Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-08-10

iii. AIIulutI u1O HAI. VOUultN, WIZ
were home on a visit from South Afri-
ca. They said that my uncle was a
friend Of theirs, that he. had died some
months before;lns greatpoverty in Jo-
hannesburg, and that he had asked
them with his last breath to hunt up
his relations and see that they We're in
no want. 1t seemed strange to us that
Uncle Ralph, who took no notice Of us
when he was alive, should be so care
full to look after us when he was dead,
but Mr.. Carruthers explained that the
reason was that my uncle had just
heard Of the death Of his brother and
so felt responsible for fate"
Excuse me-" said Holmes. when
was this interview"
Last December-four months ago"
"Pray proceed"
"Mr. Woodley seemed to me to be a
most odious person. He was forever
making eyes at me--a coarse, puffy
faced, red mustached young man, with
his hair plastered down on each side
Of his forehead. I thought that he was
perfectly hateful and l was sure that
Cyril would not wish me to know such
a person.
"Oh, Cyril is his name!' said Holmes,
smiling.
The young lady blushed 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 1 get talking about
him? What l wished to say was that
| Mr.. Woodley was perfectly odious, but
that Mr.. C%arruthers, who was u much
| older man, was more agreeable. He
| was a dark, sallow, clean shaven. silent
person. but he had polite manner and
| a pleasant smile. He inquired how we
were left, and on finding that We were
very poor he suggested that l should
come and teach music to his only
daughter, aged ten. l said that l did
not like to leave my mother, on which
he suggested that l should go home to
her every week end, and he offered me
q hundred q year, which was certainly
splendid pay. So it ended by my ac-
cepting, and 1 went down TO Chiltern
Grange, about six miles from Farm
ham. Mr.. Carruthers was u widower,
but he had engaged a lady housekeep-
er, a very respectable, elderly person,
called Mrs. Dixon, to look after his es-
t%ablishment. The child was Il dear, and
everything promised we'll. Mr.. Car
ruthers was very kind and very music
| al 1n6 MO h1I mast n1n0Slnt nNaninpS
together. Every week end 1 went home
to my mother in town.
1.-THE first flaw in my happiness was
the arrival of the red mustached Mr..
Woodley. He came for a visit of a
week, and, oh, it 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 if l married him I could have the
finest diamonds in London, and finally
when l would have nothing to do with
him he seized me in his arms one day
after dinner-he was hideously strong
and swore that he would not let me go
until l had kissed him. Mr.. Carruthers
came in and tore him from me. on
which he turned upon his 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 mex day and as
sured me that l should never be eX-
posed to such an insult again. l have
not seer Mr.. Woodley since.
And now, Mr.. Holmes, l come at
last to the special thing which has
caused me to ask your advice today.
You must know that every Saturday
forenoon l ride OF my bicycle to Farm
ham station in order to get the 1922
to town. The road from Chiltern
Grange is a lonely one, and at one spot
it is particularly SO, for it lies for over
a mile between Charlington heath up
on one side II the woods which lie
round Charlington Hall upon the other.
You could not find a more lonely tract
of road anywhere, and it is quite rare
to meet so much as a cart or a peasant
until you reach the highroai near
Crooksbury hill. Two weeks az, I
was passing this place when l Glanced
to look back over my shoulder, and
about 200 yards behind me | saw j
nan. also on Il bicycle. He seemed t.
be q middle aged man, with q short
dark beard. | looked back before
reached Farnhanl. but the Ma va,
gone. so | thought no more about it
But you can imagine bow SURPRISED
was, Mr.. Holmes, when on my return %,
the Monday Jaw tie same man Oh tie
same stretch of road. My astouish.neu'
was Increased when the incident DC
CURED again, exactly as before. on III,
following Saturday and Monday. He
alwayskepthis distance and did not ms
lest me IN any way. but still it certain
~ was very odd. l mentioned it to Nj
Carruthers, who seemed Interested j,
what | said and told me that he la,
ordered a horse and trap, so that in fu
ture | should not pass over these lionel,
roads without some companion.
The horse and trap were to hay
come this week, but FOR some reason
they were not delivered, and again
had to cycle to the station. That wa
this morning, You can think that
looked out when I came to Charliuyto