The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-16

instructive" said he. "Have you no
more to add? Surely having traced
this lady SO far, you can also say what
has become of her"
Il vii! endeavor to do SO. In the
| first place she was seized by your
secretary, and stabbed him in order to
escape. This catastrophe 1 am in
clined to regard as an unhappy acct
dent, for / am convinced that the lady
had no intention of infiicting so griev-
Gus an injury. An assassin does not
come unarmed. Horrified by what
she had done. she rushed wildly away
from the scene of the tragedy. I'm
fortunately for her, she had lost her
glasses in the scuffle, and as she was
extremely short-isghted she was really
helpless without them. She ran down
corridor, which she imagined to be
that by which she had come-both
were lined with cocoanut mating
and it was only when it was too late
that she understood that she had
taken the wrong passage, and that her
retreat was cut off behind her. What
was she to do? She could not go
back. She could not remain where
she was. She must go on. She
went on. She mounted stair, push
ed open a door, and found herself in
your ROOM
The old man sat with his mouth
open, staring wildly at Holmes.
Amusement and fear were stamped
upon his expressive features. Now,
with an effort, he shrugged his should
ers and burst into insincere laughter.
Cali very fine, Mr.. Holiness" said he
"But there is one little flaw in your
splendid theory. l was myself in
my room, and / never left it during
the day"
Il am aware of that Professor
Coram."
"And you mean to say that / could
lie upon that bed and not be aware
that a woman had entered my room ?"
Il never said So You were aware
of it. You spoke with her. You
recognized her. You aided her to cs-
cape"
Again the professor burst into high
keyed laughter. He had risen tc his
feet. and his eyes glowed like embers.
you are mad.' he cried. You
are talking insanely. L helped her to
escape? Where is she now?''
"She is there" said Holmes. and he
pointed to a high bookcase in the
corner of the room.
/ saw the old man throw up his
arms, terrible CONFUSION passeu
over his grim face. and he fell back in
his chair. AT the same instant the
bookcase at which Holmes pointed
swung round upon hinge, and a wo-
man rushed out into the room. You
are right!@ she cried, in a strange,
foreign voice. "You are right! am
here"
She was brown with the dust, and
draped with the cobWebs, which had
come from the walls of her hiding
place. Her face, too, was streaked
with CRIME, and at the best she could
never have been handsome, for she
had the exact physical characteristics
when Holmes had OWNED, with, in
addition, long and obstinate chin.
What with her natural blindness, and
what with the change from dark 20
light, she stood as one dazed, blink
ing about her to see where and who
We were. And yet, in spite of all
these disadvantages, there was a GER
i tain nobility in the woman's bearing
"a gallantry in the defiant chin and
in the appraised head, which conlpell-
ed something of respect and admira-
ton.
Stanley Hopkins had laid his hand
upon her arm and claimed her as his
prisoner, but she waved him asid
gently, and yet with an overmastering
dignity which compelled obedience.
The old man lay back in his chair
with a twitching face, and stared at
her with brooding eyes.
Yes, sir, | am your prisoner, she
said sFr0yaa WHARF | stood r co1sId