton-a sweeter and health
fer one. My ramifieations stretch out
Into many sections of society. but never,
7 A.